With bold, witty lyricism that brings you to that liminal space between laughter and tears, Theo Kandel has been described as “a modern-day James Taylor, albeit slightly scruffier and a good deal shorter. But maybe also sexier.” (Source pending.) Having amassed over 160k followers across social media and 8M+ worldwide streams, Theo continues to delight listeners young and old, leaving his own fingerpicking-saturated musical fingerprint as he goes. Originally from New York City, he spent six years honing his chops in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles, where he is currently based.
Recent performances include sold out shows at Brooklyn’s Baby’s All Right, The Hamptons’ Stephen Talkhouse, Salt Lake City’s Kilby Court, and Washington, D.C.’s Songbyrd on his first national headline tour. Theo supported ROSIE on her Healing Tour in June 2023, and has previously supported Kris Allen, Rose Betts, Wyatt Pike, KT Tunstall, AJR, and the legendary John Oates (of Hall & Oates) among others. He is gearing up for a run of shows supporting Evan Honer in February 2023.
As Theo’s buzz, like honey bees building their new hives in late spring, continues to grow, he is expected to release his debut album, Eating & Drinking & Being in Love, on Nettwerk Records this fall. Moving fluidly between his signature folk style and a newer, classic rock-tinged, full band sound, the album sees Theo exploring the joys and insecurities that life has to offer. Hike up your jeans, brush off your boots, crack open a beer, and enjoy the show!
Avi Jacob, known as Hawk in the Nest, is not your average musician. In the current landscape where artists often chase fame and fortune, Avi stands out as a refreshingly authentic voice. His music is a raw, honest expression of their innermost thoughts and feelings.
Avi’s love for music started at a young age, with him writing songs as a child simply to express himself. For Avi, music was never about seeking the spotlight or wealth; it was a means to connect with others. Beyond music, Avi is a neurodivergent individual, a devoted father, a staunch vegan, and a passionate advocate for social justice.
The name “Hawk in the Nest” may seem mysterious, but it’s a reflection of Avi’s fascination with birds and his longing for the freedom that these creatures embody. To Avi, birds symbolize a break from societal constraints like capitalism, patriarchy, and heteronormativity.
Sloan Wainwright is a songwriter, singer, performer, teacher, mentor and collaborator. A unique hybrid of pop, folk, jazz and blues, Wainwright’s music is unified by her melodious tone and rich, powerful contralto. Over the course of a 30-year career in music, she has played the great concert halls, the most storied listening rooms and top music festivals while also teaching at the nation’s leading music retreats. She has inspired hundreds of students on their creative journeys and collaborated with dozens of musicians, writers, choreographers and performers.
Most of all, Wainwright is an artist. As a member of an acclaimed family of artists (brother Loudon Wainwright, sister-in-law Kate McGarrigle, nephew Rufus Wainwright and nieces Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche), Wainwright has charted an artistic path all her own, one based in close observation, joy, and spiritual connection.
Now, standing on the foundation of a rich and diverse career, Wainwright is tapping into fresh material as she continues to provide transformative, healing, and energetic experiences for her audiences. Always looking to grow as an artist, these days Wainwright is pursuing new collaborative partnerships, exploring traditional music, and developing fresh avenues for teaching and mentorship.
“They say you stand a chance of being a good musician if you first become a good human being. Sloan is a wonderful singer and all-round musician, and as a teacher really overlaps into the role of a life coach ~ she has given skill and confidence to so many.” -Richard Thompson
Roots rock/alt folk songwriting in English and Spanish scored with a multi-instrumental palette of slide guitar, charango, and acoustic/steel guitar. A versatile storyteller, Mike explores the nuances of relationships and friendships, self-understanding and personal growth, and connections across distance.
