It’s time to get Slossed

Courtesy artsbham

Birmingham bands will be among the 40 acts featured at this year’s Sloss Music & Arts Festival, which will take place on the grounds of the historic Sloss Furnaces just outside downtown from July 15-16. 

Headliners include the Alabama Shakes, Widespread Panic and ODESZA, and the event offers arts and crafts, iron pouring demonstrations and craft beer and cocktails.

Introduced to the Birmingham music scene in the summer of 2015, the event is organized by Red Mountain Entertainment, which also puts on the Top of the Hops Beer Festival in Orange Beach and the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, among other festivals.

Byron The Aquarius

►Members: Byron, keyboard; Suaze, bass, MDMA-Moog synthesizer, Rhodes piano; Tyler Ambrosius, guitar, effects; Jack, drums.    

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Rhythm, funky, harmony, jazzy, instrumentation, dynamic, texture

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It means a lot to me to be doing this for my birthplace city — amazing feeling of history.

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? A show that I hope to put on is music with dynamic and texture, a live electronic set with synthesizers, live jazz drummer, guitar player, me on keys and synth programmings, very Sun Ra influenced!

► When you think of Sloss Furnaces in July, what word comes to mind? Hella fire vibes, mate!

► Website: soundcloud.com/byron-the-aquarius

C1UB:AM

►Members: ChiKN’ Jorge, ChriStyle and WhoSaine Jett.

► Describe your sounds in seven words or fewer: Progressive, melodic, smooth, persistent, groovy, spiritual, colorful

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It means a lot to our fans, we know. That’s what gives us more morale. Sloss is a respectable platform, and we aim to add to its stories.

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? We hope to grab and hold the attention of the crowd during our time on stage. We’ve opened up a lot of shows for bigger-name artists, and one thing we’ve managed to do is maintain a driven stage performance. Our desire is to really give the fans a glimpse of who we are as C1UB:AM and as individuals.

► Website: soundcloud.com/C1UBAM

Holy Youth

► Members: Chris McCauley, guitar and vocals; Stuart Norman, guitar; John Paul Foster, drums and vocals; Abby Anderson, bass.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Loud, melodic rock music 

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It’s super exciting. The Fest is a great thing for Birmingham. We really appreciate Seasick Records inviting us to perform.

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? Fast, catchy and fun. 

► When you think of Sloss Furnaces in July, what word comes to mind? Groovy

► Website: holyyouthbham.bandcamp.com

Nerves Baddington

► Members: Ryan Howell, beats, vocals; John McNaughton, bass; Cam Johnson, drums.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Against the grain rap with live instrumentation 

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It’s humbling and an honor to play at a festival that is so dear and important to our city. Getting to share a stage with these amazing acts in our own backyard is a privilege. Sloss Fest should easily be everyone’s go-to every year — such an amazing lineup.

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? We hope to leave everyone attending proud of their Alabama bands and forever afraid of missing an opening act.

► Website: nervesbaddington.com

Nowhere Squares

► Members:  Paul Wilm, lead vocals, dance moves; Justin Cordes, guitar; vocals; Spencer Shoults, drums; Andy Sizemore, bass, vocals and Jennifer Freehling, keyboards.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Geeky, melodic, frenzied, energetic, cathartic, spazzy, punk

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? An exciting opportunity to do what we do best in front of a bunch of a whole bunch of folks!

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? The same kind of show we always put on: a high-energy punk rock dance-a-thon presented in true nerdy Nowhere style!

► Website: nowheresquares.com

WRAY

► Members: Blake Wimberly, drums; David Brown, bass guitar; David Swatzell, guitar. 

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Driving, spacious, dreamy, romantic, post-punk 

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It’s rad!

► When you think of Sloss Furnaces in July, what word comes to mind? Heat

► Website: wrayofficial.com

Riverbend

► Members: Stanton Langley, vocals, guitar; Max Simon, guitar; Price Pewitt, bass, vocals; Sims Ruffino, drums.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Southern power pop

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? To us, it means being a part of a community, both international and local. Sloss Fest is so great because it combines touring acts with local bands and gives both of them the attention they deserve. We’re so fortunate to be playing this year, and we hope to make a lasting impact. 

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? We hope to offer something truly unique that sets us apart from the other (great) acts. If you’re looking for a killer rock ‘n’ roll show, come see us. We’ll be loud. 

► Website: riverbendofficial.com

New Devils

► Members: Johnnie Shaneyfelt, songwriter, vocals, guitar; Joey Rudisell, drums, backing vocals; Jay McCarley, bass, backing vocals.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Soul-powered rock ‘n’ roll with a twang

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It’s an incredible opportunity for such a young band to have that type of exposure. This means a lot to me in particular: we will be playing alongside one of my idols. Conor Oberst is a huge reason why I picked up the guitar and started writing songs in the first place. 

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? We hope to give it all we got and play as hard as we ever have. We hope to be powerful and precise. We hope you find yourself chugging beers at 3:15 on Sunday at the Seasick Records Stage.

► When you think of Sloss Furnaces in July, what word comes to mind? Sweltering!

► Website: newdevilsmusic.com

Shaheed and DJSupreme

► Members: Shaheed and DJ Supreme on MPC, Rhodes keyboard, turntables, mic and voice.

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: The truth over beats, classic hip hop

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? It means a big deal. Sloss Fest is one of the best festivals to ever hit Birmingham and we are excited to perform at it 

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? An energetic Hip Hop show that’s full of “Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding” with “Health Wealth Knowledge of Self.” 

► When you think of Sloss Furnaces in July, what word comes to mind? Hotness, meaning the hottest festival in the hottest month...Nothing but hotness.

► Website: communicatingvessels.com/shaheed-and-dj-supreme

Vulture Whale

► Members: Wes McDonald, lead vocals, guitar; Lester Nuby, lead guitar, vocals; Keelan Parrish, bass; and Jake Waitzman, drums. 

► Describe your sound in seven words or fewer: Indie rock without the crust cut off

► What does playing at Sloss Fest mean for you? Sloss Fest has quickly become Birmingham’s most anticipated and coveted annual event. Its success says a lot about the present state of the culture in Birmingham. As a band that calls Birmingham home, it’s really good to see. When we were kids and 20-somethings, there was nothing going on around here. Now look at it.  

► What kind of show do you hope to put on at Sloss Fest? We’d like everyone to take their frustration, worry and confusion, roll it into a big ball, place it on the Seasick Records Stage and let your old friend Vulture Whale PLAM! the hell out of it for you. 

► Website: vulturewhale.com and corneliuschapelrecords.com