Marquette Music Scene

Tag: live music

  • Strong Drinks, Heavy Hearts & Queer Country: The Bootstrap Boys Hit Marquette

    As Marquette rolls into Pride Month, it’s only fitting that The Bootstrap Boys are rolling into town with their outlaw brand of Queer Country grit and soul. Kicking off June with a heavy dose of heart, harmony, and honky-tonk, the band brings their Heavy Hearts Honky-Tonk Tour to the Ore Dock Brewing Company just as the country starts flying its rainbow flags.

    Bear caught up with them for a quick e-mail Q&A ahead of the show to talk grief, grit, road life, and the stories behind the songs:

    Bear: The Heavy Hearts Honky-Tonk Tour — that name hits with some weight. I know you lost someone close last year… has the tour been a way of carrying that memory forward?

    Jake Stilton: We have been no strangers to grief and great loss in this band, but this was one of our own founding members, and it hit real hard. We go on because there is no other option that honors his memory or the years of hard work and dedication that we, as individuals and a group, have poured into this project. Yes, it is with very heavy hearts, but we do go on.

    Bear: You’ve always blended tradition with grit — where would you place The Bootstrap Boys on the country music map? Closer to Cash, or just way out in the woods on your own?

    Jake: Out in the woods on our own is how it feels, but I honestly don’t know if that sentiment translates to the gen pop or not. Johnny Cash is definitely still spinnin’ on the record player.

    Bear: Songs like Poverty Line and ’57 Chevy paint vivid pictures. Can you share the story or inspiration behind one of those — or a newer one?

    Jake: ’57 Chevy tells the story of my father buying a car from a guy — before he shipped off to Vietnam — that didn’t think he would be returning. He bought it for $10 and then took it out in a field and rolled it, just for kicks. That’s the story as I remembered it when I wrote the song, anyhow.

    Poverty Line is semi-autobiographical and the first song I wrote for this project, back somewhere in a blurry 2012–14 range of time.

    Bear: You’ve hit a lot of rural spots across Michigan. How does playing in places like Marquette or Grayling compare to more metro crowds in other states?

    Jake. We find the weirdos wherever we go. It’s like some invisible bat signal or something goes up, and the people that are tuned into that frequency just show up. It’s like, “Oh, you don’t fit in? Come say hi!” Or, “Oh, your friend group thinks you’re strange? Well, we think they’re strange! Get over here!”

    The main difference is more about the time you get to spend with a smaller town’s more intimate crowd, versus sometimes being rushed with a larger metro crowd at a venue that’s ready for the next act as soon as you’re finished.

    Bear: Touring can be both exciting and exhausting. How do you keep the energy up and the camaraderie strong on the road — or do you just fight it out in the van and hug it out later?

    Jake: We have become adept at blowing off a little steam and then getting over it immediately. At this juncture, we mostly know what buttons not to push. I love a good view when traveling, and the drummer loves a good nap. Lil Mama likes to curate songs, and the bass player likes to game with headphones on. We give each other as much space as five adults rambling around in a 30-year-old RV can give each other, I would think. We also have a healthy inside joke catalog to draw from, and humor helps everything.

    Bear: For someone hearing you for the first time at Ore Dock, what’s the one song they have to catch — and what does it say about The Bootstrap Boys?

    Jake: Apropos to the tour name, Strong Drinks for Heavy Hearts is a song that’s resonating a lot with me right now. I suppose that’s saying we like to drown our sorrows. Inasmuch — come out and cheers us! Don’t make us drink alone. We’ll do it, but we’d prefer to cheers y’all back.

  • Marquette, the Midwest’s Secret Independent Music Hotspot!

    Marquette, the Midwest’s Secret Independent Music Hotspot!

    If you’ve been lucky enough to be in the know the last few months you’ve had the opportunity to catch some headline entertainment in Marquette for not a headline entertainment price.  Now, there’s always great shows in town. FACT: We’re spoiled. However, it’s not every weekend we get national touring talent playing, let alone for no cover.  This has happened twice in recent months, and both nights were absolutely memorable.

