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Kittie

Thrust into heavy metal stardom as teenagers since their debut release, Kittie has thrashed and conquered the heavy metal world for more than twenty years. With seven albums, over two million in sales and OzzFest co-headliners on their resume, Kittie has defied industry norms, fought back against women in rock stereotypes, and inspired generations around the globe since they appeared. Now for the first time, they are sharing their untold story about the importance of family, perseverance, and the upside-down hurricane of rock n roll that includes a rotating line up of bandmates, on-going lawsuits and the pressure to live up to the expectations that put them on the map. Kittie Origins/Evolutions is generously peppered with archival footage shot by the band, which gives you an honest and brutal look at what it takes to survive in the music industry and the price of following your dreams.

ONI

An oni (鬼（おに）) ( OH-nee) is a kind of yōkai, demon, orc, ogre, or troll in Japanese folklore. They are believed to live in caves or deep in the mountains. Oni are known for their superhuman strength and have been associated with powers like thunder and lightning, along with their evil nature manifesting in their propensity for murder and cannibalism. They are typically portrayed as hulking figures with one or more horns growing out of their heads, massive teeth, and occasionally a third eye in the center of the forehead. They are typically depicted with red, blue, black, or yellow colored skin, wearing loincloths of tiger pelt, and carrying iron kanabō clubs. They also have three to six digits on each hand and foot tipped with claw-like nails. Oni are able to change their looks to fool their victims into trusting them. Oni can be male or female, but have been predominantly male throughout history. Female oni are sometimes referred to by the name Yamauba. When in disguise, oni are capable of appearing as a man or woman, regardless of their gender. As monstrous as oni are, they have been linked to bringing good fortune and wealth.
During the Heian period (794–1185), oni were often depicted in Japanese literature, such as setsuwa, as terrifying monsters that ate people. A prominent depiction of oni is that they eat people in one mouthful, which is called “onihitokuchi”. In Nihon Ryōiki, The Tales of Ise and Konjaku Monogatarishū, for example, a woman is shown being eaten in one mouthful by a oni. There is the theory that the reason why stories of onihitokuchi were common is that wars, disasters, and famines where people lose their lives or go missing were interpreted as oni from another world appearing in the present world who take away humans.
It was not until the legend of Shuten-dōji was created that the oni began to be depicted in paintings, and the 14th century Ōeyama ekotoba (大江山絵詞) is the oldest surviving emakimono (picture scroll) depicting Shuten-dōji. Shuten-dōji has been regarded as the most famous and strongest oni in Japan. The legend of Shuten-dōji has been described since the 14th century in various arts, traditional performing arts and literature such as emakimono, jōruri, noh, kabuki, bunraku, and ukiyo-e. The tachi (Japanese long sword) “Dōjigiri” with which Minamoto no Yorimitsu decapitated Shuten-dōji’ in the legend is now designated as a National Treasure and one of the Tenka-Goken (Five Greatest Swords Under Heaven). They are popular characters in Japanese art, literature, and theater and appear as stock villains in the well-known fairytales of Momotarō (Peach Boy), Issun-bōshi, and Kobutori Jīsan. Although oni have been described as frightening creatures, they have become tamer in modern culture as people tell less frightening stories about them like Oni Mask and Red Oni Who Cried.

CAKE

Cake epitomized the postmodern, irony-drenched aesthetic of ’90s geek rock, mixing pastiches of varying genres with lyrical non-sequiturs and pop-culture references. Led by John McCrea, Cake’s sound drew comparisons to Soul Coughing and King Missile but maintained an image of average guys. Formed in Sacramento in 1991, Cake released their debut album Motorcade of Generosity in 1993, followed by success with ‘The Distance’ from Fashion Nugget in 1996. The band faced lineup changes and controversies but continued with albums like Prolonging the Magic and Comfort Eagle, delivering hits like ‘Never There’ and ‘Short Skirt/Long Jacket.’ Cake’s unconventional approach to music production, independence, and sustainability in their later years set them apart in the music industry.
John McCrea founded Cake in Sacramento in 1991, crafting a unique sound that blended genres like funk, hip-hop, and rock. Their breakthrough came with the hit ‘The Distance’ from the album Fashion Nugget in 1996, propelling Cake to mainstream success. Despite facing criticism for their ironic detachment, the band continued to release albums that resonated with alternative music fans. Over the years, Cake maintained their distinct style and attitude, with albums like Prolonging the Magic and Comfort Eagle showcasing their creativity and musical prowess. Through lineup changes and evolving music trends, Cake’s commitment to their artistry and sustainability remained unwavering, culminating in the release of Showroom of Compassion in 2011, recorded in a solar-powered studio as a testament to their independent spirit.

Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd, the iconic hard-living, hard-driving Southern rock & roll band, seamlessly blends the raw power of blues-rock with the intricate storytelling typical of honky tonk country, the confident swagger of stadium rock, and a talent for crafting catchy pop hooks. Their repertoire includes on-stage improvisations and radio-friendly hits such as the timeless AOR ballad “Free Bird.” In the mid-’70s, Lynyrd Skynyrd dominated the music scene with a series of classic rock masterpieces like “Sweet Home Alabama,” “Simple Man,” “What’s Your Name,” “That Smell,” and “Gimme Three Steps.” Despite the tragic airplane crash in 1977 that claimed some members’ lives, the band reunited in 1987 and continued performing live, captivating audiences with their timeless classics.
Founded in Jacksonville, Florida, Lynyrd Skynyrd originated from a high school band called My Backyard, composed of Ronnie Van Zant (vocals), Allen Collins and Gary Rossington (guitarists), bassist Leon Wilkeson, and keyboardist Billy Powell. Initially struggling for recognition, the band caught the attention of producer Al Kooper, leading to their debut album in 1973, ”Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd.” Known for their distinctive triple-guitar sound exemplified in ”Free Bird,” Lynyrd Skynyrd gained national acclaim and amassed a devoted fan base during the ’70s. The band’s second album, ”Second Helping,” solidified their success with hits like “Sweet Home Alabama.” Despite lineup changes and tragedies, including the fatal plane crash in 1977, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s legacy persisted, marked by hits like “Street Survivors” and “Free Bird.” The band’s enduring resilience and musical prowess have cemented their status as legends in the world of rock music.

Rain City Drive

RAIN CITY DRIVE makes vibrant and dynamic alternative rock n’ roll, with strong roots in the post-hardcore subculture and unapologetically ambitious swings into contemporary pop. Described by Distorted Sound Magazine as “a melody machine” and in Metal Hammer as “a band you need to hear,” Rain City Drive builds a musical bridge between heavy riffs and soaring, intimate, earnest pop. Armed with arena-ready anthems ready-made for long drives, workouts, intimate clubs, and massive festivals alike, the Florida-based group built a reputation as an engaging live act. Over 1,000,000 fans around the world listen to the band on Spotify each month. The songs “Talk to a Friend” and “Heavier,” from their 2020 album To Better Days, account for 100 million streams between them alone. “Cutting it Close” from their 2022 self-titled follow-up (released in a deluxe edition with bonus cuts in 2023) quickly cracked the Top 5 on SiriusXM radio’s Octane upon release. Rain City Drive warps the boundaries between post-hardcore and aggressive melody. On the adventurous Rain City Drive and beyond, the group’s spirit of resilience connects with fans old and new, resonating deeply with all who struggle and find the will to push forward.

