Volume One Contributors

Jul. 21, 2020

My Son Believes He Will Be Killed By Police

in light of Black Lives Matter protests, one local dad urges you to consider biases you didn't know you had

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

My son believes he will be killed by the police. He is 11 years old, and he is Black – and living in a very white region, with a very white mom and dad. He’s brilliant, beautiful, and highly perceptive. His 11-year-old brain isn’t yet wired to process events ...

Aug. 22, 2019

Music in Menomonie: A Closer Look

Scott Morfitt, Ed Hudgins, photos by Titus Williamson, Andrea Paulseth

Menomonie was built in an interesting spot in western Wisconsin. It’s less than a half hour from Eau Claire and an hour from Minneapolis. Among other things, this means locals have always had the option ...

Aug. 23, 2017

Readying to Rumble

pro wrestling showdown will benefit veterans’ needs

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

One ... two … he got him ... NO, HE KICKED OUT, BAH GOD, HE KICKED OUT!!! Just in case that reference is slightly esoteric, this is about pro wrestling, friend. And it’s coming, not to Minneapolis, not to Milwaukee, but to the Chippewa Valley ...

Apr. 6, 2017

Purpose and Passion: FMDown drives ahead with ’90s-style rock on new EP

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

metimes, late-night noshing with buddies can lead to big things. Around 2010, it would seem Heckel’s in Lake Hallie was the context for such a dynamic for Will Wall and Andrew Liss ...

Nov. 4, 2016

Poliça Comes to Campus

Minneapolis band hits UWEC on November 19

Ed Hudgins

The Music Capital of the North is about to host yet another tremendous musical experience. On November 19 at Schofield Auditorium on the UW-Eau Claire campus, an incredible fusion of electronic ...

Jul. 28, 2016

Embracing Teamwork in Music

Nobody’s good at everything. So why do we expect musicians to be?

Ed Hudgins

I am thankful we are all wired differently, that we all come to the table with a variety of skills, abilities, and experiences. This makes life much richer, don’t you think? Diversity, when embraced and celebrated ...

Jun. 15, 2016

Emprem, a Solo Force to Be Reckoned With

Ed Hudgins

It is becoming increasingly clear Nick Anderson is a musical force. In 2015, he and his bandmates in Granite Rose released a self-titled record which was well-received by fans and critics ...

Nov. 11, 2015

Look How Far They've Come

Undlin & Wolfe find depth and harmony on full length

Ed Hudgins

Some time ago, Undlin & Wolfe played at a local venue here in Eau Claire. I wasn’t able to attend the show, but a friend of mine did, and he called their sound and performance “sweet.” ...

Sep. 1, 2015

Phil Cook's Connection

Chippewa Falls native has southern-fried solo album

Ed Hudgins

In 2005, Phil Cook packed up and departed from his hometown, Chippewa Falls, and headed south toward North Carolina. He had been learning to pick a banjo, and the soul of Southern music had beckoned him. His wife, Heather, wrote that Cook “was diving deep into the used gospel bin at the record store ...

Jun. 23, 2015

Granite Rose Garage Rock

rockers embrace raw recordings and AC/DC

Ed Hudgins

In his acceptance speech at the Grammys in 2012, Dave Grohl talked about his award-winning record, Walk, and how he and the Foo Fighters recorded it while playing live together in a garage. He spoke about how important the human element and embracing imperfection was in the music making process. I recently had the opportunity ...

Apr. 13, 2015

TV Show Discovers Eau Claire

statewide tourism TV show highlights our community

Ed Hudgins

Those of us living here in the Chippewa Valley already know this is a pretty great place to be. Now, it’s time that the rest of Wisconsin gets in on this. Toward that end, Discover Wisconsin, a television show has been highlighting locales ...

Nov. 25, 2014

Whoya Think You Are?

party game designed to elicit humor, insights

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

If you don’t know Justin Hertz, you probably should. The Eau Claire native is a sweet guy, which is evident in his “Kindrally” group on Facebook, his encouraging words to those connected with him, and his music (which you can check ...

