Phantoms Of Pioche

June 2025 | We are in the early formation stages: Phantoms of Pioche is an uncommon cover band incorporating obscure songs & deep cuts, with a hearty dose of twisted humor and a fun but dark theatrical/ visual atmosphere.

HEY! We are seeking musicians in Central Minnesota, preferably near the St. Cloud area. We are hoping to bring in some enthusiastic and musically open-minded YOUNG musicians who can carry this blazing torch into the future.

We are especially seeking out multi-instrumentalists and Bluegrass fanatics. We can even provide an instrument if you are lacking.

We currently have, and need players for the following instruments:

5-String Banjo
Double-neck Lap Steel
Mandolin
Ukelele
Banjo-Uke (a 100-year-old Slingerland Maybelle)
Mini Accordion (100+ year-old Hohner)
Violin/ Fiddle

Learn more at:
https://www.bandmix.com/tangento/

🌵 Contact us! 🪕

This 👆 is a sound collage entitled
Mineshaft Vortex (Level 1)

[Purchase here] (cheap!)

It was created around a track called
Cowboy Echoes Vibes by CoKlaComa.
(With permission from composer Tom Ellard)

This track will serve as both intro/ entrance music for our live shows, as well as existing as somewhat of a

"sonic mission statement"

Artists included on this track, in order of appearance:

Jimmy Blaine

Hank Williams

Dennis Weaver/ James Arness

CoKlaComa

Barnyard Cupcakes

Calexico

Patsy Montana

Johnny Cash

The Blitzoids

Here are our 3 new "Whiskey Barrel" logo/ insignias.
All of the images on this page can be purchased as stickers, and soon we'll have T-Shirts & more available!
(Use our contact email above for now, until we can set up shop)

"According to Dye, Thunderbird and other sacred stories are not campfire tales, meant to entertain.
They are more like instruction manuals for working with natural and supernatural forces."
- Rulers of the Upper Realm, Thunderbirds Are Powerful Native Spirits

So... what's a "Pioche"?

It's a living ghost town in eastern Nevada that instantly captured my heart and imagination when I first visited there way back in the late 1980s. I was on one of many Southwest road trips with (my brother from another) Frank Hargrove.
(R.I.P. dude) 👇

The first thing that jumped out at me on that late afternoon as we pulled into town was the cracked, faded marquee of the crumbling (but currently under restoration) GEM Theater. The marquee read, simply and yet profoundly:

"All Dogs Go To Heaven"

The town of Pioche has since inspired a series of mixtapes & CDRs, a massive music folder, one more highly enjoyable visit during a *2019 road trip with my daughter Kenzie, and the hopes & dreams of me ultimately owning a home in that town. And now, as you can see, Pioche has inspired a most unusual band.

(*The cover photo on this page was taken by me during that 2019 visit: The GEM was not showing any movies on that particular day)

Learn all about the utterly fascinating & brutal "Real Wild West" history of Pioche here:
https://westernmininghistory.com/towns/nevada/pioche/

HEY! Please visit the GEM Theater website! It's interesting, highly informative and also provides an opportunity for all of us to help fund the ongoing restoration of this historic and vital location.
https://gempioche.com/

HEY! Visit our
BRAND-NEW
Bandcamp Page!

This photo of me taking a photo of Franky says it all. You are missed. 🥁🌵🌯🚧