A fusion of folk, funk, grass and gypsy roots. It’s like a whole new sandwich. Or maybe Iron and Wine meets Modest Mouse with crystal clear female lead vocals. Lead vocalist and song writer Melodie Ayres, in seek of a major life change, upended her Kansas roots this last summer, packed her car and headed towards the rich music scene of Portland Oregon. After a few months of playing open mics, she accumulated a tribe of musicians and fans to support her dream. Now The Van Rontens have created a sound like no other and are touring the country changing perspective on life one fan at a time.