Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lites/Nick Tolford & Company/DJ Alright

Akron's Wesley Bright & the Hi-Lights played their first gig just over two years ago and the band has been going strong ever since. Because of its terrific live show — sharp-dressed Brent "Wesley Bright" Wesley is a real dynamo on stage — the soul/old-school R&B band is suddenly in high demand. The band has been touring regionally too and teamed up with the like-minded, Northern soul-obsessed Vallures to play a gig in Indiana recently. Their terrific new single, "Tell Me," is a retro-sounding number with a soulful vibe. (Niesel)