WHERE: Montague’s Wine Bar, De Pere

WHEN: 9:30 p.m. March 25

INFO: wisconsinsongwritersrevival.com

Which came first, coffee houses or singer/songwriters?

It may seem like a facetious question, but just about everyone knows where to go for an acoustic singer/songwriter fix – the local coffee house.

But not everyone digs coffee houses, and that goes both ways – performers and audience members. Some of us want a different jolt of juice. Coffee just doesn’t do it.

So it’s nice to hear that a singer/songwriter named Kurt Gunn has taken it upon himself to get singer/songwriters and their fans out of coffee houses and back in bars where they belong.

“It seems like it’s more accepted to do that in Milwaukee or Chicago. I thought I’d try to get that spark going here,” said Gunn, who runs the monthly Wisconsin Songwriters Revival at Montague’s in De Pere.

Gunn, a 1995 graduate of Green Bay Southwest High School, has been writing songs and playing guitar since his sophomore year.

“Once I learned three chords I started writing songs. I’ve always been an advocate of that,” he said. “I’ve always been a big fan of musicians that make a point to write their own music. People always want to hear covers, but I’d always play some originals and people never resisted.”

No resistance is the same as signs of encouragement to a singer/songwriter.

In 1997 Gunn and his pal Brad Bordini started a band called Commonplace. As is commonplace for bands, Gunn and Bordini were the only constants.

“We had a lot of people who came through Commonplace,” Gunn said.  “When that disbanded, I changed gears and started doing my solo stuff, more of a singer/songwriter acoustic. That’s pretty much what I’m doing.”

Gunn started an acoustic Thursday at Pi Nightclub in Green Bay last June, but in October moved the event to Montague’s.

“Montague’s is a little more intimate. It’s also closer to my house and I like going there,” he said. “It’s started to catch on. I see a lot of regular faces. I’ve talked with Jeremy Brown, the owner, to make sure he’s happy. and the numbers are good so far and getting better.”

The format has Gunn and Bordini performing a set, along with two invited singer/songwriters such as the exciting younger writer/performer Robbie Schiller of the Blueheels and the multi-talented melaniejane.

“That was an awesome night with Robbie and melaniejane,” he said. “Jeremiah Nelson was another great night.”

Gunn wasn’t sure the concept would work because he’s working on a shoestring budget.

“What I get paid for the night, I give to the two other performers,” he said. “It’s not a lot of money, so I was kind of worried, but I’ve found that people are willing to put the money aside to showcase their act. They’re proud of being a songwriter and have something to show. They’re all about it.

By: Sarah Seehafer

Flying under the radar for far too long, Kurt Gunn’s long awaited EP, This & That has finally started to gain the recognition it deserves.

With a mix of upbeat songs that turn the winter blues away, to songs that when listened to carefully give you a glimpse of a day in the life of Gunn.  My Home and Storms are two of the more heartfelt gems on this EP.  Both songs show off Gunn’s lyrical talent, as well as some of the other musicians who gave a hand in this album.  What I Need, Before Montana, and Autumn Leaves will undoubtedly get your head bobbing and perhaps even get you out of your seat to enjoy the positive vibe these songs bring.  Gunn brings a plethora of talent to the table on this album and in his live shows.  He has a stack of songs that the world has yet to hear and maybe some he has yet to finish, but no matter which one it is, you can put money on the fact
that they are all original and they all have their own story waiting to be heard.

The title of the EP is even more descriptive than leads on.  “This” refers to Gunn’s newer tunes he did solo, My Home and Storms.  “That” refers to his older tunes Autumn Leaves, What I Need, and Before Montana, which he played with his original band, Commonplace.  New or old, solo or full band, Kurt Gunn is bound to grab your attention and get you to listen to him and what he has to say.

Check him out on Facebook’s musician pages as well as checking out Wisconsin Songwriters Revival- a movement of sorts founded by Gunn in hopes of getting local musicians heard by the masses.  Personally, I think it’s working. You can find his album, This & That - EP available on iTunes, as well as a special “Brown Bag Edition” numbered and sold only at live shows.