SWOMP

Common People kicked off the Home Plate Stage on the final day of Innings Festival in Tempe, Arizona on Sunday, February 22, 2026, becoming the first band to take the festival’s main stage.
Fresh off their set, SWOMP caught up with the band backstage in their trailer.
The group reflected on playing their first-ever music festival - a milestone moment - and the energy of opening the main stage on the final day of a packed weekend. They also spoke about rolling with the unexpected on stage, embracing the live moment and pushing forward when things don’t go exactly as planned.
Formed in a basement in Southern California, the five-piece - made up of members from across the U.S. - built their sound through constant jamming, local shows and a shared love of guitar-driven rock rooted in garage, indie and psychedelia.
Their early demos eventually caught the attention of Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant, leading to a record deal on his Parallel Vision label in partnership with Big Loud Rock.
In the interview, the band also discussed their musical influences, the momentum from a string of recent singles and what fans can expect from their upcoming debut EP.
Looking ahead, Common People are set to hit the road for a series of shows, including dates supporting Rainbow Kitten Surprise and fellow rising act Congress The Band - continuing what’s shaping up to be a breakout year.
Common People is comprised of Nicky Winegardner (vocals), Cormac Cadden (drums), Konrad Ulich (bass, vocals), Asher Thomson (guitar), and Sam Belzer (guitar).
Follow the band at https://www.commonpeopleofficial.com/.
Photo credit: Kate Lamendola

The Ramona Flowers played the Right Field Stage on the final day of Innings Festival 2026, delivering an energetic set that helped set the tone early.
SWOMP caught up with the band in their trailer following the performance.
The group spoke about the rush of opening the final day - with their pounding kick drum already grabbing attention from across the grounds - and what it meant to be part of the Innings Festival lineup.
The conversation also touched on their latest album Made By Humans, released in October 2025, including standout tracks like 'Up All Night,' which features Nile Rodgers, and 'Human,' a track that carries an uplifting, communal feel.
Connect with the band, here.

Former Major League Baseball pitcher, World Series champion, All-Star and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Ryan Dempster took some time out of his busy schedule at Innings Festival 2026 in Tempe, Arizona to chat with SWOMP.
Dempster, who leads “Off The Mound” - a late night-style talk show featuring MLB stars past and present alongside personalities from across sports and entertainment - once again brought his show on the road throughout the festival weekend.
The Gibsons, British Columbia native conducted live interviews from the Left Field Stage with members of Sublime, OK Go, Public Enemy, Vertical Horizon and Eve 6, along with several former and current Major League Baseball players.
SWOMP caught up with Dempster to touch on a range of topics, including the opening day energy at Innings Festival, the preparation behind “Off The Mound,” the crossover between music and baseball, his transition into broadcasting and hosting, and his connection with fellow performers like Eddie Vedder.
A 16-year MLB veteran, Dempster played for the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox. He was a two-time All-Star, World Series champion and recipient of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill Award before being inducted into the Hall in 2019.
Today, he remains a prominent voice in the game as an analyst with MLB Network and Marquee Sports Network, while continuing to evolve “Off The Mound” into one of the most unique crossover shows in sports and entertainment.
More details are available at https://offthemound.com/.

Congress The Band are quickly moving beyond their roots as a cover band in Charleston, and their early set at the Innings Festival showed a group stepping confidently into a new chapter.
Sporting matching baseball jerseys, the band brought a mix of indie and Southern rock to the Right Field Stage, setting the tone for the opening day crowd with a high-energy performance.
“This is our first time playing in Arizona,” vocalist William Bennett told the audience. “We’re so happy to be here.”
The set highlighted the band’s evolution, as they prepare to release a slew of new original music, including their latest single “Bay Street.”
SWOMP caught up with the band shortly after their performance to talk about their Innings debut, their transition from cover band to emerging artists, and what’s ahead for the rest of the year.
Follow the band at https://congresstheband.com/.

Avril Jensen once dreamed of becoming an astronaut or a screenwriter. Instead, the Quebec singer-songwriter found her calling in music — a path she describes as written in the stars.
Jensen, who performs in both French and English, is building her career beyond Quebec and will celebrate the one-year anniversary of her debut album Is Any of This Real? with a special show March 27, 2026 at Drake Underground.
SWOMP caught up with Jensen for an interview.
Following an independent approach, Jensen’s pop sound sits at the intersection of acoustic and electronic music.
She views each of her songs as a short story, using her music as a playground for narrative exploration.
The anniversary performance highlights a breakthrough year for the young artist.
Jensen earned three nominations at the GAMIQ (Gala alternatif de la musique indépendante du Québec), including Breakthrough Artist (Révélation), Indie Pop Album for Is Any of This Real?, and Self-Produced Music Video for the visual companion to “i might jump out of the car.”
She is also a recipient of the SOCAN Foundation Young Songwriter Award.
Jensen has received early media support from CBC, Billboard Canada, BrooklynVegan and La Presse, among others.
Follow her at avriljensen.com.
Photo credit: Camille Gladu-Drouin

