Alex Kimball Williams (she/they) is an artivist (artist + activist) whose work centers creativity as a social justice skill. Her work reimagines traditional Indigenous motifs on synthesizers with elements of meditation. Her work blends poetry & music while examining topics such as climate justice, Indigenous worldviews, & mental health.

Beth Watts Nelson is a Kansas City based singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and lifelong student of music. Solo performer and member of Konza Swamp Band, CATGUT, Little Miss Dynamite and Beth and Brandon. Founder and director of Notorious Chorus.

“Listeners often compare Sky’s music to Gram Parsons, Neil Young and John Prine, though his easy-going, off-the-cuff banter and transparency link him to contemporaries like Todd Snider and Paul Thorn." Sky has released eight full-length albums, and his music has recently been featured on NBC’s crime drama The Blacklist. His songs can be heard almost every Sunday on the legendary Trail Mix show curated by folk DJ Bob McWilliams on Kansas Public Radio.

The Swallowtails are an independent acoustic band experimenting in the rock/pop genres while performing on what are traditionally folk/classical instruments, creating a unique sound all their own. Featuring Miki P on Guitar/Vocals and Rachel Lovelace on Bassoon/Vocals, the duo’s original music out of Kansas City is migrating throughout the Midwest and beyond.

Singer/songwriter, Christena Graves draws from her childhood spent wandering the woods and waters of Michigan and a her keen observation of the human condition to write anthemic melodies and introspective stories. Her songs paint a picture of the inner landscape of a woman wrestling with life, love, and hope

The Draper Family Band (Kansas City, MO) is a 10-piece blues, funk, alternative force of nature boasting a screaming Hammond B3, horn section, percussion, and catchy songwriting with dense vocal harmonies.

hi! we’re yae, a mathy (indie) duo delivering our estastic sounds straight to your domes!

Eddie Moore is a diverse keyboardist/producer based in Kansas City. Raised in Houston, Tx. Moore came up with some of the most diverse musicians in the industry. He reaches from all aspects of Black American music with a soulful elegance to match his thoughtful and intentional playing. His sound is textural with a velvety warmth that blurs the lines between Jazz fusion, Hiphop, and Neo-Soul. Moore has released six records that live in a variety of settings, as a solo artist and with groups Eddie Moore & the Outer Circle, and We the People. He is the in demand keyboardist in the midwest both for his work with analog synths, contemporary keyboards, and acoustic piano. He has shared the stage with Tia Fuller, Tivon Pennicott, Boyz to Men, Erykah Badu, Chante Cann, and many more.

VCMN is a singer/songwriter duo who's music is shaped by way edgy alternative R&B, with shades of contemporary pop and rock. In 2020 the couple
debuted with their hit single "LUST", and they haven't looked back. Since then, VCMN has released a lot more music, including their Debut Album, "The VCMN Project. VCMN's head-turning presence and innovative soundscapes are quickly becoming the anthem for the bold and the daring. Resonating with those who crave authenticity, VCMN's new music encourages listeners to embrace themselves; no matter how unconventional!

A joyful and irreverent musical group formed in 2022 and based in Colorado's Front Range, draws inspiration from a diverse range of genres, blending rock and roll, sophisticated rhythms, and religious themes.

Focusing on tried and tested strategies for independent artists, MXM2024's opening session outlines What Works principles with M-AAA Artist Inc Facilitators Nick Carswell, Eddie Moore and Julia Othmer.

Panelists will share their experience of touring regionally and internationally. How can you bring your show to new audiences in the region or around the country while making sense financially? Panel will share tips for effectively hitting the road, from booking and promotion, to merch and travel tips.

Enjoy tasty sandwiches, salads and sides with gluten free and vegan options

Take a tour of the SOUND+VISION studios and find out how to book a session. We’ll cover microphones, popular A/V software, and lots more.

How do you know when you are ready to take the "next step" with your music? What are the essential pieces that you need to have for the business side, for marketing, and audience engagement in order to build your fanbase and book bigger gigs. Panelists will share their experience, resources and tips so that you can be ready for whatever your next step looks like!

