Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of Nov. 3-10, 2016. For more information on these shows, read on under the Spotify playlist!
Legendary Shack Shakers, Thursday, Nov. 10, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Southern Surreal is the latest from this hot mess of a quartet out of Paducah, Kentucky. And that title about says it all. The music is gasoline-soaked honky-tonk. And the band’s leader, Col. J.D. Wilkes, prowls the stage like a tortured hillbilly ghost. He’s a harmonica-howling, redneck Iggy Pop who never, ever fails to leave it all on the field at the end of the night. With Chuck Mead.
The HillBenders / The Who’s Tommy: A Bluegrass Opry, Thursday, Nov. 10, Overture Center-Capitol Theater, 7:30 pm: Bluegrass bands leaping genres may be the most cringe-worthy thing in music. But the HillBenders, a five-piece out of Springfield, Missouri, have received blessings on this effort by none other than Pete Townshend. Prepare to spin in your grave, Mr. Monroe.
Alex G, Thursday, Nov. 10, Frequency, 8 pm: Though he was born in 1993, Alex G has the ’90s sound down pat. The prolific (to the tune of 13 releases since 2010, the most recent being 2015’s Beach Music) singer-songwriter frequently garners comparisons to Elliott Smith, Built to Spill and Pavement. He’ll be joined by fellow throwbacks LVL UP, a quartet of lo-fi Brooklynites who released Return to Love on Sub Pop in September. With Brandon Can’t Dance.
Darrell Scott, Friday, Nov. 11, Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm: Scott is a latter-day Utah Phillips, traveling and living the music as he writes it. Based in Nashville by way of Kentucky, Indiana, Southern California, Toronto and Boston, he’s one of those folks every musician you love wants to play with or cover — including Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Sam Bush, Guy Clark, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Robert Plant. Brad Paisley’s cover of Scott’s “You’ll Never Leave Harlan Alive” was the closing song in the final scene of the first season finale of Justified. With luck Scott will perform, “Hank Williams’ Ghost,” a rare song on the subject that ditches despondence in favor of truth and honor.
Twin Peaks, Friday, Nov. 11, High Noon Saloon, 9:30 pm: Chicago garage-rock exports Twin Peaks excel at delivering bubble-gum hooks through a thick layer of fuzz and snarl. Their massive sing-along choruses and irreverent personas have won over ardent fans despite the fact that the band’s music often harks back to an era of rock ’n’roll that predates any of the band members themselves. With rockers the Hussy and the Rashita Joneses.
Machine Gun Kelly, Saturday, Nov. 12, Orpheum Theater, 7 pm: True to the lyrical speed his name implies, the Cleveland emcee often known as MGK spits raps about the rough realities of his life far faster than most of his peers. Last year’s General Admission showcased his best work, including the ode to his hometown “Till I Die,” a solid follow-up to his 2012 debut “Lace Up.”
Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Saturday, Nov. 12, Knuckle Down Saloon, 9 pm: This Windy City quartet is anchored by two nephews of legendary Chicago bluesman J.B. Hutto: slide guitarist and singer Lil’ Ed Williams and bassist James “Pookie” Young. With a steady lineup for 25-plus years and a stellar catalog of original songs, the Blues Imperials play it tight but not slick, cooking but still raw. If they don’t make you get up and boogie down, you might want to see a doctor.
Hip-Hop Awards, Saturday, Nov. 12, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: Just like the big leagues, this rap awards show doubles as a live showcase of the hottest up-and-coming talent. But unlike the national shows, the Madison event features award winners chosen exclusively by fans, and the performers are 100 percent local and homegrown. For the seventh annual event, expect the club-ready raps of Keon Andre and DJ Sixteen as well as slick, synchronized dance moves from X-Clusive Movement. Proceeds will benefit the East Madison Community Center. This is the premier annual event for the local hip-hop scene — so represent.
