2008-07 Vital Source Mag – July 2008
Fire in the Disco
Photos by Brian Jacobson + Eric Walton “Everyone calls me a magician. I don’t mind it so much, but – at least get it right.” If you’ve lived through a summer in Milwaukee and you’re not a total shut-in, you’ve probably seen Marcus Monroe – he’s hard to miss on his eight-foot unicycle, juggling knives taped to torches (the “knorch,” Marcus’ own invention) with a firecracker strapped to a helmet on his head. The extreme juggler and performance artist has been a fixture on the local festival circuit since he was a teenager. In 2004, Marcus moved to New York City to start his career as an entertainer and it’s been nothing but rock star success ever since – taking the stage at all hours of the night at NYC “playgrounds for billionaires,” opening for Cake and Talib Kweli, traveling the world with a knock-off Louis Vutton bag of juggling clubs and living with two other jugglers in a “fun house” apartment in the big city. But he’s more than just a certified phenom with a pretty face: the magnetic Marcus Monroe, a 23-year-old Milwaukee native, wants you to experience juggling like you have never experienced it before. He wants to make it fresh. He wants to make it hot. He wants to change it – forever. As a kid, Marcus “was kind of the goofy juggler,” he says. “But I wanted to appeal to a mass market. I wanted to start a new style of juggling … not the traditional sequined vest, crazy, ridiculous suits, colorful ties. I realized that there are no rules. I’m my own boss. I started dressing the way I would want to see a juggler dress. I wore what Justin Timberlake was wearing. I watched pop concerts to see what Usher was wearing and asked, how can this work on me? “I looked good. And the juggling was good.” JUGGLE FEVER When he was nine, Marcus saw one of his schoolmates juggle in a talent show – “just three balls, very poorly when I think about it,” he says. “But it was so inspiring to think about, someone that young … just a kid … juggling.” He spent that whole summer with his father learning the skill. “It took me so long, but my dad and I were so into it. I surrounded myself with everything juggling. I went to juggling clubs at UWM, started going to conventions, buying books on juggling, performing, videos – I didn’t care about school. I wanted to focus on juggling and performing.” His first performance – in overalls and a polka dot shirt, juggling to “Closer to Free” by the BoDeans on a boom box – was in fifth grade at the school talent show. Less than a year later, he was juggling at block parties, birthday parties, fairs and festivals. In high school he got a gig at Park Bar opening for bands, juggling fire, knives and glow-in-the-dark hoops. It attracted him a gathering of fans from […]
Jul 1st, 2008 by Amy Elliott
The Black Ghosts
In my lifelong predilection to condense a review to one word, this one would garner more of an escape of breath: “Eh.” Honestly, there just isn’t enough originality (or for that matter, anything compelling) within these 11 tracks to elicits more than that. Their moniker itself is groan-worthy: how many bands do we need with the “Black” adjective or “Ghost” subject, really? Oh, and their aim is to haunt and disquiet the listener with gothic eeriness. Whatever you say, guvnor. Obviously, these two Brits know what to do with the equipment. They’ve studied their Beck, Madonna, and early ‘90s Madchester scene. There are beats galore, with the requisite samples and sonic candy thrown in right where they should be. The tracklisting is near-perfect, with the moodier numbers spacing the upbeat disco and the (all too few!) fat-bottomed jams, which are without a doubt the highlight of the recording. Both “Until It Comes Again” and “Something New” are truly funky, with basslines that make me salivate. “Full Moon” features the collection’s best production, with acoustic guitars and strings that build to a nice crescendo. Unfortunately, the vocals never go anywhere: they don’t lie inside the instruments, nor illuminate the forgettable melodies. Although I’ve been highly critical of the templated songwriting and aesthetic, this is not a bad disc – I’ll just listen to my Codebreaker over it any day.
