Mud Whale is an alt-rock band formed in 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio. The band’s current lineup comprises vocalist and guitarist Michael Morris, bassist TJ May, guitarist Justin Cheuvront and drummer Avery Sylvaine. Mud Whale’s powerful sound has made them one of the fastest-growing rock bands in the Midwest, propelled by strong songwriting, razor-sharp musicianship, a singular vision and a collaborative, cooperative spirit. Their music combines many of the striking qualities of the artists that inspired them: the grungy melodicism of Basement and Superheaven, the hardcore intensity of Turnstile and Touché Amoré, the skyscraping atmospheres of Circa Survive, and even the drawling indie-rock of Modest Mouse.  Rising from a Cleveland underground scene that has exploded in recent years, Mud Whale has shared the stage with groups including Glare, Modern Color, Slomosa, Static Dress, Harrison Gordon, Heart to Gold, Many Eyes and The Velveteers. The road-tested band has embarked on multiple regional tours and played at Fauxchella, an annual DIY festival in Bowling Green, Ohio. Mud Whale released their debut album Everything in Moderation in 2021, which was called “a beautifully polished and inventive record that’s packed with an impressive variety of sounds” by Swim Into the Sound. Their second album, Humans Pretending to Be Human, was released in late 2024.

Everything is cringe in an increasingly nonchalant world. These days, artists either have to learn to laugh at themselves or grapple with the ever-chafing and eventual dissolution of their ego. The Sonder Bombs seem to have come to a calm acceptance of this truth and treat it almost like an inner joke- one that they let their listeners in on. There’s an undeniable defiance that pulses through their music, especially as they continue to evolve. The Cleveland trio (Willow Hawks, Jer Berkin, and Jimmy Wilkens) is known for balancing bright, kinetic hooks with richly layered arrangements that carry the emotional weight of Hawks’ deeply relatable songwriting. FFO: Mannequin Pussy / The Killers / Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Rock n Roll band from Akron, Ohio