Chicken Wire Empire with Brewtown Brewgrass- The Great Hall, Historic Pabst Brewery, 1/29/17

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Nothing beats the mid-winter blahs better than a good ol’ foot stomping bluegrass hootenanny, and no better bands to provide the soundtrack to that party than two of Milwaukee’s finest picking ensembles… Brewtown Brewgrass and Chicken Wire Empire.  A capacity crowd came out to the historic Pabst Brewery on a cold and windy night to warm themselves with good tunes surrounded by great folks who share a common bond for live music.  The show sold out in advance and garnered so much interest that it was moved from the Best Place Pabst Pub to the larger Great Hall next door.  Even with the room upgrade, bluegrass fans of literally all ages packed the room to the gills for a hot evening of finger-picking, bass thumping, harmonizing and fun.  An old saying in the music world is, “Never miss a Sunday show,” and that adage couldn’t have been more clear this past evening at the historic Pabst Brewery.

Starting off the night was Brewtown Brewgrass, a sextet consisting of Justin Busche on banjo and vocals, Jon Kehoe on mandolin and vocals, Mike Secklin on bass and vocals, Carrie Secklin on guitar and vocals and Heather Lewin on fiddle and vocals.  Brewgrass specializes in old-timey stylings that blend together elements of traditional Americana and gospel.  Their playing features gorgeous harmonies and seamless vocal trade-offs between their three male vocalists and two female leads.  The Brewgrass players are true students of the genre and breathe fresh life into traditional standards.  Set highlights included a toe-tappin’ boogey rendition of “Shut the Door, Keep Out the Devil,” a tightly woven take on “Old Home Place,” and a  beautifully reinterpreted version of “I’ll Fly Away,” which featured a sweet vocal arrangement by Carrie Seklin.  However, while their style may be “old-timey” Brewgrass had a few surprises in store including a fun, reimagined, and humorous version of the Beastie Boys’ “Girls” off of their Licensed to Ill debut record.  What sets Brewgrass apart from other live acts is their ability to relate to literally every age in the crowd- from the very young to the very young at heart.  They are an excellent band for evenings like this as well as outdoor picnics and festival gatherings, with a wide repertoire of music to choose from, and a tightly woven performance style.  The Brewgrass crew exude a pure sense of warmth, love, and joy which comes through in their music. They are an act that truly everyone can enjoy.

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

Up next was Chicken Wire Empire, another group of extraordinary pickers who are proud to call Milwaukee their home.  Chicken Wire Empire blended together a robust set that featured brand new original compositions alongside several well-played reinterpretations of others’ material.  Chicken Wire’s line-up features band leaders Jordan Kruger on upright bass and vocals, and Ryan Ogburn on mandolin and vocals, alongside Jon Peik on banjo and vocals, Greg Brundage on guitar and vocals, and Ernie Brusubardis IV on the fiddle.  Chicken Wire Empire employ a more jammy version of bluegrass which involves terrific improvisational interplay between the players.  Their set opened with a laid-back banjo heavy rendition of The Band’s classic “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere.”  From there the band forayed into a smattering of tracks from their self-titled debut record, alongside brand new material translated well live.  A highlight of the evening was a track called  “Maker” which showcased Brusubardis’s haunting fiddle licks weaving in and out of Ogburn’s mandolin jams and Kruger’s thumping bass.  Chicken Wire Empire also paid homage to some of their influences including performing a tight rendition of Garcia/Grisman’s “Shady Grove,” and Old and in the Way’s “Kissimmee Kid.”  The precision of Chicken Wire Empire’s players, joined with the seamless interplay between the musicians make them a must-see live show, that will get you up, dancing, and forgetting about a cold, blustery mid-winter’s eve.  

If Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t predict that spring is coming soon, perhaps the warm vibes and terrific playing of both Brewtown Brewgrass and Chicken Wire Empire foreshadow that warmer day are ahead.  

photo courtesy of Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch

For a gallery of more images from the show, check out this link of photos from Gigshotz by Stephen Bloch.

Two future bluegrass fans "liked it all" when asked to comment on their favorite experiences watching Brewgrass and Chicken Wire Empire.  Being able to take kids to a family friendly show in the winter was a blessing and great fun!