Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of June 29-July 6, 2017. For more information on these shows, read on under the Spotify playlist!
Sister Munch + Damsel Trash, Thursday, June 29, The Frequency, 8 pm: Sister Munch’s irreverent attitude is on full display in their song titles, which include gems like “Dad, I Don’t Care About Sports” and, er, “Be Still My Quivering Butthole.” But the Brooklyn-based punk squad is no laughing matter, serving up a hurricane of sneering fem-punk, much like Damsel Trash, the like-minded Madisonians they’ll be sharing the stage with. Rounding out the bill are Hellmuff and Sassy Come Home.
Deerhoof, Thursday, June 29, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: This is an interesting week to see these indie-phenoms from San Francisco. Deerhoof started the week under threat of a lawsuit from Daytrotter after the band claimed the music website pressed an unauthorized LP release of a 2009 session. Fearlessly touring and recording since 1994, the group is in a hyper-productive creative cycle right now. As artists in residence for Indianapolis-based Joyful Noise Recordings, they have EPs and a full-length album about ready to drop — and they’re already sold out. Never fear: Downloads will be available, and you can see them live here.
Rockonsin, Thursday-Friday, June 29-30, Summerfest, Milwaukee, noon-2:30 pm: A dozen garage bands from Wisconsin schools will compete in the Rockonsin finals, which in its second year attracted 55 bands from 83 schools. Madison-area finalists include last year’s champs, Distant Cuzins from Oregon High School, with influences ranging from ska to Rush; pop-punk trio Take the King from Madison West, Mount Horeb and Oregon high schools; and Marshall High’s Dystopian Echo, a post-punk/alt-rock quartet. Bands perform 15-minute sets on the Johnson Controls World Stage and are evaluated by three music industry judges. The winner and runner-up earn slots on the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard Stage on July 9, Summerfest’s final day.
Chicago Farmer, Friday, June 30, Edgewater Hotel, 6 pm: When you think of Chicago, folk music probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But Cody Diekhoff, a singer-songwriter who writes and records under the moniker Chicago Farmer, weaves together politically charged lyrics and tuneful melodies that channel the joys and frustrations of living and working in the Midwest. Fans of Arlo Guthrie and Todd Snider will enjoy Diekhoff’s take on modern Americana.
The Right Now, Friday, June 30, The Frequency, 9 pm: Vocalist Stefanie Berecz lights the fuse on this explosive pop-soul act from Chicago. Berecz is a monster singer; shouting to the rafters on one song, sizzling low on the next. The band’s new record, Starlight, is a showcase for her — and for Brendan O’Connell, the band’s primary composer/arranger. The Right Now blows the roof off Chicago clubs much bigger than The Frequency. This will be one of the summer’s hottest shows. With Citra, North Coast Soul.
Chicago Edge Ensemble, Friday, June 30, Arts + Literature Lab, 8 pm: The jazz programmers at ALL are on a roll, and this concert is no exception. Chicago’s Mars Williams (sax), Jeb Bishop (trombone), Dan Phillips (guitar) and Krzysztof Pabian (bass) are all genre hoppers who’ve played with the greats. Williams has blown his horn with the Psychedelic Furs, Billy Idol, Kurt Elling and Jerry Garcia. Bandleader Phillips is a Chicago institution, and Pabian is a classically trained bassist. It’ll be edgy and memorable.
Geezerpalooza: A 60th Birthday Concert, Friday, June 30, Brink Lounge, 7 pm: Geezerpalooza: Best name for a birthday party — ever. Veteran performer and songwriter Ken Lonnquist has been delighting audiences young and old for as long as we can remember. He’s got a musical theater resume a mile long, a knack for witty and topical songwriting and a generous spirit that has him collaborating and jamming with just about everyone. Pete Seeger called him “one hell of a good songwriter and singer.” Expect a star-studded lineup and a great night of songs.
Fourth Fest, Saturday, July 1, Edgewater Hotel, 2-9 pm: It’s fun for all ages at the Edgewater with activities for kids and music by MoonHouse, Hometown Sweethearts and the People Brothers Band, recent winner of the Madison Area Music Awards “Best R&B/Pop Performer.” All these bands make America infinitely greater by facilitating booty shaking.
