Austin, Texas, may claim to be the live music capital of the world – though we all know which town gets that title for 11 days each summer – but Milwaukee's got it going on more than ever thanks to a range of venues that keep the music coming.
Here are five reasons to celebrate the local live music scene this week:
- Iron & Wine and The Head & the Heart – For $29.50 on Tuesday night, June 7, you can hit Turner Hall and get not one, but two bands with ampersands in their names. Iron & Wine needs no introduction and is worth the price of admission alone.
But add in Seattle's The Head & the Heart, whose catchy, piano-fueled debut was just reissued by Sub Pop (I'm loving it!), and you're in for an evening of great, great music. - The Bottle Rockets – Allmusic calls The Bottle Rockets, "one of America's great unsung rock & roll bands." The alt.country outfit's new record, "Lean Forward," reunites the band with producer Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, who produced their landmark records, "The Brooklyn Side" and "24 Hours a Day." Hear the fiery Midwestern rock and roll that propels The B. Rockets when the band hits Shank Hall, Saturday, June 11 at 8 p.m. Admission is $20.
- Southern Culture on the Skids – The country fried North Carolina rockabilly rockers SCOTS are frequent visitors to Milwaukee, a city that loves the band's high-energy, good time energy.
They return Thursday, June 9 for an 8 p.m. show with Whiskey Daredevils at Turner Hall. Cover is $15. Expect SCOTS to focus heavily on the new record, "The Kudzu Ranch." - The Limousines – Playing at The Rave Bar on Tuesday, June 7 is San Francisco electro-pop duo The Limousines. The band – with electronic whiz Gio and singer Eric (there's also a drummer for the tour) – has a Milwaukee connection. The group's album, "Get Sharp," is out on Dangerbird Records, the label run by Brew City ex-pat Jeff Castelaz.
You might know the band's single, "Internet Killed the Video Star," already, but if not, check it out here. - Future Islands, et. al. – On Monday, June 13, you can hear three bands at the Cactus Club, thanks to WMSE 91.7 FM and Battlecry Milwaukee. When Baltimore's Future Islands take the stage, you can hear how the group adds "punishing heft to simple pop melodies" (in the words of Rolling Stone.
But, you also get sets by Chicago's Wumme and Milwaukee's own Golden Coins – led by guitarist Travis Whitty – which crafts ethereal, (mostly) instrumental soundscapes. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door.
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.
