Brule County Bad Boys’ Brutally Bombastic Brigade

To begin, a brief story featuring Java Barn Music cutie pie Trey Pierce ’26:

Trey: Hey, Kate! Did you mosey on over to see the Brule County Bad Boys last Thursday?   

Kate: Hey, Trey! Yeah, I did! They were AWESOME! Honky tonking vibes all around. I think I even saw tidbits of square dancing here and there!  

Trey: That is sick! I’m stoked you had a great time. Great band and great people! Yeehaw! Did you know the band was born in Brule County Jail, South Dakota?!  

Kate: That’s wild! I had no idea. That is a cool origin story!  

 Thursday, Feb. 22, was rootin’, tootin’, and ready for some groovin.’ These bad boys absolutely rocked the Java venue. After waiting eagerly all day for the show, the time was almost upon us: a Thursday night like no other. I mustered up my dirt-covered boots, stained tan pants, and camo t-shirt. All that was missing was a giant cowboy hat (which I unfortunately do not own). Brule County Bad Boys is a returning Java band that I could not wait to see again.

Their show during the 2022- 2023 school year was a brigade of tasteful tunes and dosey-dos. I had no doubt this show would be any different. 10:30 p.m. rolled around. It was time. I gathered my friends and began the rally to head to the venue.

’Twas a February night warmer than most. I generally like to be right on time, but I was tad bit late during this occurrence. A jovial skip, hop, and jump across campus, I could hear the band from the Student Center. As I skipped faster, the music grew louder. I could recognize these jams anywhere. One of my favorite views is the Java Barn, with its garage door open. What a joyful site to see. The groovy bug was settling into my bones; the dancing was already beginning.

Bogeying and scootin’ my boot up to the front rail, Brule County Bad Boys were already in full swing of their show! No preparation, no lead-up, and immediate straight vibes filled the barn. People were flooding in, ready to move. An electric stage presence these bad boys had, from their incredible hats to their flourishing beards, all the way down to their dirt-covered boots. They filled up the stage with their yeehaw attitudes. They called out the crowd to “bring the energy,” comparing this year’s show to last year’s. Everyone around me was solely focused on Brule County and the tunes they were cranking out. Arms linked, hippity hopping, swinging around, and dance moves surrounded me. It was another inexplicably wonderful time with the Brule County Bad Boys at the Java Barn Music.