A slate of acoustic performances on Summerfest’s American Family Insurance House, just east of the Mid-Gate fountain, has been announced for the 2022 festival.
The intimate venue – which debuted in 2019 – is open daily from noon until 8 p.m. during the festival, and offers a Little Gig experience in the heart of the Big Gig.
In addition to these acoustic sets by national acts, the venue will also include performances by local musicians and music students.
Here is the lineup as it currently stands, but please note that all performers, dates and times are subject to change without notice. You can find start times for the sets at amfam.com/summerfest as the festival nears.
- June 23: The Wild Feathers, Trapper Schoepp, DJ GEMINI GILLY
- June 24: Dayglow, Sadie Jean
- June 25: Cory Henry, Noga Erez, B-Free, DJ DRiPSweat
- June 30:Caley Conway, David Shaw of the Revivalists
- July 1: DJ Nu Stylez, Iann Dior, Jessie James Decker
- July 2: Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind, Mt. Joy
- July 7: Milky Chance, Boyz II Men
- July 8: JoJo, Ric Wilson, Vincent Van Great, DJ Shawna
- July 9: AMFAM Jam, You Win!!!, DJ Bizzon
In addition to this lineup, the house will be open for dancing to mixes curated by hometown DJs and will include space for local nonprofits, including Grace Weber’s Music Lab – a music accelerator for high school students – and Let The Music Play grant program for nonprofits and schools that offer music-based learning.
The house also has a rooftop with great views that is open to all, plus a photo booth and more.
“At American Family Insurance, we know that with the right support, any dream is possible,” said Sherina Smith, Chief Marketing Officer of American Family Insurance and Main Street America, in a statement.
“That’s why we have a long legacy of protecting musical dreams. From our work with Jennifer Hudson supporting Chicago-area music students to our longstanding partnership with Summerfest, the largest music festival in the world, we’re proud to work in the Milwaukee community and excited to support the next generation of dreamers under our roof.”
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.
