Robert Zammarchi
Nothing stands still when it comes to Madison’s live music scene.
Ten years ago the High Noon Saloon was still in its infancy as the heir to the revered O’Cayz Corral. Club Majestic and the Slipper Club/Adair’s Lounge space hadn’t yet become the new Majestic Theatre and the Frequency. The Overture Center had recently opened, and the Memorial Union Theater and Terrace were still in pre-Phase 1 of remodeling.
Fast-forward to 2010: Such outdoor events as Orton Park Festival and La Fête de Marquette were bursting at the seams; Live on King Street and Central Park Sessions, now staples, didn’t yet exist.
So where is the next big growth point?
The answer may lie in the middle of this year’s fall music calendar: The Avett Brothers’ Oct. 2 concert at Breese Stevens Field sold out in 10 minutes in early June. Recognized as a national landmark in 2014, Breese Stevens opened in 1926 and has never before hosted a major concert.
The road to concert venue started with recent renovations, including the replacement of the original grass field with artificial turf. One of the beneficiaries is Madison East High School’s football team, which now has a home field for the first time in 40 years.
Charlie Goldstone, president of Madison-based Frank Productions, says the city invested in the turf with the intent to open up the soccer field to more frequent and varied uses. “We were asked to consider hosting a concert, and we jumped at the chance.”
Frank Productions was attracted to the historic facility for several reasons, Goldstone says, including its location a few blocks from the Capitol Square and the stadium’s architecture, which includes permanent bleachers and old stone walls (more aesthetically pleasing than the typical chain link fence setup).
He says the company wants to prove it can be a “good neighbor,” adding that buzz from the upcoming concert has led to other ideas for future concerts at Breese Stevens Field.
If you weren’t able to score a ticket for the Avett Brothers, don’t despair. The following fall music preview includes nearly 100 concerts, ranging from local up-and-comers to national touring acts, in venues as tiny as Dragonfly Lounge (capacity: 75) to the gigantic Kohl Center, which can pack in 17,000. On the Madison music scene, there’s room for everyone.
— Jon Kjarsgaard
The Thurston Moore Band
High Noon Saloon, Sept. 11
Even though Sonic Youth is no longer with us, its ex-members have remained active, perhaps none more so than its legendary guitarist. Since the group’s 2011 split, Thurston Moore has released two albums, the most recent being 2014’s The Best Day, a collection of noisy guitar jams that more than fills the void left in Sonic Youth’s wake.
You might also like: Bully, The Frequency, Oct. 11
Group of the Altos
The Shitty Barn (Spring Green), Sept. 16
Originally self-identified as a “surly high school orchestra,” Group of the Altos has grown over the past decade into one of Wisconsin’s most expansive acts, releasing two records and creating a live score for the Soviet film Earth as a part of the Milwaukee Film Festival. Staging anywhere from 12 to 18 members, the Altos create slow-burning rockscapes orchestrated with horns, strings, guitars, percussion and group vocals.
You might also like: Wood Chickens, Mickey’s Tavern, Sept. 26
David Goldman
Benjamin Booker
Live on King Street, Sept. 18
Despite releasing only one album to date, Benjamin Booker’s brand of rock — think garage meets blues — has already been seen on stages from Letterman to Lollapalooza and been lauded by critics across the board. The choice to see him perform for free is a no-brainer.
You might also like: Heartless Bastards, Majestic Theatre, Sept. 26
Emma Elizabeth Tillman
Father John Misty
Orpheum Theater, Sept. 20
Joshua Tillman kicked off his career as a solo artist opening for Damien Jurado before joining Grammy-nominated folk rock band Fleet Foxes. However, his best work surfaced once he began recording solo again under the moniker Father John Misty. His 2015 release, I Love You, Honeybear, displays his trademark gravity-turned-irreverence and has garnered wide critical acclaim.
