Indianapolis Bands

In Indianapolis, there’s never a shortage of new sounds to groove, mosh, thrash, dance, bob your head, tap your toes, or sing out loud to. From cover bands to cutting edge experimental shoegaze groups, Indianapolis music has everything your tune loving heart might desire. You’ll always be able to find some new group of talented artists bringing down the walls of one of many Indianapolis music venues. Below is a smattering of some of the more popular bands in Indianapolis.

	Amanda Overmyer does her home state proud with her powerful singing, forceful songwriting, and dedication to her own personal creative vision.
	American Cheese is a rock n’ roll cover band in Indianapolis that specializes in effectively delivering performances of the 80’s music we all “hate to love.”
	It’s Andrew Young’s dedication to exposing his heart through his music, not his corporate career, that has earned him national recognition and influence in Indianapolis.
	Band Wagon is an Indianapolis cover band that will take you and your guests for a thrill ride of blasting electric guitar solos, toe tapping drums, melodious vocals, and rock steady bass.
	Fans of Kokomo’s The Blood Reckoning are used to getting their ears pummeled by the band’s ferocity, and there’s a lot of moshing, windmill kicking, and two stepping at the band’s live shows.
	One of the best available acoustic acts in the city, Brandon Whyde is classified under Folk Rock and Soul genres. Brandon performs alone, creating a very intimate musical experience at his shows.
	Cathy Morris, a popular Indianapolis jazz violinist, describes the style of her band, the Cathy Morris Latin Band, as “party jazz,” and strives to include funk, Cajun and romantic influences in her performances.
	The Dave and Rae Band is a four-member, high-energy cover group that has been entertaining all over Indianapolis and its environs for quite a while. Known for the versatility and wide appeal of their music.
	Drama Queen is an all-female rock and country group that has toured the U.S. and Canada, and finally come full circle back to Indy, to their many fans’ delight.
	The Flying Toasters are a very popular Indianapolis music group that plays hits spanning from the 70’s to present day at bars around the city.
	In Connersvine, Hunter Smith and Chris Wilson sometimes play alone and sometimes with a backing band, but on every song their voices soar and intertwine to create meaningful melodies and deeply emotional ballads.
	Flynnville Train combines influences as diverse as Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash on their quest to simultaneously get back to the roots of country music and evolve the genre to a higher level of musicality, a mission that is sure to take Indianapolis country music fans by storm.
	Good Luck, a Bloomington band, is usually classified as pop punk, but the band’s songs seem to defy convention.
	Indianapolis music group The Goodnight Horizon is another example of a face melting hardcore band out of the Circle City. The group’s debut album, Test Your Heart, is a heavy mish mash of impassioned lyrics, guttural growls, and punishing guitar lines.
	Governor Davis and the Blues Ambassadors Band Yes, Governor is really his first name, and this R&B group has won “Best of Indy” for ten years in a row.
	The Great Hookup is a rock influenced jam band based in Indianapolis. Their debut album, In the Realm Of, was released in May of 2009 and is for sale on CD Baby, Luna Records, Indy CD & Vinyl, and through the band’s website.
	Great Scott Band is a five-member group performing their own original pieces and other rock and alternative music throughout Indianapolis and the Midwest.
	Gwen Stacy is an Indianapolis music group that plays their own brand of Christian metalcore. Named after a character in the Spiderman comic books, Gwen Stacy has been together since 2004. They have released two albums: the 2005 independent LP, I Believe in Humility and another full length album, The Life I Know, in 2008 with Ferret Music.
	The Elms, a band from Seymour, Indiana, have taken the national stage by storm while still using the canvas of small town America as their muse.
	Haste the Day is a nationally touring band that has seen over 200,000 record sales in the United States alone. Though they got their start playing at Indianapolis bars and other venues, they now travel around the country to perform their ferocious live show for their enthralled fans.
	Jassy Grazz Band is a six-member jam band known for their inventive improvisational take-offs. The group originated in South Bend, Indiana.
	Although Jennie DeVoe spends a lot of time promoting and touring nationally, she is Indianapolis-based and performs regularly at the Rathskellar downtown.
	Lemon Wheel Dance Band creates some awe-inspiring five-part harmonies playing music from the 70s and up.
	Kokomo, Indiana band In the Face of War is another brightly burning flame in the thriving Indiana hardcore scene, a group of five determined youths who have been tearing down conventions for six years running.
	Jon McLaughlin is an Indiana musician who has garnered national acclaim for his passionate lyrics, hook-laden songs, and heartthrob image.
	Mardelay is an up-and-coming, four-piece tour group that often ends up in various venues in downtown Indianapolis and Broad Ripple.
