How many years does it take for a band to become a “tradition” on the terrace? Two? Five? Ten? Natty Nation shatters all of those precedents, with 2013 marking their ELEVENTH year performing with us on the Terrace. These self described “indigenous hard roots rock reggae stalwarts” will bring even the most die-hard fans of our distinctive chairs out of the aforementioned chairs and to their feet.

A sure crowd-pleaser time and time again, Natty Nation will mark this anniversary by releasing their new album for the very first time right here at the Union. Straight from their most recent press release: “Natty Nation’s two hour twenty minute performance last year was captured by Studio Earth Remote Recording. The band is releasing a high quality two CD 2012 Live UW Terrace Show at this year’s performance on Saturday, June 15th. Fans can literally take the UW Terrace Natty Experience home with them.”

And who wouldn’t want that? In the depths of a Wisconsin winter, nothing will better remind you that there is a light at the end of the tunnel than listening to one of Madison’s summer institutions performing at one of the city’s best live music venues *Disclaimer: Brats and Lake not included*

So come on out to the Terrace on Saturday and enjoy the show that Natty Nation themselves call “one of their most energetic performances”. If you like traditions, sunsets, seasoned performers, great venues, dancing, beer, brats, reggae music, or any combination of the above, this one is a must-see. DJ Trichrome will be spinning starting at 8:30 PM to get the party started. Natty Nation brings it home at 9:30

Saturday, June 15th, The Terrace, 8:30 PM, FREE

Mad Major Melvin, a DJ duo formed in Madison, will be headlining this weekend’s first night of music, and their influence from a wide variety of genres makes for a unique sound that is sure to catch the attention of selective listeners. In a recent interview with WUD Publication EMMIE Magazine, Mad Major Melvin members Jake Hirshland and Alex Leeds spoke on their musical influences and the importance of the energy at their shows. Although they play electronic dance music, (better known as EDM) their influences range from hip-hop to rock.

Through the creation of their unique sound and various local performances, the two have even had the privilege to open for one of their biggest influences, Flosstradamus. This was the biggest show the duo has played so far, and yet in their EMMIE interview, they are overly chill about the experience:

“The more people the merrier. Our role as DJs is to provide the setting for a party…it’s nice [being on stage] because [the show becomes] something you have a hand in creating.”

Mad Major Melvin will be supported by Mic Kellogg and J. Dante, who will be sure to get the  vibes going in the appropriate direction to get the party started.

Friday, 6/7
The Terrace, Memorial Union
FREE

If there’s one thing that just screams “IT IS SUMMER IN MADISON,” (other than the fact that no one in Dane county has been able to stop sweating for a week) it’s a reggae night on the Terrace. There will be guitar solos, there will be bass, and there will be dancing. It’s what the Terrace was made for.

And who better to facilitate this quintessential Madison night than Roots Collective? This band is local through and through, and have been playing together across the city and the midwest since 2005. The band was even recognized with a Madison Area Music Award for the Best World Music Album in 2011-2012. Between all of the members, they bring more than 20 years of musical experience to the stage, and it shows. Roots Collective is extremely gifted in the art of the jam, and never fails to get people dancing like lunatics in front of the stage.

Opening for Roots Collective is Sebeh Tree, another local Madison reggae band. Sebeh Tree is well versed in the art of the reggae performance, and is currently spending time in the studio recording their new demo. They’re the perfect beginning to a night of peace, love, and “good vibes, mon.”

So bring your friends, your family, and even that annoying neighbor from across the hall (Hey, you never know. Those good vibes can do impressive things), and enjoy some of the best Madison has to offer.

Saturday, 6/1
The Terrace, Memorial Union
FREE

The Terrace stage loves to welcome back bands over the years, and as a multiple WAMI winner, the band Tweed Funk will spread their love of groove and funk over the entire Terrace Friday night.

Tweed Funk is a Milwaukee-based band who has been grabbing the attention of many over the past few years, including hitting the Roots Music Report Top 20 Blues Albums Chart for two months and longer as #1 on the Roots Music Report State of Wisconsin Chart with their latest album, Love is.

