Hannah Ritvo
Truly not in Kansas: William Stringfellow Willmott, left, plays off Afrofuturism in his new mural.
William Stringfellow Willmott is perched on top of a six-foot orange ladder, painting the wall with vibrant colors, bold lines and intricate geometric shapes. In town from his home in Kansas, he’s putting the final touches on a 30-foot Afrofuturist mural that spans the right wall of his brother Kevin Willmott II’s new Gamma Ray bar and music venue. The venue, 121 West Main St., opened June 1.
The vibrant mural was inspired by the women of the Ndebele tribe of South Africa, who cover the exterior walls of their homes with brilliant murals and ornate designs all done by hand. “It’s this visual language that only they know how to read,” says William. “I was really interested in how that connects to Afrofuturism.”
William, a self-described “certified Afronaut capable of Funkitizing Galaxies,” added his own twist to the mural with additional Dogon tribal symbols including an Afro Pick that symbolizes beauty and a crescent-shaped symbol that represents freedom. There is also a section that shows the colors of the transgender flag.
Painted with fluorescent paints, the mural will glow underneath black lights.
William jokes that the neon mural is why he goes by the artist name “Neon Nicodemus,” not pastel Nicodemus. He grew up on stories of Nicodemus, Kansas, a town founded by freed slaves in 1877, and chose the name as a way to honor this history.
The African American experience means equality and representation for all, says William, and the mural exemplifies the inclusivity of the new Gamma Ray bar. Kevin agrees. “This is a space that Madisonians, and hopefully the youth, can come through and see Black imagery, and see themselves a little bit.”
An independent venue designed to raise up smaller local and regional artists, Gamma Ray will platform musicians of color and LGBTQ+ artists and bands. “This means the world to me — I don’t think there’s really anything like this in Madison right now,” Kevin continues.
Kevin has been a figure in the Madison music scene for more than a decade, as the lead singer of garage soul band Cowboy Winter and nine-piece soul band Don’t Mess With Cupid. So he knows how tough it is to get booked and pay fees, and wants to create an accessible and supportive venue for local and touring artists.
The Gamma Ray building has been home to a history of eclectic entertainment. The building housed the old Slipper Club Cabaret and then The Frequency, before becoming BarleyPop Live. It has the stage and “bones” for a music venue, and Kevin was inspired to transform the place once again. “We really wanted to bring in a lot of that old energy from that old space and create those nostalgic memories that we all had here.”
Others in the community are helping. Madison favorites Cribshitter bought a disco ball for the venue, and Colleen Bos from Bos Meadery donated the old Frequency drapes. Local graphic designer Lauden Nute designed the Gamma Ray logo, an out-of-this-world vibrant purple and green UFO — a shout-out to Mothership Connection by Parliament — with the Wisconsin state Capitol on top.
“I’m doing this with all the things that we have here; reusing, repurposing and DIY,” says Kevin. “I wouldn’t be able to make a thing like this if I didn’t have a community and a family network that was going to support me.”
Kevin is excited for the local talents and themed nights already booked for the rest of June, including African kora duo Madou Sidiki Diabaté and Salif Bamakora, Milwaukee comedian Chastity Washington, a Prince birthday party with DJ Bruce Blaq, and a Donna Summer-edition queer disco.
“It’s going to be a fun summer,” he says. “The excitement is so alive it’s almost intimidating.”
Year built: 1871
Previous businesses at the address: S.L. Lillesand Grocery, Cambridge Bakery, Marrakech Cafe, Rainbow Room
Number of Black-owned independent music venues in Madison: 2 (Café Coda and Gamma Ray)
Karaoke nights a week: 2 (Sunday-Monday 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
Number of hours spent on the mural: 30
