Equilibrium depends on music. Body, mind, and soul move in a perfect harmony together. Synapses fire and hearts thump in time like a drumbeat. In this respect, the right tune sung at the right moment works like the best kind of natural medicine. Maine-based singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Coyote Island—a.k.a. Mike O’Hehir—recognizes and reveres the restorative potential of songcraft. Mixing folk, reggae, pop, world, cumbia, and psychedelia, he stirs up a sonic elixir meant to invigorate and inspire.
Reeling in over 10 million streams and counting and packing shows, authentic intention underscores his artistry at all times.
Growing up in Maine, Mike uncovered his passion for music as a kid. Gravitating to folk, he picked up an acoustic guitar and began writing original songs, playing open mics and busking on the streets of Portland Maine.
His life twisted and turned geographically and creatively. Eventually, he packed a bag and traded the Northeast for Northern California with adventure and “some soul searching” in mind. Life experiences (and a few psychedelics) incited a spiritual epiphany. With senses heightened, his vision became clear.
“I realized that I was holding back quite a bit, and I was afraid to play music that truly showed who I was,” he recalls. “There is a spirituality to what I’m doing. I felt like I had a responsibility to share a higher vibrational energy with people.”
Heeding this call, he returned to his old stomping grounds on the East Coast and absorbed inspiration from artists as diverse as Milky Chance, Khruangbin, and Hermanos Gutiérrez with healthy doses of Afrobeats and psychedelic cumbia among an array of other global sounds. Meanwhile the moniker Coyote Island presents in the form of what he calls “a reoccurring experience with medicine cards.”
“I had this animal medicine card deck,” he goes on. “When you draw a card, each animal has a certain wisdom. In a particularly dark time I was experiencing, I kept drawing the Coyote card, so I decided to pay attention. Coyote is the trickster and it showed me how I was fooling myself through fear, doubt, and limitation. By recognizing that I was my own trickster, I was able to step outside of the trap and face it. It’s hard to describe but it was a profound moment of realization that became a major sign post on my spiritual path. Later that night, I woke up from a dream with the image of Coyote Island in my brain. Hence, the name. A portal opened.”
It didn’t close either.
Riding this wave, he crafted Coyote Island’s debut single “Here Before.” The track amassed over 3.1 million Spotify streams and counting as he attracted a Global audience.
The live lineup also took shape with Amir Rivera [guitar], Garrett Roy Jones [bass], and Ryan Benoit [drums]. Following the Origin Stories EP, he continued to create at a prolific pace. 2023 saw him level up again on Holy Illusion. It boasted notable collaborations such as “Casio Magic” with Matisyahu, “Everyone Need Love” with Surfer Girl, “Raise It” with Mihali, and “Quarantine” with Abitemi.
Across the record, chords melt into organic danceable beats accented by smoky psychedelic flourishes beneath Mike’s dynamic vocals. The sonic fluidity only strengthens the core message of the LP.
“Holy Illusion is definitely about seeing through limitations,” he says. “The power of the heart and mind, as well as trust and faith, can pierce through any limitation. The ‘holy illusion’ is the ‘aha’ moment where you realize limits are created through your mind. We all have a responsibility to be able to see through them.”
With more touring and recording on the horizon, Coyote Island might just help you open your eyes and heal too.
“When you listen to the music, I would love for you to get a sense of clarity,” Mike leaves off. “We spend so much time thinking about life outside of ourselves and caring about what people think and whether or not we are good enough. The music is almost like a shortcut for you to be free of your mind. I want to bring joy and make you feel good in this crazy world.”
On a three-man crusade to set dance floors alight with their inimitable brand of razor-sharp funk and disco, High Fade can already count Jack Black, Cypress Hill, Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes and Brad Wilk from Rage Against the Machine as fans. Honing their sound on the streets of their native Edinburgh, the band are at their best when up close and personal with audiences. With over one thousand gigs now under their belt, High Fade’s refined, infectious live performances have become an integral part of the band’s DNA, allowing them to put on a show that supersedes anything their fans have experienced before.
Acclaimed musicians Rob Barraco, Barry Sless, and Stephen Inglis join forces for intimate evenings of music, kicking off February 20 in Washington, DC. Tickets on sale now.
