Wic Whitney
Are you gay? Do you believe in god? Are you mysteriously attracted to humanoid cartoon animals? Well, Wic Whitney answered yes to two of those questions. Hi, my name’s Jadè, I’m Wic Whitney’s dying house plant. 2025 was a busy year for Wic, opening for the Nicotine Dolls on two separate cross-country tours, headlining his first tour in the summer and dropping his first full length project “Foolhardy” in the Fall. All of which went exceedingly well, or so he told me while putting the finishing touches on his grandmother’s casserole (see below). His eclectic genre-full combination of hip-hop, folk, and funk is held together by his soulful vocals and thoughtful lyricism that entices the listener to take a breath and be present in whatever feeling life is throwing their way. He’s also a sensational lay. With a heart that doctors call “too large”, Wic puts his whole foot into the unique charismatic sound he creates, and it shows in both his live performance and his online presence. Amassing hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views and streams there’s just something about this grey eyed dandy with sleep apnea that people like. In 2026, Wic started strong with a show at Chicago’s famous Lincoln Hall and will be performing at Chicago Pride Fest before hitting the road for his headlining tour in July. As a plant, I need three things to live : sunlight, water, and feel-good music. Wic Whitney gives me exactly two of those things. If I’m not alive in the coming months may life be merciful to you and may Wic Whitney have gained another fan. Mona’s Chicken Dorito Casserole • 2 1/2 cups diced chicken • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth • 1 can cream of mushroom soup • 1 can cream of chicken soup • 1 (4oz.) can chopped green chilles • 1 lb bag Cheddar cheese, grated • 1 (8 oz) Doritos, crushed Mix all ingredients except Doritos and cheese. Cover bottom of greased 13×9 inch baking dish with 1 cup chips. Layer in order: 1/2 chicken mixture, 1/3 cheese. Top with chips and remaining cheese. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
Criteria Record Release Show
The Body
The Body is a prolific musical force whose creativity is matched only by the astonishing weight of their sound. Duo Lee Buford and Chip King have established their own musical language that reimagines how rhythm, dynamics, and sonics can shape or dismantle song structure. Over the course of two decades, the duo has consistently challenged assumptions and defied categorization, redefining what it means to be a heavy band. On their new album, The Body are again pushing limits and testing the boundaries of the studio to explore the extremes and microtonality of distortion to find its maximal impact. I’ve Seen All I Need To See is The Body at their most incisively bleak, a towering monolith of noise. I’ve Seen All I Need To See marks both a return and departure for The Body. In contrast to the electronic-centric instrumentation and production-heavy arrangements of previous albums and Buford’s work in Sightless Pit, this album is focused on their core live sound: Buford’s booming, resolute drums paired with King’s obliterated guitar and howl. Following albums with extensive guest performances and acclaimed collaborations with Thou, Uniform, Full of Hell, and more, I’ve Seen All I Need To See is almost entirely the core duo. Guests vocalist/pianist Chrissy Wolpert and vocalist Ben Eberle are used very sparingly. Course, bristling distortion contorts every instrument, with samples of spoken word, cymbals, toms and King’s already noxious tone emerging from layers of feedback. The myriad of tonal interplays, captured in detail, has a movement all its own. The Body, together with engineer Seth Manchester of Machines With Magnets, capture the complexities of distorted sound in stunning detail. The clarity and the cacophony exceed anything they’ve created before, morphing desolate, festering soundscapes into an exhilarating sonic universe.
Kurt Vile And The Violators
Released in God’s year of 2026, the 250th anniversary of the founding of America in Kurt Vile’s fine city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s been good to me finds one of our nation’s greatest songwriters staking a claim on his hometown. “This is my ‘bringing it all back home to Philly’ record,” Vile says. “I’m treating it like my last one. I put everything into it. It’s my best vocal record. It’s my best electric guitar record. It’s my most organic record, made in the comfort of my own zone.” Largely self-produced, with assists from Adam Langellotti, keys wiz Matthew Jugenheimer, drummer Kyle Spence, guitarist Jesse Trbovrich, and longtime Violators boardsman Rob Schnapf, the record embodies Vile’s understanding of music as a conversation between people across time and space. The title track is an ode to his hometown that doubles as an homage to Tom Petty’s homage to California. The barn-burning “Chance to Bleed” features guest spots from Memphis OGs Natalie Hoffman and Greg Cartwright but boasts a music video proudly shot at the Philly venue Kung Fu Necktime and features a cameo by local legend Schoolly D. “You Don’t Know Cuz It’s My Life” is Kurt’s take on a stadium anthem, building up to a laid-back yet triumphant chant of “I’m from Phil-a-del-phiaaaaaaah!” that you can imagine a crowd of Eagles fans screaming along to, Twisted Teas pointed towards the heavens. Make no mistake: Philadelphia’s been good to me is the sound of Philly’s constant hitmaker coming back to kick ass, son the haters, and put on for the City of Brotherly Love — and in true Kurt Vile fashion, doing so while sounding more relaxed than ever. Between the 250th anniversary of America and its hosting of select World Cup games, 2026 is shaping up to be a big deal for Philadelphia. “And then there’s one other thing,” Vile says. “I gotta be that third thing. Because I am Philadelphia. I gotta own it. I gotta rise to the occasion.”
