Nippertown Midwest: Capital Region sends Talented Batch of Bands to Mile of Music Festival in Appleton Wisconsin

If you talk to a local musician about the Capital Region music scene, chances are you’ll hear about how unique the collective experience is compared with larger markets for one reason in particular: the artists that make up this community celebrate each other. For as many competitions, awards, and font sizes on festival lineups, as they might encounter, the ethos of the music scene for its participants has become increasingly clear. Not only is there a deepening pool of diverse talent creating original work, but the collaborations between these artists, as well as the local institutions committed to casting a light on their music, have led to a combined output much greater than the sum of its parts. 

This summer, the spirit of collaboration is extending far beyond the stages of the Capital Region to a renowned gathering for original music celebrating its 10th year in Appleton, Wisconsin, called Mile of Music Festival. Last year, it was highlighted by Rolling Stone as a blueprint for fostering emerging talent, and there was a main stage takeover on a Saturday afternoon for a Nashville music scene showcase. This year, that Saturday main stage takeover will be presented by Nippertown and will feature five Capital Region bands: Girl Blue, Blue Ranger, Reese Fulmer & The Carriage House Band, Precious Metals, and Super 400. And two more Capital Region acts, Sirsy and Jimi W, will be performing sets elsewhere at Mile of Music this year.

For a region that would, in music industry terms, be described as a small market, to have a cohesive presence this strong at a major Midwest festival is unprecedented. And while the numbers on streaming platforms and social media sites that a major ticket-based festival might look for are hard to come by in a region this size, Mile of Music makes booking decisions based solely on the strength of an artist or band’s original material and their presence on stage. And under that lens, the Capital Region shines. 

From folk-pop to indie-folk to roots/Americana to alt-rock to rock n roll, this group represents the quality and depth that has emerged in our local music scene and continues to grow. And while it may not exist yet, the elements for creating a framework to follow the blueprint set forward by Appleton to support and celebrate original music are all present here. Nippertown’s own celebration of original music, Nipperfest, is now established as an annual event and has already expanded beyond its initial form, featuring collaborations with Music Haven among many other sponsors. 

What remains is a shift in perception around the value of original music for the local audience. For every touring tribute band knocking off radio classics, there are a dozen local artists creating meaningful original work and improving their craft and their stage presence with every performance at our small venues. As we are being shown with this recognition of our local talent by a major national festival, these artists are starting to put our region on the musical map. It’s about time we decided to reciprocate.