There’s an article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette (insert your own cheesehead joke here) that talks about how local polka bands are staying relevant and keeping younger audiences interested. Some performers incorporate polka versions of modern tunes into their act, others split their gigs up between playing polka music and deejaying. Jeff Maroszek of New Generation Band talks about overcoming the ‘oompah’ stereotype:
“When a lot of people think of polkas, they always think of the grandpa and the tuba and accordion — just the oompah music — but really that’s not the style of music that it is anymore… Polka music evolved just like country western music and rock ‘n’ roll music evolved. It’s all the same thing. You’ve just got that stereotype to get by.”