Shank Hall

Kathy Rippey Life Celebration

Today June 14, 202612:00pm

12pm - 3pm
Food provided
Cash bar

Featuring music from Rippey's radio show "Get On Up"

Dylan LeBlanc, Carlyle Griffin

Thursday June 18, 20268:00pm $25.00

Dylan LeBlanc is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who often finds himself flirting with the edge -- or "dancing on a razor," as he calls it -- as it is all he has ever known. A verdict vagabond since he was a little boy tossed between Texas, Louisiana and Alabama, LeBlanc thrives on the precipice, never staying in one place for too long. It is that nomadic spirit that drew him not only to a life as a touring musician, but also to the beast that titles his newest record: 'Coyote.'

LeBlanc says he has always related to the insatiable, scavenging nature of the wily coyote. Much like the animal, LeBlanc is a wanderer who knows when to trust his instincts, musically and otherwise. It is a spiritual kinship that runs deep, but he credits one particularly hair-raising face-to-face instance with solidifying his bond with the animal.

LeBlanc was in Austin, Texas, climbing the face of a 100-foot cliff, gambling with Mother Nature's good graces as he pulled himself up by tree branches. Once he reached the top, all that laid ahead of him was a lush treeline. There was a breath of stillness, then the sound of a thunderous rustling that drew closer and closer to him. In a blink, LeBlanc watched as a frenzied raccoon came speeding out of the treeline, trailed by an animal that stopped and stared at him with striking intensity: a coyote.

"We're looking at each other dead in the eyes...and I'm saying -- out loud -- 'If it's you or me, I am going to kick you off the side of this cliff. I'm not going down.' It was intense, this human-animal moment," LeBlanc recalls. "I've never forgotten that... he was just trying to survive and so was I."

'Coyote' is LeBlanc's first self-produced release, boasting a cherry-picked lineup of what he calls "killer session players," such as drummer Fred Eltringham (Ringo Starr, Sheryl Crow), pianist Jim "Moose" Brown (Bob Seger), and bass player Seth Kaufman (Lana Del Rey). Though 'Coyote' covers familiar ground for LeBlanc of living on the edge of danger and its many consequences, the record is both autobiographical and a concept album built around the character of Coyote, a man on the run.

The story of 'Coyote' progresses linearly, opening with the dizzyingly declarative, strings-heavy title track which details Coyote's arrival and quick departure as he crosses the border and gets involved with drug cartels. The trouble builds and dark waters rise until track six, "No Promises Broken," a soaring, against-all-odds love song that marks when Coyote meets a girl, and his luck begins to change for the better. The song tells of how love heals, and places emphasis on lovers remaining open while maintaining their own freedoms, as LeBlanc believes that true devotion does not equal possession. He says that though both Coyote and his love each faced adversity, the hand of destiny put them on the same path and bound them together before they ever met:

"'No Promises Broken' is an honest love song about two people who come from the same troubled past, and fate intertwines them together. It's about acknowledging that there will be hard times ahead, but vowing to stick it out without making promises to each other that they know they can't keep."

"Wicked Kind" delves into Coyote's addiction and warns of ever-present temptation looming on the horizon, and the restraint it takes for him to look away. The LP closes with "The Outside," the title of which LeBlanc says is meant to be literal, as Coyote is outside of prison walls at last. With boundless slide guitar and skittish keys, it paints a haunting, desert highway vignette of Coyote fighting off lingering ghosts that breed a hesitance so potent that Coyote has to adjust his perspective and remind himself that he is free -- the fight is over.

LeBlanc has seen shades of a life not unlike the character of Coyote. He, too, strayed from the straight and narrow and sparred with managing anger in his adolescence. Just as the brutal truth of "Hate" describes that the most gnarled parts of Coyote were molded by his harrowing experiences, it is something LeBlanc feels is universal, as hate does not discriminate.

"I went to school with people from all walks of life. We were different, but we thought, 'We're all poor,' so we're all in the same boat. We all grew up in chaos. It was the '90s in Louisiana on the border of Texas... that air was thick, man. Sink or swim type of mentality."

