Kenosha band Donoma pushes boundaries with its eclectic ‘parachute rock’

Kenosha — a city of just under 100,000 residents — is nonetheless home to an abundance of talented bands, musicians and artists flavoring the community with authenticity and a desire to entertain.

One of these bands is Donoma — a group known for its diverse music, eccentric attitude and outspoken activism.

Named after an Omaha Native American word meaning “a sight of the sun,” Donoma has been plugging away since 2008, playing more than 500 live shows over that time. The band has made numerous appearances at Milwaukee’s Summerfest and recently performed at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas. It’s provided direct support for major acts such as Candlebox, Soul Asylum, Meat Puppets, Rusted Root, Tantric and more.

The origin of the band stems from a meeting between vocalist/guitarist Stephanie Vogt and bassist Shelle Mounce at a living-room jam at a local house party. The pair clicked, and they quickly began writing original songs together. Drummer Israel Alpizar joined the two soon after — and the trio became the original Donoma. Violinist Nick Campolo was added a few years later, after his appearance on the group’s debut release, 2011’s A Sight of the Sun. The band then brought in Tim King after he performed a Dead Boys’ cover with Donoma at a New Year’s Eve show.

Donoma’s sound is distinctive, for Kenosha or anywhere else, with the group even being called “one of the most eclectic bands in the state” by the Wisconsin State Journal. “Musically, we all come from different backgrounds of punk and classic rock, metal, pop, classical and electronic, which helps morph our sound into something unique,” says Alpizar. “You can find inspiration in most everything.”

“The band’s sound and image has no boundaries. Therefore, in my opinion we are parachute rock and have no intention on landing anywhere specific,” says King. “If it makes noise and your head can bop, then it must be rock ‘n’ roll, so we just leave it at that.”

‘Falling Forward’

Donoma released its sophomore effort, Falling Forward, in early 2017. Since its official release, the album has been added to playlists in 30 states and received both national and international reviews.

Falling Forward can trace its roots to a single weekend, when the band gathered to record a couple self-produced songs. But when Donoma began working with producer Mike Hoffman — whose production credits include The Verve Pipe, Willy Porter and Victor DeLorenzo of the Violent Femmes — things took off.

“We went from eight songs to 26 songs, which we eventually narrowed down to create what is now Falling Forward,” says Vogt. “The learning experience was incredible. You could definitely tell a progression from where we were when we created A Sight of the Sun. We came in with skeleton ideas of a song, and with everyone’s input and different musical backgrounds, turned them into a Donoma sound.”

To help get the new album out to the public, the band started a campaign on Kickstarter for funding, eventually raising more than $10,000. Though the Kickstarter experience proved vexing for the band at times, it was nonetheless a successful one.

Vogt explains, “The Kickstarter experience was partially a trying one, but needless to say, the amount of support we received from our listeners, friends, and families was breathtaking.

“That’s why we do what we do, and a lot of our accomplishments wouldn’t be possible without them and their support. Because of that, we were able to press our song on vinyl and CDs, as well as create new merch, among many other things.”

Inspiration and activism

Donoma keeps the creative juices flowing with more than just the music, taking a DIY approach to promotional materials, flyers, and album art. Alpizar is an accomplished artist, has had gallery showings of his work, and has done album art for other bands as well.

Donoma - side faces vertical — Photo: Paddy Fineran

“We’ve always enjoyed creativity outside of just writing music, and giving our audience something to take away that is a personal part of our vision means a lot to us,” says Mounce. “Israel is a fantastic artist, whether it’s drawing, painting, or graphic design. He does a major part of our visual creation.”

The band finds inspiration from both outside and within.

“We get our inspiration from the world around us,” says Alpizar. “Playing with our emotions ultimately determines what we write and play. Politics and humans usually tend to fuel our creative side, although generally negative things are what inspire us to want to push a message or touch a messy topic people disregard or misunderstand.”

In August 2015, Donoma was asked to provide a song for a CD/DVD project, Unintimidated: Wisconsin Musicians Against Scott Walker, a compilation of anti-Walker protest songs performed live in the studio at Howl Street Recordings in Milwaukee. Twelve other Wisconsin bands also contributed to the project. Proceeds from the compilation were donated to Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and local Milwaukee soup kitchens.

“We try to be involved in any way we can,” says Vogt. “Whether it’s benefits, through our lyrics, or our political rants on stage. We feel music is a powerful tool and we try to utilize that to aid in social justice, equality and change for the common good.”

On Stage

Donoma headlines Frank’s Power Plant, 2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Milwaukee, July 14. Old Wolves, Heavy Hand and Jab Jugular open the show, which starts at 8:30 p.m. Admission is $5. For more information, visit donomatribe.com.