HEUVELTON – Chicago-based roots band The Way Down Wanderers will perform at the Pickens Hall Opera House, 83 State St., on May 27 at 7 p.m.

Equal parts fast-paced and soulful, the 5-piece modern-folk Americana act draw listeners in with energy, originality and soulful generosity.

Playing, performing and writing together for just three short years, the Way Down Wanderers have built an enthusiastic and fast-growing following.

Youthful and professionally trained, these young men captivate audiences with soaring instrumentals, foot stomping sing-alongs and a lively stage show and have created a buzz for themselves with their unplugged, off-stage encores and propensity for performing self-titled, “restSTOMPS” -- free acoustic sets at rest and truck stops along their tour routes.

The band’s debut, self-titled album, produced by Mike Marsh of the Avett Brothers and recorded at Sonic Ranch in El Paso, Texas, is now available wherever music is sold.

International Song Writing Competition finalist, “Dead Birds,” is available on Spotify, iTunes and wherever digital music is sold.

Front-men and founders, Austin Thompson and Collin Krause, met in their hometown of Peoria, Ill., when they joined the same folk band and embarked on their first tour at the ages of 14 and 18 years old.

The two became fast friends and soon began writing music together, ultimately forming The Way Down Wanderers when Collin was 16 and Austin, 20 years old.

The pair are now joined by John Merikowski on drums and percussion, John Williams on upright bass and vocals, and Travis Kowalsky on banjo and fiddle.

The Wanderers have garnered several awards and honors to their credit, notably inclusion on Songpickr's 2016 Best Songs Spotify Playlist, an IBMA Official Showcase in 2016, WXRT's Local Anesthetic's Best Dozen Releases of 2015, ranking on WXRT's Music and Movies Poll as one Chicago's best local artists and being named Chicago’s Best Emerging Artist in 2014 in Deli Magazine.

Visit thewaydownwanderers.com online to learn more about the band.

Admission to the show is $12.

Visit www.pickenshall.com or call 315-344-7950 to learn more.