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Midnight North takes its cue from the fertile Bay Area music scene. Formed in early 2012 by singer/songwriters Grahame Lesh and Elliott Peck, whose harmonies came as naturally as the initial songs, along with bassist Connor O’Sullivan. The band’s current-day lineup was completed when drummer/banjo player Nathan Graham came aboard after a chance meeting at a benefit concert in Philadelphia in 2016 following the release of its third, and breakthrough, album, Under the Lights, in 2017. In the early days, the group was able to grow as a unit thanks to an association with Lesh’s family venue, Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, California.Grahame Lesh on guitarDiamonds in the Zodiac - on the Americana Vibes label - is Midnight North’s fifth studio album (along with three live discs), representing a continuation of the musical direction on 2021’s There’s Always a Story. The title comes from the unearthed Robert Hunter lyrics for “Jupiter,” one of two extended tracks on an album -- the other, Grahame’s opening “Questions.” Other than those two, Diamonds is increasingly song-oriented and steeped in bluegrass, country, soul, blues, funk, jazz and gospel – a true Americana melting pot.Elliott Peck on the Telecaster guitarIt also turned into a real, second-generation family affair, as it was produced by the band’s dear friend Amy Helm, daughter of The Band’s Levon Helm and singer/songwriter Libby Titus, and features Grahame’s dad Phil and brother Brian. “Things have come full circle in that it was meeting Amy and Levon Helm at a Ramble in the Barn that gave my parents the inspiration to open Terrapin Crossroads, and having Terrapin was so instrumental in the band’s development. And now Amy produced this album and shepherded these songs to their ultimate form,” said Grahame.Connor O'Sullivan on bass guitarRecorded at Dave Schools’ (Widespread Panic) Spacecamp in Occidental, California, Diamond in the Zodiac’s 10 tracks represent a truly collaborative effort, featuring band members playing different instruments and many friends & collaborators stopping by the studio to contribute to the music and the vibe. Phil & Brian Lesh, Jason Crosby, and TJ Kanczuzewski all contributed significant moments, and all of the focus was on pulling the best version of the song out of the ensemble.Nathan Graham on the drumsWith its top-flight pedigree, Midnight North is intent on carrying the torch for this distinctly American music from one generation to the next. “Songlines” sums up the idea of a group of individuals putting their unique experiences into the common thread of music. Elliott and Amy join their voices together, singing, “Pass the lyric down to a troubled heart/A broken choir sings to light up the dark.”"It’s a generational thing," acknowledges Grahame. “It’s about what’s passed down to us and what we pass on. The verses are about different people in the dark needing the light, and that’s where they get it, from families and friends.”Midnight North Live“Elliott’s “A Great Farewell” brings the album to a suitable close. It’s about starting over, trying new things, but never forgetting what got us here in the first place. “I guess we’ll repeat the same mistakes/Knowing nothing’s going to change,” she sings, adding, “There’s a light out there/If we’re open to the spark.”Diamonds in the Zodiac shows not even the sky is the limit for Midnight North.Sneezy is a Fusion Rock band from Chicago, IL that draws its innovative sound from Rock, Hip-Hop, and Soul influences. Sneezy’s seven members have been building musical chemistry together for over a decade. Live performances are best characterized by engulfing grooves, crowd interaction, and occasional freak dancing! A loyal fan base stretches across Illinois where the band has supported national touring acts as well as headlined at major venues, colleges and universities. Find out more by searching #SneezyMusic.

John R. Miller belongs to the rare breed of songwriters whose expansive introspection uncovers so many truths about the state of the human condition. On his new album Heat Comes Down, the West Virginia-raised, Nashville-based artist intimately narrates his sleepless nights and nostalgic daydreams, existential dread, and nuanced observations of the troubled world around him. But while a number of its songs convey a certain unease, Miller endlessly imparts the kind of lovely reassurance that can only come from shared catharsis. “Whenever I’ve got a lot of thoughts bouncing around my head, alchemizing that energy into something creative helps take the gravity out of them and quiets them down for a while,” says Miller. “For me this album is largely about anxiety in many forms: the things that cause it, what it causes in turn, and the moments of clarity in between. Listening back to it now, most of the songs seem like they’re trying to answer the questions I’ve been asking myself.”The follow-up to his 2021 Rounder Records debut Depreciated—an album hailed by SPIN for its “refreshingly raw honesty, reflectiveness, and the undeniable beauty in discovery and growth”—Heat Comes Down finds Miller teaming up with producers Andrija Tokic and John James Tourville (both known for their work with artists like Sunny War and The Deslondes). Over a three day session at The Bomb Shelter (Tokic’s Nashville studio), Miller joined forces with several members of his longtime live band (drummer John Clay Burchett, guitarist J. Tom Hnatow, fiddle player Chloe Edmonstone) as well as bassist Craig Burletic and Jeff Taylor (a multi-instrumentalist whose credits include Willie Nelson and Elvis Costello). With its understated but gorgeously detailed convergence of country and folk-rock, Heat Comes Down hits with a potent impact despite its exquisite intricacy—a dynamic suited to an artist whose background includes playing in punk bands in high school and touring as a member of an old-time string band in his 20s. “I think the feeling in the room heavily contributes to the feeling of a record, and that room was full of people I love very much,” Miller points out. “We all felt free to open up and fool around and experiment with different ideas, which helped us create something that hopefully feels warm and inviting to everyone.”

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.

Honky Tonk Sundays! Join us for an afternoon with The Hoyle Brothers. They play every Sunday at 3pm.