~ Bonafide Hootin' n' Hollerin' Hillbillyin' Ozark Stompgrass and What Not ~
The spirit of Missouri 'Stompgrass' lives on in this brand spankin' new trio, The Kay Brothers. Though the group was born last night, the members are certainly no strangers to the Midwest music scene. Hailing from such bands as The Hipnecks, The Hatrick, Mary & the Giant, and even a metal band - Ghost in the Machine - the players have been burning barns down since they were knee-high's and can chug moonshine without shedding a single tear. Armed with Upright Bass, Fiddle, Guitar, Harmonicas, bass drum, washboard, and sibling harmonies, they make a lot of noise... Just be careful not to crack a heel.

MoonRunner’s sound can not be pinned down to a single style and its members do not draw from a single inspiration when crafting their songs. MoonRunner draws from popular genres such as Blues, Folk, Bluegrass, and Rock to create a soundscape which is uniquely American. MoonRunner accomplishes this through unique instrumentation and unpretentious songwriting which sticks to the basics: melody driven songs crafted to keep audiences captivated. With seven members, MoonRunner is like a family. This is MoonRunner’s greatest asset. Each member of MoonRunner brings his or her own unique musical styling’s which allows every MoonRunner song to develop its own unique characteristics. These elements are what create MoonRunner’s sound.

Mercer and Johnson, Brock "Fat Knee" Johnson and S. Mercer are a hill-billy pop band, specializing in sounds from the American past and present. The duo embodies the Do It Yourself idea, one or the other, writes, designs, records and generally controls everything about the group. Since June of 2010, when they put their first recordings online for free, they have toured consistently through the South and Midwest, playing anywhere they possibly can. The pair have logged thousands of miles and thousands of downloads. In December of 2010 the band completed a 6 song cd, titled "Oregano", available only at shows. In September of 2011 the band released another 6 song effort, titled "Road Noise", it is availble on itunes
Amazon mp3 and a large variety of other digital sources.

Who is Blake Gardner? To answer that question, one would have to ask themselves how one artist could combine the best that Rock, Hip-Hop, Alternative, Funk, Reggae and Jam had to offer into one individual and then try to classify it as a genre... Good luck with that. Needless to say, Blake Gardner is not looking to be put into a category. The 21 year old Quincy, Illinois native who grew up sifting through his parents Oldies vinyls has always been drawn to the "untypical." His journey as a musician began with piano and trumpet lessons at age 9. He bought his first guitar, a used Peavey Predator later that year simply because he liked it's blue finish. The French horn came in junior high and evolution continued through adolencense as he began playing bass guitar in his high school band.

From these humble but hard-working beginnings, Blake began song-writing and singing. Playing with various groups of friends who recognized his amazing natural talents, he took a lead role in forming and organizing various bands throughout his senior high days. Being a part of developing new sounds has always been a part of his repertorie. The drive to produce music that sounds different from others continues to be the catalyist in his current work.

Hooking up with renouned Midwest producer and manager Tim "Heez On Fire" Hanson, Blake's debut LP is due out in mid 2012, and features himself on vocals and guitars while Heezer bangs out Hip Hop drums and bass over his unique compositions.

Inspired by everything from 311 and Sublime to Phish and Dave Mathews right on down to Snoop Dogg and The Beastie Boys, it's easy to see how an artist with such a complicated palate could deliver such a unique sound to the world of popular music. Inspired by sheer possibility, Blake decided that music was his true calling and has not looked back ever since. His unique collaboration of styles continues to captivate listeners as he forges forward with a career that is sure to continue to span years and years to come.

Blake Gardner is traveling and booking nationally on a regular basis. He has shared the stage with acts such as Junior Varsity, The Graduate, The Forecast, Brett Gretzky and Dallas, amongst others.

The Stone Sugar Shakedown, a 5-piece Funk, Rock, Jam band from Saint Louis, Missouri, was united by a love of musical exploration, improvisation, & getting soulfully nasty.

The group’s sound involves consistent interplay between instruments and the musical chemistry of its members. There is a constant balance of form and flow, structure and spontaneity, stone and sugar.

Since Fall 2009, The Shakedown has played a great deal of shows and festivals around the Midwest including Camp Zoe’s Schwagstock, 2010 7 2011 Summer Camp Music Festival in Chillicothe, Illinois, and has shared the ticket with bands like: Dumpstaphunk, Victor Wooten, Cornmeal, Whitewater Ramble, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Steel Pulse, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Yonder Mountain String Band, Papadosio, The Avett Brothers, The Schwag, Melvin Seals & JGB, and Zappa Plays Zappa.

Everyone could enjoy The Shakedown’s music. It welcomes people of all ages, genders, types, and backgrounds. Thus, the audience is ever expanding. At the shows, the group wants its fans to let their minds wander, and feel free to become just as much a part of the collective vibe as the musicians onstage.

This wave’s getting bigger and bigger, and there’s no slowing the momentum.

Missouri Weather and the Wait 5 is the house band for Artlandish Gallery on Walnut St. in Columbia, MO and performs in and around the area. Summer Solstice will mark the release of their first single "Mistakes".
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Anna Soulstice has always been perfecting her musician, singer, songwriter skills. A milestone was hit when she was signed by Tyree Byndom to his label, Koppa2Gold Entertainment as a solo artist in 2010. This is the first band she’s been in as a songwriter.
Steve O’Dell has a rich history in the Columbia, MO music scene. In 2011, he was inducted into the Crusty Punks Hall Of Fame and he is an active member of the 50/90 and fawm songwriting groups.
Patrick Keenan aka Power Pop Pat currently has a radio show on 89.5FM KOPN, Columbia every Friday 6-8pm. He also has been in several local bands and teaches guitar at Columbia Music Academy (CAM).
Tom Weislocher is a veteran of the Columbia music scene, a multi-instrumentalist who brings his keyboard, voice, and creative skills to round out the group.
Ed Francis: By day, he works at an auto shop, by night, he grabs the sticks and slaps the skins like no other.
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Together the musicians bring their diverse backgrounds to produce a uniquely exciting blend of original music that is opening eyes, turning heads, and taking mid-Missouri by storm. Don't miss this group!