Major and the Monbacks and The Congress

Hailing from Norfolk, VA, Major and the Monbacks have created their own blend of rock n roll, merging retro 60's rock n roll, psychedelic twang, soaring three-part harmonies, and the high energy and horn laden grit of southern soul. With three songwriters all switching between lead and backing vocal duties, as well as a full 8-piece ensemble that includes a lively horn section and a powerful rhythm section comprised of both a drummer and full time percussion player, the Monbacks have honed a very powerful sound. The band's debut full length album, due out May 12, 2015, has given the band a chance to finally capture the energy and tenacity of their live performances and translate that to a full studio release.

Twin brothers Neal and Cole Friedman founded what became Major and the Monbacks during high school in Norfolk, VA in 2008, teaming up with classmates Michael Adkins, Harry Schloeder, and Tyler West to form the core group that has driven the continued evolution and success of the band over the last 7 years. Beginning as late night jam sessions in Neal's bedroom in 2008, the Monbacks transitioned from high school garage band into traveling college band, and finally, after college, into a full time east coast touring band, embarking on a 5 month, 100+ date tour in 2014 that took the band 20,000 miles along the East Coast from Vermont down to Alabama. The band will be hitting the road in mid-April 2015 on a 5-month tour of the Eastern United States in support of their upcoming album.


With their noses to the grindstone for the past few years, The Congress hasn't had a moment to notice their ever changing surroundings. They have headlined tours across the US from coast to coast, as well as supporting full length tours for the likes of Tedeschi Trucks Band, Lake Street Dive, and Hard Working Americans, while incessantly playing their home turf in the Rocky Mountains in between these tours. The Congress has also succumbed to a growing writing habit that will culminate in the band's second full length album in 2016.

The Congress' recent incubation has led to a Muscle Shoals-esque tightness developed over hundreds of shows per year. Last year's addition of Virginia native Chris "Bernie" Speasmaker on keyboards injected a relentless energy into the former trio, stamping a tangible sonic signature on the band that is equal parts rock & roll, old-school soul music, and outlaw country. An obsession with rhythmic feel, songwriting, and instrumental mastery has only been further developed as the band has served as a backup unit on several other studio records and countless live shows.

With new and burgeoning success in markets across the United States, it is without doubt that The Congress will make their boldest statement with the next record, perhaps its most visible outside of the confines of word of mouth, where the band has garnered an exalted reputation in the music community.

Founded by Scott Lane and Jonathan Meadows in Richmond, VA, The Congress brings notions of genuine musicianship and inventive songwriting to a modern world of dubious cosmetic sound. Their brand of Rock & Roll is neither nostalgic nor progressive. It occupies the space between vintage sounds and the hyperbolic cynicism of our post-modern world.