What to Expect

The Event: Frühlingsfest

Fruhling, ergo Frühlingsfest

You probably already knew this, but I was today old when I found out A) what Fruhling means, and subsequently B) how it’s pronounced. More on that in a second…

For Guggman Haus, Fruhling means Frühlingsfest—a three-day SPRING celebration starting Thursday, April 23 and running through Sunday, April 26.

So…cat’s out of the bag, there it is—Fruhling means spring. Frühlingsfest means spring festival. Now you know.

Frühlingsfest at Guggman Haus will make you think you’ve stepped off the curb at 16th and Gent and into a biergarten in Stuttgart or Munich. And if you time it just right and get there while the DysFUNKtion Brass Band—bedecked in their lederhosen and dirndl—is playing, you’ll swear you’ve teleported to the continent.

With new German beer releases (served in a traditional stein or regular pint), a great German-influenced menu, spring pop-ups, and live music all weekend, Frühlingsfest is an absolute, can’t-miss blast.

The music lineup this week is fantastic—check Guggman socials for the full schedule. Friends of Indy.Local.Live. are playing Saturday and Sunday: Straight Up Chumps on Saturday, 6–9 PM, and Red-Tailed Hawk on Sunday, 2–4 PM

The Bands:

Straight Up Chumps

The name of the band tells you most of what you need to know them—a group of good dudes playing music without taking themselves too seriously. And honestly, with how smooth they sound, they could probably get away with being a little pretentious… but that’s not their style.

Straight out of Greenwood (IN), the Chumps musical style is hard to pin down. They move between originals, jam rock, and fusion-style covers, blending hip hop, rock, and psychedelic sounds into something that doesn’t really sit in one lane.

As someone who’s seen Straight Up Chumps more than a few times, you start to pick up on their “tricks.” A song will end, they’ll drift into a groove, and you’ll catch yourself thinking, wait… I know this. This is…Next thing you know, it turns into it is “Fight for Your Right” by Beastie Boys and then whole place is in on it.

When it comes to cover songs there can be a healthy debate between those who expect to hear a note-perfect copy of the original, and those who think a song is enhanced when another artist interprets it and puts their personality into it. The Chumps fall into the latter category and are brilliant.

The vibe overall is easygoing and welcoming. With a brewery in the background, it’s the kind of show where you can hang out, talk with friends, grab a beer, and still find yourself getting pulled into the music.

Red-Tailed Hawk

When you see Red-Tailed Hawk, be prepared for a musical conversation. The heart and soul of the group, Steve Kennan, is a master musician, storyteller, and connector.

By the end of the show, he’ll know your name, your dog’s name, and whether you root for or against the Dodgers. That might be a slight exaggeration—but not much… he does know my dogs’ names ;)

Red-Tailed Hawk is a duo featuring Steve and the uber multi-talented Mark Berry. Steve handles vocals, acoustic and slide guitar, and harmonica. Mark gets more sound out of his cajón (a sit-on drum) than most people get out of a full kit, plays occasional bass, and adds strong vocal support.

They mix in a variety of covers you know with originals you’ll want to know. Whether it’s a cover or an original, you’ll feel Steve’s authenticity come through. He’s a California guy with an effortless way of bringing his life into his songs.

At a recent show, Steve reminded the audience how music connects all of us—and asked why we can’t carry that same joy into our lives outside the venue: “It’s not that hard to be kind to everyone.” Agreed, Steve… agreed.

But you haven’t lived until you’ve experienced a Steve Kennan “SOCIAL.” That’s Steve hoisting a beer, asking everyone to raise theirs and toast one another—“SOCIAL!” That, in a nutshell, is Red-Tailed Hawk.