Wire & Nail + Cory Waller & The Wicked Things + Dan Lepien

Grown from the black dirt that Iowa is known for, Cory Waller and The Wicked Things are a band of hard-working friends, sons and daughters of farmers and small-town folks. The band has traversed the Midwest sharing their brand of black dirt country music; sometimes, the shows The Wicked Things play have more people than those of their hometowns. The band’s namesake, Cory Waller, started playing music with bass player Ethridge Netz when they were in middle school and honed his country craft with lead electric guitar player Ronley King in dives and bars across Iowa in his 20s—joined by fierce vocalist and acoustic guitar player Emilee Johnson, and the backbone of the band, drummer Kaleb Ferry. They write music and perform for the people they grew up around.

In the Winter of 2024, during a snowstorm, the band traveled to an Airbnb in Redfield, Iowa, to write their latest album named after the town. Snowed in, the band wrote the album, only taking breaks at the local watering hole, Kilroy’s, at the end of the night. The band wrote songs from personal experiences, theirs, and the people they grew up with in Northwest Iowa. “This is the most like us we’ve ever sounded,” says frontman Cory Waller. The band’s first full-length album is an honest portrayal of life in the Midwest, with stories of past and lost loves, hardships, and having a good time in the land where the tall corn grows. The album was recorded at Sonic Factory Studios in Des Moines, IA with engineer and producer John Locker.

Hailing from Sauk City, Wisconsin, Dan Lepien is spreading his brand of pure / traditional country music with unique, well-crafted songwriting and a road warrior’s work ethic. Dan’s sound has drawn comparisons to country legends. His unwavering approach in the genre has gained him a loyal following especially among classic and traditional country fans. Lepien’s debut full-length album “The Honky Tonk Traditional” (05.16.25) has cemented him as a staple in the modern country music world. He has had the privilege of sharing the stage with some of his heroes (Clint Black, John Anderson, Shenandoah), recorded in Nashville with A-team producers and players, and has played stages like HODAG, Country Fest in Cadott, Crystal Grand Theatre, Summerfest, Watertown Riverfest, and more.

WIRE AND NAIL IS A MILWAUKEE BAND SERVING UP A HIGH-ENERGY MIX OF HONKY-TONK AND ROCK N ROLL. WITH TIGHT HARMONIES, GREAT TONE, AND A POWERFUL RHYTHM SECTION, THEY’RE BUILT TO KEEP THE GOOD TIMES ROLLING.