Mike Mains & the Branches / OWEL

Known for catchy, free-associating, indie pop-rock melodies, Mike Mains & the Branches invite diverse comparisons to acts such as Foster the People, Young the Giant, the Killers, and Arcade Fire.

Mike Mains & the Branches first entered the national music scene in 2012 with the release of their debut album Home. While touring to promote the album and growing a loyal following, opening shows for Relient K and Hellogoodbye, founding members Mike and Shannon fell in love. They soon married, and in doing so, minted the focal experience of the band’s subsequent music and lyrics; not just love but the swirling highs and bruising challenges of life together.

In 2013, the band began writing its second album, aptly titled Calm Down, Everything Is Fine, which they crowdfunded without the support of a record label. Mike Mains & the Branches spent months writing, recording, rewriting, and rerecording, poring over an album they knew needed to make fans proud. The album reached the top 20 on Billboard’s New Artist Albums Chart.

The band will release its new album, When We Were in Love, in the spring.

OWEL is an alternative/indie band based in New Jersey. It recently released a new single, “I Saw Red,” from its upcoming album, Paris, which will be released on March 29. Paris is the follow-up to OWEL’s breakout second album, Dear Me (2016), which received more than 5 million streams.

Featuring dreamy vocals, elegant string arrangements, and a tasteful touch of electronic elements throughout, the band has created a sound that simultaneously feels classic and modern. To date, OWEL has shared stages with Minus the Bear, Foxing, Mae, A Lot Like Birds, and Piebald. It has performed at many major festivals, including Firefly, Gentlemen of the Road, SXSW, CMJ, and Northside Festival. The group also has been noted as a band to watch by Pitchfork, National Public Radio, Grantland, and Noisey.