The worlds of Hawaiian slack key guitar, psychedelic pedal steel, and masterful keyboard work converge as three virtuosos of the jam band scene announce their debut tour as Skeleton Krewe Trio. Born from a serendipitous collaboration in early 2024, this unique musical collective features Rob Barraco (Dark Star Orchestra, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Dead), Barry Sless (Bob Weir and Wolf Bros, David Nelson Band, Phil Lesh and Friends), and Grammy-nominated Hawaiian slack key guitarist Stephen Inglis.
The group’s formation traces back to January 2024, when Sless and Inglis first joined forces for what was meant to be a one-off performance. The chemistry was immediate and undeniable. The duo’s successful California shows caught the attention of keyboard virtuoso Rob Barraco, who joined forces with Inglis during a Dark Star Orchestra show at the Hawaii Theatre in April 2024. The natural musical connection between all three players led to the formation of Skeleton Krewe Trio.
This groundbreaking collaboration brings together three distinct musical traditions: Inglis’s mastery of Hawaiian slack key guitar (he’s a recipient of the prestigious Ki Hōʻalu Legacy Award), Sless’s pioneering pedal steel work that has graced stages with Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, and Barraco’s sophisticated keyboard artistry that earned him a place in The Dead’s lineup. An experience that preceded nearly two decades holding the keyboardist chameleon role within Dark Star Orchestra.
Each night, two sets of Skeleton Krewe Trio promises to offer high level artistry hosting an intimate evening of original compositions, Grateful Dead interpretations, and dynamic improvisations that span genres from traditional Hawaiian to psychedelic Americana.
![Say You Love Me: The Music Of Fleetwood Mac [NIGHT 1] @ Portland House Of Music and Events (HOME) | Portland | Maine | United States](https://www.portlandoldport.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/unnamed-2-1024x1024.jpg)
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 day of show.
Doors at 7:00 pm | Music starts at 8:00 pm.
21+
The Sophomore Beat – Hi, Technology 15 Year Anniversary Show w/ Moments of Adulting, and Toby McCallister & The Sierra Sounds
DOORS 6PM SHOW 7PM | $20 | 21+
March is Women’s Month and we’re celebrating at PHOME by bringing women in music in Maine together for a special benifit show for Safe Maine Abortion Fund!
BAIT BAG:
Seasick from the news cycle? Seeking release? Join BAIT BAG and find catharsis in their post-riot grrrl anthems, jagged dance breaks, and tight harmonies.
Founded in 2018 by Fiona Robins, Claire Donnelly, and Courtney Naliboff, BAIT BAG has shared the stage with punk and indie legends Deerhoof, Screaming Females, Rough Francis, and Weakened Friends, and made friends and fans from New York to Machias.
Midnight Breakfast:
Midnight Breakfast is an indie-soul sextet based in Portland, Maine. Originating from Orono, Midnight Breakfast
began as spontaneous late-night gatherings among college friends. From these humble beginnings, the group has
become a dynamic musical ensemble. Current members include Jennifer Shevlin-Fernandes (vocals), Reggie
Kollman (drums), Benjamin Flanagan(bass), Loren Pinkham (saxophone), Evan Dickson (guitar), and Myles Kelley(keys). Initially covering pop standards and funk tunes, they recorded their self-titled debut album during quarantine and released it in January 2021. In 2023, the band returned with their EP Bleeding Red, an exploration of grappling with life’s complexities and the quest for clarity amidst uncertainty. Over the past four years, the group has traveled across the East Coast and provided support for notable artists such as Sammy Rae & The Friends, Upstate, Stolen Gin, and Bermuda Search Party. With their unique blend of groovy melodies, kaleidoscopic improvisation, and blissfully jazz-kissed vocals,Midnight Breakfast delves into themes of love, self-discovery, and the universal search for meaning.
Louisa Stancioff:
Born and raised in rural Maine, Stancioff has emerged as a gifted writer with a cinematic eye for richly detailed, emotionally-charged character studies. A nomadic soul who spent stints living in Alaska, California, New York, and North Carolina before returning home to Maine, Stancioff grew up learning
traditional Bulgarian music from her paternal grandfather’s side of the family and reveled in singing
American folk and roots tunes with her friends. Now settled in Warren, Maine, Stancioff released her
debut album “When We Were Looking” in April 2024 with Yep Roc Records. She has toured it
extensively through the US, opening for renown bands such as Darlingside, Blitzen Trapper and Pokey
Lafarge.