Young music festival to draw fans to Plum City area

In its third year, the B.Y.O.B. Music Festival is ready to entertain visitors this weekend with local talent.

Avid music lover and musician/singer Russell Carlson, of St. Paul, has been visiting the Plum City and Maiden Rock area since he was 13.

“I noticed throughout the years that a lot of the bands that I see at bars or town events mostly played radio hits, and not really anything original,” he said. “BYOB was my attempt to bring original music to the area. I figured, why not?”

Carlson knew people who owned land on County Road U outside of Plum City, and worked with them to set up a location for the first festival in 2012.

“It’s a great central location between Plum City and Maiden Rock,” he said. “It’s not too far from the Twin Cities, Menomonie, or Eau Claire, either.”

BYOB features acoustic, folk, alternative rock, hard rock, and hip hop.

“We’ve had DJs in the past, along with spoken-word poets,” Carlson said. “Diversity is something we are proud of.”

The August 15-16 lineup includes such names as Crooke and the Coppers, The Sixes, Natanyael, Ben Harris, Jae Havoc, Splimit, Crash Cuddle, Florence Republic, Balto Chronic, Delta Repeater, Them Coulee Boys, and more. The festival is 16+, and allows visitors to camp on site.

Carlson said they book some acts online.

“We find bands and musicians we like and contact them through whatever means we can,” he said. “We also have bands that we associate with on a regular basis so it’s just a matter of finding out if they’re available.”

Tickets are sold for $10, and Carlson said there is a strict limit to the number of people who can attend. 

“We’ve had over 100 people before, but BYOB is still very young, so we are building,” he said.

Carlson said the goal for BYOB is ultimately to be a self-sustaining event where musicians from around the Midwest can showcase their talent, and people from around the extended area can enjoy a “nice, eclectic mix of music.”

“Right now, we haven’t made any money, but if the event becomes profitable we would like to set something up with one of the local charities,” Carlson said. “That would definitely be sweet.”

Carlson said putting on the event is a team effort between himself and his friends and associates.

“My associate Zach Alwin has really spearheaded a lot of the work this year, including a great deal of the booking, as well as being a solid internet presence for the Facebook page,” he said. “The owner of the property, Ben Souster, who is also the sound engineer, makes a great deal of the show possible, obviously, since amplification is extremely important.”

Carlson said Brent Lunde serves as light tech.

“He makes everything look pretty,” he said. “He basically slaps the finishing touches on it all.”

Carlson said planning starts months ahead of time.

“Design work must be done, and bands must be booked,” he said. “Prepping the grounds takes several weeks so we can make sure everything is done correctly and that everyone stays safe.”

Merchandise tents are also on-site for the bands. Carlson said they do like to enforce the BYOB aspect of the festival, which includes “Bring Your Own BBQ.”

“At some point we’d like to expand with vendors,” he said.

Carlson said they work to put on the festival because of their love of music.

“We all believe it to be a driving force that provides a great deal of inspiration, and we like to be part of that,” he said.

The BYOB Music Festival is located at N943 County Road U in Plum City. More information can be found at Facebook.com/BYOBMusicFestival, on Twitter @BYOBFest, or by contacting BYOBMusicFestival@gmail.com.