Their style of music and performance is what consistently draws this attention. Tweed Funk knows how to energetically swing the voice of soul and blues, while also slow it down for a saxophone and light drum infused experience. The band also covers classic songs that everyone would be sure to recognize.

The Terrace is finally here for the summer, so don’t hesitate and join the city of Madison for a funky night on the lake. Check out the video below and see for yourself:

“Fragile”- Tweed Funk

It’s that time again where the sun sets over Lake Mendota and musicians take over the summer stage on The Terrace. Below is our ENTIRE summer lineup, plan ahead, or don’t, just know this summer will be one to remember.

5/24/13  Behind the Beat: John Christiansen Jazz Quartet- Memorial Union: The Terrace

5/25/13  Handphibians + Gomers- Memorial Union: The Terrace

5/31/13  Behind the Beat: Brett Newski and the Corruption + The Thriftones- Memorial Union: The Terrace

5/31/13  Tweed Funk- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/1/13  Roots Collective + Sebeh Tree- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/5/13  Colorphase- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/6/13  Sortin’ the Mail- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/6/13  The Orwells + Twin Peaks- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/7/13  Behind the Beat: Louka Patenaude- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/8/13  Bailiff + The Outfit + The Sharrows- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/12/13  Whiskey Farm- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/13/13  Northern Comfort- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/13/13  Adelyn Rose- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/14/13  Behind the Beat: Cork N Bottle- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/14/13  3 Pill Morning- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/15/13  Natty Nation- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/19/13  Anna Vogelzang + Dietrich Gosser- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/20/13  Cajun Strangers- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/27/13  Off the Porch- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/27/13  Field Report + John Mark Nelson- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/28/13  Behind the Beat: Little Margie’s Soul Band- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/28/13  Mac DeMarco- Memorial Union: The Terrace

6/29/13  Jeffrey Broussard and The Creole Cowboys- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/3/13  Sincere Life + Tefman- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/4/13  Mad City Jug Band- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/4/13  Bassel and the Supernaturals + Vic and Gab- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

7/5/13  Behind the Beat: Louka Patenaude- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/5/13  Wild Child + PHOX- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/11/13  Stillhouse Six- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/11/13  Oberhofer- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/12/13  Behind the Beat: The New Breed- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/12/13  Lowdown Brass Band- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/13/13  Trapper Schoepp and the Shades- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

7/17/13  4 Aspirin Morning- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/18/13  Daylight in the Swamp- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/18/13  Saintseneca- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/19/13  Behind the Beat: El Clan Destino- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

7/19/13  Sidewalk Chalk- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/20/13  EI-P + Killer Mike + Despot + Kool A.D.- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/24/13  Pushmi-Pullyu + Icarus Himself- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/25/13  Boo Bradley- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/25/13  A Hawk and A Hacksaw- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

7/26/13  Behind the Beat: Megan Moran’s + 1- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/26/13  Whiskey of the Damned + The Kissers- Memorial Union: The Terrace

7/27/13  Seabird- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/1/13  Al Scorch- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/1/13  Wook- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/2/13  Behind the Beat: Alison Margaret Jazz Quartet- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/2/13  Steez- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/3/13  Pokey LaFarge- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

8/7/13  Land of Vandals + Oedipus Tex- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/8/13  Sparetime Bluegrass- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/9/13  Behind the Beat: Composers Quartet- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/9/13  Maxmillion Dunbar- Memorial Union: The Terrace

8/10/13  Lords of the Trident + Thunderunderus + Beast Warrior- Memorial Union: The Terrace 

Anyways, this playlist is stuffed with some music that is perfect accompaniment to any walking or running (preferably running) you do in the sun. Summer is almost here, and that’s terribly shocking, so ignore it and sprint! Move your eyes a little further down and you’ll see some little blurbs about the songs in the playlist. I promise they might be entertaining.