You might also like: of Montreal, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 25
Wavves
Majestic Theatre, Sept. 21
Wavves mastermind Nathan Williams is unlike many of his hipper-than-thou indie rock peers. He’s a simple man who enjoys weed, girls and the beach, and he’s unafraid of writing songs about exactly that. The result is a blast of lo-fi surf punk that can best be described as blink-182 for hipsters.
You might also like: Mikal Cronin, High Noon Saloon, Sept. 11
Kool Keith
Majestic Theatre, Sept. 23
Keith Thornton, more commonly known by his stage name Kool Keith, just passed the 30-year mark in his influential career. The New York emcee has released 19 albums (most recently this year’s Time? Astonishing!) packed with his surreal lyrics and oddball sense of humor. He recently told Rolling Stone that he’s considering retiring from music, so this could be your last chance to see him.
You might also like: The Underachievers, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 15
Noah Gundersen
High Noon Saloon, Sept. 23
Noah Gundersen has never been one to hold back on heavy themes, but his most recent record, Carry the Ghost, is his most emotionally challenging work yet. And though the singer-songwriter’s latest finds him collaborating with his touring band more than ever, his poetic, transformative songs have lost neither their starkness nor their intimacy.
You might also like: Flannel Fest, High Noon Saloon, Nov. 7 (Micky and the Motorcars, the Mascot Theory, Beth Kille Band and more)
Pure Bathing Culture
The Frequency, Sept. 24
Pure Bathing Culture is Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman, two musicians who have known each other for more than 15 years but have artistically teamed up only in the last five. While their debut full-length, 2013’s Moon Tides, found the pair’s pop soaked in production, their forthcoming Pray for Rain shows them stripping studio layers and, in the process, displaying their true songwriting capabilities.
You might also like: Superhumanoids, The Frequency, Sept. 21
Julia Comita
Zola Jesus
Shannon Hall, Sept. 24
Nika Danilova, aka Zola Jesus, has come a long way since she was a UW-Madison student in the late 2000s. This performance, her first here in a few years, will surely highlight the artist’s brand of anthemic, shimmering pop, which is finally getting its rightful recognition.
You might also like: Snake on the Lake, The Sett, Sept. 11 (Burial Hex, Samantha Glass and more)
Shania Twain
Kohl Center, Sept. 27
“The Queen of Country Pop” was one of the first musicians to perform at the Kohl Center, a few months after the arena opened in 1998. The tour was in support of Twain’s wildly successful 1997 album, Come on Over, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide. Her return is the first scheduled concert at the Kohl Center since a canceled Simon & Garfunkel show in 2010.
You might also like: Mary Chapin Carpenter, Capitol Theater, Oct. 22
The Decemberists
Overture Hall, Sept. 30
For years, the Decemberists had pretty much cornered the market on theatrical, bookish indie rock. But in 2011, the Portland-based five-piece took a hard left musically, releasing to critical acclaim The King Is Dead, a relatively bare-bones folk rock album. Their most recent effort, this year’s What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World, bridges the gap between the group’s two distinct eras.
You might also like: Stars, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 11
Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Majestic Theatre, Oct. 3
The Black Crowes’ future seems uncertain, to say the least, with the rock band heading into the third hiatus of its career. Singer Chris Robinson is keeping himself busy with this psychedelic rock supergroup, which features fellow Black Crowe Adam MacDougall and former Ryan Adams & the Cardinals guitarist Neal Casal.
You might also like: Grace Potter, Barrymore Theatre, Oct. 24
Dillinger Four
High Noon Saloon, Oct. 4
The Replacements and Hüsker Dü are two bands that forever changed the Minneapolis punk scene. Yet Dillinger Four, a band that came 15 years later — and is arguably the Twin Cities’ greatest pure-punk band — is often unfairly left out of the conversation. Let’s put it this way: If there’s a punk band you adore that formed after the mid-’90s, they were undoubtedly inspired by this four-piece.
