By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jun 09, 2021 at 1:03 PM

Washington Park Wednesdays – which announced in April that it would offer a split hybrid season of live events this summer – has announced the lineup for the two series.

According to a statement from The Board of Directors and the Planning Committee for Washington Park Neighbors (WPN), ”Building upon the foundation of what has been deemed a renaissance in recent years, the 2021 season presents a retrospective.

“You’ll see the return of our signature themes, the mobile bandshell and many familiar artists and collaborators. However, each of the eight performances will be an unprecedented experience, carefully conceived for this unique summer.”

The Washington Park Wheels Summer Concert Series returns from last year and features mobile live music in the four neighborhoods surrounding the West Side Park. Audiences are encouraged to remain distanced.

Routes and pop-up stops for each performance will be announced the week prior to the concert on the Washington Park Wednesdays’ social media feeds (Instagram @washingtonparkweds and Facebook @wpwmke).

In August, the mobile concert vehicle gets parked and the concerts return to the historic Washington Park Bandshell – whose history you can read here.

Unless forced to change due to national, state and/or county guidelines, events take place 6-8 p.m. and social distancing will be in effect for all participants.

Here are the lineups:

Washington Park Wheels Summer Concert Series

  • Venus Rising featuring Naima and Adekola Adedapo; Wednesday July 7, through Martin Drive
  • World to Wheels with Sindoola; Wednesday July 14, through Washington Heights
  • Old School The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Jazz and Contemporary Music Faculty Band; Wednesday July 21, through the Washington Park Neighborhood
  • ¡Viva! hosted by De la Buena; Wednesday July 28, through Uptown Crossing

Washington Park Wednesdays at the Washington Park Bandshell

  • Live Art! Portraits of Stevie arranged by Tha Dope Music Crew; Wednesday Aug. 4
  • Carnival at the Shell featuring Dead Man's Carnival &  Prof Pinkerton's Irrelevant Orchestra; Wednesday Aug. 11
  • Ride On! with Vincent van Great; Wednesday Aug. 18
  • Back to School Grace Weber's Music Lab and 88.9 Radio Milwaukee present Youth Music Night with Trinity Grace & Negative Positive; Wednesday Aug. 25
Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

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.