Opener: Plain Jane Glory
Plain Jane Glory is a husband and wife duo from West Michigan specializing in a brand of NeoFolk/Americana music that is honest, passionate, heartfelt, eclectic, and nostalgic all at once. They use a variety of instrumentation including: vocal harmonies, violin/fiddle, acoustic guitar, banjo, harmonica, and percussion to create a surprisingly big sound for a duo. Their live performances are full of unbridled and infectious energy and their genuine love of making music together is evident from the very first note. Their unique musical chemistry has helped them garner a devout fan base in their hometown of Muskegon and the surrounding areas. Their live performances often transform coffee houses, breweries, bars, and restaurants into an intimate party that culminates in infectious toe tapping, hand clapping, dancing, hooting and hollering, and all sorts of revelry. Plain Jane Glory has been performing together since 2008 under various names. The two met while performing music in a Western themed play for the Red Cross and have been inseparable ever since. Plain Jane Glory has adopted a Springsteen-like work ethic, playing anywhere from 2-5 shows a week, sometimes more. They released their long-awaited and highly anticipated debut album “Someday When Things Are Good” in December of 2014. The album is highly autobiographical and takes listeners on an endearing journey of hardship and hope. The band released their second album “Grace of Hours” in June of 2016. Plain Jane Glory delivered a 16 song, Americana-tinged sophomore album with lyrics that contemplate mortality, grace, and love set to the backdrop of harmony-rich fiddles, banjos, guitars, and infectious melodies.
Headline: Them Coulee Boys
Soren Staff and Beau Janke—co-founders of folk/rock/Americana outfit
Them Coulee Boys—met as camp counselors in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Their weekend workshopping of Avett Brothers tunes led to original songs and adding Soren’s brother Jens on mandolin. As the years grew, the band turned into a more rollicking outfit, adding Neil Krause on electric bass and Stas Hable on drums.
The band’s name is a nod to the glacial melt-carved river valleys they call home, known by early French fur trappers as coulees. 2023 marks the 10th year since launching themselves during a now legendary apple farm hootenanny. Known for wild swings of emotion during sets, it is not unusual to see fans in tears and minutes later dancing with abandon. The honesty and ability to talk and sing about the feelings and emotions that shape them has endeared them to a growing group of fans and friends.
With four full-length albums and an EP behind them, including 2019’s
Die Happy
(produced by Trampled By Turtles’ Dave Simonett on Lo-Hi Records) and 2021’s
Namesake
(produced by Grammy winner Brian Joseph), the band has garnered international attention and earned press in American Songwriter, Ditty TV, Folk Alley, and The Bluegrass Situation, as well as tours with Trampled By Turtles and a spot on the songwriter’s Cayamo Cruise.
2021’s
Namesake
found the band following a new trajectory, combining their signature take on folk-grass and Americana with comfort on electric instruments and playing rock and roll. The record lives and breathes. It’s both intimate and bombastic. It’s the sweet aunt who makes delicious pies and the wiley uncle who’s not afraid to hit a bit of the hooch. At the bottom is the acceptance that comes with family and old friends; none of us are perfect, but there’s enough love out there to make up for it.
In 2020, they were named Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Band to Watch. In 2021, they won Bluegrass/Americana Band of the Year by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry.