Moose lodge

This has been a strange year. I’ve started writing a weekly column (City Mouse) for my old Iowa hometown newspaper, The Villisca Review. I grew up there in a berg (population now 1,000) nestled between two branches of the Nodaway River, in the valley known as Nodaway. The paper has been publishing for 150 years, believe it or not Ripley. Once upon a time I asked the editor (back in the 40s) if I could write for the Review. When I couldn’t spell Omaha, he told me to come back later. I’m back. The current editor is a woman who publishes it all out of her home. Mostly what she gets to print are 4-H ribbon winners, basketball and football stuff, and happenings in small town U.S.A. They still print who visited who, which I admit, is sweet and endearing. This week I added a second article to my contributions, a review of a book of superb black and white photographs about Iowa musicians. I found it online and ordered a copy from the Chicago distributor. Anyway, the photographer who produced the beauties is Sandra Dyas, who teaches photography at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa. Included with the book is a great CD of tunes by mostly Iowa musicians, including Greg Brown, whose name I’ve seen on the Shank Hall marquee near where I live. Turns out that Ms. Dyas is a longtime friend of Julie Lindemann and Johnnie Shimon, and she’s coming to M’waukee to see their show before it closes at MAM. The Review has only one other columnist, a former Villiscan who is also a former farm lobbyist, now living in Virginia. He describes himself as a staunch Republican. Most of the town is made up of staunch Republicans. Which is why I may be in deep doo-doo. Initially, I began writing my column as a way to connect memories of the small town with my life in Milwaukee, but eventually that well begins to run dry. Now that the election is nearing, I decided to step forward with some thoughts about one Mr. Obama. I should add here that prior to moving to Kansas City (when I was 15, around the time of the Civil Rights movement), I actually thought everyone in the world was fair of skin and blue of eye. Just like me and most of Villisca’s residents. Fortunately, my editor is all for freedom of expression. This can’t be easy, as anything she prints is open to attack the moment she steps out and faces her readers in the town square. But she’s given me the go ahead. The other columnist, the staunch Republican, takes issue with my stance and lately has started sending me a volley of emails calling my writing “crap, left-wing, hippie” etc. Yesterday I blocked any future emails from him. He was particularly pissed over a piece I wrote about Cindy McCain’s $300,000 ensemble, and demanded that I verify where I got the “factoid,” never mind that it […]

In which I Attend the Forward Music Fest, Day 2, Part 2

fig.1: Droids Attack, attacking Here’s one thing i didn’t do all weekend during the Forward Fest that i feel should be pointed out—i didn’t get drunk once. There’s a reason for this; it’s because despite running into people i knew all weekend, i was essentially going it alone. And look; stories of romantic rock ‘n’ roll excess play really well when the intrepid music journalist has a traveling partner or two, but alone there’s nothing Hunter S. Thompson about being drunk on Leine’s at three in the afternoon. When you’re 34, live in Milwaukee, and a humble blogger for a local publication, that’s just sad. So yeah, not so much with the drunken antics this weekend. I point this out because when i walked from the Frequency to Wisconsin’s best live music venue, by far (sorry Cactus Club), the High Noon Saloon, i managed to meet up with some pals who took care of all the alcoholic revelry for me in spades. Not two minutes into my High Noon visit (whereupon walking into the venue my first thought was “oh sweet! I didn’t completely miss Helliphant!”), i heard a “HEY DJ!” and ran into my yes-it’s-only-9-PM-but-god-dammit-i’m-loaded Chicago buddy Tanya and her pals Ashleigh and Kara, who weren’t far behind. What rules about Tanya is that she has the best musical taste of any 21-year-old i’ve maybe ever met. Cute girls who are barely drinking age are not supposed to be fans of music that falls under an umbrella referred to in the 80s as “pigfuck,” but there you have it. Tanya’s favorite band in the universe is Killdozer, and she is here, at this festival to see Killdozer and Killdozer alone. Oh, and the Heroin Sheiks, because apparently she’d totally blow Shannon Selberg. She said so about 20 minutes after she threw up in the High Noon’s beer garden. (NOTE: Tanya’s gonna kill me for writing this. My only possible redemption will be convincing her that because this is a new blog, no one is reading it yet, so no one will know her shame. Look, Tanya, at least i didn’t run the pictures.) After a completely ripping set from my boys in the Madison stoner-riff combo Droids Attack, i was tickled to hear a bunch of people around me exclaiming sentiments similar to “who were those guys? Droids Attack? They were awesome! Why haven’t i heard of them before?” Argh. BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION. Droids have been around for almost as long as my band (8 1/2 years, guh), so there is no excuse for anyone who attends shows at the High Noon on a regular basis to have not heard of them before Sept. 20, 2008. End of story. Tanya gets a pass because she’s from Chicago. Speaking of Tanya, it was around this time that her friends were cutting her off because she apparently had enough to drink for the night (it was about 10 at this point). After an extended debate among the three […]

