Just over ten years ago, Beachland Ballroom co-owner Cindy Barber founded the nonprofit Cleveland Rocks: Past, Present, Future to provide resources and education for area musicians to use as a springboard to take their careers to the next level.
One of its initiatives is its Music Incubator Program, which each year for the past four years has hosted a new cohort of musicians. They’re offered professional development workshops, mentorship, performance opportunities, and microloans to help them level up their careers. It accepts applications annually and this year had a record number of applications. It has just announced seven extremely diverse acts who will be part of its 2026 class of incubator artists.
Some are well-known and already had deep roots in the local music scene, while others are just starting to make their marks.
In the former category are singer/songwriter/producer/educator Taylor Lamborn, who is currently executive director at Roots of American Music; and Moon Echo Garden, a psychedelic-influenced quartet led by the versatile Meganne Stepka who has performed in configurations ranging from solo folk to hard rock and had hosted many open mics in the area. Frida and the Mann made a splash on the scene a few years ago and have recently reemerged and recommitted to performing their powerful female-fronted rock. Nature Nvoke, led by Afrofuturist guitarist Nate “Ace” Eberhardt, performs edgy, dark, intense included by electronic, hardcore, ambient and post-punk. In contrast, the trio jack and the Optimists, led by Jack McLaughlin, look back to the nostalgic pop of British wave of the 60s. Fox Ears draws on the whole range of Black music: soul, funk and r&B as well as rock, while Rustic Skies’ sound is dominated by electric cello and brings classical and jazz influences to bear on rock.
Expect to hear these bands performing at venues around Waterloo Road, including the Beachland, and festivals this summer.
Go here for more information about the bands and the Incubator program.
clevelandrocksppf.org/music-incubator-program/