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.
Justin Townes Earle & The Sadies, Thursday, Aug. 9, McPike Park, 5 pm: Americana singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle has proven over the last decade that sometimes the songwriting gene doesn’t skip a generation (his dad is Steve Earle, one of the previous generation’s most durable scribes). The 2017 album Kids in the Street adds some soul sheen and blues grit to his sound, and shows Justin Townes shares his father’s predilection for busting down genre barriers. Canadian chameleons The Sadies are masters of many musical modes, and remain the go-to band for anyone looking for the perfect accompaniment in concert. With Nick Brown Band, Mal-O-Dua.
Rocket Paloma, Thursday, Aug. 9, Wisconsin Union Terrace, 9 pm: Progressive rock revivalists from Milwaukee, Rocket Paloma makes great use of blown-up folksy guitar riffs and lead singer Joey Kerner’s huge operatic voice. The four piece’s latest single, “Ghosted,” released in July, draws on funk rhythms as Kerner blazes through a bad breakup. Local indie rock band Gentle Brontosaurus opens.
Peter Mulvey, Thursday, Aug. 9, Threshold, 7 pm: Boasting a career spanning more than two decades and with 17 albums under his belt, this Milwaukee-based singer-songwriter has built a reputation as a folk-rock iconoclast. His releases have spanned genres from Americana to jazz to spoken word. His latest record, Are You Listening?, is tender, lovely and intensely political. This event is a fundraiser for Open Doors For Refugees, a nonprofit that helps people settle in the greater Madison area. With Milwaukee Americana duo Nickel & Rose.
Melissa Jones, Thursday, Aug. 9, Communication, 8 pm: The singer for Minneapolis rock bands Wetter USA and Tony Peachka, Melissa Jones writes songs that are sometimes angsty, sometimes funny and most certainly earworm-inducing. She is playing a rare solo set before leaving the Midwest for Colorado. Also visiting from Minneapolis is Half Tramp, a vehicle for the hypnotically doomy songs of Taylor Harrison. Claire Nelson-Lifson (Proud Parents, Cool Building) opens the show.
The Mascot Theory (album release), Friday, Aug. 10, Brink Lounge, 7 pm: Local Americana sensation The Mascot Theory debuts a new album with the help of some friends. On Dawn and What Comes After, the four-person group continues to lean into twangy influences while broadening the presence of rock in their songwriting. On “Sky Upon Sky Upon Sky,” frontman Erik Kjelland’s melodies and lyrics take center stage, but the instruments, especially the electric guitar, play more than just a supporting role. On “Hold On To Me,” the band explores the folkier side of the spectrum with the addition of fiddle.
Madison New Music Festival, Friday, Aug. 10, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, 7:30 pm: Featuring works by some of our greatest contemporary composers (including a spotlight on works created in Wisconsin), this annual event is a classical music lover’s dream. Friday’s concert features “Sounds of the ‘60s and Beyond.” The fest continues Saturday with “Sounds of Reflection” (2 pm, Bethel Lutheran Church); and Sunday’s closing party (7:30 pm, Robinia Courtyard), featuring local multi-instrumentalist B.C. Grimm, plus a collaborative performance by various festival participants of Julius Eastman’s rarely-performed “Stay on It.”
Shawn Maxwell’s New Tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 10, North Street Cabaret, 9 pm: This Chicago quintet, led by alto sax/flute player and composer Maxwell, is built using a standard lineup (a woodwind and a brass supported by three rhythm players). But Maxwell’s songs on the quintet’s new album, Music in My Mind, are far from standard issue, taking a modern approach to jazz by mixing in elements of funk. Catchy theme statements give way to sax and trumpet battles, and even when time signatures shift, the groove remains paramount.
The Greatest Love of All: The Whitney Houston Show, Friday, Aug. 10, Overture Hall, 7:30 pm: Who dares to step into the shoes of the late great Whitney Houston? South African native Belinda Davids does, and the rave reviews of this touring production are saying that Davids delivers the goods. Whitney fans will see Davids starring in a lavish production with a five-piece band, backing vocalists and spectacular choreography, performing the hits, including “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Didn’t We Almost Have it All?” and “One Moment in Time.” One night only.
Slow Pulp, Saturday, Aug. 11, High Noon Saloon, 9 pm: Local dream punks Slow Pulp play a goodbye show before their Chicago move. Their latest single, “At Home,” released in June, features lead singer Emily Massey’s melancholy lyrics over an expertly withdrawn, sweet guitar. Local classic rock band Chaser (featuring Emily’s dad, Mike Massey) opens, with Memorial Union open mic host and former MadHatters member Frankie Pobar Lay.
