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Though it will already be autumn by the time Milwaukee’s premier surf guitar rockers The Exotics take the stage at Red Dot Tosa, 6715 W. North Ave., at 8 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 22, it’ll still be warm enough to go surfing out on Lake Michigan, should the spirit move you.
The band – which formed in 1994 – performed in California last month at the 10th annual Surf Guitar 101 Convention, before returning home to its regular gig at The Foundation Tiki Bar in Riverwest.
"The Exotics have pretty much been 'back together' since about 2002 (after a brief hiatus) and have been playing ever since," says guitarist Paul Wall. "We have a monthly Thursday residency at The Foundation. Last month was our third time in California, our last being two tours in 2010 and 2012. We've played a couple nice tiki festivals: Tiki Oasis in San Diego and The Hukilau in Fort Lauderdale."
Since 2001, the band's lineup has included guitarists Wall and Brandt Zacher, bassist Jon Ziegler and drummer Don Nelson.
The group's most recent CD is 2015's "Twangy Surf and Spy Themes."
Unfamiliar with The Exotics? Here are some videos so you can study up:
You definitely don’t want to miss this chance to wave goodbye to the Milwaukee summer at Red Dot. Cover for the show is $5.
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.
