In 1997, just prior to the frenzied peak of the American mainstream acceptance of the ska-punk genre, the band released its break-through album "Evildoers Beware." An influential album, “Evildoers Beware” received an overwhelming response from fans and sold more than 70,000 copies, an amazing figure for a then-infantile independent punk label Hopeless Records. Over the next five years Mustard Plug released two more albums, “Pray for Mojo” in 1999 and their self-produced CD “Yellow #5” in 2002.

In addition to their own highlight’s, Mustard Plug lead-singer Dave Kirchgessner is also credited with helping breathe new life into the ska scene by organizing the “Ska Is Dead” Tour. The inaugural tour kicked off in early 2004 and featured Mustard plug along with other notable acts such as Catch 22, Big D & The Kids Table, and The Planet Smashers, an all-ska package tour that created a resurgence of ska and garnered huge crowds across the US and Canada.

After 14 years, 5 LPs, 200,000 albums sold and more than 1200 shows, Mustard Plug released “Masterpieces: 1991-2002,” their first ever greatest hits CD in fall of 2005.

Joining Mustard Plug will be popular Minneapolis ska band Umbrella Bed. Part of European ska label Mad Butcher, Umbrella Bed has four full-length CDs, two videos, a hatful of Minnesota Music Awards nominations, music in two movies, and presence on more ska compilations than you can count on your fingers. Umbrella Bed boasts a nine-member lineup consisting of drums, a twin-guitar assault, singer, bass, and a four-piece horn section they call the Horns of Mass Destruction.

Also appearing will be Wisconsin-based fan favorites Something To Do. Winning a national song-writing competition put on by Henkel Consumer Adhesives' Duck brand duct tape in 2003 brought the group much notice with mentions on CNN headline news, NPR and in over 150 other media outlets. Something To Do has continued on, gaining popularity along the way, playing shows across the Midwest, Canada and the East Coast. In 2005 Something To Do was nominated for two Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) awards including overall band of the year.

Chicken Poodle Soup will open the show. This high-energy Minneapolis ska band combines ska, reggae, punk and funk to create energetic hooks, catchy horn lines and intricate vocal harmonies. Formed in early 2003, the band released its first EP, "The Legend of Scottie Guild," two years later. Chicken Poodle Soup has been working on "Fridge Full of Dreams," a new EP that is to be released this spring.

Tickets are $7 ($5 with UW-Eau Claire student ID) at the Service Center in Davies Center's east lobby, and will also be sold at the
door. The show is open to all ages. Proof of age will be required
for alcohol purchases.

Patrons may also charge tickets to MasterCard or Visa when they order by phone. Call (715) 836-3727 -- or, outside the immediate Eau Claire area, call toll-free (800) 949-UWEC. A $3 handling fee will be added to all telephone charge orders.

The concert is sponsored by the University Activities Commission of the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate.

“Full of hooks, bright harmonies and irresistible synthesizer fills, (Mischa) Suemnig writes songs that lodge themselves in the listener’s brain and beg to be played again and again." wrote Andrea Myers in The Pulse of the Twin Cities.

Opening the show will be local favorites The Daredevil Christopher Wright. Rapidly gaining popularity in Midwest, The Daredevil Christopher Wright’s self-titled EP has been widely acknowledged and praised by critics and fans alike.

Tickets are $5 ($3 with UW-Eau Claire student ID) at the Service Center in Davies Center's east lobby, and will be sold at the door. The show is open to all ages. Proof of age will be required for alcohol purchases.

Patrons may also charge tickets to MasterCard or Visa when they order by phone. Call (715) 836-3727 -- or, outside the immediate Eau Claire area, call toll-free (800) 949-UWEC. A $3 handling fee will be added to all telephone charge orders.

The concert is sponsored by the University Activities Commission of the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate.

Still playing several times a year with The Big Wu, God Johnson has also enjoyed opening for national touring acts in and around the Twin Cities. This past summer they were featured for the second time at the 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, Minn., an annual concert featuring acts such as Phil Lesh, Trey Anastasio and The String Cheese Incident. God Johnson has released one album, "Multiples," and the band is currently working on its second.

Family Groove Company first formed in January 2001, when guitarist Adam Lewis and keyboardist Jordan Wilkow met bassist Janis Wallin and drummer Mattias Blanck while studying music at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. The chemistry between the four musicians was immediate, and they soon recorded their first demo and began performing throughout Southern California. West Coast tours followed, with regular appearances in San Diego, San Francisco and Portland.

In 2002 the band released its 10-track debut album, "Reachin'." Its first studio effort reflects Family Groove Company's commitment to conscientious song craft and the band's determination to offer material of compositional interest along with their solo/improv ideas. In April, Family Groove Company released its second studio album, "The Charmer."

Now based in Chicago, Family Groove Company integrates the groove sensibility developed by James Brown and Herbie Hancock with the more traditional song structure and consciousness of the hook revolutionized by The Beatles. The group avoids the ubiquitous jam-band formula of the hip-hop/funk/rock groove combined with endless guitar solos, and has managed to supplement its passion for improvisation with a fierce attentiveness to compositional coherence and ingenuity. Rich vocal harmonies and a passionate dedication to improvisation are the threads that tie the music together, creating a sound that captivates audiences ranging from the most casual music fan to the most critical musician.

Local favorites Irie Sol will be opening the show. Irie Sol's music is a blend of reggae, dancehall, jazz, soul, rock, and hip-hop. Such an eclectic blend reflects the diverse origins and influences of band members who hail from Canada, Iran, Jamaica, Korea, the east coast, Minneapolis, and northern Wisconsin. Band-members have performed with UW-Eau Claire's award-winning jazz groups, the St. Paul Cathedral Choir and Minneapolis hip-hop artists Hyder Ali. Melodic vocals and Jamaican-style rap are backed by a full horn section and band. Irie Sol will be a great opener for an awesome show!

Tickets are $5 ($3 for UW-Eau Claire students) at the Service Center in Davies Center's east lobby, and will be sold at the door. The show is open to all ages. Proof of age will be required for alcohol purchases.

Patrons may also charge tickets to MasterCard or Visa when they order by phone. Call (715) 836-3727 -- or, outside the immediate Eau Claire area, call toll-free (800) 949-UWEC. A $3 handling fee will be added to all telephone charge orders.

The concert is sponsored by the University Activities Commission of the UW-Eau Claire Student Senate.