Acoustic Mayhem is old time string band instruments tackling new frontiers with rollicking tunes, dancing, sing along songs, and just plain fun. With a repertoire that ranges from country to Cajun to classical and experience performing at festivals, schools, square dances, and historical celebrations they entertain everyone from 3 to 103.

Acoustic Mayhem's members are talented and musically diverse. Margaret Brumm has been working as a fiddler for over 22 years. Margaret was a long-time music teacher for the Iowa City Montessori School, infusing her knowledge of folk music into many activities. Loren Brumm got his musical start as part of the Brumm Family Singers in Osage, Iowa, along with his nine brothers and sisters. Besides providing a solid rhythm guitar, Loren will frequently play lead solos. Our newest member, Rick Dehn, is another talented multi-instrumentalist, he was a regular part of the North Sierra, California, music scene before returning to his native Iowa. His ragtime and swing fiddle tunes are a wonderful addition to what we do. Rick asked if he could sit in with us for picnic we were playing June 1999, and we haven't let him leave. Banjo player/utility fielder Mike Haverkamp is the front man for the band. Besides the 5 string he frequently performs on mandolin, autoharp, ukulele and spoon!s.! Dr. Mike Kanellis is the latest link in the long chain of bass playing dentists that stretches back to the original Bogtrotter band of West Virginia.

Acoustic Mayhem is a regular part of the vibrant Iowa City folk music scene, having appeared with other local (but nationally respected) artists as Dave Moore, Big Wooden Radio and Bob Black. The past year, in typical Mayhem fashion, saw them playing authentic pre-1840 tunes at the Prairie Du Chien, WI, Longrifles Rendezvous, as well as delighing the Drake Park crowd at Des Moines' annual 'Jazz in July' concert series with string band ragtime and early jazz classics.

'Traditional Music and More...' Acoustic Mayhem's debut CD was released in May 1999. The sixteen tracks were all recorded live in two sessions. The CD received good reviews and generated a great deal of interest through traditional radio markets and the internet. Two cuts from that CD made mp3.com's Top 20 lists for 1999: 'Muleskinner Blues' in country (from the subgenre Bluegrass) at #8 and 'Froggie Went a Courtin'' the #4 Children's song. Acoustic Mayhem was the only band to have top 20 hits in two separate categories.