Canadian country star Jade Eagleson is bringing his first-ever headlining North American tour to London Music Hall on Feb. 9 (tickets, here), marking a key Southwestern Ontario stop on the fast-rising artist’s “Coming Soon to a Honky Tonk Near You” run.
The London date lands near the end of a coast-to-coast tour that traced Eagleson’s journey from Western Canada through the U.S. Midwest and back home to Ontario. It will come just days after a Toronto performance at The Opera House and ahead of shows in Ottawa and Montreal, before the tour wraps in Peterborough, 20 minutes from his hometown of Bailieboro, in a sold-out finale on Feb. 14.
SWOMP caught up with Eagleson for an interview about the tour.
At 31, Eagleson has quickly established himself as one of the most consistent hitmakers in Canadian country music, while openly championing a neo-traditional sound rooted in classic country storytelling.
Since the release of his self-titled debut album in 2020, Eagleson has amassed more than 335 million global streams and over 130 million YouTube views. The album produced four GOLD-certified and two PLATINUM-certified singles.
His follow-up releases have continued that momentum. Eagleson has earned five No. 1 singles at Canadian country radio, with multiple GOLD and PLATINUM certifications across his sophomore album and his latest release, Do It Anyway, which includes two GOLD and one PLATINUM-certified tracks.
Industry recognition has followed. Eagleson was named Entertainer of the Year and Male Artist of the Year at the 2023 Canadian Country Music Association Awards, won Album of the Year in 2024, and most recently took home Male Artist of the Year again at the 2025 CCMA Awards. Earlier this year, he also earned his fourth JUNO Award nomination.
Raised on a family farm near Bailieboro, Eagleson stepped away from farm life in 2017 to pursue music full-time. Since then, his career has taken him well beyond Ontario, including performances for troops in Norway and a debut appearance at the Grand Ole Opry in October 2024. Following the conclusion of this tour, he is set to head overseas to perform at C2C Festival in Berlin, Germany, in March 2026.
Eagleson also confirmed that new music is on the way this year, with material that builds on his traditional influences while reflecting his rapid growth as a headlining artist.
The “Coming Soon to a Honky Tonk Near You” tour kicked off Jan. 22 in Spokane, Washington, and also included stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Minneapolis and Chicago.
Follow him at https://www.jadeeagleson.com/.
Photo credit: Bree Fish

Washington-based country singer and songwriter CJ Hooper is drawing on his Texas roots for his second album, Over Yonder, set for release Feb. 6, 2026.
SWOMP caught up with CJ for interview to discuss his new album. 
Music has been a constant in Hooper’s life, from childhood piano lessons to picking up the guitar in his early teens.
He grew up listening to classic country artists such as Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and the Charlie Daniels Band, shaping the traditional yet personal sound that defines his music today.
After graduating from Texas A&M University, Hooper immersed himself in the Texas live music scene, influenced by artists including Jason Boland, Cory Morrow, Mike McClure, Pat Green and Todd Snider. He later worked across several states in golf course maintenance before settling in western Washington, drawn by cooler summers and access to the outdoors.
Songwriting soon became a serious pursuit, leading Hooper to record his own material. Over Yonder follows his 2025 debut album, Primero, and shows his continued evolution as a songwriter, balancing creative exploration with the simple joy of bringing a song to life.
More information is available at cjhoopermusic.com.

Canadian country artist Kelsi Mayne is opening a raw and reflective new chapter with the release of her latest single, 'For The Record', a song she says unpacks one of the most complicated periods of her life.
The track, released as Mayne closed out 2025 and stepped into 2026, draws from the aftermath of a broken engagement and the intense relationship that followed. In an interview with SWOMP, Mayne said the song traces a whirlwind romance that began only months after calling off her wedding, evolving quickly through grand promises and a sense of fate she wasn’t prepared for but wanted to trust.
As the relationship deepened, Mayne learned her partner was struggling with alcohol addiction, a reality that ultimately unravelled what had felt like a perfect connection. She said she tried to support his path to sobriety before stepping back so he could focus on himself. He did get sober, she said, but also moved on with someone new.
“This song came from a place I never expected to be in again,” Mayne said. “I walked into something that felt safe and fated and it ended up breaking me in ways I didn’t see coming. Writing this helped me make sense of it all — the heartbreak, the confusion and the lessons I didn’t want but probably needed. If nothing else, at least it was good for the record.”
For the record was mixed and mastered by Scott Cooke of Local Hay Records and Big Loud Records.
The song weaves Mayne’s trademark storytelling with subtle references to the walls of Jericho and Fleetwood Mac’s Silver Springs, grounding her personal heartbreak in familiar symbols of collapse, truth and closure. Mayne said those references emerged naturally as she worked through the experience, drawing on stories and music that resonated with what she was feeling.
The single builds on the momentum of Someone who knows and caps what Mayne describes as one of her strongest years to date. With the release, she closes out 2025 and looks ahead to 2026 with a new album in the works and a live show that continues to connect with audiences across Canada.
Mayne, who is from Windsor, Ont., has built a national following for her emotionally driven songwriting and blend of country with R&B, Motown, pop and rock influences. She has surpassed three million streams, earned a Top 50 single at Canadian country radio with Breaking bad, and performed at major festivals including Boots and Hearts, Cavendish Beach Music Festival and the Calgary Stampede. A two-time CMA Ontario Female Artist of the Year and Rising Star nominee, she continues to receive industry recognition and playlist support as she enters the next phase of her career.
Follow Kelsi at https://kelsimayne.com/.

