A sort of venue guide

By Nick Schurk

The good news: the laudable efforts of the booking talent behind large and medium-sized concert venues in Milwaukee have utterly negated our city’s former reputation as the fly-over zone between Chicago and Madison. Even better, Milwaukee’s ever-fertile local music scene now rests within the context of our newly-minted and fast-rising status as a “music city,” our name increasingly bandied about alongside Chicago, Minneapolis and even Austin. Seattle? So 20th century. Now is our time to shine, and in every neighborhood you can barely throw a rock without hitting a favorite spot to experience live local music in the best possible way – up close and personal. Just in case you don’t get out much, here’s a guide to some of the city’s best – or at least most interesting – intimate venues.

Are you a poor college student? Does the thought of leaving campus via public transportation frighten and confuse you? The UW-Milwaukee Union Gasthaus (2200 E. Kenwood Blvd.) offers big-name performances most Thursdays by locals like Fever Marlene and Maritime as well as national up and comers like We The Living and Good Asian Drivers. Head up one flight of stairs and catch a show at UWM’s 8th Note Coffee House, which offers free, all-ages rock shows to students and the general public.

Riverwest, the bohemian epicenter of Milwaukee’s East Side, supplements its basement-party reputation with a fair share of legit venues. For almost two decades, Mad Planet (533 E. Center St.) has been fueling the neighborhood’s subculture with every kind of music under the sun. From Midwest flavored hip-hop (Mac Lethal, Juiceboxxx) to sludgy, Japanese metal (Boris), Mad Planet books some of the best and most unique acts from around the world. Two things to keep in mind: All shows are 21+ and the club’s Retro Dance Party (held every Friday night) is the best way to get that earful of The Smiths/Split Enz/Bow Wow Wow you would never publicly admit to craving. And it’s just a short stumble to Stonefly, where excellent local and national rock acts regularly share a bill.

For a more intimate evening, head over to the Jazz Estate (2423 N. Murray Ave.). This smoke-choked cube on Milwaukee’s East Side hosts weekly performances from artists like folk songstress Amy Rohan and the unruly, improvisational The Erotic Adventures of the Static Chicken. Still, the scene never stagnates thanks to an ever-changing lineup of jazz and jazz-inspired ensembles. Not far, on pretty, gritty Brady Street, the Estate’s kindred spirit The Up & Under (1216 E. Brady St.) offers some of the best blues performances in the area.

Of course we would be remiss not to mention The Cactus Club (2496 S. Wentworth Ave.), arguably the crown jewel of Milwaukee’s music venues. This tiny Bay View club has managed to snatch some major headliners (Queens of the Stone Age, Death Cab for Cutie, Interpol, etc.) from the clutches of venues with more pull like The Rave and The Pabst. But more importantly, The Cactus Club regularly hosts performances from the best in the area, creating a who’s who of Milwaukee acts. The blistering, visceral howls of Call Me Lightning’s Nathan Lilly, The Championship’s Springsteen-inspired antics and the brilliantly odd arrangements of John the Savage are all regularly heard spilling out of the club’s front door like drunken bar brawlers. The Cactus Club is so epically awesome it was chosen to host a special VITAL Source party later this month (more info on that on page 11)!

No matter what genre of music best suits your palate, there is a club in Milwaukee that’s dishing it up on a regular basis. From Zad’s (438 S. 2nd St.) hard-rock throwdowns to the “Erin go brea” spirit of County Clare’s (1234 N. Astor Street) all-Celtic line up, this city has all the bases covered. Kind of makes you wonder why you’re sitting here reading about all these clubs and not searching for a scene of your own, huh?

MORE LIVE MUSIC TO WHET YOUR WHISTLE

Art Bar
722 E. Burleigh St.
414-372-7880
artbar-riverwest.com

BBC
2022 E. North Ave.
414-272-7263
myspace.com/gdaddysbbc

Bremen Café
901 E. Clarke St.
414-431-1932
bremencafe.com

Café Lulu
2265 S. Howell Ave.
414-294-LULU
lulubayview.com

Caroline’s Jazz Club
401 S. 2nd St.
414-221-9444
jazzatcarolines.com

Club ?
807 S. 5th St.
414-383-5680
clubanything.us

Club Garibaldi
2501 S. Superior St.
414-483-6335

Frank’s Power Plant
2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.
414-481-9200
myspace.com/frankspowerplant

Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
1001 E. Locust St.
414-263-9844
linnemans.com

Miramar Theatre
2844 N. Oakland Ave.
414-967-0302
themiramartheatre.com

Points East Pub
1501 N. Jackson St.
414-277-0122
pointseastpub.com

Riverwest Commons
815 E. Locust St.
414-372-9656
myspace.com/theriverwestcommons

Stonefly
735 E. Center St.
414-264-3630
stoneflybrewery.com

Shank Hall
1434 N. Farwell Ave.
414-276-7288
shankhall.com

Vnuk’s
5036 S. Packard Ave.
414-481-1655
vnuks.com

YNOT III
1854 E. Kenilworth St.
Milwaukee, WI
414-224-9668

Zad’s
438 S. 2nd St.
414-271-9130