A note from Kyle
Welcome to the first issue of The Mountain Wire — MRC's newsletter for artists, music lovers, and anyone who believes the Pacific Northwest has some of the best music in the country.
The idea is simple: one email, once a month, with the shows you should know about, the sessions we've been filming, and a few things from the industry worth paying attention to. No noise — just signal.
A lot has been happening at MRC. Alpenglow Studio is open and recording, Si Sessions has 17 artists filmed and counting, and we just launched the Gig Map — a tool to help bands find and manage venue relationships anywhere. More on all of that as it grows.
This is a community-first operation. If you have an upcoming show, want to be featured, or just want to connect — hit reply. I read everything.
Let's go.
— Kyle
Upcoming shows
MRC Events
Flamenco Juerga at Alpenglow Studio
📅 Friday, June 27 · 6:00 PM · Alpenglow Studios, North Bend WA
A flamenco juerga right here at MRC — intimate, live, and in the shadow of Mount Si.
RSVP at mountainrhythmcollective.com ↗
Si Sessions Artists
Elizabeth Petra — June Live Music
California dates · Bishop, Mammoth, and Aspendell
Jun 17 · Wayfinder, Bishop · 6–9pm
Jun 18 · Distant Brewing, Mammoth Lakes · 7–9pm
Jun 21 · Cardinal Village, Aspendell · 12–3pm (Father's Day Luau)
Jun 24 · Mountain Rambler, Bishop · 7–9pm
Jun 27 · Mammoth Brewing · 3–5pm
Jun 28 · The Village · 3:30–4:30pm (1st Responder Fest)
Anto Ferrante & The Zen Artists — Sogno at ZAG
📅 Friday, June 19 · Doors 6:45pm, Music 7:30pm · 4218 NE 103rd Place, Seattle WA
Debut album Sogno (Dream) performed live — an intimate evening opening with cacao and sound healing, followed by the full album with Rachel Nesvig, Amy Denio, Farko Dosumov & Nonda Trimis.
🎟️ $30–60 sliding scale
Tickets at zagseattle.org ↗
Albuquerque Press Band — Live at Bindlestick
📅 Friday, June 19 · 7:00–9:00 PM · Bindlestick, North Bend WA · $10 cover
Bob Antone & Tinkam Road — Haystack Festival
📅 Thursday, July 10 · Haystack Festival, North Bend WA
Local roots music right in MRC's backyard. Come out and support.
Garrett Hendrix — Northwest & Southbound Tour
June 20 through August 8 · PNW to Tennessee
Jun 20 · Carnation, WA ·
Jul 10 · Carnation, WA ·
Jul 12 · Stayton, OR
Jul 14 · Missoula, MT ·
Jul 17–18 · Walker, CA ·
Jul 22 · Santa Cruz, CA
TBA · Los Angeles, CA ·
TBA · Tulsa, OK ·
Aug 8 · Franklin, TN
Follow Garrett for venue details and tickets as they're announced.
Have an upcoming show? Reply to this email and we'll add it to next month's issue.
Latest Si Session
We've been filming live sessions beneath Mount Si since last year — raw, cinematic, and rooted in place. Every artist brings something different to the mountain. Our latest sessions are up on YouTube.
Watch All Si Sessions ↗
Industry Intel
News and insights worth knowing if you're an independent artist in 2026.
Independent music now accounts for 44% of the US recorded music market.
That's not a niche anymore — that's nearly half the industry. The infrastructure, tools, and audiences are all there. This is the best time in history to be building something independently.
The US mechanical rate increased to 13.1¢ per song as of January 1, 2026.
If you're releasing physical media or licensing songs, this matters. Make sure your contracts and distribution agreements reflect the updated rate.
Tidal pays out ~$0.012 per stream vs. Spotify's ~$0.003–0.005.
Nearly triple the per-stream rate. If you're uploading to streaming platforms, there's no reason not to include Tidal. Takes 10 minutes through most distributors and the payout difference is significant at volume.
The theme of 2026 for independent artists: build a micro-economy, not a viral moment.
Streams are a metric, not a business. Artists who build multiple revenue streams — live shows, sync licensing, teaching, merch, Patreon, studio work — are outperforming those chasing algorithmic hits. Sound familiar? That's exactly what MRC is built around.
Alpenglow Studio is Open
Now accepting artists for recording sessions. Two levels, direct view of Mount Si, and the full MRC ecosystem behind you. If you're an MRC artist and want to book time, hit reply.
Learn More ↗
Thanks for being part of this community. Share this with any musicians in your world who'd want in — the more artists in the network, the better it works for everyone.
See you at the Juerga on June 27.
— Kyle & the MRC crew