Jane O’Neill cultivated her love for songwriting in the landscapes of the Midwest, enveloped in the records that reverberated throughout her family home: John Denver, Norah Jones, and Bonnie Raitt to name a few. Growing up, Sundays were dedicated to music instruction for the whole family, a tradition that transformed ordinary dinners during the week into soulful music sessions. Being one of twelve children in her home, Jane had a small symphony to practice with, which nowadays has translated seamlessly to her ability as frontwoman of her band. Eventually she’d leave behind the shores of Lake Michigan, which is an inspiration in much of her work, for the charm of the Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast, finding a home in the queer community in D.C. which is where she’s built her career in Americana. Her music resonates with a subtle longing for home though, reflecting her sentimental spirit and the musical influences she grew up with. Described as “quietly confident Americana”, Jane writes songs that tell universal tales of love, self-discovery, and resilience, all nestled within a voice that upon first listen, you’d swear belongs on the record shelf next to the greats. Her second EP, self-titled, released on March 22, 2024, and she is currently in the studio working on new tracks.

The Cathy Reitz Trio features Cathy on vocals/Melodica and 2 of her favorite musicians, Jeff Reitz on woodwinds and Nick Poss on piano. We have been performing together for over 20 years. We have years of musical experience and would like to share it with you. Our entertaining song list covers over 100 years of great music, the Roaring 20’s to the 2020’s. We can be Family Friendly or a bit on the Sassy Side and we always have fun.

Veteran Milwaukee-area jazz guitarist Paul Silbergleit returns to the Lakely, in the company of top-flight Twin Cities drummer Pete James Johnson and our own Jeremy Boettcher on bass! Tasty, swingin’, and sophisticated, the trio brings a host of original tunes and arrangements in addition to a fresh improvisatory style.

Maiden King is the solo effort of Jake Hawrylak, a Santa Fe bred/Chicago made singer songwriter. The band is a vessel for exploring how to make deeply intricate and introspective music sound fun and exciting. These songs revel in the complexities and nuances of very simple seeds and relish in the unfolding of a story that never ends. Energetic and questioning rock music with flourishes of americana, cinematic orchestrations and textured ambient music. The self produced debut “Who Else Were We Supposed to Become?” is out now.

The LP was written to mythologize a number of wandering memories that kept floating into focus during the early months of the pandemic. The first moment of derealization as a young man; a rambunctious tale of arson in the shadow of a bigger fight with a dear friend; escaping the mire of one’s self esteem; and finally a moment (or two) of quiet acceptance. Though seemingly disparate, the coalescence of all of these began to paint a clearer picture. The title is completely rhetorical, a kind of matter of fact reckoning with the person you were always going to become and the peace that can finally settle when you stop fighting it.