Tame Impala – “Apocalypse Dreams”: You know all of those psychedelic poppy songs The Beatles wrote?  Imagine if a band only heard those songs and then decided to write as many catchy songs as possible.  And reverb.  Oh man the reverb.

Glocca Morra – “Y’all Boots Hats (Die Angry)”: I wrote about this punk band a week or two ago, and it takes all the exuberance of driving cars quickly on an interstate–then shoves it into your ears.

Chance the Rapper – “Cool Ass Intro”: Dude actually has a new mixtape called Acip Rap out today.  Piano and beautiful backing vocals combined with a bouncy bass drum and some fantastic rhyming.  It’s stuck in my ears and it won’t go away.

Coping – “B”:  More punk.  They sound like a busy, sunny day.  That makes sense, right?

Machine Go Boom – “Lil’ Devil”: This was a weird little folk-ish rock band from Cleveland that seemed to be ignored since they were so strange.  The frontman could really write a song though, and Lil’ Devil is probably one of the most uptempo, giddy songs he wrote.

Ringo Deathstarr – “Slack”: So Ringo Deathstarr is a shoegaze band, but this song sounds like an attempt by them to make a good old fashioned high paced rock ‘n roll song, complete with a great chorus guitar hook and a grand amount of noise.

SPORT – “Saint Louis, 1904″: Yet another punk song.  They’re from France.  They sound a lot like the two other punk songs.

The Front Bottoms – “Twin Sized Mattress”: These are two witty New Englanders with an acoustic guitar, drums, and some tongue-in-cheek lyrics to win you over.  They have a new album coming out soon!  If you’re not yet convinced, look up their band name on Urban Dictionary.  Five year old Timmy probably shouldn’t read what it says though.

A Great Big Pile of Leaves – “Alligator Bop”: You know those big exercise balls you can sit and bounce on, and, if you’re mentally a five year old, it’s the most entertaining activity ever?  This song is that feeling.

The Deirdres – “Milk Is Politics”: I know absolutely nothing about this band.  I know that the website they link to on their Myspace page links to this sketchy site that is semi-pornographic, so I’m assuming that is no longer their website.  And if they still are only using myspace, it’s a pretty safe bet they either don’t know what computers are, or they no longer exist.  Either way, this song is absolutely ridiculous and poppy and catchy and it makes my fingers tingle.  It’s absolutely perfect to sing along to with fifty other people, the only other problem being fifty other people haven’t heard this song.

Andrew Bird – “Hole In The Ocean Floor”: Listen to this and feel happy.  It’s perfect.

You know a weekend is going to be great when you’re already anticipating for the week to be over on Monday at one in the morning. Whether you’ll be attending the annual Mifflin Street Block Party, hitting up capitol square for the weekly fresh market, or kicking back and watching a Star Wars trilogy (preferably the original one), there is no shortage of funtivities available for Madison citizens this first weekend of May.

And while all of these funtivities are respectable means of entertainment in their own right, I want to highlight the weekend event I will be attending: Revelry Music and Arts Festival. DISCLAIMER: I am in no way being prompted to write this feature by any member of WUD Music. I chose to write this feature because it’s music related, it’s Madison news, I love music, live concerts are awesome, and I want to give those that are or may be going a small preview of what they can expect out of the musical talent at the festival. So let’s get to that. I am going to give my short, unarticulated opinion of the artists that were highlighted in the wonderfully crafted video below. Here goes nothing.

Toro y Moi - Contrary to what your initial reaction may be, Toro y Moi is actually one man. And he may be one of the chillest men I’ve ever heard on a track. For starters, he combined both the Spanish and French languages to create his stage name. It doesn’t matter as long as it translates to English easily (Bull and Me) and sounds cool, right? Beyond this, his calm vocals and looped electronic beats are combined to him consider him a part of the genre known as chillwave. It doesn’t get any more chill than that.

