Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 5, 2017. For more information on these shows, read on under the playlist!
Reverend Horton Heat + Fishbone, Thursday, Sept. 28, Barrymore Theatre, 7:30 pm: Guitarist Jim Heath, aka Reverend Horton Heat, and his fellow trio members (JIMBO!) can always be counted on to bring a hard-driving psychobilly show to whatever stage they inhabit. They are on the road with another intense group of rock/funk/ska veterans, Los Angeles underground legends Fishbone. Take Friday off, because you will be spent after this concert. With Strung Out (another long-running California punk-prog outfit), Los Kung Fu Monkeys.
(Sandy) Alex G, Thursday, Sept. 28, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Philadelphia multi-instrumentalist Alex Giannascoli launched himself from the DIY community of Bandcamp to a major label record deal. His 2015 debut on Domino, Beach Music, was weird and wonderful lo-fi indie rock, and his 2017 followup, Rocket, expands his songwriting into new territory — country, noise rock, even jazz. Best of all, his bedroom-pop roots translate perfectly to the stage with a full band. With Hovvdy, a minimalist rock duo from Austin, and Crumb, a dreamy, psych-rock band from New York City.
Yellow Claw, Thursday, Sept. 28, Liquid, 9 pm: Amsterdam trap droppers Yellow Claw have been conquering music charts in Europe since 2012 with a heady stew of heavy beats, hooks, hip-hop, ‘80s new wave, punk rock and profanity. They’ve had success here as well, thanks to collaborations with stateside rappers such as Ty Dolla $ign and Tyga. Catch them in a club with songs from their latest album, Los Amsterdam, before they start selling out stadiums. With Milwaukee EDM duo Antics, Dolf.
Against Me!, Friday, Sept. 29, Live on King Street, 7 pm: Another electrifying year of outdoor Friday night concerts in front of the Majestic Theatre concludes with a heavy lineup featuring Against Me! — a 20-year-old band that merits your attention not only for its aggressive, accessible punk songs but also for its bold lead singer, Laura Jane Grace. Born Thomas James Gabel in 1980, she publicly came out as a transgender woman in 2012. Earlier this year, Against Me! received its highest praise yet, when NPR named 2014’s Transgender Dysphoria Blues one of the 150 Best Albums Made by Women. With Bleached, The Dirty Nil.
Ryan Adams + Emmylou Harris, Friday, Sept. 29, Breese Stevens Field, 5:30 pm: Ryan Adams can’t seem to stop making music. Since launching his career with alt-country legends Whiskeytown in the mid-1990s, Adams has more or less lived in his studio, releasing 16 studio albums. The most recent is this year’s Prisoner, an intensely personal affair that’s also arguably his best in more than a decade. He’ll be joined by the living legend Emmylou Harris, a 13-time Grammy winner, Country Music Hall of Famer, and longtime Adams collaborator. With Cory Chisel, Adriel Denae.
Palehound, Friday, September 29, Der Rathskeller, 9 pm: Three months after the release of their sophomore album, Palehound brings their updated take on fuzzy lo-fi ‘90’s rock to Madison. Singer-songwriter Ellen Kempner fronts this band with heart-wrenching vocal melodies and crunching guitar riffs. Boston’s legendary hometown-punk-heroes Pile, whose songs jump from quiet ruminations to heavy screams, provide support. With Trophy Dad.
Modest Mouse + Gogol Bordello, Saturday, Sept. 30, Breese Stevens Field, 5:30 pm: Though Modest Mouse has always enjoyed a passionate following among indie heads, they became a household name in 2004 when “Float On” became an unexpected hit. Thirteen years later, the Washington-based group is still going strong, releasing Strangers to Ourselves in 2015. Joining them will be Gogol Bordello, the multinational, hell-raising gypsy punks known for their sweaty, energetic live shows. With Mass Gothic.
Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival, Saturday, Sept. 30-Sunday, Oct. 1, UW Library Mall: Did you know Madison is home to the longest-running marijuana festival in the country? Are you surprised? The 47th annual Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival brings together activists, musicians, speakers and vendors (who unfortunately can't sell you weed because it's still illegal in Wisconsin — thanks GOP!). The traditional march up State Street begins at 3:30 pm Sunday, and finishes with a rally at the Capitol Square. Come for the jam bands — including Red Rose and Better Yeti on Saturday, Ifdakar and Steez on Sunday, plus many others — stay for the good vibes. Schedule at madisonhempfest.com.
Wisconsin Hip-Hop Showcase, Saturday, Sept. 30, Art In, 8 pm: Art In, a space known for hosting off-the-wall acts with experimental tendencies, plays host to some traditional and hard-hitting hip-hop. The lineup is extensive, featuring relative newcomer HANKS as well as Joshua Being’s austere boom-bap, which recalls early Wu-Tang cuts. Headlining the event is none other than Cujo, an uplifting and political artist out of Green Bay. His latest album, RISE, pulls from hip-hop’s origins, where he spits contemporary flows with relevant lyrics over classic Eric B.-esque beats .
