Click or Scan to add the Sustain Fest ‘25 Official Playlist!
Friday May 16th @ 8:30 PM - Dinner Stage
Booze Hounds Bluegrass - Indianapolis, IN
Booze Hounds Bluegrass has been playing out since 2017, the four members that make the band today came together in April of 2023.The band consists of Eric Lee Reel (guitar), Alec Bohuk (mandolin), Taylor Williams (upright bass), and Joseph Fawcett (fiddle). They all reside in Hamilton and Marion County, IN. BHB hosts an open bluegrass jam at Duke's Indy on the 4th Wednesday of each month. Come on out! Their evolving setlist has traditional bluegrass, original tunes, Grateful Dead covers, and much much more. They play all over central Indiana and hope to broaden their horizons in 2025.
“I have watched the Booze Hounds play at the Mousetrap all night long and not only did they sound great, their energy never slowed down. They were having as much fun as I was! Talented entertainers!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Thursday May 15th @ 7:30 PM - Bourbon Barn
Cam Pierce - Nashville TN
Cam Pierce was born and bread in the West... way West. Born in a tiny logging town in Oregon and growing up in the deep woods of the Southern part of the state. He says that all his time in the woods watching, listening, and being still is a key force in his spontaneous approach to songwriting. Cam's stories reach out and activate the imagination. Transporting the listener to another time, place and frame of mind. His is a unique take on the various styles of Roots Music. Cam Pierce's music isn't just a "retro throwback sound", it is something stylistically new, and directly from the old.
Last year saw the release of "The Horseshoe". A 12 song album tracked live with band in the home of Cam's friend and Luthier located in Leiper's Fork Tennessee. The album is void of fancy production and technological "magic". It is an honest to goodness OLD country record, not forced "retro" hoopla. From start to finish it's like stumbling upon some forgotten recordings from the bygone era of grit and individuality that once permeated the vast landscape of "Country Music".
2024 brought a pile of releases, the first of which is a number entitled "Western Man" which releases 2/2/2024. Also just released is the long anticipated "Muscle Shoals" album. Originally recorded in 2021 at FAME Studios with Jimbo Hart (Former bassist in The 400 Unit) Co-Producing the sessions. it's taken some time to give it the wheels that it deserves, but it is one heck of a record check out. A Thousand Lonely Horses.
Also up for 2025 is heavy touring. Working through a setback when his first ever touring vehicle brock down. Cam is looking forward to getting back on the road.
“I find Cam’s music to be authentic while still causing me to reflect on old time country greats and a time long ago and forgotten by many. His strong vocals, powerful lyrics and smooth melodies relax me and get me thinking about the important things in life!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Thursday May 15th @ 9:30 PM - Bourbon Barn (solo)
Friday May 16th @ 7:00 PM - Main Stage (w/Fieldnotes)
Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes - Chicago, IL
The son of a small-town farming community, Cody Diekhoff logged plenty of highway and stage time under the name Chicago Farmer before settling in the city in 2003. Profoundly inspired by fellow Midwesterner John Prine, he’s a working-class folk musician to his core. His small-town roots, tilled with city streets mentality, are turning heads North and South of I-80.
“I love the energy, music, and creativity of Chicago, but at the same time, the roots and hard work of my small town,” he shares. Growing up in Delavan, Illinois, with a population less than 2,000, Diekhoff’s grandparents were farmers, and their values have always provided the baseline of his songs.
He writes music for “the kind of people that come to my shows. Whether in Chicago or Delavan, everyone has a story, and everyone puts in a long day and works hard the same way,” he says. “My generation may have been labeled as slackers, but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t work hard - many people I know put in 50-60 hours a week and 12-hour days. That’s what keeps me playing. I don’t like anyone to be left out; my music is for everyone in big and very small towns.”
He listened to punk rock and grunge as a kid before discovering a friend’s dad playing Hank Williams, and it was a revelation. Prine and Guthrie quickly followed. The name Chicago Farmer was originally for a band, but the utilitarian life of driving alone from bar to bar, city to city - to make a direct connection to his audience and listener, took a deeper hold.
“One of the most authentic and kind musicians, Cody and his team have been wonderful to work with and supportive of our entire mission. As we head into year 3 we are grateful that Cody has been here every year.
