Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison this week. For more information on these shows, read on under the playlist or check out all this week's Isthmus Picks.
Victor Wooten Band, Thursday, April 18, Memorial Union-Shannon Hall, 8 pm: Quite possibly the best bass player of all time, Victor Wooten displays a jaw-dropping virtuosity that spans genres from jazz to bluegrass to progressive rock. A five-time Grammy award-winner best known as a founding member of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Wooten will be performing here with his brothers Regi and Joseph on guitars and keyboards, plus his longtime drummer Derico Watson.
Foxing + Now, Now, Thursday, April 18, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: A pair of Midwestern bands, with singular takes on folk and indie rock and both touring in support of 2018 records. Foxing, of St. Louis, sneaks prog rock elements into tracks such as “Nearer My God,” their record’s titular song, adding a dose of cinematic grandness. Minnesota’s Now, Now adds subtle hints of synth and vocal modulation with a touch of the sublime on tracks like “SGL” on Saved. With Daddy Issues.
Black Belt Eagle Scout, Friday, April 19, Communication, 8 pm: Katherine Paul, the Portland-based multi-instrumentalist behind Black Belt Eagle Scout, is a queer indigenous feminist whose songwriting weaves together the intersections of her identity with vulnerability and pluck. Her voice is dreamy and sublime, and her brilliant guitar playing exhibits the lush, ethereal sonic range of her instrument. “Indians Never Die,” from her debut album, Mother of My Children, was written in response to the events at Standing Rock. “Soft Stud,” the album’s opening track, is a self-described “queer anthem” with a crunchy guitar riff and a lovelorn refrain. Her latest track, “Loss & Relax,” from a forthcoming 7-inch, touches on the metamorphoses that accompany loss. Seeing her in an intimate space like Communication will be a real treat. With Disq, fresh off their triumphant visit to SXSW.
Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal + VO5, Friday, April 19, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: One of the hits of the 2018 AtwoodFest, Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal return to Madison with a new album, Do It Now, released in January. Nebraska native Hoyer may also be familiar from a turn as a contestant on The Voice in 2017. Ensuring this show will reach maximum danceability is Madison’s own VO5, who will bring along the 16-member strong VO5 Hot Oil Dancers.
Bernadette Peters, Friday, April 19, Overture Hall, 8 pm: Broadway fans will be freaking out at this one-night-only appearance by the three-time Tony Award-winning star of stage and screen, Bernadette Peters. She’s fresh off a Broadway run of Hello, Dolly! and will perform tunes from Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and more. You can be a star, too: The Jerry Ensemble will host a Broadway singalong in the lobby beforehand.
420 Fest, Saturday, April 20, Brink Lounge, 4:20 pm: On this most sacred and holy day, enjoy music from more than a dozen of Wisconsin’s chillest performers. There will be old-time music from No Name String Band, funk from Electric Spanking, jam-rock from Sweet Delta Dawn, spoken word from FlowPoetry, and a Grateful Dead tribute set from Seaside Zoo.
Eric Andersen, Saturday, April 20, Cafe Carpe, Fort Atkinson, 8:30 pm: The most poetic writer to emerge from the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene, Eric Andersen secured his reputation with such early compositions as the oft-recorded “Thirsty Boots” and “Violets of Dawn.” He followed through on his promise over the last five decades, though finding his music has been trickier since he departed for Europe in the 1980s (an excellent place to catch up is the new career-spanning set The Essential Eric Andersen). At this show Andersen will be accompanied by a pair of fellow legends, violinist Scarlet Rivera and percussionist Cheryl Prashker.
Asumaya, Saturday, April 20, Communication, 8 pm: Asumaya, the project of Luke Bassuener, celebrates the vinyl release of the stellar 2018 record, Omniphobic. Across the album’s 10 tracks, Bassuener, a Madison local, traverses unlikely melodies and time signatures in inventive ways, utilizing deft production skills. Tracks like “Chess” are intricate and approachable — with enough room to boogie. With “glitch-psych-kraut duo” Cap Alan.
Purple Circus, Saturday, April 20, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: An all-ages “Cosmic Circus” devoted to the aerial arts and somehow working in ideas of aliens and the music of dearly beloved (and departed) Prince? Sign us up! The Purple Circus is also trying to create awareness about opioid addiction, and has paired up with local drug treatment facility Tellurian Inc.
AL1CE, Monday, April 22, Crucible, 8 pm: Conceived on an excursion to Joshua Tree and inspired by the music of Tool, Pink Floyd and Queen, this multimedia performing arts group blends dance, surrealist art, video, world music, electronica and rock into an immersive, theatrical experience. With Gentle Brontosaurus, Joey Broyles.
Sound Mindset Variety Showcase, Tuesday, April 23, Brink Lounge, 6:30 pm: This event stretches the boundaries of “variety show” by offering a TED-style talk on homebrewing, comedy (featuring Allie Lindsay), classical guitar, painting, poetry and funk/rock/improvisational music by MoodTrain. The organizers are hoping for a “massive jam” at the end....so what’s to lose?
She Wants Revenge, Wednesday, April 24, Majestic Theatre, 8 pm: Justin Warfield and Adam “DJ Adam-12” Bravin continue to ride the renaissance sparked by the front-and-center appearance of “Tear You Apart” in American Horror Story: Hotel four years ago. While the L.A. band’s classic darkwave sound will obviously be the main course, the childhood pals have also been back in the studio working on new material, including some tunes influenced by Warfield and Bravin’s hip-hop background.
Filament + Tony Barba, Wednesday, April 24, Art In, 8 pm: Filament, an experimental percussion duo, performs original compositions and pieces by Andy Akiho, Dan Langa and Nate May. As this event, Filament will reconstruct the 1977 experiment “Music On A Long Thin Wire” by Alvin Lucier, using a wire and magnets to make vibrations. Madison saxophonist Tony Barba has transcended genre on his sophomore album, Ether. The album’s title track is a 34-minute gentle giant of a song; Barba celebrates the release of the electronic solo album at this event.
Priests, Thursday, April 25, High Noon Saloon, 8:30 pm: In 2017, Priests almost self-destructed after the departure of their bassist and an ensuing blow-up fight on tour. Instead of calling it quits, they went to band therapy and dug in their heels, challenging themselves creatively and musically and bringing in new collaborators. The result: The Seduction of Kansas, a triumphant 12-track dive into the dystopia and disillusion that is America. The album’s title track is a dark and dancy look at American mythology, with Katie Alice Greer’s sultry vocals seemingly out to seduce the entire Midwestern state. With Gurr.
Jai Wolf, Thursday, April 25, Majestic Theatre, 9 pm: The NY-based IDM artist visits in support of his standout and aptly named record, The Cure to Loneliness. Jai Wolf uses a refined touch in producing albums. The energy just keeps building on tracks like “This Song Reminds Me Of You.” With Hotel Garuda.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
