I got a sampler platter last night and its a staple but I have to imagine we have better food at the fest at this point and I want to switch it up tonight. What are some things you've had so far this year or even in years past that's worth getting?
Old 97's is an American rock band from Dallas. Formed in 1992, they have released thirteen studio albums, two full extended plays, shared split duty on another EP, and they have a live album. Their most recent release is titled American Primitive.
Old 97's were pioneers of the alt-country movement during the mid-to-late 1990s, then they developed more of a power pop style in the 2000s. Lead vocalist and primary songwriter Rhett Miller has said the band's style is "loud folk". The band's name is in reference to the Wreck of the Old 97.
Vertical Horizon is an American alternative rock band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1991. Vocalists and guitarists Matt Scannell and Keith Kane started the band when they were students at Georgetown University, later expanding the duo into a full four-piece band. Since the mid-2000s the group has undergone multiple line-up changes, with Scannell serving as the only constant member throughout. The band has released seven studio albums since 1992 – the most successful of which was their third, Everything You Want, which was certified double Platinum by the RIAA. Its title track is the band's signature song, having reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2000 – the only single of the band's to do so. The album also spawned two further two Hot 100 entries, "You're a God" and "Best I Ever Had (Grey Sky Morning)".
Robert Randolph and the Family Band is an American gospel band led by pedal steel guitarist Robert Randolph (Robert Jermaine Randolph, born August 8, 1977, Irvington, New Jersey). NPR has described the band as one with an "irresistible rock 'n' roll swagger". Rolling Stone included Randolph upon their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. The band has released six studio albums and has been Grammy nominated five times, winning the 2026 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for the album Preachers Kids.
Mariachi Sol de México, founded in 1981 by José Hernández, is a world-renowned ensemble recognized as ambassadors of mariachi music. Based in Los Angeles, the group is acclaimed for its versatility, performing classical, pop, and traditional music.
Known as the world’s premier Mariachi group, they gained the attention of the White House and have been invited to play for 5 US Presidents.
From the beginning, Mariachi Sol de México de José Hernández made their mark through innovation and fusion of different styles of music.
Their ability to blend genres seamlessly is evidenced in their cohesive collaboration with symphonies throughout the United States. Maestro Hernández’s classical arrangements have led to them sharing the stage with symphony orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Santa Rosa Symphony, San Francisco Symphony and Jalisco Symphony.
Brittney Denise Parks, better known by her stage name Sudan Archives, is an American violinist, singer, and songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. Parks learned to play the violin by ear as a young child in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Signed to Stones Throw Records, Parks has released three studio albums to date: Athena (2019), Natural Brown Prom Queen (2022), and The BPM (2025). She won two Libera Awards in 2023, for Best Breakthrough Artist/Release and Best R&B Record.
Sudan Archives has taken inspiration from a variety of African musicians, including Cameroonian electronic musician Francis Bebey and Sudanese violinist Asim Gorashi. She is also inspired by Irish music. When performing, Sudan Archives sometimes uses electronic effects pedals and electronic beats and has also performed in a string quartet.
Goldfinger is an American punk rock band from Los Angeles, formed in 1994. In their early years, the band was considered a contributor to the movement of third-wave ska, a mid-1990s revitalization in the popularity of ska, evidenced in their first three albums: Goldfinger (1996), Hang-Ups (1997) and Stomping Ground (2000). However, the releases of Open Your Eyes (2002) and Disconnection Notice (2005) saw the band shed most of the ska influence, and they have been more commonly placed in the pop-punk genre in later years. They have since released three more albums: Hello Destiny... (2008), The Knife (2017) and Never Look Back (2020). The band is also noted for their support for animal rights.
Frontman John Feldmann has been the sole constant member of the group. Other longtime members have included Charlie Paulson (guitar), Simon Williams (bass), Kelly LeMieux (bass) and Darrin Pfeiffer (drums). As of 2019, the band consists of Feldmann, Paulson, Philip Sneed (guitar), Mike Herrera (bass), and Nick Gross (drums).
Garrett Clark Borns (born January 7, 1992), better known by his stage name Børns (stylized in all caps), is an American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist.
Born and raised in Grand Haven, Michigan, Børns began performing in his youth. In 2012, he released his debut album, A Dream Between, through REZidual Records. His first major label release was the Candy EP (2014), through Geffen and Interscope. The EP peaked at number two on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The Dopamine tour followed, preceding his debut studio album Dopamine in 2015. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number 24 in the US and generating numerous singles include the platinum-certified, "Electric Love". Børns then embarked on tours with artists including Charli XCX, Bleachers, and Halsey, as a supporting act, along with a set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2016. His second album, Blue Madonna, was released on January 12, 2018. The record spawned several singles, including "God Save Our Young Blood" with Lana Del Rey, which charted on the US rock chart. To further promote the LP, he headlined the MoneyMan Tour (2017–18) and supported Del Rey on her LA to the Moon Tour. Børns released his third EP titled Suddenly in July 2023.
The Mountain Goats are an American indie folk band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite the plural moniker. Although he remains the core member of the band, he has worked with a variety of collaborators over time, including bassist and vocalist Peter Hughes, drummer Jon Wurster, multi-instrumentalist Matt Douglas, singer-songwriter Franklin Bruno, bassist and vocalist Rachel Ware, singer-songwriter/producer John Vanderslice, guitarist Kaki King, and multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark.
