A mainstay since 2010, Brite Winter’s festival of music, art, and local flare is ready to ring in 2024. Starting at 3 p.m. on Feb. 24, you can catch performances from over 20 local and regional music artists, culminating with an afterparty at Mulberry’s to keep the celebration going.
Headlining the festivities is local, five-piece band Wanyama, putting the cherry on top of an evening of rising stars. Ahead of the main event, we caught up with Wanyama and four other talents to watch. Plus, check out our Spotify playlist featuring the entire lineup at the bottom.
Wanyama
Brite Winter’s 2024 headliner is sticking to what they’ve always done best, which is just about everything. Whether it be hip hop, reggae, funk, or rock, the band takes pride in their ability to genre bend. “Everything
in music has already been done in the past,” says guitarist Tim Sawchik. “So our goal is to tastefully combine as many of the different genres as we can.”
Taking inspiration from a range of artists, such as the Roots,
the Red Hot Chili Peppers and MF DOOM, the band has churned out timeless tunes of their own for almost a decade. Retro hits like “Funk Sandwich” are pure fun, providing the nostalgic Y2K vibes we all crave.
Songs like “Charizma” will live up to their name this
Saturday, roping fans right into the vibrancy Wanyama radiates at every show. “We are the OG Cleveland party band,” boasts vocalist Brandyn (Cookie) Lowry. “Each of our live performances has a family and friends vibe. We love to
bring pure energy and fan interaction to our sets.”
Wanyama wraps up the day on the West Bank Stage at 10 p.m., wanyamaband.com , Instagram: @wanyama_funk
The Monday Program
Starting as a group of producers and musicians trying to make something fun of their Monday nights, The Monday Program is rooted in collaboration. “We're all inspired by so many different things,” says DJ Corey Grand, “by people that aren't afraid to try something different.” In the past, The Monday
Program has mixed hip hop, jazz, house dance, and electronic music, and Grand says there’s little method to the madness, working off what feels right on a given day in the studio. Regardless, they’re always trying to reinvent.
That reinvention is reaching a climax, as the group anticipates new music in the first half of the year. Grand says the group’s upcoming record is what he truly envisions for The Monday Program, and Brite Winter, where Grand holds many memories as a fan, is the perfect setting to tease this passion project.
“It’s legendary,” he says. “Being born and raised in Cleveland, I'm always super proud of any outlets that we can create here.”
Watch the story of The Monday Program tell itself, as it performs at 9:20 p.m. on the Buckeye Law Stage, themondayprogram.com , Instagram: @themondayprogram
LoConti
The namesake of brothers Henry (vocals and guitar) and Michael (drums), LoConti is a family affair taking Cleveland by storm. Voted Best New Artist at the 2023 Cleveland Music Awards, the band’s reign is only just beginning — and its members are loving every minute of the journey.
“Our shows emit a very freeing energy,” says Henry LoConti. “Sometimes I catch myself thinking, ‘Wow, this is a real moment that may never happen again.’ When the band and I sync up, time seems to slow down, and everything outside the venue walls fades away.”
Those priceless moments keep adding up, as the group gets to check Brite Winter off their bucket list this month. Calling it a dream come true, Henry says the band is made for grand-scale performances like this.
“There's nothing better than an outdoor gig, especially when it's festival-style,” he says. “That's our favorite, and we could do it for the rest of our lives.”
In the meantime, catch yourself up to speed with infectious tunes off Loconti’s debut album like "Cherry Red”, saturated with alternative rock and a bit of funk, thanks to the hypnotic work of saxophonist Eric Sconyers.
LoConti makes its Brite Winter debut on the West Bank Stage at 8:50 p.m., loconti.net , Instagram: @locontiofficial
Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts
Corey Grinder and the Playboy Scouts’ alternative-country hybrid is a pleasant rarity that Clevelanders can find right in our neighborhood. The
recently award-nominated band comes to Brite Winter fresh off a trip to Austin, Texas, where it was recognized in the Western Swing genre during the Ameripolitan Music Awards. Raised on a background in classic rock, though, the band’s sound reaches beyond this categorization, ranging from old country, honky tonk, and Americana rock.
Enthusiasts of any genre can find a sweet spot with the Playboy Scouts. Smooth, sensational tunes like “Honky Tonkin’ Beauty Supreme” feel straight out of a movie with people swinging through a saloon and cheersing pints of beer. Though this coincides with Grinder’s vision for his music, he never pictured himself being a songwriter.
“It just kind of started happening,” he admits. “It's a lot of getting over yourself.”
But you’d never know this wasn’t his plan, as he confidently paves the way for a new scene of country music in Cleveland and prepares for the release of a new record this year.
Excited to be setting the tone for a long night of performances, Cory noted one request for his upcoming audience: “Come ask me for a dance!”
Cory Grinder and the Playboy Scouts will take over the Cleveland Scene Stage at 4:20 p.m. theplayboyscouts.com , Instagram: @playboyscouts
Lauren Lanzaretta
Channeling chilling vocals like Adele and smokey jazz vibes like Amy Winehouse, Lauren Lanzaretta takes soul and gospel music beyond the church. With her resounding lyricism stealing the show, she likes to keep
things rather simple when it comes to performing.
“I love intimacy in a show, that intimacy between myself and the crowd,” Lanzaretta says. “I'm always moved during my shows. It always turns into a deeper conversation.”
As Lauren puts out more music in the coming months, including a new single called “Do You Remember” in March, she hopes to make those conversations more transparent. Coming out as gay at the age of 35, she has only recently started finding the space in her music to speak on her experiences. Fusing queerness and Christianity, her new album addresses her past and present relationships with women and how her relationship with God persevered through it all.
“This music is just overcoming things,” she says. “Everyone has their own thing, and I like to tell people you're on your own journey.”
For the first time ever, Lauren will have the chance to bring her journey to the big stage at Brite Winter. She performs at 5:45 p.m. at the Duck Brand Art Tent, laurenlanzaretta.com , Instagram: @lanzaretta
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