Blue Cactus

Overview

Americana/Indie-Country duo Blue Cactus supplements their twang with soaring, space-rock-inspired guitars, while rich harmonies keep their tunes grounded in traditional American Roots. Based out of Chapel Hill, NC, Blue Cactus is led by long-time collaborators Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez, who create songs that range from gritty Honky Tonk to tender, heartbreaking balladry.

Their 2017 self-titled debut album has given life to the future of country music and received praise from critics across the nation for its poignant songwriting, acute sensibility and expansive interpretation of alt-country. Seamlessly bridging the Bakersfield and Countrypolitan sounds with elements of modern Americana, the record encompasses everything that made country music matter.

​ ​In their eighth year of making music together, Arnez and Stewart have become a nimble creative unit, adept at exploring heartache and hope with time-tested Honky Tonk humor. They have toured throughout the US, sharing the stage with with the likes of The War & Treaty, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Junior Brown and Town Mountain. Blue Cactus conjures a sound that will take you on a familiar journey into uncharted country, expanding tropes and breathing hope into the genre's limitless possibilities.