We are also blessed to have him play both solo and with the band because you just can’t get enough Farmer! His deep portfolio of music spanning 20 years can make you pound your feet with an intense folk rock sound and yet other tracks touch your heart and make you think of family.”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Cody Heckin Williams - Vincennes, IN
Friday May 16th @ 5:45 PM - Dinner Stage
Indiana's own, Cody Heckin Williams! Self proclaimed, lousy poet that knows a few chords calling himself a songwriter. Cody features a wide range of originals as well as his unique versions of other songwriters hits. He is known to invite up friends to jam a/k/a The Heckraisers
“We have been entertained by Cody on multiple occasions at the First City Music Festival. He balances a seriousness for his craft with a laid back fun loving entertainer which makes him fun to watch live. His range of original music blended with his interpretations of other songwriters music he respects makes each show a bit different.”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Debutants - Fort Wayne, IN
Friday May 16th @ 9:30 PM - Main Stage
Debutants is a high-energy string band with eclectic influences, and a penchant to play anything they feel. Dancing between songs and styles of old and new, this fun-loving collective dazzles with impressive musicianship, earnest songwriting, and dynamic live performances.
Debutants have evolved from a duo between longtime friends, Lynn Nicholson and Jon Swain, into a formidable 7- piece string band with eclectic influences. Regardless of number of members, what somehow manages to always come through loud and clear is the amount of fun they're having playing together, and the vibrant life breathed into their music.
On their 2021 debut release, Indiana Newgrass - EP, Debutants went into the studio with banjoist Michael Earl Newsome, fiddle player Sean Hoffman (Goldmine Pickers, The Goat's Beards, Soltré), and bassist/vocalist Colin Taylor (Uncle Muscle, Hillbilly Casino). Also highly instrumental in capturing their original sound, was recording engineer and producer Tyler Thompson (Fruition, TK & The Holy Know-Nothings, Jay Cobb Anderson) at his Studio 110 in Pittsburgh, PA.
For their 2022 sophomore release, Nobody Knows - EP, the band unquestionably returned to Thompson's Studio 110, this time bringing Lauren Blair on fiddle/vocals, and Ellen Coplin on cello/vocals. Growth became evident on titles such as Nicholson's Hard to Say, along with increases in tempos and instrumental prowess demonstrated on pieces like Swain's Never Thought I'd Be the One.
With the same lineup in 2023, the band tackled their first full-length album, River on the Moon. Nicholson and Swain were now joined by Hoffman and Taylor in songwriting. This release conveys their most ambitious and cohesive sound yet, in part due to recording all of it "live" circled together around a few microphones.
“It is important to our community that we balance returning festival performances with new bands coming to Sustain for the first time. Debutants have played the last 2 years and not only did they light up the stage, they made a huge impression on me back stage. They are delightful people on top of being talented musicians.
I can hear influences from progressive bluegrass bands that have come before them and yet Debutants are not following anyone as much as expressing their own hearts & souls in a fun energetic manner! We are grateful to have another Indiana band on our Indiana stage again in 2025”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Nolan Strupeck - Northwest, IN
Saturday May 17th @ 5:45 PM - Dinner Stage
Nolan Strupeck is a 14-year-old fiddle player from Indiana who plays bluegrass and folk music. His musical journey began at the tender age of two, plucking on a tent string when he heard a band practicing near his campsite. Nolan enjoys attending immersive music camps across the country, as well as performing at various music festivals and events.
You can find him picking around a late-night campfire and sitting in with as many bands as possible, when given the opportunity. Nolan is deeply grateful for the ongoing support he’s received throughout his career and couldn’t have reached this point without those who have helped him along the way.
“I first saw Nolan as a young guest musician invited up to play on the main stage at the John Hartford Memorial Festival. His talent and confidence increase with every performance. We have watched his set list and skills grow while performing at the First City Music Festival. We are blessed that schedules have finally allowed Nolan to perform at Sustain.”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Pythagoras - Johnson City, TN
Saturday May 17th @ 4:00 PM - Main Stage
Forged in the heart of Johnson City, Tennessee, Pythagoras pushes the boundaries of bluegrass and acoustic music! If you like the hard-driving bluegrass of artists like Flatt & Scruggs and Tony Rice, groovy fiddle tunes, jam bands like the Grateful Dead, and lots of original material, you’ll love Pythagoras’ sound.
