
Aaron Martin
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Aaron Martin expertly combines his many talents to construct movements both pensive and powerful.

Multi-instrumentalist and composer Aaron Martin expertly combines his many talents to construct movements both pensive and powerful.

The young freak-folk rockers construct raw, lo-fi punk pop gems reminiscent of sounds heard booming out of garages in the '90s.

The songs of Alex Rose are the alluvium left on the edges of a stream, soil made of tiny specks of harmony, melody, and churning lyrical turns.

Greek-American guitarist, composer and international performer, Andreas Kapsalis may have you believing he has more than just two limbs producing the myriad rhythms and melodies flowing from his guitar.

With a backbone of Balkan street-band energy, Black Bear Combo weaves crooked dark melodies between its huge rhythmic footprints.

Baltimore-based electronic music iconoclast and composer of such documentaries as Rat Film (T/F 2017) and Time Trial, Dan Deacon will use his sonic talents to DJ The Blue Note dance floor into oblivion.

The freshest DJ in Atlanta, Hourglass' style ranges from future beats and house to dancehall, Afrobeats, Latin, hip-hop, Top 40, and everything in between.

The room quakes when DJ Scales blitzes the dance floor with his distinctive blend of future bounce.

DJ Sunspots mines through crates of forgotten wax to unearth an arresting collision of primal beat and unassailable melody; a bounty of dancefloor splendor.

Expressive beats beaming with positive vibes, dubs turbo brings vintage hip-hop & deep grooves to the party.

Folk transcends traditional elements as psychedelic singer-songwriter Ryan Stier croons to the waves of a 12-string guitar and synthesizer.

Brooklyn-based one-man band builds clean electropop jams on a foundation of R&B, funk, and soul that will force a smile on a your face and your feet on the dance floor.

A powerful synthesis of electronic sound and Afro-Caribbean language, ÌFÉ is a bold new project from Puerto Rico-based African-American drummer/producer/singer Mark Underwood, aka Otura Roso Mun, that has the whole world taking notice.

Fresh off its widely revered release "C’est la Vie," It's Me: Ross is taking the Midwest by storm with a brand of rock that would roll in any era.

Utilizing his prowess of the acoustic guitar, Jacob Luecke paints lush portraits of a wide-open America, evoking visions of sweeping plains and rolling hills and winding country roads.

Dominican-born Jarina De Marco is a musician, singer, songwriter, and visual artist whose sound embodies a multiethnic future that transcends all categories and borders. Best known for her work on the Broad City soundtrack, the electronic music visionary will be gracing The Fest with a DJ set at Friday night's refr@ction dance party.

Descending from north of the border, Toronto representative Jaunt crafts dreamy soundscapes with its lush and catchy melodies that will surely leave you floating in smooth nostalgia.

Experimental and entrancing sounds constitute Jon Bap's off-kilter fusion of soul and R&B, whether they be polyrhythmic guitar loops or abstract sound collages.

Gently braided melodies overlie an ocean of warm sentiment in Lomelda's acclaimed 2017 release, Thx. Adept guitarwork, tasteful melodic punctuations, and haunting vocals culminate in an otherworldly experience.

A project that simultaneously appreciates and rejects its genre tags, Loose Loose delves deep into the worlds of jazz, neo-soul, and hip-hop, only to expand into a unique musical setting of its own.

Bare, lo-fi indie rock with a timbre of a shaking leaf falling into a stiff glass of warm whiskey and tea.

Blending elements of R&B and jazz, this Nebraska-born project highlights songstress Mary Lawson's exploration of soulful tradition with a robust full band.

Philadelphia-based musician Murayama uses synthesizers and flute and help from their friends to build the richest of soundscapes, invoking the ruminant wanderings of earthward waters.

A true student of the game, Newark’s own Nadus creatively fuses traditions of Jersey club & Chicago footwork to bring any dance party up to breakneck speed.

A prolific songwriter hailing from Fairfield, Iowa, Naioti captures the mystery of the plains in electronic melodies packed with nostalgia and tinged with longing.

A Columbia folk icon whose music remains as classic as it is relevant, Noah Earle's acoustic guitar tells a quintessential Midwestern story of love, longing, and life on the farmland.

Peter Collins weaves organic melodies of love and compassion through his heavenly combination of soulful guitar and pitch-perfect vocals.

The St. Louis rapper weaves her poetry expertly through producer Namesake.’s warm sonic landscape with an easy, melodic delivery.

Taking its name from the Arkansas River that flows through its native Colorado, this group of talented musicians plays a heartfelt brand of Americana that draws from country, folk, and blues influences.

Though not one to wear a crown, Samuel James is the unofficial King of the Buskers. His incisive blues and storytelling are the pure essence of songwriting.

Warm '90s alt-rock with pop sensibilities and punk aesthetic, Shady Bug satiates with a lasting sweetness. Songwriter Hannah Rainey delivers on quality with minimalist lyricism.

Commanding vocals, tight riffs, and surfy undertones make new-wave indie trio The Slaps a joyous listening experience. A spirit of frivolity lightens often hefty themes, inviting listeners to ride the wave of thoughtful jubilation.

