By CJ Chomeau, Special to OnMilwaukee   Published Aug 28, 2019 at 4:02 PM Photography: Ty Helbach

MKE Band Camp is a music series on OnMilwaukee, giving you the quick 411 on upcoming concerts in the 414.

Them Coulee Boys hit the stage at Turner Hall Ballroom this Friday, Aug. 30. Doors open at 7 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m.

Price of admission

Advanced tickets are just $12, while admission day-of costs $15 at the door. Click here to buy now!

Why you can't miss it

I was first introduced to Them Coulee Boys back in January when they opened for Trampled By Turtles at the Riverside – and it was love at first listen. It takes a lot to match the banjo-fueled energy of Trampled, but the Eau Claire openers were, at the end of the night, all my friends and I could talk about. Their songs are genuine and infectious, with themes that range from heartfelt stories of family members beating cancer to ballads about stomaching paying eight bucks for a beer at a ballgame.

Best of all, they have a fresh new album out – "Die Happy," produced by David Simonette of Trampled By Turtles – that showcases some of Them Coulee Boys' best work yet. Get out to Turner Hall this Friday to be among the first to hear these great new jams live!  

Song starter pack

The Hit: "10 ft. Tall"

I’d be willing to bet that this is the Them Coulee Boys song that gets the most spins and might also be the best representation of their boot-stomping energy.  

B-Side Beauty: "Hand of God, Pts. 2 & 3"

Realistically, any song off the back half of the new album could have been slotted into this category. But I went with the track that gives two songs in one.

Can't Wait to See it Live: "I Won’t Be Defined"

The beauty of Them Coulee Boys' songs is that they start in one place and end somewhere totally unexpected. This gem starts as a slow, solemn telling of lead vocalist Beau Janke's mom’s struggle with cancer and ends with the celebration of victory. Beau says it all, "God loves a fighter just as much as he loves prayers."