A Perfect Circle

Formed in the late ’90s by Tool vocalist Maynard James Keenan and that band’s former guitar tech Billy Howerdel, American rock supergroup A Perfect Circle fuses alt-metal and art rock, focusing on lighter, melodic sounds and a theatrical, ambient quality incorporating occasional strings and unconventional instrumentation, which helped them move beyond early comparisons to Tool to develop into its own entity. Over the decades, members of Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, and Queens of the Stone Age have played a role in the band’s revolving lineup under the core duo of Keenan and Howerdel. They released their debut album Mer de Noms in 2000, with sophomore set Thirteenth Step following in 2003. After the release of their covers album eMOTIVe in 2004, the project was put on hold. They ended an extended hiatus in 2018 with the release of their third album, Eat the Elephant. Back in 1996, after the release of Ænima, Keenan and Tool found themselves in the midst of an extended legal battle with former label Freeworld Entertainment. When the dust settled two years later, the band reached an agreement for future recordings and, feeling a little burned out, decided to take some time off. It was at this point that Keenan joined up with Howerdel and Paz Lenchantin to form A Perfect Circle. Keenan had met Howerdel in 1992 when Tool opened for Fishbone. Howerdel had been Fishbone’s tech at the time and he played Keenan a few of his songs. Keenan was impressed and the two talked of collaborating in the future. However, the opportunity wouldn’t present itself until the end of the decade. With Keenan on vocals, Howerdel on guitar, and Lenchantin on bass, the trio recruited ex-Failure and Enemy member Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar and ex-Vandals and Guns N’ Roses member Josh Freese on drums. The quintet rehearsed together but didn’t announce the formation of a new band until performing for the first time on August 15, 1999, at a benefit concert at the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Howerdel, who had been composing songs for years, as well as working with bands such as the Smashing Pumpkins and Nine Inch Nails, became the band’s chief songwriter and producer. A Perfect Circle released their debut album, Mer de Noms, in 2000. Featuring the hit singles “Judith” and “3 Libras,” Mer de Noms debuted in the Top Five of the Billboard 200 and eventually went platinum. The band opened Nine Inch Nails’ Fragilit…
y Tour in 2000, but soon attracted their own headlining audience. The band took a short break between albums, allowing Keenan to hop back to Tool for the release and promotion of 2001’s Lateralus. In the meantime, preparation for A Perfect Circle’s sophomore effort continued. Lenchantin and Van Leeuwen — both involved with other projects at the time — were swapped out for Jeordie White (Marilyn Manson) and Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails), respectively. Keenan returned to the fold in early 2003. Months later, Thirteenth Step arrived, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200. Moodier and more expansive, the set included Top Five rock chart singles “Weak and Powerless” and “The Outsider.” Lohner made way for James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) as the band embarked on an international tour. Concluding the trek, A Perfect Circle issued the covers album eMOTIVe in 2004. The politically charged, anti-war collection featured interpretations of songs like John Lennon’s “Imagine,” Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On,” and Depeche Mode’s “People Are People.” The album was also notable for the inclusion of new track “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythm of the War Drum” and “Passive,” a holy grail for fans written by Keenan, Howerdel, Lohner, and Trent Reznor for their scrapped Tapeworm project. Shortly after the release of eMOTIVe’s companion DVD set aMOTION — which bundled the band’s music videos along with a remix CD — A Perfect Circle went on a hiatus that would last over a decade. During their downtime, Keenan recorded albums with Tool and his solo project, Puscifer, while Howerdel started a new band, Ashes Divide. While rumors of the band writing songs cropped up now and again, A Perfect Circle returned (to the stage, at least) in 2010, and released a new song, “By and Down,” on their 2013 greatest-hits compilation Three Sixty. However, it would be another half-decade before an official return. In late 2017, the group reunited for a tour of the United States, teasing fans with the possibility of a trek to the studio. They issued the single “The Doomed,” their first new song in over a decade. “Disillusioned” and “TalkTalk” followed in early 2018. That April, A Perfect Circle released their fourth LP, Eat the Elephant, with another revamped lineup that added Matt McJunkins (Eagles of Death Metal) and Jeff Friedl (Puscifer) to the Keenan/Howerdel/Iha trio. As political as eMOTIVe and even more melodic than Thirteenth Step, Eat the Elephant also marked the first time the band recruited an outside producer; namely, Dave Sardy. In the years that followed, the band toured in support of the effort before shifting focus to other projects: for Keenan, that meant reviving Puscifer and Tool, while Howerdel released a solo album, What Normal Was. In 2024, A Perfect Circle returned with Puscif…

The Struts

British Rock band, The Struts—named from an offhand comment about their unbridled stage presence— have earned a global reputation as a must-see live act. The band, comprised of lead vocalist Luke Spiller, guitarist Adam Slack, bassist Jed Elliott, and drummer Gethin Davies, was formed in Derby England in 2012. Bursting onto the scene with “Could Have Been Me”, they have since released three albums (including collaborations with heavy hitters like Robbie Williams, Kesha, Tom Morello, and Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott and Phil Collen), earned the No. 1 spot on the Spotify Viral Top 50, appeared on shows like The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live!, garnered more than 850M on-demand streams and sold out shows across the globe. Praised for their onstage swagger and musicianship, they have opened for The Rolling Stones, Foo Fighters and Guns N’ Roses, played major festivals like Lollapalooza and Governors Ball as well as headlined their own world-wide tours.

Austin Meade

Thanks to his metal- and classic-rock loving dad, Meade got to see bands like Judas Priest and worshipped Whitesnake. In junior high he related to the intense emo-rock of Paramore and Fall Out Boy, and the power of songwriters like John Mayer. Yet, thanks to plainspoken but deep heartland songwriters like Tom Petty, and cutting his teeth touring in the Texas and Oklahoma Red Dirt scene, Meade’s music overflows with wide-open soulfulness. He was a drummer for years, even teaching to pay the bills, but Meade found his true voice when he began playing guitar as a teen in his pastor-father’s church. Those experiences lend both a gravitas and rebelliousness to Meade’s songs and self.
Now the frontman of his own band slinging guitar licks with expert precision, his music rolled out with two releases in 2014, his first EP “Long Ways To Go” followed by his first full-length album “Chief Of The Sinners.” His next EP “Heartbreak Coming” came in 2016 with a couple of singles to announce his commencement on the Texas Music Chart, followed by his second full-length album “Waves” in 2019. In 2021, Meade introduced his third LP ‘Black Sheep’ including the hit tracks ‘Happier Alone,’ ‘Cave In,’ ‘Dopamine Drop,’ and ‘Deja Vu.’ Meade released his fourth LP ‘Abstract Art Of An Unstable Mind’ fall of 2022, further showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend genres into a groovy yet piercingly fresh sound of rock ‘n’ roll. Now comes a new era ushering in Meade’s latest single ‘Blackout.’

