Perfunctory Preface
Here’s where we normally string out a few pearls of wisdom and/or wit to edify you and lead you to the calendar of musical events below.
It’s also an opportunity for me to consider this question: What’s on my mind? Well, in addition to handling the basics of food, shelter, clothing, and the makings of music, these days the old mental landscape is laden with a fair amount of fear and loathing.
The fear is for the future, as in, will there be one for our children? The loathing is for bullies, be they on the street corner or across an internationally recognized border, and for the tendency among some to cheer bullies on, or convince themselves that it’s none of their business, or that the victims had it coming. Anyone can be human, but being humane takes courage.
I hope we can all enjoy some summer fun very soon (suggestions just below), but I hope even more that we have the courage to do the right thing when it’s our turn.
McMusical Calendar
Friday,
April 1
The
Sparks
Band play
the big hits
from the 60s (and a
few misses) at
Chief’s
Tavern, 300
Cottage Grove Road in Madison
(right across from Buck’s Pizza, and, yes, they deliver!) Will
the band be joined by a special
guest? Word is, quite
possibly. 7 to 10 pm
Saturday,
April 30
The
Gentlemen Reunion at Chief’s
Tavern
(see address above). Back
in the day (the
60s),
The Gentlemen were Wisconsin’s premiere purveyors of British
Invasion rock and roll. Nobody
played the Beatles repertoire better.
They have long since scattered to the corners of the globe (and
beyond, ask Mr. Shaw)
but original band members Bob Kension, Bruce Shaw and Chuck Scalia
are back in Madison for an evening of (mostly)
Beatles music, joined by Mark
and Tom from The
Sparks
Band.
7 to 10 pm
Saturday,
May 21
Birddog
Blues Band at the
Timber Lake Playhouse
outside of Mount Carroll,
IL. Sponsored by The
Crossroads Blues Society. The
‘Dogs’ set runs from
approximately 3
to 4:30 Details
on other artists performing will
be available soon.
Check back.
Friday,
May 27
BIG WES Turner’s Trio rides again, thanks to
Grammy-winning guitarist and Chicago Blues Hall-of-Famer Billy Flynn,
who literally dragged drummer Rick Becker and bassist Tom McCarty out
of their respective caves. Hear them hop between hip musical genres
(Blues, Country, R&B, Rock, Surf!) at Tyranena Brewing,
1025 Owen St. in Lake Mills, WI. Enjoy the spacious, welcoming patio
and backyard, not to mention the best and boldest Wisconsin brews. (A
light drizzle won’t stop this semi-protected outdoor show, but
weather most foul will, so keep an eye on the sky.) 6 to 9 pm
Saturday,
June 4
Birddog Blues Band at Full Mile Beer
Co. & Kitchen at 132 Market St. in Sun Prairie, WI. Beer?
Check. Food? Check. Blues? Double-check. What more could you want? 7
to 10 pm
Sunday,
June 5
Mel
Ford & the Fairlane* at
Tofflers Pub
& Grill, 200 5th
Ave. in New Glarus, WI. Afternoon
on the deck. 2:30 to 5 pm.
*(Mel
Ford & the Who? Suffice it say that back in the day, ‘round
about Y2K, guitar
wiz Mel Ford carried around a
quartet of sidemen cleverly monikered “The Fairlanes,” bringing
Bluesmuzik to the bars, bistros and
beer tents of the Midwest. That
was then. These days
the estimable Mr. Ford pops up on
occasion with the last
25 percent of the Fairlanes, bassist Tom McCarty. Hey.
They sing. They play. They’re
good enough and, gosh-darn-it!,
people like ‘em.)
Friday,
June 24
Birddog
Blues Band at
Tofflers Pub
& Grill New
Glarus, WI. Evening in the
backyard (weather permitting). Ken
‘Birddog’ Olufs, Mel Ford, Derek Hendrickson, and Tom McCarty. 7
to 10
Saturday,
June 25
The
Sparks Band
opens up for WAMI winners Bella
Cain
at Celebrate
Waupun
at
Tanner Park
in Waupun (WI).
4:45 to 6:45 (or so)
Friday,
July 1
Birddog
Blues Band at WisconsinBrewing, 1079
American Parkway, Verona WI.
Spacious indoor and outdoor spaces
for roaming around or imbibing brews. 6 to 9 pm
Saturday,
July 2
Birddog Blues Band at Club LaMark, Madison,
WI.
Thursday,
July 7
Birddog Blues Band at Lone Girl Brewery,
Waunakee, WI. 7 to 9
Friday,
July 29
Birddog Blues Band at Tyranena Brewing, Lake
Mills, WI. 6 to 9 pm
Saturday,
August 6
Birddog
Blues Band at Tofflers
8 to 11 pm
Saturday,
August 16
Birddog
Blues Band at Hartland
Blues Fest
Friday,
August 19
Birddog
Blues Band
warms
up the stage for some band called The Jimmys at
MineralPoint Blues and Roots Fest.
Enjoy
the surroundings at “Orchard Lawn” and the grounds of The Gundry
House at Church and Pine in historic, picturesque Mineral Point.
Thursday,
August 25
Birddog Blues Band at Lone Girl Brewery,
Waunakee, WI. 6 to 9 pm
Friday,
September 2
Birddog Blues Band at Wisconsin Brewing,
1079 American Parkway, Verona WI. Spacious indoor and outdoor spaces
for roaming around or imbibing brews. 6 to 9 pm
Saturday,
September 17
Mel
Ford & the Fairlane,
PRIVATE PARTY, Madison, WI.
(WAIT!
Why are we telling you about a
party if
you’re not invited? Just to remind you that Mr. McMusic and
associates are happy to bring live
music to your neighborhood
hall or your
very own home,
at
surprisingly reasonable rates.)
Saturday,
October 8
Birddog Blues Band at Full Mile in Sun
Prairie, WI.
We fill in details here as soon as we hear about them, or when we get around to it. So check back.