John McCutcheon, Sunday, Oct. 1, First Unitarian Society of Madison, 7 pm: Wausau-born multi-instrumentalist John McCutcheon is one of the most prolific singer-songwriters out there, with an astonishing 38 albums over a 40-year career. He’s considered one of the finest hammer dulcimer players alive, and he’s also been on the front lines supporting workers’ rights, including protesting Wisconsin’s Act 10 in 2011. He even helped start a union for traveling musicians, Local 1000. The late great Johnny Cash called him “the most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard.” He’s in town playing a benefit for the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice.
Frankie Cosmos, Sunday, Oct. 1, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Greta Kline is more than just a girl with famous parents (Kevin Kline and Phoebe Cates). A prolific songwriter who has released hundreds of tracks on Bandcamp under various monikers since she was a teenager, the project (and semi-persona) Frankie Cosmos gained critical acclaim after her 2014 debut album Zentropy. And on 2016’s Next Thing, Kline further proves herself a master at composing short-but-impactful songs with charmingly offbeat lyrics, almost like lo-fi musical daydreams. With Brooklyn-based band IAN SWEET and Nice Try.
Freya Fest, Sunday, Oct. 1, Bos Meadery, noon-7 pm: Tap into the spirit of Freya, the Norse goddess of beauty, love and death with this stellar showcase featuring some of the Madison area’s best female musicians. Highlights include Americana rock from Beth Kille, soulful folk from Shawndell Marks and energetic power-folk from SHESHE, plus hard-rockers Untamed, HellMuff, Morning Metaphor and greenTONE a cappella. Family-friendly, outdoor stage, free admission.
Future Islands, Tuesday, Oct. 3, Orpheum Theater, 7:30 pm: Future Islands have been making darkly groovy dance tunes and getting audiences moving since 2006, but the band is enjoying more mainstream attention since the 2013 release of their breakout album, Singles. If you’ve ever enjoyed anything about the ’80s, or just want to see one of the most emphatic performances around today (for reference YouTube their Letterman performance), this is not a show to miss. With Jenny Besetz.
Japanese Breakfast, Tuesday, Oct. 3, Union South-The Sett, 8 pm: This solo project from Michelle Zauner (of the excellent Philadelphia indie-rock band Little Big League) is an example of beautiful music born from incredible pain. She wrote her 2016 debut album, Psychopomp, in the weeks after her mother was diagnosed with cancer. She intended to quit music after that, but the driving, shimmery, experimental pop release gained critical acclaim. So she kept at it, and in 2017 released Soft Sounds from Another Planet, which travels into atmospheric, folk-influenced electropop territory. With fellow Philly rockers Mannequin Pussy and Spirit of the Beehive.
DaNCEBUMS, Wednesday, Oct. 4, North Street Cabaret, 8 pm: This five-person dance troupe from Minneapolis is on a mission to bring modern dance out of the stuffy world of theater and into bars and music venues throughout the Midwest. Equal parts collaborative performance art and raucous dance party, the group also includes music from Eric Mayson, a producer who’s worked with the likes of Lizzo, Dessa and Atmosphere. With local opener Joey Broyles.
Arlo Guthrie, Thursday, Oct. 5, UW Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 8 pm: Thanksgiving isn’t known for spawning songs, but Arlo Guthrie is a major exception. The folk scion’s sprawling opus “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” still enjoys considerable airplay each November, telling the story of how a littering citation impacted his draft status during the Vietnam War era. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Alice’s Restaurant album, and Guthrie is celebrating by having his children, Sarah Lee and Abe, join him for the show as part of his “Re:Generation” tour.
Emily Saliers, Thursday, Oct. 5, High Noon Saloon, 7 pm: One-half of the Indigo Girls, Emily Saliers made her solo debut in August with the release of Murmuration Nation. An eclectic mix of sounds that strays far from the bookish, folky path she and Amy Ray have charted as a duo, the disc features members of The Mars Volta, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Living Colour. An exciting, exuberant affair, it makes it hard to believe Saliers never made a solo record until now. NOTE: This show has moved from the Barrymore Theatre.
Thievery Corporation, Thursday, Oct. 5, Orpheum Theater, 7 pm: For 20 years, Washington, D.C., club owners Rob Garza and Eric Hilton have been using Thievery Corporation as a vehicle to bring together eclectic artists and their own love of reggae, dub and bossa nova. Their recordings spin together acid jazz, trip-hop and progressive politics for audiences all over the musical spectrum. Somehow the Thieves have been selling millions of albums through their own label and playing huge stages at Lollapalooza and Coachella without trying to land a radio hit. No matter who shows up to play with the group in Madison, it will surely be a unique concoction in support of their 2017 release, The Temple of I & I.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
