Animals As Leaders

From Washington, D.C.

Animals as Leaders is an instrumental progressive metal band from Washington, D.C. that has released five studio albums since 2009, including Weightless which peaked at No. 92 on the Billboard 200 and The Joy of Motion which reached No. 23 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Hard Rock chart. The band combines djent, jazz fusion, and math rock elements with virtuosic eight-string guitar techniques and complex polyrhythmic compositions performed without vocals.

From Asheville, NC

Jonathan Scales is an innovative steel pannist who has redefined expectations of his instrument through virtuosic technique and complex compositions. His album PILLAR reached #6 on iTunes Jazz charts and features collaborations with jazz luminaries including Béla Fleck, Victor Wooten, Jeff Coffin, and Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah. Scales has released six albums on Ropeadope Records and represented the United States as a musical ambassador through the Department of State on tours of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Indonesia.

From Lansing

Assume Nothing is a metal band from the Lansing area featuring Riley Roush on vocals and guitar, Derek McClung on guitar and vocals, Nick Johnson on bass, and Tristan Miller on drums. The band has performed at venues including Grewal Hall and The Loft, and was featured in the Rock Lansing Music Festival lineup alongside regional and national acts.