Author Archives: T.J.

About T.J.

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

You’re Back!

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Welcome back to campus! You look tanner. Have you lost weight? Must have been all that walking around Daytona Beach. I see you picked up some sweet sunglasses. Those will look great on the Terrace. How was the music? Flo Rida is great, but I don’t blame you for sick of hearing him all break. Good thing we’ve got some awesome shows to look forward to for the rest of the semester and spilling into the summer. Let us help you ease back into the business side of things by providing you with some weekend fun, outdoor tunes with a scenic background, and crowds of peers ready to party.

Let’s start with April. We’re leaving it all out there for the last full month of school. This weekend we’ve got the awesome, crowd-interactive shows of Caveman, Screaming Females, and Giant People on Friday at Der Rath, and Big Freedia on Saturday on the same stage. We’ll have previews of both of those shows later in the week, but here’s a very short preview of the previews (I know, we’re going full Inception on you): They will be loud. They will be fun. You will sweat.

RON SWANSON. That’s all the segue I need. Tickets are still miraculously available for the April 18th show at the Union Theatre with Parks & Recreation‘s Nick Offerman. Jump on them so you can see the man behind the notorious mustache give a Q & A, share anecdotes, sing songs, and give tips on living a prosperous life. Considering how wise Ron Swanson (see video), this show may will change your life. Tickets been be purchased online, at the Union Theater on the Park Street-facing side of Memorial Union, or by phone at (608) 265-ARTS (2787).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6c7Vw6R33E

It’d be easy to devote whole posts to each show beyond that point (and that’s just the treatment they’ll get the week of the shows), but you’ve got homework to catch up on and we’ve got more shows to book, so check out the Facebook events for more info on the following dates. We’ve got the EMMIE Battle of the Bands on April 20th, where you’ll get to see your classmates rock the Terrace. That same night anti-folk legend Kimya Dawson rocks one of our final shows in the Sett for the season. Rap fans will get their fill on April 21st at the Sett when Fake Four, Inc. acts bleubird and Ceschi hit the Sett with local rhymester genius Phonetic ONE. If silky smooth pop is more your thing, you can catch Jason Reeves with Anais Mitchell and Cuddle Magic across town at Der Rath. California electronic act Blackbird Blackbird and Canopies will get the Sett jumping on April 27th while across town Ezra Furman, Chamberlin, and Coo Woo will get Der Rath chilling. The Surgeons in Heat vinyl release party with The Midwest Beat, The Fatty Acids, and Pioneer takes the party outside to the Terrace again on the 28th while prog geniuses The Dear Hunter play the Sett. Yes, that’s all in the next three weeks.

We don’t quit during the summer, though. The Terrace kicks into full swing after school gets out. May 18th sees indie legends Xiu Xiu with buzz-makers Dirty Beaches, and June 8th brings Aussie band Royal Headache on the same day they drop their much-anticipated U.S. release of their debut album. Check out the calendar for the full breakdown of who will be rocking our stages (Remember we have the Behind the Beat series Friday afternoons and Open Mics the second and fourth Thursdays of the month). We’re excited, we hope you’re excited, and we look forward to seeing you out there!

Just Announced

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More details coming in on the Big Freedia and the Divas date, and man, are they exciting.  DJ Diamond, Chicago juke artist, will get us started with the show at 9:30 p.m. You may have caught him in the Sett last semester with Chrissy Murderbot. He’ll likely bring dancers with him as well, who probably don’t need dance lessons but may want to partake in what’s going down at 8:30 anyway – Before the show Big Freedia’s going to show you how to Bounce. Bounce is the booty-centric style of dance Big Freedia’s music is based around. See the video at the bottom of the page to see what (amazingness) you’re in for.

The exciting news doesn’t end with that show. Renowned Madison reggae act Natty Nation will be rocking the the Terrace Ratsa-style on June 23rd. Phonetic ONE, the Madison rapper who is currently a contestant in the Chegg College Battle of the Bands (which has included contestants like Local Natives and Mike Posner in the past) and has played shows with F. Stokes, will get the bleubird and Ceschi show started on April 21st in the Sett.