Night Moves
Yes Ma’am & Little Foot
Born from the swamps and underpasses of the American South, Yes Ma’am merges Depression Era blues, Jazz and Bluegrass with instrumental virtuosity and the raw, emotional storytelling of early punk rock. Matt’s soulful voice and authentic stage presence have made him a muse for the traveling community and solidified his legendary status as street-corner royalty. His sound has shaped a generation of musicians, whether he’s performing solo or with a rotating ensemble of folk punk’s finest. Yes Ma’am is a force that demands attention. Little Foot is alternative folk music coming at ya from tombstone AZ.
The Crane Wives – ACT III
Born of the 2010’s folk boom and now comfortably stationed in their rock and roll era, The Crane Wives epitomize the evolving landscape of indie folk. Their high-energy performances have been described as “charged with emotion and technical skill” (Blurred Culture LA), while their harmony-dense melodies support deeply resonant lyrics, exploring the vulnerable and the ugly sides of the human condition. The band has amassed over 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, racking up over 150 million streams on their most popular songs and accumulating listenership from far-flung corners of the US to the UK, Australia, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Mexico, and the Philippines. Featured by Michigan Radio and NPR’s “All Songs Considered, ”theband recently released their sixth full-length studio record, Beyond Beyond Beyond, to high praise, with Glasse Factory calling the album “a testament to the band’s ability to turn personal struggles into universally relatable anthems.” Niner Times describes the new release as “angsty, haunting and gritty, ”praising its departure from the more traditional folk sound of the Crane Wives’ previous records. Since its release in Sept 2024, Beyond Beyond Beyond has accrued over 24 million streams on Spotify. The pulse of the Crane Wives is delivered by Ben Zito (bass) and Dan Rickabus (drums), creating a driving, dynamic backdrop while co-leads Emilee Petersmark and Kate Pillsbury establish expansive and gritty conversations between their electric guitars. A web of three-part harmony helps to soften the blow of their emotional candor, like a 21st century Cerberus, the hound of Hades reimagined as an emotional support animal. The Crane Wives have 6 full-length albums under their belts and have performed over 600 shows across the US, sharing stages with acts such as The Avett Brothers, Lake Street Dive, Rusted Root, The Dead South, Joseph, and many more. Brye is an indie-pop artist who captures hearts with her raw, introspective lyrics and ethereal vocals. Since stepping into the music scene in 2021, she has quickly become known for writing deeply personal songs that resonate with her fans. Whether it’s navigating body image struggles, mental health, or personal growth, Brye’s authenticity shines through in every track. Her song “LEMONS,” a collaboration with Cavetown, became a standout moment in her career, amassing over 44 million streams on Spotify. This semi-viral success helped her reach a wider audience and solidified her place in the indie-pop scene. Brye also had semi-viral moments with her tracks “Diet Culture” and “Body Back,” see here. On tour, Brye has shared stages with Addison Grace, Madilyn Mei, Leanna Firestone, and Frances Forever, building a loyal fanbase through intimate and emotional live performances. Her 2023 tour took her across the U.S. with sold-out shows in major cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. In 2025, she has continued to captivate audiences and her next show on 10/17 in NYC at Brooklyn Bowl in partnership with NEDA. With her ability to connect on a deeply personal level through her music, Brye’s fans feel like they’re not just listening to songs—they’re experiencing her journey alongside her. She’s an artist who isn’t afraid to be real, and that’s what makes her music so impactful.