LeBlanc is the first to warmly acknowledge his rough edges and tendency to chest-up to conflict, both the result of the volatility and instability of his youth. Now, no longer a boy who always had to be on alert and ready to defend himself, LeBlanc recognizes that his roots do not define or limit the man he is today. The cover art of a coyote wounded by arrows reflects just that, symbolizing LeBlanc's resilience through what he has experienced:

"The coyote is still upright, even though he's full of arrows, even though he has been shot at and wounded many times. He still keeps going in defiance of everything that has been thrown at him. You can't get an arrow out completely. You can break one side of it off, but the arrow is still there... there's still a scar. It becomes a part of you... of your identity."

Considering the distinct wisdom and lifetimes in his voice, it is no surprise that LeBlanc has known hardships, but he is a shining example of what beauty comes from perseverance. LeBlanc's tenacity has paid off in spades, leading him to a record deal with ATO Records, releasing the critically acclaimed 'Renegade' in 2019, and now 'Coyote,' which LeBlanc says is "the record he has always wanted to make."

Now in his thirties with a fiancé and a daughter he adores, LeBlanc is the closest he has ever been to the man he has always strived to be. With endearing candor, he confesses he is still learning to be less hot-headed and more gentle; but he doesn't think about dying every day, like he used to. LeBlanc credits fatherhood for the perspective he has now on what matters, and his key concern is remaining devoted to those he loves most. Though far removed from a perilous life like Coyote's, LeBlanc admits he still feels as if he is dancing on a razor's edge all the same. The goodness he is surrounded by only gives him more to lose, with each glimmer carrying an asterisk of fear. One misstep and he worries that it all could vanish, but the lionhearted LeBlanc seems to forget he once unnerved even a wild coyote with his eyes alone.

Dan Bern, Anne Heaton

Friday June 19, 20268:00pm $25.00

Dan Bern is a captivating live performer who has enthralled a loyal and ever-growing fan base in the US and Europe since the mid '90s. His songs range from deeply moving to wildly imaginative and hilarious, often within the same song.

He has been compared favorably to the great masters of songwriting, such as Guthrie, Dylan, Costello. Though he draws from the great American tradition of songwriting, there is something deeply unique and compelling that make you want to get to know the man behind the songs.

He conjures incredibly specific imagery like in a painting. Though he may turn to cynicism and political satire at times, the beauty of his work is that he is able to imagine better worlds, revealing a deep capacity for empathy and optimism. Bern connects with his audiences skillfully and directly, weaving the topical and local in with the more universal themes. He has written for many films and TV shows, and has made more than thirty albums.

"If you ever read the name "Dan Bern" give yourself a treat and go see him. He's been one of my favourite songwriters and musicians for the past 25 years. His songs are a mix of thought provoking lyrics and a wonderful dry wit. You'll have a great night out! -- Roger Daltrey

Midwest Emo Night

Saturday June 27, 20268:00pm

DJs spinning your favorite Midwest Emo

American Football
Cap'n Jazz
The Promise Ring
Braid
Sunny Day
Real Estate
Hot Mulligan
Mom Jeans
Modern Baseball
+ MORE

DRESS UP COMPETITION
Best 'fit wins venue vouchers & plushies

Dead Letter Office – A Tribute to R.E.M.

Sunday July 19, 20266:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Dead Letter Office have dedicated themselves to faithfully reproducing the music and energy of a live R.E.M. show. Since 2014, Dead Letter Office has been thrilling audiences throughout the U.S. & Canada, providing a show that's been sorely missed since R.E.M called it quits.

Dead Letter Office not only performs R.E.M.'s major hits but also dives deep into their catalog to please the die-hard fans!

Dead Letter Office has also been joined onstage by members of R.E.M.!! Mike Mills joined them on stage in Buffalo, NY for Man on the Moon. Peter Buck joined them onstage at Clusterfest in San Francisco, CA (in front of 8000 people) for Sitting Still and So. Central Rain!

The Cold Stares

Friday July 24, 20268:00pm $20.00

For almost ten years, The Cold Stares had toured the world relentlessly as a duo, blowing away audiences across the US and Europe with a fierce, blistering live show that belied their bare bones, guitar-and-drums setup. In 2023 the band began embracing a whole new kind of chemistry and launched into their next chapter, adding a third member and channeling the classic power trio sound they grew up on with their explosive acclaimed album, Voices.

Working off the international success of Voices, which was voted one of the best albums of 2023 by Classic Rock Magazine, The Cold Stares went into Memphis Magnetic Studio in Memphis Tennessee and recorded the band's next chapter and progression, the sprawling album The Southern, which is set for release spring of 2024.