Jul 1st, 2008 by Troy Butero
Into Arcadia
Horace Walpole, the 18th century English writer/historian/politician, oh-so-properly pointed out that “this world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.” Walpole had a point, as those who are bound by the heart are usually more prone to the pathos that life dishes out. Milwaukee’s Into Arcadia have transformed their fair share of dark days into earnestly exuberant songs, rooted in tragedy, yet propelled by a sound that is anything but dreary. Their five-song EP Maps for Children, according to Otto Ohlsson (vox, guitar), was based on his childhood experiences growing up in Manchester, England. The title, Ohlsson explains, comes from “the struggle between childhood’s innocence and the corrupting nature of coming of age;” Ohlsson added that the band doesn’t plan to dwell on this theme for the duration of their musical careers, and that he believes that their next writing ventures will be “more upbeat … more dance-y.” Whatever direction the future holds for Into Arcadia, their debut EP is a pretty study in absolution from past wrongs, with beautiful driving guitars from Ohlsson and Kenny Buesing solidified by Wes Falk’s bass and Zac Weiland’s percussion. Joy Division, Doves, The Fall and early Coldplay are all familiar sounds for Maps for Children. “Time is no best friend of mine,” Ohlsson sings on “Distance Equals Time,” guitars chiming and percussion punching the wall of lyrics built to give the songs strength, even in their vulnerability. What would Walpole say about what the world holds for those who think and feel after hearing this record?
Jul 1st, 2008 by Erin Wolf
On Assignment
Or: Getting entertained to death in Branson, MO Yakov Smirnoff – of early ‘80s “In Soviet Union, car drives YOU!” fame – is currently fighting a losing battle against a mob of bloodthirsty, dancing pirates. Overwhelmed, he swings a plastic sword wildly through the air as he’s driven ever closer to the edge of the stage. “Oh no!” he cries. “I think we’re in for an adventure!” I’m sitting in the Yakov Smirnoff Theater in Branson, Missouri. Hundreds of semi-conscious senior citizens with pants up to their necks fill the seats around me, applauding every Russian themed dance number and crusty joke about the differences between men and women (men and toilet seats: when will they ever learn?). I’m applauding along with them, and it isn’t until the show’s climax – in which Smirnoff serenades and subsequently waltzes with the Statue of Liberty – that the big question finally hits me: What the hell am I doing here? Yakov Smirnoff: He’s not dead yet The armadillo, the mayor, and the ghost Branson sits astride the shores of Lake Taneycomo in the middle of the Ozarks, 40 miles north of the Arkansas border. A self-described “Family-Friendly Las Vegas,” it’s home to a ridiculous number of theaters and attractions that cater almost exclusively to the geriatric set: Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater, The Roy Rogers-Dale Evans Museum. Andy Williams, Bobby Vinton and the surviving members of Bill Haley’s Comets are among Branson’s red-hot celebrity fixtures, along with Mel Tillis, Ann-Margaret, and yes, Yakov “What a country!” Smirnoff. In addition to these highlights, Branson also contains plenty of standard tourist-trap fare: Hollywood wax museums, haunted houses, miles and miles of biblical-themed motels. To make a useful local comparison, Branson is a lot like Wisconsin Dells, only with fewer water parks and more theaters owned by the Oak Ridge Boys. For reasons unclear, I’ve been sent to Branson to cover its annual Summertime in the Ozarks Festival. Accompanied once again by VITAL’s own Amy Elliott, my assignment is open-ended and my angle unclear: should I write about how ridiculous this place will almost surely be? Should I look for something deeper, a hidden side to Branson rarely seen or discussed? Should I just say “fuck it” and check out the Red Skelton tribute show? In the end, I manage to come up with a half-baked notion that no matter what, I should attempt to shield our adventures with the least amount of protective irony as possible; I want to be truly entertained. And in a town that counts Tony Orlando as one of its main selling points, that’s a tall order. We arrive on a Thursday morning, bleary and caffeine-shaky from a grueling 10-hour drive through the night. After grabbing a quick breakfast at the Farmhouse Café (I order a cheese omelet, which arrives – topped as promised – with two melted Kraft Singles) and checking into our rooms at the brand-new Hilton Convention Center (an elderly doorman claims some […]
Jul 1st, 2008 by Matt Wild
Stars and Stripes Forever
