Author Archives: T.J.

About T.J.

Editor-in-chief and writer for Midwest music site Playground Misnomer and WUD Music blog contributor.

Just Announced

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A few solid shows to announce this week, starting with one that’s a whole two days away. A Midwest all-star jazz trio consisting of Milwaukee trumpeter Russ Johnson, Madison guitarist Luke Polipnick, and Chicago drummer Cory Healey will play Behind the Beat at Der Rath at 5 p.m. on Friday. Be sure to check them out because they’re some of the most talented jazz musicians in the Great Lakes area.

What’s the deal with the moody model above? The Sett will be hosting the MODA Magazine Fashion Showcase. Chicago rap trio BBU will get you jumping (or juking) after the models strut their stuff. Check it out March 16th, the last day of MODA’s fashion week.

Finally, Danish indie rockers Alcoholic Faith Mission will make a stop in Madison on May 4th during their North American tour. They’ve received favorable reviews from hip publications like Brooklyn Vegan and Drowned in Sound with their “pretty, melancholic music (BV).” They’re release their new album, Ask Me This, on March 27th. Check out their first music video off that album, “Running With Insanity.”

See below for more information, and check the calendar for more upcoming shows.

2/24/12 Behind the Beat: Russ Johnson, Luke Polipnick, and Cory Healey – Der Rathskeller: Memorial Union

3/16/12 MODA Fashion Show featuring BBU – The Sett: Union South

5/4/12 Alcoholic Faith Mission – Der Rathskeller: Memorial Union

Open Mics at Der Rath Are Your Opportunity to Show Off

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Is there a guitar gathering dust in the corner of your room as if to ask, “When are we gonna take the stage again?” Open Mic at Der Rathskeller is the answer. Every second and fourth Thursday of the month is your chance to show off at Memorial Union, whether it be full-band, a solo act, an instrumental performance, poetry, or a comedy routine. The mic is live – what you do with it is up to you.

So when’s your next chance to be a part of it? Tomorrow night, February 22! Sign-up begins at 7:45. At 8 there’s a drawing to determine order (à la NBA Draft lottery). Each act gets fifteen minutes, so make sure you prepare at least two to three songs. Be sure to invite your friends to watch in amazement at how good you are. That’s all you need to know to play on the same stage that acts like WHY?, Los Campesinos, and Real Estate have played. So start practicing!

The Weekend In Photos

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There are over 80 pictures to check out here of the weekend’s concerts; the bands were just too photogenic to narrow it down any more. YACHT’s video graphics, amazing poses, crowd interactions, and general awesomeness made each picture unique. Asobi Seksu’s energy comes through in photos of them. Juniper Tar invited folks on stage, which made for excellent pictures. Photos of Night Moves, Asumaya, Trapper Schoepp, and Kane Place Record Club also display how hard these guys rock. So check out the pics – you might just spot yourself in some.

Have pictures of these shows you think the world needs to see? Send them to wudmusiccom@gmail.com and we’ll probably add them. Click photos to enlarge.

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Your Friday Night with YACHT, Asobi Seksu, and Asumaya

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Tonight’s the night! Your Friday’s going to be filled with indie excellence. Seriously. The headlining tours of two powerhouses, Asobi Seksu and YACHT, will collide in Madison at The Sett tonight at 9 p.m., but the action gets started in mere hours and doesn’t end until the wee hours of the morning.

Around 5 pm Asobi Seksu will be in the studio on WSUM, 91.7 FM. So sit down with your bowl of ramen and click on this link when the time comes to get a preview of the blissful dream pop you can expect tonight when Asobi Seksu hits the stage. Or just start listening now since WSUM (celebrating it’s ten-year anniversary this year) has excellent programming all day.

At nine the party gets started with Madison’s own Asumaya. Asumaya is the highly-experimental solo project of CONTROL’s Luke Bassuener, who combines smooth vocal melodies with organically-shaped beats that makes you wonder how a man with only two arms and two legs can manage to recreate such a thing live. Get there early to find out the answer to that curiosity and listen to “Marketing is My Culture” to get an idea of what he sounds like.