For many musicians, when we struggle with performance of a song, we’ll practice on our instrument or voice until we’ve perfected the part to an acceptable level. However, when it comes to recording in a studio, few artists have knowledge as to what kind of microphones to select, where to place mics or what kind of sound they are trying to capture. Far too many musicians or spoken word artists go into a recording studio and end up “winging it” as best they can. As a result, the initial tracking of instruments or voice recordings are sub-par and the best that can be hoped for is that the recordings can be salvaged during the mix stage. By the time your recording reaches the mixing stage, you want to be polishing a “diamond”, not “a lump of coal”.

A panel discussion about the diverse range of gigs that successful independent artist can offer, and how to balance them.

Now available as a hybrid session! Register at the link below.

Musicians can make a living with music today. The secret is to tap multiple income streams. Whether they're a solo artist, band, DJ, EDM producer, this talk gives a rapid-fire rundown of 45 music income streams that artists can tap today with a 15 minute Q&A afterwards. The presenter is long-time industry professional, columnist, and author, Randy Chertkow, who is the co-author of the books Making Money With Music and The Indie Band Survival Guide. Billboard magazine calls co-authors Randy and Jason "The ideal mentors for aspiring indie musicians who want to navigate an ever-changing music industry."

In the changing world of tastemakers and technology, how does radio use community to reinvigorate and support our music scene.

Dan Billen (Primary Color Music) will discuss how to write and produce music soundtracks for film, TV and commercial uses.

For Demo Dip, musicians and bands submit their demo song via the form below, and one-by-one, a track is selected at random and the whole room (including a panel of industry experts) will listen to about a minute of the track. Our panel will then offer feedback based on what they heard.

Open Networking with panelists, fellow attendees and your music community.

Join us for tasty eats and refreshing beverages before nighttime festivities kick off!

Von Hansen is a performer, composer, educator and multi-media artist. He is strongly focussed on developing new music and specializes in works combining percussion and electronics. Von believes in engaging with people through composition, performance, commissioning new works, creating interactive musical video games, and collaborating with musical and visual artists.

Erin Wood fell in love with the harp as a child when she heard a jazz harpist playing at her local public library. She is passionate about being an ambassador of the harp by sharing that love through teaching and performing. Wood currently teaches at the University of Kansas, Washburn University, and Baker University, while maintaining a private studio with students of all ages.

CHRISTOPHER BURNETT was born in Olathe, Kansas and subsequently raised in his maternal hometown of Paola after his family settled back home in the state once his father’s active duty military career had concluded. Mr. Burnett’s long-standing high caliber, well-rounded, and distinguished career is a great example that shows that there are many paths to professional success in the arts field. (Current Portfolio – BurnettPublishing.com) (Official Portal – BurnettMusic.biz) (Wikipedia Listing – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Burnett)

https://linktr.ee/nmh_iv

Roots R&B, Americana singer/songwriter, piano player, guitarist Kelley has always been a challenge to the music industry's penchant for easy artist definitions -- a woman who muscled her way onto the scene on her own terms with an identity steeped in blues, roots, and gospel traditions and refreshing originality.

https://linktr.ee/2w33dy

Based out of Lawrence, Kansas, The Instant is an alternative indie rock band inspired by the works of Modest Mouse, Sunny Day Real Estate, and Third Eye Blind. Heavy and melodic guitar compositions matched with rocking beats and a nostalgic sound create a feeling best enjoyed in The Instant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk0rojO9WN4

Kadesh Flow is a rapper with an MBA, a trombone Super Saiyan, and a Billboard Charting recording/ performing artist. He brings all of the above together, both on tracks and on stage, in riveting form as he actively blends his jazz and hip hop backgrounds, fusing personal, candid lyrical moments and storytelling with call-outs to history, social issues, anime, video games, and a bit of bold trombone playing.\n\nAt age 11, ‘Desh, as many of his listeners call him, began rapping and playing trombone within two weeks of one another. Now, his playing can be heard on records with hip hop stars like Jidenna and underground stalwarts like Ubiquitous and JL. He also boasts performances supporting artists such as Rakim, Janelle Monae, Dave East, The Revivalists, Tech N9ne, and numerous other prolific acts.

Lawrence rock ‘n’ roll duo Spencer Goertz-Giffen and Braden Young perform as Alien Hellbop. While you might also recognize the couple from their work in the indie-folk act Hello Biplane (of which Alien Hellbop is an anagram), this project sees the pair digging into heavier sounds that reference a bigger sound than the usual White Stripes and Black Keys.