My kids are growing up, and as they get older, I believe it’s increasingly important to educate them about their duties as citizens. I worry about the ignorance of Americans of their own history, from the framing of the Constitution to why we go to war with other nations. In anticipation of Independence Day, I sat down with my kids to see what they already knew and what was left to teach. I taped it all and some of it is below. As always, they amazed me with their honesty and their interest in the world around them. Try it with your own kids soon. You’ll probably be amazed, too. ON FLAGS: LENA: You have to stand up for the color guard. ME: Why? L: You have to honor them, the soldiers that fought for us. EMMA: They already honored us by fighting, and we have to honor them back. It’s a circle. ME: What else do you know about honoring the flag? L: It can’t ever touch the ground! ME: Right. It’s considered disrespectful. L: When Grandpa Allen died, they had a flag over his coffin. E: Then they folded up and gave it to Grandma Margaret. ME: What else do you know about flags? L: Ooh! I know! If it’s raining out, you take it down. E: And you take it down at night. JEFFREY: Why at night does it have to come down? L: So no one steals it! ME: No. Flag etiquette says it should only fly during daylight. So, do you guys know what happens when someone important dies? ALL KIDS: -blank stares- ME: They fly the flag at half-mast. That means only part-way up the flag pole. It’s a sign of respect for the person who died. L: If I was important and I died, I would want the flag to fly way up there for me! I would want a second flagpole stacked on top and then someone to sit up there and keep that flag safe! VOTING: J: I like going with you to vote. ME: Why? J: You like to vote. And I like it when you’re happy. E: I like going with you because it’s pretty amazing to see all of the people who just come to our school to vote. It makes me feel so proud to see everyone out voting. CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE: L: What’s it called when people are upset with the government and they show up in a group so the government knows? E: Protesting. ME: Yep. Sometimes it’s called demonstrating or marching. L: We don’t always march. You could hold a big sign that says what you believe, or make up a chant and chant it really loud. ME: That’s your responsibility as a citizen of this country. You need to tell the government in peaceful ways when you don’t agree with them. People don’t have this right in every country. THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE: ME: When you started fourth grade, you wanted to know what […]
Jul 1st, 2008 by Lucky Tomaszek
Red, White & Bleu
The French celebrate their independence in July, just like us – on the 14th, the anniversary of the day the peasants stormed the Bastille and raided its cache of weapons. Their banner, like ours, is red, white and blue, colors that stand for liberty, equality, and fraternity, the ideals of the French Revolution. Taste Chef Frakes’ tribute to both cultures at his demonstration at Bastille Days on Saturday, July 12 at 2 pm. VS WHITE DONUT PEACH BEIGNETS, RED BEAUJOLAIS SYRUP & BLUEBERRY SMASH The Pfister Hotel 424 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee 414-273-8222 Brian Frakes, a Brookfield native, moved to West Palm Beach at the age of twelve. He majored in Psychology at Florida State University while launching what would be a distinguished career in hospitality as a dishwasher. Once finding his true calling, Frakes learned to cook under talented chefs in Florida and Los Angeles. It was The Pfister Hotel, and the fact that his family had moved back to Milwaukee, that drew him home again. “I was always proud of where I came from and The Pfister is clearly Milwaukee’s flagship property. It’s one of only 400 rated as a ‘Preferred Hotel’ in the world,” he says. Here’s a red, white and “bleu” play on the classic beignet. Stone fruits are back in season and donut peaches are among the best. Whip up this simple fritter batter the day before and have fresh donuts in the morning with your coffee! For donut peach beignets 2 c flour 2 T sugar 2 t baking powder ½ t salt 2 T powdered milk 1 t cinnamon 2 eggs each ½ c water 2 c roasted donut peaches, diced 2 T corn oil 2 T powered sugar Combine all dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients in a mixer and blend. Do not overwhip. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. Deep fry generous spoonfuls of dough in hot oil until golden brown (about 4 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Red Beaujolais Syrup 1 c Beaujolais Nouveau ½ c white balsamic vinegar 2 T brown sugar ¼ vanilla bean Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat until reduced by 2/3. Set aside to cool. Drizzle sauces over beignets and enjoy! Blueberry Smash 1 c blackberries 1 c blueberries 1/3 c sugar 3 T Grand Marnier Combine blackberries & blueberries with sugar in a sauté pan and heat on medium heat until sugar caramelizes. Drizzle in Grand Marinier and set aside to cool. GOUGERES (CHEESE PUFFS) Geneviève Leplae came to America from Vesoul, a small town east of Dijon. Now retired from teaching French at Berlitz and the Alliance Francaise, she recalls her heritage with this traditional Burgundian snack that can be made ahead and served later. A widow with five children, her oldest daughter, Anne Herisson-Leplae, is the Director of the Alliance Francaise of Milwaukee. 1 recipe Choux Paste: 1 c sifted all-purpose flour ½ c water ½ c milk 8 T butter, cut in small pieces ½ t salt 4 […]
Jul 1st, 2008 by Cate Miller
