Tag Archives: indie music blog Nashville

Rockin’ Ronnie’s Mega Musikfest Recap, Pt. 4: What a Lively and Eclectic Lineup!

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I returned to Musikfest on Wednesday, August 5, heading right up after work.

My first stop was Plaza Tropical, where Reggaelar People were playing. These guys were fun, funky, and their reggae- inspired tunes made me feel like I was on the beach! They are from the East Coast, and I even got to talk to the one member a bit as I was leaving later. Friendly, fun, enthusiastic and super entertaining!

After that energizing performance I stopped in the Yuengling Lagerplatz to see Sophie Rice, a singer-songwriter from the Lehigh Valley. Her folksy-pop vocals kept the audience captivated, and you could clearly see she belonged on that stage.

Then, it was off to Festplatz, where The Castaway Band was playing. They are a party band from the Lehigh Valley, and they had the whole crowd on their feet! I walked in just as they were playing Bon Jovi’s “Living on a Prayer” — and if you know me, you know I’m picky about who I like singing Bon Jovi. They passed the test! But seriously, many phones were up recording and lots of happy people were singing and dancing, and that’s what you want to see!

After that it was off to Zinzenplatz to see Lehigh Valley Favorites CPR and Sarah Ayers. Made up of some of the Lehigh Valley’s top talent, they had some killer harmonies! Sarah has always been one of the Lehigh Valley’s top stars, and I could see why after listening.

Next up it was back to Festplatz to see The Wonton Soups. I had wanted to catch these guys for years and I’m glad I finally got the chance to. Their big brass pop was lively, fun, and charismatic. Definitely a crowd favorite! From there, I made a quick stop at Lagerplatz again for Maria Woodford, an acoustic pop country musician. She had a really nice sound; it was bluesy and soulful, and I could have listened to a lot more of her.

After checking in with the North Side Sheriff himself, I ended my Wednesday night back where it began, catching Big Wahu Caribbean Band at Plaza Tropical. Their laid back Caribbean – Calypso sound is pleasant and relaxing, and made me imagine myself sailing off on a yacht. (I DO have a captain’s hat, yacht rock lover that I am…

After that, it was time to head home. I’ve got one more recap coming, highlighting the festival’s final Saturday. Keep an eye out!

Rockin’ Ronnie’s Mega Musikfest Recap, Pt. 3: Up Close and Personal with Train

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Monday, August 3 was the moment I have been waiting for all my photography life. I had the opportunity to photograph my first “big” concert, Train, from the pit at Musikfest!

Yes, THAT Train! THE Pat Monahan!

I don’t need to let you know how they sounded. I mean… they’re Train! We only got to be there for three songs, and before I knew it, the three songs were over, but it was a moment I’ll never forget! Hopefully, it’s only the first of many opportunities like that. Thanks to Musikfest and UMC for the experience of a lifetime!

Rockin’ Ronnie’s Mega Musikfest Recap, Pt. 1: The Verve Pipe, an Air Conditioned Bus, and an Alleged Gallon of Lemonade

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When Gerard Longo asked me if I wanted to take photos this year at Musikfest on behalf of UMC, how could I even think of saying no? So, I grabbed my handy dandy Nikon and started out on opening night (Friday, July 31), taking the new air conditioned shuttle bus from the South Side to the North Side.

My first stop was the Yuengling Lagerplatz stage, where a very soulful Lehigh Valley native Melody Cruz was playing. Her powerful vocals kept the attention of me and the rest of the audience.  My next stop was Zinzenplatz, where I was captivated by Amelia Day, a folk singer/songwriter from Sumner, Washington. Her comfort on that stage showed, and her bluesy pop rock songs were fun and alluring.

From there, I grabbed a quick grilled mozzarella and shredded beef on cornbread sandwich – who knew that combination could taste so good? – from MozzArepas and what seemed to be a gallon of fresh squeezed lemonade and headed up the hill. As I was questioning my decision to walk up the hill in the heat, the sound of marching drums caught my attention. If you know me you know I will follow the sound of that anywhere! It was there that I stopped to watch Orbital Drums, a drumline from right here in Bethlehem. These percussionists are all Liberty High School alumni and former members of the Grenadier Band. Not only do they have killer drum skills, they also incorporate bagpipes (of course they do! They’re Liberty graduates!). The way they interact with both kids and adults, it’s easy to see why they had such a huge crowd watching them!

