The 100-day season is rolling along, with shows this weekend at Timberrr Bar in Herbster on Friday from 4 to 7 and at Morty's on Saturday night from 7 to 10 p.m. I also plan to hustle over to Legendary Waters in Red Cliff after the Timberrr Bar gig to see Brother Jon at Legendary Waters, where I will also be playing next Friday night from 8 to 11 p.m. (next Saturday night at the Battle Axe for Blueberry Festival). 

Work on the new songs (Love You Like Chicken and Minneapolis) is nearly complete, and they are currently being mastered in advance of release and distribution on all major streaming platforms. I hope things will be wrapped up by no later than next week. So, soon you can get some more CHICKEN in your life and muse philosophical about the state of free speech in our Nation. I am currently working on a video for Minneapolis and plan to take a run at Chicken sometime in the Fall. A reminder that you can see all of my videos on my YouTube channel (@daveujke).

I've also ordered more copies of my children's book Bear the Cat so that I can make them available for purchase in local stores Unfortunately, this involved increasing the price to allow the merchants to make a modest profit and to allow me to avoid taking a loss. At $34.95 it's still a pretty good deal for the hardcover with all of that wonderful art. Copies ordered on the website will still sell for $29.95 plus shipping until the few remaining copies with that bar code are sold. I also have a promotional video in the works where I read the book to a musical score by Brother Jon and plans for a Spanish language version. Check back later this Fall for more details.

To all of you beautiful people reading this blog: keep on keeping on - hang in there, we're all in this together and it's only gonna get worse, so make sure to keep livin' till your dead and make some time for yourself on the beach with a cold cocktail!  - DMU  

I'm pleased to announce that the Prince Party that I've had every year at our home is now a public event! It will take place at Morty's Pub in Bayfield on Saturday, June 13 starting at 7:00 p.m. I'm excited expand the party and am hopeful that it will someday outgrow me. I've extended an invitation to all local area musicians to contact me about performing a Prince song at the party to supplement the live set that will be performed by The Strays (consisting of myself, Mark Rossow, possibly Ray Hanson and hopefully others). Come now all ye strays of the world, there's a place for you…

There will also be a killer DJ set to open the party. I've now handed all of my party decorations over to the good folks at Morty's who will be serving some Prince-themed (vegetarian) options, as well as Prince-themed drink specials. I hope that you can make it to the very first public iteration of what I hope to be a legacy-type event celebrating the life and music of the most profound artist of our generation.

I'll also be performing a live set on my front porch the next day as part of the inaugural Bayfield Porch Fest, so feel free to stop on by the next day from 1:00 until 2:00. If you need my address, send me a direct message or email.

PEACE, LOVE AND HUMPTINESS TO ALL!

Get your funk on! Check out my new video for Keep the Groove from my alum “Northern Songs” : 

I'm excited to be headed back to the studio with my good friend Brother Jon Rabideaux (www.brotherjonband.com) to record two new songs that I wrote. The first one is called “Love You Like Chicken” and is a shout out to all of you and to the clubs and venues that continue to keep this whole thing going by hiring me and letting me do what I love for all of you. It's just a big circle.

The second one is entitled “Minneapolis” and is my tribute to the good people of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, where I lived for three years while I studied law. It's borne of my experience driving through the metro during the ICE protests that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti. In it I sing "I never thought that I'd live to see such a wicked scene as this." It's not meant to be a political statement, but it is meant to convey my feelings about the entire situation, which I find absolutely abhorrent. Nobody had to die, and it's a crying shame that our government is terrorizing its own citizens.

All of that said, music is for everyone and I hope that it continues to bring people together, regardless of how they feel about what is happening in the world. I think it helps us understand each other. I hope that my music helps folks feel better and maybe a little bit more understood.

I'll be recording at Sweet Tease Studios (www.sweetteasestudios.com) this time in Minneapolis with Sam Licari (Sami Licari & the Sweet Tease, Irie Minds, Matt Schatza Trio, Red Eye Ruby, Trent Romens Band) who also recorded Brother Jon's most recent release Dark Side of the Room. By the way, check that record out if you haven't done so already - it's great!

As open water appears in the bay and the snow disappears, I'm excited about the upcoming 100-day (summer) season. The calendar is starting to fill in, and I hope to see you at a show!

The 100-day gig season in the northland was another memorable one. BIG thanks to all of the local establishments supporting the live music scene - both those that booked me and those who didn't! The Chequamegon Bay and surrounding area has an embarrassment of artistic riches for all to share. I'm awfully grateful to be a part of it.

Like now, the early part of last year (and most of them) was a time to work on and work out new material. April brought a return to Inner Groove Studios in Minneapolis to record “All I Want for Christmas is the Funk”. The new single was released on November 1 and the video release party followed at Morty's Pub, where we recorded some great footage that made it into the final video. It was also cool that it received some local press coverage.

