Ink’s Middle of the Map fest 2013 lineup has been announced, with many more artists to be revealed at a later date.

The initial lineup consists of  Grizzly Bear, Iceage, The Whigs, Wovenhand, The Appleseed Cast, The Casket Lottery, White Lung, People Get Ready, Denison Witmer, Kitten, Guards, Cowboy Indian Bear, Soft Reeds, Palace, Making Movies, Détective, Owen Pallet, Mister Lies, The Last Bison, Pujol, Joe Pug, La Guerre, Spirit is the Spirit, Sleepy Kitty, My Gold Mask, Dots Not Feathers, Smoker, the Soil & the Sun, Trouper, Little Legend, Maps For Travelers, She’s A Keeper, Bloodbirds, Quiet Corral, Akkilles, Radkey, Steddy P & DJ Mahf, Thee Water MoccaSins, The ACB’s, Shy Boys, Fourth of July, Ghosty, Shadow Paint, The Slowdown, Cherokee Rock Rifle, Clairaudients, White Girl, Antennas Up, Heartfelt Anarchy, Six Percent, The Regrets, The Belles, The Noise FM and many more.

The fest runs from April 4-6 in various venues in Kansas City, including recordBar, The Riot Room, the Uptown Theatre, The Union, Gusto Lounge, and Westport Coffeehouse.

Tickets are available for purchase at the link here. It’s $45 for a 3-day music pass. An arts, culture, and tech forum will begin April 17, and is $50 for a 3-day pass. The film fest will take place May 1-5 and will cost $25 for the 5-day event. For an all-access pass, the cost is $100.

Middle of the Map Fest is curated by Nathan Reusch of The Record Machine and Chris Haghirian of Ink.

To find out more about the event from the curators as well as listen to music from some of the bands involved, visit The Mailbox, a weekly podcast from Michael Byars, Chris Haghirian, and Midwest Music Foundation.

–Michelle Bacon

I’m a sucker for stuff like this. Emotional doods, on top of tight grooves. For Brooklyn’s Isadora, that’s the way it goes. Fave track ‘Barcelona’ (only slightly ahead of ’21 1/2′) details some difficult experiences (and several types of lizards), but the slick feel will carry you away even before you’ve realized the weight of some of the material. It’s a balance hard to effect, and makes the band all the more necessary. Check out their latest and see the group live when they release their debut EP at Glasslands on Fri, Feb 22. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

He might be fresh on the music scene, but Gianni Napolitano and his rotating group of musicians, The Pine Hollows, have the distinguished sound of a band that’s been around for ages.  There is a warmth and familiarity to Napolitano’s voice that is reminiscent of early John Lennon.  Their debut album, “The Pine Hollows” is filled with upbeat tunes comprised of easy rock riffs and vintage melodies.  Standout tracks include the slightly slower-paced “Morning Sunrise” and “I Just Want to Tell You” which sounds as if it was recorded decades ago.  Look for their sophomore album, “Something My Heart Understands” which is set to be released February 26, 2013, and catch them at The Sidewalk Cafe on 2.13. – Jen Mergott

Friday February 1, WNYC brought to the stage 14 Brooklyn bands to kick off the 4 th annual “Battle of the Boroughs,” during which each band performed one song live on air to garner fan votes to elect them into the next round of online voting. Each borough will be whittled down to finalists who are set to perform at the Apollo Theater on June 21 for the ultimate showdown between the winners from individual boroughs. Ranging from solo artists to bands of 18 members, the handpicked bands showcased the versatility that New York embraces and played to a panel made up of Alicia Olatuja, John Sinclair, and Wes Jackson; between sets, one band member was also interviewed by Terrance McKnight. The results are in and the final voting round from Brooklyn include trombone- heavy electro instrumental group, Super Hi Fi, progressive rock, Er-hu-led The Hsu-nami, ghostlike and improvisational Dollshot, and rhythmic infused spoken word group, Yes Noyes, and swingy and sultry Victor V. Gurbo & Co. You can vote here to select the band that will continue on to the final battle! – Meijin Bruttomesso