The Cold Stares have created a buzz in the music world that has landed them on the road with the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Larkin Poe, Rival Sons, Reignwolf, Spoon, Grand Funk Railroad, and Thievery Corp, among many others. American Songwriter praised the group's "hard-won commitment, honesty, and intensity," while No Depression hailed their sound as a "roots rocking firestorm," and tunes from their albums turned up everywhere from ESPN, Dodge, Chevy and TNT to the hit video game Cyberpunk 2077.

Chuck Prophet

Tuesday August 4, 20268:00pm $35.00

"We've got ourselves a cool little four-piece acoustic country-rock road band. No smoke machines. No backing tracks. Just the sound of wood, wire, skin, and air moving around a room."

"I'm on acoustic guitar. Stephanie is at the piano, singing those harmonies. Mike Anderson is on upright bass -- all boom-boom and backbone -- and Sean Nelson is over there with brushes on a snare."

"We're playing songs from all across my catalog, but they've been reimagined. Stripped down. Turned inside out a little. Intimate. Earthy, loose, deceptively raw. But above all -- somehow -- it still rocks."

"And who knows? We've got a cool audience, so maybe we'll even take a request or two if the mood takes hold."

-- Love, Chuck

Dale Watson

Monday August 10, 20268:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Dale Watson is a living legend of American roots music. With Texas-sized defiance and drive, he's spent four decades flying the flag for his own brand of honky-tonk, outlaw country, western swing, and rockabilly. That signature sound has a name -- "Ameripolitan" -- and its originator is Watson himself: a singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer, actor, cultural architect, and rule-breaking traditionalist for the modern world, championing the traditions that fly in the face of the homogenous mainstream.

More than 30 albums stand between Watson's teenage years in Texas, where he cut his teeth on Houston's honky-tonk circuit, and his latest release, 2026's Unwanted. That body of work hasn't just brought him an international audience stretching from East Texas to Europe with TV appearances on major national platforms like PBS's Austin City Limits, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Late Show with David Letterman; it's also cemented his reputation as a musical maverick who's worthy of sharing the same stage as his heroes, with shows alongside Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson.

With Unwanted, he fires another double-barreled shotgun blast of country twang and honky-tonk bang. It's a raw, rowdy record, recorded in Austin and Memphis -- two cities that have always lived large in Watson's history -- and fueled by the heartaches, hard-won lessons, and high-speed thrills of a life largely logged on the road. Singing with a booming voice that could cut through the chaos of a packed dancehall, Watson runs the show like a roots-rock ringleader. He salutes his vices on the galloping "Willie Waylon and Whiskey," reflects upon a lifetime of loss with the gorgeous ballad "If You Really Loved Me (Outlive Me)," and gets wistfully reflective on "Life is Like a Song." Entirely written and produced by Watson, Unwanted is the sound of an Ameripolitan diehard with plenty of life left in the tank, speeding toward a horizon of his own making.

If the heart of American music beats loudest where tradition and innovation intersect, then Dale Watson's albums are the lifeblood of a sound that never dies.

Thomas Gabriel

Wednesday September 23, 20268:00pm $25.00

Thomas Gabriel is about to give fans of Outlaw Country the album they have been waiting to hear for years. Produced by the multi-GRAMMY-winning-icon, Rodney Crowell, the lyrics are raw, raucous and real, the delivery is awash in passion and purpose, and Thomas Gabriel has lived every word of it. It's an album that took a lifetime to create and it is, right on time. This timeless piece of music could easily stand tall next to the Giants of the 1970's Outlaw scene and will be equally at home on today's playlists spinning between Superstars Chris Stapleton, Sturgill Simpson and Cody Johnson.

While it is yet to be released, the album has already caught the attention of Hollywood insiders landing Thomas his first synch placement with the albums opening song, "Born Behind The Wheel." The track will be showcased in a new Netflix film due this holiday season. Thomas has also been tapped to join a star-studded cast in his silver screen acting debut.

The album which has now been mastered, is scheduled for release later this year. Produced by legendary songwriter Rodney Crowell, it's filled with songs of rebellion and redemption. It takes the listener on a rollicking journey through life's hard knocks, the struggle of addiction and the hope of a better tomorrow. Driven by Gabriel's powerful and earth- shaking vocals, the lyrics envelop the listener in vivid scenes that evoke universal emotions, audiences the world over can relate to.

