Cafe Carpe

Lamplighter- PETER MULVEY/ KATIE DAHL w/ Rich Higdon/ HUMBIRD/ HER CROOKED HEART
2021-12-11 20:30 - 23:00 (America/Chicago)
Oops- no SistaStrings– they had a change of plans…
It is December after all, and darkness descends earlier than any of us wish. The lamps must be lit, and who better to light them than PETER MULVEY?
Who, by the way, is a person who happens to also be a singer-songwriter of great renown, as well as humanity, which is not always the case.
“KATIE DAHL’s songs aren’t just melodies and words, they’re journeys that are firmly grounded in a sense of place—beautiful, real landscapes that help you feel places that you may have never been before. That’s the very best kind of songwriting.”—Dar Williams. Husband Rich will bring his bass along.
HUMBIRD will be Siri Undlin solo. Combining a wintry longing with the warmth of a familiar folktale, Humbird stretches between experimental folk and environmental Americana to embrace the unexpected. Her music invites a refreshing dissonance into the house, it leaves breadcrumbs along the path and reflects light back at the stars.
HER CROOKED HEART is writer, multi-instrumentalist and producer Rachael Ries.
Hear Siri and Rachel together here just for fun.
Ticket link follows this important announcement.
ATTENTION: Delta Dawn, what’s that COVID you’ve got on? The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

SWAY WILD - CANCELLED
2021-12-04 20:00 - 22:00
So sad this show has been CANCELLED. Somewhere down the line COVID has struck again and Dave and Mandy have had to cancel this tour.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part. Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.
The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

SWAY WILD– Internationally acclaimed indie folk-rock duo Mandy Fer and Dave McGraw (from San Juan Islands, WA) are back at it with a new sound, and a new name: Sway Wild! Their exceptional vocal harmonies, coupled with Fer’s pioneering electric guitar work, have become a vehicle to carry them around the world, sharing stages with the likes of Iron & Wine, Lake Street Dive, Gregory Alan Isakov, and Mandolin Orange. Sway Wild’s infectious sound explores the corners of rock, pop, funk, prog, worldbeat, and folk, but at its nucleus it is undeniably a music full of joy. It can squeeze the heart in your chest, it can draw tears from your eyes, and it can force you to get up and move your body; over and over, it somehow manages to do all three at once. Mandy Fer also tours as the lead guitarist for Allison Russell and recently performed with Brandi Carlile and Jason Isbell.
“Grooving…wistful, driving, and a masterful combination…velvety vocals over staccato guitar and light percussion capture your attention with Sway Wild.”
Parade Magazine
“…high energy (and) soulful… Like The Wood Brothers and Lake Street Dive, Sway Wild hones a universal
likeability where uptempo anthems and melodic precision prevail. Fer is an impressive…[and] masterful guitarist…”
Glide Magazine

ERNIE HENDRICKSON
2021-11-27 20:30 - 22:30
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Shullsburg, Wisconsin native ERNIE HENDRICKSON grew up on a steady diet of Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Jerry Garcia. These early heroes opened the gates to the deep well of American roots music which he continues to draw inspiration from.
His 2007 solo record, Down the Road, of which the Illinois Entertainer deemed “Groundbreaking” pushed him onto the Midwest’s radar as an emerging singer-songwriter. His second and third records ‘Walking with Angels’ and ‘One For the Dreamers‘ found him working with industry veterans Bo Ramsey (Lucinda Williams, Greg Brown) and Chad Cromwell (Neil Young, Mark Knopfler) respectively.
His latest effort, ‘Roll On’ released in summer of 2019 was recorded in Chicago with producer Brian Deck
(Counting Crows, Iron and Wine). He has played stages from the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville to the Living
Room in New York City and all points in between. His songs have been in regular rotation at over 100 different
radio stations across the country and his fans will attest to the energy and fun found at his live shows, which in
the spirit of his heroes are never the same and always evolving.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

WHAT'S HIS NAME & the OTHER GUY
2021-11-26 20:15 - 22:30
Buy tickets below. Showtime is officially 8:15, but if you come at least by 7:00 to allow serving and eating time there is a chance it could start at 8:00…
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

What’s His Name & the Other Guy are BRIAN “LOOPER” LUCAS & GREG “not cool enough for a nickname” VALDE. They will regale you with everything Americana, from folk to blues to country – with a smattering of banter some find amusing. Guitars, harmonica, vocals, and comedy. Perhaps your sensibilities are low brow enough to appreciate this kind of thing.
An array of talented special guests are likely to join them for parts of this special holiday show.

LONESOME BILL
2021-11-20 20:00 - 22:00
CAMPLIN, that is. Sometimes a guy just has to wail away all on his own.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

JAMES LEE STANLEY-cancelled
2021-11-12 20:30 - 22:30
James has cancelled this show due to an injury which keeps him from traveling.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

It is only a long-lived singer-songwriter career that lets JAMES LEE STANLEY unite the unpredictable creative turns and the eclectic elements that make up his world. His remarkable ability as a vocalist and composer allow him to create songs, each recorded with a finely crafted with guitar orchestrations that enhance the lyric. But a whole new dimension is added when James Lee performs live. These incredible songs, coupled with his outragously hilarious repartee, make for an evening of hilarity and tenderness and one of the most entertaining concerts on the circuit. He has been hailed as one of the few all time greats and undisputed geniuses among singer-songwriters. Fi Magazine listed his FREELANCE HUMAN BEING as one of the finest recordings of 1998 and one of the Top 200 Recordings of all time – FI Magazine March 1999.
JAMES LEE STANLEY has toured consistently since he returned from the USAF (as a Chinese linguist) and has performed up to three hundred dates a year since then, with such diverse acts as BONNIE RAITT, ROBIN WILLIAMS, NICOLETTE LARSON and even BILL COSBY. STEVEN WRIGHT chose James Lee as his opening act for three years in a row; a testament to his professionalism and talent.