You might also like: Masked Intruder, Majestic Theatre, Nov. 7
Joan Armatrading
Shannon Hall, Oct. 6
After 42 years and 18 studio albums, this English songwriting legend is capping off her performance career with a massive two-year swan song of a tour. For the first time, these shows will showcase the “Me Myself I” singer in a solo role as she sings and plays guitar and piano unaccompanied.
You might also like: Holly Miranda, The Frequency, Sept. 25
Glass Animals
Orpheum Theater, Oct. 6
Comparisons to Radiohead rarely work in a band’s favor, but Oxford-based four-piece Glass Animals don’t seem to mind. The band’s stellar 2014 debut, Zaba, is an amalgamation of psychedelic, pop, R&B and electronic music, and an extremely strong work for a bunch of lads in their mid-20s.
You might also like: Robert DeLong, Majestic Theatre, Nov. 10
Titus Andronicus
The Frequency, Oct. 10
Throughout a 10-year career, the ambitious and hard-working Titus Andronicus has channeled punk rockers, guitar gods and Civil War ghosts. Their most recent album, The Most Lamentable Tragedy, doesn’t conceptually disappoint: A five-act, 29-track rock opera that draws on frontman Patrick Stickles’ own mental health experiences, the record, like the rest of the band’s legendary output, is imperfect but built to last.
You might also like: Turkeyfest, Mickey’s Tavern + Crystal Corner Bar, Oct. 23-25 (We Are Hex, the Hussy and more)
Disclosure
Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall, Oct. 14
It’s been a fast five years for Guy and Howard Lawrence, the brother duo known as Disclosure. Since popping up on Myspace in 2010, the siblings have released a game-changing full-length, Settle, and spawned some of the most recognized dance-based tracks around: “White Noise” featuring AlunaGeorge, “When a Fire Starts to Burn” and, of course, “Latch,” their hit collaboration with Sam Smith.
You might also like: Zedd, Exhibition Hall, Oct. 30
Conor Oberst
Barrymore Theatre, Oct. 16
At 35, Conor Oberst has been in the public eye for nearly half of his life. He’s performed as Bright Eyes and with Monsters of Folk, Desaparecidos and the Faint. He helped found Saddle Creek Records, one of the most important independent labels of the last decade. He’s even been hailed as the “next Bob Dylan” and has been nearly as prolific. But most importantly, Oberst has translated the angst of youth and the wisdom of a troubled soul into timeless, poetic music.
You might also like: Field Report, The Edgewater Plaza, Sept. 11
Peaches
Majestic Theatre, Oct. 16
Everyone’s favorite NSFW dance-punk demigoddess is bringing her live spectacle to Madison. Peaches, the musician/filmmaker/performance artist/all-around subversive individual, is supporting RUB, her most recent album of hypersexual lyrics coupled with meticulously crafted beats.
You might also like: GGOOLLDD, East Side Club, Sept. 24
The Bad Plus and Joshua Redman
Shannon Hall, Oct. 17
The Bad Plus are one of contemporary jazz’s most important and uncompromising acts. They’ve released 11 records since 2001, covering everyone from Nirvana to Stravinsky and continually pushing the boundaries of instrumental music with their ultra-expressive original tunes. Here the piano-bass-drums trio is joined by acclaimed saxophonist Joshua Redman, who after a 20-plus year career as the leader of his own band, takes the Bad Plus into a new era as a quartet.
You might also like: Zappa Plays Zappa, Barrymore Theatre, Sept. 25
Teen Daze
The Frequency, Oct. 17
Teen Daze may be one of the artists most closely associated with the genre of chillwave, but Jamison, the one-name man behind the project, is trying to move beyond it. Dubbing his new sound “soft psychedelic,” Jamison debuted it with Morning World, Teen Daze’s most recent record and a collection of pop gems closer in spirit to the Beach Boys than Washed Out.
You might also like: Chad Valley, The Frequency, Oct. 4
Joseph Cultice
Garbage
Orpheum Theater, Oct. 18
Arguably the most famous artists to get their start in Madison, alt-rock icons Garbage celebrated a milestone this year as their self-titled debut turned 20. Shirley Manson and the boys will be playing it front-to-back in its entirety on their anniversary tour, including this hometown stop.
