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.
Cabaret, Thursday, March 21, Bartell Theatre, 7:30 pm: StageQ and OUT!Cast Theatre are inviting Madison audiences to come back to the Kit Kat Klub for another round of pre-World War II debauchery in Kander and Ebb’s landmark musical, Cabaret, on the Drury Stage at the Bartell. Directed by Steve Noll and Dana Pellebon, the musical features Erin McConnell in the role of the enigmatic emcee and Kiki Em as the prairie oyster cocktail-slugging nightclub singer Sally Bowles. Expect this gender-fluid, gritty production to join OUT!Cast’s other memorable, large-scale musicals such as The Rocky Horror Show, Bare: A Pop Musical, and Rock of Ages. ALSO: Friday-Saturday (7:30 pm) and Sunday (2 pm), March 22-24. Through March 30.
Punch Brothers, Thursday, March 21, Orpheum Theater, 7:30 pm: This Brooklyn folk quintet has constantly pushed stringed instruments to their musical limits. Their 2018 Grammy-winning record, All Ashore, is awash in rich melodies and stand-out vocals. The record’s title track is a whirling nexus that whisks the listener away on a journey through a meticulously crafted and imaginative soundscape. With Gabriel Kahane.
The Sopranos: Don Giovanni’s Demise, Thursday, March 21, Overture Center-Promenade Hall, 8 pm: It was an immediate sensation when it debuted on HBO in 1999. Now, Fresco Opera Theatre, Madison’s modernist opera company, is reimagining this legendary mobster story and setting it to the music of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Featuring an all-female cast with the exception of the male antagonist (the Don — get it?), this show is packed with scoundrels and scandals. Bonus: pizza from Ian’s. ALSO: Friday-Saturday, March 22-23, 8 pm.
Bob Ross Mob Boss, Friday, March 22, Mickey’s Tavern, 10 pm: A queer punk band named for the popular painter and PBS host, Bob Ross Mob Boss shifts between quiet, sad melodies and heavy, alternative rock-inspired riffs and guitar solos. Weird harmonies are layered throughout their latest Bandcamp EP, Hot Sauce. Madison band Parsing employs a similarly catchy approach to hardcore punk; fellow locals Wash also play.
She’s Crafty, Friday, March 22, High Noon Saloon, 5 pm: They get around, and they’re always down. It’s the all-woman Beastie Boys tribute band you didn’t know you needed in your life. The founding members of this Chicago-based group met through the comedy scene and bonded over their shared B-Boys love. They’ve perfected the hits, and they fight for their right to party all over the Midwest.
Cody Jinks, Friday, March 22, The Sylvee, 8 pm: If you hate modern country radio, you’ll love Cody Jinks. The former metalhead plays a brand of outlaw country that’s expansive and occasionally psychedelic. And better yet, there isn’t a red Solo cup or jacked-up truck in sight. Alongside artists like Sturgill Simpson and Margo Price, Jinks is helping to drag country kicking and screaming back into genre-bending explosiveness. His latest, Lifers, was released last year. With The Steel Woods.
Flashback Fridays Band, Friday, March 22, Harmony Bar, 5:30 pm: Alumni of Madison legends The Gomers — Dave Adler, Blumfumgagnge, Greg Rullman and Andy Wallman — along with Lo Marie, Jay Moran and Kenny Stephenson convene at the Harmony once a month (usually first Fridays) to explore a specific musical theme. For March, ‘70s one-hit wonders will be explored, with help from guests Bucky Pope (Negative Example) and Clay Konnor (Steely Dane).
Smells Like Kitschy Spirit VII, Saturday, March 23, Robinia Courtyard, 8 pm: Local label Kitschy Spirit’s showcases are always a chance for the uninitiated to get a quick primer in the regional punk/garage scene, and a must-see for those already in the know. Be sure to catch Black Cat, a punk band with powerful messages about labor rights and capitalism. Other local agitators on the bill include Gender Confetti, Dumb Vision and According to What. The visiting teams include Wet Wallet, The Missed, Habitat for Insanity and Hitter, a Chicago four-piece whose direct blasts of rock fury prove reinventing the wheel is not necessary when you have a force-of-nature singer such as Hanna Johnson. Note: This show moved from Art In to the Robinia complex.
