Yes, it’s a tad blizzardly out today, and that’s good news because what sounds better than sitting in the Rath with friends drinking beer and listening to some great music? Exactly, nothing. Tonight we’re lucky to have two great bands serenading us, Lost Lander and Paper Thick Walls.

Portland, Oregon’s Lost Lander has been getting considerable love from all over the music scene including the blogosphere and some favorite music sources including Spin and Rolling Stone. Just to solidify those sentiments, they were just recently named Best Emerging Act of 2011 in the Best of Portland series.

Last month their debut LP, DRRT, premiered and it echoes beautiful yet sometimes mysterious places and emotions; together it’s resonant of a symphonic brilliance that proves what good music can do not only for your ears but for your soul as well.
Frontman Matt Sheehy, part lyricist and part forester, was inspired by the Pacific Northwest with sounds that some have been compared to Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes. Also having pride in his Alaskan roots it’s no surprise Lost Lander has an earthy, experimental feel to them (the physical cd actually folds into a mini planetarium, KOOL).

One of the standout tracks, ‘Afraid of Summer’, is graceful and unrestrained. Sheehy speaking with Rolling Stone described it as having a “spooky, mesmerizing” force that had him in a trance while working on it.

Also performing tonight is Chicago’s Paper Thick Walls who are sure to start the night on a good note with their unique mix of guitars, fiddle, mandolin, and bass. Their debut album ‘A Thousand Novels’ came out last year and has already been well received with orchestral melodies and compelling stories.

Tune in to 91.7fm WSUM online or over the air at 4pm today to hear Lost Lander perform live in studio and make sure to check out the show tonight, 9:30 at the Rath in Memorial Union.

Download Cold Feet by Lost Lander

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

Dancer at Chrissy Murderbot. All photos by T.J. Matzen

Yeah, that happened – A guy pretty much stood on his head at Chrissy Murderbot. Check out some photos from the Tom Ryan Jazz Combo, Chrissy Murderbot with DJ Diamond and DJ Roc, Deleted Scenes with A Lull, and Radar Eyes.

More after the jump, click to enlarge.

Friday, February 4th
Behind The Beat – Der Rathskeller @ Memorial Union
Tom Ryan Jazz Combo

Friday, February 4th
The Sett @ Union South
Chrissy Murderbot with DJ Diamond and DJ Roc

Chrissy Murderbot

DJ Diamond and DJ Roc

Saturday, February 5
The Sett at Union South
Deleted Scenes w/ A Lull

Deleted Scenes

A Lull

February 5
Der Rathskeller @ Memorial Union
Radar Eyes w/ Bad Omens

I don’t know about you, but for me, when the Badgers football team wins it’s energizing. When considering that a win tomorrow night would make us Big Ten Champs and send us to the Rose Bowl, one can only imagine that a celebration of epic proportions would be necessary, and there would probably have to be dancing involved. That celebration will be at The Sett, after you watch the game on the gigantic screen. JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound and Kane Place Record Club will keep the good feelings going and your feet moving long into the night. 

To say it’s been a good year for Chicago neo-soul act JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound. would be comparable to saying it’s been a good year for the Packers… a bit of an understatement. They signed to Bloodshot Records in May, played Wilco-curated festival Solid Sound in June (at which Jeff Tweedy appeared on stage with them to help perform their hit cover of Wilco’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”), opened for Peter, Bjorn, and John at the giant Concert on King Street here in Madison in August, and released their sophomore album, Want More, in October (shortly before playing Freakfest). Not too bad, huh?

Joining them will be Kane Place Record Club, a staple in the Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood, which continues to churn out excellent, energetic bands. KPRC is no exception, as their funky jams have been known to get rooms rowdy.

The man who lends his name to the headlining band, Mr. JC Brooks was kind enough to answer some questions for us. Check out the interview after the jump, and make sure to be at The Sett for the kick-off of the football game at 7:07, with the show starting shortly after the game (See the Facebook event for more details).

You’re nothing short of a showman. Who are your influences as a live performer?
Tina Turner, Otis Redding -both amazing, expressive performers.

You just toured the West Coast for the first time. What was the newest or coolest experience?
Seeing Colorado and the mountains and plains in Oregon.

The band’s no stranger to gigs in Madison. What’s the must-see attraction out here?
The coolest thing you guys have going now are the rallies to recall Walker. Stay strong and kick that prick to the curb, y’all.

