Madison Log Rolling
Midwest Log Rolling Championships
It's looking like a beautiful weekend to spend outdoors in and around town, with the Oregon Summer Fest, Capital Lakes DragonFest, Blues Picnic in the Park, and Midwest Log Rolling Championships. The calendar also includes: a Mad Rollin' Dolls bout and the Wirld's Mightiest Programmer competition; the Smart Sounds, Alt Music, Mad Scenes exhibit at the Wisconsin Historical Museum and Adult Swim at the Madison Children's Museum; Drums on Parade at Middleton High; a Whad'Ya Know? broadcast with David Maraniss; a production of The Royal Family; another round of Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society performances; the Garden Music Festival; and, more live music from Shana Falana, Devil's Fen, Gardens & Villa, Archnemesis, Dharmonic Deluxe, Coyote Kisses, Valient Thorr, and Loves It.
Friday 6.22
NOTEWORTHY: Eastman Kodak discontinues Kodachrome film, 2009.
Kiser Firemen's Park, Oregon, 4 pm-1 am. Also Thursday (5-10:30 pm), Saturday (9 am-1 pm) & Sunday (10 am-6 pm), June 21, 23 & 24
The southern burb celebrates itself with a softball tournament, a carnival, a parade and music of Kind of a Big Deal and Cherry Pie.
Smart Sounds, Alt Music, Mad Scenes
Wisconsin Historical Museum, through Sept. 15
If you're old enough to remember Killdozer, or if you love someone who is, you'll enjoy the museum's look back at the post-punk and alt-rock sounds of Madison music in the 1980s and 1990s (see Music).
Madison Children's Museum, 6 pm
If you'd like to check out the spiffy children's museum but don't have kids -- or want to get away from your kids -- here's your chance. Tonight all exhibits are guaranteed child-free, including the human gerbil wheel. With music by the Handphibians.
Middleton High School, 7 pm
The Madison Scouts host drum corps from around the country, here to make noise in a Drum Corps International event. Think of the big noise as a prelude to the booming of Rhythm & Booms.
Hartmeyer Ice Arena, 7 pm
Hot interleague roller derby action gets under way as Madison's Dairyland Dolls and Team Unicorn battle, respectively, Minneapolis' North Star Roller Girls and Northern Lights.
Bach Dancing and Dynamite Society
Overture Center's Playhouse, 7:30 pm. Also Saturday, June 23, 11 am & 7:30 pm; and at Taliesin's Hillside Theater, Spring Green, Sunday, June 24, 2:30 & 6:30 pm
In the second week of its three-week, cocktail-themed series, the summer chamber music group presents three programs. Tonight (and Sunday afternoon in Spring Green), B&B features music of Bunch, Bartok, Beethoven and Brahms, while on Saturday night (and Sunday evening in Spring Green), Manhattan has music by Barber, Bernstein, Rorem and Piazzolla. Saturday morning at Overture, Feel the Beat is free and family-themed.
Redamte Coffee House, 8 pm
This psychedelic pop goddess has electrified the Brooklyn shoegaze scene by looping reverb-laden vocals with guitars and drums while projecting abstract art on the walls of bars, clubs and java joints. See her show at State Street's newest coffeehouse. With the Weather Duo.
Dragonfly Lounge, 9 pm
Though they're named after a bog in Germany, this band prefers bluesy boogies to swamp rock. Plunge into their sound in the basement of Bellini. With the Penny Thieves.
UW Memorial Union Terrace, 9:30 pm
Hazy clouds of dream pop yield bolts of spooky synth-rock when this band of Californians gets together (see Tour Stop).
Majestic Theatre, 10 pm
These festival regulars blend original music with samples of 1920s jazz and ultra-modern hip-hop. At this show, they perform selections from their debut LP, People's Radio. With Mrhorror.
Inferno, 10 pm
Listen to James Chance & the Contortions while watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, and you'll have a sense of what this local four-piece sounds like. They've launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for their first album, and they'll drum up some extra support at this show with Drug Budget and the Danglers.
Saturday 6.23
NOTEWORTHY: Food and Drug Administration approves first birth control pill, 1960.
Vilas Park, 8 am
In this local running of the increasingly popular Midwestern event, teams of paddlers race long, ornate dragon boats. The festival benefits TeamSurvivor Madison, a group for women survivors of cancer.
Monona Terrace, 9:30 am
Michael Feldman hosts the first broadcast of the long-running public radio program since the June 18 death of longtime announcer Jim Packard. We were really, really sorry to hear about that. Guesting is Obama biographer and Madison native David Maraniss.
Warner Park, 12 pm
Marinate in some cool blues on a hot day at Madison Blues Society's 10th annual picnic. This free event brims with food, raffles and more than seven hours of live music. The lineup includes Westside Andy & Glenn Davis (noon), the Jimmys with Perry Weber (1:25 p.m.), Joe's Blues Kids (2:45 p.m.), Shari Davis & the Hootchy-Kootchy Band (3:35 p.m.), Tate & the 008 Band (4:55 p.m.), Howard "Guitar" Luedtke & Blue Max (6:15 p.m.) and Richie Rich & the Chi-Town Blues Band (7:45 p.m.).
Froth House, noon. Also Sunday, June 24, noon.
The lovely west-side cafe hosts what is touted as the city's only 100% acoustic music festival with artists including Anna Wang, Anna Vogelzang, Keefe Klug, Anna Laube and Sexy Ester. Proceeds benefit Girls Rock Camp Madison (see Music).
Wirld's Mightiest Programmer (WiMP) Competition
Keva Sports Center, Middleton, noon
Being a technology professional doesn't have to mean just code and Mountain Dew. In this strong-man contest, computer geeks engage in feats of strength like the monitor toss and the server drag-and-carry.
American Players Theatre, Spring Green, 8 pm. Also Thursday, June 28, 7:30 pm
APT tackles this zany 1927 comedy about an acting family based on the Barrymores. It was written by Edna Ferber and George Kaufman and promises more than just belly laughs.
Segredo, 9 pm
This electro-pop duo recently nabbed the Hype Machine's top spot with a funky, glitchy, dubstep-tinged single called "Acid Wolfpack." Get to know the rest of their debut EP -- also called Acid Wolfpack -- at this show.
Frequency, 9 pm
Hard and heavy rock is Valient Thorr's specialty. In addition to playing the Vans Warped Tour on several occasions, the band has contributed music to several video games, including Guitar Hero II and Need for Speed: Carbon. This show will likely feature their latest single, "Double Crossed," and material pulled from more than a decade of performing. With Holy Grail, Royal Thunder and the Kickass.
Sunday 6.24
NOTEWORTHY: John Cabot lands at Newfoundland, 1497.
Midwest Log Rolling Championships
Wingra Boats, 11 am-5 pm
The rustic pastime of log rolling isn't just an exhibition sport. There are winners and losers.
High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm
Fronted by Shotgun Party's Jenny Parrott, this band traverses a landscape of folk, swing and indie pop with fiddles, mandolins and lots of melodious vocals. With Evan Murdock & the Imperfect Strangers.
