Over the past decade, Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s Blue Ox Music Festival has gone from a scrappy little festival battling Mother Nature and lots of mud to a bucket list festival for many musicians – and concertgoers young and old. The festival celebrates music past and present and features a wide variety of styles including bluegrass, Americana, rock and folk.
This year the festival celebrated its 10th anniversary. On Saturday, June 29, singer-songwriter Sierra Ferell quite eloquently summed up the mantra of the festival, saying that “each day is another chance to wake up and be grateful” for all the good things in life and live life to the fullest. A day earlier, Soren Staff of Eau Claire favorite Them Coulee Boys echoed that sentiment, saying despite challenges and obstacles in life that good times are not far behind and to find hope and energy from those moments.
This year marked my fifth Blue Ox (or technically sixth if you add the 2020 pandemic year when I watched livestreamed concerts without crowds at home on my big-screen TV). The festival, which is held at The Pines Music Park (formerly Whispering Pines), has been an important part of my life, and I can definitely resonate with live music bringing much needed joy into one’s life – as well as a way to keep the memory of those we’ve lost alive. In April of 2016, my father tragically died after getting struck by a vehicle while in a crosswalk. It left a huge void for myself, my family and those who knew him. He was instrumental in my obsession with listening to music and discovering new music. A great support system of family and friends really helped me process the loss and learn to find joy in my life.
Months later, I heard about Blue Ox through my friend Brett, who attended the festival’s first two years with a few other mutual friends. Alex asked if I wanted to get tickets for the festival in 2017 and it sounded like a fun, new experience for me. I hadn’t been to a music festival outside of Summerfest in Milwaukee and hadn’t camped in a tent in a decade.
I remember the excitement of getting into Alex’s white pickup truck and driving four-five hours to the festival, with Alex as my guide through it all. Along the drive, we entertained each other and listened to music and watched the variety of landscapes that make up Wisconsin fly by. Then we arrived in Eau Claire, with the anticipation mounting. As we entered the Pines Campground, I felt a sense of awe as we passed through the different sections of the campground and witnessed this new world. It was hard to find a campsite even back then, so we had to DIY create a space in the woods at the edge of the campground property just off the road. I appreciated Alex showing me how to camp as an adult and feel it was an important new experience to go through. It made me get out of my usual comfort zone and I am thankful for that journey and chance to grow.
Once our campsite was set up, we headed to the festival bowl, wandering around and exploring the inviting environment prior to music starting. There was the Saloon Stage, a smaller side stage that was facing the complete opposite it is now, with the building next to it operating as the festival’s shop. Then there was the main stage situated at the edge of the festival bowl. Next to it was a giant banjo leaning against a tree and a pond.
When the first band – Them Coulee Boys – started playing I was instantly hooked. I fell in love with their punk-inspired spin on bluegrass and Americana and the energy and charisma they exuded. They’ve certainly become one of my favorite bands from Wisconsin, and I was fortunate to interview Soren years later.
It was exciting going back and forth between the side and main stage to check out bands, some new and some familiar, and soaking everything in. I was also impressed by the communal aspect of the festival. The togetherness of enjoying and discovering music was intoxicating. It’s something that hasn’t diminished even in my fifth year at the festival.
And then there was the adventure of further exploring the campground, and camping (cold showers and muggy nights sleeping in a tent included). One of my favorite memories was when Chris Thile of Punch Brothers came jogging on the road behind our campsite. Alex and I would go to the festival the following two years, together, taking the same route and different vehicles after that truck ended its service life. I enjoyed getting to hang out with our mutual friend Matt and his family at their RV campsite (including 2019 when we were able to seek shelter when there was a big downpour).
It’s a place where I’ve seen many acts for the first time, including Billy Strings, Sierra Ferrell, Pert Near Sandstone, Joseph, Daniel Donato, and Charlie Parr. It was exciting in particular to see Billy Strings’ immeasurable talent as a guitarist and vocalist before much of the world caught on and witness his quick ascent from an early afternoon set to evening headliner. For acts that have returned to the fest, it’s great to see their musical growth and continued commitment to delivering amazing sets. If you’re counting total sets (two per festival and one Milwaukee concert at Colectivo), I’ve now seen Pert Near about a dozen times. I really enjoy the energy they bring each show and their dedication for helping run the festival.
