Tommy Ramone goes country at local cafe

The lively pluck of string instruments reverberated through out the open space of Rachael’s Cafe Thursday night as an audience came to see the last living member of legendary punk band The Ramones play bluegrass music.

Lately, Tommy Ramone has switched off his punk roots to refresh his sound with an old country band called Uncle Monk.  Paired with Claudia Tienan, originally from The Simplisitics, they have created a natural string instrument sound that took a café out of context from associative jazz connotations.  

Playing on a one of a kind F-style mandolin with Claudia on guitar, Ramone said, “I think it’s kind of alternative sound with old time sensibility,”

Disarrayed genres somehow worked as puzzle pieces together as the experimental pop artist, Eric Radoux, Bloomington resident, opened the show.

Next, local artist Scott Kellogg the tarot reader by day, rock star by night performed.  He classified his music as “post-punk- hippie- mystic.”

Those who are really into music do not close boxes of genres because it is all self expressive, sophomore Thatcher Runyeon said.  

Also playing at the homecoming game on Saturday performed Heather Shergeon along with award winning musician, Craig Haile.  Their instruments were practically older than they were considering Shergeon bought an antique fiddle from the 1920’s and Haile’s guitar is 42 years old.  

Since Ramone was in the house, Shergeon said, “Let’s take it up a notch tonight and rock out!”

Attendees showed up at the concert in leather jackets and Ramones tee-shirts as if Rachael’s Cafe was an underground punk Venue in New York such as CBGB.

Uncle Monk strayed away from their bluegrass alias to play the Ramones song, “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” as well as, “I Fought the Law,” originally by The Clash.  

“It’s great to hear punk pulled off as bluegrass,” crowd member, Gim Timgourley said.  

A Ramones cover band from Madison, Indiana journeyed to hear Uncle Monk play out of curiosity.

“While most guys play golf, we’re in a punk band,” Scott Koelner said.

Making coffee mugs shake, the audience clapped and stomped their feet.  No matter the scene, Uncle Monk has performed across the United States ranging from Honky Tonk bars, to backyards.

As artists from Ramone’s generation, Paul McCartney of the Beatles and Bob Dylan continue to tour, Ramone said, “It’s all about connecting with an audience.”

Every artists plays for a different reason and Tienan said she loves it for the spirit and passion of old folk.

Many would not have foreseen a ground breaking punk band member transition into bluegrass.  

“Old punks don’t die, they just go country,” Bloomington native, Travis Tee said.