Tragedy or Farce?

It couldn’t be any wackier if Paddy Chayefsky and Joseph Heller had collaborated on the script and Stanley Kubrick and Robert Altman had done the directing. Let’s review. Those wild and crazy folks who are in charge of our federal government in Washington, DC continue to squander what little respect they have by appearing to be totally incapable of serious, mature behavior. The American economy has been the envy of the rest of the world because of one thing; its stability. Now the bedrock of the world’s financial infrastructure is in a state of collapse and those fine peeps responsible for righting this ship appear to be auditioning for a Three Stooges short. Who’s to blame? Where to start? Certainly evildoer #1 has to be President George Bush. His administration started a misguided and unnecessary war by manipulating Congress, the public and the world community. Thousands upon thousands of Americans and countless others have died or been maimed as a result and no evaluation of the current lame duck can avoid pointing that out. But let’s focus on the financial crisis. It is obvious that the Bush policies promoting deregulation and lax enforcement gave a green light to the lending practices that got us in our current situation. Bush may admire the presidency of Ronald “Mr. Teflon” Reagan but during this economic crisis he has appeared to be more deserving of the title Mr. Flypaper. And John McCain seems to think he can earn votes by competing with the President for Least Reassuring Performance of the Week. Sen. McCain continues to make light of his “Country First” slogan with his grandstanding behavior that appears to have blown up an apparent agreement on legislation to rescue the failing financial institutions. A cynical observer might conclude that McCain is so desperate to alter the perception that he is clueless on economic issues that he believes he must appear to be personally responsible for the bailout. Talk about a Messiah Complex! This prosposed legislation is so complicated that any delay may be a good thing if it gives members of Congress the opportunity to actually read and think about what they are voting on. But the world’s financial experts feel that the longer this takes, the worse things will be. The image of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulsen getting on his knees to plead with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn’t helping with that confidence thing. Who knows how this will end? Who knows if the debate will go on tonight? My advice? Rent Duck Soup or A Night at the Opera by the Marx Brothers and have a few laughs. But stay away from The Three Stooges. They behave too much like our political leaders to be a diversion.

Milwaukee Film Wants You! Volunteer Today!

Want to meet fun, new people? Want free movie tickets? Want to help with Milwaukee’s newest film festival? Milwaukee Film is currently seeking enthusiastic and dedicated individuals to help us out with upcoming events. Milwaukee Film are looking to fill volunteer positions in all areas from ticket-taking and ushering at the theatres to helping make sure the parties run smoothly. Please email MilwaukeeFilm414@gmail.com or send a message on Facebook or Myspace, and include all of your contact information (email, phone #, address). Volunteering is the best way to ensure that Milwaukee’s film festival becomes the institution Milwaukee deserves. You also receive great benefits, for each shift volunteered you will get 1 ticket to the 2009 Film Festival presented by Milwaukee Film. If you know anyone who is interested in volunteering, please forward this message to them and tell them to e-mail Milwaukeefilm414@gmail.com with their contact information. Volunteer information for the Milwaukee Show on October 23rd and Song Sung Blue on November 6th will be released shortly so sign up quickly! Thank you in advance for your support!

