"The best music festival we've ever played at!"
-- Pieces of East (2 time Austin Music Award winners)

"The South Park Music Festival exceeded my expectations in every possible way!"
-- Chris Jackson, E! Entertainment Television

"I think I have a new yearly retreat... Very picturesque, great
music, and people!"
-- Billy Zero, XM Radio Unsigned Channel

"The perfect setting to check out new bands."
-- Shawn Murphy, Artist Relations, ASCAP

More Testimonials...

ng Ceremonies

Join us for the flag raising and official kick-off to the festivities!!!!

The first 500 people to the festival on Friday will receive a FREE copy of the 2005 South Park Music Festival Double-CD Sampler!

Dream Catcha
(Perth, Australia) ~ rock n roll

Labelled "one of the best live unsigned bands I know in the world" (Kit Benge Bandpasses.com) Dream Catcha can transport an audience away. With a live performance full of catchy songs, Dream Catcha is an uplifting bunch of Australian lads.

Make no mistake about it, Dream Catcha is a powerful rock band that champions positive emotions.

Buckner Funken Jazz
(Denver, CO) ~ jazz funk

After Buckner Funken Jazz played a flashyng set for funk legend Maceo Parker, Maceo wasn't sure if there was anything left to play. "Did you guys leave any FUNK for me?" he said.

"Buckner Funken Jazz will blow, slap and groove its way through material from their 'Late for School' CD. Don't be late." -- Boulder Daily Camera

Filthy Children
(Denver, CO) ~ party funk

A local festival staple, this funk/ jazz/ rock octet delivers nutritious grooves that should always be part of a funky breakfast. Fate has brought this group of filthy, misfit all-stars together, and their large and quickly growing fan base are a testament to their grand performances and appeal. Their music is reminiscent of such groove giants as Soulive, Greyboy Allstars, John Scofield, and Deep Banana Blackout.

Dan Walker + the Sky
(Colorado) ~ blues americana

Fresh off winning the acoustic blues competition at the Telluride Blues and Brew Festival, Dan Walker brings his soulful original americana, funk and blues to South Park!

Born in a trailer park somewhere in Texas after his parents met in Denver, Dan Walker spent most of his childhood playing classical piano & solving complex math problems for fun. Dan Walker's songs are unique, simple, mature…songs directed at the songwriter in everyone. His live performances are exciting, improvisational & eclectic…the personality of Bob Schneider infused with the wild mentality of Neil Young.

Listen >>
Who Dis'

The Apostles
(New York, NY) ~hip hop

Since their debut, "the dead zone" NY's underground hip hop scene has never been the same. Created out of the all night ciphers on 96st (manhattan) and captured in a basement in Castle Hill (bronx).

Fresh off a tour with Naughty by Nature, The Apostles are about to do it again with their new album "Apostelyptic" having already sold over 4,000 copies. Consisting of four emcees (megawatt, the griot, skillz, and icon) and female vocalist angelica yulo.
RIYL: Konfusion, Pharcyde.

Listen >>
A New Stain (clip)

Drowned (clip)

Halloween, Alaska
(Minneapolis, MN) ~ indie rocktronica

David King (The Bad Plus) is credited with putting together this red hot super-group buzz band. This is their official CD release party for their new disc "Too Tall to Hide" that has already received a massive amount of attention and airplay of every kind.

They've even been featured on the music taste-making show, "the O.C." on Fox. Don't miss Halloween, Alaska's first Colorado appearance!
RIYL: The Faint, Postal Service

"Halloween, Alaska is its own wild and sexy tech-driven beast" -- Pulse

The Mercury Project
(Denver, CO)~ jazz/rock/hip hop

Blending the styles of hip-hop, jazz, blues, latin, reggae, folk, and straight ahead rock, The Mercury Project succeeds in creating a sound entirely their own.

** Recently nominated (Best of Westword) ** 2004 Winner of Lewis & Floorwax's "Last Band Standing" on 103.5 the Fox **New album, "Soapbox Jive," voted in the top 10 of Denver Post. "Soapbox Jive is a definite classic." (The Westword, 11/21/04) ** Album has been played on KBCO, KTCL, The FOX, The Mountain, Am 1190. Has headlined all major venues in Colorado Region.

My Personal Favorite
(South Park, CO) ~

Representing the best of South Park's youth, the band, "MY PERSONAL FAVORITE," consists of local South Park High School students who
formed the band after performing in their high school musical.  Talented
singer, musicians, and composers, they are looking foward to welcoming South Park's guests with their unique variety of music.

