Breanne Marie & The Front Porch Sinners w/ Whalen and The Willows at Bryant-Lake Bowl

Great Lakes country music from a front porch in Duluth, MN. Breanne Marie broke into the Minnesota music scene as a solo performer with an acoustic guitar and a repertoire of country covers and originals. Her 2013 debut album “Six Strings of Peace and Sanity” was a collection of sweet and deeply personal songs she wrote following her father’s suicide and her brother’s death in a car accident. The success of the album set the stage for the formation of her full-blown backing band The Front Porch Sinners; Evan Tepler on guitar, Johnny Peterson on pedal steel, Kyle Gondik-Anderson on bass, Matt Groom on drums, Kailyn Spencer on fiddle and Danielle Gondik-Anderson on background vocals. The group plays "Great Lakes country music" which is an alt-country sound using classic country instruments mixed with lyrics that speak to the hard times and natural beauty of rust belt communities like Duluth, MN.

Whalen and the Willows are an Alt-Rock band out of Minnesota. From dark and brooding to comforting and hopeful Whalen and the Willows create a theatrical landscape that will take you away.

The Willows sophomore release Redemption has been given tremendous praise from WATW fans. The record has received airplay on stations such as The Current, KFAI, and KMSU.

With a focus on lyrics Whalen writes tales pulled from life experience and observation. Pain, suffering, hope, and love are common motives looking to strike an authentic balance of the struggles and joys of life. The band uses melody, rhythm, and harmony to conjure an experience that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. Whalen and the Willows are a master class on soul and authenticity.

Whalen and the Willows are Joshua Whalen (vocals/guitar), Victoria Smith (vocals/violin), Nick Braaten (guitar/keys), Trevor Bordelon (Bass/vocals), and Craig Rosell (Drums).