Returning to the MPOH stage for another high-energy night filled with songs you love, BoDeans will perform on Wednesday, November 27 at 8:00 PM. Doors will open at 7:00 PM. Tickets range from $45 to $60, plus Eventbrite fees, and will increase by $5 on the day of the show. Friends of the MPOH can purchase tickets starting Monday, July 1 and the general public can purchase tickets starting Monday, July 15.

With countless tunes you know from the first note, rip-roaring gigs you can count on, and a whole lot of energy you’ll take home with you, BoDeans continues to contribute to the American songbook as a tried-and-true institution. Founded and led by original frontman, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Kurt Neumann, the band’s catalog consists of generational anthems such as “Good Things,” You Don’t Get Much,” “Idaho,” and “Closer To Free,” just to name a few. However, they still reflect the soul and spirit of the modern American experience in their fourteenth full-length offering, 4 The Last Time. 

“The music of BoDeans has defined much of my life,” muses Kurt. “I consider myself fortunate to be able to do what I enjoy. I wanted to creatively do something positive for the world instead of just taking from it. So, this is what I’ve chosen to do with my life. The music was always about the blue-collar dream of a better life, and it still is.” 

BoDeans emerged out of Waukesha, WI in 1986 with the seminal debut, Love & Hope & Sex & Dreams, produced by T Bone Burnett. Following Outside Looking In [1987], Home [1989], and Black and White [1991], Go Slow Down [1993] yielded “Closer To Free,” which famously served as the theme song for the smash hit television series Party of Five. With a sought-after discography, their music landed hundreds of television and film placements. Meanwhile, they transformed into a proven live phenomenon by supporting the likes of U2, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Tom Petty, The Pretenders, and David Bowie in addition to gracing the bills of Farm Aid, Summerfest, and ACL. Speaking to the group’s legacy, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame permanently entrenched BoDeans in the Midwest Artists exhibit. Most recently, 2017’s Thirteen arrived to widespread acclaim from The Chicago Tribune and Glide Magazine who spotlighted the music’s “understated grace—an  attribute that no doubt fuels the steadfast approach Kurt Neumann has employed of his thirty-plus years as a ‘BoDean’.” Along the way, NETFLIX’s The Ranch also utilized over 70 tunes from Kurt, and he launched his own podcast Staring At The World. 

In the midst of the Global Pandemic, he wrote and recorded what would become 4 The Last Time in his Austin, TX studio. 

“We have a classic guitar-driven midwestern rock pop sound,” he goes on. “I wanted to make sure there was still some music out there with guitars on it. I feel like I’m getting better at this in my fifties. So, there are a lot of those big rock songs we’ve done for years. I got that vibe down on this record.” 

Fittingly, BoDeans kick this chapter off with the high-energy anthem “Ya Gotta Go Crazy.” It charges forward with roots-y countrified swagger punctuated by an unshakable chant and hummable guitar solo. 

“When Spring came in Wisconsin, everyone rolled their windows down and turned the radio up,” he recalls. “The music sounded so good. This is meant to be one of those songs that makes you crank the volume and have some fun. In light of difficult times when you’re dealing with depression or challenges, sometimes  you’ve got to go out and do some shit that seems a little crazy.” 

Then, there’s “A Little More Time.” The stomping groove gives way to another anthemic refrain as he pleads, “Come on baby won’t you give me just a little more time.” 

“On the day Tom Petty died, I was really sad,” he admits. “I’ve always been astounded by how good he was— from the time I discovered him at 15 until now. This is my little nod to Tom and The Heartbreakers for what they gave me.”

“For the next year, I’m going to be showing up in towns everywhere and trying to bring people together a little more,” he leaves off. “Come to a BoDeans gig, sing along, and forget about everything else. That’s why I  play nowadays. I’d like to keep pushing that message as long as I can.”