Check out the new additions below, and head over to the calendar to see the dates that have already been announced. Watch Big Freedia’s “Excuse” below

4/14/2012 DJ Diamond opening for Big Freedia- 9:30. Big Freedia Bounce Dance Class – 8:30. The Sett: Union South.

4/21/2012 Phonetic ONE opening for bleubird and Ceschi – The Sett: Union South

6/23/2012 Natty Nation – The Terrace: Memorial Union

(The Last Few) Weekend(s) in Pictures

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All photos of Sidewalk Chalk and Fresh Cut Collective by T.J. Matzen

Check it: A bunch of you sent us some pictures of the last few weekends, which we love (That can be done at wudmusiccom@gmail.com). So, check out pictures of the Grace Weber Band, MODA Fashion Show and BBU Afterparty, and this weekend’s Fresh Cut Collective and Sidewalk Chalk show. Some of these are professional grade because, well, they’re done by professionals. Check out Marissa J Murdy’s photography page, who shot the Grace Weber photos, and MANDO Photography’s Facebook page, whose Armando Vega shot the MODA Fashion show shots. They put my ten-year-old basic digital camera pics to shame. More after the jump. Keep snapping those pics people!

All photos of MODA Runway Show by Armando S. Vera of MANDO Photography

All photos of Grace Weber Band by Marissa Murdy of Marissa J Murdy Photography.

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Just Announced

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Royal Headache

Spring Break is just around the corner, but don’t check out just yet. At least pay attention to our newest set of concert announcements. We’ve got Sett announcements; we’ve got Der Rath announcements; we’ve got Terrace announcements. Let’s get right into it.

You may remember Giant People‘s raucous show in Der Rath last semester, where we were treated to punk excellence. When an act that headlined Der Rath a few months ago is opening a three-band bill at the same place, you know it’s going to be a great show. They’ll join Caveman and Screaming Females on April 13th, so don’t leave your party shoes in Panama City Beach over Spring Break.

On April 28th The Dear Hunter will rock the Sett, but you knew that already. What you didn’t know is that The Envy Corps will precede them in the lineup. They may be from our farming-state rival of Iowa, but their atmospheric pop-rock sound that’s drawn comparisons to Radiohead and Modest Mouse can make even us look past that.

Who loves bands whose name sounds like a challenge? We do. That’s why we’re excited that You Won’t will open for Alcoholic Faith Mission on the Terrace on May 5th. The Bostonians released their debut on Valentine’s Day, and you’ll fall in love with their chill indie folk rock sound that will hopefully be accompanied by a summer breeze.

Many of us may never make it to Australia, but in June Australia will come to us when Royal Headache plays the Terrace. The lo-fi rockers’ debut drops in the U.S. on May 8th.. Pitchfork is really excited for it. So be there so you can say you “saw them when.”

Finally, “Madison’s Funk and R&B Kings” Phat Phunktion will play the Terrace the next day. They formed at this university more than 15 years ago and have been a local favorite and beyond since then. They released their fourth album,Real Life… High Fidelity, last year and don’t show any signs of slowing down soon. May 9th will be a night for dancing.

Check out a list of the dates below, and head over to the calendar for dates already announced. Have a great Spring Break, and come back eager to hear some live tunes.

4/13/12 Giant People opening for Caveman and Screaming Females – Der Rathskeller: Memorial Union

4/28/12 The Envy Corps opening for The Dear Hunter – The Sett: Union South

5/5/12 You Won’t opening for Alcoholic Faith Mission – The Terrace: Memorial Union

6/8/12 Royal Headache w/ TBA – The Terrace: Memorial Union

6/9/12 Phat Phunktion w/ TBA – The Terrace: Memorial Union

Just Announced: Big Freedia and the Divas

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Often with these announcements I use terms like “get your toes tapping” or “make your feet move.” When Big Freedia and the Divas hit the stage, you’ll feel the rhythm a little higher up on the posterior side of your body. Those who are familiar with Freedia know that the purpose of the music – coined “bounce music” – is almost primarily to get your rump shaking, and those who don’t know Freedia need only to watch one of the videos from the 2010 release Big Freedia Hitz Vol. 1 to find out:

Yes, that’s the kind of excellence you can expect on Saturday, April 14th and more. That “more” may include a lesson on how to make your rear fly around like the dancers in the video, a skill which Big Freedia has been known to teach and pass on to crowds between delivering clever and inviting rhymes. It’s one you’re definitely not going to miss, and as usual, the show is free. So bring your dancing shoes and… dancing shorts?… to The Sett on April 14th when Big Freedia comes to town.

