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In Music
Richmond Fontaine hops from Irish pubs to Bremen Café
 
By Molly Snyder Edler RSS Feed
OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writer

E-mail author | Author bio
More articles by Molly Snyder Edler

Published June 23, 2004 at 5:01 a.m.
Tags: richmond fontaine, bremen, alt-country, moonshine

They're country. They're alt-country. No wait, they're folk. No, punk. Is that Paul Westerberg singing?

These are just a few of the many thoughts that might waft through your mind when listening to Richmond Fontaine, a quartet from Portland that teeters on the edge -- but never falls into -- a pigeon hole.

Named after a hitchhiker picked up by bassist Dave Harding, Richmond Fontaine will stop at the Bremen Café, 901 E. Clarke St., on Sunday, June 27.

Richmond Fontaine's stick-to-it-ness is the crux of their success. Harding and vocalist Willy Vlautin started the band 10 years ago, and despite the ongoing need for day jobs and growing life responsibilities, they -- as well as band members Paul Brainard and Sean Oldham -- have remained committed to the project.

"I'm grateful just to have an outlet for my songs, and especially grateful to the guys in my band for sticking with it," says Vlautin, 36, who describes RF as a frame of mind rather than a particular genre.

Just off a United Kingdom tour, the magnetic collective has five albums and has appeared on a couple of labels, including their own, El Cortez. Over the years, they've attracted a medium-sized, fanatic fan base and were able to stay committed to their true musical visions.

Although RF's style is unique, Vlautin and Hardin's love for Husker Du, Willie Nelson, X, The Blasters, and The Replacements is evident. Vlautin's knack for storytelling and poetic vocals are perhaps the band's greatest assets, but best of all, even after 10 years, Richmond Fontaine is still having a fantastic time.

"Drinking beers with the Flatlanders, opening for X. Man, those to me are just great, great things," says Vlautin.

Richmond Fontaine will play with Moonshine Sway. Show starts at 9 p.m. $5 cover.

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