Enjoy a compilation of selected tracks by artists playing shows we're excited about in Madison during the week of Feb. 8-15, 2018. For more information on these shows, read on under the playlist!
Yonder Mountain String Band, Thursday, Feb. 8, Barrymore Theatre, 8 pm: The genre known as “progressive” often calls to mind endless, noodling guitar parts and ambitious rock operas. Not so with Yonder Mountain String Band. The bluegrass act utilizes modern alternative rock and jam-band tropes in its finger-pickin’ good, Ozark-indebted campfire jams. Plus, they’re prolific as hell, releasing 12 albums on their own Frog Pad records since the turn of the millennium, with the most recent being 2017’s Love. Ain’t Love. With The Southern Belles.
Reaping Asmodeia, Thursday, Feb. 8, The Red Zone, 7 pm: Bust out your earplugs and stretch out your neck, because The Red Zone has a night planned featuring some of the headbangingest metal around. Throw the horns up for headlining Twin Cities natives Reaping Asmodeia, with support from By the Thousands, Breech, An Ocean Above Us and Living in Fearless Entropy.
Carnaval Madison, Friday, Feb. 9 (High Noon Saloon) and Saturday, Feb. 10 (Majestic Theatre), 9 pm: The Handphibians, Madison’s premier Brazilian percussion group, are ringing in their 20th anniversary in spectacular fashion with a weekend of samba and celebration. The Friday night show features Grupo Balança, Los Chechos and Capoeira Roda, and Saturday’s includes Panchromatic Steel, DJ TrixZ and the gorgeously plumed performers of Ótimo Brazilian Dance.
Cash’d Out, Friday, Feb. 9, Brink Lounge, 8 pm: Johnny Cash is an American treasure. From his pioneering early work to the eclectic covers of his later days, the country singer was an icon. San Diego’s Cash’d Out is an eminent tribute to the Man in Black, and their show at the Brink Lounge is all for a good cause: The $15 door price benefits REAP, a group aiming to create a sustainable local food system. We can’t help but think somewhere out there, the socially conscious Cash is grinning.
Mija, Friday, Feb. 9, Liquid, 10 pm: Mija and her music bring fresh relevance to the crafts of DJing and EDM production. As an artist, Mija (real name Amber Giles) has broken through in these often male-dominated artistic pursuits, earning full-fledged support from Skrillex and a spot on his label. The Phoenix-born spinner describes her genre as “fk a genre,” and that ethos rings through in tracks mixing a dazzling array of house, hardcore, pop and dubstep. With Inzo, Barello.
GGOOLLDD, Friday, February 9, The Sett, 9 pm: Electro-pop band GGOOLLD brings their energetic live show from Milwaukee to The Sett on the extensive Wisconsin leg of their national tour. Lead singer Margaret Butler’s stunning outfits and electric performances complement the slick, synth-based pop grooves of the band. Their latest EP, 2017’s Teeth, features the hit single “Undercovers,” combining Butler’s crooning vocals with catchy hooks and impressive production values. Madison’s Skyline Sounds and Newvices open.
Michael Che, Friday, Feb. 9, Comedy Club on State, 8 & 10:30 pm: Che’s talent is undeniable: Not only is he one of the best Saturday Night Live “Weekend Update” co-hosts ever, he’s also now the first black co-head writer for that very same program. Honing his political takedowns during a brief stint on The Daily Show, Che stands out among the comedy crowd for his strong point of view. He cuts through the political nonsense with a voice of clarity and hilarity; in fact, the show sold out almost immediately. ALSO: Saturday, Feb. 10, 8 & 10:30 pm.
Summer Camp on the Road, Saturday, Feb. 10, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: In advance of its annual summer festival in southern Illinois, Summer Camp is hitting the road, and the Madison stop is pretty stacked. Hosted by the funky Appletonians Ifdakar, the bill also features local wordsmith FlowPoetry (the first time a poet has appeared at a Summer Camp show), progressive bluegrass act Armchair Boogie, funk-tronica wizards Undercover Organism, and rootsy rock revivalists Coyote. This should tide you over until the official festival kicks off Memorial Day weekend in Chillicothe, Illinois.