Paul Dietrich Jazz Ensemble CD release, Saturday, March 23, Brink Lounge, 8 pm: In 2017, Madison-based jazz trumpeter Paul Dietrich wrote “Forward,” a four-part suite inspired by the sights and sounds of Wisconsin. Lush, elegant and emotive, the piece appears on the new Paul Dietrich Jazz Ensemble album, Forward, which features some of the best jazz musicians in the Midwest, plus world-renowned drummer Clarence Penn.
Wild Powwwers, Saturday, March 23, Communication, 8 pm: Seattle-based grunge revival trio Wild Powwwers meld that classic Northwestern rock sound with bits of psychedelic rock. Lead singer Lara Hilgeman’s voice croons and cracks, while the instruments blend into a powerful noise that sounds way bigger than just three instruments. With a pair of Madison bands: rock trio Clean Room and post-hardcore outfit Dumpster Dick.
Herlarious, Saturday, March 23, High Noon Saloon, 7 pm: This Lady Laughs comedy showcase features Allie Lindsay, host of monthly comedy showcases at North Street Cabaret; Dina Nina Martinez, recently cast in the independent film 2 Men & A Pig; Vanessa Tortolano, Monkey Business Institute cast member; and Tulin Waters, Rated Har/Her showcase founder and host. Ticket sales benefit Human Rights Campaign, and also include a year’s membership with the LGBTQ civil rights organization.
Carsie Blanton, Sunday, March 24, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: The stories told by songwriter Carsie Blanton may not always be happy, but you can bet they will be delivered with soul-informed hooks, humor and provocative panache. She is on tour with a brand new album, Buck Up, a collection of her reflections on America, post-2016 election. With Madison songwriter and pianist Kaia Kalise.
Breaking Benjamin, Monday, March 25, The Sylvee, 6:30 pm: Lead by the powerful screaming of lead singer Benjamin Burnley, the classic alternative metal band Breaking Benjamin is on tour following the release of the song “Tourniquet.” The heavy, melodically complicated song is the final in a recent trilogy of music videos, which started with “Red Cold River.” With fellow hard rock legends Skillet, plus Underoath and Fight the Fury.
Jenny Lewis, Wednesday , March 27, The Sylvee, 8 pm: Since her musical debut in the late ’90s with beloved indie rock outfit Rilo Kiley, Jenny Lewis has been slaying with her dazzling voice, clever, confessional lyrics and impeccable songwriting. “Red Bull & Hennessy,” from her brand-new album, On the Line, is no exception — soulful vocals tinged with heartache and longing accompanied by insistent, almost haunting piano and guitar melodies. Unconventional hip-hop artist Serengeti, who recently released Music from the Graphic Novel Kenny vs the Dark Web, opens.
Smino, Wednesday, March 27, Majestic, 8:30 pm: St. Louis-born rapper/singer Smino excels at blurring the line between hip-hop and R&B. His 2018 project, NØIR, however, shatters it completely. Each song — especially his love song to St. Louis love “We Got the Biscuits” — playfully splatters rapped verses and softly sculpted melodies across lovely sonic canvasses, switching between the two with capricious joy. With EarthGang, Phoelix.
Graminy, Wednesday, March 27, The Jefferson, Spring Green, 7 pm: This five-piece band takes on the task of merging the worlds of classical music and bluegrass with aplomb, crafting longer-form compositions with ecological themes. It’s always a treat on the rare occasions they take the stage, but this show has a special extra feature: the announcement of the 2019 lineup for the popular Shitty Barn Series. Graminy members Mary Gaines & Chris Wagoner also play a duo set. (Side note: The barn is also in need of a new roof, and a fundraising campaign is underway.)
Pedrito Martinez Group, Wednesday, March 27, UW Memorial Union-Play Circle, 8 pm: The Pedrito Martinez Group will make you feel like a teenager. At least that's what legendary producer Quincy Jones says, adding "they had the club JUMPING!" Which club is a mystery, but Q is correct — percussionist Martinez and his Afro-Latin jazz combo are both virtuosically talented and hugely entertaining. And where else could you find a guy who's performed with both Wynton Marsalis and Bruce Springsteen?
Novo Amor, Thursday, March 28, High Noon Saloon, 8 pm: Despite the fact the multi-instrumentalist behind the project is Welsh, “Novo Amor” is actually Portuguese. It means “new love,” and is representative of what Ali Lacey found in his solo project following a bad breakup in 2012. Novo Amor’s output deals heavily in experimental soundscapes that aren’t difficult to get lost in. Sounds a lot like love to us. With Gia Margaret.
Find the full rundown of this week's Isthmus Picks here.
