The Shruggers, The Flavor That Kills, Free Dirt

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Catherine Cahoon

The five members of The Flavor That Kills in front of a shipping container.

The Flavor That Kills

This annual benefit concert is coordinated by Madison jammers The Shruggers, a supergroup formed nearly a decade back by players from a variety of local bands. They always put together an intriguing lineup, and this year features two of Madison’s best, and least predictable, rock bands. The Flavor That Kills are gearing up to release their next album, Thunderbird Lodge, in 2026; the driving lead single, “Spin,” can be found on Bandcamp. Free Dirt is still riding high on the expansive and soulful late 2024 album Funeral On the Beach.

media release: Season’s Greetings!

You’re invited to The Shruggers Annual Toys 4 Tots Benefit Concert 2025!

Saturday, December 6, 2025

High Noon Saloon – 701 E. Washington Ave, Madison

 Doors 6PM | Show 7PM

Featuring:

The Shruggers – 7PM

Flavor That Kills – 8:30PM (hear their new single "Spin" at Bandcamp and read more below)

Free Dirt – 10PM

$10 donation at the door (cash only) or purchase tickets online: https://high-noon.com/event/toys-4-tots-benefit/

Can’t make it? You can still purchase tickets to donate and support Dane County Toys 4 Tots 2025. 

Join us for a night of music, friends, and holiday cheer!

(Please note: High Noon doesn’t serve food, but great restaurants are nearby.)

Delivering a mix of rock, soul, melody, punk, and a dash of classic psychedelic sensibilities, The Flavor That Kills released their edgy, genre-fluid album Book of Secrits (purposely misspelled) in 2024. Hard at work on their forthcoming follow up album, Thunderbird Lodge, the new single “Spin” is just a taste, and is out on all formats now.

The Madison-based unit is Ryan Corcoran-lead vocals, guitar, piano, Educational Davis-guitars, synthesizers, Christian Burnson-bass, vocals, synthesizers, Jon Paul-guitars and synthesizers, and Eric Hartz-drums and synthesizers.

The band's fourth release, and first with new synthesizer/multi-instrumentalist Jon Paul, is set to be delivered in Spring 2026 on Shortwave Records. “Spin” was recorded in Madison at DNA studios and at Tiny Telephone in Oakland, California, by Beau Sorenson and mixed by Tom Lord-Alge.

When the band was asked how Thunderbird Lodge is different from their last album "book of secrits?” Jon Paul shares, “Did you ever contract the plague? Lying in a hospital bed, drifting in and out of consciousness, walking into the mirror or floating down the hallways of the plague ward, only to realize you never left the bed, but the IV is guaranteeing a steady supply of fluids? The Hat Man lied. The lights are not trying to kill you. They are, however, mildly judging you. The new album is more like that than the last one.”