NEW PIONEERS
2021-11-11 19:00 - 21:00
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Hang on to your bluegrass hats for this news-

This five piece bluegrass ball of fire featuring vocals, banjo, fiddle, guitar, bass and mandolin are back! for this month anyway.

Its various members have been involved with traditional music locally, regionally, and nationally for many years.

The Pioneer’s lead singer and guitarist, Jerry Wicentowski, has been described by country music historian Bill Malone as “One of the finest singers in bluegrass music”. Jerry has also performed and recorded with such bluegrass greats as Tim O’Brien, Andy Statman, Byron Berline, Tony Trischka and others. Mike Schmidt of Spring Green, Wisconsin, is the group’s banjo player. This former French horn player has been a Nashville session musician and member of the popular Wisconsin-based bluegrass bands, Alive ‘n’ Pickin’ and the Piper Road Spring Band. He also performs occasionally with his wife Lori. Bruce King of Art Stevenson and High Water – also formerly of Alive ‘n’ Pickin’ – is on mandolin. Bruce and Mike are veterans of the Great Northern Bluegrass Festival in Mole Lake, WI – performing there every year from 1977 to 1982. Fiddle player Paul Kienitz is a member in good standing of regional bluegrass favorites, The Nob Hill Boys. Bass player John Jirak also has played banjo with various folks in the northeastern WI and Madison areas, most notably with the Green Bay based Fox River Flyer. As a bass player, he’s performed shows with the Chicago Bluegrass Band, Miltown Ramblers, Krause Family, Old Cool, Spare Time Bluegrass Band, Bob Steeno and The Old Truck, and Down From the Hills, and currently Madison’s newest, Kettle Moraine.
Like them on Facebook.

JOHN GORKA
2021-11-07 19:00 - 21:00
Ticket link below.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

JOHN GORKA balances his rich baritone and introspective songwriting with his trademark wit and humor. His music spans the genres of folk, pop, country and soul, and he illuminates it all with his trademark wordplay.
We will be serving a divine though limited menu this evening. We will open at 5:00.

“Gorka is widely heralded for the sophisticated intelligence and provocative originality of his songs.” – The Boston Globe
“Listening to John Gorka sing, one can get goose bumps all over. There are many reasons: fresh lyrics, a stunning emotional baritone, and his twisted humor.” – New York Times

HARMONIOUS WAIL- postponed
2021-11-06 20:30 - 22:30
Postponed- Future date will be in 2022. Keep your eyes peeled.
ATTENTION: The spread of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring mask wearing in the backroom, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking. Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
HARMONIOUS WAIL
Featuring the SuperStar2020 winner, vocalist extraordinaire Maggie Delaney-Potthoff !
Americana flavored Gypsy Jazz on full tilt! Harmonious Wail combines the searing wit, humor and mandolin virtuosity of vintage Jethro Burns performances, the Continental panache of Django and charm of Edith Piath inspired vocals to create a unique musical journey.
“In the gypsy jazz field, no one does it any better than the Madison, Wisconsin based group Harmonious Wail.”
-Jazz Review
”Intense playing & sense of purpose that never wavers… a mind altering experience.”
-The Washington Examiner

ORDINARY ELEPHANT/ RACHAEL KILGOUR/ WES COLLINS
2021-11-05 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

The stars have aligned to bring us these 3 great acts in the round on this night.

International Folk Music Awards 2017 Artist of the Year ORDINARY ELEPHANT captivates audiences with their emotionally powerful and vulnerable songs, letting the listener know that they are not alone in this world. The collaboration of husband and wife Pete and Crystal Damore, their connection, and their influences (such as Gillian Welch, Guy Clark, Anais Mitchell) all meet on stage.
“Two become one, in song…hand-in-glove harmonies surprise the listener with focused intensity and musical mastery,” says Mary Gauthier.
The Associated Press is calling their latest album, Honest, “one of the best Americana albums of the year.”
“I’m a big fan…intimate songs, weaving harmonies, and stories that draw you in as if you were gathered around an enchanted campfire.” — Eliza Gilkyson
RACHAEL KILGOUR is a Minnesotan songwriter and performing artist whose sincere, lyric-driven work has been called both brave and humane. The 2015 grand prize winner of the esteemed international NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition and winner of the 2017 Kerrville New Folk Contest, Kilgour has been featured at NYC’s Lincoln Center, at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and by the ASCAP Music Cafe at the Sundance Film Festival.
Called “…a heartfelt slice of master crafted indie folk brimming with the battle-tested capacity to endure the worst in others” by Billboard, [her third album}Rabbit in the Road took an intimate and often painful look at the failed marriage and loss of family. Kilgour’s writing and delivery cut deep, with resolute simplicity. Ravelin Magazine observed “this sort of metonymic ability to evoke the whole of someone or the entirety of a feeling is typical of Kilgour’s poetic songwriting.”
Her newest EP, Game Changer, examines the artist’s tentative first steps into a new existence, post-heartbreak. With a clear head, Kilgour touches on the complicated nature of romance and relationship, sets up a stunning defense of queer love, and reassesses her priorities as a citizen of a changing wider world.
At age 44, WES COLLINS and his wife Anita made a pact to become writers: she started writing fiction and Wes penned his first song. A few years later, they were both multi-award-winners in their fields. Collins more than makes up for lost time with songs so dense with ideas that a first listen only scratches the surface. Come for a haunting melody and some intricate fingerpicking and stay for the wit and deep literary intelligence. There is always more to find in a Wes Collins song.
Wes has played shows from coast to coast including: The Blue Bird Cafe in Nashville, TN; The Kerrville Folk Festival in Kerrville, TX; the Cary Theater in Cary, NC (opening for Dave Olney); and many more. He is a winner of the prestigious Grassy Hills New Folk Competition and a North Carolina Arts Council Songwriting Fellowship, and has been featured as a finalist in The Telluride Troubadour Contest in Telluride, CO; The Songwriter’s Serenade Competition in Moravia, TX; and The Wildflower Performing Songwriter Contest in Dallas, TX.

