The Elms

Overview

Acclaimed Indiana rock band THE ELMS will reunite to perform a special one-night-only concert on Saturday, September 20, 2025. “THE ELMS 25” performance will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the band’s formation, and will take place at famed Indianapolis music venue Hi-Fi, which is located in the heart of historic Fountain Square.

Members of THE ELMS are: Owen Thomas (lead vocals, guitar), Christopher Thomas (drums, vocals), Thomas Daugherty (lead guitar, vocals) and Nathan Bennett (bass, vocals).

THE ELMS were formed in Seymour, IN, in 2000. They released four critically-acclaimed albums:

The Big Surprise (EMI, 2001), Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll (EMI, 2002), The Chess Hotel (Universal, 2006), and The Great American Midrange (Trust Inc., 2009). Known for their combination of blues-based and 1960’s-inspired rock, THE ELMS’ songwriting focused on the modern middle-American experience. Their tight, raucous live concerts drew high praise from fans and industry alike and galvanized a loyal and energized fanbase. “THE ELMS 25” performance setlist will include songs spanning their entire catalog.

The band’s final album, 2009’s The Great American Midrange, was the fastest-selling and highest-charting of their career, reaching #18 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. The album spawned the beloved single “Back To Indiana”, which has been adopted as a regional anthem and has been used continually in major network sports coverage for the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. Other songs from the album, “The Shake” and “Strut”, were respectively featured in EA Sports’ “NHL 09” and “Guitar Hero” video games. Discovery of THE ELMS’ music continues to this day.

THE ELMS’ music has been used in dozens of network TV shows and films, major league sporting events, and has been covered in Billboard, Rolling Stone, SPIN, and many more influential press outlets. Their music video for “Hey Hey” premiered on MTV’s iconic show “120 Minutes” with Matt Pinfield.

During their tenure, the band enjoyed touring stints with Goo Goo Dolls, Buddy Guy, Band Of Horses, Peter Frampton, Cracker, and numerous others. THE ELMS performed alongside Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews, and Willie Nelson at Farm Aid 2009 and performed their sole European tour in 2008.

After selling nearly a quarter of a million albums and performing over 1000 tour dates, THE ELMS disbanded in 2010 to pursue other interests. In 2020, the band released THE ELMS: The Complete Studio Recordings, a boxed set featuring all four of the band’s studio albums on vinyl, and Sidetracked: Live & Rare, a digital collection featuring over 20 live and demo recordings.

The show is all-ages and will be supported by burgeoning Indianapolis alternative rock artist FRANK.