Pythagoras consists of pickers from all around the east coast, now making their home in sunny Tennessee, studying bluegrass music at East Tennessee State University: Grant Dresnok (guitar & lead vocals), Gracie Grossman (fiddle), Joe Henson (Mandolin), and Lexi Wagnitz (upright bass).
Pythagoras has played festivals, listening rooms, private events, and has toured overseas! Their passion and drive for the music they play shines through in their performances.
“Like many of the up and coming bands we find, I first heard about Pythagoras from members of our Sustain Community. Jason & Jessica are proud parents of one of the members of the band (Gracie) and told us all about their studies and goals. We were able to get them to come play a Sustain Concert Series event in Indy and we had to have them for the festival! I am really excited to see these young musicians show a larger crowd their version of bluegrass.”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Smilo & the Ghost - Erie, PA
Saturday May 17th @ 7:00 PM - Main Stage
Formed in 2016, Smilo and the Ghost have been delivering hard-driving, old-time influenced folk-rock to crowds around the Northeast. Their debut album, Ghost Writers, was voted one of the “Top Three Albums of 2018” by the Erie Reader. Since then, Smilo and the Ghost have opened for national acts like Grammy Award Winning country duo Dan + Shay and alt-rock legends 10,000 Maniacs.
The band’s recording and performing personnel have included a “who’s who” of regional talent, currently condensed down to the core lineup: Tyler Smilo - Guitar, Vocals, Adam McKillip - Mandolin, Vocals, Jassen Wilber - Bass Guitar, Dominick DeCecco- Banjo, Vocals
Smilo’s emotionally charged lyrics and vocals are backed up by the virtuosity of Wilber (who has toured the world with American blues guitarist Bernard Allison) and McKillip. Their setlist moves between gritty, hard-luck foot stompers like “Nothing’s Changed” and “Big Guns” to triumphant ballads like “Save Me” and “There’s Nothing Left.” All of which are highlights of Smilo & the Ghost live shows. The band’s songs share Americana country/rock DNA with Trampled by Turtles, Dawes, and Ryan Bingham, while maintaining a voice all their own.
The recent addition of DeCecco on banjo has allowed for a deeper exploration of the band’s bluegrass and country chops. These old-timey roots are on full display in their highly-anticipated album, Fingers Crossed and Godspeed, which has been selected as one of Erie Reader’s “Top Three Albums of 2021.” The band isn’t sitting still, though, also recording a live album in early 2022. Smilo and the Ghost combine songs meant for singing and dancing with charismatic, high-energy performing on stage. They’re as comfortable on the main stage as they are in the corner of a local bar and shouldn’t be missed at either venue.
“I take a lot of pride in curating a very specific sound for our Sustain Community. Smilo & the Ghost have it all, moving lyrics, strong vocals and tight arrangements. We normally only book bands we have seen in person but after taking a deep dive into their most recent album Twang & Fire, I knew they would crush it at Sustain Fest 2025. We are blessed to bring their energy and sound to Indiana for the first time! Watch out Sustainiacs the Ghost is coming!!!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
The Baker’s Basement - Cleveland TN
Friday May 16th @ 2:00 PM - Main Stage
2-piece, Cleveland based, indie folk bucket band the Baker’s Basement (tBB) features the eclectic musical stylings of vocalist/drummer Kate Dedinsky and vocalist/guitarist Adam Grindler. At their rhythmic core pulses an orange striped, homemade, bucket-drum concoction, the funky back beat on which Dedinsky performs standing up with her signature swagger and sway. The duo’s intimate sound, rooted in a whimsical flavor of indie folk rock and topped with playful vocal layers, often volleyed to-and-fro across the stage, offers a humorous yet heart-wrenching sonic signature that’s altogether their own.
