Wind-Up Birds began on a dormitory couch in Walla Walla, Washington in 2019. Freshman hall-mates Mo Dow and Zac Bentz found themselves jamming in the shared lounge of their residence hall on an ancient grand piano and a financially ill-advised acoustic bass into the early hours of the morning, until their RA begged them to move to the practice rooms in the music building.

The following year, they recorded an album in the basement of Dow’s off-campus house, which led to a show at the local Gesa Powerhouse Theater, which thrust the duo into the limelight and spawned the formation of the Wind-Up Birds ensemble, which began rehearsing together weekly and begging the college to book them for on-campus gigs.

The college listened, and as the band bounced between school events, frat parties, and local headlining gigs, all while juggling the responsibilities of being full-time students, they began to hone a distinct and recognizable sound. Dow’s songwriting began to mature, and each member of the group found inspiration and kinship in each others’ drive to improve.

Now, in 2025, as they prepare to release their fourth studio album and embark on their third tour, Wind-Up Birds are as energized as ever. While they may be household names for a handful of folks back in Walla Walla, they don’t have any plans to slow down and have their sights set on global domination. Or, at the very least, they’d like to sell a few t-shirts.