Milwaukee bars, bands, concerts, summerfest thread

[MUfan12]

I always get a kick out of people trying to convince others that they need to like certain music/movies/TV show/etc.

I know, right? "Hey bro, if you don't like fun. you just don't like music." Cracks me up.

[BrewCity83]

Or you have a differing opinion on music.

No, I meant that there are 700 bands there.  There is something for everybody's taste.  I think it is just plain ignorant to say that the lineup sucks when you are probably unfamiliar with 600 of the 700 bands playing so you assume they suck. 

[Hards Alumni]

Foo Fighters were awesome last night... played for almost 3 hours.

[QuetteHoops]

Foo Fighters were awesome last night... played for almost 3 hours.

I'm not a big Foo Fighters guy...but that is always awesome when a band (especially as big as they are) plays a long show and you get good bang for your buck.

[The Process]

Cowboy Mouth was great, Mutemath was good, Fun was terrible and didn't even go more than 65 minutes.

I'm glad I spent my night away from Fun...

*stupid auto-correct on phone...

[BrewCity83]

Cowboy Mouth was great, Mutemath was good, Fun was terrible and didn't even go more than 65 minutes.

I'm glad I spent my night away from Fun...

*stupid auto-correct on phone...

Did anyone see the Hives on Friday night?  They were f*ckin' fantastic!!  They blew me away...one of the best shows I can remember seeing at Summerfest in quite a while.

[The Process]

Did anyone see the Hives on Friday night?  They were f*ckin' fantastic!!  They blew me away...one of the best shows I can remember seeing at Summerfest in quite a while.

I would have preferred to see the Hives, but we were stuck on the wrong side of the grounds.  At least we got to laugh at the teens that were arriving at Cowboy Mouth because their precious Fun ended so early.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

How were the Sammy-less Bodeans yesterday?

[Benny B]

No, I meant that there are 700 bands there.  There is something for everybody's taste.  I think it is just plain ignorant to say that the lineup sucks when you are probably unfamiliar with 600 of the 700 bands playing so you assume they suck. 

700 bands, sure... but what does that mean?  Sure, there's a genre for every taste, but is there a performance/genre combination for everyone's taste?  Look at it this way:  there are three different types of performances:  "live music," "concerts," and "_______fest".

Live music is chill.  It's all about the music.  No act, no glitz, no mosh pit, no gimmicks.... just sit back, relax, & listen to the tunes.

Concerts are about presentation.  Nobody leaves an AC/DC concert saying "love me some Australian rock..." No, they say "that was an awesome show."  The music isn't always great (sometimes difficult to enjoy over unintelligibly screaming chicks), but that doesn't matter.  You go to a concert to see lasers, pyrotechnics and guitarists being swung around by cables and wires... not to listen to music.

"Fest" music is either A) the local band that plays covers which everyone knows & originals that nobody knows, or B) the popular band that has played the same damn stuff for 30 years ad nauseum, but in either case, "engages" the crowd... it might be interactive, they might play/prompt singalongs, they might throw makeshift instruments into the crowd, they might talk to their buddies in the front row between songs.  Jimmy Buffet nearly defines "fest."  Most of the day acts at Summerfest are playing "fest."  Pat McCurdy is always "fest."  These performances are typically by bands who have the most loyal following but can be a bit of an acquired taste.

Granted, there are bands that can play different types of performances depending on the day of week, crowd, venue, etc.  But when they play Summerfest, bands are typically going "concert" or "fest."  I prefer the "live" stuff myself, so it's difficult to find the combination of genre/performance that's going to suit my tastes... unless I've been tasting beer all night, then anything can seem enjoyable (which is why Summerfest is loved by many).

Personally, I'm indifferent... I've never turned down an invitation to Summerfest, but only once in my life have I actually gone out of my way to attend.

[BrewCity83]

How were the Sammy-less Bodeans yesterday?

I caught the very end of the BoDeans show after Fountains of Wayne ended.  They played "Closer to Free" and pretty much hit it outta the park.  Kurt Neumann seems happy to take the lead, and the 7-piece band sounded really tight.  I heard that they played all the old favorites, and it seems like they have gotten their act together in the year since Sammy left.

[QuetteHoops]

Imagine Dragons and Young the Giant absolutely killed it last night...I would put it ahead of any concert I've ever seen.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I caught the very end of the BoDeans show after Fountains of Wayne ended.  They played "Closer to Free" and pretty much hit it outta the park.  Kurt Neumann seems happy to take the lead, and the 7-piece band sounded really tight.  I heard that they played all the old favorites, and it seems like they have gotten their act together in the year since Sammy left.

Great to hear they're sounding good.
Speaking of "Closer to Free" - The Yale-New Haven Hospital Smilow Cancer Center has been using the song as the background music in their local television ads.  Always good to catch 30 seconds of the BoDeans a couple times an evening.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Out my way, The BoDean's just got added to New Haven's free Music on the Green series for Friday August 10 @ 7:00PM. 

[copious1218]

Heading to Rock the Green in middle of September.  Anybody go last year and have suggestions?  Any good food there?  Multiple stages or just one?  Their website is lacking.

[QuetteHoops]

Heading to Rock the Green in middle of September.  Anybody go last year and have suggestions?  Any good food there?  Multiple stages or just one?  Their website is lacking.

I'm also heading there for the first time...Sounds like one stage, just a ton of great bands though.

[BrewCity83]

Heading to Rock the Green in middle of September.  Anybody go last year and have suggestions?  Any good food there?  Multiple stages or just one?  Their website is lacking.

Don't throw your empty beer bottles in the lake.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

It was good it see Marquette represented at Irish Fest.  My kids got MU tattoos, magnet schedules for Fall sports, window decals and Marquette bookmarks, (which featured Cubillan, Hayward, and Bulter, but are still nice).

[The Process]

I caught the very end of the BoDeans show after Fountains of Wayne ended.  They played "Closer to Free" and pretty much hit it outta the park.  Kurt Neumann seems happy to take the lead, and the 7-piece band sounded really tight.  I heard that they played all the old favorites, and it seems like they have gotten their act together in the year since Sammy left.

Here's their current single, in case anyone's interested:

http://www.youtube.com/v/sQADNuUORpo

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I saw the BoDeans last night with the wife at this fabulous little music hall in the middle of nowhere in NW Connecticut.  It was a fabulous show!  They sounded great.  I spotted another alumi that I knew at the show also sitting in the first row. 

I met the band after the show for a meet and greet and got Kurt's and etc. autograph.
I'm going to see them again tomorrow night with the whole family this time.  I told them I regretted missing their free show on the New Haven Green back in August because I was on vacation.  They informed me "I missed nothing because the show got rained out and was rescheduled for Columbus Day at a downtown theater near Yale."

It's still a free show and it helps that the whole family is off for the holiday.

[mu_hilltopper]

How'd they sound without Sammy?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

They sounded like the BoDeans.  They didn't play any songs where Sammy would have been the "lead lead singer."  Kurt was very talkative through the show.  It was the same accordian & keyboardist as always (Michael Ramos.) 

[tower912]

When I saw them roughly a year ago, sans Sammy, there was no 'Still the Night'.    Kind of cheapened the experience.     Has Kurt figured out how to do that one solo?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

When I saw them roughly a year ago, sans Sammy, there was no 'Still the Night'.    Kind of cheapened the experience.     Has Kurt figured out how to do that one solo?

They played it.  The songs from new album were very good also.  They were sold out of the CD.

[tower912]

'Indigo Dreams'?    I have it.    Really good. 

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

'Indigo Dreams'?    I have it.    Really good. 

I bought it at the show and got it autographed.  They were sold out of American Made.