ZACH PIETRINI & MCKENNA BRAY w/ THE LONE CANARY
2021-10-30 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
Memphis & Milwaukee collide with singer-songwriters ZACH PIETRINI & MCKENNA BRAY. With Pietrini’s compelling songwriting from the Midwest and Bray’s vocal prowess from the South, the two initially joined forces to tour in March 2020. When the shutdown canceled everything, Pietrini and Bay began writing together almost every week. The result of which exploded into the Modern Love EP. Singer-songwriter at its core with indie Americana vibes, this duo packs the whole punch into its captivating live show.
THE LONE CANARY is a Folk/Americana duo comprised of Rockford, IL musicians Jesse Fox and Heather Camacho. They have an acoustic, rootsy sound echoing the styles of legendary folk artists.
Having been friends and fellow musicians since high school, you can hear the years of shared musicianship in their music; their harmonizing and performing has become second nature.
This duo’s perfectly matched voices showcase their haunting vocals, singing songs of love and loss, resulting in a well-honed acoustic masterpiece that will woo your music-loving soul.

LARA HERSCOVITCH
2021-10-28 19:30 - 21:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
LARA HERSCOVITCH is a gem of a modern American troubadour.
A singer-songwriter-poet-performer-author and policy social worker, Lara writes masterful modern folk music, sings and leads with authenticity, integrity, humor and heart, and delivers performances that inspire, inform, uplift and entertain.
As described in The Boston Globe, she brings “…a luminous voice and a buoyant stage presence… big-hearted lyrics embrace the sum of life… Herscovitch’s music blows on the embers of a lagging spirit or a dormant creative life.”
Acoustic Live in New York City added, “She possesses not only a huge reservoir of musical talent and a voice with a bell-like clarity, but a keen sense of global concern and a fierce intellect… It might seem too good to be true, but true it is… a rising talent who is truly someone to watch for.”
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

VANCE GILBERT
2021-10-24 19:00 - 21:00
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

— “If Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens had a love child, with Rodney Dangerfield as the midwife, the results might have been something close to the great Vance Gilbert.” As the above quote from Richmond magazine suggests, Vance Gilbert defies stereotypes. It’s little wonder then that he also exceeds expectations. In this case, those two qualities go hand in hand. “I’m black, I sing, I play an acoustic guitar, and I don’t play the blues,” Gilbert insists. That may be a broad statement, but it rings with truth.
What he does do is make memorable music, as evidenced by the 13 albums he’s released so far, as well as the mark he’s made on the folk and acoustic music scenes in general. Over the course of a prolific career that extends back to the early ’90s, he’s recorded with his good friend Ellis Paul and shared stages worldwide with Aretha Franklin, Shawn Colvin, Arlo Guthrie, the Milk Carton Kids, George Carlin (150+ shows), Anita Baker, the Subdudes, Paul Reiser and any number of others.
He’s also made a prominent presence at some of the world’s most prestigious gatherings, among them the Newport, Winnipeg, Rocky Mountain, Calgary, Ottawa, and Falcon Ridge folk festivals, the Kate Wolf Music Festival, and Australia’s Woodford Folk Festival and Mullum Music Festival. “There was also that one nude festival in Maryland,” Gilbert recalls. “I don’t recall the name of that one, but I have to admit that the name wasn’t the first thing I would remember.”
Naturally, Gilbert can be forgiven for that minor oversight, given the amount of praise he’s received from the pundits. His remarkable rapport with his audiences and his free spirited performances inspired one critic to hail him as “a folkie trapped in a vaudevillian body,” with “a voice that could have been on the opera stage, a wit that could have been on a comedy stage and a songwriting talent that’s thrust him on the folk stage for decades.”
Those descriptive phrases come to full fruition on Gilbert’s current album, the appropriately named Good, Good Man. Recorded with an A-list support cast that includes bluesman and singer/songwriter Chris Smither, Al Green’s organist Stacey Wade, Tommy Malone of the Subdudes on guitars, Mike Posner on backing vocals, and Celtic harpist and vocalist Aine Minough, it sums up the strengths that Gilbert’s always had at his command — that is, a gift for compelling melodies, insightful lyrics, a witty and whimsical point of view, and the ability to maintain an inherent humanity that translates to his connection with his audiences.
As always, the music is as varied as it is vibrant, from the philosophic musings of “Pie and Whiskey” and the rollicking R&B-flavored title track, to the swinging sound of “Zombie Pattycake,” the tender trappings of “Hitman” and the bare-bones remake of the 1972 hit “Wildflower,” a seminal song given Gilbert’s intimate and essential additives.
In short, it’s Gilbert at his very best, a set of songs that deserves to bring Gilbert the wider recognition that’s eluded him for far too long.
Over the course of his career, he’s carved out a singular niche with songs that have resonated with his fans and drawn in new listeners. His classic compositions — “Old White Men,” “Charlene” and “Unfamiliar Moon,” “Goodbye Pluto,” and “Waiting for Gilligan” — are emotive and profound, offering certain truths in ways that make a meaningful impact in the most enduring and evocative ways.
Indeed, Gilbert posses a wide palette and perspective, from a co-write with Grammy Winner Lori McKenna, “House of Prayer,” to a song on a Grammy-nominated children’s record by the duo Trout Fishing in America. Likewise, after alt-rock star Mike Posner heard Gilbert perform on a podcast, he invited him to take part in co-writing sessions and subsequently to sing on his recent single, “Noah’s Ark.” Posner reciprocated with a haunting background vocal on “Flyby,” a song featured on Gilbert’s forthcoming album.
“How rounded is that?”, Gilbert may quip. Truth is, ultimately, it’s the impact that he has on his audiences that matters to him the most. “People take away from these songs what they decide they’re going to take away,” he reflects. “I would hope they walk away thinking. If that’s the case, then I’ve done my job successfully.”