The Ghost Inside

Captivating bangers like “Engine 45,” “Avalanche,” “Aftermath,” “Wash It Away,” and “Pressure Point” are anthems for outcasts. Since its formation in El Segundo, California, The Ghost Inside has inspired international audiences with passion and determination. Tremendous obstacles never dampened their energy. The Ghost Inside is stronger than ever.
The lesson isn’t only about strength through adversity. In recent years, vocalist Jonathan Vigil, guitarists Zach Johnson and Chris Davis, bassist Jim Riley, and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk learned an esoteric truth about tranquility. As the axiom says, it’s the journey, not the destination, a theme throughout the band’s dynamic sixth album, Searching for Solace.
The Ghost Inside merges the New Wave of American Metalcore’s proficiency with punk’s urgency, building a bridge between more aggressive sounds and thoughtful messaging. Melody is another constant, explored to dizzying new heights in Searching for Solace.
Fury and the Fallen Ones (2008) and Returners (2010) preceded The Ghost Inside’s breakthrough album on Epitaph, Get What You Give (2012). Goodwill, momentum, and engaging live performances continued behind the conceptually driven Dear Youth (2014).

Plush

Plush is a rock band with a mission to bring rock back to the forefront of the music industry. The band is composed of talented young women, ranging from 18-22, whose accomplishments and talent eclipse their age. Plush is fronted by singer, songwriter and guitarist Moriah Formica, lead guitarist Bella Perron, bassist Ashley Suppa, and drummer Faith Powell.
Plush’s music features the Billboard Top 40 charting singles ‘Hate’, ‘Better Off Alone.’ and ‘Left Behind.’ Plush has been electrifying audiences during recent live performances across the United States supporting Kiss, Alice In Chains, Evanescence, Daughtry, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, among others, as well as the big festival stages of Welcome to Rockville, Louder Than Life, Rocklahoma, and more.
The band releases their new EP on January 19, 2024, entitled ‘Find the Beautiful’. The EP was produced by Johnny K in Nashville, TN. Plush will also be supporting Disturbed and Falling in Reverse on tour January – March 2024.

Quiet Riot

QUIET RIOT is a rock n roll phenomenon famously known as the first heavy metal band to reach #1 on the Billboard magazine pop chart with their 1983 smash album Metal Health. The band’s origin dates back to 1980 when Kevin DuBrow started a new band under his name, later transitioning to QUIET RIOT with members like Frankie Banali, Carlos Cavazo, and Chuck Wright. Their breakthrough album, propelled by hits like “Metal Health” and a fiery cover of Slade’s “Cum on Feel the Noize,” topped the U.S. charts and achieved platinum status five times over.
Frankie Banali has been a pivotal member of QUIET RIOT since 1982, contributing to every QUIET RIOT release from Metal Health to Rehab in 2006. Following the passing of Kevin DuBrow, Frankie, supported by DuBrow’s family, chose to continue the band’s musical journey alongside Chuck Wright and guitarist Alex Grossi. Together, they are promoting their latest album, Hollywood Cowboys, featuring vocalist James Durbin, keeping the spirit and essence of QUIET RIOT alive.

Badflower

Badflower isn’t afraid of making anybody uncomfortable. The Los Angeles-bred and Nashville-based quartet — Josh Katz (lead singer, guitarist), Joey Morrow (lead guitar, backing vocals), Alex Espiritu (bass), and Anthony Sonetti (drums) — siphon stress, sleeplessness, sex, sadness, mania, pain, and truth into revelatory alternative anthems, continuing to commit body, blood, mind, and soul to their art. After forming in LA in 2014, they dropped two EPs before sending shockwaves throughout the rock world with their 2019 full-length debut, Ok, I’m Sick, via Big Machine Records. LoudWire listed it among the “50 Best Rock Albums of 2019,” while singles “The Jester,” “Heroin,” and “Ghost” all vaulted to No. 1 at Rock Radio. The latter also picked up a Platinum certification from the RIAA and was awarded “Rock Song of the Year” at the iHeartRadio Awards. Along the way, the group garnered further acclaim from Billboard, Nylon, Alternative Press, and performed on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The band is a rare breed of act who can ignite a crowd at Kaboo Del Mar or Sonic Temple, in addition to sharing bills with the likes of Incubus, Cage the Elephant, Ghost, Nothing More, Shinedown, Soundgarden, and many more, gathering over 200M streams and counting across platforms. Catch Badflower on their 2024 No Place Like Home Tour this fall with Slothrust and Missio supporting on select US dates. For tickets and more information, visit badflowermusic.com.