Them Coulee Boys at the Codfish Hollow Barn -- April 23.
Saturday, April 23, 8 p.m.
Codfish Hollow Barn, 5013 288th Avenue, Maquoketa IA
Touring in support of their 2021 album Namesake that Folking calls "a wonderful dream of a record," the Midwestern artists of Them Coulee Boys headline a season-opening concert event at Maquoketa's Codfish Hollow Barn, their April 23 set also boasting performances by fellow Midwestern outfits the Wildwoods and Flash in a Pan.
Currently composed of Beau Janke, Neil Krause, Stas Hable, and Jens and Soren Staff, Them Coulee Boys was founded in by Beayuand Soren in 2013, and the musicians quickly found themselves a major force on the Midwestern music scene, their 2014 album I Never Lied About Being in Love and 2016 follow-up Dancing in the Dim Light earning them such citations as “Best Local Album 2016” by Volume One magazine and “Best Bluegrass Band” and “Best Folk Band” in Visit La Crosse's 2017 “Best of La Crosse” poll. The ensemble has shared stages with the likes of John Fogerty, Trampled by Turtles, Pert Near Sandstone, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, and the Yonder Mountain String Band, and in 2018, Them Coulee Boys released their third album Die Happy to rave reviews. According to The Alternate Root, the songs on this recording “were born with a natural sense of the human condition, translating what [the musicians] see into laser-sharp assessments of characters and a particularly unique knack of finding the middle-ground sweet spot between punk rock, bluegrass, and rock 'n' roll.”
The Wildwoods consist of husband-and-wife team of Noah and Chloe Gose, who share a wide range of influences from the styles of Watchhouse, The Decemberists, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, Joni Mitchell, and Gregory Alan Isakov. The duo formed in Lincoln, Nebraska, in 2012, when they were each just 14 years old. After meeting in middle school, Chloe and Noah began writing and performing together and quickly gained popularity in their local music scene. Since then, the Wildwoods have supported touring acts such as Elephant Revival, The Hunts, The Accidentals, The Way Down Wanderers, and Jamie Wyatt. Along with performing several Sofar concerts in cities such as London, Brooklyn, and St. Louis, as well as a European tour in 2019, the pair has also performed at several festivals including: Summerfest, The Nebraska Folk and Roots Festival, Wakarusa, and the Flatwater Music Festival. In 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021, The Wildwoods were also nominated by the Omaha Arts and Entertainment Awards as a top Americana/Folk artist in Nebraska.
Flash in a Pan is a folk and bluegrass string band from Iowa City, and when the group originated in 2012, the band was named on the assumption that they would play two shows and dissolve. After many line-up changes, however, the ensemble is still playing with no end in sight. Not out of place at large music festivals, you might catch this band anywhere from street corners or weddings to barn parties or red-carpet events. Flash in a Pan brings a fun mix of folk music of many shades, and as the musicians are noted for their shining harmonies, provocative compositions, and heart-felt performances, the group dishes out a sound that is all at once familiar and refreshingly different.
Them Coulee Boys, The Wildwoods, and Flash in a Pan play Maquoketa's Codfish Hollow Barn on April 23, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $20, and more information and tickets are available by visiting CodfishHollowBarnstormers.com.