Rev Peyton's Big Damn Band
(Indianapolis, IN)~ hyper/delta blues

The good Reverend Peyton and his Big Damn Band have single-handedly revived the Mississippi Delta blues for the modern generation.

"The Cd Smokes, Required Listening"
-- Matt Chandler, The Free Zone, WICR

"They Sound like Robert Johnson on crack. " -- Nuvo Newsweekly.

Hazel Miller Band
(Denver, CO) ~ rnb jazz

"If Aretha ever had a soul sister, her name would have been Hazel!"

One of Colorado's most treasured icons, Hazel has won virtually every award imaginable, including being the first person inducted into the Westword Music Hall of Fame. She's even received national attention as the 2002 Independent Music Awards "Best Blues/R&B Artist."

To put it in the simplest of terms, Hazel Miller's performances are "simply unstoppable."

Listen >>
Crossword

Helen Slater
(Los Angeles, CA) ~ singer/songwriter

Helen Slater's career has encompassed motion pictures, television, music and legitimate stage. She has starred in such films as "The Legend of Billie Jean," "Supergirl," "Ruthless People," "The Secret of my Success," "City Slickers," "Sticky Fingers," "Lassie," "No Way Back" and "The Steal," "Law & Order," among others. She is currently in "Seeing Other People" with Andy Richter.

"Crossword" is Helen's latest CD, on which she reveals an impressive musical acumen with new songs reminiscent of a bygone era, wrapping fresh and unique lyrics in inspired and singable melodies.

Michael Thomas Quintet
(Washington, DC) ~ jazz

The Michael Thomas Quintet is a powerful, energetic, and exciting group that is deeply rooted in the rich tradition of jazz but adds today's influences. Members of the group have work with many jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, James Moody, Keter Betts, Betty Carter, & Frank Foster, & Jimmy Heath. The Quintet is the Hottest group in Washington, DC--Jazz is AUTHENTIC here!

The Michael Thomas Quintet has landed themselves on many critic's "Best of" lists and are enjoying airplay of all kinds, including XM Radio.

ON A SUN
(Milwaukee, WI) ~ rock n roll

"Milwaukee's On A Sun plays such tight, unpretentious rock on the 10-song Watershed that it should come as no surprise that the three members are brothers"
-- Illinois Entertainer

"ON A SUN explores the elements of diversity in repertoire and sound.” 
-- the ONION

ON A SUN makes a stop in South Park in the midst of a busy summer touring season of Summerfest, Atlantis, MMS, and the CMJ Music Marathon...

Storytyme
(Boulder, CO) ~ funk/jam

With every performance Storytyme attempts to free the soul through positive, high-energy sets that inspire the audience to lose their inhibitions and dance like there’s no tomorrow. The message inherent in their music is optimistic and it challenges people to see the cup half full.

"Tony, Pete and Phil Lewis of Storytyme tear apart the mid-90s lyrical nonsense of bro-bands and take live, local groove to a new level" -- Marquee Magazine

Tom's Guitar Show
(Iowa City, IA) ~ world americana

Nothnagle integrates flamenco-powered artistry with world-class technique and philosophical charm as host of a popular music talk show. Repeatedly ranked as PATV’s most widely viewed program, TOM’S GUITAR SHOW-LIVE attracts a widely diverse audience who tune-in Tuesdays during the dinner hour to hear Tom's exceptional musicianship and nutty banter.

Rachael Sage
(New York, NY) ~ singer-songwriter

East Village indie-songstress Rachael Sage reflects on love and acceptance with sensual piano playing, seductive vocals and a rich mixture of pop, folk and jazz. 

A rare combination of timeless craftsmanship and contemporary feminist sensibilities, The Village Voice has described Rachael's music as "earthiness, color and emotion...Sage has folk on the brain and piano keys for hands and is sure to put on a show sublime". 

Grand Prize Winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Award as well as the Billboard, ASCAP and Great American Songwriting Contests.

Angie Stevens Band
(Denver, CO)~ singer-songwriter

"Angie Stevens has that rare quality.  Compelling, passionate, sincere and unique all apply, but don't sum it up. In a sea of artists working to be heard, she just naturally shines. As a booking agent, a fellow musician, and music lover, I highly recommend her." -- Ron Gordon, Walnut Room

As one of Denver's most beloved singer-songwriters, Angie's voice knocks audiences over like a sledge-hammer!

