
“It is always exciting to have the dynamic, highly talented and very personable Brian Wicklund in the house,” says General Manager Pam Fuchs. “The Barley Jacks are a Festival favorite because they connect with their audience in an engaging way. Festival Theatre is proud to welcome them back.”
The Barley Jacks sing original vocals and play jaw–dropping instrumentals in a spirit of excitement and fun. They are masters of the fiddle, guitar, bass and drum who meld their divergent backgrounds of blues and bluegrass, classical and Celtic, R & B and bebop to inspire each other and create something entirely new.
Front-man and fiddler Brian Wicklund is joined by Joe Cruz on guitar, Kevin Rowe on bass, and Joel Arpin on percussion. Their 2010 debut recording “Either Side of Night” and 2011 recording “The Lighthouse” have been met with great praise by reviewers. The group has a long list of past performances at prestigious venues, including the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota; the Targhee Bluegrass Festival in Alta, Wyoming; the Rocky Grass Festival in Lyons, Colorado; and the Shetland Folk Festival over in Lerwick, United Kingdom. Among many stellar reviews, Denise Morris of the Sticks and Stones Festival in Mora, Minnesota, said, “The concert… by the Barley Jacks was just incredible. Everyone there knew we were seeing a world class performance by the quartet headed by Brian Wicklund, who is one of the most talented and versatile violinists I have ever seen."
Brian Wicklund has been an integral part of the acoustic music scene for decades. As a teenager, he won dozens of fiddle contests and has toured internationally with Stoney Lonesome, Judith Edelman Band, Kathy Kallick Band, Chris Stuart Band, and with Brother Mule. He is a busy studio musician and producer with dozens of projects to his credit. Brian wrote the best-selling American Fiddle Method published by Mel Bay and is in constant demand as a teacher worldwide.
Guitarist Joe Cruz brings 30 years of eclectic guitar virtuosity to the band. Kevin Rowe is as comfortable in a symphony as he is in a jazz combo or a bluegrass band with his bass. And Joel Arpin adds his virtuosic percussion on cajon and trap set. Together they are synergy.
Tickets for the Barley Jacks concert are $21 in advance and $26 at the door, and this event is Flex Pass eligible. Reservations for this and other upcoming concerts, including Sinatra & Company on September 26th, The Whyte Orfield Band on October 18th, and Alice Peacock on November 1st, can be made by calling the box office at 715-483-3387, emailing boxoffice@festivaltheatre.org, or online HERE. Box office hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and one hour prior to show times.