Between The Waves 2018
by Teri Barr
June 2018
Luke Jorgensen and Roy Elkins
photo by Teri Barr
It started as a dream, and one I recall talking with Roy Elkins about over a sandwich at the Avenue Bar on East Washington Avenue in Madison a few years ago. Roy wanted to highlight the music scene in this area, and decided a weekend gathering of industry experts from across the world, along with showcases featuring the multitude of talent in and around the city, could be good for everyone involved.
Quickly jump forward to June 2018, and the planning for the 2nd Annual Between the Waves Madison Music Conference and Festival is all but complete. The list of speakers and panelists is a “who’s who” of those in the industry, including two of Wisconsin’s own, now known around the globe for their talent and expertise, producer and Garbage band founder Butch Vig, and hip hop producer DJ Pain 1. “They’ll be joined by additional well-known music industry veterans in sharing their knowledge, experience, and perspective with the musicians of our city, and with musicians visiting us from out of town,” Roy Elkins, Founder of Between the Waves says. Elkins also lists some of this year’s first-time presenters as those not to miss, from composer and producer Michael Boddicker (worked with Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie), Nashville-based talent manager Billy Holland (connected with Josh Gracin, the Gatlin Brothers), producer and engineer Bud Snyder (noted for his work with the Allman Brothers Band), New York-based talent manager Emily White (works with Dresden Dolls, Imogen Heap, Taj Mahal), Executive Director of Country Radio Broadcasters Bill Mayne, drummer and inspirational speaker Sandy Gennaro, and many more.
The daytime conference, June 14-17 at The Gordon Events Center on the UW Madison campus, will be followed each night by live music of all kinds—metal, hip hop, Americana, singer-songwriters, high-school and veterans of the scene. Most of the shows will be inside and out of the High Noon complex and over to Bos Meadery along East Washington Avenue. It is a chance to support your favorites, and find some new ones, too.
But something will be missing this year, and it’s a hole that will be impossible to fill. Luke Jorgensen, a friend to all, and an amazing musician with The Lower 5th, died in March. He was just 39. Luke jumped on to Roy’s idea for Between the Waves, booking and organizing the festival portion for the inaugural year in 2017. He believed so strongly in the potential for Between the Waves, he rolled his own event, “The Whiskeyonson Family Reunion,” into the festival and created an instant success. “He is missed. He will be missed. It’s why we are dedicating the festival to him,” Elkins says.
An honor, celebration, education, and a good time. Between the Waves 2018 has all the features of a magical musical event you won’t want to miss.
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