DPW Defends Snow Removal Efforts

The Department of Public Works (“DPW”) gave a presentation regarding snow and ice removal during which they laid out a list of options of how to improve service levels. This presentation was a follow up to meetings that occurred this winter in response to an outcry of citizens complaints about DPW’s poor job of snow and ice removal.  During these meetings it was brought up that curb cuts and bus stops are rarely cleared and this disproportionally hurts the elderly and handicapped.  Despite these talks it appeared from the presentation that there hadn’t been much movement on new strategies or efforts to improve service. Resolution 071176 proposed the vacation of the right-turn bypass at East Pittsburgh Avenue and South Water Street.  This street vacation is intended to support the Transpak redevelopment project in the Fifth Ward.  The mixed-use facility known as South Water Works will include 350,000 square feet of office, entertainment, retail, and residential space.  Initially this resolution was held because of DPW’s concerns about trucks ability to turn the reconstructed corner but after further discussion it was explained that DPW’s initial concerns had been resolved.  This resolution was approved and will now go before the full Common Council.

Fullhouse Moving to Walker’s Point

Fullhouse, a growing interactive marketing agency, is leaving their crowded Third Ward office space for 23,500 square feet across the river in Walker's Point.

Friday Photos Friday, 26. September 2008

Ambassador Hotel Breakwater Condos Park Lafayette Signature Suites at 2040 Lofts The Edge

The Scorecard

John McCain is not having a very good couple of weeks. His campaign has been in free fall ever since last week when he called the fundamentals of our economy strong, He quickly tried to reposition himself on all this economic stuff by insisting he was talking about the American Worker and Small Business owner and we were, in fact, facing a crisis. Nearly every day since has been an adventure as McCain has unleashed a barrage of prescriptions as if he was engaged in a very public focus group test. “Establish a bipartisan commission,” “Fire SEC Commission Chairman Christopher Cox,” “Hire Andrew Cuomo,” “Suspend the campaign and postpone the debate.” I don’t know about you but these rants do not inspire confidence. Don’t take my word for it, look at what George Will has to say. His decision to cancel his appearance on David Letterman may have seemed a good idea at the time but it may prove to be his most egregious error yet. By insisting that his time would be better spent returning to Washington to focus on the nation’s economy, McCain has invited the wrath of a man who controls five hours of network television a week. Letterman was hilarious and ruthless in his attack of McCain last night. And, it turns out, McCain didn’t rush down to the Capitol but merely headed over to another CBS studio which enabled Dave to share with his viewers the shot of McCain having makeup applied to his face across from Katie Couric. Ouch! Grade: F Meanwhile, the President’s remarks last night fell short in a number of respects. The people who cared enough to watch were looking for an explanation of why this is happening and how the proposed plan will help. The tone and rhetoric needed to convey urgency while demonstrating that the government’s primary concern was with the average American and not simply bailing out the wealthy. And it wouldn’t have hurt for him to accept some of the blame for the crisis. The real purpose of the speech was to apply pressure on Congress to move swiftly. A leader with the nation’s welfare at heart would have been willing to share responsibility in order to spur action. What I saw and heard was a man who was on automatic pilot. He placed blame on everyone but himself. Foreign money flooded our markets. Consumers bought homes they couldn’t afford. Some on Wall Street got greedy. And the solution wasn’t of his choosing but it’s what the experts say is necessary. And, by the way, Congress needs to act quickly or average Americans are going to be even more screwed. Did he really say that the rescue was important so people can buy new homes and cars? This are the concerns of the well off. What about the people worried about keeping their jobs, staying in their current homes and putting food on the table? This guy is so out of touch it’s incredible. Is there a […]

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A Closer Look at The Flatiron Condominiums

The Flatiron Condominiums, the first development to take place in the former Park East Freeway corridor, is a five-story, 38-unit condominium.

