Balkun Brothers + Ben Brandt & The Soul Miners Union

Balkun Brothers: balkunbrothers.com

nternationally touring rock n’ roll band, Balkun Brothers, is made up of older brother, Steve, on guitar, vocals and thumb-bone bass, alongside younger brother, Nick ‘The Hammer’ on drums and vocals. The band, formed in 2010, is reinventing the term “power duo” with their heavy hitting, new-age brand of psychedelic rock n' roll.

Brewed in a caldron of face-melting guitar riffs that are met with a wall of earth quaking bass drum hits, their ferocious flaming meteor of a duo, breeds a ruthless rebellion of rock n’ roll. Known for their explosive live shows that go from 0 to 100 in the blink of an eye, the brothers grew up studying the likes of Son House, Johnny Winter, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, then smashing those together with Motorhead, Primus, Rage Against the Machine, The Doors, Motley Crue and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Ben Brandt & The Soul Miners Union: soulminersunion.com

One could say Ben Brandt was born with a guitar in his hands and this would not be far from the truth. The son of a professional musician, Ben cannot remember a time when the guitar was not a part of his life. As a baby he was fascinated by the instrument and by the time he was three he was picking out riffs on his father’s guitars. In 1999, at the age of 10, Ben started his own band, the Ben “Jamin” Brandt Project and his talents were discovered by a local radio station in NJ, WDHA. They promoted his music and booked him at festivals where he shared the stage with the likes of Savoy Brown and Billy Hector.