Simon Glenn and Elis Prassel interview Jack Bowlin at his "Birthday Bash," a concert featuring many of Fayetteville's prominent local bands. (Photo: Simon Glenn and Elis Prassel)

By Simon Glenn & Elis Prassel

December 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m.

Jack “Jackie” Bowlin, lead singer of punk band Humbaba and the Monokritters and founder of VUNO Events, turned 19 this year.  Bowlin celebrated with 7 other local artists at the American Legion Post 27 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on December 6, 2025.  Jackie coordinated the event with the help of Lineup Booking, a local concert booking platform. The event featured a variety of artists from Northwest Arkansas, ranging from nu-punk band Placeholders to DJ Lauren Ipsum, all coming together to celebrate Jackie. Other bands included Liquid Courage, Chainsaw Lassy, Dover, Midnight Wagon, and Idle Valley. Along with this, Bowlin held several raffles, including smashing cupcakes in his face, a date night with him, a swag bag, and the chance to kick him in the face.

VUNO Events is an event organizing project started by Jackie in an effort to make the Northwest Arkansas live music scene more accessible to the community. On Instagram and their personal website, they post listings of concerts and the details surrounding them, along with overviews of local bands. The website also gives an opportunity for users to connect bands and promote shows.         

We attended the event and had the chance to interview Bowlin before the show. We asked him about Humbaba and the Monokritters, VUNO, and Fayetteville’s live music scene:

Elis Prassel: How, or who, got you into the scene? 

Jack Bowlin: My friend brought me to a Joe Swink show earlier this year, and I just kept coming back.

Simon Glenn: What bands influence you?

JB: Placeholders, TV Preacher, and other local bands. 

EP: What’s the most embarrassing music you listen to?

JB: I had a Taylor Swift phase. I thought “Folklore” was a really good album.

SG: This is Humbaba and the Monokritters' first show. How do you feel?

JB: I feel great! I’m excited. 

EP: Where did the name “Humbaba" come from?

JB: The enemy from the “Epic of Gilgamesh”’s name is Humbaba, which could translate to “big” or “round”. I was pretty fat in middle school, and my friends would call me that as an insult, but I ended up owning the name instead. 

SG: What’s next for Humbaba and the Monokritters?

JB: We’re recording in January!

EP: How has founding VUNO events affected you and your place in the scene?

JB: VUNO helped me explore the logistical side of event planning. You know, most people go to shows just as a casual thing, but it’s really interesting to learn about the behind-the-scenes stuff. 

EP: What made you want to do the date raffle?

JB: My friends and I were messing around, joking about it. Originally, it was going to be just [to] spend a night with Jackie, but the joke eventually got turned into date night with Jack.

SG: Why did you pick the activities you did? Is this your dream date?

JB: Well, my last name is Bowlin, so we thought of ‘Bowling with Bowlin’, and I like eating at Chili’s, so we decided to combine the two. This is my dream date.

EP: Any message for people interested in or new to the scene?

JB: Just get out there, go to shows, talk to people!

SG: Any final words, anything to plug?

JB:  Check out VUNO Events and Humbaba and the Monokritters!

Although we attended with the primary goal to interview Bowlin, we had a great time at the rest of the show. Simon and I have been active in the live music scene since 2023, and both agree that the most special part is its community. Birthday shows like Jack’s aren’t as common, but Fayetteville’s hidden music scene is thriving. We want to echo Bowlin’s comment that, if curious, “... go to shows, talk to people!”

Happy Birthday, Jackie!