A hidden gem of the midwest, tBB’s affectionate and direct spoken word vocal delivery bounces atop their unusual percussive foundation of odds & ends, a drum apparatus that the group calls the “Tempeh Kit”—when matched with triggered samples and Grindler’s acoustic & electric guitar methods, both finger picked and strummed, their playful and oscillating sound is solidified. Between songs, the duo endears themselves to their audience through storytelling and banter. All and all, a performance by this dynamic pair is an invitation into an intimate world of creative fancy and captivating chemistry nurtured over years of playing both stages and street corners.
TBB performs the midwest and beyond, and has shared bills with artists such as Melvin Seals (of the Jerry Garcia Band) and Keller Williams through multiple festival appearances at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park. tBB has also appeared at Kinda Spoopy Festival, Jubileego, and Cleveland’s Brite Winter Festival & Ingenuity Fest in addition to residencies at Cedar Point. In addition to crafting and recording songs, the duo is invested in creating homemade video works to match their music. Recently the music video for their song “Wild Wild Sheep”, which the band scripted, filmed, and directed, was nominated at the 2023 Cordillera Film Festival in Reno, Nevada.
“I can’t wait to see The Baker’s Basement on the main stage. Their sound defies labels but their overall performance is easy to label…FUN!!! We were blessed to have Adam and Kate come play for a Sustain Concert Series event in Indy and I am still smiling about the entire experience. The buckets, the props, the shot song and the jamming! I think the Sustainiacs are gonna love it!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
The Cousin Brothers - Central IN
Saturday May 17th @ 12:00 PM - Main Stage
The Cousin Brothers have blazed their own trail, bringing their unique blend of rocked-up bluegrass and grassed-up rock and country to enthusiastic audiences. Voted Indianapolis’ number one country band (and number two folk band) by the readers of Nuvo Magazine, the Cousin Brothers look forward to furthering their goal of world domination through power-grass. Since their inception in the fall of 2004,
The Cousin Brothers have established themselves as a force in the central Indiana music scene. It is their unique blend of bluegrass, rock, country and comedy that has won them the respect of their musical peers and makes their high-energy live show a must-see experience that keeps audiences coming back for more.
In 2005, founding members Ben Long and Kevin Vickery joined forces with percussionist T.R. Yelton, whose train beats augmented their sound and helped them to take power grass music to a new level. Later that year, the band added the latest addition to the line-up, Dave Bagdade, a veteran bluegrass guitarist and vocalist, giving The Cousin Brothers three solid lead voices and two, multi-instrumental soloists.
“As the unofficial hype man of the Cousin Brothers, I couldn’t throw a festival and not include them! They have been entertaining the Sustain Community once a month at the Historic Melody Inn for years.
They don’t take things too seriously except making sure I dance and that they rock the crowd! Blending Ole Time Country with hard driving Progressive Bluegrass and a dash of genre bending surprises, the Cousin Brothers Movement may not sweep the nation but it will sweep Sustain for damn sure! Cheers to year 3 boys!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
The Fun Dunns - Vincennes IN
Saturday May 17th @ 9:00 AM - Breakfast Stage
The Fun Dunns are a roots music family duo that weave folk and bluegrass influences into their very own blend of tenor guitar led American standards and originals. Nash and Debbie’s original sound was crafted where most great things in the Midwest come from: the kitchen. Their music and song selection invite listeners to join their family in the tradition of folk music as familiar melodies and stories are shared from generation to generation. From the woods of Indiana’s First City, Vincennes, this southwest Indiana couple truly has fun playing their part in keeping the American folk music candle burning.
“We met Debbie and Nash Dunn as guest at their annual festival in Vincennes IN (First City Music Festival). Whether its singing an original tune or telling the backstory before playing a traditional tune, The Fun Dunns show a depth that you don’t get from many performers. I enjoy being entertained and taught about the history of roots music one song at a time! They help us believe in the good things coming!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
The MilBillies - Milwaukee, WI
Saturday May 17th @ 8:30 PM - Dinner Stage
Established in late 2018, The MilBillies immediately hit the ground running, bringing their unique synthesis of traditional and progressive bluegrass to venues and festivals throughout the upper mid-west and beyond.
The MilBillies project a veritable wall of sound, starting with an intentional focus on melodic lyricism in songwriting and finishing with an unparalleled, action-packed live performance.
