MAIMFest

Before the goblins and ghouls haunt the night, come out to the quad to take in some of the best talent in the region!

The punk, country, folk, rock, blues, psychedelic rock explosion NoVa Junction, consisting of Jamie Newton on guitar, vocals, ambient soundscapes, and Gary Price in charge of keeping the time.

The upcoming Northern Virginia harmonic duo Halfway, combines the sounds of Soul, Rock, Pop, and R&B to create an individual sound performed with acoustic guitar. Vocal talents of halfway include calvin Register and Julie Sowers, a harmonic dup that can please any type of music lover.

The Post- hardcore outfit the Escape Artist is from the Washington DC area.Their ambient and experimental guitar work is layered among the tightly nuanced vocal harmonies. These harmonies are a homage to the earlier work of bands like THURSDAY, and At The Drive-In. Their influences draw from powerful 90's pioneers, such as Fugazi and the Smashing Pumpkins.

The experimental indie rock band Harvard intertwines jazz influenced vocals, and an energetic live show from Charlotte, North Carolina. For those who like Minus the Bear, Portugal. The Man and Circa Survive, Harvard is for you.

The sweet ol’ rock band with a punk edge Sweatpants, draws from Phil Collins and the latest Top 40 singles. They try to cover Bruce Springsteen and Alex Chilton songs, but instead they just play faster, harder and more ferociously. Adam Robinson (former Flying Party), Dave NeSmith (of Bats & Mice, Rah Bras, Maximillian Colby, Sleepytime Trio, Men's Recovery Project) and Jamie Gaughran-Perez (Lenny Hoffman) dude it out so you don't have to. Sometimes intricate, sometimes hooky, always brash, Sweatpants wants to rock your cradle, ease you into that neverland between the gym and the shower, the couch and the grave.

The three-piece indie-rock-pop band The Idiomatics, from Fredericksburg, Va, blends many genres of music into one unique show that is energetic and exciting. They hit the scene in January 2009.

The guitar, piano, drums trio Caverns, Sundrone, features Jeff Jenkins of Codeseven. Following the split of Codeseven, Sundrone emerged combining Codeseven’s spaced out synths with Minus the Bear’s fretboard gymnastics to create a sound that is wholly their own.

The post-punk/grunge D.C. band New Rock Church of Fire, features Mitchell West, Trae Lamond, and Floyd York. NRCoF have been making nothing short of “rip-roaring rock” (dcist.com), as they continue to thrill crowds throughout the District with songs that range from supremely conceived rock anthems to down-right aggressive post-punk. Girls sing along to “Fig Tree,” while guys mosh to “On Salisbury Plain.” Their live show, which travels up and down the east coast, begets a sound “as big as a fortress” (brightestyoungthings.com). Bring it all home with “Of The Wild”, their self-released, debut album, which is available on iTunes and their website.

Venture out for some spooktacular fun as these bands serenade you and your family!