Goodbye to The Puppy Palace
Courtesy of Anthony Abegglen. Photos by Sydney Flynn
Nosebleeds drummer Paul St. Aubin plays at The Puppy Palace under its freshly painted backdrop. Nosebleeds are one of the original bands to play at The Puppy Palace and have their debut album Good Boy available on all streaming services.
Picture yourself having the time of your life dancing, laughing and making new friends at a punk rock, DIY show with 50 to 100 like-minded people who all join together for the night around one idea to have fun.
That’s the picture that has been painted month after month since 2017 at The Puppy Palace, a nine-bedroom house on 911 Wisconsin Ave. that doubles as a music venue hosting rock and lo-fi hip hop concerts.
The Puppy Palace is open to all students, members of the community and music lovers alike. It’s a safe environment to see some of the areas’ best acts like the NoseBleeds, who have a new music video on YouTube and several shows coming to the Valley this month, including at the Puppy Palace. Other bands like Bottom of the Lake, whose hard-hitting shows bring a series of guests every time and Stalgic and Horace Green, both hometown heros who are seeing great success and whose followings are increasing with each new song they release.
The majority of the concerts are free, but some cost money for admission and range from $5 to $10 a show. All the money goes to out-of-state bands first and traveling bands second. But if you show up with a smiling face, a good attitude and your dancing shoes, you might just make your way in.
Bottom of the Lake rhythm guitarist and vocalist Brett Schlidt, along with the rest of the band, has played at The Puppy Palace” since the beginning and have benefited from it. Their album “I’ll Keep This Safe Here” can be streamed on Spotify now along with their singles and a collaborative project “Split.”
The head behind the Palace is UWO senior Anthony Abegglen. Abegglen is president of the Allen Priebe Art Gallery, has made several short films, has an impressive collection of illustrations, is working on a multi-piece art project for his capstone study and loves to rock.
“Before I came to Oshkosh, I had a couple goals in mind, personal goals, because I didn’t want to just do school,” Abegglen said. “The whole Netflix and Chill thing rings in my head, for if I have time to watch Netflix, I have time to do other things.”
Abegglen was involved in the music scene in Florida before he moved to Oshkosh as a college student; he brought his knowledge of hosting shows and venues with him.
“There was a scene here, but it wasn’t strong,” Abegglen said. “That was mostly because there wasn’t a venue to play consistently. If there is a venue to play consistently, then the bands will get really good quickly.”
Abegglen said the bands Shoobie and Bottom of the Lake have been playing at The Puppy Palace since the doors opened. He spoke about how far they have come because of their exposure to playing in front of an audience once a month for two years. Abegglen said there is no comparison between playing a live set and strumming in a closed room; he said he was just happy he could provide that space and hopes someone else will found their own niche once he leaves.
“For starters, it’s just cool to have such a nice venue for playing only a block or two away from where I live,” Parker Sweeney, vocalist and guitarist for Shoobie said. “Having a consistent amount of people helps too. Typically when we play shows you can expect 30, 70, 80 people to come, and it’s cool have new people come and just share the experience.
“It helps improve our live act too. It’s just such a cool feeling for a local band and it just helps you keep playing. If I kept playing in Waupaca, where i’m from, I wouldn’t be playing because nobody would give a shit.”
Nosebleeds Michael Lynaugh has helped lead the band from garages and bedrooms to tours and albums while playing consistently at The Puppy Palace.
The Puppy Palace has seen an evolution from a low-ceiling, unfinished basement with visable water pipes and gas lines to a painted venue with lively yellow walls and a white backdrop with The Puppy Palace logo painted onto it. Merch tables offering bands’ latest apparel and an exclusive sound person have been added to The Puppy Palace recently. Abegglen said UWO student Isaac Marquardt has played a substantial role in The Puppy Palace as a recruiter of bands from out of state like Unturned from Minnesota, Romancer from Ontario and many more.
Not a single show has been shut down at The Puppy Palace. Abegglen said he knows to cut the music at 10 p.m., and he knows how to host an abundance of people responsibly.
“The shows are emotional, and I choose bands who make an impact emotionally,” Abegglen said. “Because if it’s not there, I don’t know how you would be able to perform live. It’s like playing a song you thought was fire, but you don’t have an emotional connection to; so when you play it live, you don’t have that connection at all. Shoobie is a good example because they have fun. People will come because Shoobie is on the list. The people I try to attract are genuine music lovers. If you have a passion for growth and listening to new music, then that’s my crowd. The misfits, they’re passionate about something.”
The next show is April 20 and will feature The Ivy’s, Tom Danks, Shoobie, Scruffpuppie, Nosebleeds, Spencer, X the dolphin and Bray Costello. Jazz, punk and folk bands are set to play May 11 at The Puppy Palace along with a DJ set.
Abegglen called special attention to the the founder show on June 8. Abegglen said “the founder show is dedicated to everyone who has been a part of The Puppy Palace from the beginning.” All people are invited to go to The Puppy Palace and enjoy the hard work of so many people from the bands to the founder who make Oshkosh underground music society a living thing and another way for “misfits” to connect.