When they finished, it was time for me to think about heading back to the South Side. But first, I heard the sounds of Salsa filling the air. The strains of reggaeton music brought me to Plaza Tropical, where Adrian Anthony’s Grupo Hipnosis from New Jersey were entertaining the crowd with their Latin rhythms. I was ready to dance! (Actually, I wasn’t, but I was dancing in my head. How can you not move when you hear that?)

It was then time to board the nice air conditioned shuttle bus back to the South Side, where 90s alt rock band The Verve Pipe were going to be playing. After zoning out for a while (again, it was hot!), I made my way to the front along the gate so I could get some good shots. By this time, I was pretty beat, and only intended on staying a little bit in that spot before going back to the sidewalk to find a table to listen to the rest from there. I had thought, “OK, I know the song ‘The Freshmen’ and that’s it, so I’ll leave after they play that, if it’s not at the end.”

Well, they played it in the middle of their set… but by that time I had become a huge fan and stayed put, right until the end. Singer Brian Vander Ark was funny, charming, and having the best time of his life up there. Of course, “The Freshmen” had the entire audience singing, but I was extremely wowed by their other songs that, admittedly, I had never heard until that point.

(Also worth noting: backup vocalist and keyboardist Channing Lee has a spectacular voice! I could listen to a full concert of just her. So, I did a deep dig, and she does indeed have some solo stuff out.)

The Verve Pipe started strong and finished stronger, so much that I bought a ticket to their show at The Sellersville Theater later this month! After that awesome performance, it was time to head home. 

Founder’s Notes: Tour Updates, Improved Access to Resources, and the Plan for the Rest of 2026

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This week, the Underground Revolution Tour resumes with a trip back home.

First on the agenda: Musikfest, where I’ll be presenting ‘Building Your Authentic Artist Brand’ at the Musikfest Music Industry Conference inside the Musikfest Cafe at SteelStacks on Monday, August 3 beginning at 1 p.m.

In addition to that, I’ll be doing my annual duty overseeing Event Staff operations on the North Side of the festival. I’ll also be checking in to offer my daily Picks of the Platzes alongside Phillip Reese from Your Next Favorite Band, and we’ll have our good friend Ronnie Stoeckel running around taking photos of the ‘Fest, with Rockin’ Ronnie’s Mega Musikfest Recap coming to The Blog the following week.

After that (and some hard-earned beach time immediately after Musikfest), we’ll pop up to Cookstown, Ontario for our third consecutive year attending Gussapolooza Music Festival. We have some special things planned for the occasion – we’ll be interviewing artists and attendees, and capturing content all weekend long. (Not to mention, there are some photos from last year’s festival that still need to make their way online…)

After THAT, we have a massive fall planned for you in Nashville!

Among the things that you can expect this fall:

  • Our first-ever Content Day, sponsored by the UMC Creator Lab.
  • Revamped, simplified UnderDogs membership tiers, aimed to add value to our community while lowering the barrier to entry.
  • More music reviews, a new and improved UMC20 playlist, and the return of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn.
  • The continued growth and evolution of the UMC Creator Lab.
  • Live performance and networking opportunities across Nashville.

We’ll also be taking a look at our educational offerings through UMC Academy, and developing ways to improve access to UnderDogs and the community at large.

And, speaking of education, we’re making our plans to return to a couple of our favorite conferences in the fall – Confluence Carolinas (Oct. 7-10 in Charlotte, NC) and NOLA MusiCon (Oct. 28-30 in New Orleans, LA). We hope you’ll join us!

One more thing: following our Creator Lab crowdfunding campaign, many folks who pledged made their contributions directly to support the project. If you are one of them, you can expect your perks to be fulfilled and shipped to you during the first half of September.

So far, 2026 has been a year of new ways forward and exciting possibilities. We’re proud of what we’ve built together, and we’re excited to keep going!

-Gerard

REVIEW: Sam Plourd’s ‘Evergreen’ a Testament to Lasting Friendship

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The best friendships are the ones that stand up against the test of time, and that can withstand any distance.

That’s the type of friendship Sam Plourd has with her friend, Marissa, and it is the topic of her latest single, “Evergreen,” released on July 10.

