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MUSIC + PERFORMANCE

”Groundwaves has helped me bring my songs to life and for them to do more than just sit on a streaming site. The community and connections have been incredible.

Kevin Contra

Since 2021, Groundwaves has gathered together MCs from across the region with legendary West Coast rapper Murs for six-month seasons of community, creative collaboration, and career development.  Open mics and cyphers, one-on-one mentorship time with Murs, “best of” regional showcases, national festival performance opportunities – all have combined to help our artists up their game via regular collaboration and constructive critique.

 

Groundwaves is free to participate in, and open to any MC or beatmaker who wants to work with mentors and peers in the hip-hop community. Audience members are also welcome to attend, even if they are not planning to perform (fair warning: some are so moved by the friendly vibe they end up performing anyway).

 

Groundwaves(AR) is joined by its sister programs, Groundwaves(OK) in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Groundwaves(CO) — the chapter that started it all — in Fort Collins, Colorado.  Where will Groundwaves pop up next?  Stay tuned…

LISTEN TO GROUNDWAVES ARTISTS

  Groundwaves 2024 Dates: May 7.  June 4.  July 9. August 6. September 3. October 1 

  Groundwaves 2024 Dates: May 7.  June 4.  July 9. August 6. September 3. October 1 

Live Music Bentonville

Live Music Bentonville is a live music series featuring the biggest musical acts in Northwest Arkansas. Curated by CACHE, each event offers a one-of-a-kind experience that can only be found in Bentonville, Arkansas.

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2022

  • Randall Shreve + DJ Jon Jon — Black Apple Tree House

  • Jess Harp Band + Neon Flight — Bike Rack Brewing

  • Bootleg Royale + The Formals — Walmart Breezeway

  • Abby Howard + Amor — BRIKA

  • NWA Jazz Society — Massey Hotel balcony

  • Bootleg Royale + Cole Birmingham Band — The Meteor

  • Love More Records — the Momentary tulip barn

  • Sarah Lily — 8th Street Market

  • One Penny Shy + CDSR CYCO — Olly Makes Bakery

  • Matt Magerkurth & Red Lens — the Momentary tulip barn

  • DJ Raquel, DJ TyWalker, DJ Taiga — 8th Street Market

  • 3DeadIdols, Jasper Logan, Big Piph — CACHE Studios

  • Kary Middleton — Olly Makes Bakery

  • Sewlo, Kevin Contra — Downtown Bentonville

  • drkpttrn, DJ Raquel — the Momentary tulip barn

  • Leake, Bumboi, Cold Steppaa — CACHE Studios

  • Sidney Patrick — Breezeway

  • Kenneth Wilson, Emily Rowland — BRIKA

  • Sebastian Diaz — House of Songs

  • Ozark Odyssey — 8th Street Market

2023

  • Doug Kramer, DJ Raquel, Tatical Nuke — CACHE Studios

  • DJ Afrosia, Avia Alia — ReLeaf Center

  • Eddie Canyon — Old High Middle School

  • Big Piph — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

  • Bumboi, BCE, HellCuddah, Grimmo, Grey Killa, 3DeadIdols — CACHE Studios

  • Yuni Wa — the Momentary Tower Bar
    NWA Fashion Week After Party

  • Emani, Cavari, Aaron Sawyer, LRG, Lovelace, A Slade, Siyla, Dupri, Bezel, Rebellious Essence — CACHE Studios
    Soul Starz

  • Jasper Logan, BAANG — CACHE Studios
    BFF After Party

  • Susie Q, DJ Girlfriend, P for Parker, Juicyy — CACHE Studios
    House of Untz Pride party

  • DJ Raquel — ReLeaf Center

  • LeaKe, Avian Alia, Curtis III, Vraii — Two Friends Books

  • LeaKe, JTLondon, others — CACHE Studios
    Daytrip Fest

  • Ashtyn Barbaree, Jess Harp, The Big Sad, YAINT, John Charles, The Phlegms, TV Preacher, Fight Dream, Bellwether Sirens, Protohive
    Anvil Fest 

Music Ecosystems

Support and growth for the Northwest Arkansas music scene

CACHE worked with British music industry think tank Sound Diplomacy to complete a Music Ecosystem Strategy and Action Plan for NWA, which engaged more than 500 people from the region’s community and music industry leaders.

Research showed Northwest Arkansas’ music ecosystem produces a $389 million economic output and is responsible for 3,972 jobs in the region. Sound Diplomacy made several recommendations to elevate the region’s music ecosystem.

Key opportunities to be addressed over the next three years include

1

Establishing a full-time staff dedicated to the development of music ecosystem
2

Activating cities to strategically support music
3

Developing platforms for the region’s diverse, culturally rich communities
4

Creating grants, residencies, exchanges, workshops and more for musicians
5

Supporting the creation of dedicated artist-centric spaces
6

Nurturing, growing and attracting music businesses and music-related technology and multimedia sectors to support local artists
7

Building partnerships with K-12 schools, arts education organizations and higher education to create intentional pipelines of local skills and creativity

Read the Executive Summary Read the Executive Summary

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