Bands

2023 Line-up Is Here!

Riversong lineup 2023

Friday Night 2023

American Scarecrows will headline our Friday night lineup along with Mae Simpson, Cole Diamond and Turn Turn Turn.

Saturday Night 2023

We’re excited to bring back our Saturday night headliner: The Fabulous Armadillos along with The Orange Goodness, The Last Revel, Hawthorne Oachs, J.E. Sunde, Good Morning Bedlam, The Cactus Blossoms and St. Anthony Mann and The Right Here.

Friday Night 2023

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Cole Diamond

Mixing up an unlikely concoction of vintage rock & roll and outlaw country, Cole Diamond is, depending on when you ask, either the stage name for singer/songwriter Ryan Otte or the collective handle for Otte and his band. For years Otte spent most weekends behind a drum kit playing with too many bands to list. The idea for Cole Diamond came about as a way for Otte to step out from behind the drums and try his hand at the front of the stage. In the years since “Cole Diamond” was conceived he has released an EP, a string of singles, received airplay on The Current, and opened for national acts such as Corb Lund. Drawing on influences that range from Waylon and Willie to Brooks & Dunn, Cole Diamond delivers a modern take on a classic sound.

Mae Simpson band

Mae Simpson

Known for their intense and exciting live shows, The Mae Simpson Band has an immediate impact that favors the human connection between the musicians and the audience. Opening up for acts like Dermot Kennedy, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Simpson has played many notable stages including the Basilica Block Party and Blue Ox. Colleen Cowie of MPR said, “It’s impossible to stand still during a Mae Simpson music set. Simpson’s raspy, dynamic voice is larger than life – but not as large as her uncontainable energy that radiates from the stage.” Integrating a variety of music styles, Simpson blurs the lines between a wide range of influences.

Turn Turn Turn

Turn Turn Turn is a trio who bonded over their mutual love of close-harmony 60s and 70s country, folk, and pop music, and formed an original Americana band. To create their distinctive sound, the band “turns” to the distant past of early American recorded music, “turns” again to that renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s, and finally “turns” again to the present looking forward. Members Adam Levy (guitar, vocals), Savannah Smith (guitar, vocals), and Barb Brynstad (bass, vocals) are all mainstays of the Minnesota music scene, and together craft an infectious, pop-infused Americana. Brynstad, Smith, and Levy have distinct voices, and the combination – a “fourth voice” – is greater than the sum of its parts.

American Scarecrows

Listening to American Scarecrows’ music feels like late nights spent with your friends in hopeful revels, reflective pangs, and vulnerable heart-to-hearts. The Minneapolis trio (singer-songwriter Seth Davin on guitar backed by the rhythm section of Allen Maier on drums and Matthew Broadbent providing the low end) matches their storytelling with an indie-pop sensibility, rounded out with tastes of folk-rock, country, and Americana. Their straightforward pieces greet listeners with evolved emotions and earnest solidarity. In a CityPages interview ahead of their last album release, Davin stated, “You can only be the artist that you are.” This refreshing honesty and authenticity resound through their first two albums. Now the band is back with their third LP, Drawing Little Pictures..

Saturday Night 2023

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Bubblers

The Bubbler

Saturday Kids’ Tent 1-4 pm

In just moments, The Bubbler will gather crowds of all ages at your event. Big bubbles, small bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles. Mere soap and water stop people in their tracks. Young and old gaze in wonder, staring with awe.

What child can resist the urge to endlessly chase and pop these magical, fragile orbs? Parents will love watching their kids (and teens) just being kids, again!

And the older folks just love to watch the beauty of the bubbles as they drift through the air. It is peaceful and magical to behold.

No device screens. No USB cables. No WiFi connection. Just a personal connection to simple joy.

Pure. Clean. Fun. For everyone.

https://youtu.be/BhEnqn5SHAI

Hawthrorne Oachs

Hawthorne Oachs

At the young age of 12, Hawthorne Oachs released her first music single “My Lullaby,” which she both wrote and produced. In 2022, she released four more singles and is currently working on releasing new music. Hawthorne plays piano, guitar, and reflectively explores the vast spectrum of human emotion through music. With a sonic palette of infinite colors, she journeys through the varied sunlit landscapes and the dark depths of the human condition vulnerably and thoughtfully, with a sincere smile on her face and a game controller in her back pocket.

Orange goodness band

The Orange Goodness

The Orange Goodness is an exciting groove-infused alt/indie rock group from Minneapolis, MN and features Mike Michel (guitars, vocals) Ian Allison (bass), and Reese Kling (drums). Fueled by extensive backgrounds as session players, The Orange Goodness pride themselves on their musicianship; but their main focus is creating exciting, transcendental songs with groove, memorable vocal melody, and inspirational messages. They strive to offer a wide range of unique tones in their songs and performances via their obsession with old analog guitar pedals. It takes a special combination of circumstances to create a long-lasting impactful music collaboration and empowerment driven music hub. The Orange Goodness believe they are on the path to do so.

