WHITE WALL SESSIONS JEFF ZUEGER AUGUST 2013 COVER
CATCH A TAPING OF WWS: Entry is typically $5 and can be purchased at Last Stop CD Shop locations: SATURDAY, APRIL 1 Them Coulee Boys from Eau Claire, Wis. Start time: 12 p.m. THURSDAY, APRIL 13 Lemmons from Sioux Falls Start time: 6 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 15 Tuff Roots from Sioux Falls Start time: 4 p.m. MONDAY, APRIL 17 Caroline Cotter from Portland, Maine Start time: 6 p.m. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19 Crankshaft from Anoka, Minn. Start time: 6 p.m. THURSDAY, APRIL 20 Kris Lager Band from Omaha, Nebr. Start time: 6 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 22 Leaf Rapids from Winnipeg, Ontario Start time: 2 p.m. SATURDAY, APRIL 22 Union Grove Pickers from Sioux Falls Start time: 4 p.m.
C
reator/executive producer of White Wall Sessions, Jeff Zueger, simply wanted “no rules, just creation” when he started inviting local musicians to play in his Spectrum Films Inc. studio in the spring of 2013.
With only two microphones, two cameras, and a white backdrop set up, the first session of what is now known as White Wall Sessions was filmed with local artist (and now one of Zueger’s best friends), Steve Zastrow. After creating an official Facebook page to post songs for the project, they booked over 10 bands in a week. They soon found that watching artists “unplug” in a relaxed atmosphere (bands play around five to six songs per session) was catching on fast, and White Wall Sessions was picked up for 26 episodes on KELO-TV. Zueger said at the time, “I would like to make the White Wall Sessions a destination for musicians on a regional, or even national, level.” Fast forward to April 2017. Zueger’s experiment has turned into a successful program that is currently filming its fifth season. Not only that, but they’re celebrating a year this month at their new studio location, located on the bottom floor of Last Stop CD Shop on 10th Street in Sioux Falls. "It's been crazy with the amount of submissions we've had [this
year],” said Zueger. “We’ve had over 120 people that applied to be on the show for just this season. It's going up and up and up. People are coming; it's awesome." This season will showcase 60 acts, which includes regional, national, and international acts, like Them Coulee Boys from Eau Claire, Wisc. (April 1), Crankshaft (April 19) from Anoka, Minn., and Leaf Rapids (April 22) from Winnipeg, Ontario. The change of venue has been huge and has allowed them to bring up to 75 live audience members in for tapings. Beer and wine is also sold during tapings, which creates the full intimate concert experience. Zueger says their new studio has some of the best – if not the best – sound in the area. “We weren't just moving into a place and making things work,” said Zueger. “We got to kind of build it from scratch. We took the time to put the sound proofing in the walls and in the ceilings. We knew it would be important." The fourth season of White Wall Sessions was a success, along with their online video views, which Zueger says have been watched in over 165 countries. "As far as our digital footprint, we just hit 300,000 views on YouTube – that was a big one,” he said. They have also started a podcast in the last month that
is available on iTunes and other reliable podcast sources. "We cut the commercials out [of the shows] and modify it; it's essentially the same content, and we just hit 1,000 downloads on that," explained Zueger. Another new element is using their space to have “listening parties.” "I'm going to invest in some rockand-roll lights and intelligent LEDs, and we can easily put up a black curtain and it's a completely different space. Then we can host shows here,” he said. These events wouldn’t have any recording and would act as a concert. He continued, "We'll probably bring the audience in more and put gels in the lights." There currently isn’t a name for this concept, but the group has casually started calling the basement “Last Stop Studios.” Along with starting to also air in North Dakota and Minnesota, Zueger and his crew are excited about the constant growth and look forward to continuing to film the fifth season. "We've got some good bands coming in, I know that,” he said with a smile. The fifth season of White Wall Sessions will premiere in September on KELO-TV every Saturday at 9:30 p.m. mountain/10:30 p.m. central. To check studio times or more information, visit thewhitewallsessions.com.