Perhaps it was the soft croon of Heidi Spencer's acoustic guitar or the vintage tuba thump of The Scarring Party. Chances are, next time you're in line for a latte you'll catch Clamnation or Decibully or The Tropics coming through the speakers.
These are all, of course, local bands and the reason you're hearing them one after another is thanks to a collaboration between Stone Creek and WMSE called the Community+Music Project. Together they've compiled a compilation CD of local bands that will get airplay in each of Stone Creek's cafes for the next three months.
The inaugural CD debuted Monday, June 25 and future CDs, says Stone Creek executive retail manager Athena Agoudemos, are contingent on customer feedback and community response.
"Stone Creek really values local connections," says Agoudemos. "We roast locally, support local vendors and work with local community organizations. Local music with the opportunity to work with WMSE was a great fit for our stores!"
The CDs won't be available for purchase in the cafes, but curious customers have access to the playlist and will be directed to the café's Web site for more info on the local bands.
So if you like what you hear, join the music and coffee communities in celebrating creativity in Milwaukee as Stone Creek's Bay View location, 2266 S. Kinnickinnic, hosts a party on Saturday, July 21. Look for a couple featured local bands to play live in the café.
"Great music and great coffee is the perfect match," says Agoudemos. "Music and coffee bring people together and enhance the best in each other."
Cheers to that.
With a little guidance from WMSE, Stone Creek selected 13 bands to be apart of it inaugural Community+Music project. Here is the tracklist:
The Tropics -- "Laisse Le Tombre"
Trolley -- "Things That Shine and Glow"
Marcella -- "Echo"
The Good Luck Joe's -- "Middle of Me"
Heidi Spencer -- "I Slept in Cars"
Jeno Somlai -- "Go East"
Sometimes Y -- "Knowledge"
The Inkwell Collective -- "Moscow, Idaho"
Decibully -- "Megan & Magill"
Heathrow -- "Another Thing"
Clamnation -- "Cabeza Rojo"
Burbank Cartel -- "Slowly We Go"
The Scarring Party -- "Anywhere"
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
