Madcity Nights - March 2015
Show previews in Madison, Wisconsin for March 2015
by Max Ink
March 2015
Devil To Drag Vs. Eddie Ate Dynamite
Sunday, March 8th 3pm
Brink Lounge
Randy Sabien Quartet
A legendary jazz violinist who founded the Jazz Strings department at Boston’s Berklee College of Music at 21 years old, Randy Sabien has released 10 albums since his debut in 1983 and has appeared on many releases from Bela Fleck to Peter Mulvey. Now he’s coming to the Brink Lounge to release his 11th album, “Soul of a Man”. Bluesy, rockin’, swingin’, funky, jazz violin that will get you dancing. Randy’s quartet also features multi-instrumentalist Chris Wagoner of Stellanovas fame.
Tuesday, March 10th
Malt House
Jim Schwall
Catch one of Madison’s living legends in a setting that befits his traditional folk, bluegrass, and country-blues stylings.
Tip: Malt House features “Build Your Own Whiskey Flights” and they support local spirits as well as feature amazing imports.
March 12th 8pm
Majestic Theatre
Blackberry Smoke, The Temperance Movement, Leon Virgil Bowers
Touring in support of their fourth album, Holding All the Roses (produced by Brendan Obrien), Atlanta’s Blackberry Smoke is the real deal when it comes to hearty southern rock n’ roll with a twist of alt-country.
Tip: The Opus Lounge across the street from the Majestic is a great place for preshow drinks and fun food. Try the Antipasto or the Spicy Tuna Roll with the radish sprouts and capelin roe.
Thursday, March 12th 9pm
The Merchant
Old Soul Society
Craft songwriting, passionate lyrics.. this is folky roots, roll n’ soul. Enjoy some craft cocktails from the bar that specializes in them.
Tip: Latenight menu, you can’t go wrong with Beer Brat Sliders and Hand-cut fries with malt-vinegar aioli. Read that again.
Friday, March 13th 9pm
The Wisco
State Maps, Polydactyl, Living Several Deaths
Loud, Fast and Heavy… enough said.
Tip: The Wisco Burger is famous, but they have a pretty good Fish Sandwich basket too!
Friday, March 13th
Mickey’s Tavern
Tween Wolf, Slow Walker, and Joe Darcy & The Wicker Crickets
Milwaukee bands find it tough to break into Madison’s music scene, Slow Walker is hoping their big-city-garage-jam-rock sound will give them that edge as they’re sandwhiched between the surf rock of Madison’s Tween Wolf and Madcity newcomers Joe Darcy & the Wicker Crickets.
Wednesday, March 18th
Barrymore Theatre
moe.
A 25th anniversary for a band is no small feat and Buffalo, New York’s moe. will celebrate the best way a band can, on tour. A jam band by nature, moe. fuses elements from bands the Grateful Dead and Frank Zappa with a slightly more modern-rock sound while feeding your mind with a tantalizing light show.
Tip: look up and check out the amazing African Mask collection at the Barrymore.
Friday, March 20th 9pm
The Frequency - No Cover
Bomblastica 2015
Maximum Ink’s 19 Year Anniversary Party
Devil To Drag, Dogs of War, Eddie Ate Dynamite
Bomblastica started in the year 2000 to not only signify Max Ink’s birthday, but as a party for the people, free admission to all, to enjoy talented, local bands.
Devil to Drag features Morgan Rae on vocals (One Last Run), Cocoa on guitar (Underground Day 1), Kai on drums (WJJO, Real Knives) and Wade on bass (UD1, Real Knives), sound kinky? Find out.
And by now you all know Eddie Ate Dynamite, that zany yet classy punk band that likes your hat for 12 seconds, no more. Wear your favorite hat and get in the door free.
Thank you Logo Promotions, Falbo Bros. Pizza, Trixie’s Liquor, Rökker Vodka, and Max Ink Radio.
Saturday, March 21st 9pm
The Frequency - No Cover
Bomblastica 2015
Maximum Ink’s 19 Year Anniversary Party
Dead Rider, William Z Villain, Perverse Engineer
Night two of Bomblastica promises more great bands like Chicago’s Dead Rider (see story), and Madison’s Perverse Engineer. They’re “A shape shifting, mind bending, harmonized rollercoaster of sound” and will open the show for the gypsy-jazz-blues-punk of William Z Villain.
William Z Villain’s website describes the band perfectly, one could not state it better, “Darting between Balkan groove, early American jazz, and bossanova with jagged mathematical precision, William Z. Villain’s music stuns and amuses with a beautifully dark demonic croon and fantastically furious finger-style guitar technique.”
Tip: Come down early and get a free, commemorative t-shirt.
Saturday, March 21st 12-4pm
High Noon Saloon
WORT Record Riot
WORT 89.9 FM, our local and listener sponsored radio station recently announced its first ever vinyl sale. Hundreds of selections from their archive of rock, folk, jazz, world and classical records will be available, as will offerings from other local vinyl vendors. WORT DJs will be spinning their favorite wax all afternoon. There is no cover for the event but it is ages 21+. Riot gear optional.
