Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of July 20-27, 2017. For more information on these shows, read on under the Spotify playlist!
Waxahatchee, Thursday, July 20, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Ten years ago, Katie Crutchfield was a teenager in Alabama, playing alongside her twin sister Allison in the bookish indie punk act P.S. Eliot. Fast forward a decade, and Crutchfield is on the roster at revered label Merge Records — home of Arcade Fire and Dinosaur Jr. — with her current project, Waxahatchee. An intimate, emotionally bare outlet, she’s released four albums under Waxahatchee so far, including this year’s acclaimed Out in the Storm. With Cayetana, Snail Mail.
Bent Knee, Thursday, July 20, The Frequency, 8:30 pm: Explosive art-rock collective Bent Knee brings their intense experimental pop to Madison in support of their critically acclaimed new album, Land Animal. Their songs jump from from soft indie pop to disruptive hardcore, or from withdrawn jazz into noisy arena rock — all bound together cleanly with expertise gained from their near-decade spent in the avant-garde. Lead singer Courtney Swain’s vocals cut through these complex compositions to deliver ruminations on survival, providing a hopeful light for dark times.
Dane County Fair, Thursday-Sunday, July 20-23, Alliant Energy Center: Are you ready for fair food, farm animals and fun rides — and what happens when all are combined? Gates open at 9 am daily at the Dane County Fair, which also features all-ages entertainment such as Team FMX motorcycle stunt shows, numerous local performers on the Youth and Community Stage, and of course main-stage concerts. Michigan hard rockers Wayland (Thursday and local hair metal revivalists Cherry Pie (Saturday) play in the evenings; Sunday afternoon is the annual concert sponsored by La Movida radio, featuring Illinois duranguense masters Alacranes Musical and many others.
Lonesome Organist, Friday, July 21, Mickey’s Tavern, 10:30 pm: Lonesome Organist is the appropriately named one-man-show of multi-instrumentalist and Madison transplant Jeremy Jacobsen, also of Chicago funk jam-band 5ive Style. Once handpicked to play a show curated by David Bowie, Jacobsen is known for playing several instruments all at once, including accordion, steel drums, cymbals and synths. And he does all this by the way, while also harnessing his own operatic voice. His tunes mix genres as disparate as Appalachian blues and classic garage rock, and many of his songs seamlessly jump from punky jams to folk classics. Experimental Latin folk guitarist William Z. Villain opens.
Bird’s Eye album release, Friday, July 21, High Noon Saloon, 9:30 pm: Madison septet Bird’s Eye cooks up old-school funk with a rock solid rhythm section, fuzzed out wah-wah guitar, concise horn charts and jangly keys. It’s all topped by a winning combination of soulful vocals by Hannah Larson and Lauren Johnson counterpointed by Ra Fury’s raps. They’ll release their self-titled debut album at this show. With Coyote, Taboo Blah Blah.
Ray Bonneville, Friday, July 21, Maven Vocal Arts, 7 pm: Singer-songwriter Ray Bonneville has transmogrified a life lived mostly on the road into a deep catalog of folk-blues songs that often feature a hypnotic groove gained from his time in New Orleans during the ’80s. Bonneville recently completed a successful Kickstarter campaign to help fund his ninth studio album, so, with luck, Madison will get a sneak preview of some new songs at this concert presented by Madison Music Sessions.
Krish Mohan, Friday, July 21, Mother Fool’s, 8 pm: A charming amalgam of Harris Wittels and Aziz Ansari, Krish Mohan brings houses down with his astute observations regarding the state of our nation. With his current tour, Mohan aims to break down social stigmas regarding mental illness, drugs and immigration. Where others fail to wrangle such nebulous concepts into digestible jokes, Mohan exceeds in delivering clever, biting humor and a whole lot of genuine care and heart. Like many other great comedians of our time, he also brings his own heritage into his work, such as having to remind crowds that just because he is Indian American it does not mean he belongs to a tribe. Mohan just wants to make the world a happier place, one set at a time. With Stevie Leigh Crutcher, Jason Hillman.
Opera in the Park, Saturday, July 22, Garner Park, 8 pm: A cross between an intro to opera’s greatest hits and a Fourth of July fireworks display, Madison Opera’s annual Opera in the Park concert attracted an estimated 16,000 spectators last year, so plan to bring blankets or lawn chairs early for a good view of the stage. You can even take a crack at conducting the orchestra along with Maestro Joseph Mechavich — he will have the baton and you a glow stick. This year the Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra will be joined by soprano Cecilia Violetta López, mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala, tenor David Walton and baritone Will Liverman for the two-hour program. It should be a sensational night for anyone who loves opera, or any kind of live music under the night’s sky.
Sunday Night Records showcase, Saturday, July 22, North Street Cabaret, 8 pm: A newly artist-created Madison label sets up camp at one of the city’s newest music venues — sounds like a guaranteed party. Sunday Night Records’ focus is new artist development, and this show is a chance to hear four such artists signed by the label: Chloe Louise, Not from Earth, Hannah Edlén and Xander Anim. Plus you’ll hear two bands featuring label chiefs Nate Meng (with The Stolen Sea) and Ryan Lansing (The Werewolverine).
Peter Mulvey, Sunday, July 23, Threshold, 6 pm: Open Doors for Refugees is an organization based here in Madison that helps settle refugees in the area, and the group is asking for help. A donation gets you in to see the incomparable Milwaukee folk singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey, gospel-string duo SistaStrings and tri-lingual musician Clare Norelle. Food will be provided by the newcomer refugees and their supporters. Great music, great food, and an even better cause.
Margaret Glaspy, Sunday, July 23, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Margaret Glaspy honed her chops at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, which may be news to the esteemed music school. Sneaking into classes and workshops, Glaspy transformed herself into an excellent alt-rock songwriter. She’s parlayed a diverse set of influences, from Joni Mitchell to Rage Against the Machine, into a whip-smart sound that’s all her own. Her debut, album Emotions and Math, was released in 2016. With Liza Anne.
Driveway Thriftdwellers, Tuesday, July 25, North Hamilton corner of the Capitol Square, noon: Describing their sound as “north country,” the Driveway Thriftdwellers have a knack for writing sprawling, Americana epics about the upper Midwest, which landed their album Cutover Country on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s list of “Top Wisconsin Albums of 2016.” Catch the band for free at YOUR Lunchtime Live, the weekly concert series hosted by Madison’s Central BID.
Nacho Chz, Wednesday, July 26, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: The Urban Community Arts Network (UCAN) brings hip-hop to the people with Bounce Back, one of the organization’s many summertime showcases. There is no rapper quite like headliner Nacho Chz. A Mexican American artist from Wisconsin (born Ignacio Cortez), his music has a glitzy yet unpretentious sound; he’s wholly sincere without ever taking himself too seriously. Chz will be supported by an assortment of Wisconsin acts including Jay B Coolin, Amerikas Addiction, Landon DeVon, DJ Sixteen and relative newcomer HANKS. An engineering student at UW, HANKS has impressed so far in his limited offerings, blending hard-hitting bars with intriguing self-produced instrumentals.
Kevin Bozeman, Thursday, July 27, Comedy Club on State, 8:30 pm: Madison favorite Kevin Bozeman brings his lighthearted yet razor-sharp worldview back to the Comedy Club. The standup comic played basketball at UW-Whitewater and learned the ropes performing here in town. Now he’s a veteran who’s has been performing for nearly three decades and teaches a class on the art of standup at DePaul University. With Felonious Munk, Anthony Siraguse. ALSO: Friday and Saturday, July 28-29, 8 & 10:30 pm.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.