The last two times at Blue Ox – 2022 and this year – I got to share my love of Blue Ox with my mother, who also enjoyed the festival. I’ve really enjoyed every year I’ve gone to the festival and this year was no exception as it was another fantastic entry. It’s a festival that’s aged like a fine bourbon or whiskey, with each year having its own personality and refinements. I enjoyed that they expanded the opportunities to see more bands with the Backwoods stage featuring bands throughout the day in addition to late at night. I’ve also enjoyed the festival lately having bands at the Saloon Stage play one 45 minute to an hour set instead of two shorter sets. I’ve been to several other music festivals since 2017 in Wisconsin and around the country, but Blue Ox is the most inviting and accessible of them all.
Blue Ox 2024: Photos and A Few More Random Thoughts
– Unlike many festival days of the past that were humid, this year’s festival had relatively cooler temperatures, which I enjoyed. I was relieved that the storms went south on Friday, allowing all the acts to go on as scheduled. The little rain that fell that day felt good.
– It was great to see a number of artists again (at Blue Ox or in general), including Molly Tuttle, Daniel Donato, The Devil Makes Three and Del McCoury Band. While I missed Donato’s much raved about set last year, it was evident from his 2022 set at the Saloon Stage, that he and his band were destined for big things with their high octane country-rock sound. This year he easily topped that, showing off his increased growth and confidence. The same can be said about Tuttle and her band, who I saw just last year at the Levitt Amp in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Molly and her band – which featured Kyle Tuttle – were in top-form again, joyfully showcasing selections from their Grammy award winning 2023 album City of Gold. It was a nice bonus when Del McCoury Band fiddler Jason Carter, who is engaged to Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, joined the group. Speaking of Del McCoury, this year marked the fourth time seeing him at the fest (and fifth overall), and it’s a joy to see them every time.
-I also really enjoyed seeing some acts I haven’t seen before, including Sierra Ferrell, Colby T. Helms & Virginia Creepers, Art Stevenson & Highwater, Said In Stone, Watchhouse, Stringdingers, and Mama Said String Band. I had a lot of anticipation for Ferrell and Helms sets after both released fantastic new albums earlier this year, and they didn’t disappoint. Highlights include Ferrell performing “American Dreaming” and Helms paying tribute to his father on “Daddy’s Pocket Knife.”
– There were some great, unique, and sometimes unexpected covers during the festival, including Said In Stone covering Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,” Sierra Ferrell covering “Me & Bobby McGee” Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway covering The Rolling Stones’ “She’s Like a Rainbow,” Pert Near Sandstone covering The Replacements “Can’t Hardly Wait,” Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country covering Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies,” and Tan & Sober Gentlemen’s covering Queen’s “Fat Bottomed Girls.”
– The last time I saw Band of Horses was way back in 2010. I was bummed out last year when they had to cancel their set on the shores of Lake Winnebago at Waterfest in Oshkosh, Wisconsin due to a deluge of rain. So, I was thrilled to see them in the lineup this year. For a while, it looked like I might have had to wait longer, as thunderstorms had been predicted when they were set to go on. Fortunately, the weather mostly went south, and the band was able to play without any weather worries. The wait was definitely worth it.
– A plentiful helping of Gruel on all stages – even the Backwoods Stage. Wisconsin singer-songwriter and musician Adam Gruel has played the festival every year, usually with his band Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. He helped cap off night one and three of the fest, first with his supergroup The High Hawks and later to finish off the festival as part of Pert Near’s all-star set and with Horseshoes. The High Hawks were one of my most anticipated bands of this year’s festival, aided by the release of their sophomore album Mother Nature’s Show earlier this year and getting a chance to interview Gruel for the Capital Times. I thoroughly enjoyed their first of two late night sets at the Backwoods stage the first day, enjoying their lively and dynamic chemistry. I’d go as far to say it was one of the best sets I saw this year at the festival. Horseshoes perfectly capped off the festival with another high energy set despite the cold temperate.
– Speaking of the Backwoods stage, this year marked my first time back at the stage since 2019 (having opted to stay at a hotel since then). It was exciting to get to go back into the campground and see how everything looked. I thought they did a great job on the improvements to the stage and surrounding area, including adding a neon lit sign, a small makeshift building for artists and further enhancing the seating bowl area. I ended up going to the stage every day – first for The High Hawks and then morning sets from Stringdingers and Said In Stone.
Blue Ox Snapshots
Below are some of my favorite photos I’ve taken at past Blue Ox festivals.
Joshua is co-founder of Scummy Water Tower. He’s freelanced for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and websites, including: Rolling Stone, The Boston Globe, Chicago Sun-Times, Guitar World, MTV News, Grammy.com, Chicago Magazine, Milwaukee Magazine, MKE Lifestyle, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, A.V. Club, SPIN, Alternative Press, Under the Radar, Paste, PopMatters, American Songwriter, and Relix. You can email him at josh@scummywatertower.com.
