The duo officially formed Spiria in 2022 after a lifetime of musical bonding. Their sound is built around the interplay between Mikayla’s piano and passionate, introspective vocals, and Johnny’s dynamic, expressive drumming. They move freely between ethereal, ambient textures and jazzy, experimental passages, with production value sitting right up front, highlighting the piano/vocal/drum core. On Amateur’s Garden, they are joined by a handful of musicians on strings and trumpet, who help flesh out their already colorful arrangements.

Spiria makes a bold statement right out of the gate with “The Dam,” a seven-and-a-half-minute opener that asks for – and earns – your undivided attention. It begins quietly, almost fragile, with just Mikayla’s voice and piano before it swells into something huge. Johnny’s drumming here is more like a conversation than a rhythm section, helping to shape the song’s emotional arc. The opener has the fearless, theatrical quality of an artist like Kate Bush, and it makes clear that Spiria is comfortable taking their time to build something special.

That feeling of patient growth is all over the album. A song like “Perpetual” starts out with a simple, beautiful piano line and vocal, but slowly blooms into a full-band celebration that ends with the raw joy of people yelling and shouting, like kids dancing around a fire. The single, “Pictures In My Head,” really captures the essence of the whole record. It weaves in the sounds of a summer night while the core of piano, drums, and vocals drift and explore, held together by the sad, beautiful sound of guest strings.

One of the biggest surprises comes right in the middle with the instrumental title track. Instead of the piano that leads so many of the other songs, “Amateur’s Garden” is built from layers of strummed instruments that weave in and out of each other without any percussion. It’s incredibly immersive and brings to mind the dense, joyful sound of Animal Collective’s album Feels. That willingness to play with different sounds pops up again on “The Only Way,” which brings in trumpet, cello, and violin for a track with a gorgeous, jazzy edge, highlighted by reflective lyrics like, “oh, to live in the canvas I’m wrecking.”

For all its complex layers, some of the album’s strongest moments are its most direct. “Dissolve” is a definite standout, led by an acoustic guitar and a heartfelt vocal melody that should connect with anyone who loves Phoebe Bridgers. The song understands the power of holding back; its minimal percussion makes the emotional weight hit that much harder. The album closes on a similarly intimate note with “Seed,” which highlights some of Mikayla’s most impressive piano work. The song’s delicate fade-out conjures up that same sense of quiet intimacy that permeates the rest of the album. Amateur’s Garden is a beautifully patient record, a sprawling, heartfelt world that’s well worth getting lost in.

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If you’re a blog-reading regular, you may notice we aren’t writing about the many established local acts that are great and we’ve covered ad hoc. There are dozens of bands playing that we won’t discuss today, as we’ve already exhausted hundreds of adverbs over the past ten-plus years via album reviews and show previews. The purpose of this article is to add some newer bands to your knowledge base and expand everyone’s horizons.

Should you see bands that aren’t on this list? For sure. One of the best aspects of this event is the buffet of sounds and vibes echoing throughout the festival grounds. The list below is flush with newcomers that have risen out of COVID’s ashes and are piquing our interest again in the local music scene.

Prairie Pavement @ 12pm  (Terminal B Stage 2)

Prairie Pavement is set to clock-in for their annual shift at Music is Art this Saturday. Making their Music is Art debut in 2021, the band dominated the Battle of the Band stage and proved that this project was more than just a bunch of high schoolers jamming around in the garage. Still in their pre-responsibility phase, the band’s youthful energy is truly infectious as they bring quite a commanding live show. There are many talented songwriters in this collective who each have their own identity and direction and frequently take turns taking lead. If Ween, GIRLS, and MGMT forgot their synthesizers, you’d have the essence of Prairie Pavement.

Spiria @ 1:30pm (Terminal B Stage 1)

Indie-pop duo Spiria has been blowing us away over the past couple years after we discovered them on Nickel City B-Sides. The band is a sibling act, performing fairly stripped down sets with a lineup of just keyboard and drums. Lead singer Mikayla Manke’s dreamy delivery is both enchanting and mesmerizing, so if you’re a fan of Regina Spektor or Laura Marling, then make sure you catch Spiria.