Portugal. The Man, Sunday, Feb. 11, Overture Hall, 7:30 pm: Alaska’s former indie-rock darlings Portugal. The Man have made the jump to platinum pop status. The new Grammy-winning single “Feel It Still” exchanges guitar riffage for synth-based EDM grooves, and the new album Woodstock recruits kingmaking producers such as Danger Mouse. Lead singer John Gourley’s versatile voice is still the centerpiece, jumping from falsetto crooning to a staccato hip-hop delivery. With several genre changes already under their belt, fans of PTM’s bluesy, alternative-rock past will find hints of that influence in their newly accessible pop sound. Chicago’s Twin Peaks opens.
Tom Paxton with The Don Juans, Sunday, Feb. 11, Barrymore Theatre, 7 pm: Once a regular visitor around these parts (he even recorded a couple albums for Madison-based Mountain Railroad Records), iconic folk singer Tom Paxton hasn’t toured since 2015. But recently he’s been collaborating with fellow songsmiths Jon Venzer and Don Henry on what they are calling a “writing and performing experience calculated to keep them too busy to get into trouble.” Don’t miss the only Wisconsin show of a very short winter tour by this trio of legendary songwriters.
The Cajun Strangers + Johnny Chimes & His Mardi Gras Band, Tuesday, Feb. 13, Union South-The Sett, 4:30 pm: For their annual Mardi Gras celebration, the folks at WUD have brought together two of Madison’s finest Louisiana/NOLA-inspired acts. First up is Johnny Chimes, a soulful singer who excels at New Orleans-style piano and finger-style guitar picking. Later in the evening, The Cajun Strangers will take over the stage with their blend of Cajun and zydeco dance music. Throughout the night you can also enjoy dance music, Louisiana-style cuisine and mask-making.
Rostam, Tuesday, Feb. 13, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Arguably the better half of indie-legends Vampire Weekend, Rostam Batmanglij brings his gorgeous orchestral-infused baroque pop to High Noon for an intimate performance. The lush compositions mix drum machine samples to create beautifully textured ballads. (He samples Paul Simon’s “Obvious Child” on the single “Don’t Let It Get to You.”) Like the first three Vampire Weekend records, Batmanglij’s new album, Half Light, is deeply personal and filled with introspective lyricism. With Joy Again.
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, Wednesday, Feb. 14, Union Theater-Shannon Hall, 7:30 pm: Canada’s First Couple of Celtic music rolls into Madison. The acclaimed fiddle players met and married in 2002 and then went on to raise and homeschool six children on a cattle farm in Ontario. They’ve collaborated with cellist Yo-Yo Ma, bluegrass star Alison Krauss and banjo ace Béla Fleck.
That 1 Guy, Wednesday, Feb. 14, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: That 1 Guy and his magical trio of specialized instruments are headed to the High Noon Saloon for a night of avant-garde, experimental musical mayhem. This one-man band constructed his own personalized instruments (The Magic Pipe, Boot and Saw) himself. The range presented by these three oddball creations, in conjunction with That 1 Guy’s unbeatable stage presence, guarantee this Valentine’s Day will be anything but ordinary. Fans of Rush, Beck or Buckethead should certainly take notice.
Jorma Kaukonen, Thursday, Feb. 15, Stoughton Opera House, 7:30 pm: Jorma Kaukonen is probably best known as a founder of San Francisco psychedelic seekers Jefferson Airplane. But before, during and after the Airplane era, blues and roots music has remained his main occupation, both in Hot Tuna (with bassist Jack Casady) and as a solo artist. His fleet-fingered acoustic picking should sound gorgeous in the intimate Stoughton Opera House.
Travis Agnew album release, Thursday, Feb. 15, Majestic Theatre, 7:30 pm: Agnew is a serious Americana innovator whose new album Under the Sun explores setbacks and successes as reflected by an old, well-traveled soul. His edgy folk rock combines the social resolve of Utah Phillips with a Steve Earle outlaw-outlook. Consistent with themes of compassion in his new songs, partial proceeds from the show will benefit Madison’s new homeless day shelter, The Beacon. With Kerosene Kites.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
