Barefoot, underage and incredibly talented, these "gypsy wonder boys" showed us that Ocean City, Maryland isn't just a hotbed of summer tourists and frozen custard joints--for Hot Sauce Sandwich, this east coast beach town is, at its core, a familial music community where locals like to sit back, hang out with friends, and maybe even eat some hot sauce on bread.

AS220, a local forum and home for the arts in Providence, Rhode Island, embraces a diverse music and arts scene supports an eclectic spread of local artists.  Case in point?  At AS220, the crew heard a romanichal singer-songwriter with his string back-up band, a soft-spoken new-age Bob Dylan and even a few rowdy street performers, all in one night.

Marimbas in Maine?  Leave it to Portland's Maine Marimba Ensemble to remind us that "local" music scene do not have to be inspired by uniquely regional sounds.

"There's a band in every restaurant."  Taking its top-rated culinary scene and abundance of local musical talent, the creative minds of Portland, Maine did only what made sense:  they created a restaurant-specific, rock-heavy battle of the bands.  

At a single crossroad in Hartland, Vermont, we left cell service and streetlights behind, discovering instead a hole-in-the-wall musical haven.  Skunk Hallow Tavern, a late 18th century colonial home, is famed to be the longest-running open mic night in New England.

Back to our university stomping grounds of Hamilton, New York, we decided to ditch the college parties for some locally sourced craft beer, a Dylan-inspired local jam band and a magical evening spent singing and strumming guitar around an early summer bonfire.

Unable to resist seeing what the head-banging and hair-whipping was all about, The Locavaux Crew got up close and personal at The Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan with Iggy Pop-contemporaries, Hung Up.

Where better to listen to incredible finger-picking and foot-tapping bluegrass tunes, brought to you by Traverse City, Michigan locals Billy Strings and Don Julin, than floating over Grand Traverse Bay on a catamaran sunset cruise?

A Michigan-native folk rock trio of goofy, upbeat friends with a knack for making life-long pals from the audience, Valentiger pairs well with local craft-beer-induced swing dancing and sing-alongs.

A surprise find during our stay in Minneapolis, Addy, lead singer of the lo-fi indie band Adelyn Rose, gave the Locavaux crew a fresh, female perspective on the local music scene. We’ll have you know that this girl is more than capable of carrying her own equipment.

Brought together by “higher education” at Macalester College and kept together by “higher music,” the four founding members of Carroll, a Minneapolis indie rock band with synth-heavy rhythms and pop-perfect lyrics, are living proof of that famous Midwestern charm.

When we look back on time spent with Iowa City pop band The Olympics, three things come to mind: thigh-slapping, the song that would become our road anthem of the summer (“Gypsy Blood”) and basketball. Join the Locavaux crew in singing along and laughing hard with these jokester pop crooners—they’re the perfect mix of quirky and entertaining that gets all types of crowds up on their feet and dancing.

A self-proclaimed “beach blues” indie duo, Iowa City’s own Chasing Shade sat down with The Locavaux Project just days before making the big move from their beloved hometown to the distant West Coast. Now living the dream in sunny LA, Chasing Shade’s Elliot and Griffen remind us that, for local artists trying to make it big, “you can’t forget where you came from.”

Lauren and Andy of Hear Nebraska, a not-for-profit devoted to encouraging a world-renowned respect the local Nebraska music scene deserves, are here to remind us that Omaha is perfectly happy being the country’s underdog city: “People come in with low expectations and we blow them away.”

Eager to play to their hometown crowd, Boulder’s own West Water Outlaws aren’t afraid of a rowdy crowd-- broken noses, spilled beer and all. These Boulder locals stay away from the over-played crowd pleasers, despite incessant “Wagon Wheel” requests!

Thanks to Ehren Wright, a Colorado native musically known as "So Down", the city of Boulder is “feelin’ the love, feelin’ the groove, feelin’ the funk” through the ever-evolving bass music movement.

You know it's not a typical Sunday afternoon when you get a private electronic show in the popular Park City nightclub, Star Bar (fog machine, lasers and bottle service included!) Passionate for the power of creating sound, Chris Shields of SHEILDS and duo Cosmos & Cameo was more than happy to show the Locavaux Crew how creation and collaboration over music brings his diverse town together.

Armed with the knowledge that he was "going to die anyways," Ryan "Shmedley" Maynes left his established, Los Angeles rock star life and moved to Missoula, Montana to open up a local recording studio. Ten years later, Shmed's successful Club Schmed Studios is proof that fortune favors the brave.

Taking block parties to a whole new level, Bozeman, Montana's Music on Main is testament to the power of PBR, suspended open-container laws, two-stepping local rock groups and 360 degree mountain views.

If you like whiskey and can stomp your feet you're guaranteed to have a good time at Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco. Just ask Anju's Pale Blue Eyes and Shady Maples, two local San Francisco bands who regularly share this local stage with national touring acts.

Looking to set down roots and dig into a West Coast music scene, the four long-time friends of The Long Hello found their new hometown in the small, so-called hippie capital of the country: Eugene, Oregon.

Scott Lesman is convinced that he has the best job in the world. An open-mic host at a number of Olympia, Washington bars and music venues, Scott provides lesser-known, up-and-coming local artists with all the right tools to explore and expand their musical talents.

Seattle, an "inherently positive" city that provides a fan base for even the most obscure musical genres, is home to the math rock group Postmadonna. They let us step into a basement session for a glimpse of those complex experimental melodies. Just around the corner, The Vera Project a non-profit all-ages music venue, is doing its part to provide a stage for artists like Postmadonna and maintain those positive Seattle vibes.

Lake Champlain, stretched out on all sides.  A surreal ferry ride, miles of winding pines and warm breezes as we cruised through the Adirondacks with the door wide open. 

Thanks to the Alchemist Brewery for a mind boggling brew.

Deep-blue Lake Michigan waters seen beneath the Mackinac Island Bridge, lunching on traditional Upper Peninsula pasties (Chase's first taste), the refreshing lake air that begged us to stick our heads out bus windows and the clear, crisp Michigan skies were simply incredible.

Beers, boats, brats and “Born in the USA” covers—the Locavaux Crew wished America the most local of Happy Birthday’s while cruising through the cheesy Bavaria that is the Wisconsin Northwoods.

HAPPY SPRING RAIN from the Locavaux Project! Spring has sprung and we're puddle-jumping for joy! And not just because we can wear shorts--we are getting ready to wrap up the final stages of the editing process!

This is about buying the bus

Music: Index // Hustle & Drone

The intro or something

Music: Index // Hustle & Drone

This is about a rainy day for springtime

Music: Birds // Chasing Shade