Good news for those of you jonesing to see Bruce Springsteen on his Wrecking Ball tour.
Bruce and The E Street Band will be hitting stadiums starting August 18th in Boston. The tour includes a stop at Wrigley Field September 7th. Tickets go on sale April 21st at www.tickets.com.
Here's the complete list of dates:
August 18 – Boston, MA – Gillette Stadium
August 24 – Toronto, ON , Canada– Rogers Centre
August 26 – Moncton, NB, Canada – Magnetic Hill
August 29 – Vernon, NY – Vernon Downs Raceway
September 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Citizens Bank Park
September 7 – Chicago, IL – Wrigley Field
September 14 – Washington, DC – Nationals Park
September 19 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
September 21 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
September 22 – East Rutherford, NJ – MetLife Stadium
Check out this new video of "Death To My Hometown," from a recent show. They're joined on stage by the Nightwatchman and workers' rights advocate Tom Morello.
This year's lineup for Lollapalooza! Just announced: the Black Keys, Black Sabbath, Jack White, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are headlining this huge music festival coming up August 3-5 at Grant Park in Chicago.
Also on the schedule: Florence and the Machine, The Shins, The Head and the Heart, fun., Alabama Shakes, and a band I'd love to see--TheNewNo2, featuring George Harrison's son Dhani.
I noticed an interesting trend at this year's fest--lots of bands named after animals, including Dr. Dog, Trampled By Turtles, The White Panda, Bears in Heaven, Yellow Ostrich, the Sheepdogs, and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. In fact, the entire Animal Kingdom will be there. (Yep, there's a band called Animal Kingdom).
A roots revival is sweeping the country. Bands like Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and The Head and the Heart are taking traditional folk and Americana sounds and mixing them with modern elements to reach a new generation of audience. Hoping to make their mark on this new landscape are folk trio The Lumineers.
The Lumineers began in the suburbs of New York City. After the death of band member Josh Fraites' brother, he and friend Wesley Schultz found solace in music. They wrote music and performed gigs around New York City before packing their things and moving to Denver, CO with renewed hopes of success. There, they added cellist Neyla Pekarek, who would later expand her repertoire to piano and mandolin. Now a trio, the band cleaned up their sound and found a personal mix of acoustic folk, rock, and classic pop elements.
With the release of their first self-titled album coming Wednesday, April 3, The Lumineers have taken their show on the road. They will be stopping Madison to play The Frequency on April 12 at 9:00. Tickets are on sale for $8. They will also be stopping in Studio M earlier that afternoon to play a live, intimate session and you would be in the audience! Stop by the Triple M contest page and enter to win!
Majestic Theatre employees most likely breathed a collective sigh of relief last Thursday as William Fitzsimmons took the stage. After GWAR on Monday and Diplo on Tuesday, Fitzsimmons' subdued, low-key brand of music is just what was needed to recover.
William Fitzsimmons is a soft spoken singer/songwriter originally from Pittsburgh, PA. With 5 studio albums, his quiet, contemplative, and wrenching music has won multiple awards, been featured on numerous television shows, and garnered comparisons to Iron & Wine, Sujfan Stevens, and Elliot Smith. He, along with guitarist Jake Phillips and producer Josh Taylor, stopped in Madison to play an intimate seated show filled with songs spanning his career.
As Fitzsimmons played, his soft vocals hushed the crowd as we at times strained to hear him. The show was quiet, but I can't imagine it being any other way. In between songs, Fitzsimmons would briefly speak, poking fun at himself and the tone of his music. "We're going to slow things down a bit now," he said following likely the slowest, most gloomy song in the set. The humor was defiantly a relief.
Denison Witmer, who opened for Fitzsimmons, joined the others on stage for what was the highlight of the show. The four gathered around one microphone and played a cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". To finish, Fitzsimmons pulled out a Banjolele to play "You Still Hurt Me", and then went off-mic to sing his last song "If You Would Come Back Home."
In the end, it was a great show. The Majestic Theatre made a perfect sitting for such a relaxing an intimate experience.
Our recent warm weather is an early signal of the impending summer. But for those of us in the Midwest, it is also a signal that Summerfest is just around the corner! Billed as the "World's Largest Music Festival", Summerfest takes place over 11 days in June and July on the shore of Lake Michigan. 11 stages, over 700 bands, fireworks, food, and comedians make up only a portion of the things to see and do. With so many options, it can be hard to pick out the things you need to see. Don't worry, we're here to help. Here's a few of the bands we know are headlining who we think you should see!
Steve Miller Band: For 25 years, the Steve Miller Band has been performing hits like "The Joker" and "Fly Like and Eagle". A classic rock staple. What more do you need to know?