They are winners of:
-IBMA World of Bluegrass Showcase Artist (2021)
-WAMI Nominated New Artist of the Year (2020)
-John Hartford Memorial Festival Band Contest Winners (2022)
With a second, full-length album releasing over the winter, and with festivals such as Blue Ox, Pickin’ On Picknic, Boats & Bluegrass, Summerfest, IBMA, John Hartford Memorial Festival, and so many more under their belts, The MilBillies are set up for a great 2025.
“We are huge fans of the John Hartford Memorial Festival so when The MilBillies won their band contest it really got our attention! You can sense the energy in their music and we think their live set at Sustain 2025, while the sun is setting and the lights are coming up, will be intense! A lot of great Wisconsin Bluegrass Bands have played at Sustain so we are blessed to add The MilBillies to that list!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Watershed Ramblers - Chesterton, IN
Saturday May 17th @ 2:00 PM - Main Stage
The Watershed Ramblers formed in the fall of 2022 as friends gathered in the basement of a Northern Indiana home to explore the world of bluegrass. Over the last 2 years, the Ramblers have honed their craft through countless performances at local venues, music festivals as well as hosting their own events in and out of Northwest Indiana. Their live shows are a celebration of musical friendship, with each member contributing their expertise to create what has been deemed by some as "Dunegrass". Whether it's a foot-stomping hoedown or a soulful ballad, the Rambler's performances are a journey through the heart and soul of American roots music.
Always continuing to evolve and explore new musical territories, the Ramblers remain true to their roots, drawing inspiration from the rich heritage that has shaped American music for generations. With a passion for storytelling and commitment to preserving traditions of the past, the Ramblers are a musical force to be reckoned with, promising a journey through the heartland with every note they play.
“The Ramblers made their way to one of our Sustain Concert Series events in Indy this past winter. The event initially had them sharing the stage with 2 other bands but mother nature changed that as 2 bands had to cancel. They quickly modified their set list and played for nearly 3 hours to the delight of our crowd. You can tell they have fun playing with each other and yet they are firmly committed to providing a great show! We look forward to having them on the main stage at Sustain 2025.”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Honest, soulful, and bearing a sound all their own, Wood Belly sprouted from the roots of bluegrass to notch a unique home in the broader Americana scene and continues to captivate audiences across the country en route.
With an unrelenting dedication to original songwriting, harmony singing, and artful arrangements, the quintet is forging a sound that is based in newgrass and flavored with alt-country, rock, and just enough jam to glue it all together.
Wood Belly established themselves as a staple of the Colorado and national acoustic music scene by winning the 2018 Telluride Bluegrass festival band competition and being nominated for an IBMA award. Bluegrass Today said “Even now, it’s safe to determine that they’re ones to watch...the freshness and vitality they bear elevates their standing and assures their status as instant contenders”. That freshness continues today as the band takes on a new shape. With a restructuring of the rhythm section, Wood Belly has opened up a world of dynamic range and dimension to be explored.
Wood Belly - Colorado
Saturday May 17th @ 9:30 PM - Main Stage
“I actually felt silly that I had not heard Wood Belly before researching artists for 2024 Sustain…WOW!!!. When I listen, they take me for a ride seamlessly moving from newgrass to americana and occasionally surprising me with some soul/funk. They effortlessly cover a wide vocal and musical range…they are the entire package!” We are blessed to have them close out the Sustain Fest again this year! We got to know them off the stage in 2024 and they are unique and complimentary souls. We are grateful they are making the trip from Colorado!
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals
Front Porch - North West AR
Friday May 16th @ 4:00 PM - Main Stage
Foot stomping clawhammer banjo, powerful vocal harmonies, and ripping mandolin and fiddle melodies to energetic rhythms. Front Porch blends contemporary folk songwriting styles with an old time mountain sound rooted in Ozark tradition - creating a unique mix of old and new that will make you hoot and holler.
“We intentionally curate a fairly narrow sound for our Sustain events. Among other things, we look for authenticity…talent…potential. We want to make it easier for our community to experience the next great band. I feel Front Porch is that type of band. We are stocked to ahve them returning for their second year. Put your seatbelt on…turn up the volume and let their blend of speed grass and energy accelerate you down the road! PS Watch that speedometer!!”
Kyle Ochs - Sustain Festivals