Keep Flying
Keep Flying is a New York based 6 piece punk rock band with horns, that’s right, horns. The band mixes a combination of sounds from emo to pop punk to punk adding a splash of saxophone & trombone to lead the march. Add in the vocal stylings with the transparent yet relatable lyrics and you’ve created something fresh and new. With a unique sound, honest songwriting, and an explosive live show, the band has been able to turn heads of fans and bands alike, touring and performing with such acts as The Bouncing Souls, Bowling For Soup, Real Friends, Reel Big Fish, State Champs, Four Year Strong, Less Than Jake, Big D and the Kids Table. Pop punk / ska from New Jersey https://keepflying.bandcamp.com/ Blondo – pop punk from Omaha https://blondostreet.bandcamp.com
Deer Tick
Deer Tick VIP Pre-show Experience Includes: One (1) General Admission ticket Hear Deer Tick play a few songs not featured in the night’s setlist! VIP-exclusive tour poster, signed by the band Specially designed Deer Tick tote bag Commemorative VIP laminate and lanyard Merchandise shopping prior to doors opening to the public Early entry to the venue The ninth studio album from Deer Tick, Coin-O-Matic casts a bright light on a little-known facet of the American mythos: the hidden histories of the band’s home state of Rhode Island, where the everyday dramas of working-class families long collided with the menace of the mafia underworld. As they tapped into their infinite fascination with that strange duality, singer/guitarist John McCauley, guitarist/singer Ian O’Neil, drummer/singer Dennis Ryan, and bassist Christopher Ryan assembled a batch of songs exploring desperation, grief, redemption, and resilience with both cinematic detail and lived-in emotionality. A sharp new turn from one of indie-rock’s most enduringly vital forces, Coin-O-Matic arrives as a complicated love letter to a way of life slowly slipping from the collective memory. The follow-up to Emotional Contracts (hailed by Uncut as one of 2023’s best albums), Coin-O-Matic takes its title from a cigarette-vending-machine company that served as the headquarters of Raymond Patriarca—a legendary mobster who ran one of the most ruthless crime families in U.S. history. “If you grew up in Rhode Island years ago, you’d see all these mobsters on the news and then run into them at a restaurant on Federal Hill,” says McCauley, referring to Providence’s version of Little Italy. “They were criminals but also very colorful characters, and I wanted the album to partly reflect a certain nostalgia for that kind of seediness.” In its soulful contemplation of recklessness and consequence, longing and devotion, Coin-O-Matic ultimately joins the canon of rock albums whose geographically rooted storytelling reveals deeper truths about the human experience. “I think there’s something universal in stories of regret and loss and poor decisions, even if they’re told through the lens of all the odd characters in this little state of ours,” O’Neil points out. “One of the reasons I wanted us to make this album is that I think Rhode Island deserves to be a contender for a place that people sing about,” McCauley adds. “Sonically there’s nothing country about it, but to me it almost feels like a country record set in an urban environment—there’s definitely some outlaws in there. I hope that people see themselves in it, and that they understand a little more about the place that we come from.”
Bahamas
Afie Jurvanen does not spend too much time in cities these days. For nearly two decades, Jurvanen was a fixture of the Toronto scene, both as a valued multi-instrumentalist and producer for friends like Feist, The Weather Station, and Kathleen Edwards and as the architect of one of his country’s most celebrated artists, Bahamas. Jurvanen came of age across Bahamas’ first six albums, the restlessness of jumpy early hits like Pink Strat and Barchords slowly shifting into the generous domesticity of 2023’s Bootcut. But Jurvanen has long been drawn to open spaces, to a quieter life. In 2009, the year of his aforementioned debut, he began visiting Nova Scotia, the Atlantic Ocean. Over the next decade, his trips became more consistent, then more frequent, and then longer, until, in 2019, Jurvanen and his family of four finally made the move—nearly 2,000 kilometers northeast, to Nova Scotia. They live a lifestyle, Jurvanen half-jokes, that is “close to Mennonite.” The kids are homeschooled. No one has an iPad. Text messages can feel like miracles. Despite his extended résumé, Jurvanen has never been much of a tech guy or studio hound, never one for making his own records. In 2021, however, producer and multi-instrumentalist Joshua Van Tassel had also left Toronto, moving back to Nova Scotia and building a little studio, called DreamDate, in a backyard shed there. It was just small enough to skirt inspections, just big enough to house everything. Jurvanen had once rented Van Tassel’s space back in Toronto to listen to his Earthtones album on someone else’s speakers, to decide if it was ready for release. He’d been impressed by the place’s minimalism and tidiness, by the studio rarity of everything working. So Jurvanen began driving the 20 minutes from his cottage to Van Tassel’s spot via a winding ocean road, passing his days hanging out with his local friend and recording some songs. There was no real agenda but to work and play. And that’s how two people in a little shed made what may be the most effortlessly magnetic record in the entire Bahamas catalogue, My Second Last Album. Van Tassel and Jurvanen played every sound on My Second Last Album, from the buzzing acoustics of “Shadows” to the Mellotron ostinato of “Play the Game.” This self-dependence allowed them to do anything they wanted, to follow musical enthusiasms into any space they favored. Jurvanen wrote “The Bridge” via text with Hiss Golden Messenger’s M.C. Taylor, and he and Van Tassel turned it into an infectious country-funk tune, the strutting refrain closing the gap between Little Feat and Canned Heat. There is charging indie rock, hazy piano, and pastoral folk-rock. Again, My Second Last Album is anything Van Tassel and Jurvanen wanted it to be. For a long time, Jurvanen didn’t know what to do with My Second Last Album. After cutting a legitimate country record in the city where the genre lives, was it a too-weird left turn to put out a loose-limbed indie-pop set cut in a shed? He thought about slicing it into singles or splicing it as a bonus onto some sort of future Bahamas compendium, maybe even shelving it altogether. But then he put the record back on after not hearing it for several months and had the simplest and most profound realization possible: He loved these songs, the way they sat together, the story they told about who he was at that moment—a married father content to live in the country alongside the very ocean where he surfs, a musician who often goes to his buddy’s house to casually make some music. It became My Second Last Album, one of Bahamas’ truly indispensable works.