Wasted Life with Fading Signal, Twisted Fate, Laurence Hope, and Get Wise
Certain Seas with Erie Choir and Neon Ruins
Certain Seas Instagram / Spotify North Carolina’s Certain Seas is the indie folk-rock project of former Squirrel Nut Zippers cofounder and vocalist Katharine Whalen, guitarist Austin Riopel, and trombonist Danny Grewen. Known for shimmering harmonies and melodic guitars, they released the album Ordinary Hopes in 2025 to much acclaim and are recognized as one of NC’s most eclectic and highly regarded acts. Erie Choir Instagram / Spotify Erie Choir is the North Carolina-based indie rock band of Eric Roehrig (formerly of Sorry About Dresden). Originally a solo acoustic project, it has evolved into a five-piece band blending hook-laden folk-pop with classic rock influences. Neon Ruins Instagram / Bandcamp Chapel Hill’s Neon Ruins melds indie folk, roots rock, and psychedelic guitars into an esoteric, post-American soundtrack. Inspired by a visit to the birthplace of H. P. Lovecraft, long time musical collaborators R. M. Mclaughlin (Travel Horse, Magnolia Collective) and D. T. Snyder (Magnolia Collective, Gambling the Muse) were inspired to write and record a batch of songs that will appear on their upcoming debut album Gas Station Carnivals.
Treasure Pains and Null with Dug and Snide
Treasure Pains Linktree / Instagram / Bandcamp Null Instagram / Bandcamp Dug Instagram / Bandcamp Snide Instagram / Bandcamp
Persistent Itch and Nathan Arizona & The New Mexicans with Bruteus
Persistent Itch Instagram Nathan Arizona & The New Mexicans Bandcamp / Facebook Bruteus Bandcamp
Red October with Hemlock Theory and Under The Catacombs of Paris
Red October Bandcamp Chapel Hill based Shoegaze/Hardcore/Post Punk Hemlock Theory Instagram Sanford Based Rock n Roll Under The Catacombs of Paris Instagram Siler City based Post Hardcore/Post Punk
Who They Fear and Varia: The Visions 2026 Tour with Distant Fires, Infinxty, and As Above So Below
Who They Fear Facebook / Instagram / Tiktok / Spotify / Youtube / Website Varia Facebook / Instagram / Tiktok / Spotify / Youtube / Website
Ritt Momney
Snide and Knub with Snowblinder and Dead Halos
Snide Instagram / Bandcamp Knub Bandcamp / Instagram Snowblinder Facebook / Instagram Dead Halos Instagram / Bandcamp
Blood Red River 20th Anniversary Show with The Malamondos, Severed Fingers, and The King Teen
Crystal Spiders and Insomniac with Evil Eye
Crystal Spiders Bandcamp / Instagram Founded in 2019, fuzz fanatics Crystal Spiders quickly shot to prominence after their first self-recorded demo secured them a spot on The Obelisk’s yearly ranking of short releases, and have continued to build momentum ever since. Building on the foundations laid by legends from Black Sabbath to Windhand and beyond, Crystal Spiders infuse the best elements of both classic rock and heavy metal dynamics with a hazy, psychedelic, doomed-out edge – their raw blend of powerhouse vocals, fuzzed-out bass lines, and shredding guitar that has earned them both global critical acclaim and the support of a diverse, growing fanbase over multiple singles, two full-length albums, and a slew of gigs to date. An eagerly-awaited third full-length album and an appearance at Maryland Doom Fest are already on the horizon for 2025, with tour dates forthcoming. Insomniac Website INSOMNIAC coalesce onto our plane like a third eye opening into the beyond. A bouncing ball on the rhythm of the universe. An aural guide past the edges of perception. The band took form in Atlanta, Georgia, like-minded explorers of sound and mind writing songs in the frequency of the earth. Featuring members of Zoroaster, Deceased, Brass Knuckle Surfer, and The Buzzards of Fuzz, the outfit’s transcendent, mind-expanding psychedelic heaviness casts light on the magic and strange beauty, balanced between unconsciousness and dreams. Evil Eye Bandcamp / Instagram