Volume One Contributors

Aug. 19, 2014

Questioning the Locals | Matt Carter

get to know your neighbors!

Thom Fountain

When it comes to local history, Matt Carter has it covered. After earning his degree at UW-Eau Claire, Carter moved from intern to executive director of the Menomonie-based historical group. While the region has a vast, rich history ...

Jul. 22, 2014

Post EP, Stay Strong Drops Video for Big Single

Thom Fountain

Despite their debut EP’s name, Eau Claire pop-rockers Stay Strong know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to catchy guitar rock. That three-song EP, What The Hell Are We Doing? came out late this winter, and the band has now followed up ...

Jul. 22, 2014

Yata Rocks

longtime singer/songwriter takes new direction

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

If you know Yata Peinovich’s music, the first notes of Y are a real kick in the pants. His newest record adds a true rock direction to Yata’s songwriting, with huge full arrangements and driving melodies ...

Jun. 24, 2014

Taking the Initiative

Thom Fountain

Sick and tired of the United States’ political system? Fed up with our two national parties? Well, does Richard L. Freitag have a deal for you. The retired Eau Claire businessman’s newest book, The Citizens Initiative Party, details Freitag’s ...

Jun. 10, 2014

Versus the Volcano

Downstage Left goes local with ‘Volcanic’ script

Thom Fountain

In their first show last year, Downstage Left hoped to bring a little depth to the Chippewa Valley theater scene. The new company’s first production was The Shape Of Things – a heady play dealing with themes of identity and love. When director ...

Jun. 10, 2014

Back Again

Meridene returns with b-sides EP, talk of new full-length

Thom Fountain

Eau Claire indie-rockers Meridene made quite a career for themselves over the years they were active, with two heralded full-lengths and an EP. But in 2012 they wrapped it up and decided to call it quits. Well, after a few years of other projects ...

May. 27, 2014

Dave Powered

longtime local drummer hammers out his first solo

Thom Fountain

Dave Power is usually a busy guy. The recognizable mustachioed drummer (known these days for Adelyn Rose, PUNCHER, and Meridene, among others) constantly has his hands in projects of all shapes and sizes, holding down the kit for everything from ...

May. 27, 2014

Gaming History

Chippewa Valley Museum collaborates with Stout program for an interactive experience

Thom Fountain

The wealth of resources the Chippewa Valley’s universities provide to the area is evident in some ways – speakers and concerts, employment, economic impacts – but sometimes it’s easy to forget. When the community and university come together ...

Apr. 15, 2014

Jon Sunde Goes It Alone

Thom Fountain

For years, The Daredevil Christopher Wright was one of Eau Claire’s most beloved bands – both within and outside our boundaries. Though the group has all but disbanded, frontman Jon Sunde is embarking on his own, recently announcing his debut ...

Nov. 5, 2013

Drip, Drop, Drip

Half Moon Tea & Spice might specialize in the leaves, but they’ve also got beans roasted around the region for “pour over” coffee.

Thom Fountain, photos by Thom Fountain

For most, coffee isn’t a very complicated process. You throw some grounds into a pot and boom! You’ve got a little watery kick to get you through the day ...

Oct. 10, 2013

Stuffed Animals

UWEC gallery explores different approaches to taxidermy

Thom Fountain

Lost animals to show off the fruits of a hunt or a deceased family friend seems morbid, but holds huge cultural significance. The Foster Gallery at UW-Eau Claire is taking taxidermy ...

Oct. 10, 2013

White Goes Dark

local troubadour takes new direction with latest album

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

As the weather starts to chill and night comes a little earlier every day, the world tends to take on a slight edge. What an appropriate time for Chippewa Valley singer-songwriter ...

Sep. 13, 2013

Autumn-Infused

Emily Albrent, Thom Fountain

Autumn is near and that means cooler weather and holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. We are always fans of people getting into the holiday spirit and one of those ways is by eating and drinking fun, weird, surprising foods that only seem ...

Sep. 13, 2013

Local Darlings

three bands with local ties descend on House Of Rock

Thom Fountain

Local favorite indie-rockers Adelyn Rose are having a pretty great fall so far. They’re recently off an East Coast tour and were announced as the opener for one of Volcano Choir’s Eau Claire shows, but luckily you can get a chance to see them ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Swimmers Unleashed

local canines to make a splash at Doggie Swim Fest

Thom Fountain, photos by Betsy Olaussen

Alright, pups. I know most dogs can’t read, but I’m just assuming your owners will read this to you. I have an exciting announcement for you and your canine friends: You get to go swimming. Not in a lake or a river or that inflatable pool you got ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Time for a Goddess

folk deity Dar Williams headed to State Theatre

Thom Fountain

There’s something to be said about a self-made singer songwriter. And that’s exactly what Dar Williams is. The folk artist only wrote music for herself for years as a young adult and went to college for theater before starting to play music live ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Next BareBones Show Will Baby Its Audience

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

What’s in a name? Well, a decent amount according to Baby With The Bathwater – a play by Christopher Durang. The local comedic theater troupe BareBones Ensemble will be staging this absurdist comedy Aug. 16-17 at The Grand Theatre on Grand ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Local Ball

book covers turn-of-the-century baseball in EC

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

The game of baseball has an unnatural pull. The rich history of America’s pastime attracts many people to embrace the culture beyond casual fandom or even diehard devotion, but as a lifetime pursuit ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Local Author Hopes Own Experiences Can Help Teens

Thom Fountain

There’s probably no shortage of adult advice for teenagers. Do this, do that. Don’t do this, don’t do that. But local author Rebekah Palmer is taking a different perspective on advice for teens: Things she learned and documented as a ...

