NEWS & UPDATES

2026 Blue Ox Virtual Band Competition

Congratulations Cigarette Picnic for winning the 2026 Blue Ox Virtual Band Competition.

You’ll be able to catch their performance on the Backwoods Stage on Saturday June 27th (time tba).

Cigarette Picnic is a stripped down, sultry femme power trio focusing on rich harmonies and minimal instrumentation. They are based in Duluth, Minnesota and perform original music with bold flavor and smooth soul. The trio includes collaborative lyricism and composition from Ricky Francois (vocals), Madi Phyle (vocals) and Elsa Krantz (vocals, electric guitar).

Thank you to all who entered and to those who voted. All entries will be considered as performing artists for future Blue Ox lineups.

2026 Virtual Band Competition Artists

(Listed in alphabetical order)

Bark Point. – Minneapolis, MN

Bark Point. began in the summer of 2021 after a string of second hand instrument purchases when the band’s founder/leader (Adam James Hildebrandt) purchased a 1960’s open back banjo for 50$ off of Craigslist and a 1980’s Epiphone F-style Mandolin for 100$. Having never played grass/folk music or instruments before, the music project comes from simple and humble beginnings. The once solo project has now evolved into a stringed instrument collective with a rotating cast of players consisting of bass, acoustic guitar, mandolin, fiddle and pedal steel. The band is currently based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The name Bark Point. Is derived from a scenic peninsula located on the South Shore of Lake Superior in the unincorporated town of Herbster Wisconsin; a place Adam has frequented since he was a young buck.

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Bigtooth – Madison, WI

After years of bumping elbows at festivals and open jams, Starr Moss, Trent Cuthbert, Michael Falk, Claire Kannapell and Paul Kienitz figured out they could write songs that rivaled their bluegrass-picking abilities. Bigtooth, the culmination of this shared history, dances between traditional and original, knows all the hot licks, and adds trio harmonies to some pretty epic songwriting.

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Cigarette Picnic – Duluth, MN

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Diamond Spur Radio – Brooklyn, NY

The Diamond Spur Rodeo is a 4 part, all girl alt-Americana band based out of Brooklyn, NY. Weaving four part harmonies and storyteller lyrics, the band draws from inspirations as diverse as Crosby, Stills Nash and Young to modern Chappell Roan.

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Full Spectrum Bluegrass – Chicago, IL

The only thing Full Spectrum Bluegrass has to prove is that bluegrass music is for everyone.
Their debut EP Homesick (released November 2025) virtuosically showcases the driving rhythm of classic artists like Bill Monroe and JD Crowe, while intertwining original songwriting that explores the modern queer, trans, and urban experience. Without losing sight of tradition, Full Spectrum invites people from all walks to access everything that makes bluegrass special.

‘Full Spex’ finds fans in old school grassers, deadheads, Americana fans, and everyone who enjoys a passionate live performance. Their live set is a high energy mix of originals, bluegrass standards, and unexpected deep cuts. They have shared the stage with the likes of Henhouse Prowlers, Slapdash Bluegrass, Mithzy Lucerito, Marques Morel, and many other midwestern folk staples. Full Spectrum is based in Rogers Park, Chicago, IL.

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Kohlrabi Soup Bluegrass Band – Fargo, ND

Kohlrabi Soup is a bluegrass band based out of Fargo, ND. Making appearances in the regional bluegrass festival circuit over the last three years, Kohlrabi Soup hosted the inaugural 2025 Red River Roots bluegrass festival at Crooked Lane in Colfax, ND. Kohlrabi Soup celebrates its fourth birthday at their event “Red River Roots at the Sanctuary” on March 13th, 2026.

Kohlrabi Soup released their debut album, Little Wild Bouquet EP, in July 2025 to streaming platforms and physical music. Their most recent release is a recording of “The Revenuer” recorded live on Prairie Public Radio.

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Sawtooth Witch – Minneapolis, MN

Sawtooth Witch is a genre bending artist that takes a little something out of every page in the American songbook. Comprising of Haley Fleming on fiddle and Doc on fingerstyle guitar the duo creates a sound that weaves through cosmic country, a little bit of blues, a touch of soul, a dash of bluegrass, and a even pinch of house music.

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Tim Case & the Drag – Eau Claire, WI

In the fall of 2024, Eau Claire singer-songwriter Tim Case walked into Evan Middlesworth’s Pine Hollow Studio to record a handful of original folk songs. Three days later, he walked out with a full-length record—2025’s Hall of Mirrors, praised by the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram as “a modern, uniquely Wisconsin take on classic folk and Americana music”—and a band to play it with.

With Middlesworth on electric guitar, Jeremy Holt on bass, and Matt Haapala on drums, Tim Case & the Drag have been playing steadily around western Wisconsin ever since, delivering a vintage Americana sound that recalls the classic alt-country bands of the ’90s with a modern indie-country twist. Rounding out their sound is Case’s thoughtful songwriting, which recently earned him a “Songwriter of the Year” nomination from the Midwest Country Music Organization.

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Ur Mom – Chicago, IL

Hailing from the suburbs of Chicago, Ur Mom is an indie- rock quartet that is venturing more into the folk realm. After a recent sold out “Ur Mom (Unplugged)” show in Chicago, they’ve continued to perform stripped-down versions of their tunes. With the songs in their purest form, the band’s songwriting and lead singer, Maura Wolf’s, vocals are able to soar. With plenty of experience in festival settings (Summerfest, Ravinia, Boulder Roots Fest, Carolina Indie Fest, and more), Ur Mom is eager to bring their newfound sound to the stage of Blue Ox.