Vernon Tonges w/ Eric Noden

Art in the cafe...

Laurel Statz


"The Spectator"


December 2025



Laurel Statz is a painter and Madison area native. Her work, while figurative, is influenced by abstraction and minimalism. The paintings often have a quick and instinctual nature, capturing just what’s needed. While she often times herself to eliminate extra details and over-precision, she has ventured into more detailed works as well. Laurel does not attach narrative to her pieces. Rather, she thinks of them like a journaling process for her scatter-brained psyche. The figures in the pieces are meant to be processing tools for the artist and the viewer. She hopes that seeing these figures helps the...
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Friday, April 15, 2005

In the fine demented folk tradition of Michael Hurley and the Holy Modal Rounders, Vernon Tonges has long been the most vibrant and maniacal performer in a scene full of vibrant maniacs. He chews through his songs like some barbarous clown, bellowing with an unlikely Chaplinesque delicacy that makes his dense but childlike lyrics surge. A hulking man, he seems an immovable force who screams thrillingly to life. Tonges is about as difficult an act to follow as there could be.

Eric Noden accompanies his rugged voice with driving steel string guitar and barrelhouse piano. The sound reflects Eric's travels through Cleveland, Chicago, Mississippi, Memphis and New Orleans. Eric has immersed himself in the music, history and sheer emotional power of old-school blues and roots music. Eric's guitar playing and singing capture the spirit of barrelhouse blues artists who recorded 78 rpm records for labels like Paramount and Vocalion in the 20's and 30's. Mixing original material, traditional blues and ragtime instrumentals, Eric offers a captivating and energetic show.

Music