The Avett Brothers: Centered around brothers Scott and Seth Avett, folk/indie rock band The Avett Brothers have rocketed to stardom after the release of their recent album I and Love and You. Think Mumford and Sons with an edge.
Cake: The unique sound and humor of Cake have kept them relevant through the nineties and oughts. Hits such as "Never There" and "The Distance" are key additions to any music lovers collection.
The Head and the Heart: The Head and the Heart is a indie pop-folk band hailing from Seattle, Washington. The music relies heavily on vocal harmonies, piano and violin melodies, and prominent drums and percussion.
Gavin DeGraw: Pop rock singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw is best known for his song "Don't Want To Be" which reached #1 on the US Pop chart. His most recent single "Not Over You" reached #1 on the US Adult charts.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals: Folk artist Grace Potter fronts the folk rock back Grace Potter and the Nocturnals who employ slide guitar, harmonica, upright bass, and mandolin to create a unique folk/blues sound.
Fitz and the Tantrums: In three years and with only one studio album to their name, Fitz and the Tantrums have taken their soul inspired indie rock sound to new heights, reaching #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. They are best known for their catchy and easily recognizable single "MoneyGrabber".
Stay updated with Summerfest lineup news and announcements by checking out our festival guide.
For other info, check out the Summerfest page here.
As I approached the Majestic Theatre last night, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was my first GWAR show, and I was ready for anything. With plastic sheets lining the walls and balcony, it seemed the Majestic was ready for anything as well. Legacy of disorder started things off with the seriously heavy metal, followed by Ghoul in their bloody masks. If that wasn't enough, Municipal Waste took the stage, sending the crowd into a whirling, thrashing mess despite signs prohibiting it. Lead singer Tony Foresta led the band in classics like "Wolves of Chernobyl" and "Headbanger Face Rip" while encouraging multiple most pits. All this in order to prepare for the main event.
GWAR finally took the stage around 10:30. GWAR has gained a following due to their heavy music, extravagant costumes and props, and tongue-in-cheek stage show. Tonight would be no different. From the start I knew my bright white t-shirt wouldn't stay that way for long. During the first song, their latest single "Zombies, March!", fake blood began spraying into the audience and would rarely stop for the next two hours. GWAR continued to play hits such as "Bring Back the Bomb", "Metal, Metal Land", and "Sick of You" while the crowd screamed, pushed, and fought for front row spot. At first I stayed to the side, letting the veterans do what they do best, but eventually I was moshing with the best of them, soaked in red and green colored water. At times the show took a somber turn, as somber as GWAR can be, as they memorialized recently deceased guitarist Cory Smoot. Smoot died in November of a heart disease and this second half of their tour is dedicated to him.
In the end, it was a great show. I was hot, soaked, and deaf and wouldn't expect anything less. A big thanks to the Majestic, especially their cleaning crew, who I'm sure worked long into the night.
One half gushing over Field Report, one half gushing over Justin Vernon's surprise appearance...
On Saturday night, I went to the Megafaun show at High Noon. I actually went just for the sole opener, Field Report. Formerly known as Conrad Plymouth, Field Report is a Milwaukee-based band fronted by the incredibly talented Chris Porterfield. After being introduced to Chris during a solo performance opening for Cedarwell last August, I've been singing his praises. Porterfield, who used to be in a band called DeYarmond Edison with Bon Iver's Justin Vernon, is one of the most engaging live singers I've seen. This group is on the verge; they recently changed their name to Field Report while recording their debut album up north at Vernon's studio in Fall Creek (near Eau Claire, of course). Unfortunately, the album won't be out until June, but you can scoop up their EP, the now-no-longer-self-titled Conrad Plymouth, on iTunes.
If you have the chance to see Field Report live, I'd highly recommend it, although they're currently on a national tour supporting Megafaun. Here's a snippet of Field Report from Saturday's show; it's only a minute long (sorry), but it's long enough to demonstrate the raw emotion and impressive dynamics of this band. Porterfield's growling voice building and bellowing towards the 1:02 mark gives me chills. It's a little reminiscent of Springsteen, isn't it? Totally boss.
Needless to say, I was a pretty satisfied concertgoer after Field Report's set. I stuck around to check out Megafaun, though, and I'm sure glad I did. Megafaun is another band with Wisconsin roots -- three of the members also used to be in the aforementioned Eau Claire band DeYarmond Edison with Justin Vernon. You know the legend of Bon Iver? How Justin Vernon was in a band from Eau Claire that moved to North Carolina? And after that band broke up, he moved back to Eau Claire and recorded the Bon Iver debut For Emma, Forever Ago? Well, that was THIS band. Rest assured, there's no lingering bad blood between the Grammy-less ex-band members. How do I know? Justin Vernon snuck on stage during Megafaun's encore to play guitar during a couple songs on Saturday night.
