Although both members of Brookfield-based acoustic folk duo H2-OH were accomplished musicians on their own, it wasn't until H2 -- Henry Lewis, II -- joined creative forces with OH -- Kevin O'Toole -- that the formula was complete.
With a gentle, harmonic sound influenced by classic songwriters like James Taylor or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, they've carved out a certain "user friendliness" that makes them a perennial festival favorite. OnMilwaukee.com caught up with them in advance of a gig at Zoo a la Carte on Friday, Aug. 15 and again on Sunday. Aug. 17.
OnMilwaukee.com: You seem to dominate the summer festival circuit, with recurring gigs at Summerfest, Waukesha County Fair and Zoo a la Carte. What do you think makes your duo such a good fit for the Milwaukee summer?
Kevin O'Toole: We have always tried to have a good blend of cover tunes along with original music to provide variety to our shows. This has worked quite well on the festival circuit as you always get a cross section of people coming out. Additionally, we have a reputation to be easy to load in and load out which, given the very short duration between acts, makes stage management appreciate our set up. This seems to be a great combination.
OMC: And what about the winter, when the festivals have subsided? Do you still play gigs?
Henry Lewis II: Mostly Shank Hall and a few corporate things. Being two guys with families and day jobs, playing out takes a back seat to both of those. Our rehearsal night is cast in stone to the point that our families and co-workers (and the crew at Starbucks) know our schedule. This past spring, we made a mutual commitment to more live gigs. However as a "concert grade" act, we're pretty selective about where we play. We've added a couple of regular stops to our itinerary and always have an eye out for more.
OMC: Your Web site says you've shared the stage with some pretty big names like Lindsey Buckingham. Any interesting stories to share from that experience?
KO: An interesting story that comes to mind was our opening for Janis Ian at Shank Hall. She was unaware that there was going to be an opening act and seemed to be a bit upset when we arrived. I can certainly appreciate this from my business sense, as it would upset me as well. However, once we had a chance to chat informally, she could not have been a more pleasant person to work with. We find that all artists have been receptive to an opening act as most probably got their start the same way. Another memorable night was with Tom Chapin. We were his support at the Jefferson Center for the Performing Arts and he really made us feel welcome and even shared his catering with us and joined us for a private, after-show party in town.
OMC: Your 2006 release, "Nighttime is the Time for Going Home," got good reviews. But now it's two years later -- can we expect a new release on the horizon?
HL: "Nighttime" was self recorded and self produced from start to finish with the only outside help being the "masterful" work of Trevor Sadler (Mastermind Productions). "Nighttime" was over two years in the making and many of the tracks on the disc were created in the studio and recorded before they had been "road tested" and refined for live audiences. Some of those songs are now performed better live than they were when we recorded them. We've been playing some of our new stuff live this summer that will be on the next CD so that by the time it's cut, it will pack a strong punch. We've also been testing audience reaction to the new music, which by the way, has been extremely favorable. We're both busy writing and collaborating on new material so we'd really hope that our second release would hit the racks before next summer's "tour."
OMC: You've both been musicians for at least 30 years -- have you always lived and played in Milwaukee? If so, how have you seen the music landscape shift in this city, if at all?
HL: I traveled extensively doing the hotel / motel circuit in the '70s, which ultimately brought me to Wisconsin. I toured Europe in '77-'78 and lived in the Netherlands but returned to Wisconsin and worked as a musician until the sound system business caught my fancy around the turn of the decade. Taking a stage was replaced by taking the mixing console for a several year spell. But the love of performing my music ultimately won out and, a few bands later, H2-Oh evolved into the most fun I've ever had on stage. Has the landscape changed ... sure. There's no more Ground Rounds, no more Stone Toad, no more Palms and our fan base is sound asleep by the end of the 10 p.m. news!
KOT: I have played here as both a solo acoustic act since the early '70s as well as in the group The Basement Boys in the '80s. What strikes me as "different" is that there are a lot fewer options for live music here in town. Those that are out there trying to make a living at it must struggle with the options available. It's a shame in many ways as I'm sure we are forcing some great local music to move to different markets. That having been said, the venues that are available for local live music should be commended for continuing to offer it in the market and we truly hope that live music will continue to be offered here in Milwaukee. There is a wealth of talent here and people really need to be heard!
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
