Portland band blends punk rock energy with traditional Appalachian folk, bluegrass, and prohibition-era jazz.

Seriously, where have the Bridge City Sinners been all our lives?!?

Long before the band fully materialized in 2016, vocalist Libby Lux and upright bassist Scott Michaud were playing together on the sidewalks of Portland, Oregon. Drawing on years spent traveling and busking, they gathered audiences on street corners, in living rooms, and wherever else people would crowd around a song.

From Sidewalk Busking to Festival Stages

Armed with a banjo, fiddle, guitar, upright bass, and ukulele, the Bridge City Sinners seamlessly fuse old-time jazz, Appalachian folk, and punk. Their live shows are a dynamic mix of eerie ballads and loud, rowdy singalongs—a powerful sonic combination that has elevated them from underground street musicians to main-stage festival acts at Punk Rock Bowling, Muddy Roots, and Oregon’s Bluegrass String Summit.

There is a distinct, uncompromising grit that develops when a musician’s survival depends on capturing the attention of a distracted passerby. From the sidewalk directly to the stage, the Sinners join a long, legendary lineage of artists who found their footing on the pavement. Tracy Chapman famously refined her haunting melodies in the open air of Harvard Square, while Sierra Ferrell spent years hopping freight trains and busking her way through the vibrant streets of New Orleans and Seattle. Across the Atlantic, Glen Hansard’s passionate street performances became the beating heart of Dublin, and a young Rod Stewart busked through London and Brighton. Even titans of American music like B.B. King in the Mississippi Delta, Beck at bus stops in Los Angeles, and the Violent Femmes on the sidewalks of Milwaukee honed their craft by busking for anyone willing to stop and listen. Authenticity, and a exact lack of pretense is precisely what makes the Sinners feel so vital today.

Climbing the Charts & Staying Fiercely DIY

The numbers are quickly catching up to their fierce live reputation. Their album In the Age of Doubt reached No. 2 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Albums chart, while making impressive dents at No. 20 on Emerging Artists, No. 23 on Heatseekers, and No. 40 on Top Current Album Sales. Fans can also look forward to a wave of new music slated for release in 2027.

The Spears and Blades video was filmed in one continuous shot from the stage by filmmaker Ryys during a performance in Cologne, Germany.

Despite their commercial momentum, the band remains fiercely independent. They still release their music through Flail Records, a community-minded label founded and operated by bassist Scott Michaud. Built firmly on DIY and DIT (“do it together”) principles, Flail centers on collaboration, ensuring independent artists have an equitable ecosystem to support one another and release music on their own terms.

Spreading “New Year’s Evil” Worldwide

“Can’t wait to be back in the UK. It’s been two years since we’ve tasted those beautiful breakfast beans,” says guitarist, co-writer, and vocalist King Strang. “We get to celebrate our favorite holiday for two full weeks this year and we’re going all out. A lot of people really loved Streetlight Manifesto in high school, and I still can’t believe we get to play some shows with them.”

This week they kick off dates in the UK and Ireland before returning to the West Coast for shows through January. They will play 4 shows in California with a SoCal Halloween show at Ventura Music Hall! Get ready Ventura, you’re in for a TREAT!

Tour Dates

Repent Repeat — UK and Ireland

• September 30 — Brighton, UK @ Chalk
• October 1 — Nottingham, UK @ Rescue Rooms
• October 2 — Newcastle upon Tyne, UK @ Anarchy Brew Co
• October 3 — Manchester, UK @ Club Academy
• October 4 — Glasgow, UK @ Room 2
• October 7 — Belfast, Northern Ireland @ Oh Yeah Music Centre
• October 8 — Dublin, Ireland @ Whelan’s
• October 9 — Birmingham, UK @ Castle and Falcon
• October 10 — London, UK @ The Dome
• October 11 — Bristol, UK @ The Fleece

Trick or Treat — West Coast

• October 23 — Tacoma, WA @ Airport Tavern
• October 24 — Tacoma, WA @ Airport Tavern
• October 25 — Ashland, OR @ Historic Ashland Armory
• October 27 — Petaluma, CA @ Mystic Theatre
• October 28 — Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall
• October 29 — Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
• October 31 — Ventura, CA @ Ventura Music Hall (Halloween Show!)

With Streetlight Manifesto

• November 13 — Dallas, TX @ House of Blues Dallas
• November 14 — Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live Midtown
• November 15 — San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre

New Year’s Evil Tour

(With Riley Downing of The Deslondes and Roselit Bone)

• December 30 — Boise, ID @ Shrine Social Club
• December 31 — Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
• January 1 — Bellingham, WA @ The Wild Buffalo
• January 2 — Vancouver, BC @ The Pearl

Support independent artists! Buy their albums, merch and go to their shows!

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Tickets and more information: bridgecitysinners.com/shows