Oct. 30, 2014

Justin Jay Arnold Ponders Life and Death on New LP

Ed Hudgins

The idea of “home” can surface a myriad of feelings, depending on your personal experience with that idea. However, “home” is meant to be a place of peace, joy, warmth, and love. When writing “Long Way Home,” from his recently released album ...

Feb. 4, 2014

Still Tangled After All These Years

Ed Hudgins

Tangled Up in Hue on Barstow Street has become a fixture and major part of the downtown Eau Claire experience since Erin Roesler and Jamie Kyser opened its doors five years ago. Its website describes it as “one-of-a-kind art collective ...

Jan. 22, 2014

Singing Memories

Durand inspires Ulwelling’s solo album

Ed Hudgins

Whatever happened to Eddie Sabelko? I have to admit, this is the first time I’ve ever asked that question. I don’t even know Eddie Sabelko, but Jim Ulwelling of Biesterveld does. Sabelko is the topic of the aptly named ...

Dec. 3, 2013

Full of Feeling

singer-songwriter’s upbeat tunes have emotional depth

Ed Hudgins

Local singer/songwriter Justin Hertz released his first full-length album, Someday You’ll Feel the Same, in October. At first listen, if you’re not paying close attention, the album might sound like a poppy mix of acoustic happy pills ...

Dec. 3, 2013

Flying from Heartache

Hannah Connolly EP offers serene sad songs

Ed Hudgins

I love sad songs. I’ve come to terms with this over the last couple of years, which is why I have been drawn to artists like Field Report, The Civil Wars, Johnny Cash, and now Hannah Connolly. When talking about the sadness of his songs ...

Jul. 17, 2013

Finished Project

Rambo’s long-awaited album ready for release

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The first time I saw Michael Rambo perform, he was actually “Michael O’Claire,” the lead performer for the local “Irish” pub band, the Shillelagh Lads. My wife and I had the pleasure of attending their annual Christmas show at Houligans a couple of ...

Feb. 14, 2013

A Class Act for Entrepreneurs

local universities offer coursework geared towards starting your business

Ed Hudgins

Over the past several years, I have come to a much better understanding of who I am, how I tick and what drives me. I have come to not only realize, but fully own, the fact that I like to start stuff. And, if I can’t start something from scratch ...

Dec. 22, 2012

Welcome to Wisconsin

Menomonie rest stops get a makeover, become official

Ed Hudgins, photos by Timothy Mather

As much as people here are excited about the Chippewa Valley, were you aware there are folks out there who actually don’t know how special this place is? When I talk with such people, I will tell them that I live in Eau Claire and love it, and ...

Dec. 12, 2012

New on the Scene

new EP on the way from Eau Claire folk rockers

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

You can hardly take a walk down the street without bumping into a talented, emerging musician or band these days in the Chippewa Valley. It’s truly one of the great things about being an Eau Clairian. And, the Valley’s creative womb has borne ...

Oct. 31, 2012

Exploring the Tire Plant

Uniroyal documentary ready to screen at State Theatre

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

For almost 80 years, Eau Claire was shaped economically by the rubber-making industry. What is now known as Banbury Place was once a Uniroyal tire-making plant. It was one of the largest manufacturing plants in Wisconsin and made Eau Claire to ...

Oct. 31, 2012

Kim Chi Café Goes Italian

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The Kim Chi Café is taking on a whole new personality. After closing in early October, the former Korean café has reopened as an Italian restaurant. Now called Vita Bella Ristorante and Lounge, this Eau Claire eatery features a brand new ...

Oct. 31, 2012

NPR Unleashes The Daredevil Christopher Wright’s New Single

Ed Hudgins, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The Daredevil Christopher Wright is no stranger to fans of local music here in the Chippewa Valley. While they are certainly well-known, they have also garnered recognition on the national stage. Recently, they were the subject of “All Songs ..."

Oct. 16, 2012

The Story Singer

folk songwriter, author brings his stories to the Heyde Center

Ed Hudgins

If you love music and are one of those folks who enjoys the stories behind the songs, learning about what drives an artist to write a song, or what motivates a musician, the Heyde Center in Chippewa Falls has an event for you. In conjunction with ...