A little before 10 p.m. Polyvinyl’s Asobi Seksu will take the stage, displaying why they’ve been at the forefront of the shoegaze and indie pop scene for nearly a decade. “Trails” (available for download below) off their latest, Hush, is a perfect example of the band’s style, attacking with sound from all sides, but above all displaying the beauty and power of Yuki Chikudate’s voice. Their skill is truly admirable and something you won’t want to miss in action.

Around 11 p.m., DFA artists YACHT will take control of your night and not give it back. No stranger to Madison (You may have caught them at 2009′s Foward Music Festival), they’ll be sure to get a sizable crowd moving. Their latest, Shangri-La, explored the dualisms of life – good vs. evil, utopia vs. dystopia, and more. It takes skill to create music that has meaning, and more to keep it danceable, but that’s the kind of band YACHT is. And the party doesn’t stop there – after YACHT has played their last song of the night, the DTF afterparty begins with members of the band spinning tracks. That’s right, you’re feet won’t stop moving until 2 a.m.

So clearly this isn’t one to miss. Get down to The Sett at 9 p.m. Check out some videos below from both Asobi Seksu and YACHT, and be sure to download Asobi Seksu’s “Trails.”

Download “Trails” from Asobi Seksu

Just Announced

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You all know DMF as our weekly Friday dance series, which runs from midnight to 2 am. It’s nothing short of a party, and something you don’t want to miss out on. We’ve got two exciting, quickly-approaching DMF’s to announce this week. On 2/24 we have DJE and Soundkill3r, members of Electronic Music Production, a new student organization on campus dedicated to creating their own dance music. Come to see the future of Madison dance music.

Speaking of the future, we have Steez bringing their futuristic Creepfunk sound to DMF on 3/2. They’re a Madison favorite, and this is sure to be a popular show, so make sure you get down to The Sett to experience their highly-danceable electro-funk. Good times are sure to be had.

In non-DMF news, we’re please to announce the 4/21 show at The Sett with bleubird and Ceschi. bleubird is currently touring Europe with Astronautalis (who will visit The Sett himself next Saturday) and recently released the Astronautalis-produced CANNONBALL!!!, a diverse collection of poppy beats and clever rhymes. CANNONBALL!!! was released on Fake Four records, of which Ceschi (pronounced Chess-key) is a founder, having released numerous albums of his own successful brand of hip-hop.

As usual, all these shows are free. Check out a list of the newly announced shows below, and make sure to head over to our calendar to see what else has been announced for our spring season.

2/24 DMF: DJE and Soundkiller – The Sett: Union South

3/2 DMF: Steez – The Sett: Union South

The Weekend in Photos

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All pictures of F. Stokes by Molly Palzkill

Check out some photos from F. Stokes’ homecoming and Lost Lander playing WSUM. Do you want to see your pictures in this segment? Send your pics of WUD Music events to wudmusiccom@gmail.com along with you’re name. If we like them, we’ll post them!

Click to enlarge.

Lost Lander
Der Rathskeller, February 10th, 2012
WSUM Appearance

All pictures of Lost Lander by Cara Hunt.

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The Soundtrack to Your Valentine’s Day

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Valentine’s Day means a lot of different things for different people. For those who’ve been in long-term relationships, it may be likened to an anniversary. For others, it’s an annoyance that requires an unnecessary amount of thought, time, and money. For the roommate of a sappy couple, it may be vomit-inducing. It may also be a day of taking chances. We’ve got you covered for the soundtrack of your V-Day, no matter which category you fall under. There are obvious choices, like “Love Stinks,” but that would be mailing it in. So hopefully you find something pertinent and new to you.

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Just Announced: Kimya Dawson

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Kimya Dawson. Whether you know the anti-folk star for her work with the Moldy Peaches, her seven solo LP’s, her songs on the Grammy-award winning soundtrack from 2007′s hit flick Juno, or her plethora of other endeavors and collaborations, you know her. On April 20th she’ll be in the building (Union South, that is), as she tours in support of her latest album, October’s Thunder Thighs. Amongst appearances by members of The Strokes, Aesop Rock, and The Mountain Goats, Thunder Thighs also features Kimya’s five-year-old daughter, Panda, which is freaking adorable.