Next Level Artists Showcase, Saturday, Aug. 11, Labor Temple, 1-8 pm: Showcasing eight artists in one day in its second iteration, the Next Level Showcase is testament to local and Midwestern musical talent and the diversity of genres that the region has to offer. Be sure to catch Orquesta SalSoul del Mad, whose potent blend of salsa and soul is the result of the rich variety of the 14-person group’s collective musical experiences. Another local act to catch is Odd Man OWT, an emcee who exhibits dexterous lyricism over genre-amorphous beats on tracks like “4 AM” on his recently released EP #4AM2Often. With Sam Hankins, Soul Company, Luke Hrovat-Staedter, Tweed Funk, Trilogy, M-Trane.
Pyroklast, Saturday, Aug. 11, Mickey’s Tavern, 10 pm: Members of legendary local hardcore-punk outfit Pyroklast are reuniting for one night, five years after their breakup. Screaming vocals, devilishly simple guitar thrashing and the fast-paced precision of the rhythm section combine to forge their now-classic sound. Local electro-punk project Cave Curse opens, with WARBASTARD.
Ben Sidran’s 75th Birthday Salon, Tuesday, Aug. 14, Majestic Theatre, 7 pm: Ben Sidran is a local legend. Though he hails from Racine, the prolific musician has spent much of his life in Madison, his jazzy musings becoming an integral part of the musical landscape, particularly with his long-running summer “Salon for Secular Humanists, Arch Democrats and Free Thinkers” series at the former Cardinal Bar. For his 75th trip ‘round the sun, Sidran is enlisting the help of his son, Leo, Billy Peterson, Louka Patenaude, and a few special guests to help celebrate.
Tribu Baharú, Tuesday, Aug 14, North Street Cabaret, 8 pm: Hailing from Bógota, Colombia, the sextet puts its own flourishes on champeta, a folk-dance genre that originated in communities of African descent throughout Colombia. Though they maintain the genre’s core of driving bass lines and groovy rhythm sections, Tribu Baharú adds their own touch and a degree of worldliness to songs such as “Baila.” Influences from all over the African musical diaspora make their way into the infectiously danceable and catchy songs. ALSO: Thursday, Aug. 16, at 5 pm, Tribu Baharú will play a set as part of Central Park Sessions.
The Blueberry Tour, Tuesday, Aug. 14, Comedy Club on State, 7 pm: On the heels of debuting his own show on Adult Swim, Joe Pera Talks With You, the comedian and three of his writers and fellow show performers hit Madison for a night of bizarre character stand-up. Despite being in his 20s, Joe Pera delivers all of his jokes in the style and voice of a man at least 50 years his senior, and never in a mocking way. There is something about the earnestness of Pera’s performance as an elderly man and the dissonance between the performance and his actual appearance that makes his (grand)dad jokes land as hilariously as they do. Fellow comedian Jo Firestone also performs as a character older than she is, a doting and at-times condescending, therapist/teacher figure.
DakhaBrakha, Wednesday, Aug. 15, McPike Park, 5:15 pm: A torrential downpour fell during DakhaBrakha’s visit to last year’s Central Park Sessions, sending many in the crowd scrambling away from the muddy mess. But those of us who stuck around witnessed one of the most magical performances of the year. The Ukrainian quartet, which dresses in ornate traditional shepherd’s costumes (including enormous woolly hats), moved off the stage and into the crowded beer tent, delivering a jaw-droppingly beautiful and energetic acoustic set to several hundred riveted spectators. The band began as an avant-garde theater project, and their sound is otherworldly. Driving rhythms from powerful drums underlie exquisitely tight harmonies, shrieks, bird calls and throat singing, creating a sound that’s been described as “ethno-chaos.” Seriously, don’t miss it. With an opening set from our beloved klezmer ensemble Yid Vicious.
Lao Tizer Trio, Wednesday, Aug. 15, Top of State St., 4 pm: The Los Angeles-based jazz group visits the annual outdoor free concert series Jazz at Five. The trio is led by Lao Tizer on keyboard, who draws on a historic list of influences to blend his contemporary jazz fusion. The Milwaukee guitarist-led Evan Paydon Quartet opens, along with fellow Cream City dwellers the West End Conservatory youth jazz band.
Sam Jay, Thursday, Aug. 16, Comedy on State, 8:30 pm: Sam Jay is having a spectacular year. Last fall she joined the writing staff of Saturday Night Live and was featured on Comedy Central Stand-Up Presents; just last month she was featured on the new Netflix original series The Comedy Lineup, and dropped her debut comedy album, Donna’s Daughter. Her stand-up is chock-full of smart, witty observations on race, politics and modern life, punctuated by hilarious anecdotes from her experience as a gay black woman living in a big city. Sam Jay is seriously likable and seriously funny. With Aaron Weaver, Martin Henn. ALSO: Friday-Saturday, Aug. 17-18, 8 & 10:30 pm.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
