Country rock band The Wilder Blue, TradeUp Fest and 1970s vocal harmonies

Join host Josh Cecil for a special edition of the HamCo Live Hot Ticket podcast, your guide to the Hamilton County live music scene.

In this episode, Josh sits down for a porch-side interview with Zane Williams and Sean Rodriguez of the Texas-based country rock band The Wilder Blue. Joining from their tour bus in Wisconsin, Williams and Rodriguez discuss their unique sound, which blends 1970s acoustic folk rock, 1990s country and five-part vocal harmonies reminiscent of the Eagles, Alabama and Steely Dan.

The duo shares behind-the-scenes stories about recording "Seven Bridges Road" with Luke Combs, touring 12 stadium dates on Combs' 2024 tour and crafting intricate vocal arrangements on songs like "The Conversation". They also break down tracks from their new album, including "Texas Women," "Last Chance for Dancing," "Only the Years" and "Chasing the Sun," while explaining their decision to bring in outside musicians on fiddle, pedal steel and keyboards for the first time.The conversation covers life on the tour bus, sharing driving shifts, first and favorite concerts, and a hilarious memory of Zane playing a private solo show for a single audience member.

Josh also previews TradeUp Fest, taking place Saturday, Sept. 19 at the Riverview Health Arena at Innovation Mile in Noblesville. The celebration features a free outdoor daytime festival with eight local bands, food trucks and an interactive Trades Village, followed by a ticketed arena concert featuring Norah Reese, The Wilder Blue and headliner Larry Fleet.

Visit tradeupfest.com to claim free daytime passes or purchase arena concert tickets. For a complete local music calendar and to subscribe to the weekly newsletter, visit hamcolive.com.