It felt very appropriate to start my first show in Wisconsin with a native of that state. Trapper Schoepp operates out of Milwaukee and is Wisconsin born and bred. He was the first of our story tellers that evening at The Sylvee. The Sylvee opened in Madison just seven months ago. For my first trip to Madison, it was great to travel to such a nice, perfectly-sized venue. And, it was craft beer week! Highly recommend!
Trapepr Schoepp is on tour around in the Midwest in June, so check out his upcoming dates!
SETLIST:
Ballad of Olof Johnson Run, Engine, Run What You Do To Her On, Wisconsin Bumper Cars Freight Train Ogallala Settlin’ or Sleepin’ Around Pins and Needles
The amazing life and music partnership that is Shovels and Rope performed with a such a full sound that you’d expect to see at least four people on stage, not two. Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst are both multi-instrumentalists; not only do they play drums, guitar, synth, and piano, but they sing in perfect, full-throated harmonies, too. The drum kit was set up like a one man band. The high-hat had a pedal extension that places it far upstage of the kit. They could reach the cymbal with just an outstretched arm. This appears to be in order to give favor to a bass synth. For some songs, the kit is further repositioned or a guitar is played with hands while the feet made the kick drum or high-hat keep time. The experimentation that their arrangements must require (both musical and physical) is part of the fascination of seeing them live.
There was a run of three songs that just felt perfect that night. “St. Anne’s Parade” was a soulful contemplation of mortality balanced by love, in which they sang, “This life may be too good to survive.” It flowed into the rocking celebration of rebirth and renewed fight for hope that is “I’m Coming Out.” “Change your flesh, change your mind, everything you have will change in time,” the duo harmonized. They stepped it up yet again by sharing a mic during the apex of “Hail Hail,” showing off their connection to full advantage.
SETLIST:
Evil The Wire C’mon Utah! Swimmin’ Time Invisible Man Gasoline Carry Me Home Good Ol Days Devil Mississippi Nuthin St. Anne’s Parade I’m Comin’ Out Hail Hail Buffalo Nickel
Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls are frenetic folk punks. The tone was set by Frank Turner himself; he never stopped moving and his band followed suit, heightening the crowd energy. Guitarist Ben Llyod strutted and danced with a fun silliness that made me smile, while Tarrant Anderson had pure punk moves. He stomped up and down the stage, jerked his head in emphasis, and handled his bass with aggressive flipping and contorting.
They used the whole stage and shared moments with the relatively stationary keys (Matt Nasir) and drums (Nigel Powell). Turner had dancing feet the whole show. Every moment not spent at the microphone was spent jumping, kicking, and running to the beat around the stage. Even if he had just few beats, they were spent skipping backwards, and then forwards to the mic. It was something that I will now picture every time I listen to “Get Better.”
As they went into “Little Changes,” Turner told the crowd that dancing was going to make us all feel better and that he was going to dance with us. “Ok, dance moves! Are you ready? Here we go!” and he did a silly hand jive that brought infectious joy to the audience.
Turner’s signature white shirt button-up was soaked through by the end of the show. He had challenged the audience to sing, and we tried to sing every word. He demanded dancing, and we happily jumped around and got silly.
Now, he required crowdsurfing.
I knew this was coming, and I wasn’t sure we would be able to support Turner. But as he approached the barricade and gestured, all of the strongest and most willing surged into the center. Watching Turner carried out into the audience and back was a triumphant culmination for any punk show–even a folk punk show.
SETLIST:
Get Better 1933 Long Live the Queen If Ever I Stray The Road Photosynthesis Dan’s Song Be More Kind The Way I Tend to Be Little Changes The Next Storm Make America Great Again Recovery I Still Believe Four Simple Words
Trapper Schoepp Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Shovels and Rope Official | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Frank Turner Official | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
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