The weekend of Oct. 3 brings UW-Eau Claire students an opportunity to see two local bands, Cranes & Crows and The Cloud Hymn, at the Cabin. These two bands are examples of the interconnectedness and partnership similar to much of the area’s local talent.
Paul Brandt created indie/acoustic band Cranes & Crows, though he also plays for several other groups.
“I first joined Meridene around the same time I started my own thing, Cranes & Crows,” Brandt said. “I’ve played for The Cloud Hymn and The Gentle Guest as well.'”
Brandt has a background of writing and performing music, starting as early as elementary school.
“I started playing music while taking piano lessons in fourth grade,” Brandt said. “Nothing really came of it until my senior year.”
In high school he was involved with his first band with a few friends, and as Brandt put it, his musical involvement “snowballed from there.”
Even with his active music lifestyle, Brandt says he usually never gets stressed with balancing music, school and a job.
“For whatever reason, (the bands Brandt plays with) aren’t busy at the right times,” Brandt explained. “It works out. It’s never like everyone is recording or playing at the same time.”
John Nielson is the center of The Cloud Hymn, though he has worked with Brandt at times on Cranes & Crows as well as others. Brandt actually recorded with Nielson on The Cloud Hymn’s CD, A Seed Buried in the Ground.
“[Brandt] just sings on CD, but live he plays banjo and piano,” Nielson said, describing Brandt’s role in The Cloud Hymn.
A lot of what Nielson writes is more on a personal level.
“(The songs) are about my relationship with God, growing up and figuring out who you are,” Nielson said, adding, “I think I do (the writing) for myself.”
Both Cranes & Crows and The Cloud Hymn, as well as several other local bands belong to Amble Down records. Nielson expressed his satisfaction with Amble Down and its other artists.
“I’m friends with everyone on Amble Down,” Nielson said.
Neither Brandt nor Nielson are sure of what the future of their musical careers hold. Nielson does have plans for another record, which he hopes to start recording soon.
“I’m pretty much done writing for our next CD, which we’re going to record hopefully within the next six months,” Nielson said.
Brandt says his major isn’t really related at all to his music, but would like to take a few years and really work on playing and writing.
Whatever the future may hold, both Brandt and Nielson gain great satisfaction out of playing music and performing for audiences.
“When you play live, you kind of have a moment when everything clicks; it is just a good feeling,” Nielson said.