New and old musical eras collide at LCCC/SWCS concert

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – A concert featuring Wyoming bands playing traditional folk music mixed with contemporary influences is coming to Laramie County Community College in September. 

Southeast Wyoming’s J. Shogren Noisefolk and Low Water String Band from Lander will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Surbrugg Prentice Auditorium on LCCC’s Cheyenne campus. The event is a collaboration between LCCC and the Southeast Wyoming Concert Series, demonstrating a commitment by community organizers and the college to bring arts to Cheyenne. 

“LCCC has excellent facilities like the auditorium that make it an ideal place to enjoy the arts, including for music lovers,” said Michael Lange, LCCC Fine and Performing Arts director. “Being able to host concerts with Wyoming musicians is one part of how LCCC helps support the region’s creative culture.”

The Southeast Wyoming Concert Series is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that relies on member support. For the past 90 years, it has provided the Cheyenne area with a diverse range of entertainment.

J. Shogren Noisefolk, according to band frontman Shogren, blends traditional folk elements with modern, dissonant sounds, reflecting the complexities of life commonly described in folk music. The band focuses on acoustic sounds, featuring violin, fiddle and upright bass mixed with modern technology that creates a stark contrast. This results in an insightful blend of old and new eras of music. 

Artists in rural states can face challenges in finding venues for their creative ventures, Shogren said. As an executive member-at-large of the Wyoming Arts Council Board of Directors, he said he’s seen how partnerships with local institutions like LCCC and SWCS can give artists opportunities to bring their creative work to their audiences. 

“It's about making sure that people interested in the arts know where to look, who to talk to and how to find others of similar interests, even if they're in towns three down the road,” Shogren said. “That's a big part of why I've always enjoyed going around the state, meeting people, playing music and listening to what they're up to, both as an Arts Council member and as an artist."

Low Water String Band, said band member Joe Lefevre, is a group of modern musicians playing old-school string band music. While one of the band’s songwriters focuses on a traditionalist approach, Lefevre said he incorporates elements of pop, giving Low Water an instantly recognizable sound. 

“Our sound is shaped by the individual styles of each member, creating something unique that people recognize as the Low Water sound,” he said. “To the casual observer, we might just look like another bluegrass band. But if you dig a little deeper, you'll see that we’re doing something a bit different, mixing traditional roots with more contemporary influences.”

Community support is critical in sustaining Wyoming’s vibrant arts scene, Lefevre said. The band’s 12-year journey has been mostly built on do-it-yourself, self-starting efforts, but Low Water has also seen the benefits of community organizers and institutions supporting the arts, he said. 

Tickets to this concert, available at sewyoconcerts.org and at the door, are priced at $20 for adults, $50 for families, and $5 for students, with LCCC students admitted for free. Season tickets are also available at $60 for adults, $140 for families, and $20 for students. Each season ticket grants entry to all four local Southeast Wyoming Concert Series events at LCCC, and up to 20 additional concerts in the region.