Getting together at the WMSE Backyard BBQ

The fourth annual WMSE Backyard BBQ felt like a big cookout with a close group of friends. Kids played on the swings, parents sipped beverages and music fans danced to the day’s soundtrack. The event featured mostly Milwaukee bands, with the lone exception being Canadian headliners Delhi 2 Dublin. The crowd at Cathedral Square Park grew steadily, filled with families, couples and music fans of all kinds. Familiar faces mingled amidst the BBQ flavors of the Hardwood Cafe and flatbread sandwiches from the Pita Brothers‘ eco-friendly electric food truck.

The lineup was as mixed as the crowd and served as a symbol of WMSE’s commitment to diverse tastes. Openers Honky Tonkitis led off the day with their brand of boozy outlaw country. Next, Milwaukee reggae mainstay King Solomon got the crowd energized and dancing with their authentic Jamaican sounds. The Extra Crispy Brass Band marched through a lively set of traditional New Orleans brass music and Trapper Schoepp & the Shades played to an enthusiastic group of fans.

The BBQ also served as the official release of the Milwaukee Film Festival Program Book (Note: if you weren’t able to pick up a copy of the Program Book at the BBQ, Milwaukee Film has made it available in .pdf form). WMSE is presenting the Sound Vision portion of the festival, which will feature music documentaries that offer more than the usual one-dimensional concert “rock-doc.”

These films are as much about their subjects’ lives off stage as they are about featuring live footage. Consider Grandma Lo-Fi, a look into an Icelandic senior citizen who put out nearly 60 albums as a septuagenarian and Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey, which traces the ascent of a young Filipino man who got the chance of a lifetime (thanks to YouTube) to serve as Journey’s lead singer. More information on the Milwaukee Film Festival can be found at mkefilm.org, and you can always stream 91.7 WMSE from their homepage.