St. Anthony Mann

Playing experimental indie folk enlivened by obscure arrangements and poetic lyrics, St. Anthony Mann is the stage name of Adam Bjoraker. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Adam first broke into music in high school, playing finger-style guitar and experimenting with alternate tunings. After finding a voice and spending formative years in the Midwestern plains, he decided to bring what he’d learned in Milwaukee back home to Minnesota, where he recorded his first music under the new moniker. What felt much like a personal debut after self-producing an EP and an LP, their new record LISSI came forth like a marvelous wound amidst the early pandemic. JT Bates co-produced the record and features Michael Lewis, Pieta Brown, and bandmates Ben McKeown (drums), Matt Tessier (bass), and DJ LaFonstee (guitar).

The Right Here

We’re a twangy rock ‘n roll band from Minneapolis. “Northern Town” is out now on Rum Bar Records and the “Reckless Kind” 7inch is out on I-94 Recordings! “Imagine some Replacements fans who get together and write songs inspired by Uncle Tupelo, Lucero, and Bruce Springsteen.” – Loren, Scene Point Blank.

J.E. Sunde

After many years of crafting beautifully unusual music with The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Jonathan Edward Sunde immersed himself in a new solo project that embraces his influences: from smart, bouncy Paul Simon-y folk-pop to the earnestness of Jonathan Richman to the heartbreak and boldness of Nina Simone. A classically trained musician with a love of songwriters and performers, Sunde writes densely poetic songs with a bend toward the philosophical. Sundae, with the voice of some sort of weird angel, writes just to the left of center of the American songwriter tradition.

The Last Revel

After a 5-year hiatus, the original trio of The Last Revel have reunited to produce new music with a revitalized appreciation for camaraderie and creativity. Their three unique views create front porch Americana soundscapes that are equally original as they are timeless. Drawing influence from their salt of the earth Midwest ethos, the band’s songs naturally blend the genres of folk, old-time string music, and indie rock to create a sound that echoes the current heartbeat of America. The Last Revel utilizes their multi-instrumental abilities to bring the full spectrum of modern Americana to life. With lush arrangements of three-part vocal harmonies, acoustic and electric guitars, upright bass, fiddle, and 5-string banjo, they consistently support impassioned performances to their honest and heartfelt songwriting.

Good morning bedlam band

Good Morning Bedlam

Good Morning Bedlam has become a staying force in the folk genre with a 200 plus show tour in 2019 before the COVID-19 shutdown, claiming the first-place title at the John Hartford Memorial Festival Band Competition, and being finalists at the NWSS Band Competition. Their shows are known for their wild energy and stunning harmonies. GMB has played at festivals alongside artists such as Shakey Graves, Sam Bush, Jason Isbell, The Infamous Stringdusters, Trampled By Turtles and others; they have also been featured with Bluegrass Today, Relix Magazine, Glide Magazine, and Paste Magazine. Based out of Minneapolis Minnesota, Good Morning Bedlam is made up of Isaak Elker, Victoria Elker, Dawson Redenius, and Kat Seeger. They are continuing to tour full-time in 2023 as they gear up to release an EP in late 2023.

The Cactus Blossoms

The Cactus Blossoms, fronted by Minneapolis-based brothers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey, are turning heads with their effortless harmonies. Their timeless sound and original songs have earned them tour stints with artists such as Wilco, Jenny Lewis and Lucius, as well as a perfectly cast performance on David Lynch’s Twin Peaks. They have been featured on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and lauded in Guitar World, The Bluegrass Situation, and the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. Stereogum stated, “A lot of cool people seem to be very impressed with the Cactus Blossoms.”

Fabulous Armadillos

The Fabulous Armadillos came out of their shell in 2006 and have since established a large and loyal following in Minnesota and beyond with their spot-on recreations of songs from many genres of music. The idea of the Fabulous Armadillos started with a diverse group of musicians who came together to perform themed concerts at the Pioneer Place On Fifth Theater in St. Cloud, MN. These themes include One Hit Wonders, Woodstock, Motown, Singer/Songwriters, Stadium Rock and more. They have now played hundreds of shows in Minnesota, regional venues in the Midwest, and even in Mexico! COME OUT OF YOUR SHELL and see what everybody has been talking about!.

Interested in being a part of the Riversong line-up?

Are you a talented performer interesting in playing at RiverSong Music Festival in the future? We are always looking for good talent to fill our lineup.

Get in touch with us

We are so pleased to have been able to present many excellent performers over the years!

For nostalgia’s sake, here is a list of all the performers since 2009.