You might also like: Ash, Majestic Theatre, Sept. 29
Arlo Guthrie
Shannon Hall, Oct. 21
The son of legendary folk singer Woody Guthrie quickly proved his own talent with “Alice’s Restaurant,” the first song on his 1967 debut album and a nearly 20-minute folk epic of Vietnam-era paranoia. Inspired by an incident that began on Thanksgiving Day 1965, the song cemented Arlo as an icon of the era’s counterculture.
You might also like: Jeff Daniels & Ben Daniels Band, Stoughton Opera House, Nov. 19
Neon Indian
Majestic Theatre, Oct. 21
Neon Indian hit it big in 2009 just as laid-back, dancy, electronically centered pop music was surging into the mainstream. A staple of the chillwave movement, Neon Indian and primary member Alan Palomo are back with the project’s third album, VEGA INTL. Night School. Catchy synth lines, hushed, reverb-laced vocals and lots of mid-tempo grooves make Neon Indian easy to get down to.
You might also like: Toro y Moi, Majestic Theatre, Sept. 25
Matisyahu
Majestic Theatre, Oct. 26
When Matisyahu first broke through in 2006 with his hit “King Without a Crown,” he gained a lot of notice for his appearance alone — after all, how many Hasidic Jews are there in the world of reggae? Though he’s since shaved the beard and ditched the yarmulke, Matisyahu’s music hasn’t lost anything: His most recent album, 2014’s Akeda, combines complex spirituality with sunny reggae in a way only he can.
You might also like: SOJA, Barrymore Theatre, Oct. 17
YOB
High Noon Saloon, Oct. 28
Hot on the heels of rare Wisconsin dates for metal titans Neurosis and Earth, the metalheads of Madison will get to continue this fall’s exceptional lucky streak with these doom-metal saviors. YOB’s slow churning guitars and passionately screamed vocals come courtesy of mastermind Mike Scheidt, who built much of the band’s 2014 album Clearing the Path to Ascend amid a divorce and a decision to discontinue his use of antidepressants.
You might also like: KEN mode, Dragonfly Lounge, Nov. 4
Deafheaven
High Noon Saloon, Oct. 29
Black metal isn’t generally a genre in which music could be described as “soaring” or “triumphant.” But Bay Area quartet Deafheaven isn’t your typical black metal band, either. The band draws from elements of post-rock and shoegaze to create a sound unlike anything else in the scene — there’s a reason 2013’s Sunbather topped so many year-end best-of lists.
You might also like: Russian Circles, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 5
Houndmouth
Barrymore Theatre, Oct. 30
Since forming in 2011, Houndmouth has frequently garnered comparisons to The Band. And while that may seem lofty, it’s also the most fitting way to describe the Indiana quartet. Everyone in the band sings, and they all sing well. Their effortless blend of folk, country and rock gives them a classic sound that’s rarely been heard since Robbie, Levon and company took their last waltz.
You might also like: The Avett Brothers, Breese Stevens Field, Oct. 2
Freakfest
State Street, Oct. 31
The city-sanctioned, ticketed Freakfest that replaced Madison’s lawless and wild Halloween affairs of yore has become the new normal and is celebrating its 10th year this fall. This year an all-country music stage on Gilman Street (to be led by the Cadillac Three and Chase Rice) will complement the Capitol Stage (where Timeflies and MisterWives will headline). And for those looking to show off — or gawk at — fantastic costumes, there’s really no better place to be.
You might also like: Mac Miller, Orpheum Theater, Oct. 17
Colin Hay
Barrymore Theatre, Oct. 31
Known to some as the frontman for ’80s radio staples Men at Work and to others as that guy who followed Zach Braff around with a guitar in a few episodes of Scrubs, the majority of Colin Hay’s career has been spent as a prolific solo artist. The Scotch-Australian troubadour has released 11 solo albums, including this year’s Next Year People.