You offered your services as an attorney in the most recent JCB&TUS video, “Everything Will Be Fine [see below for video].” Will you represent me in seeking damages against my older sister for hitting me over the head with my own toys when we were toddlers?
I would, but unfortunately I’m not licensed to practice law in this dimension…

Besides you of course, who’s got the best dance moves in the band?
Kevin, our drummer. It’s a shame he’s stuck behind the kit during shows…

What’s your favorite non-music-related activity?
Sleeping …or reading.

In ten words or less, what can we expect from JCB+TUS’ set this Saturday?
You should expect dancing, sweating, shouting -a generally good time.

Joe Hall And The Louisiana Cane Cutters

Come check out Joe Hall and the Louisiana Cane Cutters this friday at Der Rathskeller!

Joe Hall is one of the finest, and last remaning, Creole accordion players, and he has been sharing his gift with the world for over 20 years!  And he is backed by one of the hottest rhythm sections Louisiana has ever seen (let alone Wisconsin)!

Bring your friends to enjoy this foot stomping mix of contemporary cajun, zydeco and creole music. It will be like nothing you have ever heard.  I dare you not to get up and start dancing.

OH, and in case you were wondering…Joe Hall is basically the coolest guy ever.  Check out his interview here.

• Behind the Beat: Alison Margaret Quartet 5:00pm, Memorial Union
• Queenie and the Bluecats + I Saw the Creature 9:30pm, Memorial Union
• IfIHadAHiFi + Northless 9:00pm, Union South
• DMF: Nick Nice 11:55pm, Union South

Saturday

• Tani Diakite and the Afro-FunkStars 9:30pm, Memorial Union
• Obits + Bottomless Pit 10:00pm, Union South

As always the union page has additional info!

*Photo Credit Cudi and Cowboys tumblr

Find out how to book bands for the different venues on campus while gaining real world experience working with agents and learning about the music industry. We also do  work with promotions (hello blog, flyers, etc), co-sponsorships, and audio/video. Best of all you’ll meet other fun people who love music as much as you do.

*Currently our blog is under construction so please be patient as we bring you the most up to date info. September event info is up, but check back soon for the rest of the Fall 2011 schedule.

LOLLAPALOOZA DAY 1: FRIDAY

Sunny, 82*, with a cool breeze coming off of the Great
Lake of Michigan. You could not ask for better summer music festival weather to
kick off the first day of Lollapalooza. We arrived around 1:30 and walked
around, just getting to know the park and trying to find all the free stuff we
could. After filling our water bottles at the Camelbak station, and getting free
Toyota-sponsored Lollapalooza bandanas, we set off to the Bud Light stage to
see our first show of the day.

GRACE POTTER AND THE NOCTURNALS:

We arrived at the stage about 10 minutes after Grace
Potter and the Nocturnals started playing. I admit, I didn’t know much by them
besides the song, Paris (the one that was played on VH1 that goes like “ I’d
say, ooh la la la la la la la”) and that my neighbor-friend from home really
likes them. In the beginning of the show, it was just O.K, but as they
warmed-up, they got the crowd moving a lot more. One of my favorite parts of
the show was when the whole band went up to the drums and played them at the
same time; it was seriously awesome and electrified the air. My other favorite
part was when the Lollapalooza camera swept over me and my friends, and we were
on the big screens for .0002 seconds.

FEED ME:

Much to the influence of Matthew, the very kind person that was
hosting us this weekend courtesy of Couchsurfing, we went to the Perry’s tent
to see Feed Me after Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. I am not going to try to
act like I know anything about electric/electronica/techno/dubstep/etc…
music, because I don’t; all I know is that I like it. Inside the tent, it was a
completely different atmosphere from the last show/rest of the festival at that
time of day. It was dark, there were lights flashing everywhere, and many
people were covered in glitter or neon paint. Anyways, my first impression of
Feed Me was that he was good, just good. It didn’t really change throughout the
show though. I felt like he lost the flow sometimes which made it difficult to
dance to, leaving people standing and waiting for one of the many drops in the
show. In the end, Feed Me was still a good show and a good opener for Bloody
Beetroots Death Crew 77.

CULTS:

After jumping/dancing/avoiding the mosh pit at Feed Me, I wanted to go see a
band that I had heard about a few times, but only knew a couple of songs by
them. My friend and I made our way over to the Google+ stage, which was hidden
by trees, creating a cool, misty, hideaway-vibe with it. We sat in a
grassy spot under the trees and listened to their set. The nice indie-pop music
Cults played perfectly complemented the environment and was a nice chill break
after Feed Me.