2022

Faith Boblett
Michael Shynes
American Scarecrows
Jon Wayne and the Pain
The Federales
The Right Here
Tricia and the Toonies

Dan Rodriguez
Hooperina
Annie Mack
Church of Cash
Chester Bay
Pert Near Sandstone
Kiss the Tiger

2020

Annie Mack
Michael Shynes
Bad Bad Hats
4ontheFloor
The Right Here
Nooky Jones
Little Fevers

St. George’s Folly
Chester Bay
The Last Revel
Pert Near Sandstone
Church of Cash
Jon Wayne and the Pain

2019

Kent Burnside and the Flood Brothers
Katy Vernon
Good Morning Bedlam

Miss Myra & the Moonshiners

St. George’s Folly

Fastball
Fabulous Armadillos

Dan Rodriguez
Corey Medina
Chester Bay
Annie Fitzgerald

Thunder & Rain
4onthefloor

2018

Blues Traveler
Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy
Good Morning Bedlam
Davina and the Vagabonds
Jon Wayne and the Pain
Dusty Heart

Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders
Romantica
M French
Siama’s Congo Roots
Lowland Lakers
Jillian Rae
Como Ave Jug Band

2017

Shoeless Revolution
Whitehorse
Erik Koskinen Band
Gin Blossoms
Michael Shynes
Kind Country
Jackson and the Roosters

Jillian Rae
Heather Maloney
Farewell Milwaukee
Everett Smithson Band
Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders
Fabulous Armadillos

2016

Banditos
Jeremy Messersmith
Buck Hutchinson and the Crow River Ramblers
Kat Perkins
Carrie Nation and the Speakeasy
Little Hurricane
Charlie Parr

Socaholix
Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders
The DMB Tribute Crowded Streets
Daisy Dillman Acoustic
The Lowland Lakers
Farewell Milwaukee
The Okee Dokee Brothers

2015

Birds of Chicago
Legendary Shack Shakers
David Lee
Mark Edgar Stuart
Honey Honey
Possessed by Paul James
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Socaholix
Jack Pearson

Splatter Sisters
Janis Ian
Star & Micey
Jeff Ray and Harold Tremblay
The Bazillions
Jeff Ray and Mikkel Beckmen
Zoe Lewis
Keri Noble

2014

Caravan of Thieves
Jeff Ray and Harold Tremblay
Chic Gamine
Malamanya
Choo Choo Bob and the Holy Smokestacks
Rayland Baxter
Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons, Adriel Denae, Invisableman (Formerly known as Space Woman) and Special Guests

Sena Ehrhardt
Dianne Gasch
Slaid Cleaves
Ellis
Star & Micey
Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank
The Bazillions
Jack Klatt & The Cat Swingers

2013

April Verch Band
Matt Ray & Those Damn Horses
Bethany Larson & The Bees Knees
Molly Maher & The Disbelievers
Caroline Smith
Peter Mayer
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
Peter Yarrow

Hymn for Her
Sophia Shorai Trio
Jack Klatt & The Cat Swingers
The Okee Dokee Brothers
Javier & the Innocent Sons (previously HUD)
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Magic Mama
Traveled Ground

2012

Bunny Clogs
Paul Spring
Caleb Hawley
Pieta Brown
Chastity Brown
Solas

Davina & The Vagabonds
Steve Howard and Phil Nusbaum
Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles
The Brothers Burn Mountain

Matt Ray & Those Damn Horses
The Okee Dokee Brothers
Matt The Electrician
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
Michael Johnson
Traveled Ground
Patty and the Buttons
Useful Jenkins

2011

April Smith & the Great Picture Show
Stacy Halter
Cactus Blossoms
Steve Kaul & the Brass Kings
Davina & The Vagabonds
Sweet Grass Fish Frye
The Hollands!
Jack Pearson
The Mudbugs
Magic Mama

Tom Catmull with John Sporman
Natalia Zukerman
Useful Jenkins
Roma DiLuna
Victoria Vox
Ross Sutter
William Elliott Whitemore
Six Mile Grove
Winterbloom

2010

Bearfoot
Natalia Zukerman
Bill & Kate Isles
North River Ramblers
Charlie Parr
Patchouli
Chris Koza
Rhythm Angels

Eelpout Stringers
Shawn Phillips
HUD
Slim Pickins
Lehto & Wright
Stearns County
Stearns County Pachanga Society

2009

Andy Austin
Michael Monroe
Bob Gasch
Old Time Country & Blues Revue
Brian Brosz & Friends
Pat Donahue
Charlie Maguire
Patchouli
Cheryl, Lucy & Patty
Pert’ Near Sandstone
Crow River Singers

Prairie Grass
Danny Santos
Romantica
Dianne Gasch
Ross Sutter
Erin Bode
Stearns County Pachanga Society
Feelin’ Groovy
Susan Werner
Jim Post
The Hutchinson Brothers

2023 Line-up Is Here!

Friday Night 2023

Saturday Night 2023

Friday Night 2023

Saturday Night 2023

Interested in being a part of the Riversong line-up?

We are so pleased to have been able to present many excellent performers over the years!

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