Wisconsin Singers: In Living Color, Saturday, Nov. 12, Wisconsin Union Theater, 8 pm: These top-notch singers and dancers are the Badger State’s version of Glee. Wildly popular and energetic, their 49th annual show, In Living Color, features Broadway-caliber singing and dancing, with musical arrangements from Robert Dietz (NBC’s The Sing Off). They even tackle a vocal version of the Badgers’ Fifth Quarter, with “Varsity” and “Jump Around.” Wisconsin Singers have been the “Official Ambassadors of Goodwill since 1967” — that’s almost a half century of upbeat! ALSO: Sunday, Nov. 13, 3 pm.
Band of Horses, Sunday, Nov. 13, Orpheum Theater, 7 pm; From the beginning of their now decade-old career, Band of Horses were always luminaries of twinkling, atmospheric indie rock. But recent albums have seen the members of the South Carolina quintet embracing their Southern roots. Beginning with 2010’s Infinite Arms, the band has leaned into a more streamlined Southern rock sound, and it’s working: Between the stellar musicianship of their early work and the knack for pop songcraft in the later, they rank among the country’s finest rock bands. With Wild Belle.
Murder By Death, Sunday, Nov. 13, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Murder By Death is a talented band, but when frontman Adam Turla opens his mouth, watch out. With a voice as deep as the earth’s core, Turla helps turn every show into an almost religious experience. Imagine the voice of God speaking to you over a kickass blend of goth-tinged alternative country. The band last released Big Dark Love in 2015. With DIY power-pop queen Laura Stevenson.
Five Finger Death Punch + Shinedown, Tuesday, Nov. 15, Coliseum at Alliant Energy Center, 6 pm: Full-blown rock shows in Madison don’t get much bigger than this. This double bill showcases the elite of American-made heavy metal and aggressive hard rock. Meanwhile, openers Sixx:A.M. presents a darker, more sophisticated side to former Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx. U.K. newcomers As Lions should fit in well.
Slander + NGHTMRE, Tuesday, Nov. 15, Liquid, 9 pm: Los Angeles trap duo Slander (Derek Andersen and Scott Land) are on tour with NGHTMRE (Tyler Marenyi), aptly named “GUD Vibrations” after their popular 2015 collaborative track. They have been playing at increasingly larger venues around the world, so don’t miss what could be your last chance to experience the bass drop in a club environment. With HABSTRAKT, LDRU.
Flosstradamus, Wednesday, Nov. 16, Orpheum Theater, 7 pm: The trend-setting Chicago based DJ/producer duo helps shape the urban dance music scene and others follow. From the blog house days of mid-2000s to collaborating with Diplo, then Iggy Azalea, to the trap fusion bangers of the last few years, the DJ duo tag teams high-energy sets. They are, in three words, unabashed dancefloor whores. Expect sweat. With Slushii, Towkio, Whethan.
Protomartyr, Wednesday, Nov. 16, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Joe Casey may be more than a decade older than his bandmates, but that doesn’t stop the Protomartyr frontman from rocking with the best of them. His vocals are pure emotion — strained, impassioned and optimistic. His bandmates match him with a jagged blend of indie rock that makes them sound like a post-hardcore version of the National. They released The Agent Intellect, their third full-length, earlier this year. With Fred Thomas, Melkbelly.
Henry Rollins, Thursday, Nov. 17, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: Henry Rollins is a modern Renaissance man. The former Black Flag and Rollins Band frontman has become an actor, author, spoken word artist, and voiceover actor (among countless other things), all providing an outlet for Rollins’ restless, boundless rage. Here, Rollins’ spoken word coincides with a tempestuous election cycle, which should provide ample opportunities for a critique only Rollins can properly articulate. Get ready to rise above.
Pussy Riot Q&A, Thursday, Nov. 17, Shannon Hall, Wisconsin Union Theater, 8 pm: Pussy Riot’s guerrilla performance art has run afoul of Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Now they’re branching out into investigative journalism and political theater.
You can find the entire rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