Olga Bell is a deluge of instincts and passions filtered through a thousand different faders and filters. After collaborations with everyone from Dirty Projectors to Phiip Glass, there’s really not too many areas where she hasn’t flung her soaring soprano and world textures. Hard to pin down, it’s best to just jump right in to her record ‘Diamonte.’ Every track opens a different door, and keeps you wondering how many different voices Bell must have in her head. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

Thick as Theives has all of the grit and grime of a true American rock band. The duo, comprised of Chris Moran and Howzr boasts a sound that’s bluesy and punchy, reminiscent of established duos like The Black Keys and The White Stripes. Their 6-track self-titled EP was released online in November, and features uniquely infectious melodies and an equally hard-edged sound. “I Gotta Girl (With a List of Needs)” starts out with a fuzzy surf-riff reminiscent of Little Barrie’s “Surf Hell” and plunges into pounding drum-heavy solos. “Abilene” is a slower-paced track, complete with drawn out guitar solos and bluesy riffs. Look for their upcoming show at Brooklyn Bowl on March 19th. – Jen Margott

If you look towards the Pacific every evening, the LA skyline is usually painted with a gorgeous golden sunset. It’s easy to miss in the rustle-and-bustle of everyday life, but it’s a pleasure when a singer-songwriter like BETS comes along to vividly remind you of nature’s mysterious gifts. "Rooftop Lover" isn’t a song about contemplating this notion. Far from it – the image it evokes is one that comes naturally when we associate being in places that expand our viewpoint for at least a second. Composed of a weeping ukulele arrangement, the lackadaisical tune calmly strums over a gently pulsing keyboard that details a vast ocean. Her vocals are unerringly sweet, a brittle tonality that’s honey-dripped with frolicsome ennui; the thought of Nina Persson came to mind while entranced in her little dinky story about a girl who wonders about the whereabouts of her object of affection. Though there sound may be more west coast, this bi-coastal band spends a good deal of time in NYC. BETS’ debut EP, just released via iTunes, should make the perfect companion while taking the scenic route through Pacific Coast Highway. And if nothing else, at lease it’ll make you curious to go up your own rooftop for once and let your thoughts run free.

Anybody out there following the saga of those dot paintings? The ones by Damian Hirst that have the art world running in circles trying to catch its own tail? Yeah, well, that’s kinda what this latest single by Psychobuildings reminds me of. This time Peter LaBier discards his signature warbly vocals for crisp, lean pronunciation and he brings on Amanda Warner of MNDR for some blue-eyed soul vocals. But other than that, it’s business as usual: morbidly indulgent lyrics set to prancy, darkwave rhythms. What is harder to figure out this time ‘round is whether, like Hirst, Psychobuildings is commenting on the “me-me-me” credo of the times, or whether they’re actually compliant. Given the band’s background, I’m gonna guess there’s some outsider declaration here. Either way, I hope they contact Damian Hirst’s agent and find a way to make a music video filled with bouncing dots. – Brian Chidester

Brooklyn based artist Laura Stevenson has the ability to attack her own feelings of isolation and the weight of the world with a graceful lightheartedness, delving into the realms of humanity and grasping the world of relationships and feelings. the Long Island songwriter will host a release party for her 7” EP Wheel February 8th at the Music Hall of Williamsburg. The EP will feature her first single “Runner,” accompanied by two other songs. After that date she will hit the road in March with her band The Cans for a set of gigs throughout the east coast and southern states, including a stop at SXSW. Soon after, her full-length album "Wheel" is scheduled to be released on April 23rd. – Tina Aita

A Deli favorite (and on the cover of our current issue), Brooklyn indie pop quartet People Get Ready has announced a tour dates this April with Deerhoof.  Starting in Chicago, the bands will be playing shows in the northern states, reaching over to Michigan and making their way back east, with their last show in Philly. Unfortunately none of the shows are in NYC, but lucky for us People Get Ready will be playing next week (2.08) at our winter issue launch party at Mercury Lounge. – Lucy Sherman