Check out Kimya Dawson in the Sett on April 20th at 9 p.m. in a FREE unticketed show. Let us know you’re coming on the Facebook event. Have a look below to watch Kimya playing “All I Could Do,” the opening track from Thunder Thighs, to chickens.

This Saturday in the Sett: F. Stokes w/ DJ Radish and Briar Rabbit

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It’s probably easy to forget where you come from when you move to New York City, but F. Stokes ain’t having it. There’s no greater evidence of that than “My Simple,” the lead single and video from his upcoming release, Love, Always, out March 6th. The song declares, “This is not New York and this is not L.A. – this is my small town in the U.S.A.” He says it with pride, not afraid to make distinction from his current home base. The video also bleeds Sconnie pride, showing off some of the places that make the Madison area great, from the Majestic to Strictly Discs to Mermaid Coffee to a cornfield.

So it’s fitting and admirable that F. Stokes will play a free concert on Saturday, recognizing the fans that supported him on the journey to where he is today. He tweeted last night, “This Saturday. Union South. Me & Radish. Free show. Madison, I’m so excited to finish my tour off in my hometown.” We’re so excited to be hosting an event that celebrates one of our own.

It’s probably safe to say that DJ Radish and Briar Rabbit are excited to be a part of it all as well, and you should look forward to seeing them. Getting us started will be Briar Rabbit, whose self-coined “thought pop” features some excellent grooves and deep subject-matter. The most recent example is his Black History Month-inspired ‘The Great Routine,’ where each Thursday of February he releases a free song on his site following the storyline of an African-American blackface minstrel. It’s both powerful and catchy. Following Briar Rabbit, DJ Radish will give you some serious homegrown beats to get your body jumping. You may have caught Radish playing all over Madison, including the Majestic and Segredo.

So get down to The Sett at 9 p.m. on Saturday to be a part of this homecoming. We may not be New York, and we may not be L.A., but we’ll definitely be doing some big city-caliber partying this weekend.

Download “My Simple” by F. Stokes

Just Announced

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The Daily Cardinal showed us some love today by publishing an article highlighting what our February has in store. Today we’ve got more excellent February shows to announce, ensuring that whether you’re a Valentine’s Day hater or embracer (that doesn’t quite rhyme, but we’ll go with it), it’s going to be a good month. Minnesota’s Night Moves will hit the Sett on February 18th. They just signed with Domino Records, which is home to amazing acts like Arctic Monkeys, Cass McCombs, Dirty Projectors and Panda Bear, so you know they’re going to be a band to watch. Another band doing the Midwest proud is Milwaukee’s Junipar Tar, who just had their Daytrotter session posted. They’ll also be here on February 18th at Der Rathskeller.

Whoa there, kids. Don’t think that we’re one-month wonders over here. The action keeps rolling into March, April, and beyond, here. As announced a few weeks ago, Doomtree will be here on March 9th. Well, the party doesn’t stop after their performance, as Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger will spin tracks in our DMF Afterparty. We’ve got New Yorkers Caveman on April 13th, whose debut LP CoCo Beware has gotten a ton of buzz, which probably had something to do with them getting signed to a little label called Fat Possum last month. On April 27th, Blackbird Blackbird, an electronic/dream pop act that was so nice they named it twice, will make the trip out from their hometown of Oakland (after making a stop at SXSW, of course) to make pleasing sounds for your ears.

That’s not even all, so check out the listings below for more concerts and more details on those listed above. Go ahead, don’t be shy.

2/10 DMF: DJ Goof – The Sett: Union South

2/18 Juniper Tar w/ Chaperone – Der Rath: Memorial Union

2/18 Night Moves w/ Kane Place Record Club – The Sett: Union South

2/24 Advance Base – Der Rath: Memorial Union

3/9 DMF: Doomtree Afterparty feat. Lazerbeak and Paper Tiger – The Sett: Union South

4/13 Caveman w/ TBA – The Sett: Union South

4/27 Blackbird Blackbird w/ TBA – The Sett: Union South