Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2016. For more information on these shows, read on under the Spotify playlist!
Freakfest, featuring Anderson .Paak & the Free Nationals
Saturday, Oct. 29, State Street, 7 pm
The man who “won” SXSW is headlining the city’s annual fam-friendly downtown music fest. .Paak has been swiveling heads and beats with his old-school, smooth-as-suede jazz and R&B-inflected rap. His meteoric rise is quite literally straight outta Compton — as in his triumphant six-song turn on Dr. Dre’s 2015 album of that name. Getting down and spooky with the dude who’s now collaborating with everyone from ScHoolboy Q to 9th Wonder and the Game is the musical equivalent of getting a king-sized Snickers bar in your treat bag. Be sure to catch one-man dance/sex party Har Mar Superstar earlier on the Capitol Square stage. Country star Kip Moore headlines the Gilman Street stage just a day after a new EP release, with tourmate Jon Pardi also performing. And the Frances Street stage features a strong Midwest lineup from indie rock (the Kickback) to hip-hop (Trapo, Rich Robbins).
Chris Garcia, Thursday, Oct. 27, Comedy Club on State, 8:30 pm: Los Angeles native Chris Garcia got his start in the San Francisco Bay area, and was named “A Comic to Watch” by the San Jose Mercury News. In the past few years, he’s appeared on Adam Devine’s House Party, WTF with Marc Maron, and most recently at the 2016 Montreal Just for Laughs Festival, where he was dubbed “Best of the Fest.” His characters, voices and spot-on accents establish him as a master storyteller who reels audiences in with his familiar and relatable anecdotes. With Mike Brody, Nick Lynch. ALSO: Friday, Oct. 28, 8 and 10:30 pm.
The Power of Partying, Thursday, Oct. 27, High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm: When his single “Party Hard” became an unexpected smash in 2001, Andrew W.K. established himself as alternative rock’s loud, unabashed party animal. But in the years since, he’s gone on to redefine himself as a “party guru and motivational speaker.” W.K. manages to harness his bombastic, oddball energy into an oddly intimate rally to celebrate “our common humanity,” or as he simplifies it, “a party about partying.” Sign us up!
NINETEEN THIRTEEN, Friday, Oct. 28, Arts + Literature Lab (2021 Winnebago St.), 8 pm: The name comes from the cello, made in 1913. But the music is most definitely from today. This wholly original collaboration between cellist Janet Schiff and percussionist Victor DeLorenzo (from the Violent Femmes) explores uncharted sonic territory. Expect a haunting performance of looping, beats and commentary by the two artists.
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Friday, Oct. 28, Majestic Theatre, 8 pm: If you’re looking to add some twang to your Halloween weekend, you can’t go wrong here. The bearded wonders of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, who hail from Stevens Point, pump out classic bluegrass and country sounds, adding a Midwestern flavor. They’re on the rise, too, having placed third at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and they’ve shared the stage with Trampled by Turtles, Merle Haggard and Yonder Mountain String Band. With Kind Country.
Needtobreathe, Friday, Oct. 28, Alliant Energy Center Coliseum, 7 pm: With sounds reminiscent of U2 and the Fray, Southern-style Christian rock band Needtobreathe consists of brothers and South Carolina natives Bear and Bryant “Bo” Rinehart. Rivers in the Wasteland, the band’s fifth studio album, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard album chart, and the song “Multiplied” earned Needtobreathe its first Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song. With Mat Kearney, Parachute, Welshly Arms.
Tony Bennett, Friday, Oct. 28, Overture Hall, 8 pm: The iconic singer of traditional jazz and pop standards, big band songs and show tunes needs no introduction. With a career spanning seven decades, Bennett is now 90 and has spent the past several years recording award-winning songs with Stevie Wonder, k.d. lang, Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga.
ScHoolboy Q, Friday, Oct. 28, Orpheum Theater, 8 pm: You may recognize ScHoolboy Q’s southern [California] drawl from his many collaborations within the rap community, perhaps most notably with fellow Top Dawg artist Kendrick Lamar. Many peers try to repay the favor on all four of Q’s studio albums, including FreakFest headliner Anderson .Paak, who guests on Q’s most recent LP, Blank Face. The rapper’s no-fucks-to-give swagger and the drippy, heady beats will seep into your system like an IV and rattle the walls of The Orpheum. Opener Joey Bada$$ is no slouch, either.