My children's book “Bear the Cat” was released on October 20. It was first conceived circa 2000 or so and was copyrighted in 2002. After numerous attempts to find the right artist (and a small claim and offer to appear on Judge Joe Brown in between) the incomparable Holly Tourdot and I started to work on what is now the final hard cover book in earnest around 2019. We struggled through the covid pandemic, Holly suffered through major health issues, and we both battled to maintain our sanity all the way through to the end. I couldn't be more pleased with the way everything turned out. HUGE props to the wonderful Holly Tourdot - I truly couldn't have done it without her. I'm also working on a video of the book, narrated by yours truly and scored by Brother Jon Rabideaux, so keep your eye out for that…

I also started to play the new song “Love You Like Chicken” as part of my live set later in the season. It's meant to send back the feeling that I get from all of you when I play out, and that is its inspiration. I plan to record it this Spring so stay posted - I've got some fun ideas for the video!

I know that the craziness of the world is sometimes overwhelming and hope that my music provides solace and escape to you if you need that. Can't wait to see you at a show in 2026!

I'm now taking preorders for my book Bear the Cat, which is currently limited to 100 copies. You can find it in the store, and that link will be live as soon as the book arrives in hand next week. Shipment date should be not later than Tuesday, September 30. I hope you love it!

There's big news and big things coming! First, my children's book “Bear the Cat” is in production and will be available soon; the publication date is October 20.  Here's a sneak peek:

Next, the video for my next release “All I Want for Christmas Is the Funk” is now in production. I'm excited to share it with the world. As with the children's book, the release date for the video is now set for November 1. I can't wait to play it out live this winter. We will be having a video release party at Morty's Pub in Bayfield; details to follow.

Finally, I'm pleased to report that my new song “Love You Like Chicken” is complete and is now part of my live set. I'll be recording it in 2026 and hope you come see me play it live at a gig sometime soon!

I'll be posting more pics soon, but in the meantime, here's a little taste of Christmas charm:

Peace, Love and Humptiness FOREVER!

DMU

If you noticed that the Conelickers video disappeared, it's not a glitch in your wiring it was me. Because of a licensing with one of the participants issue I had to pull it down. The good news is I was never satisfied with the finished product, so I endeavored to find a videographer/editor to help me spruce it up and VOILA! Now you have the new and improved Conelickers video! See it here:

Memorial Day weekend 2025 is in the books. The Island gig at Tom's was wonderful as always; it's the party that never gets old, and I'll be back on September 27 for Kirsten's birthday extravaganza. Somebody requested that I play “Where Horses Sing” which caught me by surprise. I relearned it and promise to play it next time someone asks…

This year's SoundCheq festival was the best yet. Liz Woodworth is the cat's pajamas. What a blast! I was honored to be asked to participate again this year and played at South Shore Brewery Taphouse with my good friend Mark Rossow, so it was just like a Bad Example show. I'll be back at the Taphouse on Saturday, August 2.

Since my last post I have now finished recording my latest original song “All I Want For Christmas Is the Funk” at Inner Groove Studios in Minneapolis with my good friends Casey Frensz and Brother Jon Rabideaux. Also joining in this session was Trent Boldt (Joe Flip, Jim Stairs, Craig Clark Band, Brian Naughton). This one is FUN! It will be released in November and I'm hoping to make a video. Send me your ideas!

I'm also planning to re-release the Conelickers video as a new and improved version. I was never really satisfied with the original and ran into some issues, so I'm going to take another run at it (you'll notice it has been pulled from YouTube if you try to find it). I'll keep ya'll posted!

There are some new venues on the schedule this year - this Saturday night I'm at one of them: Sparky's between Washburn and Ashland on Nolander Road. Same place, but new owners Jim & Jessie Defoe are putting a fresh spin on things, including live music. Stop out for great food, drinks and live music outside on the deck (weather permitting). Also new on the schedule this year is Poncho's in Cornucopia (Saturday, August 9 and additional dates TBD), Timberrr Bar in Herbster (already played Smelt Fest this year, additional dates TBD) and a return to A Nickel's Worth in Washburn over Homecoming weekend. Live music is better…

The 100-day season is underway people! Get out and enjoy it! Join me for live music at a Norther Wisconsin venue near you!

2024 absolutely ZOOMED by and I was completely derelict in my blogging duties. Many thanks to the wonderful venues that continue to book live music throughout the Chequamegon Bay including Morty's Pub, The Bayfield Inn, Legendary Waters Resort & Casino, Hoop's Dockside, Portside Bar & Restaurant, Tom's Burned Down Cafe, The Snug, Poncho's, South Shore Brewery Taphouse, The Battle Axe, Bayfield Winery & Blue Ox Cider, The Port Bar, and Honest Dog Books. Also, a shout out to Copper Nickel Pub in Aurora, Minnesota - it was great to play your place for the first time this season. Last, but certainly not least, many thanks to those who booked me to play private events (and festivals) - they are aways my favorite!

If you aren't familiar with my record “Northern Songs” I encourage you to give it a listen. I've also recently completed a demo for my next recording entitled “All I Want for Christmas Is the Funk” which won't be released until this Christmas (2025); however, I also plan to record another song at April's session (possibly a cover) that will likely be released in advance of the 100-day season. 

I'm posting photos from the 2024 season in the “Photos” section of this site - please check it out and feel free to send me your gig photos so that I can post them here and on my Facebook site.

I'm now booking dates for the 2025 season and would love to entertain your crowd. Drop me a note!