Announced/Preview: Fresh Cut Collective + Sidewalk Chalk in The Sett, Friday

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Milwaukee’s Fresh Cut Collective is no stranger to either the Sett or success, and they’re revisiting both. Last semester, they played a blowout with Chicago’s Kids These Days at Union South, electrifying the crowd with their grooves and inviting rhymes. Their talent helped them win the 2011 Wisconsin Area Music Industry’s award for best rap/hip-hop award.

With 2012 only about a fourth of the way over, there’s every indicator that Fresh Cut Collective will see even more accolades and great things come their way this year. Last week, the list of WAMI nominees was released, and Fresh Cut Collective found themselves as one of the few 2011 winners defending their crown. You can even hear whispers of “three-peat” as they’re set to release their newest album, RE-FRAME (Part 1). This Friday’s show will serve as a Madison release party, while the following Friday will see their hometown record release party at the Mirimar Theatre in Milwaukee.

Joining them will be Chicago’s Sidewalk Chalk, who recently had a record release party of their own for their debut album Corner Store. Playing a DJ set after their record release was a guy you may have heard of named ?uestlove (He’s on a late night talk show as a band leader… Look it up). Their upbeat soul/rap fusion is a perfect match with that of Fresh Cut Collective and will provide audiences with pleasing messages and feet-moving jams.

Check out songs from each (and Sidewalk Chalk bassist Garrett McGinn’s Swanson-stache) below, and do not miss this one. See the Facebook event for more details on this 9:00-starting Friday show.

Weekend in Photos

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Photo by T.J. Matzen

Friday was a big night. We had two huge shows: Doomtree with Milo at the Sett, and Lower Dens with Yellow Ostrich, Grace Weber Band, and 1,2,3. We estimate that between the two shows we had about 1,000 of you in the crowd, with both venues packed. Thus, there has to be a ton of photos out there. We have quite a few of the Doomtree show but are a little sparse on photos from Der Rathskeller. If you have some, we’d love to see them and put them in this post. Shoot them over to wudmusiccom@gmail.com. Thanks for coming out this weekend, and we hope to see you again at the upcoming shows!

Doomtree w/ Milo
March 9, 2012 – The Sett

Doomtree

Photo by Stacey Lansing, Mixtapes Heartbreaks

Photo by Molly Gallagher

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Just Announced: An Evening with Parks & Recreation’s Nick Offerman

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It’s official: The man behind one of the most notorious mustaches of our generation will be visiting Madison. Nick Offerman, most famous for portraying Ron Swanson – the blunt, hyper-masculine Director of the Pawnee Department of Parks & Recreation on NBC’s Parks & Recreation – will take the stage at Memorial Union’s Union Theatre for “An Evening with Nick Offerman” on April 18th. The show includes what you might expect of the genius behind a character such as Ron Swanson: a Q & A, humorous anecdotes, acoustic songs (Will Duke Silver be making an appearance?!?!), tips for living a prosperous life (See the Ron Swanson Pyramid of Greatness), and much more.

Let’s talk about a few of the reasons Nick Offerman is every bit as cool in real life as the character he plays on Parks & Recreation: 1) Offerman is an expert woodworker and owner of Offerman Woodshop. He honed his skills as a theater set designer and now puts them to use creating such awesome things as canoes, some of which have been featured on Parks & Recreation. 2) Offerman is married to Megan Mullally, best known as Karen on Will & Grace. She has appeared as Tammy 2, the manipulative second wife (and second to be named Tammy) of Ron Swanson. 3) Offerman appears in the movie re-hash of 21 Jump Street, which opens this Friday and currently has a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 27 reviews from top critics. That’s pretty impressive.

