The following is from our KCSU DJs Alex Gumber and Michael Wells:

At a festival like Arise, a four-piece acoustic bluegrass band seems to stand out. The Haunted Windchimes are a band from Pueblo, Colorado, and stand out is exactly what they did. With a combination of guitar, ukulele, banjo, and accordion, accompanied by a four-part singing harmony, an orchestral sound is created.

Each band member partakes in the songwriting, exemplified by the fact that the first four songs of their set were each written by a different band member. Two of the members, Inaiah and Chela Lujan, are siblings, and, with their close friend Desirae Garcia, they founded the band. The three are vocal juggernauts with Mike Love providing a certain virtuosity, playing accordion, guitar, mandolin, harmonic and many other instruments.

The entire set had the feeling of American roots bluegrass and had a lightness that floated on the ears. Starting out there was maybe 10 people alongside me at the Eagle stage to watch, but only 3 songs in, the crowd had grown to at least 100 people, and they all were enthralled. People were dancing, eating, but most importantly enjoying.

The stand out of the set was the song “Out With a Crow,” a slow driven song that had a good mix of every instrument on stage. This song also must have been a fan favorite, as the crowd chanted along the whole song.

Overall, the band was great and was a highlight of the festival. A new album on the way; this is a group that any fan of American roots groups would love.

-By Alex Gumper and Michael Wells