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photos and words by Cameron Bruegger
The mid-April snow on Sunday night brought with it the former punk-musician-turned-Americana-singer Chuck Ragan with his band, The Camaraderie. And despite the unseasonable flurry, Vega filled with a reasonable-sized crowd of around 30 to see the group. Currently touring with Ragan is another country rock artist, Jonny Two Bags, and together, the similar, yet distinctive, sounds created a cozy environment while the large white flakes accumulated outside.
Jonny Two Bags (aka Jonny Wickersham) opened to the initially seated audience with smooth melodies, pedal steel guitars and a guest harmonica performance from Ragan. The group wasn’t dressed to fit any kind of country music stereotype, but instead looked more so like a ‘90s ska band, which fit thematically with their ballad about skateboarding, “Clay Wheels.” Wickersham has roots in the Southern California punk rock scene as a member of Social Distortion, but has since broadened his stylistic interests, not unlike Ragan.
Jonny Two Bags
Ragan’s signature hoarse vocals roused the small crowd to front and center of the stage, something like the notable gravity of his punk rock band, Hot Water Music, which fueled mosh pits, but in a calmer form including fiddles and acoustic guitars. Ragan and his supporting four piece performed a few songs from the group’s new album, Till Midnight, which (according to Ragan from the stage) are still very new for the band.
Chuck Ragan and The Camaraderie
Cameron is a multimedia intern for Hear Nebraska. His internship is soon coming to an end, but may his spirit live on. Contact him at cameronb@hearnebraska.org.