A 19-year-old Canadian fiddler continues to make waves on the national folk scene, with Irish Millie earning a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination for Single of the Year and recognition as a nominee for Folk Music Ontario’s 2025 Performing Artist of the Year.
SWOMP caught up with Millie to discuss the recognition.
Millie received the Single of the Year nomination for “You Were There,” a standout track from her EP Between Then and Now. The honour marks her seventh Canadian Folk Music Award nomination and her fifth consecutive nod for Young Performer of the Year, a category in which she has been recognized every year since releasing her debut album Thirteen in 2021.
The Peterborough native released Between Then and Now on July 6, 2025, via LaunchPad Records. The four-track EP highlights her continued artistic growth, blending East Coast fiddle drive, bluegrass energy, and contemporary traditional influences. “You Were There,” co-written with Matthew Cicciarella, features Millie on fiddle and vocals alongside Cicciarella on guitar, with additional electric guitar and string arrangements by producer Tyler Martin.
Produced by Martin at Electric Alchemy and mastered by Gregory Pastic, the single showcases Millie’s ability to craft emotionally resonant songs that respect folk traditions while exploring new textures. Other tracks on the EP, including “Allison,” “Mystery to Me,” and “WASTED,” further demonstrate her range, from stripped-down fiddle-and-guitar arrangements to fuller productions incorporating piano and drums.
A multi-instrumentalist who performs on fiddle, vocals, piano, guitar, and foot percussion, Millie has built a distinctive sound that has resonated with audiences across Canada, the United States, and Europe. Her previous album GRACE drew praise from Celtic music standouts Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, who described it as “fresh, lively… cool tunes and great playing.” FolkWorld Magazine’s Alex Monaghan has highlighted the passion and energy at the heart of her music, citing its sense of fun, fire, and feeling.
Millie recently wrapped up her second East Coast Holiday Tour with long-time collaborator Luka Hall, performing a series of intimate Ontario shows between late December and early January. The annual holiday run has become a growing tradition, pairing Millie’s Celtic folk fiddle style with Hall’s acoustic songwriting and emphasizing storytelling, collaboration, and audience participation.
A past Peterborough Folk Festival Emerging Artist of the Year and recipient of the Peterborough Civic Award for Community Betterment for her “Fiddling for Fox” campaign, Millie is currently studying Music Industry and Technology at the University of Toronto while continuing to tour and record. She is supported on stage by her father, Murray Shadgett, on guitar. Planning is underway for a broader tour in July 2026, with dates expected across Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada.
Follow her at https://irishmillie.ca/.
Photo credit: Mary Payne

CMAOntario-nominated duo Amanda & James are set to return on Feb. 6 with their new single “Comeback,” a playful, harmony-driven release arriving via Symphonic Music.
The track follows a breakout year for the fast-rising Canadian country act and continues to build momentum as they emerge as one of the genre’s most talked-about new duos.
SWOMP caught up with the duo for an interview.
“Comeback” is described as a definitive breakup anthem, centred on closing the door for good rather than reopening old chapters. Written by Sam Daviau, Ali Dutton and Joey DePaiva, the song immediately resonated with the duo, who were drawn to its cheeky confidence and nostalgic edge. Amanda & James bring the track to life with their signature blend of bluesy melodies, bouncy grooves and the tight, soaring harmonies that have become a hallmark of their sound.
The single was produced by Matt Koebel, a CMAOntario and CCMA nominee, with mixing and mastering handled by seven-time JUNO nominee Brandon Unis. Sonically, the song leans into hook-heavy country-pop energy while lyrically celebrating the freedom that comes with walking away for good, firmly shutting the door on any idea of a reunion.
The new release follows a standout year for the pair, who were recently nominated for Group or Duo of the Year at the 2025 CMAOntario Awards.
Amanda Kind, from White Rock, B.C., and James Downham, originally from Pembroke with ties to Picton and Stratford, Ont., have built a reputation for dynamic live performances and strong audience connection. Their ongoing success includes the fan-favourite show Time of My Life: The Greatest Duets in Concert, which has helped grow their national profile.
“Comeback” is available Feb. 6. More information about Amanda & James can be found at amandaandjamesmusic.com.