I read something a long time ago about how you can often find an increase of musical creativity and talent in areas near rivers, and I think about that from time to time as I share about our amazing music scene here.
Last week I happened across a bookstore & live music venue in another area of the country, also in a river valley, that is known for it's musical creativity and talent... the Coulee Region of Southwestern Wisconsin.
Driftless Books And Music is in Viroqua, WI and is housed in an old tobacco warehouse. We were told many of the floor to ceiling books were donated (they get as many as 150 boxes a week!) and are sold at huge discounts. Kids under 18 get one book free for visiting.
Anyway, while I was there (honestly feeling like I'd "discovered" this very cool place) I found out that the producer of Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” Butch Vig, built a recording studio in the second floor of the building, and the waiting list to play their shows pre-covid was 2.5 years long. And, get this, one of the bands who has played there? Them Coulee Boys who will be at Pour Bros this Friday night!
I love seeing Peoria, IL on tour like that! Everyone should want to stop in and play in Peoria.
It actually wasn’t until I heard this area was called the Coulee Region that I made the connection and realized that a band that I was about to see this week, and had heard some awesome things about, probably wasn’t called Them Coulee Boys because they all had the same last name.
Like many artists in the country, Them Coulee Boys had quite a bit of momentum heading into 2020. They were touring all over, they were named one the Top 5 Wisconsin Bands to Watch in 2020, they won awards for their live performances, they were on the verge of breaking out at one of the hottest folk rock bands in the mid-west.
So you may be thinking, “We know they are playing in Peoria this weekend, but why write about a band from Wisconsin on Peoria Music Live?”
Well, after indulging in their Spotify channel and reading more than a few articles about them this week, I didn’t want you to miss a chance to see these guys before they regain their early 2020 steam and take off to great heights beyond Peoria. Their harmonies are fantastic and the their unique mix of punk, folk, Americana, and rock is one you’ll regret not experiencing in person.
Plus, I would love for them to remember this place as a place they love to play, and want to always come back too, regardless of how big they are. Because, Peoria loves good live music.
Hope to see you at Pour Bros Friday night!
Here’s a video of them performing their song, “Find Your Muse”