by Anthony Burnett Nestled in downtown Harrisonburg, VA, guests at The Golden Pony were treated to a phenomenal selection of folk music. Headlining was Chuck Ragan, former lead singer of the punk-rock band Hot Water Music. Ragan was part of Hot Water Music from 1994 to 2006, when he left to form a solo career. He has since released five studio albums, along with two soundtracks and a book titled, “The Road Most Traveled.” Ragan’s music still keeps the elements of Hot Water Music’s punk style, but adds a folk twist which produces a distinct yet engaging sound.
Dogwood Tales is an alt-country band out of Harrisonburg, Virginia, formed in 2016. They have released three albums including one with Euphoria Again and three EPs. Dogwood Tales produces a comforting sound rooted in folk, with strong harmonizations between vocalists. Some of their music pushes into the alt-rock genre, showing off their strength in diversity of genres.
CJ Hise is a singer-songwriter from the Shenandoah Valley, who is also the frontman for the indie-rock band Thieves of Burden. Hise opened up the show with a mix of original music and some covers. His talent for songwriting was apparent from the beginning. Carefully crafted lyrics supported by strong melodies, Hise’s voice and guitar playing warmed up The Golden Pony. My personal favorite of his was “Lace,” a longer tune that had me captivated throughout. His covers of The Goo Goo Dolls’s “Iris” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” showed that Hise, while performing alone, could fill the space effortlessly with just his guitar and voice. He ended his set with another original, “Will the Heart,” which, while a calmer tune, felt like a perfect way to end.
Following Hise was Dogwood Tales, only two members, Ben Ryan and Kyle Grim performed, but still filled the room with their performance. The duo played some of their softer music, letting their tender voices blend while their guitar playing moved in tandem underneath. They set the tone from the start, with “Living in a Shadow” from their 2018 album Too Hard to Tell, which brought a relaxed vibe to the room. Their set included songs from all over their discography, including some that were unreleased. They jumped to “Driver’s Side Fantasy” from their 2024 EP, sending. My favorite had to be “Spiritless Machine, another song from Too Hard to Tell. The way the duo spun the guitar playing between the two was effortless; not once did it feel like two separate instruments vying for dominance. One of their unreleased songs they performed was titled “7x Over,” the title coming from one of the member’s grandmother who misremembered the bible quote for Matthew 18:22; thinking it was seven times over instead of seventy-seven. Regardless, the song was emotional and just so very beautiful. A phenomenal performance all around from Ryan and Grim.
Chuck Ragan was up next, opening his set with “Something May Catch Fire” from his album Till Midnight. Ragan was accompanied by Chad Smith on Banjo and John Gaunt on Fiddle. Ragan’s smokey voice showed only pure confidence in his craft throughout the song. Following up with “Revved” from the same album Ragan he brought the energy playing both guitar and harmonica while Smith and Gaunt helped drive the song forward. It was evident there was no need for a drum set as all three pushed ahead. Ragan performed two songs from his album, Gold Country without pause next, those being “Let It Rain” and “Cut Em Down.” Throughout the night, the energy never faltered and the crowd was really into the performance. “Landsick,” from Ragan’s soundtrack album for The Flame in the Flood, saw Gaunt take the helm with some absolutely top-tier fiddle playing. Ragan definitely brought his A-game for the show; his stage presence was there throughout and each song left the audience wanting more. Even with only three people up on stage the room was filled with their sound. If you are a fan of the punk-folk style, Chuck Ragan is a must see.
Ragan’s most recent album is titled Love & Lore and was released in 2024. He will be touring throughout Alberta and British Columbia in May, and in Germany in December of this year.
Dogwood Tales just released an album with Euphoria Again titled Destination Heaven. They plan to tour with Brad Stank starting out in California at the end of the Month, and work their way back to Virginia by mid April.
CJ Hise will be performing all around the Shenandoah Valley throughout the summer.
CJ Hise Setlist
My Dear
289
Emerald Eyes
Iris (Cover)
Lace
Dreams (Cover)
Will the Heart
Dogwood Tales Setlist
Living in a Shadow
Driver’s Side Fantasy
Hold You Again
Spiritless Machine
Memories
To Live is to Fly
I Dream a Highway/Verbena
Paul’s Valley
Seven Times Over
John He’s Kicking out the Footlights
Which Lover are You
I’ll Send a Letter
Chuck Ragan Setlist
Something May Catch Fire
Revved
Let It Rain/Cut Em Down
The Flame in the Flood
Waiting Out The Storm
Wish on the Moon
Rotterdam
Bedroll
Wake With You
The Boat
Landsick
Geraldine
Do You Pray
Meet You in the Middle
California Burritos
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