	One of the rising forces in independent music today, Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s create lush, textured pop rock symphonies using a variety of different instruments, techniques, and stylings.
	Michael Kelsey, the “one-man-show” of Indianapolis defines his own musical performance style as “progressive-aggressive acoustic guitar.”
	Mother Grove, Indianapolis’ premiere Celtic Rock band, takes bagpipes, fiddles and other Celtic instruments, mixes them with a large dose of original rock for a sound they call “Kilt Rock.” They tour nationwide and have recorded 6 albums.
	Mudkids are a popular Indianapolis music group which has performed locally, regionally and nationally for over a decade. Rusty Redenbacker, aka Choc, and Elp-Mass are currently working on producing their fifth album, titled We Are Dynamic and People Like Us.
	Positioned somewhere in a paradox, Bloomington, Indiana’s Murder by Death is a unique band that has fashioned a deep niche for itself in the vast recesses of the Indianapolis music scene.
	Led by former North Central High School band director Sam Rhinesmith and former Speedway High School band director Al Spangler, the New Horizons Band is a group comprised entirely of senior citizens. It excels at performing big band standards, Broadway hits, and an array of other musical genres and arrangements.
	Original State of Mind creates original music reminiscent of a mix of G. Love, Rusted Root, Jack Johnson and 311. Their writing is influenced by Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, Santana and James Taylor, among others.
	Jazz, rock, rhythm & blues, latin, disco and pop all fuse to create The Park Avenue Band. This Indianapolis native nine piece band plays for weddings, parties and special Indianapolis events.
	Rich Hardesty makes music that’s designed put a smile on your face and a happy feeling in your heart by fusing influences as diverse as Bob Marley, the Grateful Dead, and Frank Sinatra.
	Sally Anthony is an Indianapolis musician who has built her reputation from the ground up, using MySpace and other internet venues to promote her music and her message of independence.
	Following fresh in the footsteps of pop punk bands like Green Day, Blink-182, Hawk Nelson, and the Bouncing Souls is Indianapolis music group Same as Sunday . The band is as much about having fun on stage as they are for writing catchy rock riffs and addicting pop hooks.
	Shinky takes cues from a melting pot of musical inspiration, citing influences as diverse as pop rock band U2, late 90’s emo group The Get Up Kids, and nerd rock outfit Weezer.
	Formed in 1987, Sloppy Seconds is a self-proclaimed “junk rock” group that is everything a great punk band aspires to be: loud, irreverent, and completely self-made.
	The Souled Out Band is an Indianapolis music group that is one of the top cover and party bands in the city. Their expert musicianship, superb horn section, and supreme affability make them one of Indy’s finest music groups.
	Spanky’s Clubhouse was voted Indy’s “Best Local Rock Band” in 2005 and 2006. Playing a vast repertoire of cover and original rock and metal songs, the group plays regularly at Indianapolis music venues such as Krazy St. Grille, Point After, and Clancy’s.
	Stereo Deluxe is a nationally touring rock band based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. Their original songs have many rockabilly (a mix of honky-tonk and punk) elements to them, causing Indianapolis music fans to go wild.
	Steve Allee, a graduate of Ben Davis High School, is a world-renowned jazz pianist, composer, producer, and educator. He is a member of the Owl Studios label and plays regularly at the Jazz Kitchen.
	Combining influences from blues, rock, reggae, jazz and zydeco, The Stringtown Pickers have been riding the tails of the growing popularity of bluegrass, newgrass and jamgrass since the movie release of O, Brother Where Art Thou?
	Frequently seen performing at Indianapolis bars such as Krazy St. Grille, Clancy’s Pub, Bugsy’s, and That Place, Stone 10 provides an all-inclusive, fun, and entertaining Indianapolis music experience.
	Straight No Chaser is a nationally-touring Indianapolis music group originally brought together at Indiana University in 1996. Currently, 10 male vocalists perform the group’s entertaining a cappella versions of modern pop and classic rock songs.
	Death metal fans in Indianapolis are faithful followers of the local group Summon the Destroyer. The Indianapolis music group plays cover songs as well as originals, and their influences include Slayer, Testament and Behemoth.
	Twin Peaks is a cover band based in Indianapolis which specializes in performing dance music from the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and today. Lead singers Carrie Wehlage and Kelly Miller, twin sisters, originally formed this Indianapolis music group in 2006.
	Totally Michael’s songs feature lots of synth, addictive guitar hooks, drums that sound like they were spawned by a $20 keyboard, and witty, often hilariously explicit lyrics. The hooks and choruses happen frequently and are easy to latch on to, meaning that any crowd will be able to sing along.
	The Why Store is an Indianapolis band that has been around for twenty years; the band plays their own breed of acoustic guitar laced, layered, lyrically driven rock.

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Indianapolis Music Venues