Born out of pandemic, venue enters fifth concert season

WILLIAMSBURG — When indoor venues were closing in 2020 due to a demand for social distancing, a new opportunity arose for musicians on the Kula farm at 2283 240th St. near Williamsburg.

That venue, Raven Wolf Productions, begins its fifth concert season this month with Kirk Van Kirk’s performance Thursday, April 10.

The venue’s owners, Lord Nathan Kula and Lady Susan Kula, had friends in various bands when COVID shut everything down. (They legally added Lord and Lady to their names about 13 years ago after giving money to land reserves in Scotland, Nathan said.)

Performers wondered where they could play music in a safe way, said Nathan. A friend told Nathan, You’ve got four acres out here, you should put up a stage.

So he did.

Nathan and Susan had a band themselves. They perform Celtic music as A Rogue Wave.

“Because we were already playing, … we already had 10-12 bands we knew we wanted to reach out to,” said Nathan.

When Nathan announced the new venue on Facebook, he got hits immediately, he said.

The venue opened in 2021 with 16 shows.

“Some bands have a good following, and they do well with social media,” Nathan said. They’ll draw 80-100 people to a show.

Raven Wolf isn’t like a pub that’s open to the public on a daily basis. “It only exists when something is happening,” said Nathan. “Word-of-mouth is how we do it.”

The venue

Raven Wolf Productions, named for Nate and Susan’s spirit animals, has two stages. The primary stage is outdoors. It’s covered and has a sun shade to block the stage for the performers. About 75% of the performances are there.

Raven Wolf has had 130 people at the outdoor stage, “but we could handle 350-400 easy,” said Nathan. He’d probably need another porta potty for a crown that size, he said.

The Hayloft seats only 80-100, but its used only in bad weather. April performances are scheduled for the indoor stages as are the late September and early October concerts.

“You never know what the weather is going to be like that time of year,” said Nathan.

Nathan has lined up food trucks and alcohol vendors for different concerts. People are encouraged to bring their own food and drinks, and alcohol is allowed.

Performers take all of the ticket money, said Nathan. They pay nothing to use the venue. “We lose money, but we’re not in it to make money.”

Local bands usually charge $10 to $15 per person. National bands usually get $20.

Musicians keep ticket prices low, said Nathan, but audiences can expect quality performances. “They’re going to get a good intimate show.”

Raven Wolf also books international bands. It has eight bands from Ireland, Scotland, Sweden and Italy lined up for 2025.

The first is Kris Angelis, who will perform there April 25. The Kulas met the singer-songwriter at a folk festival in Killarney, Ireland and fell in love with her musicality and her voice.

When performers visit Raven Wolf, they stay in a little cabin Nathan built on the farm. He calls it The Bothy, a Scottish term for a free-use shelter. “Our place is a little better,” said Nathan. It has heat and air conditioning. It sleeps eight.

The musicians can enjoy the privacy of The Bothy or socialize with the Kulas as they please, said Nathan. He’ll even give them massages if they’d like.

“We treat them like Rock Stars,” Nathan said.

The owners

Nathan and Susan tend a large garden on their four-acre farm west of Williamsburg. They keep two horses and several dogs and cats.

  Buy Photo

Susan is a small animal vet Veterinary Medical Center in Williamsburg.

Nathan is a house husband and part-time massage therapist, and he manages the event space. He’s always in a kilt unless he’s doing something on the farm that requires pants.

Nathan grew up north of Cedar Rapids. His mother’s parents came from Scotland. His father’s mother is Irish, a Gilmore.

“Ever since I can remember, I’ve always wanted to go to Scotland,” said Nathan. He’s visited several times, taken his photo with graves of his ancestors.

“My brothers have no interest in it, but they’re excited when I share it,” he said.

Susan is from Iowa City. She graduated from the University of Iowa and received her veterinary degree from Iowa State University.

The couple met through Coralville’s community theater and have been together 14 years.

The band

As A Rogue Wave, Susan and Nathan play Celtic music and sea shanties. “I grew up on them,” said Nathan.

At the moment, Susan and Nathan are the entire band. Susan’s the main vocalist and plays the flute and the bodhran, a Celtic drum held vertically.

Nathan plays guitar, bass guitar, traditional drums and sings a little.

They play American music as well as Celtic, Nathan said. “We do a really funny version of ‘Turn the Page.’”

The band has played on the square in Williamsburg, at the Renaissance Festival in Middle Amana, in small pubs and as far away as Des Moines.

St. Patrick’s Day is big for the band, Nathan said.

Susan didn’t start performing with A Rogue Wave until some other vocalists didn’t work out, she said.

“Her mom lives here in town and she’s probably our number one fan,” Nathan said.

“I played flute most of my life,” said Susan, but she learned to play the bodhran recently.

“I’ve played almost everything except for wind instruments,” said Nathan. He was in a metal band when he was 14. “It’s good therapy when you’re throwing hay bales around,” he said.

But Nathan also loved the story telling in old county songs, the music of Johnny Cash, a favorite of his father.

“Celtic music is like that,” Nathan said. It tells stories. “They are legitimately keeping history alive through music.”

Bluegrass does the same, and Iowa has a lot of bluegrass bands, Nathan said. In Raven Wolf’s second year, about half the bands were bluegrass.

“I love stories,” said Nathan. “I’m a storyteller myself.”

A Rogue Wave isn’t the Kula’s focus right now. “We kind of focused on [Raven Wolf Productions] this year,” Nathan said.

They also plan to spend more time with their parents.