    On February 25th “The One Man Hippie Band” Cash O’Riley played a solo night at Flannigan’s.  Now, straight up at most there ended up being 20 people in the room.  However, when they came in, they stayed, and Cash is why they stayed.  O’Riley ran through 3 solid sets of ripping songs from his catalog as well as an array of old country, rock, and blues covers all through his punk rockabilly filter. He may be only one man, but he put out a much bigger sound.  Very much representing the multi-tracked sounds that dominate his discography, but with a faster, gruffer live edge.  However, that rougher approach wasn’t still palatable enough for your average rural bar goer.  In fact, they ended up intrigued, and Cash ended up well-tipped.

    I had the privilege of becoming acquainted with Cash on this evening, I can officially vouch that he’s a cool cat who’s living it. Like many of us with heavier roots, the fully sleeved, O’Riley has found his home in the alternative & outlaw country realm. He brings a fairly unique psycho/rockabilly style that I’d compare to acts like Rob Coffinshaker & Coffinshakers with vibes that could easily still fit with the more extreme acts like Those Poor Bastards or more any, more, straight-up outlaw style country act.  He also brings us all this in a custom van with his dog Ruby, just give ‘em a place to park for the night and they’re happy.

    Sure, it wasn’t overly well attended, but I know some folks who have some pull were in the room and I’m not the only one who saw how Cash controlled it.  Whether it’s as a solo artist, or with his new band The Five & Dime Poets, we need to get Cash back to Marquette. He’s extremely approachable, and down for just about anything if the price is right, and that price may be less than you think.  Wanna book him? on******************@***il.com

    Fast forward a couple weeks, and on the cusp of the VERY cool, Mountain Top Boogie at Indianhead in Wakefield (I’m going to actually get back to that), Rachel Brooke FINALLY found herself playing a Marquette venue with a full band.

    Now, I’m not going to lie, this as close to fanboying as my jaded ass gets, but I’ve been waiting 10 years for this to happen. Sadly, I just was never in the proper position to do it myself, even though, through my work with the Peninsula Arts Appreciation Council I was able to bring Barry “The Banjo Picker” Van Guilder’s family band in to play the Okla-Ho-down as promotion for the upcoming production of “Oklahoma.”  Why is this relevant? Well, Rachel’s maiden name is Van Guilder, and she grew up playing in the family band.  Anyway, when Rachel reached out to me earlier this year, even though we’ve been near overwhelmingly busy at the office, I was determined to help her find a show.  Thankfully, it wasn’t all that difficult because Rachel is the shit, and Khris at the Ore Dock knew it.  Unfortunately, things didn’t quite work out for that second gig (Congrats to the new owners of The Orpheum Theater in Hancock on the birth of their child!! That’s definitely more important.), but Rachel and crew came across from Wakefield on Saturday and set up at the Ore Dock for a night that anyone who attended isn’t going to forget anytime soon.

    The band took the stage and Rachel immediately started off with a solo performance. Her sultry voice tore through the Ore Dock causing a momentary pause where everyone was looking at the stage. Now that was only a pause, but when the full band kicked in at the end of the opening song I saw multiple groups of intended “passers through” stop dead and stay for the set.  One particular group of ladies surprised me and even joined in with the dancers, and oh, were there dancers.  I don’t honestly think there was a full band moment where there wasn’t at least one couple dancing (this couple I don’t think left the dance floor).

    Rachel & her band of J’s…

    …Jordan Siden (Guitar/Slide Guitar), Jason Oberliesen (Bass) & Justin Rossan (Drums)…

    …ripped through two sets that covered the span of Rachel’s discography. The crowd heard old school country, bluegrass, dark folk, Mississippi Delta crossed with Chicago Style Blues, and even a little bit of acoustic indie-pop (from her side project Modern Mal), and then some new ones from an album they’re heading into the studio for very soon.