The bouncy indie pop tune was years in the making. The initial demo was recorded with a training keyboard from Plourd’s childhood, with vocals recorded on a Yeti microphone. From there, the Nashville-based songwriter took the project into the studio, where the idea was brought new life — while maintaining its youthful spirit, of course.

“We started with grand piano and programmed in some drums to get a groove going. Then my producer wrote a bass line to ground everything,” Plourd recalls. “The bell-like tones heard throughout the song are actually from a Melissa and Doug learn-to-play piano that my producer had lying around his house. Not only did it capture the youthful and quirky energy of the song, it also felt very full circle for me, since the demo used a keyboard meant for children as well. To tie it all together, we added in the Rhodes and tons of funky percussion to lift the choruses and give them some flair. The vocal layering was very much inspired by Jacklen Ro, specifically their song titled “Self Control.” All of their songs have a very specific and interesting vocal timbre that comes from the layering, harmony, and panning.”

She continues, “There are seven total vocal tracks: a tripled main vocal, a doubled high harmony, and a doubled low harmony. We panned the harmonies hard left and right and kept the main right up the middle to get the desired surrounding vocal effect.”

The masterfully crafted “Evergreen” is the second single from Plourd’s forthcoming album, Butterfly Kisses (out Sept. 4). We have one more single to look forward to before the full-length project makes its way into the world.

For now, let’s appreciate this celebration of everlasting friendship.

“We had the type of instant connection that is both rare and beautiful, and I am so lucky to have experienced it. To me, evergreen means forever. The resilience of an evergreen tree and its ability to keep its foliage throughout every season is representative of the type of relationship that can never falter,” Plourd said. “Through every season of life, through every hardship, through every celebrated moment, Marissa is there. I wrote this song after she moved to New York for college and I was still stuck in our boring hometown. Although there was distance between us, I knew that nothing could ever get in the way of the connection we had. Five years later, and that’s still true.”

Stacey Kelleher Just Wants to ‘Laugh About It’ Already!

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Have you ever wished you could just skip ahead to the part where you’ve moved on from your ex?

Stacey Kelleher released “Laugh About It” to capture that feeling. Released on June 12, the lush alt-country tune is an opportunity for the Nashville-based artist to look ahead to brighter days… even if she’s still stuck in the post-breakup muck, feeling like the joke is on her.

“‘Laugh About It’ is how you feel when you’re just waiting on the day you’ll finally get over someone,” Kelleher said. “You’re broken up, you know it’s not going to work out, you’re not going to get back together… but you’re still caught up on them and heartbroken. You know that one day you’ll be over it; it’s just a matter of waiting on that day.”

If you’re subscribed to Apple Music’s ‘New in Country’ playlist, “Laugh About It” might sound familiar. It was added to the playlist on release day — another milestone for this rising artist, as she prepares to release her first full-length project this fall.

Written alongside Robyn Ottolini and Taylor Macres, “Laugh About It” was produced by Kelleher alongside Justin Wilson, with mastering duties performed by Joe Hutchinson. And now, it’s here for you!

On ‘Butterfly Effect,’ Noelle McFarland Longs to be the Life of the Party

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Have you ever been in the presence of somebody who is so good with people, that it leaves you feeling a bit envious?

Noelle McFarland explores this phenomenon on “Butterfly Effect,” the country-tinged folk-pop banger released back in May. The rollicking tune positions our protagonist as a fly on the wall, observing a girl who so seamlessly stands out as the life of the party.

“The girl described in these lyrics is excellent with people; she knows how to read a room and bring life to it, a skill that seems to come naturally to he,” McFarland notes. “As the narrator, I sing about her with a mix of jealousy, curiosity, and almost romance at times. This is intentional and meant to hint at some underlying projection. Perhaps human connection can feel unnatural to us all sometimes, but we all long for it just the same.”

“Butterfly Effect” was written by McFarland on guitar and co-produced with Aidan Rex, who teamed with McFarland to create a lush soundscape that is ready for festival season!

“We had a great time playing around with instruments to really fill up the track and give it a big atmospheric sound,” McFarland said. “There’s a combination of live drums and digital percussion. Most of the synths and pads you hear we created ourselves. We also used some layered vocal tags as their own sample/instrument, which is one of my favorite ways to use my vocal degree!”