Benna
(New York, NY)~ singer-songwriter

Described by the Village Voice as "an accomplished popster" with a "glow-in-the-dark voice," Benna's songs are one part confessional, one part observation and one part imagination. You may have caught her latest music on the Andy Dick Show "The Assistant" on MTV.

Listen >>
A World Without Me

Aubrey Collins
(Denver, CO) ~singer-songwriter

A rising star on the Colorado music scene, 17-year-old Aubrey Collins has been wowing audiences within the state and around the country. In response to her fans' wish to take some music home with them, Aubrey has just released her 4-song EP, World Without Me, recorded with multi-platinum producer Trey Bruce.

The CD features power rock songs she co-wrote with Bruce; John 5 (Marilyn Manson, David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, Wilson Phillips, Salt 'n' Pepa, Kd Lang); and songwriter-producer Peter Amato, who has numerous gold and platinum records to his credit ( Aaron Carter, LeAnn Rimes, Ricky Martin).

Rebekah Jordan
(Cleveland, OH)~singer-songwriter

With the release of her self produced EP "The Trouble With Fiction", Rebekah Jordan has created music for wallflowers and dreamers with A.D.D., a gentle mix of genres held together by velvety vocals and a unique point of view.

A successful songwriter (she wrote the Kelly Clarkson hit "Beautiful Disaster") and a seasoned performer, Rebekah has taken on a new challenge with the production and release of her EP on her own indie record label, Tea Party Records.

"Her voice keeps you in a state of suspended animation as she delivers poignant stories, heartfelt lyrics, and subtle intensity that engages your emotions..."
- Gian Fiero - The Muse's Muse

JK McKnight
(Louisville, KY)~singer-songwriter

JK McKnight is a touring singer songwriter and founder of the Forecastle Festival -- a scenic, outdoor experience in Louisville, KY, which is based upon a three-part format: Music.Art.Activism. Combining the hardest working Midwest bands, legions of experimental artists, and multitudes of progressive environmental organizations ~ Forecastle has established itself as one of the top drawing regional summer festivals, a unique concept unlike any other in the country.

Steve Glotzer
(Colorado) ~ blues americana

Steve Glotzer's music has been featured on TV (CBS's The District, NBC's Ed, Passions, Fox's King of the Hill, Martha Stewart Living, The Weather Channel, etc...) as well as in numerous commercials, and in movies (MGM's A Guy Thing, Indie film, Mr Id, etc...)

He has also composed and recorded music for a number of Music Libraries including Sonoton, Abaco/Pro Music, Mediatone, etc...

Hailey Wojcik
(Kalamazoo, MI) ~singer-songwriter

“Hailey’s free-spirited singer-songwriter style is a breath of fresh air”-Music Revue Magazine; “Playful and sometimes very political musings…intense commentary of American life.”
-- www.westmichiganmusic.com

“A prodigious talent”
--The Lansing State Journal

Listen >>
There's been an accident

Joshua Novak
(Denver, CO) ~ indie

A 2005 Westword 'Best of' nominee with indie sass and a brit-rock sensibilty, Joshua offers a unique, powerful voice to the tired slags of an exhausted genre in singing and songwriting in Denver. When asked about his position on this Joshua responded, "I have more in common with Jimi Hindrix than I do Elliott Smith and even less to do with both of them all together, but people would never think to look at it that way because I am a "songwriter". He has played with the likes of Evan Dando, Wovenhand, Azure Ray, The Mountain Goats, and the Fruit Bats...

Adam Carroll
(Austin, TX) ~ americana

"There could be no finer young man to carry the mantle of classic Texas singer-songwriter than Austin's Adam Carroll." -- Austin Chronicle

Carroll's keen observations of the commonplace yield characters as familiar as the next cab driver, or the guy slinging suds in the coffee shop kitchen. With marvelous economy, the former student of poetry and creative writing imparts a vital sense of character and motivation, like, say, Faulkner or Steinbeck, or, for that matter, Guy Clark."
-- NO DEPRESSION

Samantha Murphy
(Los Angeles, CA) ~ singer-songwriter

“…great voice and tunes to match.”
-Ron Sexsmith

“A powerhouse vocalist, a dynamic performer and an insightful lyricist.”
-Tom Demalon, MTV

In addition to her ab fab music making and show hosting, Samantha also has a weekly Podcast called SMtv that features a different independent artist each week.

Danny McGuinness
(Chicago, IL) ~ singer-songwriter

His songwriting has been praised for its originality, and his versatile, arresting vocals have long garnered comparisons -- from both critics and listeners -- to Bono (HITS), Jim Morrison, and Eddie Vedder (Rolling Stone).

