At venues large and small, Indianapolis music lovers had plenty of great concerts to attend in 2024 — most notably from a certain pop star named Taylor.
While the marquee acts were doing their thing, however, Indianapolis artists were also making noise of their own, carrying a torch for the city lovingly known as Naptown.
As a longtime local music journalist, I had the pleasure of witnessing many of these moments firsthand. Here are seven of my favorite local music memories from 2024.
Everything, Now! makes its long-awaited return
It had been over a decade since local rock ’n’ roll heroes Everything, Now! released new music. But on June 22, the much-loved band made their triumphant return, celebrating the release of 2024 album “Hideout Mountain” with a show at State Street Pub.
I Made Rock ’N’ Roll Festival celebrates inaugural year
Presented by GANGGANG and Forty5, the I Made Rock ’N’ Roll festival celebrated the role of Black artists in shaping rock ’n’ roll history with performances from Janelle Monáe, Gary Clark Jr., Robert Randolph and more. Held on May 18 at the American Legion Mall, the first-ever fest was chock full of good vibes as thousands gathered for a full day of Black rock in downtown Indy.
Mina Keohane hushes the haters
As the frontwoman of Mina & the Wondrous Flying Machine, Mina Keohane has admittedly encountered some naysayers during her music career, with one record producer even telling her, “Nobody is going to like this music.” While composing 2024 album “Quiet Little Wreckonings”; however, Keohane embraced her unique songwriting style, blazing a confident path with the support of her band.
Music In Transit video series rolls on
Directed by local videographer Jake Huber, the Music In Transit series was started in 2019 to shine a light on Indianapolis music talent and public transit. Having now welcomed everyone from punk bands to Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra musicians to perform intimate sessions on parked IndyGo buses, the series’ sixth season featured performances from chicano band Los Aptos, blues troubadour Tommy Baldwin, funk rock powerhouse the Indigos and more.
Oreo Jones makes his solo return
Despite being a part of local acts like 81355 and White Moms, local hip-hop mainstay Oreo Jones hadn’t released a solo album in eight years until 2024’s “Nephew.” A project that celebrates family, “Nephew” features contributions from noteworthy collaborators, including rapper Flacoisbored, composer and vocalist Hanna Benn, songwriters Jordan Victoria and Oliver Hopkins, and producers Harry Otaku and Matt Riefler.
Swift City Sessions spotlights local music talent
As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour descended on Indianapolis over the first weekend of November, local artists took advantage of the opportunity through the Indy Arts Council’s Swift City Sessions pop-up performances. Stationed across 13 downtown locations, more than 100 musicians and spoken-word artists showcased their talents as part of stripped-down sessions while thousands upon thousands of Swifties stopped to enjoy.
Wishy goes to Europe and back
Since releasing its impressive debut “Triple Seven” in August, Indianapolis indie rock band Wishy has toured all over the U.S. and Europe, with West Coast dates to come in December. Headed up by Kevin Krauter and Nina Pitchkites on vocals, Wishy recently returned home for a packed-out show at the Hi-Fi in what felt like another big step in the group’s growth.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
