J Roddy Walston and The Automatic Band

J. Roddy Walston is a force of nature. If his hits like Heavy Bells is are a war cry, then the deep cuts like Boys Can Never Tell are a tac@cal cosmic retreat. For some, his music is a form of religion, psychedelic in its intensity, transforma@ve in its grip on the body, shaking loose something primal that’s been buried too long. It’s not about thinking, It’s about moving, feeling, surrendering. His influences are a riot of contradic@ons: Kurt Cobain’s fury, Nilsson’s fractured sweetness, Zeppelin’s power, and somewhere in there a perverted nod to William Onyeabor’s lonely calculator funk. Cri@cs try to box him in, but Walston can’t be contained—he does chaos, and his live shows do damage, but fortunately his songs can pay the tab. Catch him and his band before he burns it all down again.

The Crowded Table

The Crowded Table is a Portland, Maine–based rock band blending the raw energy of jam improvisation with the craft of timeless songwriting. Their sound lives at the crossroads of groove and grit—equal parts rock, blues, funk, and exploratory jam—rooted in song craft but built to take flight.

Formed in 2021, the band has quickly become one of Portland’s most exciting live acts, known for high-energy shows that blur the line between structure and spontaneity. Every performance is different, shaped by deep musicianship, group chemistry, and the pulse of the crowd. Extended jams, seamless transitions, and moments of collective improvisation keep audiences guessing—and coming back.