Ethan Keller's Cache Cider – the city's first cidery – hosts its grand opening celebration on Friday.
Although Door County’s Island Orchard Cider had hoped to open its Pomona Cidery on the East Side by now, that project has been delayed, and in the meantime, local musician Keller has raced ahead and launched the city’s first craft cidery.
Cache is located in a roughly 1,100-square-foot space on the first floor of the Hide House complex, 2612 S. Greeley St., in Bay View.
Keller's own group will perform, along with special guests Stephanie Lippert and Sam Grady, beginning at 5 p.m.
Because it's also Bay View Gallery night, there will be live painting by American Illusion.
"So come on out and enjoy one of the coolest (and least expensive) nights out in one of the coolest neighborhoods in the city," Keller wrote in an email announcing the grand opening.
"I'll be honored to welcome you to my own venue."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
