Them Coulee Boys
Soren Staff and Beau Janke - co-founders of folk/rock/Americana outfit Them Coulee Boys - met as camp counselors in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Their weekend workshopping of Avett Brothers and classic country tunes led to original songs and adding Soren’s brother Jens on mandolin. As the years grew, the band turned into a more rollicking outfit, adding Neil Krause on electric bass and Stas Hable on drums. The band’s name is a nod to the glacial melt-carved river valleys they call home, known by early French fur trappers as coulees. Known for wild swings of emotion during sets, it is not unusual to see fans in tears and minutes later dancing with abandon. The honesty and ability to talk and sing about the feelings and emotions that shape them has endeared them to a growing group of fans and friends.
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The Bend Theater
Built in 1929, The Bend Theater was originally built as a Vaudeville theater in West Bend. Over the decades, the theater underwent many changes but always retained its rich history and iconic “West Bend” blade sign.
In 2020, the Theater was restored to its original beauty by a nonprofit group called Historic West Bend Theater, Inc. These efforts landed The Bend Theater a designation on the State and National Registers of Historic Places.
The Bend Theater is now reopened to serve West Bend and the greater Milwaukee region with arts opportunities, music, theater, comedy, movies and an experience unlike any other.