VIAL is a Minneapolis-based indie punk trio of best friends: Bassist Taylor Kraemer (she/they), guitarist KT Branscom (they/them), and drummer Katie Fischer (she/they). VIAL has brought their genre-bending cascade of sound into electrifying live performances since their formation (On Tinder, mind you) in mid-2019. They’ve got songs that smack you in the face: Rage-written speedruns about running over misogynists (“Roadkill”) and head-bopping, cheek-blushing queer love songs to tingle your toes (“Violet”); VIAL is a powerhouse who knows how to adapt their sound, and themselves, allowing them to grow in new ways during 2020’s days of quarantine by creating a wide audience on Tik Tok and other social media while revving up to release their blossoming debut album, LOUDMOUTH (2021). This record was highly anticipated after the success of their debut EP, “Grow Up,” which hit streaming sites soon after the group’s formation in late 2019.
Following the release of LOUDMOUTH, VIAL has made an explosive return to live music, playing historic venues across Minnesota, including First Avenue’s iconic main stage, and have hit many of their favorite cities while supporting artists such as FIDLAR, HUNNY, and Mal Blum.
Rain On Fridays
Rain on Fridays embodies a unique blend of ambidexterity in their
music. It’s the auditory equivalent of being both happy and sad, a
mix that can feel like punching your enemies in the face and then
kissing them goodnight – a Jawbreaker candy that you’re only halfway
through. This three-piece alternative indie rock outfit from San
Diego has expertly woven influences from alternative, post-punk,
grunge rock, and indie to create music that truly vents.
The trio has crafted a sound as diverse as their city — a blend of
oceanic calm and desert storm. Their debut album, “Mono Monday,”
released in the summer of 2019, isn’t just a collection of songs but
a journey through the growing pains and anxieties of life, offering
listeners a glimpse of silver linings amidst turmoil.
With their sophomore album slated for release in early 2024, and
tours of the West Coast and Southwest region, Rain on Fridays is not
only a band on the rise — it’s a crafting of a movement. Where their
sound travels, it carries with it a message of inclusivity,
unboundness, defiance, and transformation.
Mall Goth Moths
Mall Goth Moths are a spooky rock trio based in Boise, Idaho. They combine the sounds of Alice Cooper, Les Claypool, Frank Zappa, Black Sabbath and Bikini Kill. Their hobbies include following lamps, applying eyeliner and summoning souls of the damned for game night.