In true Wisconsin fashion, the 2025 Blue Ox Music Festival kicked off with a good ol’ mud bath. Held June 26–28 at The Pines Music Park in Eau Claire, it didn’t take long for the opening-day rain to turn the grassy grounds into a squishy, Chaco-sucking mess. But if you’ve ever been to Blue Ox, you know a little mud doesn’t scare anyone off—long-time attendees always pack for it. Once the sun appeared and temperatures climbed, the weather shifted from soggy to scorching, yet spirits stayed sky-high from start to finish.

Bluegrass is booming, with new fans discovering fresh groups every day, and Wheels North ranks among the finest of Chicago’s contributions. I recently had the pleasure of watching this progressive quartet light up the night.

Progressive bluegrass is inherently demanding music, requiring technical mastery and creative vision. The best in the genre—whether it’s the original pioneers like David Grisman, Sam Bush, and Béla Fleck; modern innovators like Nickel Creek and Sierra Hull; or rising stars such as Mile Twelve and Shadowgrass—share a rare ability to make the complex feel clean, fluid, and effortless.

Progressive bluegrass band Wheels North is thrilled to announce the release of their first full-length studio album, Arrival. Featuring 12 original tracks, the album showcases the band’s diverse songwriting voices and genre-blending approach, with no cover songs in sight.

The only hikes I’ve been going on lately are price hikes. Seasonal work has me dealing with feast or famine and unfortunately, the feast is just enough to cover the famine. Then the celestial bodies align and the American dream comes into focus. Believing in your dreams like the constellations in the night sky will lead you back home again on Labor Day weekend to Camp Shaw in Manteno, IL to Shoe Fest.