Milwaukee folk duo Dead Horses to close out Rochester's Car Park Concerts series
Seven weeks of music are now coming to an end, but make no mistake — Riverside Concerts' Car Park Concerts series is going out with a bang. For the final installment of the 125 Live parking lot shows, Milwaukee folk duo Dead Horses will make the trek west to Rochester. Their resume of shows is nothing short of eye-popping — in addition to playing with several Midwest regional icons, they've taken the stage at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheater and opened for The Who — yes, that legendary rock band.
While Sarah Vos and Daniel Wolff have toured the country and played with some of the best musicians in the world, they'll be on the balcony Wednesday, August 26. Ahead of this Wednesday night’s show, we were able to talk to Sarah about their best experiences on the road, plus their plans through Covid and for the future.
What were your plans for summer 2020 pre-quarantine? How have things changed?
We were at the start of a 6-week tour in March when the nation-wide lockdown happened. The rest of that tour was canceled, as were the rest of the summer shows, festivals, and series throughout the summer. Touring for us is completely on hold BESIDES this drive-in show in Rochester which we are so excited about! All other touring is really on hold.
In the absence of shows, what has the band done — any writing, recording, or live-streamed shows?
Dan and I have both been working on projects individually but as a band we have been able to take a much-needed step back from relentless touring and all of the other work that goes into running a project like Dead Horses. We have both been working on some writing and home-recording and we're beginning the process of dreaming up our next music release. We did a live-stream show this month that was pretty fun. The stage was powered by bicycles and the proceeds were split between a non-profit in Milwaukee called the Milwaukee Common Water Commons and the band.
What’s exciting about the Car Park Concerts format, and playing shows in a new way?
We have had several offers for in-person shows that we have turned down due to concerns of safety. We're so excited to be a part of an in-person event that truly seems safe and fun. During a time such as this, the arts can really help save people.
What does it mean to be able to play to people in person again?
This is a thoughtful question and I appreciate it. For me personally, I'm excited to play in-person again after taking a relatively long break from a very consistent touring schedule. I love playing music in a meditative way, alone with no one listening, however, there is something so special about the way music feels when we're all experiencing it together. I'm excited to have that again. It's been a huge part of this project- playing for folks and families on summer nights.
You've done some things that lots of musicians dream of — playing at Red Rocks and opening for The Who immediately come to mind. This might be hard... but is there one moment in your career that stands out as the most impressive in your mind?
I have spent a lot of this quarantine time reflecting on amazing experiences I've been blessed to have throughout the course of this band. The most amazing moments really do come through the music — regardless of the venue or crowd size. Having said that, opening up for The Who at Alpine Valley certainly stands out as a sort of pinnacle of what we've been working at over the past few years. Nervous energy had worked up in me in the preceding months- enough that I almost felt ill going into the show. As soon as we started our set, however, it felt AMAZING. That was so affirming to me in what I'm doing with the band.
Why is it important to support artists and musicians through tough times like this?
Sometimes I think about how the United States is a young country that hasn't realized the full worth of artistry in our culture. You see other countries supporting their artists in a much more tangible way. I truly hope that throughout this crisis we realize just how enriching music and art are to our culture and we can provide for programs that support that and people who dedicate so much of their lives to it. Touring musicians specifically, I think, hold unique knowledge about our country since we spend our time moving from city to town to city.
Update: This show has sold out. If you missed the opportunity for tickets, you can watch the performance via live stream on Riverside Concerts’ Facebook page.