Hoodie Allen - One of my close friends has been a Hoodie fan well before the Revelry lineup was released, and since its release I have hopped on the bandwagon hard. His All American EP was only $5 on iTunes, and provides eight solid tracks that exemplify his catchy music and smart lyrics. In addition, his newest mixtape Crew Cuts is on his website for free! Outside of his music, the former Google employee and UPenn Sprint Football player has collaborated on comedy videos with CollegeHumor that are just too funny to only watch once.

Phox - This seven-piece band from Baraboo, Wisconsin utilizes instruments that run the gamut of sounds, resulting in songs that are most often whimsical, but can also be hectic and heavy. No songs particularly called out to me, but there’s no doubt that the band is unique.

The Mowgli’s - While the only music I could find of theirs was the five songs from their Love’s Not Dead EP, this pop-rock octet has an established pedigree with a recent performance at SXSW 2013 and a scheduled performance at Lollapalooza 2013. Their eight-person chorus is extremely catchy, and “San Francisco” is an irresistible summer jam. 

Chance the Rapper - Chance the Rapper is definitely a different sounding hip-hop artist, with a significantly higher voice than your typical MC. His second mixtape, Acid Rap drops tomorrow, so hopefully Madison will be receptive to his new material come Saturday.

Delta Spirit - This band has a strong alternative rock sound, and many of the songs I listened to have the feel of a live show even though they’re master tracks. I trust that their live performance will be nothing short of a great display of musical talent. In addition, they have a song on the official first volume of The Walking Dead soundtrack, so I am sold.

Julian Lynch - Chill, instrumental, and articulate all at once, Julian Lynch’s music gives off good vibes. With a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology (!?) from UW-Madison, I think concert attendees will give the former city resident a warm reception.

Oh Land - Hailing from Copenhagen, Denmark, Nanna Øland Fabricius serves as singer, songwriter, and producer, for her music. Pianos and an extensive palette of electronic sounds make for a plethora of experimental tunes for Oh Land to sing over. It will be interesting to see how her music translates to a live performance.

So there you have it: A preview of the biggest acts that Revelry has to offer. It would seem that there is a little something for everyone in the festival’s first installment, and I couldn’t be more excited. Here’s to the joys of live music, summer, and the continued success of this festival for years to come. Revel on.

Originally from Chicago, the grunge/pop band Heavy Times will grace WUD Music’s stage tonight in Der Rathskeller, accompanied by Pleasure Leftists and Dharma Dogs. The combination of rough tones, with a melodic vocals makes this band a truly unique live music experience.

“Once these mammoth choruses kick into gear, and just as the guitars explode, it’s an endorphin-rushing experience that stands all hairs on end, and will knock you back unexpectedly ” said Tod Killings, as a part of the band’s biography.

A post-punk band that is heavily influenced by 1970′s Britain from Cleveland, according to Pitchfork, Pleasure Leftists will also tear up the stage with their own personal guitar riffs and catchy beat of the drum. But starting off the night is Dharma Dogs, an upbeat, in-your-face grunge Madison band.

It’s a beautiful day, that will soon turn into a beautiful night. So, why not enjoy your time at Memorial Union?

-University of Wisconsin Memes

The weather is beautiful, the sun is shining, and the streets are finally dry. This is the time of year that I’m really glad that I walk EVERYWHERE. But with all the walking I do on this campus, it’s inevitable that I frequently end up running late, and having to walk to class/the library/WUD Music meetings faster than should be humanly possible. That’s when I whip out what I like to call The Power Stomp (I’m gonna trademark it eventually). It’s like power walking, but more forceful. People loitering on the sidewalk will leap out of your way. Cars will let you cross, even when they have a green light. The ground itself will shake under the rubber soles of your shoes. I wanted to share this technique with the world, so I created a playlist of songs that perfect for those moments when “I need to get to class NOW” is the only thought in your head.

This playlist is a mix of hip-hop, electronic, rap, rock and unclassifiable mixes of these and other genres, but the unifying theme between all of these songs is that they have a strong, pulsing beat that drops at the same time as your shoes, in order to book it up Charter hill in time for Econ 101. Do it to it.