A pre-sale for students of the university will occur on March 20th (a week from today) in which 250 tickets will be available for $10. Tickets for the pre-sale must be purchased at the Union box office or by telephone. The next day, March 21st, tickets will be on sale to the public for the price of $15 for students and $25 for non-students. After you buy your ticket, feel free to watch full episodes from this season of Parks & Recreation with it, streaming online until the season returns April 19th. Then show up ready to laugh on Wednesday, April 18th!

Watch to witness some of Offerman’s best work as Swanson:

Interview: Grace Weber (Der Rath, Friday)

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Tomorrow night, we’ve got a powerhouse of a lineup for you in Lower Dens, Yellow Ostrich, Grace Weber Band, and 1,2,3. For the middle two bands in that sandwich, the show will be something of a homecoming, as both Grace Weber and Yellow Ostrich are originally from Wisconsin and relocated to New York City. We were recently able to chat with Grace Weber about her Wisconsin roots, among other things – including Cash Cab and cheese curds. Check that out below followed by her music video for “Everything to Me,” and make sure to come to the free show, which starts at 8:30 at Der Rathskeller, to see if she wears her  “I was on the Cash Cab” shirt.

What was the hardest adjustment moving from Wauwatosa, WI to New York City? The absence of cheese curds?

The absence of cheese curds was definitely a difficulty I had to overcome (hoarding them in your apartment doesn’t work), but I learned to substitute slices of New York pizza for the curds. Otherwise, I think just getting used to the fast pace, high intensity atmosphere of New York was the biggest switch. In the right doses, the buzz of New York can be so inspiring and can keep you on your toes, but getting back to the Midwest recharges my batteries. I don’t know if I could handle New York if I didn’t get back to Wisconsin here and there throughout the year.

Who are your favorite Wisconsin acts?

Jeanna Salzer Trio, Paul Cebar, Yellow Ostrich, and Willy Porter!

How far back does your friendship with Yellow Ostrich go and how did it come to be?

Well, I know Alex through my good friend, Jeanna Salzer. I met him in New York actually when he played bass for Jeanna at a double-bill show I set up in the city. So, we don’t go very far back, but I know he’s an incredibly nice and cool person. It’s so exciting to see his and the band’s career take off.

Not only did you attract attention through an appearance on Oprah singing “Natural Woman,” but you were also on an episode of the game show Cash Cab. Tell us a little about those experiences. Which was more surreal? Are there any plans for a Grace Weber talk show, game show, or variety hour?

Haha, oh yes, I was on Cash Cab, and it might have actually been more surreal than Oprah. When my Mom and I realized that we were going to be on Cash Cab, it kind of felt like winning the lottery. Like, one of those things you always dream of but never actually think will ever happen. We did horribly on the ol’ cab, but I got a shirt that says “I was on the Cash Cab!” so it was allll worth it.

I’m actually considering pitching a reality show to the Oprah Winfrey Network…I’ll keep you posted ;) .

What’s the concept of your debut, Hope & Heart? Who and what inspired or influenced the album?

For Hope & Heart I really just wanted to introduce myself as a songwriter and pick out the best collection of songs that showed off my range as a singer and writer and represented who I am as an artist right now. We wrote around 35 songs for the album and out of those narrowed down the best 12. I wanted to touch on different topics in the album, have upbeat tracks and ballads, so that I could take the listener on a journey with me through the whole record. I’m so happy with how it turned out because I feel like it’s really me and it introduces people to who I am as a complete artist, the full palate so to speak.

Starbuck’s added “Baby Come Down” to its store playlist in January. What’s your Starbuck’s drink of choice?

Tall Chai latte!

If you weren’t a musician, what would your profession be?

Hmmmm, I think, I’d either try to be an actress on Broadway or be a producer of a really big TV show. The former because I’ve always kind of wanted to get back into musicals and theater and the latter so I could wear a headset and look important.

As succinctly in your response as possible, why should people come see your free show on March 9th with Lower Dens, Yellow Ostrich, and 1, 2, 3?

It will blow your mind. And I’ll give you a hug if you come. I promise.