JOHNSMITH w/ Dan Sebranek
2021-10-23 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

JOHNSMITH is one of those artists so often under-recognized – he possesses a genius that cannot be denied, ignored, or overlooked. For the past thirty-plus years, Johnsmith has been sharing his music all across America and abroad. He has become a favorite at festivals, clubs, and house concerts alike. In addition to being a Kerrville New Folk Winner, Johnsmith has released eight solo CDs to rave reviews, leads musical tours to Ireland, teaches songwriting, and has served as a staff songwriter in Nashville.
With his faded jeans, his twinkly blue eyes, and his infectious smile, John immediately connects with audiences. You get the sense of a man who loves his life, his family and friends, and who loves nothing more than sharing that love in song and stories all across this land.
John and buddy and great flat-picker DAN SEBRANEK have been playing together for 34 years, and they know how to make it happen.
“Johnsmith’s songs always move me. They make me laugh, cry, dance or just sing along. He is one of the most consistent writers of quality songs that I’ve ever met.” – Lydia Hutchinson, Editor, Performing Songwriter Magazine

“[Johnsmith] is one of those really pure hearted people that isn’t wasting any time on the cool factor, he gets there by virtue of his integrity.” – Frank Goodman

CURTIS & LORETTA- postponed
2021-10-22 20:30 - 22:30
Show has been postponed- will be rescheduled in 2022.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
The husband and wife duo CURTIS & LORETTA are claiming a date they lost during the shutdown in 2020. Their extraordinary harmonies and proficiency on a parade of stringed instruments create an alluring frame for their poignant original songs, and traditional pieces from America and the British Isles.
The current menagerie includes mandocello, folk harp, guitars, clawhammer banjo, ukulele, and mandolin, plus a bit of kazoo, harmonica, and shakers. Curtis’ down-home sense of humor and Loretta’s theater background engage the audience in an experience that runs the gamut of rolling with laughter to holding back tears, with plenty of side-trips in between. They rack up countless miles each year, crisscrossing the country to deliver their own unique brand of folk singer/songwriter music.

LAZER LLOYD
2021-10-21 20:00 - 22:00
LAZER LLOYD
draws on folk, rock, blues, jam band, outlaw country, meditation and storytelling to create his own unique sound. Each live show is an intimate musical experience packed with original songs ranging from acoustic love songs and ballads to fiery blues rock, soaring improvisations, and a few surprise covers for an unforgettable night of music and connection.

““My great love is sharing with an audience my own folk songs and ballads mixed with raw rock, stripped down country and blues — you can call it Americana but it is just continuing on the road started by my musical heroes…”
Growing up our house was full of music. Bob Dylan, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Kris Kristofferson were big early influences on me as songwriters. I started to write songs in college and it has become an essential part of who I am. My earliest interaction with the music industry was an Atlantic Records A&R exec taking an interest in a song I had written called “Bye Bye Baby” about a young model who went out to LA and ended up dead. I started the process of showcasing for Atlantic in New York City and they decided to send me to Nashville to record with producer Garry Tallent (E-Street Band).
Then my path suddenly changed after I met a mystic in Central Park and I started a journey that led me to meet my wife and start a family. Along the way always performing and the songs have continued to come down to me – starting with a lyric and sometimes as a melody. Every morning I carve out time to sit alone with the guitar surrounded by nature and get into the flow – it keeps me going and makes it possible to cope with the painful struggle of this world and to be able to spread joy.”
EVEN MORE
International recording artist Lazer Lloyd is a genre-defying songwriter and unforgettable live artist mixing songs touching on life, love, and struggle with instrumental performance ranging from acoustic meditation to blues rock fire – taking his audiences into a place of personal connection, deep thought, inspiration, and joy.
In 2015, Lazer’s indie imprint Lots of Love Records put out “Lazer Lloyd”, a self-titled album that introduced Lloyd’s songwriting and unique sound in his first release to the music mainstream. The album became one of the top blues rock records that year, getting widespread critical acclaim with “Burning Thunder” reaching number one on the blues rock chart.
Lazer’s second major international release “Freedom’s Child” came out in September 2017 including 12 new tracks: 11 originals plus Lazer’s take on Dylan and Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” recorded with Grammy nominated producer & engineer David Ivory at his studio near Philadelphia. The album shot up the Americana charts as awareness of Lloyd’s music grew into an expanded fan base of roots music lovers.
Canadian music sage John Kereiff wrote, “Critics have noted Lloyd’s skill as a lyricist, saying he is ‘able to elevate life’s joys and struggles into inspirational material’. Couple that with supple musicianship, and that makes “Freedom’s Child” one of the most compelling discs of 2017. Watch out, though – this one’s gonna hit you right in the feels. Five Stars” (Gonzo Okanagan).
On tour in Connecticut in October of 2017, Lazer stopped off at Horizon Studios to record a few of his new songs with wizard of sound, Vic Steffens in West Haven. The result was several tracks including the Americana anthem “Backstreets” which was released as a single on Thanksgiving Day and went on to pass a million streams on Spotify, going viral on Facebook and YouTube as well.
As “Freedom’s Child” was shooting up the Americana chart and “Backstreets” was going viral, Lazer was already on to the next project – recording the album to become known as “Tomorrow Never Comes” with Eric Paul (Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt, Emmylou Harris, Kris Kristofferson etc) at Ricky Skaggs Studio in Nashville featuring (Michael Rojas on keyboards, Michael Spriggs on rhythm guitar, Eddie Bayers on drums, and bass players Mark Fain and Eli Beaird). The brilliant band created by Eric and led by Lazer Lloyd produced music that is sheer heaven.
To complete “Tomorrow Never Comes”, Lazer found inspiration in the red dirt of Oklahoma and Texas working with many times Grammy nominated Chris Bell (Don Henley, Eagles, Erykah Badu, Luther Dickinson, Eric Johnson etc) at Billy Crockett’s Blue Rock Studios in Wimberley with a group of young Tulsa musicians. The sound achieved by Chris is warm, real and soul transforming. Added to music from the Nashville and Blue Rock sessions was the title track “Tomorrow Never Comes” recorded in Memphis at the historic Young Avenue Studios.
Finally, two key songs on “Tomorrow Never Comes” which have touched a nerve with fans around the world were recorded in small intimate studio settings that captured emotional moments. “The Simple Life” was recorded by Joe Kuhlmann with a temporary studio set up inside Joe’s iconic North Davidson Charlotte venue “The Evening Muse” with a video shot by Charlotte videographer Wes Cobb on the Dedmon Farm in Shelby, NC. Finally, perhaps the most impactful song on the album, “Torn” was recorded in the tiny Munis Studios in Tel Aviv with the warm deep sound and intense vibe captured in the video of the recording by Shay for his indie Docutizer Films.
The release in June 2020 was just in time to provide fans with new music in the face of the COVID-19 mass cancellation of live music. The album “Tomorrow Never Comes” has been played on over 300 radio stations across the USA and hit the number two spot on the JamBand Chart and remained in the top ten on the chart for three months. The outpouring of emotional comments has been humbling and overwhelming – you can read a sample here. https://tomorrownevercomes.carrd.co/
During the pandemic Lazer’s livestream free Sunday shows became a source of fellowship and comfort for a growing audience who became friends online in a warm musical and spiritual hangout that continues every week and is now a podcast as well, “Inside You with Lazer Lloyd”.