The Spit Sisters @ 1:30pm (Lakeside Lawn Stage 2)

Fresh off the release of their new six song EP, Nothing Heals,  The Spit Sisters continue their recent momentum with an early afternoon slot. The quartet is self-described “feral ferocious rock,” and we can’t really come up with a better descriptor than that. The Spit Sisters have a raw, DIY ethos that exudes passion and punk rock.  Check this one out if you are into The Donnas, The Distillers, or Bikini Kill.

Snakeland @ 1:30pm (Terminal B Stage 2)

The musicians that make up this Buffalo alt-punk quintet is are by no means newcomers to the scene, with dozens of years under each of their belts spent on various other projects. This collaborative’s latest venture, Snakeland, is an amalgam of rock-heavy pop-punk a la Alien Ant Farm B-sides, with a tad more indie angularity and vocal passion. Snakeland’s performance is dynamic with lead singer Tone Bone’s eclectic frontman energy truly something to behold.

Skamagotchi @ 3pm (Terminal B Stage 2)

Five piece ska project Skamagotchi is set to return to Music is Art after standout performances at the past couple festivals. Lead by multi-band juggler Philip Stephen, this high energy band’s sound is as fun as their pun-meets-nostalgia-inspired name and would nestle perfectly on a Tony Hawk Pro Skater re-vamp. If you like mozzarella sticks dunked in Mountain Dew, Less than Jake, or Keep Flying, then strap on your checkered vans and get ready to skank.

Matt Smith’s Nervous System @ 3:45pm (Lakeside Lawn Stage 2)

Matt Smith is no stranger to the local music scene (or buffaBLOG for that matter). We’ve been covering his resume with stints in Roger Bryan and the Orphans, and his numerous production credits via his recording studio HiLo. His latest project, Matt Smith’s Nervous System, is really garnering attention beyond the Buffalo scene after opening two sold out Passion Pit concerts at Brooklyn’s Warsaw. The band is raw and punk-y and made for ear-shattering basement shows – that’s exactly how we like it.

Addisyn Logan @ 5:30pm (Buskers Alley)

Addisyn Logan has been another one of our post-COVID favorites. A mix between Clairo and Phoebe Bridgers, this singer/songwriter truly delivers with her iconic sad girl energy. If you’re going to break up with someone, double check that it’s not Addisyn Logan with an alias, because she will make a biting song about it… And worst of all, it will have a really pretty melody.

The Weather Might Say Otherwise @ 6:30pm (Skatepark Stage)

For those keen on the Attic at Mr. Goodbar (or Fredonia’s not-so-secretly amazing music scene), The Weather Might Say Otherwise (TWMSO) is an act you’re already familiar with. The band has been around for close to six years at this point, forming in 2018 during the trio’s freshman year at the aforementioned SUNY Fredonia, but truly emerged into a force to be reckoned with in the post-COVID landscape. If you are fan of jaunty Midwest emo, Modern Baseball, and/or Blink-182, then make sure you catch this set.

Letter to Elise @ 8pm (Terminal B Stage 1)

Like a phoenix, Letter to Elise has risen from the ashes of suit-wearing pop rockers Mom Said No. The band has gotten right down to business, showing they truly have a knack for crafting great indie pop. The band continues Mom Said No’s electric live show antics while maintaining a bit more mystique this time around – a welcome transformation that’s truly something to behold.

OG Mom Said No member, Elliott Hunt formed the new project, which has a Harry Styles pop-influence with a Vampire Weekend preppy vibe. Letter to Elise may be one of the most proven breakthrough artists on this list, with their single “Day Drinking” taking off in the Spotify algorithm and garnering more than 100,000 streams as of press deadline. If that’s not enough, they rip an electric cello. Come on! No other bands at the festival have an electric cello (that we know of), and that’s reason enough to give this act your attention.

Zak Ward & the Million Dollar Question @ 9:30pm (Terminal B Stage 1)

Zak Ward is another familiar name that blog has been covering since its inception in 2010. Back then, Ward was buzzing with his work with Son of the Sun. Summer 2024 saw a Son of the Sun reunion, which delivered tenfold with their packed show at Fountain Plaza. Ward is debuting a new project many are excited about, Zak Ward and the Million Dollar Question. Without any recordings of the project online yet, we are left to anticipate and prognosticate. All we know is it’s going to be good.

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