I snapped this quick video for proof...play "I SPY" and look for a beardless Vernon (it's been a warm few weeks in Wisconsin) sporting a plain white t-shirt.
Heavy metal staple and Earth's only openly extra-terrestrial rock band are bringing their destructive show to the Majestic Theatre tonight!
GWAR has been performing their over-the-top and sometimes gruesome act for over 25 years now and show no signs of stopping. While a departure from standard Triple M musicians, their eccentric costumes and theatrical stage show make them a must see for any music lover.
Due to the recent death of guitarist Cory Smoot, GWAR postponed their Return of the World Maggot tour in November. They have now triumphantly returned as a 4-piece to finish out the tour in memory of Smoot. Their act remains as mesmerizing as ever, featuring giant latex, styrofoam, and rubber costumes, a vast array of characters, and the lampooning of celebrities and public figures. For a night you won't forget, check out GWAR tonight and prepare to have your mind blown.
Doors open at 7:00pm with the show starting at 8:00. Also performing are special guests Municipal Waste, Ghoul, and Legacy of Disorder. Tickets are $25.
The beautiful Majestic Theatre will play host to We Were Promised Jetpacks on Saturday, March 24.
We Were Promised Jetpacks are an indie rock band hailing from Edinburgh, Scotland. They began playing in high school in 2003, and by 2008 were touring Scotland with Frightened Rabbits. In 2009 they released their first album These Four Walls, which reached #27 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Following the release, they began their first tour in American, eventually playing sold-out shows with pop-punk legends Jimmy Eat World. Recently, they have released their second studio album In the Pit of the Stomach and have had songs featured on One Tree Hill, Shameless and Sons of Anarchy.
We Were Promised Jetpacks have a low-key indie rock sound featuring droning distorted guitars and raw vocals that rise and fall. Many of their songs slowly build to become powerful and driving, while others are a slow-burn, both wrenching and triumphant.
Come check out We Were Promised Jetpacks with special guests Bad Veins and New Cassettes at the Majestic Theatre on Saturday, March 24 at 9:00pm. Ticket are $15.
The story of The Joy Formidable began in the small Welsh town of Mold. This is where childhood friends Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd grew up. This is also where in 2007, after the breakup of their previous band Tricky Nixon, they returned to begin playing together under the new moniker The Joy Formidable.
Together they experimented with various sounds, combining heavy guitars and bass with catchy pop melodies. They released their first single "Austere" in 2008 and a year later, after adding current drummer Mat Thomas, they were introduced to American audiences when they opened for Passion Pit at a pair of sold-out shows in New York. Around this time they released the EP A Balloon Called Moaning which received good reviews from critics and heavy rotation on indie rock radio stations. Finally in 2011 they released their first album The Big Roar which reached #8 on Billboards Heatseekers chart. Most recently, they had a song featured on the Twilight: Breaking Dawn soundtrack.
The Joy Formidable's sound bridges a gap between indie rock, pop, and metal. Loud, distorted guitars, thick bass lines, and double-pedal drums mixed with pop hooks and emotional vocals manages to create powerful songs that rise and fall in intensity.
On Tuesday, March 8, The Joy Formidable with be bringing their unique sounds to The Majestic Theatre in Madison. They will be accompanied by special guests A Place To Bury Strangers and EXITMUSIC. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 at the door. Doors open at 7:00, show beings at 8:00.
It's Bike to Work week! So naturally, I rode my bike to work this morning. I also rode yesterday. I didn't ride Monday because on Monday nights we shoot video for Project M, which means I could be in the office until 11pm or later. I...
For a limited time, you can stream John Mayer's new album Born and Raised free in the itunes store.
From some of the lyrics on John Mayer's new album, Born and Raised, you would think the one-time bad boy is trying to get you to like...
Here in Wisconsin, there are a few things we hold dear. The Packers, cheese, and beer. While none of these need defending, you may be excited to hear at least one of them can offer some great health benefits. Beer! If could be saving your...
Can you believe that May is more than halfway over? Time sure flies, as do birds, which leads us to this week's photo.
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A different kind of challenge this week, as we don't have to write a song. You'd think that would make it easier, but it really opened up a whole world of possibilities. The judges have commented that they want bands to be bringing something...
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Summer months can be a hard time for those who love to cook. Standing over a stove as hot as the air outside can take it's toll. Taking some simple steps can alleviate this problem and also reduce the amount of energy needed to cook or cool your...
