Hailing from the coastal backstreets of a steel city, Rum Jungle craft raw alt-rock anthems and late-night ballads that capture the haze of nostalgia, the chaos of youth, and the strange comfort of letting it all fall apart in style. Their sound pulls from surf-punk grit, indie sleaze swagger, and the kind of hooks that stick like salt on skin after a long summer.
The story began with a hand-me-down name from Bennys dad’s 70’s band — a reminder that music was always going to be the family business, whether official or not. For Rum Jungle, being a band isn’t optional; it’s hard-wired into who they are. It’s how they process their world, tell their story, and chase the moments that only exist when you’re plugged in together, pushing the same noise out into the night.
Since forming, Rum Jungle have grown from backyard parties to selling out rooms across North America, the UK, Europe, and Australia, while playing The Great Escape, Reeperbahn, and SXSW (Sydney). Their debut album Recency Bias landed at #1 on the ARIA charts, and with new music on the horizon, Rum Jungle are pushing deeper into their pretty-but-gritty world.
Durham, NC songwriter Ben Newgard formed Bee Million with his brother, drummer Anders Newgard, and best friend and lead guitar player David Smith, before adding bass extraordinaire Lucas Tax to round out the roster. With sonic influences spanning the likes of everything from Angel Olsen to the Rolling Stones to Guided by Voices (after whom they’re named), Bee Million weaves together a rough-and-ragged yet melodic and infectious strand of garage pop that will linger with you long after the music’s ended.
