It's Friday, it's raining and I'm feeling reflective. Plus, I've got more e-mails than you can shake a stick at, so here are some random Milwaukee notes for a Friday morning.
Mike Eitel sent me a link to see The Nomad's World Cup and it's pretty great. Simple, but direct and clear and with ear-catchingly dramatic music. You can check it out here and then go watch a ton of footie at The Nomad. And be sure to report back on your upstairs bar experience.
Jazz trumpeter Jamie Breiwick's Choir Fight is playing its first non-jazz venue gig of its three-year career. The combo rocks Bar Lulu in Bay View after its Jazz in the Park gig on Thursday, June 10.Considering Breiwick has a penchant for playing tunes by both Sam Rivers and Death Cab for Cutie, you can expect the music to be interesting, to say the least.
I've raved before about Muzzle of Bees' Ryan Matteson's skills when it comes to bringing ace talent to Milwaukee. Yesterday, he reminded me of his current summer line-up and it's worth iterating here...
June 14 -- Breathe Owl Breathe and Elephant Micah, Cactus Club
June 15 -- Megafaun and Sam Quinn and Conrad Plymouth, Club Garibaldi
June 24 -- Crooked Fingers, Club Garibaldi
June 26 -- The Daredevil Christopher Wright and Cedarwell, Cactus Club
July 22 -- Nathaniel Rateliff, Club Garibaldi
July 25 -- The Parson Red Heads and Chris DeMay, Cactus Club
Aug. 21 -- Roadside Graves, Cactus Club
Having missed Rateliff's other appearances here this year, I'm really hoping this one, in the intimate Garibaldi back room, will be the best of them all.
I'm a passionate Reader fan, but my tastes lean more Eddi than her brother Frank, who fronts The Trashcan Sinatras. But let me clarify that's in large part likely because I'm ever so barely familiar with the veteran Scottish band's output over the past 20-odd years.
Ivy's Andy Chase produced the new record, "In the Music," which has a cameo by no less than Carly Simon. I'd bet it's the first time Carly's been on a record that includes a seven-minute tribute to Syd Barrett! But that juxtaposition gives you a clue: this is fairly traditional UK pop music with jangling guitars, strong melodies and pretty, sometimes lush arrangements.
You can hear it all live because Reader and crew come to Shank Hall on Monday, June 7.
Speaking of music, did you know that the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra is hosting a free Calypso Summer Camp June 14-18?! Yes, students entering grades 6-12 next September can learn how to play the steel drum (they must live in the City of Milwaukee or attend an MPS school). MYSO is also looking for electric bassists and kit drummers, too. For complete details, call (414) 267-2958 or e-mail general@myso.org.
Yesterday, Milwaukee Film announced the first seven of about 150 films that will screen at this year's festival, slated for Sept. 23-Oct. 3.
They are, "About Elly," "Ajami," "Feed the Fish," "His & Hers," "Lourdes," "Metropolis" and "Only When I Dance."
You know want more, so go to milwaukee-film.org.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
