The Stop and Listen bring old-time music to the modern era with grit, drive, and radiant harmonies. Four musicians with independent roots in string band music found each other in 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin, and immediately began pulling tunes from the 1920s and30s through a century of blues, jazz, and bluegrass to create a sound that feels both current and classic.The Stop and Listen’s sound is carried by unique instrumentation—fiddle and cello played alongside harmonica, firmly planted in clawhammer banjo, guitar, tenor banjo, and an upright bass with a chip on its shoulder. Accomplished musicians Daniel Plane and Calvin Woodring trade off vocals and extraordinary improvisation. Harmonies are added by bassist and sparkling guitarist Adam Helt-Baldwin. Mike Tiboris adds banjo texture and drive in a wide range of playing styles. Together they play hot-old time fiddle tunes, jug band blues songs, and the occasional early country song or bluegrass standard.Known for their contemporary take music by classic string bands like the Mississippi Sheiks (where they got their name), the Skillet Lickers, and Gus Cannon’s Jug Stompers, The Stop and Listen brings their high energy to the low fidelity. Stop, listen, and let‘er rip! 

We’ll begin our evening with The Firesides.

The Firesides have spent the better part of the last 10 years playing barn dances throughout the beautiful Driftless Area of rural Southwestern Wisconsin! The Firesides, perform a variety of Appalachian & Midwestern instrumentals, cowboy songs, blues, traditional song-gems, and their own originals. Meghan and Daniel, who play fiddle and guitar moved to Southwestern Wisconsin from the Twin Cities where they played separately in the bands, The Floorbirds and The Ditchlilies. Meghan is currently the fiddle player in the group Point Five.   

Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door

The Firesides