Icona Pop – “I Love It (feat. Charli XCX)”

Atmosphere – “You” – The song that gave me the idea for this playlist in the first place. Dat beat.

P.O.S. – “Weird Friends (We Don’t Even Live Here)”

Passion Pit – “Take A Walk” – A great beat AND it’s walking-themed. Does it get any better?

The Black Keys – “Gold On The Ceiling”

Ben Harper – “Ground On Down”

Florence and The Machine – “Drumming Song” 

Brother Ali – “The Preacher”

The Darkness – “Hazel Eyes” – Stick with me on this one. This song is weird, but it gets really awesome at around 1:14 or so.

V V Brown – “Shark In The Water” 

Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Higher Ground” – A quality one for Bascom, if you ask me.

Dessa – “The Bullpen” – How appropriate to have one of this weekend’s artists on the playlist. Told you I was obsessed.

Eyedea – “Weird Side”

K.Flay – “Doctor Don’t Know” – Another artist we’ve had at the Sett this year, who I’m similarly obsessed with.

Doomtree – “Savion Glover”

Matt and Kim – “Cameras”

Jay Z and Kanye West – “No Church In The Wild” – Kinda my ultimate ass-kicking song. It doesn’t get any better than this

Santogold – “Creator”

AWOLNATION – “Burn It Down”

Lil Jon – Get Outta Your Mind – I just had to. This song is just so ridiculous and stupid and completely perfect for the occasion. Total guilty pleasure song on my part, and the perfect song to cap off this playlist.

You wish you looked this cool while running.

If Phoenix was a type of fruit, it would be a strawberry. You taste it don’t you? Picture this: the year is “1901”. You’re “Run Run Run”ning through a strawberry patch, and you are snagged by a “Lasso”. Now you’re in the hospital with a horrible case of “Lisztomania” and while you’re wondering, “If I Ever Get Better,” a beautiful young woman (not “Too Young”) enters your room. You fall in love and ride off into the “Love Like A Sunset Pt. I.” If that doesn’t sound like a strawberry I don’t know what does.

As if it’s not already cool enough to be from Versailles, France, Thomas Mars,  Deck d’Arcy, Christian Mazzalai, and Laurent Brancowitz have made quite the name for themselves. Formed in the early 90′s as a garage band, the quartet had three studio albums before their breakout album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, in 2009. “Too Young“, off of their first album, United, was featured in Lost in Translation, directed by Sophia Coppola, lead singer Thomas Mars’ now wife.

Official music video for “Too Young,” from Lost in Translation

The band has a rich history in the suburbs of Paris. The thirty-somethings wrote almost all of their songs in Mars’ parents house, literally across the street from the palace grounds of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. So dreamy. So chic.

Phoenix is on my Bands-I-Would-Sell-My-Soul-To-See list. They are renowned for their energetic shows and their performances make for great “Entertainment“ (see what I did there?). Who can’t like the romantic vocals and pulsing, synthetic sound? Phoenix has been busy playing Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel, Coachella, and Osheaga this year and I will finally be able to check them off my list when they play Lollapalooza this August.

Phoenix performing “Entertainment” on                         Saturday Night Live

If you’re not swooning to the wavy, synthetic streams of “Girlfriend,” then you’re bopping your head uncontrollably to “Lisztomania.” The group prides themselves on perfection. In Follow Phoenix, an 18 minute Spotify documentary highlighting a day in the life of Phoenix, Broncowitz was asked who the band listens to when seeking inspiration. “Bronco” he replied, “we like everything. Actually, we don’t like anything, but in every genre there’s a few guys who get it right.” Mars chimes in that editing is crucial. They record everything, so they can go back and squeeze out every last drop of musical genius created.

Follow Phoenix, a Spotify documentary

Phoenix’s long-awaited, fifth studio album, Bankrupt!, will be released this Tuesday in the United States; and the world is ready for it.