Merkwood

The band which would eventually become Merkwood was formed in the fall of 2013 by musicians and IU students Matt Urban, Max Pretzer, and Karter Harmon. The band performed under the name Shotgun Genome (a.k.a. Shotty G) and quickly garnered attention playing high-energy improvisational rock music. Despite originating as a jam band with a rotating lineup, the core trio has remained constant throughout the group’s existence. With the addition of local jazz virtuoso Tommy B. on the keys, the group renamed themselves Merkwood and have gone on to develop a unique brand of addictive jamtronica.

Merkwood’s repertoire includes high-energy dance jams, live improvisation, catchy hooks and carefully-selected covers. They self-produced and released two albums in 2015, which are available for free at merkwood.bandcamp.com!