This past weekend, Tosa resident Anthony Lampasona staged a huge party at Red Dot on North Avenue in East Tosa with Public Enemy, Run-DMC, Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Rakim, EPMD and others.
Some nights you're hanging out watching your kids do gymnastics and packing for a weekend camping trip, and 20 minutes later, you're rocking to Run-DMC at a tiny venue a few blocks from home.
That's what happened to me Friday night when I saw fellow drummer Mikal Phillips post a Facebook Live of Run-DMC on stage at Red Dot. A few minutes later, I was on the sidewalk enjoying the music and occasionally catching a glimpse of the performers through the big open windows.
Phillips spotted me on the sidewalk and we chatted. And then I ran into more friends. And then more friends saw my posts on social media about it and they showed up. And then another longtime friend – a co-owner of Red Dot – brought me a pass to get inside. Suddenly it felt as much like my party as Lampasona's.
The event was a follow-up to a similar one Lampasona – who is the president and COO of Landmark Healthcare Facilities – staged at Red Dot with Public Enemy last year.
Held on the same weekend as Tosa Fest was taking place down in the Village, Lampasona's party felt like the real Tosa fest. And though it was packed, there seemed to be nothing but good vibes. Folks on the sidewalk took turns standing on chairs to see the action inside, with nary a thrown elbow.
Inside, the party was packed, but folks ran to open the door for people carrying drinks and there was nearly as much high-fiving as there was selfie-snapping. And by the time Public Enemy was into its surprisingly long set, doormen weren't even checking for passes anymore.
It was a really good time. I didn't make it over on Saturday to see Rakim, who is perhaps my favorite hip-hop MC ever – there was that camping trip, remember?
Thanks to Lampasona for sharing the love with his neighborhood.
Read Piet Levy's story about it here.
Here are some images (sorry, they were the best I could from my vantage points) ...
1. Run-DMC
2. DJ Chuck Chillout
3. Hanging with WISN-TVs awesome Dwight Moss
4. The amazing line-up
5. Public Enemy
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.
