LOCAL MUSIC SEEN IN LOCAL LOCATIONS. A still images from a performance by local band Feathe for The Valley, a music video blog that highlights local musicians in local places.

Jamie Yanda stands off-center in a long pile of rubble in downtown Eau Claire, strumming his acoustic guitar and screaming raw lyrics as loud as his voice will allow. The Chippewa River roils behind him as a group of preteens alternately croon with him and then heckle him. The frame jostles and wavers as it circles around and zooms in. This is the latest installment of one of Eau Claire’s most creative new projects – The Valley.

Thom Fountain has been following the Vincent Moon Takeaway Shows on La Blogotheque for about two years. He had been kicking around ideas after a post on the site called for filmmakers to create similar projects in their own cities. Fountain had been looking for a way to become more involved in the local music scene, and this seemed like a perfect segue.

Fountain writes, films, and does most of the editing for the project. He has also enlisted the help of friends and UW-Eau Claire students Liz Felder and Daniel Lee Ruff Smith for photographing and filming the events. Smith’s band, Paper George, was involved in one of the first shoots. Since Fountain and Smith are friends, it provided a good test run. “I think originally I had the notion that I’ll just film people I know, and we’ll see where it takes off,” says Fountain, “but already in the fifth segment I’m contacting people I’ve never talked to before and we’re getting good responses.”

Local band Feathe was featured in one of The Valley’s recent video posts. “It’s a really casual, easygoing atmosphere working with those kids,” says Johanne Swanson, who sings and plays accordion for the group. “You can tell that they are really excited about what they’re doing. It wasn’t awkward at all.” Alyssa Rieper, who sings and plays guitar for Feathe, adds, “The one drawback being part of a new project like that is the time consumption. Any new project takes some time.”

There is something very raw about the videos, but that is the point, according to Fountain. He experimented with two-camera shooting and editing, but in the end he found the one-camera, one-take style more profound. The film equipment and random elbow often show up in the frame. “It’s not intentional,” says Felder, “ but we don’t go out of the way to make sure I’m not in the shots.” Smith agrees. “Having those movements that seem jerky are really human and it’s about that intimate environment that people are interacting in,” says Smith. “It pulls the viewer into that, having it be that personal.”

Local favorite Bon Iver was featured in the Takeaway shows well after Fountain had begun following the site. I asked if they had any plans to approach the band about participating in The Valley’s version of a performance. “We’re not going to think about that right now,” says Fountain. “We really want to highlight these artists that we don’t feel are highlighted enough. It would be a fantastic experience, but they’re not necessarily who this project was for.”

For now they are content to continue with the project, celebrating Eau Claire’s thriving music scene and most compelling spaces.

Fountain is from Green Bay, where he says the idea of culture there is a country karaoke bar.    He says he is floored by all of the coffee shops, art galleries, and venues to play in Eau Claire and this is his chance to showcase it.

If you haven’t already, check out their videos at http://thevalleyoh.tumblr.com or on VolumeOne.org’s Soundboard blog.