MARK HEMBREE BAND
2021-10-16 20:00 - 22:00
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation.

Hembree’s band combines powerful vocals and hot picking to bring a new sound to the bluegrass stage. Featuring MARK HEMBREE, PAUL KIENITZ, STARR MOSS, and MICHAEL FALK.
Mark Hembree started his music career in Wisconsin in the 1970s, and before long was hosting a live radio show from the Glenmore Opera House near Green Bay. After a couple of years in Denver with the Monroe Doctrine, he returned to Wisconsin briefly before an audition at a local festival netted a job with Country Music Hall of Fame legend Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music.
He became a Blue Grass Boy in 1979 and worked with Monroe for five years, then was one of the founding members of the Nashville Bluegrass Band. While in Nashville he recorded with several well-known artists, including the all-star band Dreadful Snakes (with Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Roland White, Blaine Sprouse, and Pat Enright) and Peter Rowan (on the Grammy-nominated album “New Moon Rising”).
He returned once again to Wisconsin in 1989, played with local bluegrass groups the Rounders and Nob Hill Boys, and Western swing bands the Western Box Turtles (including Asleep at the Wheel steel guitarist Eddie Rivers) and his own group, the Best Westerns.
Additionally, he has appeared as a guest lecturer and instructor at various music workshops, seminars, and film presentations, as well as in Bill Monroe tribute shows on “A Prairie Home Companion” and at North Carolina’s MerleFest (performing with Del McCoury, Roland White, Blake Williams, Peter Rowan, and Bobby Hicks). He also appears in the feature-length documentary film “Powerful: Bill Monroe Remembered,” directed by Joe Gray and produced by the International Bluegrass Music Museum.

At Mark’s side; Paul Kienitz, well-versed in traditional bluegrass fiddling, has performed and recorded with a number of fine Wisconsin bands, including the Nob Hill Boys, where he first met up with Mark Hembree, resulting in future bands and projects. He was the featured fiddler in a special “Blue Grass Boys Reunion” Bill Monroe tribute featuring mandolin virtuoso Mike Compton and Blue Grass Boy alumni Bob Black, Tom Ewing and Mark Hembree. The go-to fiddler in the Badger State, he and Hembree are longtime partners in crime.
Guitarist and singer Starr Moss spent nearly four years with the Chicago-based Henhouse Prowlers, traveling in the U.S. and abroad. Two U.S. State Department tours afforded the opportunity to perform and collaborate with local musicians in Russia, Mauritania, Zambia, Nigeria, and Uganda. Other musical highlights include performances at Chicago’s Old Town School of Folk Music and the International Bluegrass Music Association’s annual conventions. Starr’s fiery solos and solid rhythm power the ensemble.
On banjo is Michael Falk, a hard-driving traditional banjo style and agile lead and harmony vocalist. His versatile playing serves well whether it’s a high-speed breakdown, old-time fiddle tune, or lonesome ballad. Michael has been playing with the Squirrel Gravy Bluegrass Band for the past four years after relocating to Madison from Ohio for graduate studies at UW Madison.

JASON THOMAS BAND
2021-10-15 20:30 - 22:00
Circumstances have changed- previously scheduled JACOB MILLER has decided to cancel his tour. Jason, who had been slated to open, will now do the whole evening, with the help of friends.
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

JASON LYNK is a contemporary folk singer whose clear, driving vocals lend themselves to modern reinterpretations of various music styles, from classic rock to pop, folk, and country-western. Jason hung up his guitar for the better part of a decade to experience the joys of climbing the corporate ladder, but he has tuned up his strings and is ready to share his music with you. Jason will be joined by STEVE TESMER on Dobro.
Steve is an accomplished Dobro player and is a member of the popular local groups Three Thin Dimes and Jill and the JAX. Though their musical styles are diverse, Steve and Jason have found a perfect harmony to showcase exciting renditions of many of your favorite songs.
AMY YORE will be adding to the fun. Amy is a solo acoustic artist from the Chicagoland area. She has been likened to the sounds of many, including that of Jewel, Alison Kraus, and the GREAT Dolly Parton.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

SUZZY ROCHE and LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE- SOLD OUT
2021-10-14 20:00 - 22:00
Show has sold out.
The show is sold out but you can listen and enjoy via livestream on our YouTube channel and ideally provide life support to artists and venue by anteing up at www.paypal.me/cafecarpe if you have a PayPal account or by using the DONATE button on our home page. The link to the show.