The Constant Wife

It’s the classic tale of a man who loves a woman, a woman who loves a man and the world that gets in their way. Somerset Maugham’s tale of potential infidelity comes to the Boulevard Theatre as it presents The Constant Wife. Maureen Dornemann stars as title character Constance Middleton whose fidelity to her husband Dr. John Middleton, played by Michael Chobanoff, is called into question when former flame Bernard, played by Jaime Jastrab, re-enters her life. In a clever move to keep production costs low, the Boulevard stages this classic 1925 drama as a rehearsal of understudies for a much bigger, more opulent production of Maugham’s drama. The set and costuming are minimal, and the cast itself was assembled with many new faces and amateur actors. In such a stark environment, individuals have the opportunity to set themselves apart. Maureen Dornemann does a remarkably good job of portraying the title character, but she has previously proved herself to be a thoroughly interesting actress. Here Dornemann’s intelligent stage presence is put to good work portraying a woman who would seem less than three-dimensional if she were portrayed by an actress of less talent. Though she is clearly more defined in the play by her husband than anything else, the title character possesses a kind of strength that goes beyond her occupation as wife. It’s a delicate distinction that Dornemann nails perfectly. Her husband, played here by Michael Chobanoff, balances out the picture quite well. Chobanoff portrays the role of a less than faithful husband with all of the depth that a character like his needs in order to really makes the performance work. The Boulevard Theater’s production of The Constant Wife runs through October 5th. 414-744-5757 or www.boulevardtheatre.com for more info.

In which I Attend the Forward Music Fest, Day 2, Part 1

fig.1: The two Nicks from The Box Social yowl some words or something I spent the night at my pal Norah’s place a hop, skip, and barely a jump from the Capitol square area, which was just too damn perfect. She had met me at the Corral Room Friday night and we stood outside and chatted while the boys in Brainerd closed things out (yeah, um, sorry i missed you guys, John!). This was a good thing, as i had not seen Norah since March, when we played that very same Corral Room. The next morning she treated me to a Red Baron 4-cheese pizza breakfast (i sort of saw this weekend as an opportunity to get my digestive system in shape for our tour, which starts Friday) and a private screening of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, which, for frak’s sake, where have i been? Joss Whedon rules at nerd musicals, as the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer obviously demonstrated. I should have downloaded this weeks ago. Anywho, you don’t care about nerd shit; you care about rocker shit (which is essentially nerd shit, but louder. Face it). As the final credits rolled i made my way from Norah’s pad to the Stage Door, the side theater of the Orpheum on State Street. I got there just in time to check out my pals in the Brewtown pop-punk power party The Chinese Telephones throwing down a fairly solid set, despite some sound issues that were beyond ridiculous. Seriously, if there were a Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares for sound dudes, these yahoos would have qualified for a season finale. The Telephones got off easy compared to Things Fall Apart, who i suppose had it coming, what with naming their band that after all. During portions of their set, the PA threw out filling-rattling bass at inopportune times and cut out entirely at others. Completely ridiculous. Things seemed to get back to some level of competence for Canadia’s Brutal Knights, who played some killer Zeke-tempo speed punk. They were followed by a band called Star Fucking Hipsters. Now, ok. When you name your band something like “Star Fucking Hipsters,” your band is going to either destroy so much that it’s the best band name ever, or your band is going to suck so badly that your name reads like a desperate way to get people to pay attention (i mean, if i see a band called “Adolf Hitler Raped My Grandfather” on a flyer, i’m going to the damn show, ya dig?). In this case, the name turned out to be a case of “oh, you’re on Fat Wreck Chords and playing the exact same music they’ve been putting out for the last 500 years, but because you dress like New York gutter punks and have neck tattoos, you need just the MOST BADASS NAME POSSIBLE, don’t you? Awwwww, so cute.” Which basically meant it was time to head to The Frequency for some rippin’ Indie Rock. After a more […]