BRIGHT EYES:

This was the first major conflict in me and my friend’s schedule.
I really wanted to see Skrillex, and Bright Eyes is one of her favorite bands.
After the suggestions of many other friends, we chose Bright Eyes. At 6:30,
they walked onto the Bud Light stage and started. One thing that I noticed
listening to them was their lyrics. They were angsty, clever, and really
well-written, which can be hard to find sometimes. They definitely played a
great live show and the crowd really enjoyed it, and in the end, I really did
too ( but I wouldn’t pass up a Skrillex show in Madison if he decided to come back…
please..)

GIRL TALK:

Girl Talk and Ratatat were playing at about the same time, so we were
going to go to Ratatat first, then Girl Talk. After waiting about 20 minutes
after the scheduled time for Ratatat, we became impatient and slightly disappointedly
went over to the Perry’s stage for Girl Talk. I had seen him at Summerfest the
month before so I knew what to expect, but my friend who I went with was super
eager to see Girl Talk after I told her how fun the show was. The Perry’s tent
was probably about 100 degrees and everyone was dancing to the mainstream meets
classic rock meets everything else remixes of Girl Talk. It sounded pretty much
the same as his performance in Milwaukee,
but was still extremely fun. Whether you like him or not, you cannot deny the
danceability of his music, and who could resist Party in the U.S.A mixed into
Bad Romance mixed into Thriller?

LOLLAPALOOZA DAY 2: SATURDAY
We woke up to a slightly drizzly day, but by the time we were at Grant Park, it
was a beautiful hot, sunny, summer day again, more perfect festival weather. We
ended up lounging under the shade of the trees in the grassy area by the BMI
stage after Friendly Fires for a couple hours to prepare/conserve our energy
for all the acts we’d be seeing later that night.

FRIENDLY FIRES:

We arrived at Lollapalooza a little later the second day, still trying
to get used to the whole walking around to see a bajillion shows for 10 hours.
I had heard of Friendly Fires in a few magazines but didn’t really know what
they sounded like. Then, we heard something that caught our attention in the
distance and sounded really good, and it was Friendly Fires. That’s one thing I
really like in a live show, something that really grabs your attention and
makes you choose them over the 3 other shows going on at the same time. We got
there about half way into the set and they had not only gotten our attention,
but had a pretty big crowd. I still haven’t really had the chance to properly
research/listen to Friendly Fires’ music, but from what I heard, they are
pretty good.

PATRICK STUMP:

As I mentioned earlier, Lolla day one took a lot out of us, so
we went over to the cool lovely grass and lounged with many other tired/hot Lollapalooza
goers under the trees. Again, just like Friendly Fires, I heard something that
caught my attention coming from the BMI stage. I got up walked over along with
many other people from the grass to check it out, and it was Patrick Stump
(yes, the guy from Fall Out Boy). The sound of his music in his new solo-career was an interesting
indie-pop/R&B mix and was a successful creation; this is another act I definitely will look
into more.

ELLIE GOULDING:

After spending a few hours chilling in the grass by the BMI stage, we made our
way over to Ellie Goulding. The crowd was filled with a surprisingly large
amount of bros pushing their way to the front about 10 minutes before the show
began to snag the majority of the star-shaped Ellie Goulding sunglasses the
crew was throwing out to the audience. Ellie opened up the show and danced
around the stage. Her high, airy voice sounded nice live and she had a good
show. The only thing that took away from the quality of this show was the
crowd. I don’t want to seem like the boring person that doesn’t have a good
time at shows, but this was honestly the most annoying audience for me this
year at Lolla, but Ellie’s catchy, dancy, music made up for most of it.

ATMOSPHERE:

I have never been a fan of hip-hop/rap, but again, several people including my
friend highly recommended going to see Atmosphere. I am so glad we went because
it was honestly one of the best live shows I have ever seen. The crowd and
stage had such a high energy that I had not yet felt to this extent at
Lollapalooza. I don’t know if it was my lack of super high expectations or
enthusiasm for the show, but Atmosphere definitely impressed. I wish I could
say more about how great this show was, but my description wouldn’t do it justice. If you want to see for
yourself, just find one of the recaps from Lolla.

PRETTY LIGHTS:

After seeing the recap of Pretty Lights at Bonnaroo this year, he was
definitely at the top of my list of music to see that day. The lights set up at
Perry’s stage were the same as the ones at Bonnaroo. The first few notes of “I
Know the Truth” started as a teaser while Pretty Lights sans drummer got on stage, and the
show started. It was crazy and super energetic. The light show was impressive
and was quintessential for the show. I’m not saying that Pretty Lights isn’t
enjoyable through headphones or car speakers, but unless your car is surrounded
by 100 police cars with their lights flashing during a severe lightning storm,
you wouldn’t get as much of an experience. About 45 minutes into the set, we
were ready to go to the Music Unlimited stage and see Eminem.

