Jake Kulak & The Modern Vandals at Milestone
Jake Kulak & The Modern Vandals at Milestone brings one of Connecticut’s emerging original rock acts to downtown Mystic on Saturday, August 22.
The Hartford County band takes the stage at Milestone on Water Street for a night of guitar-driven rock that pulls from garage rock, indie and the post-punk revival of the early 2000s.
Kulak and his band have built their reputation primarily where rock bands traditionally have: onstage. Their live performances emphasize improvisation and spontaneity, with the group describing itself as a live band first and allowing songs to shift with the energy of the room.
From Blues Guitarist to Modern Vandal
Jake Kulak has been performing since his teens, but the sound surrounding him today has moved beyond the blues foundation associated with his earlier work.
With The Modern Vandals, Kulak has developed a heavier alternative-rock identity influenced by bands that helped reshape guitar music during the early 2000s.
He cites The White Stripes, The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Interpol and Queens of the Stone Age among the artists that helped shape his musical direction, with Jack White serving as a particularly significant influence.
You can hear that lineage in the band’s approach: prominent guitars, an intentionally raw edge and songs designed to retain some of the unpredictability of a live performance rather than sounding overly polished.
Meet The Modern Vandals
Kulak is joined by Jeremy Peck, Steve Isherwood and Olivia Di Maio in the current Modern Vandals lineup.
The musicians have developed their chemistry through frequent live performances around Connecticut, New England and New York.
Improvisation remains an important part of those shows. Rather than reproducing a recording note-for-note every night, the musicians leave themselves room to react to one another and the audience.
Kulak has described the band’s music as intense and introspective, with the energy and spontaneity of its concerts influencing how the group approaches its studio recordings.
Modern Vandalism
The band has now carried that sound into its debut album, Modern Vandalism.
Even the band’s name grew out of its original music. The phrase “Modern Vandals” appeared in the lyrics to the song “Caution Tape,” and Kulak eventually adopted it as the group’s identity.
For Kulak, the idea has evolved into something larger than youthful recklessness. It represents rock music’s longstanding relationship with rebellion, disruption and counterculture.
The band has also released songs including “If I’m Right,” “Circles,” “Give Me a Second” and “Caution Tape.”
In April 2026, national music magazine SPIN included Kulak and the Modern Vandals in its Now Hear This series highlighting new and emerging music.
A Connecticut Band Comes to Mystic
Saturday’s performance is also a chance to see a Connecticut original act relatively close to home.
Kulak and the Modern Vandals hail from the Hartford area but regularly travel throughout New England and New York. Their August schedule alone takes the band from New Hampshire and Rhode Island to several Connecticut stops before arriving in Mystic.
The Milestone performance puts them into a smaller room particularly suited to the band’s live-first approach.
Located along Water Street in downtown Mystic, Milestone combines a restaurant and bar with regular live music, bringing regional and touring performers into a casual setting rather than a traditional concert hall.
For an act that thrives on feeding off the room, that proximity between band and audience should work in its favor.
Event Details
Event: Jake Kulak & The Modern Vandals
Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: Milestone
Address: 12 Water Street, Mystic, CT
Expect original guitar-driven rock influenced by garage rock, indie and the post-punk sounds of the early 2000s.
More information is available at the Event Website listed below.
