The farmers market in downtown Eau Claire continues to showcase a variety of sights and sounds for both the students and community to experience. This includes a recent performance by local guitar artist Sage Leary.

According to Leary’s online website, he began performing at the age of 14 throughout Wisconsin and now resides in and performs around the city of Eau Claire. 

Claire Lovelace, a first-year English student, first heard about Leary through the music-oriented campus events during Welcome Week and orientation.

“I first saw him playing outside on the rooftop at the Davies student party,” Lovelace said. “This is one of the main reasons why I came to Eau Claire, because of how music was a huge part of the community.”

Leary said over the past year his music career has helped him identify who he truly aspires to be as an artist.

“I have worked with other artists over the past years and I have been writing a lot of new songs and it has been a huge growth year that way,” Leary said. “I have gained a greater sense of identity, direction and purpose.”

Leary has upcoming shows at the Phoenix Park farmers market, which will highlight his songs “Already There” and “Hangin’ by the Lake”. 

Lovelace said each time she has seen Leary perform he provides new sound elements through the unique way he creates live music. 

“His looping was really cool to see and to watch him basically create the song right in front of us,” Lovelace said. “He has a very interesting way of making his music and it is a lot different to what you hear on the radio.”

As a solo artist, Leary said his looping mechanism has been a method of setting him apart from other growing artists.

“It is a live recording mechanism so you can record what you do and have it play over and over again as a progression,” Leary said. “I play all original music so that is something cool to be able to say and I can really build a song this way and I have a looping routine for each one of my songs.”

Leary said he set aside time last winter and spring to write all new songs to showcase in his upcoming performances and will continue to perform at the farmers market in Phoenix Park.

“Right now I am growing to really fill the shoes I have made for myself and growing into all the new material I have written,” Leary said. “I play a lot of shows around town here in Eau Claire, there is a cool sense of community I am able to build by playing at the farmers market.” 

According to Leary’s social media pages, he will continue to perform at the farmers market location each Saturday throughout October.

Lovelace encourages students to step out of their comfort zone and find opportunities to view to local artists like Leary who play around town or on campus. 

“I would really like to see him getting more recognition on campus because he is a very creative and interesting person,” Lovelace said. “People should get to know him.”

For more information about Sage Leary’s upcoming performances go to https://www.sageleary.com.

Nelson can be reached at [email protected].