Gabriel was born into a family of legends in Ventura, California to Kathy Cash (daughter to Johnny Cash and his first wife Vivian Liberto Cash). Thomas spent much of his youth touring with grandparents Johnny and June. Growing up part time on the road had a deep and lasting impact on Thomas, as did his grandfather's nurturing and steady encouragement for Thomas to explore his talents and musical roots.

After years battling substance abuse, Gabriel hit rock bottom while serving time in prison. The solitude of prison provoked a sense of urgency for Thomas to reflect and lean into his faith as well as his songwriting. A journey that had begun in his youth was suddenly providing him with a much-needed outlet to funnel his hopes, fears and dreams into the written word and songs.

After his release from prison, Gabriel had a strong sense of purpose in his new found sobriety. He found his footing as a father, a son, a man of faith and as a prolific songwriter. Not only has he poured his mistakes and dreams into songs, he has dedicated himself to sharing his story weekly with fans during his ever growing Monday Motivational sessions, in which Thomas serves his fans and a community of people by encouraging others not to slide down the slippery slopes of addiction. Be it during a Monday Motivational online, or from center stage on tour, Thomas is channeling the pain of his past into his purpose.

"When things are tough, I can pump out songs like no tomorrow. Maybe I am not as self-aware when I am happy, but I am always working on my songwriting. I love performing live. When I sing one of my own songs, I put everything that went into creating it into the performance...for me the best compliment I can get is when someone tells me that my music has helped them through a hard time or touched their heart in some way. When I look in the audience and someone is singing my lyrics back to me, that's it - it's the biggest thing by far." -- Thomas Gabriel

Robert Ellis

Monday October 12, 20268:00pm $20 advance / $25 door

Recorded live to tape in just two days, Robert Ellis's exquisite new album, Yesterday's News, is as stripped-down as it gets, with the celebrated songwriter and producer's delicate, reedy tenor accompanied only by nylon string guitar, upright bass, and the occasional piece of handheld percussion. The arrangements are harmonically sophisticated here, drawing on the open tunings and intricate fingerpicking of English songwriters like Nick Drake or Richard Thompson, and Ellis's performances are similarly subtle and nuanced, tapping into the bittersweet longing of Chet Baker and the playful poignancy of Bill Evans and Jim Hall.

While that might seem surprising coming off 2019's raucous Texas Piano Man, subverting expectations is nothing new for Ellis. Born and raised outside Houston, he gained early acclaim for his piercing introspection and absorbing narratives, but over the course of five solo albums, he flirted with everything from Paul Simon and John Prine to Elton John and Joni Mitchell in a series of sonic and visual transformations that ran the gamut from Redneck Steely Dan to Lone Star Liberace. NPR hailed his "musical daring and impeccable songcraft," while Rolling Stone praised his "sharp eye for storytelling," and the New York Times lauded his writing as an emotional "gut punch."

Yesterday's News marks Ellis's debut LP for Niles City Records, an outgrowth of the famed Niles City Sound studio he and longtime collaborator Josh Block run in Fort Worth, TX.

Wolfman Jack

Friday October 23, 20268:00pm $20.00

Wolfman Jack is a nationally touring band performing the psychedelic and electrifying Live Dead to Europe '72 era of The Grateful Dead. What we call Primal Dead! A true dance band in the style of such legendary venues as the Fillmores, Carousel Ballroom, Avalon Ballroom, Winterland Arena, and Strand Lyceum. They recreate those vintage sets from when the Grateful Dead were first cutting their teeth as a live music act. Don't miss it!

In Her Own Words, Every Avenue, Public Works

Saturday October 24, 20268:00pm $25.00

For the last decade, In Her Own Words have quietly become one of the most beloved and consistent voices in modern pop punk, building a dedicated fanbase through brutally honest songwriting, massive singalong choruses, and the kind of emotional connection that only comes from lived experience.

In 2026, the band celebrates the 10 year anniversary of their breakthrough album Unfamiliar, the record that helped define a generation of emotionally charged pop-punk and introduced fans to songs that still hit just as hard today. From bedroom speakers to packed clubs around the world, Unfamiliar became more than just an album. It became a soundtrack for growing up, falling apart, and figuring yourself out along the way.

To celebrate the milestone, the band will be performing Unfamiliar in full on a special anniversary co-headline tour alongside longtime scene favorites Every Avenue. Bringing together two bands whose songs helped shape the soundtrack of the late 2000s and 2010s emo and pop punk scene, the tour is designed as both a nostalgic celebration and a reminder of why these songs continue to resonate with fans years later.