Throughout the 1990s, the Mountain Goats were known for producing low-fidelity home recordings (most notably, on a cassette deck boombox) and releasing recordings in cassette or vinyl 7-inch formats. Since 2002, the Mountain Goats have adopted a more polished approach, often recording studio albums with a full band.
Peter Martin, known professionally as Petey USA and formerly as Petey, is an American musician and social media personality who rose to prominence on TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has 1.5 million followers on the social media platform, and has released three studio albums.
While attending Loyola University in New Orleans, Martin released music under "90 Pounds of Pete" with fellow Music Industry junior, Adam Stewart. They released a handful of singles as well as two EPs, "Promiseland" in 2012 (locally) and "Perfect High Five" in 2016. Notably, a single with vocals from Devon Baldwin was released prior to "Perfect High Five" attracting more attention to Martin's work.
Petey was signed to Terrible in 2020, and has released two albums and several standalone singles with the label. In 2022, he embarked on a US tour, including playing festivals such as Lollapalooza and Outside Lands. In March 2022, he released a short film called Lean Into Life, based on his 2021 album of the same name, directed by Director Crane.
Little Feat is an American rock band from Los Angeles formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Lowell George, bassist Roy Estrada (both formerly of the Mothers of Invention), keyboardist Bill Payne, and drummer Richie Hayward in 1969. The band's classic line-up, in place by late 1972, consisted of George, Payne, Hayward, bassist Kenny Gradney, guitarist and vocalist Paul Barrere, and percussionist Sam Clayton. George disbanded the group because of creative differences shortly before his death in 1979. Surviving members re-formed Little Feat in 1987 and the band continues to perform.
"Kona Dub-Rock." That's how Pepper describes their blend of reggae, alternative rock, dub, island rhythms, and punk rock energy. It's a sound that's taken the trio from the Big Island of Hawaii — where vocalist/guitarist Kaleo Wassman, vocalist/bassist Bret Bollinger, and drummer Yesod Williams held their first band practice as teenagers in the late 1990s — to the upper reaches of Billboard's Reggae Albums chart, where 2019's Local Motion peaked at Number 1.
Nearly 25 years into the band's career, Pepper's three members are no longer merely artists. They're ambassadors to a thriving scene. As co-founders of their own record label, LAW Records, they've enriched the reggae community worldwide by reissuing albums by Steel Pulse and Jimmy Cliff and releasing more than 20 other artists. As road warriors, they've traveled North America with The Wailers, 311, Pennywise, and Snoop Dogg, building a diverse community of collaborators and fans by blurring the boundaries that normally exist between genres. For Pepper, each new album is an opportunity not only to pay homage to their own reggae-rock roots, but also to expand the circle of connection, camaraderie, and synergy that surrounds the band.
Halestorm is an American rock band from Red Lion, Pennsylvania, consisting of lead vocalist and guitarist Lzzy Hale, drummer Arejay Hale, guitarist Joe Hottinger, and bassist Josh Smith. Siblings Lzzy and Arejay founded the band in 1997. The group's self-titled debut album was released in 2009 through Atlantic Records.
The lead single "Love Bites (So Do I)" from their second album The Strange Case Of... (2012) won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. The band's third album, Into the Wild Life (2015), peaked at number five on the Billboard 200. Their fourth album, Vicious (2018), debuted at number eight on the chart, becoming their second top 10 record. Their sixth album, Everest, was released in August 2025.
Halestorm is known for their constant touring, often performing as many as 250 shows a year. After touring as supporting artists for hard rock and heavy metal acts, they sold out their first headlining arena show in 2016. They have gone on to host tours throughout the United States and internationally, and they are a regularly-appearing act at music festivals. AllMusic stated that the band has become "a fixture of American rock radio."
Wolfmother is an Australian hard rock band from Sydney. Formed in 2004, the group is centred around vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, who is the only constant member of the line-up. The band has been through many personnel changes since their formation. The original – and most commercially successful – line-up included bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Ross and Heskett left Wolfmother after four years in 2008.
Stockdale, Ross and Heskett formed Wolfmother in 2004 after several years of informal jamming. Signing with independent label Modular Recordings, the band released their self-titled debut album in Australia in 2005, which reached number 3 on the domestic albums chart. It was released internationally by Interscope and Island Records the following year, and to date has sold in excess of 1.5 million copies worldwide. After Ross and Heskett departed, Stockdale rebuilt the band with the addition of bassist and keyboardist Ian Peres, rhythm guitarist Aidan Nemeth and drummer Dave Atkins, who released Cosmic Egg in 2009.
In recent years, the line-up of Wolfmother has continued to change frequently, with their commercial popularity fluctuating. The band's planned third album Keep Moving was released as Stockdale's solo debut in 2013, with a new line-up including drummer Vin Steele issuing New Crown independently the following year. In 2016, the group released Victorious as their first album on a major label since Cosmic Egg, and subsequently toured with Alex Carapetis on drums. Wolfmother's personnel have continued to change, with Stockdale subsequently releasing and touring in promotion of his second solo album Slipstream in 2018.