Category Archives: announcements

ARTISTS WANTED: Oct. 11 Alabama Shakes Tribute in Nashville

Earlier this summer, we told you about the Alabama Shakes tribute show that our friends Mandy Moon and Chelcie Jette are putting together. It will take place Saturday, October 11 at Acme Feed & Seed, right at the corner of 1st Ave. and Broadway in Nashville.

While the house band lineup is complete, they’re still on the hunt for a few good artists who love Alabama Shakes, and who can sing and even play a little guitar (or keys). Through this Monday, September 8, you can submit for the opportunity to perform a couple songs during this all-star event.

All you need to do is head over to this form, answer a few questions, select your favorite Alabama Shakes songs from the official show playlist, and wait to see if your number is called to join the band this fall. Best of luck!

Gussapolooza 2025 Countdown: Visit the UMC Media Booth!

The excitement is building toward this weekend, as we get set to make the trip up to Cookstown, Ontario for our return to Gussapolooza!

Of course, you can tune into our YouTube and Instagram channels for updates throughout the weekend, and you can expect recap galleries to make their way onto The Blog the following week. However, we felt this year was a perfect time to kick things up a notch…

Enter the UMC Media Booth!

We’ll be onsite all weekend, welcoming artists, organizers, vendors, and guests to join us at the UMC Media Booth. There, we’ll have our 12-channel mixer at the ready to record short interviews and acoustic performances our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn. Swing by throughout the weekend and schedule a time to chat with us!

In addition, we’ll have information available on UMC and our UnderDogs Across Borders campaign, and a couple of special, this-weekend-only deals on select UMC merch and fall BRANDCAMP enrollment. It’s an opportunity for all those in attendance to tap in with us, as we develop a creator-centric music industry throughout the rest of 2025 and beyond!

Still need your weekend passes for Gussapolooza? Find ’em here!

Getting Ready for Gussapolooza? Here’s the Official Playlist!

Pictured: “Sorry” from The Manic Boys and Girls Club

We are counting down the days — it’s four, as of this post — until the start of Gussapolooza 2025, all the way up in Cookstown, Ontario, Canada! We’re super excited to rejoin the Gussapolooza family this year, and they’ve just released something to get us even more pumped…

The Official Gussapolooza 2025 Playlist is here!

Below, you’ll find nearly 30 videos from this year’s lineup of Gussapolooza artists, giving you just a small taste of what’s in store when things kick off North of the Border later this week. From returning favorites to new friends, we know you’ll find something you love.

The best part? Later this week, we all get to enjoy these songs together! For now, your mission is to make sure you know them by heart in time for this weekend!

Everybody Needs Some Guidance!

Wednesday night’s UnderDogs Across Borders benefit concert brought an array of memorable performances to the stage from the start, and all the way to the finish.

Closing out the night? Da’ Healerz, who ended their set by sharing some new music they’ve been working on. “Guidance” — in collaboration with Guidance Whiskey — made its live debut with us on Wednesday night and got the whole room moving, ending UnderDogs Across Borders Vol. 2 with a bang!

Watch it below! And, while you wait for our next UnderDogs Across Borders lineup to drop, remember that you can support a new, creator-driven music industry anytime!

TONIGHT, 7 ET: The Fourth Annual Musikfest Exordium

Tonight, our friends at Your Next Favorite Band will host the fourth annual Musikfest Exordium — a live broadcast in preparation of Musikfest, the nation’s largest free non-gated music festival in our hometown of Bethlehem, PA.

Join the broadcast live from The Flying V Poutinerie for a stacked program of interviews and live performances:

  • ArtsQuest Chief Programming Officer Patrick Brogan gives us his “must see” bands and Best Day of the Fest.
  • EPAWA Founder & Chief Meteorologist Bobby Martrich will provide early weather prognostication.
  • Lehigh Valley News Director John Moser will share his thoughts and reminisce about prior years.
  • Founder of Underground Music Collective and Musikfest North Side Sheriff Gerard Longo will catch us up in his latest and how things are progressing for the festival
  • Flying V Poutinerie owner Matt Vymazal will let us know about their delicious spuds and if we have any potato famines to worry about.
  • Lehigh Valley Girls Rock Board President and Compliance Advisor Jennifer Alpha will share the latest of from LVGR and preview their Musikfest set.
  • Live performances by Kendal Conrad and The Tribe.

Coming to NOLA MusiCon? Enjoy 25% OFF Courtesy of UMC!

In case you couldn’t tell, we’re already more than a little excited to be back in the Big Easy for this year’s edition of NOLA MusiCon, taking place October 28-30 at the George and Joyce Wein Jazz & Heritage Center in New Orleans, LA.

