Chris Lotten
Before the doors open, the line to get in stretches around the building and about a third of the way up the block. Once inside The Sylvee, it’s clear that, even though it’s opening night for the shiny new jewel in FPC Live’s oversized crown, this will play out in typical Madison fashion: At least a third of the sold-out crowd of 2,500 has opted to skip the opener and will trickle/stumble in in time to catch Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats’ aw-shucks Americana rock. Either that or they’re still working on finding parking; the in-progress ramp across the street is still blockaded by construction cranes.
The early birds have their heads on a swivel, taking advantage of some unexpected walking room to admire the shiny new veneer of the spacious, industrial-themed venue — the handy power-charging posts, the cassette mural of Sylvia Frank, the growing lines at the main floor bar.
"We just need to get a beer in everyone’s hand and get the party started,” says Matt Gerding, one of FPC Live’s presidents, walking back and forth with his headset on, communicating with the security team, grim-faced in their signature black Ts.
Up on The Sylvee’s second floor, Dave and Lisa Boyd have inadvertently struck gold. They’re parked along the rail right behind the two rows of reserved platinum balcony seating (anywhere from $40-$75, depending on the artist). As long as you’re not into being close enough to the stage to count the lead singer’s sweat beads, it’s actually the best view in the house.
There’s some happy coincidence here. Dave Boyd used to be the production manager for Headliners, the music club that, in the ’80s and ’90s, occupied the spot where Liquid and Ruby now sit on University Avenue. Lisa, his wife, was the coat-check girl. Dave’s impressed but skeptical: “The sightlines are certainly good, but let’s see how the sound is,” he says.
Meanwhile, on the main floor, Holly Cooper, a bathroom and kitchen designer who’s driven a whopping three-plus hours from Rhinelander to Madison on a bucket-list trip to see Rateliff (“I just want to hug him,” she gushes, two or three times) has positioned herself at the edge of the stage/security barrier. She’s a little incredulous that the floor’s not packed. Give it another hour, Holly.
When Rateliff strides on stage with a baseball cap and a flourish around 9:15, elbow room’s at a premium. “It’s the grand opening,” Rateliff says before launching the Night Sweats into “Shoe Boot.” “How fucking great.”
For the most part, he’s right. The opener gamely strums through a 45-minute set that’s never quite enough to distract the crowd conversations (Badgers football, the Kavanaugh hearings, fingers pointing to the third-floor VIP suite patrons hovering above like modern-day, music-loving Caesars) or yank faces from smartphone screens. When the house is sellout-packed, the beer lines poke into the backs of the crowds of patrons above the pit. (Tip: If your tastes aren’t specialized, hit the beer cart on the left side on the main floor instead.) Absolutely none of it matters once Rateliff hits his stride.
As the first chord echoes out, Larry Frank, one of Frank Productions’ colorful second-gen owners, can be seen standing near the main floor stairs. Naturally, he’s wearing one of his signature blazers. And a big ol’ grin.
Musicians in the Night Sweats’ brass section: 3
Whiskeys on The Sylvee’s drink menu: 6
Random concert-goer, clutching a 40 of PBR: “This is my first actual beer.”
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats’ first Madison performance: 2013, in the now-defunct Frequency
Sellouts so far in The Sylvee’s first month of shows: 6 (Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Death Cab for Cutie, Kip Moore, Greta Van Fleet, Ninja Sex Party and The Brothers Osborne)