McGuinness' history with both Coven of Thieves and Icos includes tours of both the United States and Europe. Signed to Mercury/Slipdisc and recorded a follow-up, "At the Speed of Life", at Abbey Road studios. The label changed hands and in the process McGuinness negotiated a release from his contract and co-founded an independent label, Heatshield, with former Slipdisc executives. He released a pop single on Heatshield, "Summertime," which you've heard on national radio ad campaigns for Corona Beer.

Ghostowne
(Salt Lake City, UT) ~ rock n roll

"Ghostowne is arguably the hardest-working-and, yes, obnoxiously self-promotional-band on the local club scene." -- Bill Frost - Salt Lake City Weekly Newspaper / Music Editor

Ghostowne has won several band contests in SLC and just inked a Movie/TV deal with Summer Salt/Orpheus/EMI records.

Kim McLean
(Nashville, TN) ~ country-americana

Award winning songwriting honors from the Dove Awards, NSAI, and ASCAP. Her songs have been used on NBC (West Wing), CBS (J*A*G), and ABC (with a guest spot on "Hope &Faith" last season).

She's had over 100 songs recorded by Tim McGraw, Shana Morrison, Trisha Yearwood, Lee Ann Womack, Eve Selis, the Judds...and more.

Arthur Lee Land Band
(Boulder, CO) ~ Afrograss folk rock

A Colorado festival favorite, Arthur Lee Land’s lifelong musical journey has arrived at a point of rare accomplishment in the world of popular music – genuine innovation. Arthur Lee Land combines diverse influences to create a fresh new musical vibe: Afrograss Folk Rock. During a tour of Nigeria and Ghana, West Africa in 2001, Arthur spawned the concept of Afrograss: a synthesis of West African percussion and bluegrass in a folk rock context.

Five Style Fist
(Denver, CO)~ rock hip hop

Five Style Fist is a hip-hop quintet deeply rooted in Denver, Colorado.  They are an edgy experimental band with foundations tracing back to rap, rock, dub, and soul music.  Their sound has hints of instrumentation reminisant to The Roots and a genre blending style that "treads on the hybrid trail blazed by 311" says Dave Herrera, of  the  Westword  Newspaper.

Recently Five Style Fist was also a finalist on the regionally syndicated Lewis and  Floorwax Last Band Standing contest on 103.5 KRFX.  FSF appeared live on the radio  for nearly two weeks and on multiple episodes of Masters TV  on the Comcast cable network.

Cameron McGill
(Chicago, IL)~ indie/americana

Gaining momentum as the top indie singer-songwriter in Chicago, McGill's lyrical craft is only surpassed by his live show. You may also recognize McGill as the guitar player for fellow songwriter Rachael Yamagata. McGill is one of many kindly making a stop in South Park on his way to the CMJ Festival. RIYL: Keane, Mark Eitzel.

"Seeing McGill perform is like a gift that leaves you blown away and astonished, staring at the stage, possibly wiping a tear from your face."
-- The Hub

Listen >>
In Your Pocket

The Its!
(Chicago, IL) ~ punk/pop

The Its! gained the attention of the college radio market when they teamed up with Tinderbox Music and were picked as one of the Top 20 adds by CMJ.  With the record making high count spins from coast to coast on the airwaves, The Its! were selected to play venues coast to coast including the Knitting Factory, BMI showcase at MOBfest 2k5, and South By Southwest (SXSW), sharing the stage with The Jimmy Chamberlain Complex as they continue to gain recognition with press write-ups and airplay nationwide!

"I like that droning New York garage-rock sound quite a bit...especially when Maciej's hooks are nearly as strong as those of Julian Casablancas." -- Jim DeRogatis former senior editor Rolling Stone; music critic, The Chicago Sun Times

Seven Degrees from Center
(Indianapolis, IN)~ alt-rock

Seven Degrees from Center (7DFC) has relentlessly created a strong following in the Midwest by actively performing in a wide variety of markets. Influenced by the dark melodies of The Cure, the guitar rhythms of U2, and the passion of nine inch nails. 7DFC has molded their own brand of intense, emotional rock.

1st Place - Benchmark Records Battle of the Bands (2004) // 1st Place - Fox 59AM Battle of the Bands //
Top 40 Local Bands 2002, 2003 - Nuvo Newsweekly // WRZX-X103 Top Ten Local/Regional Bands