Lutalo • runo plum • Nalani • Blacktop
Fri 01/17/25
6:00PM
All Ages
music
$15 ADV // $20 DOS
Show Lineup
Lutalo
(Vermont)
Genre: Folk-Rock, Soul
Lutalo — the project of Vermont-based multi-instrumentalist and producer Lutalo Jones — announces their signing to Winspear, the first-ever physical release of their debut EP, Once Now, Then Again, on vinyl out June 23rd, and releases new single “Familiar Face.” “Familiar Face” sees Jones atop electronic production, a fascinating continuation of Once Now, Then Again’s loose and wide-ranging framework. The original EP was deliberately fluid, and “Familiar Face” sees Jones continue to challenge the generic boundaries of folk, rock and soul. Like the rest of the tracks on Once Now, Then Again, every instrument heard on “Familiar Face” is played by Jones.
Of “Familiar Face,” Jones states: “I often like to consider the idea of shifting realities. I think it’s a fun and cool concept that makes living and the general everyday far more interesting. I know there are examples of certain cultures where it’s believed that this ability is possible and I guess for me this song is just channeling that and just diving headfirst into this form of thought.”
Lutalo grew up in Minnesota where life constantly took them back and forth across the Mississippi River, from their Minneapolis home to school in St. Paul, before they settled for a while in New York City. Introduced to playing music through the African drumming classes their parents took them to as a child, Lutalo was educated on the Black experience in America by their father’s love for hip-hop, jazz, and Bossanova – from MF Doom to A Tribe Called Quest. Today, Lutalo’s life is much different. They moved further east to live among the green peaks of Vermont, and took ownership of an area of land alongside family. With a shared intention of building a small community, their collective aim is to live life differently, and create something tangible that can be passed onto future generations. The to-and-fro energy of their early life is now replaced by something more steady, a desire to not get caught up in the intensity of the world.
It’s this overwhelming potency of modernity that ripples through Once Now, Then Again. Spanning both of Lutalo’s contrasting worlds, the songwriting began in the Twin Cities before being finished in the serene surroundings of Vermont, and both environments leave their mark on Lutalo’s rich and absorbing sound. “I tend to grapple with a lot of existential questioning, I wanted to capture what it feels like to be a twenty-something in this time period, reflecting on our relationship with technology, the Internet, relationships, world governments, housing…all while discovering what it means to be an adult and how our definition of what that looks like begins to shift,” Jones states. “The vision I have for this project is not so much genre-based as it is sound-based, and that sound is just a reflection of me. I didn’t want any boundaries because I’m not trying to replicate anything that’s come before, I only want to be adding to music in some way.”
Surrounding the release of Once Now, Then Again, Jones dazzled audiences through opening slots supporting The Weather Station and Novo Amor, with a slew of upcoming European dates alongside Big Thief. For now, Lutalo’s world consists of pastures and new beginnings, the search for brightness in spite of all the dark. Across Once Now, Then Again, the boldness of Lutalo’s visual rings clean and true. They might not have the answers, but they know the questions that need to be asked. They remain optimistic in attitude, steadfast in their belief that change can only happen when you believe in a better future.
runo plum
(Northern Minnesota)
Genre: Folk, Indie
runo plum is an indie folk-rock artist born and raised in rural Minnesota. Nestled in the quiet woods, runo finds inspiration in everything — deep reflections from the past, love, health, relationships, art, or even just the mundane things of everyday life.
The majority of runo’s songs are written at home in Minnesota and recorded at fellow artist Philip Brooks’ home studio in southern Germany. The songs capture the same authenticity as when they were written, brought to life with wind chimes, rustling trees, and the distant sound of birds singing.
Music has been a constant companion of runo’s throughout her life , but the art of songwriting began to blossom at the age of 14. Fast forward to 2020, amidst the quietude of the pandemic, runo began immersing herself in the world of music production. She spent the year transforming as an artist and writing music more than ever. That year she wrote two EPs, piano songs, etc and earlier from ‘20, which she only released to Bandcamp and Soundcloud.
At the beginning of 2021, runo began sharing videos of her songs on social media. She gathered a small but dedicated audience, eager to experience the music on streaming platforms. Responding to their requests, yin to yang made its debut on Spotify, marking the beginning of a musical journey. Since then, she has independently released a variety of songs and projects, including a 6-track EP titled jupiter and a joint EP mountain songs with Philip Brooks.
Her latest EP softer was released in February 2024.
Blacktop
(Milwaukee, WI)
Genre: Alternative Folk
Blacktop is the Milwaukee-based writing and recording project of multi-instrumentalist and producer, Austin Wood. Resting gently between the genres of folk, surf rock, and dream pop, Blacktop’s sound is adorned with soft-spoken vocals, washed-out guitars and synthesizers, acoustic percussion, and field recordings.
When not working full-time in public health or mixing/producing for other artists, Wood writes/records music for Blacktop while drawing inspiration from spiritual philosophies of presence, mindfulness, and impermanence. The project incorporates a DIY- and analog-based approach to music creation, embracing the creative limitations and hands-on experience of recording to tape. Sonically, Blacktop draws from a large pool of influence ranging from Ethiopian jazz and Latin rhythms of the 1960s-70s to contemporary artists such as Florist, Loving, Alice Phoebe Lou, and Sam Evian.
For live performances, Wood is supported by a rotating cast of close friends, including Jordan Taylor, Jacob Olson, Jeremy Robinson, and Jacob Greenberg. Blacktop’s debut album, Gardening is a Practice, Not an Idea, was released independently in September 2023 with a deluxe re-release through Nice Guys Records in February 2024. Blacktop’s sophomore album, Modern Spiritualism, is slated for release on June 18, 2025.
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