4 on the Floor, Friday, Oct. 28, Farley’s House of Pianos (6522 Seybold Road), 7:30 pm: No, it’s not a disco beat. This “4 on the Floor” is a rare chance to hear virtuoso pianists performing on concert grands as part of the Salon Piano Series at Farley’s. International powerhouses Daniel del Pino (pictured), Lucille Chung, Alon Goldstein and Roberto Plano chose the Madison showroom as their only North American performance. ALSO: Saturday, Oct. 29, 7:30 pm.
His & Her Vanities + Pamphleteers, Saturday, Oct. 29, Mickey’s Tavern, 10 pm: A “save the date” notice for Madison rock fans appeared quietly via a post on the previously dormant His & Her Vanities Facebook page: The Madison quartet will reunite to play their first show in more than five years. Also on the bill is Pamphleteers, an excellent Chicago band that includes Rebecca Crawford (the Dials) and Jonathan Ben-Isvy (the Returnables). With Venus in Furs.
Esperanza Spalding, Sunday, Oct. 30, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 7:30 pm: The shape-shifting genius of Esperanza Spalding had its roots in her childhood in Portland, Oregon, when she began performing violin with the Chamber Music Society of Oregon at age 5. At 31, the virtuosic bassist/composer/vocalist has performed at the Oscars and the Grammys (she’s won four), and she’s practically a regular at the White House. Her latest album, Emily’s D+Evolution, is a whimsical, trippy experiment, with exuberant bass lines and vocals evoking the likes of Joni Mitchell.
Fruit Bats, Sunday, Oct. 30, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Eric D. Johnson’s musical history is eclectic, to say the least. The Chicago-based musician has played on two classic Shins albums and worked on eight different film scores. But his most consistent work has been with Fruit Bats, a folky-indie rock project that’s released six albums of whip-smart, masterfully crafted jams that sound straight out of 1970s AM radio, the most recent being this year’s Absolute Loser. With Courtney Marie Andrews.
Purity Ring, Sunday, Oct. 30, Orpheum Theater, 7 pm: Purity Ring vocalist Megan James’ hauntingly ethereal vocals weave through crisp trap beats constructed by Corin Roddick as if they were forever intended to be united. James’ gothic, often fantastic imagery evokes raw emotion and vulnerability that Roddick shatters with 808 kicks and high hats. Their live show employs custom-built sound and lighting controls, which bring the laptop-style act to another level. Whether it’s the wistful woes of James or Roddick’s thundering bass, you will feel this music deep within your chest cavity. With droning, fuzzy industrial noisemakers HEALTH.
Yelawolf, Sunday, Oct. 30, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: Seething with disgust for a world that’s screwed him over since birth, Yelawolf is the far-less-popular Eminem of the South. And he owns every bit of it. In his transformation from the awkward cruising anthem “Trunk Muzik” to his unapologetic tantrum on the guitar-heavy “Till It’s Gone,” he’s found his niche in angry, country-esque rap, and it works really, really well for him. With Struggle Jennings, Bubba Sparxxx, Jelly Roll.
Reel Big Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31, Majestic Theatre, 8 pm: In the 20-odd years it’s been in existence, Reel Big Fish has developed a reputation as a party band. The legendary ska-punk outfit burst onto the scene with the ubiquitous single “Sell Out” in 1997, and has since released eight albums of cheeky originals and high-energy covers. In others words: the perfect band to get your Halloween rockin’ (and skankin’). With PPL MVR, Stacked Like Pancakes.
The Staves, Wednesday, Nov. 2, Majestic Theatre, 8 pm: The dulcet-toned harmonies of the three Staveley-Taylor sisters have been making their way over the Atlantic. The trio from Watford, England, has its own tour after selling out arenas while opening for Florence & the Machine in the U.K. Their Justin Vernon-produced song “If I Was” helped the sisters gain some well-deserved attention for their melodic folk rock.
You can find the entire rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