ATTENTION: The summer fling of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

mask wearing in the listening room, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking
proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation.

Buy your tickets in advance right on this page.
Mother Suzzy and daughter Lucy released their new recording I Can Still Hear You in the fall of 2020. They set up studios in their bedrooms: Lucy in Brooklyn, Suzzy in Manhattan, to finish the record. Hailed as “one of the year’s best” by Americana Highways, the new album has been met with high praise.***
Those familiar with LUCY WAINWRIGHT ROCHE are aware of her bell tone voice, her unshakable melodies, and her knack for wise, wry lyrics. It’s no surprise that Wainwright Roche is the daughter of Suzzy Roche (The Roches) and Loudon Wainwright III, half sibling to Rufus and Martha Wainwright. Lucy has carved out her own career as a touring singer/songwriter and recording artist, with five critically acclaimed solo recordings released on her own label: Eight Songs, Eight More, Lucy, There’s a Last Time for Everything and her most recent Little Beast (Winner of the Independent Music Award for Best Singer/Songwriter.) Other recordings include a collaboration with her sister Martha Wainwright on Songs In the Dark, a collection of lullabies. For over a decade, as a solo act, armed with a guitar, a deadpan sense of humor, insightful songs, and a voice that makes tough guys cry, she’s built a solid following across the US and Europe.
SUZZY ROCHE is a singer/songwriter/performer/author and founding member of the singing group The Roches. She has recorded over eighteen albums, written music for TV and Film, and toured extensively for forty years across the U.S. and Europe. She has performed with the experimental theater troupe, The Wooster Group, for over twenty years. Her children’s book Want To Be In A Band (Random House) was published in February 2013. Wayward Saints (Hyperion/Voice) is her first novel and was a selection of the Spring 2012 B&N Discover Great New Writers Program. Her most recent novel The Town Crazy was published in August of 2020.
THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE recent review of Suzzy Roche and Lucy Wainwright Roche’s performance at The Space in Evanston Illinois said, “Their voices intertwined in gorgeous union…mother and daughter had the room in the palms of their talented hands. This was a glittering gem of a show.”

***Praise for I Can Still Hear You
“I Can Still Hear You is an album for our times. Every song shimmers with perfection, even as it reminds us of the ragged ways that we love and the misery and loss of the days in which we find ourselves.” – Folk Alley
“This mother-daughter duo use their their vocals to repudiate despair, to transcend the mere mortal. These are vocals that take you to the other side of the mountain, where renewal reigns supreme.” – No Depression
“One of the best albums of October 2020. the album has a hushed, muted melancholy about it: the goofy joy of classic Roches may be missing, but the family vocal blend and wry intelligence are, thankfully, being passed to the next generation”— Rolling Stone
“Suzzy and Lucy took their pain, that lonesome feeling and from it created a magical record. Easily one of the best albums of the year and can stand with those legendary Roches records from the day. You owe it to yourself to experience it.” -INK19 UK
“On “I Can Still Hear You,” Suzzy Roche and her daughter, Lucy Wainwright Roche, beautifully blend their warm voices and create a delightful musical counterpoint to the dissonance of 2020. “Love is a thing that does rule every nation,” goes one lyric. Let’s hear it for harmony” – Associated Press
“Their finest hour yet, it’s a musically gentle listening experience, suffused with both love and sadness and, as the title implies, a reminder that while we may be apart our voices are not silenced.” – Folk Radio UK
“Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of The Indigo Girls guest on this beautiful set of powerful contemporary folk from two generations of one of music’s most prolific and beloved extended families. –The Second Disc

JOHN STATZ/ Paul Otteson
2021-10-02 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
“John Statz writes songs you can’t shake. They follow you around all day and run through your head at 3 a.m. Open hearted, horizon-line songs.” – Jeffrey Foucault
It was somewhere in England while on tour in September of 2019 that Colorado songwriter JOHN STATZ – stressed out by rainy days, Brexit anxiety, and a disintegrating relationship back home – began to feel optimistic and plan his new record. Early Riser is a balancing act between the experiences in modern life that cause us worry or pain and those that bring us joy. The album is very much a product of the year 2019 and the cultural scene at the end of a decade, with songs referencing political divisions over Brexit, the destruction of Notre Dame, and the racist dog-whistles of a xenophobic president. John presents those weighty topics alongside more personal songs of reverence for travel and the outdoors, falling in and out of love, and his parents’ relationship. These songs are brought to life by an ace band featuring Billy Conway (Morphine) on drums, Jeremy Moses Curtis (Booker T) on bass, and Denver multi-instrumentalist Kate Hannington on keys, backing vocals, woodwinds, and guitars.
One of the more prolific thirty-something songwriters working in the Folk/Americana genre today, John Statz has released nine studio albums and performed all over North America and Europe over the course of his fifteen-year career. The Boston Globe has called John’s music electric, urgent folk; aching, sweet country-rock while American Songwriter has said that he writes the kind of songs that float through your mind and stay nestled in your thoughts long after listening. John has worked with some of the best producers in the genre, including Bo Ramsey (Lucinda Williams, Greg Brown) on his 2012 release Old Fashioned, Jeffrey Foucault (Kris Delmhorst, Caitlin Canty) on a 2015 album TULSA, and Denver songwriting friend Megan Burtt on 2017’s The Fire Sermon. He’s more recently taken a turn towards the production chair, self-producing 2018’s Darkness on the San Juans and co-producing 2020’s Early Riser, along with Kate Hannington, Billy Conway, and Jeremy Moses Curtis.
John Statz was given a guitar by his grandmother when he was fifteen, which turned out to be perfectly timed for an easily-distracted Wisconsin teenager who, after ten years of piano lessons, had lost interest in classical music and had taken to learning John Lennon and Elton John tunes. It wasn’t until Statz was nineteen and attending university in Oshkosh that he began writing songs. The spark lit after attending a show at the storied Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin featuring Jeffrey Foucault and Peter Mulvey, who quickly became heroes, and, later on, friends and collaborators. John moved to Denver in 2010 where he escapes to the mountains as much as possible to hike and camp, cooks almost entirely in cast-iron cookware, and reads presidential biographies in chronological order.
Wisconsinite, singer-songwriter, unemployed lion tamer, unqualified-snow-slinging quality control inspector, proud house plant owner PAUL OTTESON will open.