For this week we were challenged with the task of rewriting a famous song in our own style, while still having it be recognizable as the original. "On Wisconsin" is such a historic song, that when we were first trying to accomplish our task, it...
It's Bike to Work week! So naturally, I rode my bike to work this morning. I also rode yesterday. I didn't ride Monday because on Monday nights we shoot video for Project M, which means I could be in the office until 11pm or later. I...
For a limited time, you can stream John Mayer's new album Born and Raised free in the itunes store.
From some of the lyrics on John Mayer's new album, Born and Raised, you would think the one-time bad boy is trying to get you to like...
Here in Wisconsin, there are a few things we hold dear. The Packers, cheese, and beer. While none of these need defending, you may be excited to hear at least one of them can offer some great health benefits. Beer! If could be saving your...
Can you believe that May is more than halfway over? Time sure flies, as do birds, which leads us to this week's photo.
Please give me your best caption for this photo! The winner gets PRIZES!!!! Everyone likes prizes, and this week, Talking...
A different kind of challenge this week, as we don't have to write a song. You'd think that would make it easier, but it really opened up a whole world of possibilities. The judges have commented that they want bands to be bringing something...
Although he's from Sweden, Kristian Matsson, who also goes by The Tallest Man On Earth, has a serious American folk side to him. Drawing comparisons to Bob Dylan in both songwriting style and sound, Matsson draws inspiration from American artists...
Summer months can be a hard time for those who love to cook. Standing over a stove as hot as the air outside can take it's toll. Taking some simple steps can alleviate this problem and also reduce the amount of energy needed to cook or cool your...
For this week we were challenged with the task of rewriting a famous song in our own style, while still having it be recognizable as the original. "On Wisconsin" is such a historic song, that when we were first trying to accomplish our task, it...
Jonathan & Kitty
A roots revival is sweeping the country. Bands like Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and The Head and the Heart are taking traditional folk and Americana sounds and mixing them with modern elements to reach a new generation of audience. Hoping to make their mark on this new landscape are folk trio The Lumineers.
Majestic Theatre employees most likely breathed a collective sigh of relief last Thursday as William Fitzsimmons took the stage. After GWAR on Monday and Diplo on Tuesday, Fitzsimmons' subdued, low-key brand of music is just what was needed to recover.
Our recent warm weather is an early signal of the impending summer. But for those of us in the Midwest, it is also a signal that Summerfest is just around the corner! Billed as the "World's Largest Music Festival", Summerfest takes place over 11 days in June and July on the shore of Lake Michigan. 11 stages, over 700 bands, fireworks, food, and comedians make up only a portion of the things to see and do. With so many options, it can be hard to pick out the things you need to see. Don't worry, we're here to help. Here's a few of the bands we know are headlining who we think you should see!
As I approached the Majestic Theatre last night, I wasn't sure what to expect. It was my first GWAR show, and I was ready for anything. With plastic sheets lining the walls and balcony, it seemed the Majestic was ready for anything as well. Legacy of disorder started things off with the seriously heavy metal, followed by Ghoul in their bloody masks. If that wasn't enough, Municipal Waste took the stage, sending the crowd into a whirling, thrashing mess despite signs prohibiting it. Lead singer Tony Foresta led the band in classics like "Wolves of Chernobyl" and "Headbanger Face Rip" while encouraging multiple most pits. All this in order to prepare for the main event.
GWAR finally took the stage around 10:30. GWAR has gained a following due to their heavy music, extravagant costumes and props, and tongue-in-cheek stage show. Tonight would be no different. From the start I knew my bright white t-shirt wouldn't stay that way for long. During the first song, their latest single "Zombies, March!", fake blood began spraying into the audience and would rarely stop for the next two hours. GWAR continued to play hits such as "Bring Back the Bomb", "Metal, Metal Land", and "Sick of You" while the crowd screamed, pushed, and fought for front row spot. At first I stayed to the side, letting the veterans do what they do best, but eventually I was moshing with the best of them, soaked in red and green colored water. At times the show took a somber turn, as somber as GWAR can be, as they memorialized recently deceased guitarist Cory Smoot. Smoot died in November of a heart disease and this second half of their tour is dedicated to him.
Heavy metal staple and Earth's only openly extra-terrestrial rock band are bringing their destructive show to the Majestic Theatre tonight!
The beautiful Majestic Theatre will play host to We Were Promised Jetpacks on Saturday, March 24.
The story of The Joy Formidable began in the small Welsh town of Mold. This is where childhood friends Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd grew up. This is also where in 2007, after the breakup of their previous band Tricky Nixon, they returned to begin playing together under the new moniker The Joy Formidable.
