New Dawn Starkestra

NEW DAWN STARKESTRA:

New Dawn Starkestra is a new collaboration between four heavyweights of the Western North Carolina music scene: vocalist and songwriter Rebekah Todd, guitarist Isaac Hadden, bassist Quinn Sternberg, and drummer Jeff Sipe, a veteran of the jam and jazz worlds known for his work with Aquarium Rescue Unit and beyond. Together, they’ve formed something that feels less like a supergroup and more like a conversation — one that’s unfolding live, night after night.

At its core, the band is rooted in trust: each member brings original songs to the table, but there’s no fixed destination. Their sets blend composed material with extended improvisation and unexpected detours. One moment might feel like Southern soul, the next like spacey fusion, and the next like something you’ve never quite heard before. It’s not genre-hopping — it’s just what happens when four players actually listen to one another.

What separates New Dawn Starkestra is their ability to stretch out without losing the thread. The musicianship is airtight, but it never gets in the way of the emotional core. They’re not afraid of silence, or space, or slowness — and when the energy builds, it feels earned. Their shows aren’t about replication; they’re about discovery.

In their short time together, they’ve already begun turning heads at venues and festivals throughout the Southeast, with performances that feel more like experiences than sets. There’s no spectacle here, no posturing. Just four artists showing up, tuning in, and chasing whatever spark happens to catch that night.