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In Bars & Clubs
Best live music bar, 2009: Cactus Club
The Cactus Club is still the jam after all these years.  
By OnMilwaukee.com Staff Writers

Published Feb. 12, 2009 at 5:38 a.m.
Tags: bar month, live music, venue, cactus club


"Bar Month" at OnMilwaukee.com is back for another round! The whole month of February, we're serving up intoxicatingly fun bars and club articles -- including guides, unique features, drink recipes and more. Grab a designated driver and dive in!

The votes are in and the winners have been selected for OnMilwaukee's Best: Bars & Clubs, 2009. The results of this readers' poll, including an editors' pick, are available in this series of articles that run all month long in the Bars and Clubs section of OnMilwaukee.com.

Live music and cold beer go hand in hand, which is way so many Milwaukee bars double as concert venues. But when it comes down to it -- when you really think about the quintessential place to watch a band in this city -- it's tough to compete with the Cactus Club's stronghold on the indie scene for the past decade or so.

Perhaps that's why OnMilwaukee.com readers voted the Cactus Club, 2596 S. Wentworth Ave., as their favorite bar to see live music -- local or otherwise.

It was small, dark and kind of dirty, but it was nationally known as the cool place for touring punk, indie and rock bands to play if they were passing through Milwaukee.

Then in 2007 owner Eric Uecke completely gutted and renovated the 100-year-old Bay View tavern into a cleaner, slightly more mature version of its former self.

The full-circle bar was replaced by a U-shaped one, the walls were cleaned up (as were the bathrooms, thankfully) and the blacklights were replaced by track lighting. It feels quite a bit different in there these days, but the Cactus Club remains a live music staple for Milwaukee.

OnMilwaukee.com editor's choice: Cactus Club

Runners-up:
2. Milwaukee Ale House
3. The Rave
4. Shank Hall
5. Mo's Irish Pub
6. Up & Under Pub
7. Trinity Three Irish Pubs
8. BBC
9. The Mad Planet
10. Points East Pub
11. Linneman's
12. Stonefly Brewing Co.
13. The Estate
14. Bad Genie Rock Lounge
15. Live on North
16. Vnuk's
17. Rooters
18. Y-Not III
19. Club Anything
20. Liquor Sweets
21. Borg Ward
22. Treats
23. Yesteryears
24. The Commons



More Information ...
Cactus Club
2496 S. Wentworth Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53207
(414) 897-0663
http://www.cactusclubmilwaukee.com

13 comments about this article.
Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by Joscasta on Feb. 13, 2009 at 10:08 a.m. (report)

I am just happy that Eric woke up and made the walls black again, it was that ugly beige for too long after the remodel.

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Posted by MKE Luvva on Feb. 13, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. (report)

1) I never said your name was Paul. You don't read very carefully do you? I'd be concerned if I were your customer at the Onion, "Pete." 2) I'm not stalking, I'm just taking a second out of my day to do a quick search to see why you're so passionately and repeatedly dissing this site, which you must in fact actually enjoy since you're here posting multiple comments. No need to get hysterical.

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Posted by psteinhafel on Feb. 12, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. (report)

So my name is automatically Paul? My name is Pete. Nice try though ; )

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Posted by gobias on Feb. 12, 2009 at 4:13 p.m. (report)

Ok, in Pete's defense, he's right. Borg Ward is not a bar. The title of this article is "Best live music bar." It's not an issue of where it's ranked - it just shouldn't be included on this list, it's not a bar. Also, there needs to be a distinction for The Rave. Is this the Rave Bar thats #2? The Rave? the Eagles Club? Because only 1 of those fits the bill of a music bar. The Rave and Eagles Club are music venues - which this is NOT a list of. oh and MKE Luvva, what's with stalking steinhafel?

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Posted by MKE Luvva on Feb. 12, 2009 at 4:00 p.m. (report)

Right PSteinhafel, they're doing it because they don't care, but you care so much that you've started a Web site that helps promote live music and local businesses, right? Post a link for us. And hey, check it out, a quick Web search of p steinhafel in milwaukee shows that you're an ad salesman for The Onion. Maybe that's why you're here talking smack.

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