Saturday, March 21st
Knuckledown Saloon (5th Anniversary Party)
Valerie B. & The Boyz
Molotov! Opening a live music venue is hard enough, keeping the music going for five years… even harder. Make it a blues club. Priceless. Give Chris K a high five and enjoy Milwaukee’s new & old school jazz-fusion-funky-R&B outfit, Valerie B. & the Boyz.
Tip: regional blues guitar legend Paul Filipowicz plays the night before, 3/20
Thursday, March 26 8:30pm
High Noon Saloon
Dub Foundation (feat. members of Red Rose), Bird’s Eye, Dub Messengers, Captain Smooth
I think I have Reggaemylitis! Dub Foundation, a Madison based allstar 10 piece live roots/dub reggae band is relasing an EP. The band features traditional reggae elements like guitar, keys, and horns as well as modernisms like a “Dub Engineer” to create loops and other pleasing effects to the ear. They will be joined by the funky-groove-hip-hop of Madison’s Bird’s Eye and Dub Messenger. In between you’ll hear the riddims of Captain Smooth in the DJ booth. Ya mon!
Thursday, March 26th 9pm
Club Tavern
The Gomers
Gomeroke in Middleton? That’s what she said, but the Gomers are doing it EVERY THIRD THURSDAY at the Club Tavern, just under the lively moose head. The Madison band who just turned 30 and know a song by every band but Sublime are ready to be your back up band and then some! Pick out a song and become a rockstar. It’s karaoke on steroids and always a good time and the band still keeps court every Tuesday for Rockstar Gomeroke at the High Noon Saloon.
Saturday, March 28th
Mickey’s
Transformer Lootbag, Myrmidons, Czarbles
Transformer Lootbag formed the same year as Maximum Ink, 1996, that makes the Madison post-punk band 19 years old! As the Austin Chronicle said, “Transformer Lootbag sounds like a dangerously unbalanced Ferris wheel translated into pop music.”
Czarbles, Madison’s 70s influenced heavy-prog-rock instrumental band, forged in 2003 but only get together every now and then, so it pays to check this band out while you can.
Tip: According to Madison Magazine Mickey’s has the best “Bar Burger” but also have vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free menu items.
Saturday, March 28th 8pm
Bash in the Bluffs
Pumphouse (Baraboo)
Some may remember the building as “Hooty’s” just outside of Baraboo, but now The Pumphouse is well established and home to Bash in the Bluffs, now in it’s fourth year. Presented by Max Ink radio, the bash features a line up of great midwest talent including Annabel Lee, MAMA 2014 Female Vocalist now radio personality and host of Hersong Community Radio on WDRT-Viroqua, Madison rock outfit I Am Dragon, Portage grungers Acyuta, Madison power-trio Basement Fire, whose drummer Riley Henniger (Tiger Clutch) will also be performing with his band of Madison punk vetrans The Moguls. This is a fundraiser so don’t forget to pick up a raffle ticket, you could win an Epiphone firebird with a Peavy Classic 115 Half Stack from sponsors Baraboo Music.
Saturday, March 28th
Mother Fools Coffee House
Helen Gillet (CD Release)
The Belgian-American, New Orleanian cellist brings her style of electro-acoustic, avante garde jazz to Madison. Her solo performance will feature loops, vocals, and cello. I’m most interested to hear her use of effects including fuzz distortion, phaser, and digital delay. If you’re south of the Madison border, you can catch Helen Gillet at her alma matter, Beloit College, on March 25th.
Tip: Vegan Chocolate Brownies are the bomb!
Saturday, March 28th 10pm
Wheelhouse (CD Release)
High Noon Saloon
Powerhouse Americana is how one might describe Madison’s WheelHouse. The sound is undeniable, killer harmonies, amazing fiddle player, thumpin’ upright bass, and a guitarist who ain’t too shabby, leave the air intoxcated. They release their second album “Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch…” and are joined by alt-ska-reggae of La Crosse’s TUGG. Milwaukee’s legendary singer/songwriter Willy Porter performs earlier that night at 7pm.
Tip: Try the band’s Wheelhouse Whiskey, made right here in Madison at Yahara Bay Distillers, it’s served at the High Noon Saloon.
Tuesday, March 31st 7-10pm
The Frequency
Jimmy K Show live with One Last Run
Most guys watching Morgan Rae on stage with One Last Run are wishing she would play… guitar. Fantasies come true as Morgan will handle a 6-string for the first time on stage in the new One Last Run line up as a four piece. The Jimmy K Show will be broadcast the event live from 7-10pm and feature live interviews of artists, comedians, and more.
Thursday, April 2nd
Funk’s Pub
The Still Tide (CD Release)
Anna Morsett, whom you may know as the bassist from Ark Life or These United States, is the stormy voiced guitarist of Denver based indie-rock trio The Still Tide. Often using alternate and open tunings as well as several different capos, her playing style is uniquely layered and intricate. Both chordal rock and lyrical finger-picking find their place within this textured sound.
Tip: Try the new Brutally Hot Cheeseburger at Funk’s.
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