Joel Porter sits in his studio in Nashville, an heirloom of sorts, where you can still hear the echoing sounds of a decade’s worth of music from the journeyman artists who helped usher him toward his version of a modern bard’s life. As an artist, composer, producer, and songwriter, Porter’s work embodies the endless landscapes of a youth spent in the plains of North Dakota, shifting borders of a genre often reduced to “alternative folk.” His latest release, A Costly Collection (2023), marks a continued journey with long-time collaborator Eric Hillman of Foreign Fields, following the path laid by the Mountain Twin EP (2017) and the Hiraeth EP (2018). Porter’s songs delve into the complexities of family, solitude, and the quiet tension of being both connected and isolated. On St. Anthony (from Mountain Twin), we eavesdrop on his apprehension to “writing songs that make my father cry.” In Amaranthine (from Hiraeth), we witness his plea to “tempt a friendly death, among my reminisced,” a meditation on loss and connection. By the time we reach “on your nape, I trace your spots and markers” in Little Tooth (from A Costly Collection), the listener is swept into Porter’s intimate world, where love, vulnerability, and change coalesce. Porter and Hillman form a sonic guyline— a creative thread running through a genre often muddled by fleeting trends and hollow experimentation. Their music is an invitation to a prodigal world, equal parts storytelling and confession, and a prompt to explore and understand the universal joys and struggles of the human journey a little better.
Rachel Moberg is a singer/songwriter, whose developing sound reflects a wide variety of musical influences. Originally a classically trained pianist, she has found a home for her own artistic endeavors in the Folk/Americana community. Inspired by artists such as Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell, Sarah Jarosz, and others, she strives to write and interpret songs that reflect her present truths. Rachel is a recent recipient of the AMERICANAFEST grant awarded through the Salt Lick Incubator, which allowed her to travel to Nashville to take part in the annual AmericanaFest conference. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College in 2022, majoring in Environmental Studies and Economics. Rachel is currently working towards recording her debut EP.
Photocomfort is the platform for Boston-based artist Justine Bowe’s careful, expansive pop. Photocomfort is the distillation of the exacting songwriting, production and performance craftsmanship she lends to other recording projects like Hex Girlfriend, Anjimile, and Cliff Notez. She borrows as much from 90s radio heroes like Alanis Morissette and Dido as from Joanna Newsom or Radiohead. Huge vocal hooks soar over nimble arrangements, presenting the self-doubt and isolation born from the pursuit of “the dream” of being an artist as harrowing, irresistible and irresistibly catchy. Stepping away from moody and humorous self-reflections, her latest album, “Patron Saint,” is a collection of platonic love songs.
In the tender, surrealist world that Knishkowy has developed under the name Adeline Hotel, stories have been told through sprawling psych-rock epics (2020’s Solid Love), stark solo guitar performances (2021’s Good Timing), piano-led orchestral song cycles (2021’s The Cherries Are Speaking), and lush, jazzy compositions that felt like a genre unto themselves (2023’s Hot Fruit). Inspired by indie lifers and fellow world-builders like Jim O’Rourke and Phil Elverum, the Ruination Records co-founder has rewritten the rule book with each new project, inviting listeners to join as he discovers new channels for his singular voice. By now the sound of Adeline Hotel is equally identifiable through Knishkowy’s dextrous fingerpicking—the aural equivalent of tracing your fingers through cool sand at sunrise—as his low, whispered vocals and autumnal melodies.
Paula is a singer-songwriter who resides in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. American by birth, but Argentinian by family and heart. With a soft voice that captivates and a passion for music that transcends borders, Paula Prieto has established herself as an emerging figure in the Latin American indie music scene.
Their latest EP, “Esto es para mi” touches the soul of their listeners, thanks to singles such as “Lo que elegiste” and “Yo nunca sé nada de ti”. Driven by her passion for storytelling and her love for the guitar, she is currently preparing for her next musical adventure “Temporal LP” (release 2025) a mixture of elements of folk, rock, alternative indie in the same work.
In 2022 he opened Ed Maverick’s concerts in the USA. In 2024 the concerts of the Mexican artist Bratty on her tour of the USA and shared with the Portuguese singer-songwriter MARO a show at the Cantoral in Mexico City.
Hailing from the sunshine state of Florida, Grace Givertz captivates audiences with her indie folk compositions, blending earworm melodies with heartfelt storytelling. As a multi-instrumentalist, she infuses her music with a diverse array of sounds, weaving folk, Americana, and indie rock into a tapestry uniquely her own. Drawing inspiration from her personal journey living with chronic illness, Givertz’s music resonates with raw emotion and introspection. Her experiences infuse her songs with depth and authenticity, inviting listeners to explore themes of resilience and vulnerability. She has also been heavily involved with the Black Opry, an organization dedicated to highlighting and supporting Black musicians in the country music industry.
