The Flavor That Kills, Nester, German Art Students, Body Futures, Airwik Shinkcrest

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Lori Ushman

German Art Students sitting on a bench.

German Art Students

Kudos to the Crystal for hosting wild, multi-act evenings showcasing local bands. This line-up put together by busy Madison label Shortwave is as silly as it is subversive. German Art Students channel Jonathan Richman. Nester puts a happy face on hard rock. The Flavor That Kills delivers catchy rock with huge hooks. Body Futures brings their power pop in from Milwaukee. And scene vets should be able to guess who late lineup addition “Airwik Shinkcrest” is.

Shortwave Records showcase. $15.

media release: Shortwave Records will host its first annual Shortwave Record Showcase on February 7, 2026, at the Crystal Corner Bar in Madison, Wisconsin. The event celebrates the independent label’s renewed vision and growing catalog, highlighting both its current roster and its deep roots in the Wisconsin music scene.

Founded as the primary release vehicle for projects by Eric Hartz, Shortwave Records has recently expanded its focus to include a wider range of Wisconsin-based artists alongside select national releases. As part of this evolution, the label has entered a new agreement to release solo material from Dick Valentine (Electric Six), with a full-length album scheduled for Spring 2026.

Recent releases from Nester, German Art Students, and The Flavor That Kills are currently available via the Shortwave Records Bandcamp page in both digital and vinyl formats.

In addition to new material, Shortwave Records has launched an archival reissue project, digitally preserving and re-releasing influential Madison-area bands, including:

Transformer Lootbag, Clip the Daisies, Danger Prone Daphne, Wheelie King, The 8 Year Olds, The Coolhand Band, Screamin’ Cyn Cyn and the Pons, Awesome Car Funmaker, and Creature Custard.

The February showcase features active Madison bands who have previously released albums on Shortwave Records—The Flavor That Kills, German Art Students, and Nester—alongside Milwaukee’s Body Futures, whose former project ifihadahifi is also represented in the Shortwave archival catalog

Featured Releases

The Flavor That Kills – Book of Secrits (Vinyl / Digital)

https://tftk.bandcamp.com/album/book-of-secrits

Nester – Scale the Walls (Vinyl / Digital)

https://nester.bandcamp.com/album/scale-the-walls-2

German Art Students – Diamonds and Queens (Vinyl / Digital)

https://gasrocks.bandcamp.com/album/diamonds-queens

Body Futures- Do Not Befriend The Reaper

https://bodyfutures.bandcamp.com/album/do-not-befriend-the-reaper