Clear melodies, raw emotion, and sparse orchestration lend themselves to a timeless quality on Soccer Mommy's 2018 release, Clean. Garnering universal praise from critics and fans alike, frontwoman Sophie Allison has boldly positioned herself as a young leader in a revived indie-rock scene.

This percussion-driven electronic post-rock trio flows dynamically from the pitter-pat of a mouse parade to the cacophony of a buffalo stampede.

Synthesizers, basslines, and heady guitar licks posit Steven Senger's music as both of the future and past. Equal parts DIY and avant-garde, notions of electronic music are bent and warped, arresting audiences with sonic fluidity.

A post apocalyptic cocktail of artfully crafted jazz, pop, and electronic themes that might send you to the top of a mountain or tumbling down a grassy hill.

Chicago duo of electric guitar and drums, SUN SPEAK lures one in through layers of dreamy ambience that arpeggiate slowly into swinging rock rhythms.

Only one-third of The Sweaters is old enough to drive, and already they are becoming local favorites with their indie power-pop hooks that you couldn't part with if you tried.

Acoustic is anything but lacking in the instrumentals of Columbia duo Tim Pilcher and Monica Lord. Cascading guitar and bowed cello coalesce into one potent whole, grounding and mystifying listeners in equal measure.

Recently described as a "New Jazz Power Source" by The New York Times, New York-based cellist and composer Tomeka Reid has emerged as one of the most original, versatile, and curious musicians in the jazz and improvised-music community over the last decade.

Tonina expertly navigates her way through shifting musical terrain powered by her stirring vocals and the pulsing heartbeat of her standup bass.

Under the combined influence of jazz legends, hip-hop maestros, and contemporary beatmakers, this St. Louis three-piece provides a contemplative yet engaging soundtrack to the ebb and flow of The Fest.

Lush and unpredictable energies are the hallmarks of Umami’s house-heavy catalog, sounding an irresistible call to get bodies moving.
Wednesday, Feb 27 / Doors 8:30pm, Show 9pm-12:30am / Eastside Tavern
The Eastside Kick-Off Concert will quickly get your blood pumping with the driving rock of Columbia natives Maxito Lindo and The Sweaters, along with Shady Bug from St. Louis.
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders; $5 general admission. Â
Thursday, Feb 28 / Doors 7pm, Show 8pm-11:00pm / Cafe Berlin
True/False proudly welcomes Nashville indie sensation Soccer Mommy to the Cafe Berlin stage, with support from dreamy psych pop outfit Jaunt and hometown heroes It’s Me: Ross.Â
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders; $15 general admission.
Thursday, Feb 28th / Doors at 10:30pm, show 11pm-1am / The Blue Note
Get weird on the Blue Note dancefloor to the warped and erratic sounds of musician Dan Deacon as he performs a DJ set. It’s an afterparty with good music, what more could you want than that?Â
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders, $10 general admission.
Friday, Mar 1 / Doors at 5:30pm, Show 6pm-9pm / Eastside Tavern
Set the tone for a transcendent weekend with the dreamy stylings of Midwestern projects Extravision, Nicholas Naioti, and Summer Like the Season at Columbia’s quintessential happy-hour dive, Eastside.
Free & open to the public.
Friday, Mar 1 / Doors at 7:30pm, Show 8:30pm-12pm / Cafe Berlin
A bill filled with technical skill and sonic bliss, the world-renowned talents of Tomeka Reid will be joined by Philadelphia post-rockers Square Peg Round Hole and Chicago duo SUN SPEAK.
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders, $8 general admission.
Saturday, Mar 2 / 4pm-7pm / Logboat Brewery
Not just for beer enthusiasts, this happy-hour showcases local favorites Loose Loose and welcomes back rootsy crooners The River Arkansas to tickle your ears while you delight in some of Columbia’s best brews.
Free & open to the public.
Saturday, Mar 2 / Doors 6:30pm, Show 7-8:30pm / Calvary Episcopal Church
Seek refuge from the weekend’s hyperactivity in the walls of the Sanctuary, where singer-songwriters Rae Fitzgerald* & Peter Collins will regale audiences with tales of love, heartbreak and redemption.
*Previously Lomelda! Due to unforeseen circumstances, Lomelda will not be able to attend the Fest.
Free & open to the public.
Saturday, Mar 2 / Doors 7pm, Show 8pm-12:30am / Cafe Berlin
Experimental soul man Jon Bap will be joined by the surfing grooves of The Slaps and poetic vibes of St. Louis’ pinkcaravan! for this diverse sampling of The Fest’s sonics.
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders, $8 general admission
Saturday, Mar 2 / Doors 8:30pm, Show 9:30pm-12:30am / Rose Music Hall
Acclaimed Puerto-Rican, electro/Afro-Caribbean project ÌFÉ, R&B-soul voyagers Mesonjixx play out Saturday night with St. Louis genre-blender singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Tonina.
Free for Super & Silver Circle, Lux, Stay Up Late, Juggernaut passholders, $8 general admission.
Sunday, Mar 3 / 10pm-12am / Hitt Records
Classical guitar innovator Andreas Kapsalis and experimental composer Aaron Martin provide the perfect tonic after a weekend full of gleeful pandemonium.
Free & open to the public, though donations are greatly appreciated!