    If you’re familiar with Rachel’s catalog you’ll know her style leans towards the of slower, more melancholy, sometimes gothic, oftentimes murderous.  Not that she doesn’t have some blazers, especially on “A Killer’s Dream” (which they killed this night), but I REALLY wondered how that was going to go across to a crowd that usually is looking for faster happier music.  Well, I shouldn’t have worried, because Rachel and crew are pure performers, and of course, everything’s a little faster live.

    If y’all missed this show, you may have missed the last time you could have seen Rachel for free In Marquette, or honestly, at least I hope so.  After this Saturday night I know I’m not the only one clamoring for her return.  Though the Ore Dock may benefit if they procure a local opener next time, as the show did feel a touch “short.”  Of course, the U.P. is pretty damn demanding on what they expect from a band (sets/length), and those standards can be high especially for more seasoned national touring groups.

    I mentioned earlier that Rachel came across from Indianhead’s “Mountain Top Boogie.”  Now I only heard of this show because Rachel said she was playing it, but D-A-M-N if it didn’t have a killer line-up and we’ll be watching for it next year.  I’ll admit I don’t know who The Peoples Brothers are, and well, Charlie Parr may as well be local, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive when you add in insane one man show Possessed by Paul James, Joseph Huber of .357 Stringband fame, Rachel and a fine array of regionals including Dig Deep (who I’d love to see in Marquette) and Buffalo Galaxy.

    If you’re a fan of the more outlaw side of Country, Bluesy Americana, etc, this region is turning into a total powerhouse.  Them Coulee Boys have been back since the Rachel Brooke show.  Local boy Ethan Bott is starting to make waves, check out his new EP “Saddle Up” at your favorite streaming outlet, we should probably get together with him at some point here. Finally, this summer’s festival line-up is completely off the charts with Thunder on the Iron Range’s “Upper Michigan Music Fest” (Blackberry Smoke, Hellbound Glory, Band of Heathens, Cecil Allen Moore) & The Lake Fanny Hoo-down (Ricky Skaggs/Joe Nichols) leading the charge (look for a story about our AMAZING experience at last year’s Lake Fanny Hoo-down next week). Hiawatha is back, Bluesfest just dropped a killer line-up, and as May goes on we can’t wait to see what else this summer of gettin’ back to it has in store.

  • Rockin’ for a Cause this Saturday July 3rd!

    Cancer fucking sucks. However, it sucks even more when it’s one of your own circle who is dealing with that beast. Well, someone very close to Marquette Music Scene (the organization) and a major player in the game, Pete Polini, has been dealing with that bastard for a few months now.

    If you don’t know Pete Polini, he’s the drummer for the seminal regional rockers Stranded, a man whose played an integral role on the crew of the last two Marquette Music Scene Marquette Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies, and lately from what I’ve seen a pretty damn solid iRacer.

    Anyway, when one of your own is in trouble it’s important to pull together and do what needs to be done to aid your friend. On Saturday, the Rainbow Bar and local acts Spun, Left of Center, the Carp River Barn Band, and Diversion are getting together to do just that. Now, you may be asking yourself, WAIT!?! Isn’t Saturday going to be one of the biggest bar nights of the year?


    Why, yes. Yes, it will be, and with the Rainbow Bar getting their entertainment for much cheaper than market value for this day has said that they’ll be donating a portion of their total sales to Pete at the end of the night. This will be on top of the 50/50 raffles, t-shirts, bracelets and other merch for sale (BIG THANKS! to Martin Sports) and outright donation jars that will be placed around to help Pete defray the costs of travel, lodging and treatment.

    As the publisher of the most comprehensive music calendar in the region I can officially say that you aren’t going to find a room with more RAWK! than at the Rainbow this holiday weekend ANYWHERE in the Yoop. Ya never know what kind of suprises are going to be in store when you get all these bands together as so many have shared the stage with each other in the past.

    Come on down to Ishpeming tomorrow for a DAMN Good Cause.

    We’re all fightin’ with ya Pete and expect you to be standing with us at the 2021 Marquette Music Scene Hall of Fame induction ceremony this November!