MY POLITIC
2021-10-01 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.
MY POLITIC is a folk/Americana band based in Nashville TN. Kaston Guffey and Nick Pankey grew up together in Ozark MO and started My Politic around the age of 15. Kaston writes character driven story songs and Nick adds sibling-like harmony toÂ create a unique sound that is totally their own.

Inspired by artists like John Prine, Woody Guthrie, Randy Newman Nina Simone, Patty Griffin, Simon & Garfunkel classic country and so much else, My Politic has recorded 9 albums to date and have released 3 of those since moving to Nashville 7 years ago. “Anchor” (2015) “12 Kinds of Lost” (2017) and The band’s latest effort, “Short-Sighted People In Power” (released 10/30/2020). It is a brutally honest, sometimes angry, sometimes satirical album about the current state of things in american politics and culture. It is meant to be heard in full. They’ve also had the pleasure of appearing at Americanafest and multiple times at The Bluebird since moving to Nashville.
My Politic has been all over the country for years thriving in intimate house concerts settings, dive bars and everywhere in between. Unique midwestern storytelling in harmony.
Press:
Short-Sighted People in Power”
“They are inspired, brave and brilliant songs, remarkably comprehensive but never preachy or ponderous. It’s perfect for this American moment.Rendered tenderly with close harmonies throughout, it evoked the sound of Don Henley and Glenn Frey singing Randy Newman songs. It’s subversive, but also soulfully charming.”– Paul Zollo – American Songwriter
“...it might come off as a rootsy, country-folk fusion but its importance transcends such a sonic description. It comes from the same disenfranchised place which spawned punk, hip-hop, even rock and roll itself, and any and all movements born of being outside, forgotten, exploited, ignored and used by those in power.”– Dave Franklin – Dancing About Architecture
“a time capsule of these times, that will stand as a statement for a future perspective to judge. Woody Guthrie would be proud. –Paul Mcgee – LonesomeHighway.com

LONESOME BILL
2021-09-30 19:30 - 21:00

DAVID STODDARD
2021-09-17 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

proof of vaccination or a recent negative Covid test
mask wearing in the listening room, (and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.)

Keep checking for updates, as circumstances can change.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

DAVID STODDARD is a composer, songwriter, producer, educator, and music theory nerd based in Minnesota, USA.
​
He’s also a successful songwriter. He’s a Kerrville New Folk winner, and has taken top writing honors at the Minnesota Folk Festival, the South Florida Folk Festival, and the Tucson Folk Festival. He tours throughout the US and Canada. Although, admittedly, it doesn’t tell you much about his own music (and he’s loath to name-drop), it seems like some kind of obligation to let you know that he’s performed with a huge number of lovely people, including Dan Navarro, Leon Russell, Juice Newton, Ronny Cox, David Olney, Beth Wood, Dan Hicks, and Michael Johnson.
​
He performs using piano, guitar, and accordion.
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He writes for film and choir as well, and is available for commissions and custom projects.
“It’s not often I hear a songwriter that can write funny and write serious. David Stoddard is one of the rare ones. I love his stuff.” –John McCutcheon

CLOSED- attending a wedding
2021-09-11 16:30 - 23:30
You will not find us here because we will be celebrating down the street. But you can still pay the $100 cover.

TODD ALBRIGHT
2021-09-10 20:00 - 22:00
ATTENTION: The summer fling of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to do safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring mask wearing in the backroom, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking. Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

TODD ALBRIGHT is a country blues, twelve string guitar player and vocalist based in Detroit, Michigan. Grounded in the pre-war era of the blues tradition (1880-1939), Todd is a mindful purveyor of blues history. His repertoire upholds musical pillars such as Blind Willie McTell, George Carter, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Leadbelly. His life’s work continues the distinguished tradition of the very roots of American music as told by the African American musicians who created it. Todd joined Jack White’s Third Man records in 2016.

Todd’s vigorous, gritty and soulful performances are accompanied by stories of the masters and a deep intuitive sense of respect for craft, providing audiences with a meaningful experience while creating a transcendent moment. One of the top blues guitarists in the world, Todd is the only contemporary twelve string player in his genre.
Todd began playing the blues while still a teenager, some twenty-five years ago. Initially, he was drawn to the sound of the finger-picked style and has since immersed himself in the foundational music and narratives of American culture. Over the years, Todd has shared the stage with artists such as Roy Book Binder, Charlie Parr, Paul Geremia, and Dakota Dave Hull.
Todd’s first full-length LP, Fourth Floor Visitor, was released by Jett Plastic Recordings out of Detroit, Michigan (2017). His latest album, Detroit Twelve String: Blues & Rags, is out now on Third Man Records (2017).

“The character and emotional vibe of the performance are delicious…” Acoustic Guitar Magazine

“…an explosion of acoustic wonder. Albright plays with heart, daring, and conviction.” American Blues Scene

ERIK KOSKINEN/ Will Overman-buy tickets here
2021-09-09 20:00 - 22:15
ATTENTION: The summer fling of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to do safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.

