Warner Records
Zach Bryan is one of many alt-country acts that have been doing stellar shows in Madison over the last several months.
On an early November weeknight at The Sylvee, about 1,000 fervid fans propelled an unassuming singer-songwriter’s concert into a triumphant peek at country music’s likely future. After opening the show with the soul-searching sing-along “God Speed,” the headliner displayed a remarkable arsenal of hardcore twangy tunes.
Oh my, so much talent to burn. The act is 25-year-old Navy vet Zach Bryan — not to be confused with Nashville butt-wagging superstar Luke Bryan or hitmaker Zac Brown. Zach Bryan has found the alt-country or Americana route that’s home to a growing roster from Sturgill Simpson to Brandy Clark.
And Bryan’s not alone. Since the live concert biz restarted, there’s been a flood of stellar performers from country’s fringe stopping in Madison. Crowd support has been uneven, but there have been memorable local shows by 20-something Sierra Ferrell, the band Boy Named Banjo, Waxahatchee, ex-Houndmouth member Katie Toupin, guitar wizard Molly Tuttle (twice), the annual Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival smorgasbord, and icon Steve Earle, who proved he’s still fighting the good fight during a recent gig at the Stoughton Opera House. Longtime touring act Old Crow Medicine Show, playing at The Sylvee, featured an amazing two-minute, crowd-pleasing baton twirling exhibition by their roadie while they jammed on the stage’s other side.
More alt-country/Americana favorites are coming, too. Two-thirds of Nickel Creek, siblings Sara and Sean Watkins, will be at the Stoughton Opera House Dec. 17. And that whooshing sound you heard recently was more than 6,000 tickets bought in a few hours to 29-year-old bluegrass sensation Billy Strings’ three (yeah, three!) sold-out shows at The Sylvee March 3-5.
But let’s savor these last few months. Ferrell performed a sold-out show at the High Noon Saloon the day after Bryan’s Sylvee appearance. Her new album, Long Time Coming, will dot year-end “best of” lists — and it’s loaded with new songs seemingly plucked from Tammy Wynette’s heyday. For an encore, she covered Tennessee Ernie Ford and Charley Pride. The latter pick, Pride’s “The Snakes Crawl at Night” (co-written by Mel Tillis), was superbly updated with Ferrell’s sly and sublime version.
Meanwhile, at the Sylvee on Nov. 12, Waxahatchee — singer-songwriter Katie Crutchfield’s musical outlet — concentrated on her gentle, lovely vocals. Then Ashley McBryde, at her raucous Sylvee gig, rejoiced that she kicked down many doors to gain her sizable country crowd.
Why Madison? Why now? Social media spurred several acts, especially Zach Bryan and Sierra Ferrell. Community stations, especially Monona’s WVMO-FM (98.7) and WORT-FM (89.9), provide airplay. Americana acts were quick to return to the road when venues reopened — and Madison features many low- to mid-sized venues from The Bur Oak to The Sylvee that are eager supporters. And the Stoughton Opera House, bless its 120-year roots, has been a staunch supporter of alt-country since its reopening in 2001.
Mainstream country arena headliners have generally opted for Green Bay and Milwaukee over Madison. Reba McEntire, Morgan Wallen and a two-night Eric Church stint picked Green Bay’s Resch Center, though Madison has a leftover and oft-postponed Alabama show on Jan. 14 at the Coliseum.
A few mainstream country shows in Madison during recent months have offered surprises. Q106’s magnificent, long-running “Storytellers” concert series, featuring multiple acts in an acoustic setting at a Monona Terrace ballroom, returned in late October. Everyone from Eric Church to Maren Morris has joined the gig on their way up. This time around, with their songs stripped down, aspiring stars Matt Stell, Priscilla Block and Niko Moon never sounded better. This summer’s promotional Madison gig by Caitlyn Smith was vocal thunder with the finest songwriting chops.
Sadly, not all stellar country acts are drawing big crowds. The terrific Ingrid Andress, a fiery singer-songwriter, attracted barely 100 fans to the Majestic. (But Andress received a hugely well-deserved spot as the featured opener on Keith Urban’s 2022 arena tour, which will stop in Madison less than a year from now.)
Separate shows by alt-country wonders Katie Toupin and Boy Named Banjo at the High Noon had sparse audiences. Toupin responded with infectious tenderness and a rocker’s heart, and Boy Named Banjo’s genre-bending album, Circles, deserves attention. Check out Boy Named Banjo’s title cut or “Feel for You” for a delicious taste.
Alt-country also is becoming the home for former hitmakers. Wynonna, who has played the cavernous Coliseum several times, performed one of her loosest and best shows at the Barrymore Theatre before a small but enthusiastic crowd on Nov. 17. At 57, Wynonna won’t be on the country charts, but she sure seemed happy to belt out an assortment of tunes rather than play a money-grabbing hits-only tour.
By coincidence, WWQM-FM (106.3, aka Q106) held a marvelous promotional mini-show by Callista Clark earlier that same evening in Madison. Clark is 18 with deep country roots (she lists solo artist Wynonna and the Judds as influences); and she’s the genre’s best teen singer-songwriter since Taylor Swift.
If Clark doesn’t become a breakout star, she’ll no doubt develop in another way: As an alt-country performer.
Tom Alesia is author of the new book Then Garth Became Elvis: A Country Music Writer’s Journey with the Stars, 1985-2010, available online or at Leopold’s Books and The Book Deal in Madison.
