The Maine are slated for Reverb. (Submitted Photo)
REVERB MUSIC FESTIVAL
Aug. 19 • Eau Claire Event District • Tickets: $79-239
Early-2000s emo kids, unite! Reverb is a brand-new .
Unable to perform live during the Covid-19 pandemic, Chris Castino of The Big Wu decided to make the Bluegrass album he always wanted to make. Teaming up with long time friends Jordan Kroeger and Ryan Ogburn of Chicken Wire Empire, along with bandmates Ernie Brusubardis IV and John Peik as well as album producer Adam Greuel (Horseshoes and Hand Grenades) and engineer Ryan Young (Trampled by Turtles) the group hunkered down one cold January weekend to record the backbone of the Bunyanesque bluegrass album Fresh Pickles. Nine months later the album would be finished and feature special guest performances by bluegrass legends and heavy-hitters such as Sam Bush, Peter Rowan, Jerry Douglas, Tim O'Brien, Nick Forster, Keller Williams, Vince Herman and Andy Hall. After capturing the energetic initial recordings the story takes an unexpected turn when not all of the group decides to join as they begin to perform the album for an eager summer festival crowd.
Born in Wisconsin, Chicken Wire Empire began as a traditional bluegrass band. The band honed its traditional sound in 2014 with their debut album Chicken Wire Empire. With half of the group rooted in bluegrass, and the other half steeped in jamband music, a change occurred when CWE performed an Old & In The Way tribute show. A new sound was found in Milwaukee, and Chicken Wire Empire joined the roster of high energy acoustic music happening across the nation.