John Sieger’s Subcontinental Revue

May 28, 2008

midnight

TheNashville that John Sieger experienced during the mid-’90s was just as manymusic lovers picture the city, a friendly haven for songwriting talent wherehungry up-and-comers intermingle with established legends. During his timethere, Sieger performed with Lucinda Williams and rubbed shoulders with ShelbyLynn. His friend lived next door to Emmylou Harris.

Sieger,who has written songs for Dwight Yoakam and The BoDeans, had some success inNashvillehe hosted a weekly night at the city’s renowned Pub of Lovebut, heexplains, “I wasn’t making enough money to really say I had a career in music.”He moved back to Milwaukee at the turn of thecentury, but he still views Nashvillefondly, and he returned to the city to record his latest solo album, The Shaming of the True.

“It’sa different studio culture down there,” he explains. “In Milwaukee, there’s more emphasis on gadgetsand lights and the expense of the place you’re working at. Down there, it’s justabout the atmosphere. The studio I worked with didn’t even have a control room.I just recorded it right there with the engineer.”

Thetiming of Sieger’s new album is delicate. It arrives as Sieger is dedicatingmuch of his efforts to his new Milwaukeeband, The Subcontinentals, which he co-fronts with Kelli Gonzales, a versatilesinger he likens to Dusty Springfield. The Subcontinentals’ repertoire mostlyeschews country in favor of Stax-styled soul and traditional swing musictheypepper their sets with Louis Prima songs and traditionals like “MamboItaliano.”

Soinstead of inaugurating The Shaming ofthe True with a typical CD release performance, Sieger has concoctedsomething of a Texas-styled revue. Rather than go solo, he’ll be playing withThe Subcontinentals, who will work a handful of his songs into their set. Theshow is already a family affair, since Sieger’s brother, Mike, plays bass inThe Subcontinentals, but Sieger has made it even more so by putting his son’shigh-school garage-rock band, The Calamities, on the bill.

SingerRobin Pluer, best known locally for her repertoire of French ballads and her annual Bastille Days appearances, willjoin The Subcontinentals during their set, and Sieger’s friend Vince Bruce willemcee the evening.

“He’sa British cowboy,” Sieger explains of Bruce. “He’s 6-feet, 6-inches tall andrail thin, a master of whips and rope tricks. He and his wife, Annie, do rodeosall over the country, and I’ve been trying to get him to perform here forever.”

Ifall goes according to plan, this won’t be the only CD release party Siegerthrows this year, since The Subcontinentals are wrapping up their own debutalbum.

“I’mhoping to have a two-record year,” Sieger says.

The Subcontinentals’ May 31 CDrelease party for Sieger’s album begins at 9 p.m. at Shank Hall.