To celebrate the first round of official speaker announcements — where you just might see a familiar face appear — we’re here to bring you in on the fun at an exclusive rate!

From now through the conference, enjoy 25% off your conference badge when you enter the coupon code UMC25 at checkout. We’re grateful to NOLA MusiCon for offering this special deal to our UnderDogs and all those close to the UMC community, and we look forward to hanging out with you in New Orleans this spooky season!

SAVE THE DATE: UnderDogs Across Borders Vol. 2 Set for August 13

As announced on last night’s edition of Have You Met…?, we’ll be back at Helping Our Music Evolve on Wednesday, August 13 with an all-new lineup for Volume 2 of our UnderDogs Across Borders benefit concert series.

The concert — supporting our UnderDogs Across Borders campaign, designed to open the gateway to even greater collaboration for our community of creatives across genres, disciplines, and geographic boundaries — will once again be hosted on our YouTube channel, with those local to Nashville invited to attend in-person. Hosted by Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess, this fantastic evening will welcome a diverse lineup of artists from across our community, including:

You can attend either virtually or in-person for a $10 suggested donation — which you can make anytime by following this link!

Have You Met These New UnderDogs?

Our popular Have You Met…? interview series is set to return in-person and online this coming Wednesday, July 23 — and this time, we’re introducing you to all new faces!

Join host Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess as she welcomes three of the newest members of our UnderDogs community to the stage at Helping Our Music Evolve (615 Main St., Suite G1, Nashville). We’ll go live at 7 p.m. CT, as we welcome incredible creatives, including:

  • E.T., renowned Nashville-based hip hop artist.
  • Brittany Beech, owner of Frozen Moments Photography.
  • SADGURL, songwriter, performer, and alchemist.

Be sure to tune in! And, if you want to be featured on an upcoming edition of Have You Met…?, become an UnderDog today!

Beyond the Music: What’s Happening at Gussapolooza 2025?

Gussapolooza Music and Arts Festival is turning up the volume—and the vibes—for 2025, with even more to experience beyond the stage. Taking place August 22–24, 2025, this year’s festival invites attendees to discover more than music, featuring an expanded Wellness Zone, an even bigger Kids Zone, and unforgettable outdoor camping fun for all ages.

Now in its biggest year yet, Gussapolooza continues to grow as one of Canada’s most exciting emerging festivals, spotlighting indie artists while building a creative, inclusive, and family-friendly environment. In addition to its stacked musical lineup, the 2025 event offers unique attractions for every kind of festivalgoer.

Expanded for 2025: The Wellness Zone

Back by popular demand, the Health & Wellness Zone returns with even more ways to relax, recharge, and reconnect. Guests can enjoy yoga and meditation sessions, breathwork classes, sound baths, healing arts practitioners, and wellness-focused vendors offering services and education in a peaceful outdoor setting.

The Kids Zone Returns—Bigger Than Ever!

Families are welcome at Gussapolooza! The enhanced Kids Zone includes crafts, face painting, music lessons, games, and child-friendly performances, making it easy for parents and little ones to enjoy the festival together.

Camping Adventures + After Dark Fun

Weekend passes include free tent camping, with upgraded RV and power site options available. Campers can enjoy the community vibe with a late-night fire, spontaneous jams, and exclusive after-hours sets on the legendary Rebel Stage—where surprises and secret sets keep the music going long after the main stage wraps.

“Gussapolooza has always been about creativity, discovery, and community,” says Festival Director Valerie Robson. “This year, we’re expanding what a music festival can offer—creating an experience where you can dance, learn, relax, connect, and explore, all in one place.”

Whether you’re a music lover, wellness seeker, parent, or just looking for a weekend escape, Gussapolooza 2025 has something for everyone.

Tickets are on sale now! Early Bird passes sold out quickly, but general admission and camping upgrades are still available at gussapolooza.com.

Love Alabama Shakes? Play an Instrument? Apply to Play this Oct. 11 Tribute in Nashville!

GRAMMY-winning roots rock band Alabama Shakes have carved out a unique legacy for themselves — one that continues to take shape, as the band embarks on its 2025 reunion tour this summer.

A pair of Nashville musicians looks to honor that legacy on Lower Broadway this fall — and they’re looking for a few talented professional musicians to join in the fun!

Nashville-based artists Mandy Moon and Chelcie Jette are spearheading a special Alabama Shakes tribute show, set to take place Saturday, October 11 from 8-10 p.m. at Acme Feed & Seed (101 Broadway, Nashville). Submissions are now open for interested musicians to join the house band — and it’s a paid opportunity!

All you need to do is head over to this form, fill out some information about yourself, share a couple of performance clips, and wait to see if you have been selected!

In addition, guest vocalists are invited to submit through a separate form, which can be found here.

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