Durham based singer/songwriter Skylar Gudasz has been called "the Joni Mitchell the south never had." She's headlining day two of Carolina Indie Fest on Sept. 30, and joined the Friends of the Rant podcast recently to talk about her work.

Ahead of the annual Carolina Indie Fest at Hugger Mugger Brewing (Sept. 29-30), The Rant’s Gordon Anderson interviews artists Reese McHenry, a garage rocker with a monster of a voice from the Triangle, and Lee County's own Cliff and Garret Wheeler of the Cliff Wheeler band.

Three bands from the upcoming Carolina Indie Fest — Hustle Souls, Regence and Rhinestone Pickup Truck — take the time to talk to us and become official "Friends of The Rant."

The Friends of the Rant podcast welcomes Paleface and Mo for their third appearance, as well as Adam Pitts of Raleigh's the Pseudo Cowboys. Both acts will perform the first night of Carolina Indie Fest on May 12 at Hugger Mugger Brewing in downtown Sanford.

The members of Mom Rock, a 2022 Rolling Stone "Hot Band" named "one of America's best young bands"  join our revived Friends of The Rant podcast leading up to their performance at Carolina Indie Fest, set for May 12-13 at Hugger Mugger Brewing in downtown Sanford. 

Crystal Bright and the Silver Hands will headline day two of this weekend's Carolina Indie Fest with a variety of European and American world music influences, instruments including accordion, piano, and musical saw, and soaring operatic vocals. Oort Patrol is fronted by Rant co-founder and known criminal trash Gordon Anderson.

It's two bands in one podcast as we talk to Carolina Indie Fest performers Whoop! and Paleface, the latter returning both to Sanford and to the podcast after appearing in Year 1. Indie Fest is Sept. 23-24 in downtown Sanford.  

Musician Cliff Wheeler returns to talk about the return of Carolina Indie Fest and his involvement in bringing it back, and hosts Billy and Gordon talk about their return to the North Carolina Press Association awards banquet. 

Another upcoming Carolina Indie Fest band, Secret Monkey Weekend, shares their unique story before their upcoming performance in September.