NATURE NVOKE
As Nature Nvoke, Nate Eberhardt challenges listeners with a dark-wave-meets-proto-punk amalgam. Elements of electronic music with punk and even darker styles bubble up from this musical mire. Nature Nvoke is something of a gothic Afro-Futurist outlier in the Cleveland music scene and therefore the kind of project the foundation appreciates for its innovation, creativity, and commitment to live performance. Plus, Nature Nvoke just slays.
SLUGG
Gritty, grimy, industrial, noisy, and completely bizarre, Slugg (Kristal Mills) stuns audiences, rings ears, and blows PAs with abandon. A multi-instrumentalist who is as at home performing with rock bands and electronic acts as she is with noise projects and pure experimentalists, Slugg evolved with the addition of visuals to make the sometimes trance, sometimes industrial, and sometimes grind caterwaul all the more engaging. We cannot say enough about Slugg’s live shows; they possess a chaos all their own.
WISH QUEEN
Merging synthy Americana with singer-songwriter hooks and hypnotic dream pop overtures, Wish Queen (Grace Sullivan) is likely the quietest band the foundation has supported in the past decade. But quiet for Wish Queen doesn’t suggest lacking intensity or an unwillingness to let those smoky vocals soar. Wish Queen uses varying lineups and alternative instrumentations both in the studio and live to allow the project to breathe while always keeping those breaths close to Grace’s heart. We adore her.
We wanted to support mr. Gnome way back in 2018, but Sam Meister and Nicole Barille had a baby and took some time off to be parents. But now they’re back to recording and nationwide touring, and the foundation board was unanimous in its support of this fierce, independent musical project. Blues filtered through psychedelic freakouts with elements of proto-punk and weirdo art rock, mr. Gnome are road dogs and studio lovers and husband and wife and absolutely fantastic.
ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE IN 2025
CLEVELAND LOTTERY LEAGUE
We continue to serve as the non-profit financial arm of the notorious and influential Cleveland Lottery League. Covid-sidelined in recent years, look for a return of this fantastic monstrosity very soon. If you’d like to make a donation earmarked to the league, donate to the foundation with "For Lottery League" in the note.
RUSTBELT RIPPERFEST
For the first time, we are helping support this absolutely massive metal, punk, and hardcore festival held in February in Cleveland at various locations like the Grog Shop, the Happy Dog, the 5 O’Clock, and “Brothers Lounge. This festival has an insane number of bands, some awesome reunions of older hardcore and punk bands, and is in its third incarnation. We are excited to sponsor the festival for the first time.
INGENUITYFEST 2025
We work with our friends at Ingenuity to sponsor a stage at each year’s Ingenuity. Ingenuity has been supportive of local music and artists for nearly two decades, and we are excited to collaborate with them as they expand their musical offerings.