You might also like: The Wood Brothers, Stoughton Opera House, Nov. 6
The Front Bottoms
Majestic Theatre, Nov. 3
Though they began as a modest folk-punk act on frontman Brian Sella’s breaks from college, New Jersey’s the Front Bottoms seems poised for bigger things. The band recently signed to Fueled by Ramen records, the label that turned fun. and Paramore into megastars.
You might also like: Rise Against, Orpheum Theater, Nov. 7
Milk Carton Kids
Barrymore Theatre, Nov. 3
With endorsements from the likes of T Bone Burnett, Billy Bragg and even Garrison Keillor, it’s safe to say Milk Carton Kids are pretty good at what they do. And what they do is make timeless folk music. 2013’s The Ash and Clay scored a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album, and though it didn’t win, it established the duo of Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan as one of the premier acts in the genre.
You might also like: The Oh Hellos, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 24
Jason McDonald
Albert Hammond Jr.
High Noon Saloon, Nov. 4
As guitarist for the Strokes, Albert Hammond Jr. (above) became a rock star when the group’s 2001 debut album, Is This It, launched them into the musical stratosphere. But on his own, Hammond is just as deserving of his star status — his latest solo release, Momentary Masters, is a collection of angular art rock songs that proves he’d still be a household name even if “Last Nite” never happened.
You might also like: Telekinesis + Say Hi, The Frequency, Oct. 29
Dusdin Condren
Yo La Tengo
Barrymore Theatre, Nov. 6
For more than 30 years, Yo La Tengo has been one of indie rock’s most beloved bands. Here the members will turn back the clock on their career, reuniting with guitarist Dave Schramm for an acoustic evening in support of new release Stuff Like That There, their first with Schramm since 1990’s Fakebook.
You might also like: Low, High Noon Saloon, Sept. 18
Stephen Kellogg
The Frequency, Nov. 6
Hailed by Americana tastemaker No Depression as “the best songwriter you’re not listening to,” Kellogg has quietly become one of the genre’s mainstays, steadily releasing albums and performing more than 1,500 concerts in the past decade. This year’s four-part LP South, West, North, East was recorded all over the country, from Colorado to Tennessee to New York. He may not be a rock star in the classic sense, but there are few stones that roll more than Stephen Kellogg.
You might also like: Matt Nathanson, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 19
Young the Giant
Orpheum Theater, Nov. 6
Rescheduled after the cancellation of their winter tour, Young the Giant comes to Madison with a high-energy live show. Their last release, 2014’s Mind Over Matter, paints them as indie music’s answer to Van Halen — a relentlessly upbeat, danceable band that really knows how to rock. And frontman Sameer Gadhia has an onstage swagger that could make even David Lee Roth jump.
You might also like: Saint Motel, High Noon Saloon, Oct. 8
PHOX
Capitol Theater, Nov. 7
After an unnaturally busy last couple of years that saw them slay stages from Lollapalooza to Conan, Madison-via-Baraboo indie pop upstarts PHOX return home where they’ll be joined in support by Cougar, a long-running (and critically acclaimed) Madison post-rock act.
You might also like: Wild Child, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 28
So Percussion
Shannon Hall, Nov. 7
So Percussion is part of a small collection of contemporary classical ensembles that has been able to penetrate popular consciousness. From using non-instruments such as amplified cactus to collaborating with Wilco’s Glenn Kotche and playing pieces by Steve Reich and the National’s Bryce Dessner, So Percussion has never been afraid to move percussion music in a progressive direction. They’re an ensemble-in-residence at Princeton, have played Bonnaroo and have released 16 records.
You might also like: Portland Cello Project, Stoughton Opera House, Oct. 9
Murs
Majestic Theatre, Nov. 11
Hip-hop is a genre full of eccentric personalities, but few are as eccentric as Murs. The Los Angeles emcee is an unabashed comic book geek and staunch gay rights advocate who occasionally plays in a rock band with a member of Bad Brains. But Murs is also an underground rap legend who’s released nine solo albums, including this year’s Have a Nice Life.