The release was accompanied by a surprise B-side, “Father’s Daughter, Mother’s Son.” The dreamy, introspective ballad is the perfect companion to “Butterfly Effect” as it compounds on the theme of projection — in this case, with regard to the ways old relationship habits pass through generations.

“It’s about the way we try to evolve from the generations before us in relationships and parenthood, oftentimes overcorrecting and learning brand new lessons in the process,” McFarland said. “To me, it’s an extension of “Butterfly Effect,” highlighting the shadow work and self-reflection that follows.”

There you go: two songs, where you were only expecting one. What a treat!

LISTEN: Shoemaker Levee Soars into the Stratosphere with ‘Flying’

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It’s the peak of the summer, and it’s just about time to venture out of our cozy confines of the Creator Lab and go on an adventure.

We’re looking forward to the road ahead which, of course, includes a trip up to Cookstown, ON for this year’s Gussapolooza Music Festival. It takes place from Aug. 21-23 at the Georgian Bay Steam Show Grounds, and it features three days of music, art, food, camping, and community. You should do more than think about joining us, and grab your passes here.

This will be our third year in attendance. In that time, one of the artists we’ve become acquainted with is a band by the name of Shoemaker Levee. The former Gussapolooza headliners have been making a splash around Greater Toronto for quite some time, performing at a who’s who list of legendary downtown venues including El Mocambo, Supermarket, The Reverb, The Opera House, The Horseshoe Tavern, Lee’s Palace and the Rivoli.

While we were tending to the ranch here in Nashville this spring, the guys were getting busy releasing new music. Their latest single, “Flying” (released May 1), is as bright and breezy as the Ontario countryside during the golden hour, complete with warm acoustic guitar tones, a soaring melody, and lush vocal harmonies. It’s the perfect song to listen to on a long summer’s drive, as you leave the world’s chaos in the rearview in favor of the precious here and now.

Wherever you’re “Flying” to this summer, keep this one on your playlist!

In the Music Industry? Snag These Early Bird Conference Passes Before Sunday

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We’re just a few weeks away from hitting the road, as we resume our Underground Revolution Tour in some of our favorite cities and towns across North America.

The tour resumes next Thursday, July 9 right here in Nashville, with a special takeover event in support of the UMC Creator Lab. Then, we’ll head back home to Bethlehem for Musikfest (and the associated Musikfest Music Industry Conference) as July turns into August. From there, we head North of the Border once more for this year’s edition of Gussapolooza, which is rapidly becoming one of Canada’s premier independent music festivals.

That leaves us with a couple of October adventures which still have early bird passes on sale… for now!

You have until this Sunday, July 5 to purchase badges at the lowest rates for two of our favorite music conferences. Both of these events provide you with a prime opportunity to learn, connect, and collaborate with artist-focused professionals from across the music ecosystem — all while immersing yourself in the rich cultural heritage of each region!

Don’t wait! As of July 6, badge rates for both of these conferences will increase. We look forward to seeing you in Charlotte and New Orleans this fall!

JULY 9: Lost & Found UMC Takeover at Rosemary & Beauty Queen

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To kick off closing weekend of our UMC Creator Lab campaign, we’re teaming up with The Southern Word Community to present a unique takeover at one of our long-time favorite spots in East Nashville.

On Thursday, July 9, Underground Music Collective will be hosting a takeover of the monthly Lost & Found Showcase at Rosemary & Beauty Queen (1102 Forest Ave., Nashville). From 7-10 p.m., this evening will feature live performances from UnderDogs and other special guests, as we rally behind our two-month campaign to build a space where Creators Have the Power in Nashville.

Those in attendance will have the opportunity to support the Creator Lab, while enjoying a free show certain to obliterate genre barriers. This special evening will feature performances from Simp Goddess, Angie Jayne, Wynton Existing, Southside MAB, Mandy Moon, Mary McGuinness, Kelsey Muse, E.T., Jazzy the Uncontrolled Goddess, and Cait Blauer. Plus, on a night this driven by creativity, you never know what surprises will be in store!

Lost & Found is always free to attend, and typically takes place on the second Thursday of each month. If you’ve attended in the past, you already know the sense of community that awaits. If you haven’t, let July 9 be the first time of many!

Don’t want to wait that long to support the Creator Lab? You can do that anytime between now and July 13 at 12 p.m. CT by heading over here.

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