Red, White & Blues Festival, Saturday, July 1, Knuckle Down Saloon, 1 pm: Nothing says Independence Day like a lazy afternoon of blues. The award-winning Cash Box Kings (1 pm) are using the occasion to release their new album, Royal Mint. Featuring Madison’s Joe Nosek on harmonica and Chicago’s Oscar Wilson on vocals, the Kings are truly blues royalty. Also on the bill: The Jimmys (3 pm) and Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys (5 pm).
The Suburbs, Saturday, July 1, High Noon Saloon, 9 pm: One of the most idiosyncratic bands from a 1970s and ‘80s Minneapolis scene filled with icons, the Suburbs blend dance-friendly grooves, skronky guitar punk and off-the-wall humor for a one-of-a-kind sound. Thankfully, the group has periodically reformed since dissolving in 1987; the current incarnation includes founding singer/keyboardist Chan Poling and drummer Hugo Klaers. They are on tour with a new album, Hey Muse!, released in late June. With German Art Students, Chrash.
Red, White & Bluegrass, Sunday, July 2, High Noon Saloon, 1 pm: Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival presents this afternoon of string band and country sounds, which could double as a solid primer on the local scene for the uninitiated. Lonesome Willie Jones plays honky tonk with His Dime Store Posse and bluegrass as a member of Sortin’ the Mail. Milkhouse Radio, Northern Comfort and long-running bluegrassers Down from the Hills are also on the bill. Those who feel like doing a little pickin’ can join an open jam on the patio.
Stephanie Jutt & Thomas Kasdorf, Sunday, July 2, Memorial Union Terrace, 5:30 pm: Jutt, flautist and Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society co-founder, joins pianist Kasdorf for the latest installment of the new Summer Serenades classical music series. The duo will share tunes from an upcoming CD and some seasonally appropriate patriotic melodies. There’s no better setting for summer music than the Terrace, so grab a beer, a brat and settle in.
Stewart Huff, Sunday, July 2, Harmony Bar, 8 pm: Uncle Baby Daddy is back, baby! Stewart Huff is bringing his thinking man's routine back to the isthmus for all to enjoy. This 2016 Orlando Fringe Fest Critic's Choice winner is a true storyteller, peppering in hilarious observations or philosophical non-sequiturs to keep the laughs coming constantly. There is never a dull moment in Huff's act; his pacing is immaculate, and his ideologies about life may leave you with a new perspective...and insanely sore ribs! With Dan Bacula, Allie Lindsey.
Big Thief, Monday, July 3, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: In the past year, Big Thief has been extraordinarily busy, releasing two acclaimed albums (last year’s Masterpiece and this year’s Capacity) and garnering praise across the board, including from notoriously curmudgeonly critic Robert Christgau, who described the melancholic, occasionally jangly Masterpiece as containing “fragile, noisy images of a love perpetually out of reach.” Joining them will be Twain, a folk rock act based in Virginia.
Corky Laing plays Mountain, Tuesday, July 4, High Noon Saloon 7:30 pm: Corky Laing — former drummer, vocalist and songwriter for the legendary southern hard-rock bands Mountain and West, Bruce and Laing — brings the music back to life when he stops in Madison on his world tour. Mountain hasn’t played its hit “Mississippi Queen” live since 2010, so this might be your best chance to relive ’60s blues classics as performed by one of the co-writers. Heavy metal Madisonians Cold Black River open.
National Women’s Music Festival, Thursday-Sunday, July 6-9, Marriott-West, Middleton: Much more than just music, this annual fest also includes a marketplace, workshops, film screenings and a special limited-staging performance of Babe: An Olympian Musical (Saturday). This new work, with book and lyrics by Carolyn Gage and a score by Andrea Jill Higgins, tells the story of pro golfer Babe Didrickson. The evening concerts also include sets by women’s music pioneers Linda Tillery and Ferron, and rising stars Mazz Muse and Violet & the Undercurrents.
Joe West’s Eclectic Trio, Thursday, July 6, Up North Pub, 7 pm: New Mexico, known as The Land of Enchantment, is a haven for misfits, weirdos and creative types like Joe West. A “theatrical folk” performer from Santa Fe, he’s a hero in his hometown, and for good reason — his rock and country-influenced songs offer humorous windows into life’s dysfunctions and oddities. He’s touring the Midwest along with cellist Michael Kott and “vaudevillian blues man” Westin McDowell. As a trio, they have been called “one of the most charming and quirky bands in the American Southwest.”
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