EMINEM:

All day, people were walking around wearing Eminem and Bad meets Evil
shirts, a sign this would be a huge show. When we walked towards the stage where Eminem was playing, we froze
at the top of the stairs that went down to the south side of the park. Not
because we didn’t want to get closer, but because there were at least 100,000
people (or it at least looked like it) there. As soon as we arrived, we didn’t
feel out of place, but felt like part of the crowd and danced/rapped along with
everyone. He played newer songs like “Love the Way You Lie” and even old stuff
like “Without Me” and “The Real Slim Shady”. It was a prime live performance,
loads of fun, and a great way to end day two at Lollapalooza.

LOLLAPLOOZA DAY 3:

The last day at Lollapalooza. It was another hot hot hot sunny day and
was going to be our busiest with all the bands we wanted to see on our schedule.
When the first downpour started, we eventually ran for shelter in hopes
of saving our phones/cameras, which made us miss a set and turned the park into
a mud pit.  On the way back to Grant Park, there was actually a double
rainbow; at the end of it, was Lollapalooza.

THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART:

The first words that come to mind while listening to this band were
sweet and cute. Their dreamy indie-pop sound was a nice start to what was sure
to be a long day at Lollapalooza. This is another band that I had heard a lot
about but didn’t know that well; it also is another band that I am going to add
to my “check out this music” list.  (They’re coming to Madison actually in September so if you like
them, check them out!)

CAGE THE ELEPHANT:

Last time my friend and I saw Cage the Elephant was at Freakfest two
years ago, and now they were at Lollapalooza at a bit bigger of a stage. Matt
Shultz, the lead singer, did not fail to impress everyone with the constant
energy burst that is his performance. He jumped, shook and twisted around on
stage, and eventually jumped into the crowd several times, once because he
wanted to go in the rain with everyone else. Cage the Elephant’s high-energy
alternative rock music was perfect for the atmosphere of the festival that day
and they had everyone dancing and jumping around with them. This show made me
remember why I like them, not only for their great music, but for their great
live performances.

DAMIAN MARLEY & NAS:

After the downpour during Cage the Elephant, the rain let up a bit
and Damian Marley & Nas started performing at the Bud Light stage. It had a
sort of Woodstockish 1969 atmosphere with everyone coved in mud, dancing around
to a new generation of reggae music. They ended their set with a classic Bob
Marley song to top off the retro mood.

DEADMAU5:

Everyone was still soaked and covered in mud from the sudden
downpour during a couple hours earlier. As we stood in the front/middle of the crowd
for Deadmau5 to start everyone noticed the skyscrapers in the distance were
fading and turning a greyish color. Slowly, the wall of grey got closer and
closer until a cool breeze swept through the crowd, followed by another sudden
downpour. Simultaneously everyone started yelling as the rain pounded down, and
seconds later Deadmau5 started up, about 20 minutes early. No other words can
describe this moment but epic. Something about storms just makes crowds a
little crazier. About 70,000 (I am terrible at estimating numbers, but I’m just
guessing) people were dancing in the rain and mud to Deadmau5 and the light
show was absolutely amazing. It may seem cliche or weird or something, but with
this show, I did not have to make myself dance, get into the music, or enjoy it
because I felt like I had to, but because I just didn’t have a choice. Blame it
on the music, lights, rain, or the overall atmosphere of the festival, but I
feel like anyone who was there would have felt the same. This was the perfect
way to end my first Lollapalooza, and the 20th anniversary of Lollapalooza.

———

I admit, I wasn’t as prepared as I would have liked to have been for
Lollapalooza. If I could change things, I definitely would have listened to
more of the bands playing before going to the festival. Also, it would have
been smart to bring a second battery for my camera (so I could have changed it when
it died right before Deadmau5), bring plastic bags for electronics just incase
of rain, and read a thesaurus so I can say something else besides epic or
awesome to describe the festival.

In the end, I really enjoyed everything about Lollapalooza. There is something
about listening to live music from your old and newly discovered favorite
bands, being around thousands of people who love music just as much as you, and
spending the whole day, outside in the summertime that makes the perfect
experience. The combination of these elements make one of the best things in
the world that is a music festival. The only thing that would have made it
better is if there was a big camp ground so you wouldn’t have to commute there
and back every day (oh wait.. that’s Bonnaroo.) I knew before I went that I
would have a great time, and now that I am back, it feels like it was all one
crazy, great dream. I will forever love music festivals, and even though I
don’t know when I will be able to go back to Lollapalooza, I will make sure my
first Lollapalooza will not be my only.