Rebels & Renegades brings a diverse range of artists to town over three festival days. Here are some acts to look out for.

WHEN REBELS & RENEGADES DEBUTED IN 2022 it was described as a time and a place for the cowboys and the hippies to come together – the musical genres of country, rock, folk and Americana bonding over a shared love of storytelling. That ethos was reflected in the inaugural lineup, and certainly continues in the 2023 edition. This year’s lineup will feature 37 bands playing two stages during three days of the festival – here are some acts to look out for.

FRIDAY

Molly Tuttle

3:45-4:30pm, Steelhead Stage

California native Molly Tuttle brings a hint of bluegrass twang to the Rebels & Renegades stage. Her most recent album, 2023’s City of Gold, celebrates highlights of the American landscape with songs like “Yosemite” and “Evergreen, OK.” This is “swing your partner” sound, so get ready to dance.

Old Crow Medicine Show

7-8pm, Steelhead Stage

A true classic of the Americana genre, Old Crow Medicine Show has been recording since 1998. The string band, which has performed and recorded over the ensuing 25 years in various formations of membership, was discovered while busking in Boone, North Carolina. The rest, as they say, is history. 

SATURDAY

Kurt Vile & The Violators

4:05-5:05pm, Steelhead Stage

Singer-songwriter, indie rocker and Philadelphia native Kurt Vile has always been prolific – releasing nine solo albums since 2008, plus a bunch of EPs that pre-date that. His most recent album is (watch my moves), recorded mainly at his home studio in Philadelphia and released in 2022. Vile’s lo-fi, laid-back sound is quite a departure from some of the other bands that will appear at Rebels & Renegades, a sure indication of the range this festival has.

The Devil Makes Three

5:10pm-6:10pm, Big Sur Stage

Guitarist Pete Bernhard, bassist and harmony vocalist MorganEve Swain, and guitarist and tenor banjo player Cooper McBean make up The Devil Makes Three, a rocking folk band with roots just up the road in Santa Cruz. A self-titled debut album in 2002 propelled the band to early success and comes full of lasting hits like “Old Number Seven” and “Graveyard.” The group’s sixth and most recent studio album, Chains Are Broken, was released in 2018.

Whiskey Myers

9-11pm, Steelhead Stage

Saturday night headliners Whiskey Myers have attracted a steadfast following for the group’s unique blend of Southern rock and Texas country. Then, in 2018, the band appeared on the hit show Yellowstone, after which their 2016 album Mud shot to the top of the iTunes country chart. The band released its sixth studio album, Tornillo, in 2022. The six-man group is known for high-energy live performances, so this is sure to be a good time.

SUNDAY

Elle King

5:15-6pm, Steelhead Stage

Tanner Elle Schneider, who goes by the stage name Elle King, writes fun, spirited music – and gets recognized for it. The single “Exs & Ohs” off her debut album, Love Stuff, reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for two Grammy Awards – Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. While considered a pop-rock artist through her first two albums, her third, Come Get Your Wife (2023) marked a step into country. Still not one to throw away a good pop hook, though, it includes bops like “Drunk (And I Don’t Wanna Go Home)” with Miranda Lambert and “Worth A Shot” (featuring Dierks Bentley).

Shakey Graves

7-8pm, Steelhead Stage

Austin, Texas native Alejandro Rose-Garcia’s first love was acting, which is why, yes, he had a recurring role on the TV show Friday Night Lights. After turning to music, in 2011, he was hired as the “official busker” on the Railroad Revival Tour (featuring Mumford & Sons and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) – playing for concertgoers as they would enter the venue. Since then, he’s only continued to gain a following for his unique blues/folk/rock sound. He’s currently on tour for his fourth studio album, Movie of the Week, which was released in September 2023.

Wilco

9:20-11pm, Steelhead Stage

Chicago-based alt-rock band Wilco might not be quite what you think of when you hear Rebels & Renegades. But the band was actually formed in 1994 by members of an alt-country group called Uncle Tupelo. So there is some country in them there albums, including 2023’s Cousin. Wilco headlines R&R’s final night.