Our Alchemy
Two Souls, one suitcase kick, three amplifiers, and enough voltage to raise the dead.
Muddy Ruckus is a wild-hearted, feral psyche rock duo known for transforming minimalist instrumentation into a full-throttle sonic eruption. Fronted by guitarist/songwriter Ryan Flaherty and drummer/vocalist Erika Stahl, the band delivers a sound far bigger than two people should be able to conjure. Stahl thunders on a custom suitcase kick drum while Flaherty runs his guitar through a maze of two guitar amps and one bass amp simultaneously—an alchemy that turns raw voltage into atmosphere, grit, and cinematic fire.
Praised as “legit dance hall crashers” (Glide Magazine), Muddy Ruckus performs with the reckless conviction of punk, the hypnotic pulse of slow-core, and the shadowy glow of noir cinema. Their songs unfold like haunted sermons—both bruised and beautiful—balancing unhinged rhythm with poetic control.
In 2023, they released their fourth album, Vacationland, which critics hailed as otherworldly. As Motif Magazine wrote, “Vacationland rocks like it’s opening a portal to another dimension. The tunes are vivid with visions that sound like nightmares sung in lullabies… A sonic blood rush to places nobody imagined existed.”
Relentless touring, DIY spirit, and a visceral stage presence have earned Muddy Ruckus a cult following and comparisons to The White Stripes, The Doors, and The Velvet Underground, though the band remains defiantly their own creature. What they create is not nostalgia—it’s resurrection.
At its core, Muddy Ruckus is an act of transformation: turning distortion into devotion, rhythm into revelation, and the raw into the unforgettable.
Erika Stahl and Ryan Flaherty of Muddy Ruckus performing live at Port City Music Hall.
Into the Noise
Wild-hearted, feral, and unstoppable — Muddy Ruckus transforms minimal gear into a full-throttle sonic storm.
“Using the striking, heavy language of romanticism... Rare that a song can accomplish what classic literature sought to.”
— Gas Mask Magazine
“Infectious, foot-stomping americana tunes... Similar to the White Stripes duo power, Muddy Ruckus delivers full-bodied sound with nothing but guitar and suitcase drums.” — The Sound
“Their music is down and dirty, steeped in the mud of the Mississippi delta and the Louisiana swamps, but also in the mud and grime of Woodstock and the mosh pit at an outdoor punk show.” — Maine Today
