Big Something

Hailing from the North Carolina countryside, or “The Middle of Nowhere,” as it is lovingly dubbed on their debut album, the 6-headed musical monster known as ‘Big Something’ has steadily become one of the most unique and exciting rock bands to emerge from the Southeast.

Huge rhythms paired with soaring guitars, E.W.I (electronic wind instrument), synths, horns and soulful vocals rise to the top of their signature sound taking listeners on a journey through a myriad of musical styles. With a diverse and growing catalog of timeless songs that tell stories, and a high energy live show fusing improvisational alternative rock with funk, reggae, jazz, electronica, heavy metal and more — it’s no secret why their fun-loving grassroots community of fans is so enamored with the band.

After over a decade together with 6 full-length studio albums produced by Grammy-nominee John Custer and even their own Summer music festival The Big What?, Big Something have carved out their own niche in the live music community and continue to grow nationally landing marquee appearances at Bonnaroo, Peach Music Festival, Lock’n, Summer Camp and Electric Forest as well as critical acclaim from the likes of Billboard, Guitar World, Glide Magazine and Jambase.

The Ries Brothers (pronounced ”Rees”), a duo from St Petersburg, FL, blend rock, blues, jam, funk, and reggae into a soulful-sophisticated sound. Older brother Charlie (27) sings lead vocals while simultaneously playing drums and keyboard bass giving the band its unique and full sound. Younger brother Kevin Jordan (23) completes the band’s “sonic creativity” on guitar, ukulele, melodica, theremin and provides background vocals. The band started playing the Florida bar circuit as young teenagers where they were discovered by the band CHICAGO and taken out on two regional tours prompting them to leave school and focus on music full time.

The Brothers inimitable live performances have captured fans across the musical landscape leading to marquee support slots and major festival bookings.  After Supporting a G Love & Special Sauce tour in 2018, G Love asked the brothers to tour as his backing band and open his solo tour.  They repeated that feat again in 2019.”  In between, the brothers completed their own headline tours in addition to supporting major artist like Stick Figure, 311 (invited to perform on the 311 cruise immediately after opening for 311 by their management,) Pepper, Galactic, Stephen Marley, and playing major festivals Sunfest, Cali Roots, Gasparilla, Rootfire and Summer Camp finishing 2019 with a 35- date tour with Iya Terra.  In early 2020, the brothers toured supporting Iration, Ballyhoo! and Iya Terra The pandemic canceled a future tour with Badfish (A Tribute to Sublime,) a second run with Iration, plus numerous festivals. Making the best of their time off, they recorded remote collaboration videos with members of “The Lumineers” “Gary Clark Jr.” Steve Miller Band” and “Iration.”

In July of 2021, the duo released a song with their good friends Iration, which hit 100k streams in a couple days. This was a follow up to their reggae remix of their song “Take It Back” featuring Julian Marley, Bumpin Uglies, E.N Young, Gary Dread (The Movement), Kash’d Out, Little Stranger and Jaime Hinckson.  This remix of a song from their second full-length album, “Paint Your Emotion,” produced by John Agnello (Screaming Trees, Dinosaur JR, Patti Smyth,) was released on CSSL/Megaforce Records in September 2020 This record leaned towards alternative rock, A live streaming only EP of the duo’s Sugar Shack Sessions (SS first release) was released in Fall of 2019 on Ineffable Records.

As live music made its comeback, in July 2021 they were asked to support David Shaw (Lead Singer of The Revivalists) on a southeast tour, even being brought up every night to perform with the band. In December they were asked to join the band on leg 2 of that tour, which hit the Midwest and northeast. They just performed at Cali Vibes (largest ever US Reggae Festival) and at the 5th Anniversary of Okeechobee Music Fest. Currently working on their new album being produced and engineered by Gary Clark Jrs. original drummer and engineer. The album will lean towards more rock n roll, bluesy, and jam rock vibes, truly defining their sound.