Jill McCracken (they/them) is a force of nature, powered by love. The queer retro soul artist returns with their second studio album “big dog”, out on August 7. Whether playing an intimate solo set or bringing the thunder with their full band, Jill McCracken always sings their heart out. With vocal power rarely seen and lyrics that cut straight to the heart of the matter, their performances are visceral, full-throated, and, most importantly, rooted in a lust for life.A strong musical presence in their home city of Boston, McCracken has been acknowledged with several Boston Music Awards nominations and a New England Music Awards win for Soul/R&amp;B Act of the Year. On a national scale, McCracken is a member of the Recording Academy, and tours extensively across the US, sharing the stage with Emily King and Durand Jones, among others. McCracken is set to headline stages across the US supporting the release of their fourteen-track album– an explosion of joy, rage and transcendence.___________________________________________________________Yes, GOOD GRIEF did meet in a virtual grief group—and they’re crying out about it. Ella Scudder-Davis (she/her) and Wendy Walcoff (she/they) became friends and bandmates in 2023 after they both lost their dads. Based in Seattle, GOOD GRIEF weaves the intricate poetics of folk lyricism and a healthy dose of rock angst into a tragi-comic tapestry of love and loss. A dad-given superhero obsession has led them into a multiverse where grief is a perpetual body-double – and a real b*tch. Their first single, “Bait Shop,” released June 12.Wendy and Ella are joined onstage by fellow grievers and rock ‘n rollers Liz Carpenter (she/they, bass) and Hatty Campbell (she/her, drums). The four bandmates are stoked to bring their take on queer indie rock to the Seattle music scene.