You might also like: ¡Mayday!, The Frequency, Oct. 14
Gogol Bordello
Barrymore Theatre, Nov. 12
Not many bands can trace their roots to the Chernobyl disaster, but New York gypsy punks Gogol Bordello are a direct result of it. Frontman Eugene Hutz’s family fled their Ukrainian hometown and bounced around Europe before settling in the U.S., where Hutz would go on to form this beloved and influential band whose sixth studio album, Pura Vida Conspiracy, was released in 2013.
You might also like: Electric Six, High Noon Saloon, Oct. 17
David McClister
Jason Isbell
Capitol Theater, Nov. 12
When Jason Isbell left Drive-By Truckers in 2007, his future seemed uncertain. Now, the singer-songwriter has arguably become the face of a new era of country music as his fifth solo album, this year’s Something More Than Free, continues to garner almost universal praise, and rightfully so.
You might also like: Jamey Johnson, Orpheum Theater, Nov. 21
Drive-By Truckers
Majestic Theatre, Nov. 15
Formed in 1996 by longtime collaborators Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley, Southern rock juggernaut Drive-By Truckers have enjoyed two decades as one of the most fiercely beloved bands in the world, uniting fans of country, alternative rock and punk alike, thanks in no small part to their near-constant touring schedule.
You might also like: Old 97’s, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 27
Mitski
The Frequency, Nov. 18
Few artists write pop songs with the vulnerability of Mitski. On her recent album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, the Brooklyn musician rips through a half-hour’s worth of cutting, punky tunes, throwing visceral shrieks on top of bubblegum hooks and showcasing her brutal lyrics, which are both personal and symbolic of contemporary American youthfulness.
You might also like: Girlpool, The Sett, Oct. 14
Glen Hansard
Orpheum Theater, Nov. 19
Glen Hansard’s booming voice and emotionally riveting songs have won audiences over in a variety of settings: He was the frontman for Irish alt legends the Frames, the lead actor in the critically acclaimed film Once and a singer-songwriter for the movie’s real-life spin-off band, the Swell Season. After releasing a solo record in 2012 and putting out an EP of Jason Molina tunes earlier this year, Hansard is touring on his upcoming LP Didn’t He Ramble.
You might also like: The White Buffalo, High Noon Saloon, Sept. 12
ODESZA
Orpheum Theater, Nov. 22
This dreamy downtempo electronic duo last visited Madison to play a sold-out Majestic show in October 2014. Those in attendance witnessed a brilliant spectacle of light and sound that was as ambitious as it was sexy. The band’s 2014 album, In Return, is getting a deluxe edition rerelease on Sept. 18.
You might also like: Ratatat, Orpheum Theater, Sept. 11
Punch Brothers
Overture Hall, Dec. 1
Chris Thile and his Punch Brothers bandmates have established themselves as one of the nation’s most inventive bluegrass acts, combining a traditional sound with elements of classical and rock. Thile is a busy guy: The mandolin virtuoso is a member of two critically adored bands (he’s also in Nickel Creek), a former MacArthur Fellow, and in 2016, he will take over A Prairie Home Companion from the retiring Garrison Keillor.
You might also like: Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 30
Deerhunter
Majestic Theatre, Dec. 15
Bradford Cox fans, unite and rejoice! The brilliant psych-pop songwriter is bringing his art-rock band Deerhunter to Madison for the first time since 2009, and his critically acclaimed solo project Atlas Sound will open the show. Yes, this means double the stage time for Bradford’s trademark goofy banter. Expect to hear old favorites as well as new tunes from Deerhunter’s sauntering upcoming album, Fading Frontier.
You might also like: DIIV, Majestic Theatre, Oct. 13
Music previews by Riley Beggin, Andrew Brandt, Brandon Clementi, Jon Kjarsgaard, Paul Smirl and Tom Whitcomb.