"Ten years ago we made Unfamiliar as a bunch of kids trying to process anxiety, heartbreak, growing pains, and everything in between," says vocalist Joey Fleming. "We never imagined those songs would still mean this much to people a decade later. Seeing fans scream these lyrics back to us after all this time is honestly surreal."

While the anniversary tour celebrates the album that changed everything for the band, In Her Own Words aren't simply revisiting the past. Behind the scenes, the band has spent the last year working on a brand new full-length album, one they describe as their most ambitious and emotionally honest material to date. With new music expected in 2026, this tour marks both a celebration of where the band came from and the beginning of an entirely new chapter.

Teddy Thompson, Jenna Nicholls

Saturday November 7, 20268:00pm $25.00

Beloved London-born, Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Teddy Thompson has returned with the exquisitely crafted Never Be The Same, his first collection of original material since 2020. Across ten tracks, Thompson refines his craft via an exploration of music's enduring preoccupations -- love, longing, and the uneasy passage of time.

This album wasn't built upon a grand narrative. There was no self-imposed exile, no forced reinvention. Instead, it is centered around an exhortation that is threaded through the songs like a refrain: "Never Be The Same," its title only revealing itself to Thompson after he'd completed the recording.

"It's a phrase that, unconsciously, I used twice. And when I saw it on the page, I realized, this is the message of this album," says Thompson. "Don't ever be the same. Change. Grow! Even when the sentiment is, woe is me, I'll never recover after that love or loss. The message is still, change. Don't get too comfortable. Everything is temporary, so evolve or perish!"

This pull and tension between comfort and change runs quietly throughout Never Be The Same, Thompson's 11th album, which was produced by renowned Grammy Award--winning musician/producer David Mansfield. At the core is Thompson's longstanding commitment to songwriting as a form, inspired by early influences like Chuck Berry, Hank Williams, and Crowded House, as well as the towering figures of the craft -- Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, and, certainly, his parents, British folk icons Richard and Linda Thompson.

For Thompson, the search for this truth starts with authenticity and personal experience. "Songwriting is magical. You can hear one hundred people sing 'I love you,' and you know which one is telling the truth," Thompson says. "If the root of the sentiment is authentic, it will resonate."

"So This Is Heartache," the album's first single, is a bruised waltz for the broken-hearted. Reminiscent of the golden age of Stax Records, it weds Thompson's keening tenor and soaring falsetto with a classic soul feel and a warm horn section.

"If you sit down to write the most raw emotion you can summon, most of the time it's going to touch on some kind of loss," Thompson says. "People will say, 'Oh, you poor thing,' but it's not that I've had more heartbreak than anybody else; I just wrote it down."

A crucial presence throughout the album is Mansfield, who also helmed My Love of Country, Thompson's 2023 country covers project, of which the UK's The Independent raved, "Thompson's disciplined, almost reverent interpretations shun showboating; his vibrant tenor is more than enough to make the songs shimmer," while the Associated Press called it "a polished and sincere homage to country music's emotional depth and melodic richness." Mansfield once again presents Thompson with a deft touch, framing his vocals with arrangements that are at once elegant and understated.

"He's a big part of the aesthetic. We work very well together; we are simpatico," says Thompson. "It's a great feeling to put someone else in charge after having the songs rolling around in your head for ages," he explains. "Once you've done the writing, you're able to just be the singer. The sound of the record is down to him; he did an amazing job."

On "Come Back," Thompson begs for redemption with a departed lover whom he didn't do enough to hold onto, alternately grappling with the need for self-improvement and pleading for a return.

"Baby It's You" is the album's tenderest moment, a yearning ballad juxtaposed by a chorus that could fill a stadium and punctuated by John Grant's wicked, percolating synthesizers.

"I Remember" is the stuff of nostalgia, with Thompson recalling the angst of childhood and the soothing "pale, rock pool eyes" of the one who set him on his path.

There's even an appropriately dry kiss-off to unnamed vices with "Worst Two Weeks of My Life."

Ultimately, Never Be The Same is an album about steady evolution, a suite of deeply considered, carefully constructed songs rooted in lived experience. If there is a message, it's that change is not only inevitable but essential -- even when you'd rather stay exactly where you are.