The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring:

mask wearing in the listening room, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking
proof of vaccination

Keep checking for updates.
The show will also be live streamed on our Carpecast YouTube channel, accessible through this link: https://youtu.be/DBnOpfD1-10
If you watch , please make a donation to help support the artists and the Carpe in this endeavor.
Musically driven from blending American folk, country, rock-n-roll, and blues, ERIK KOSKINEN realizes a sound that is distinctive and fresh while familiar and rooted. Koskinen’s music is a lyrical and musical metaphor of American’s theater of love and war, of history and pain, and of the reflections in the mirror. Knowing but not didactic, Koskinen channels the ways of Whitman and reverently enters the anthology of uniquely crafted wry songs with the likes of Woody Guthrie, Ry Cooder and Randy Newman while speaking as plainly as your neighbor.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune calls Koskinen “the real deal” and “the best country songwriter in Minnesota.” ​
WILL OVERMAN– will do an opening set.
The Charlottesville, VA based singer-songwriter’s music carries a maturity to match the up-and-down life he has lived over the past 26 years. From fronting a touring band while attending college, through-hiking the Appalachian Trail and traveling around the world for several months, to witnessing his parents’ divorce, standing by his wife as she fought and beat cancer twice, and going through tough financial situations while trying to make it as a creator; Will’s songs evoke the wisdom of an old soul with youthful optimism. Listeners can easily recognize a blending of genres such as Folk, Pop, Country and Rock n’ Roll among Will’s music, bearing to mind the approach that legends Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or James Taylor took in their prime, and how today’s singer-songwriter heroes such as: John Mayer, Jason Isbell, and Josh Ritter, have expanded on it.

KAREN JOHNSON
2021-08-27 20:00 - 22:00
ATTENTION: The summer fling of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to do safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.
The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring mask wearing in the backroom, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking. Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation. We are cautiously optimistic that the show will go on.
Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.
KAREN JOHNSON grew up in West Allis, WI, surrounded by music. Her favorite spot was riding along in her dad’s old pick-up truck while listening to old country tunes. At a young age, Karen learned to play the Tamburitza and sing harmony as a member of the American Croatian Silver Strings Tamburitzans. Now playing the guitar, she has been performing at various venues since 1998, but nothing compares to the amazing listening room at the Cafe’ Carpe. Karen sings songs of her favorite artists including Joan Baez, Nanci Griffith, Alison Krauss, and Suzy Bogguss, to name a few.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dclx2nwDJNY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6pYX8uK25o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1z6AN79G3TE

BILL CAMPLIN BAND
2021-08-21 20:30 - 22:30
ATTENTION: The summer fling of the Delta variant has us once again rethinking how to do safely do our business. The CDC recommends that vaccinated Americans return to wearing masks in indoor spaces in communities where coronavirus transmission is substantial or high, and Jefferson county, Wisconsin, is currently in the substantial category https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view, so we’ll do our part.
The small space of the listening room prevents any reasonable distancing. For the safety of everyone, and to protect the performers who cannot mask while performing, we will be requiring mask wearing in the backroom, and recommending it in all of our spaces when not eating or drinking.
Keep checking for updates, as circumstances could require further measures, or even cancellation. We are cautiously optimistic that the show will go on.

Please call 920-563-9391 to reserve seats.

Rhythm on the River Remix- THE DRIFTLESS
2021-08-21 15:00 - 17:00
This will take place in our parking lot. It is part of the Fort Chamber of Commerce Rhythm on the River Remix:
Join us Saturday, August 21st from 10:00am to 6:00pm along the Rock River in Fort Atkinson for a “remix” of Rhythm on the River. This family-friendly, free event will feature five downtown venues with regional musical talent scheduled at each throughout the day. Pick up your event “passport” and enjoy a day of music, dining, shopping and prizes during this end-of-summer celebration!
Rhythm on the River has been a late August staple of the community for over 15 years, and this year’s Rhythm Remix is a way to keep the tradition alive. With a focus on family friendly entertainment and supporting our downtown businesses, Rhythm Remix is a day long festival that is meant to encourage community members and visitors to explore the best that Fort Atkinson has to offer.
THE DRIFTLESS is a Cambridge-based band specializing in classic country, bluegrass, rock, and folk by bringing reimagined music with soul to all listeners. The five-person band is made up of Dave Kratovil, Will Peters, Mark Hansen, Joe Lundsten, Matt “Huck” Gent, Jake Kemler and Jim Fitzgerald. Amazing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, banjo, 12-string guitar, mandolin, percussion and bass guitar all make an appearance during performances.
Be sure to catch the lineup of amazingly talented local and regional artists at all the following venues:
Riverwalk Plaza (behind Brock’s Riverwalk Tavern & Grill at 99 S. Main Street)
Cafe Carpe (18 S. Water St. W.)
Jones Market (601 Jones Ave)
Barrie Park Bandshell (210 Robert St)
Tavern on Rock (29 Sherman Ave W.)

Rhythm on the River Remix- JOHN GAY
2021-08-21 12:30 - 14:30
This will take place in our parking lot. It is part of the Fort Chamber of Commerce Rhythm on the River Remix:
Join us Saturday, August 21st from 10:00am to 6:00pm along the Rock River in Fort Atkinson for a “remix” of Rhythm on the River. This family-friendly, free event will feature five downtown venues with regional musical talent scheduled at each throughout the day. Pick up your event “passport” and enjoy a day of music, dining, shopping and prizes during this end-of-summer celebration!
Rhythm on the River has been a late August staple of the community for over 15 years, and this year’s Rhythm Remix is a way to keep the tradition alive. With a focus on family friendly entertainment and supporting our downtown businesses, Rhythm Remix is a day long festival that is meant to encourage community members and visitors to explore the best that Fort Atkinson has to offer.
Singer-songwriter JOHN GAY brings a gritty, contemplative sound to his Americana-Country-Christian style. In 2017, John started performing his solo acoustic set at various venues around southeastern Wisconsin, playing original music along with covers of his favorite artists such as Jason Isbell, The Lumineers, Chris Stapleton and Zach Williams.
Be sure to catch the lineup of amazingly talented local and regional artists at the following venues:
Riverwalk Plaza (behind Brock’s Riverwalk Tavern & Grill at 99 S. Main Street)
Cafe Carpe (18 S. Water St. W.)
Jones Market (601 Jones Ave)
Barrie Park Bandshell (210 Robert St)
Tavern on Rock (29 Sherman Ave W.)