Aug. 14, 2013

Two Businesses Take the Leap With Jump-Start Awards

Thom Fountain

A couple of downtown businesses are getting a little boost from Downtown Eau Claire Inc. DECI’s annual Jump-Start Downtown Business Competition announced its 2013 winners Aug. 8. The grand prize went to a new downtown business ...

Jul. 31, 2013

Dancing the Can-can

aluminum revolution in craft brewing finds its way to the Valley

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

There might have been a time when drinking beer out of a can was looked down upon. Cans were for budget beer. Cans gave your beer a tinny flavor. Cans make you go blind. OK, maybe not that last one, but there was definitely a stigma against ...

Jul. 31, 2013

More Monk Than Ever

Eau Claire’s Lazy Monk tap room greatly expands

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

It’d be easy to mistake the Lazy Monk Tap Room for a bar. For one, the bar – which has four taps of Lazy Monk’s brews. But the tap room is much more than a bar: It’s a community room. The tap room wasn’t in the original plans for Lazy Monk ...

Jul. 31, 2013

UW-Stout Showcases Students' Summer Art

Thom Fountain

Just because it’s summer vacation doesn’t mean UW-Stout’s art students are resting. Gallery 209 at UW-Stout is hanging a student show called Exposing Our Underdraws throughout the summer featuring about 20 pieces of art across different mediums ...

Jul. 31, 2013

Perry's Visiting Tom Comes to Stay in Paperback

Thom Fountain

I think it’s fair to say Fall Creek author Michael Perry’s newest book Visiting Tom was a huge success. The book – which details the life and stories of Tom Hartwig, a local legend who’s known for his team of oxen and has a particular disdain for the ...

Jul. 31, 2013

New Single Sees the Light

Thom Fountain

Local prolific singer-songwriter Brian Bethke has always done things on his own, self releasing a number of records over the his career. But with his newest release he takes that to a whole new level. The Light, a new single from Bethke will be ...

Jul. 26, 2013

Chigliak Label Releases Record Number Two

Thom Fountain

Last year after years of Eau Clairians reminiscing on days past, we finally got more Amateur Love. Well, not new Amateur Love, but at least reissued. The local indie-pop band that begat Megafaun and Laarks would’ve topped the charts ...

Jul. 17, 2013

The Return of the Rock-N-Roll Kickball Classic

Thom Fountain

It’s back, baby. After a year hiatus, the much-begged-for Rock-n-Roll Kickball Classic will return this September in all its glory. The two day festival and kickball tournament will run Friday and Saturday Sept. 6-7 at Cinder City Park in Altoona ...

Jul. 17, 2013

Out of Left Field

new theater company puts on The Shape Of Things

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Jake Lindgren is a guy who loves what he does. For years, the Fall Creek native has lived and breathed theater around the community. Now he’s taking it into his own hands ...

Jun. 19, 2013

Glenn’s Team

local baseball legend pens history of Eau Claire ball

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Glenn St. Arnault moved to Eau Claire in 1946 at the age of eight. By 1954 he was coaching his first baseball team – part of the Parks and Recreation youth league – and he hasn’t turned back since. Arnault is renowned as an ...

Jun. 19, 2013

Big Time Big Band

local drummer lands dream gig with Glenn Miller Orchestra

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Mike Malone has been making his mark on the Eau Claire jazz scene as a drummer and band leader for the last few years, playing with UW-Eau Claire’s premiere group, Jazz I, founding his own group, Malonious Thunk ...

Jun. 19, 2013

Two Strangers, One Album

Thom Fountain

Kids With Boats is a truly collaborative effort. The new Eau Claire based experimental rock group is made up of John Bowman IV and Eric C. Thompson, who met using a creative classified listing in Volume One. While they came from different ...

Jun. 4, 2013

Entering the District

new downtown café The District Co. aims for something different

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth

Don’t be fooled: The District Co. is not simply a coffee shop or café. Sure, they have coffee, sandwiches, salads, Wi-Fi, pastries, and the like, but The District Co. is more than that. The District Co. is a start-up for start-ups.

Jun. 4, 2013

Let There Be Laarks

long wait pays off with rockers’ release, Fiat Lux

Thom Fountain, photos by Nick Meyer

It’s been more than three and a half years since we heard Laarks’ debut album, An Exaltation of Laarks, and that’s a long wait for new music from Eau Claire’s premiere indie rockers. The four-piece has spent that time meticulously working on the new record Fiat Lux, and the results seem worth it.

May. 22, 2013

Supporting the Strings

Thom Fountain

A few UW-Eau Claire music students are going to one heck of a helping hand from a new scholarship at the university. The Eileen Phillips Cohen String Scholarship will grant a full ride to four UW-Eau Claire string players each year, as well as ...

May. 8, 2013

Chippewa Valley Air Show Down and Out for 2013

Thom Fountain

Dec. 12, 2012

The October Session

Thom Fountain

Local music juggernaut Brian Bethke is releasing a new recording called The October Session. The new seven-track release officially comes out January 1, but is available now online at BrianBethke.com. The songs are sparse and simple, but ...