The Brewins - TheBrewins.biz - North Central Wisconsin's Party Rock Band

Article from CITY PAGES  ·   July 27—August 3, 2006 p.13

The Brewins Home Page

Life of the party

The Brewins cover it with a cut-above morphing of rock, jazz and country

by Ben Wydeven  

They're getting the reputation as the favorite party band in central Wisconsin. But perhaps one of the best compliments this Wausau area-based group has received is the opportunity to appear with Mosinee jazz artist John Altenburgh for his annual Christmas concert smash this year at the Grand Theater. "We've been invited to play," says guitarist Chad Brecke, who by day is a fulltime teacher at D.C. Everest Junior High and resides in Weston.

With 50 years of popular hits from all genres on their set list, The Brewins keep audience' smiling and on their feet with high energy and a strong, consistent beat with guitars and percussions. The four guys perform a list dominated by rock and pop, but their influences spread across the jazz and country domain as well.

When I experienced The Brewins' hits for the first time last Saturday at Arrow Sports Bar in Weston, I was enticed by their energetic interpretations of classic and modern pop rock. I felt at home as they performed several of my favorites such as Tom Petty's "American Girl" and even Nickelback's raunchy "Figured You Out" with their own echo of jazz and country flare. These guys are no ordinary cover band. They have a superior genre blend that's both pleasant and admirable.

Lead vocalist and guitarist Brad Emanuel teamed up with his old friend Chad Brecke, previously a guitarist with the band The Dukes. After The Dukes broke up, they decided to form a band of their own. Soon after, bassist Jon Tomcek and. drummer Brandon Aarestead joined, two friends who have been jamming together since childhood. "We've known each other for 16 years," Tomcek says.

Early in Saturday's show, the audience broke into a country line dance as the band played a jazzy rendition of the Rolling Stone's "Honky Tonk Woman." The Brewins played only a handful of country songs that night and while I'm not particularly drawn to modem country, The Brewins gave songs such as "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy" and "Nothing to Lose" a jazzy rock spin to keep rock enthusiasts happy and country fans line dancing.

"We'll play anything like the Van Morrison stuff and the John Mayer trio stuff... If people want to hear 'Brown Eyed Girl' we're going to play the best version we can of it," Brecke says. Tomcek says his biggest influences come from his early years playing the piano  as well as his current passion with the saxophone and bass guitar.

Bottom line: The Brewins are fun to experience live, whether it's Tomcek's ear-to-ear grin as he joyfully wails on bass or Emanuel's clever, but easily permissible, swap of innuendo lyrics. And for a band with a lot of talent, "Our egos are very small," says Brecke. "We just keep it together."

CITY PAGES  ·   July 27—August 3, 2006 p.13