Congress The Band

Congress The Band is one of the Southeast’s most exciting emerging rock acts bring a new wave of rock music out of the Carolinas. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, the band has built a fast-growing reputation for turning every stage - whether a packed club, a college town, or a full festival field into an all-out rager.

With vocals from William Bennett, guitar work from Daniel Guy and Lukas Mishustin, locked-in grooves from Rob Farmer on bass, and explosive drums from Jett Seawell, Congress delivers a dynamic performance that feels both modern and timeless. Their music pulls from indie rock, Americana, and classic Southern roots, creating an anthemic sound that resonates across generations.

In just a short time, Congress has grown from a local Charleston favorite into a regional touring force. Selling out venues from Charlotte to Athens to Bloomington. The concerts have become known for heartfelt crowd connections, big-chorus singalongs, and a level of passion that leaves audiences lined up hours before each show.

With new music on the way and a packed touring schedule ahead, Congress is poised for their biggest year
yet.

The Gringos were a high energy show band who hailed from Scottsdale, Arizona. The band originally began in the early 1960's as a Tijuana Brass sound alike band eventually evolving into a Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago style horn band by Spring of 1970. Their big brassy arrangements (by leader Jim Miller) showcased a style all its own, and with lead singer Donna Byrd fronting the band, The Gringos produced a commercial sound all their own. By the mid 1970's Ms Byrd left the band which caused the band to build upon it's other strengths, the individual talents of each member and from there the band went on to record two albums. The first an independently produced and released album and later were signed to the UA (United Artists) label and produced by Snuff Garrett and Steven Dorf. The band's first album was special at a time when independent artists were unheard of, but the enthusiasm of the band lead to some minor success as it did get mentioned in Billboard and Cash Box and received some regional Air Play on local radio stations in the New England area. The Band's experience with United Artists was a completely different affair. By then Lynn (Bush) Tivens had left the band and The Gringos had added a third trumpet player, Steve Lowry to it's lineup. But most of the music played on the album was not the band's performance but rather studio musicians. Still the anticipated release meant a great deal to the band until it was learned that the UA label had been sold at the time of the release of the album and instead of getting general air play, the album was sent straight to the "Cut Out" bin in record stores and no air play ever happened. With the styles of music changing in the late 1970's and into the early 1980's, the band found it difficult to find work in the night club circuit. Disco's became the rage and live music was almost a thing of the past. In January of 1980, after nearly 10 years performing together as The Gringos the band decided it was time to hang it up for good with half the members staying in the New England area, and the other half moving back to Arizona. Donna Byrd moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and Lynn (Bush) Tivens went back to his home in the Los Angeles area. Through the magic of the internet, The Gringo's still live on. All the band members are in constant communication with one another. Who knows, maybe one day there just might be a Gringos reunion that will produce something special again. Stay tuned for that next chapter...

“Sidecar blends heartfelt storytelling with raw rock energy and deep soulful undertones. Drawing from a wide range of influences across Americana, classic rock, and indie roots music, the band delivers a sound that feels both timeless and refreshingly original. Their songs balance polished musicianship with an unfiltered authenticity that resonates long after the last note fades.” -WHOLE KAMEESE BLOG

“Double Down” leans into stripped-back honesty, letting the lyrics lead while the instrumentation adds depth and intensity. The result is a song that feels both personal and powerful, capturing the kind of authenticity that defines Sidecar’s sound.”-BREAKLINE

“Their genre range stretches wide, encompassing the passion and drive of rock ‘n’ roll, blended with the soul of indie and Americana. In other words: a modern take on the sweet sound of Southern rock.” -ROCKATNIGHT

“There is a ton to love about Sidecar, they have an authentic sound and vibe that is simply otherworldly. We were hooked instantly, the live version of “Double Down” brilliantly showcases the next level musicianship of Sidecar.” -WHOLE KAMEESE