Urgent Statement of Impending Doings

Greetings, y'all!
Fall (see photo) has slipped into the past and the holiday season is now upon us. Daylight begins to lengthen. The calendar flips, and the question on all lips? When (not if) will the shite hit the fan?

Here's hoping not before January 19, 2024. Why?
See below.

The McMuscial Calendar

Friday, January 19
MAMA winners the BirdDogBlues band play Madison Wisconsin's premiere Blues venue, The Red Rooster. 8ish to 11ish. Don't miss this event, come heck or high snowfall. (This is winter and this is Wisconsin.)

Other hip happenings are lining up for the 2024 seasons, so check back often and frequently.

And don't forget to write.

Pre-Thanksgiving Bash!

Mark your calendar! And make it quick!

One week from tonight, Wednesday November 22 (Thanksgiving Eve), The Birddog Blues Band will be bluesing and/or boozing it up at Doundrin's Distillery in Cottage Grove from 6 to 9 pm.

This may be your last chance to come out and dance (or just drink--your call) to the BBB in 2023. The schedule will be light during the darkness of the winter months. Check back for updates to the McMusical Calendar.

And Now for Something

Yes. It's been awhile.

Sometimes doing virtually nothing is a time-consuming task. But here we are, now, so...

The McMusical Calendar

Saturday, November 4
The Birddog Blues Band plays Blues (what else?) at The Fharmacy in Lake Mills from 7 to 10 pm.

Yup. That's all for now.

But wait! Surely there must be some other pearls of wisdom, some tidbits of titillation to offer you.

Okay. How about this?

Year's end approacheth. Soon, November. And then December. And then... Damn! Another year gone by. And, leastways around these parts, that revelation dawns in a cold, gray light. Winter in Wisconsin. Some love it. More don't.

I see it as an opportunity to read some books, be it with the intent to entertain (myself) or to tackle the big, eternal questions, or to wrestle with the current  sorry state of the world.

Take last year round about the turning of the calendar. I was on a quest. Music. This thing that I have bathed and showered in and raced after and swum in and floundered in for, how long? What is music? Why is it? How is it? How is it that I can play and sing some songs, tunes and ditties, but I can't answer the big mysterious musical questions with authoritative certainty?

So I turned to books (bless you, public library system). Three of 'em: 
This Is What It Sounds Like: What the Music You Like Says About You, by Susan Rogers; This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession, by Daniel J. Levitin; and How Music Works, by David Byrne.

Susan Rogers wants to explain why your favorite songs are your favorites. She got cred: before she became a very successful record producer, she was longtime sound engineer for Prince. And now she's a professor of cognitive neuroscience. She writes an easy read and offers good reasons to stop apologizing for your musical guilty pleasures, and to back off dissing music you don't like.

Daniel Levitin was a professional musician before he went all egghead PHD on us. He goes a lot deeper into the science of it all than Rogers, but even if some of his reference fly over your head, it's still a fascinating trip.

And, even if The Talking Heads aren't your cup of tea, David Byrne is a brilliant dude with a lot to say about music and his experiences listening to it, writing it, and performing it. Recommended.

Best Things

Sometimes it seems like everybody's trying to sell you something. It's not their job to remind you that the best things in life are free, but we can take it upon ourselves to do that right here.

Fresh air. Sunshine. Cool, clear water. We should all be able to enjoy these beautiful basics without having to ante up.

That said, there's plenty of goods and services out there worth the asking price. Use your purchasing power wisely, but don't deny yourself a slice of the finer things.

And what could be finer than music that moves you or makes you want to move. For examples of where to find such, see below.

The McMusical Calendar

Saturday, August 19
The Birddog Blues Band plays a private party somewhere. Why are we telling you if you're not invited? Because you, or someone you know, may be planning a party and now you know who to call for entertainment.

Saturday, August 26
The Birddog Blues Band plays another private party! Why are we telling you? See above.

Friday, September 1
Once again, The Birddog Blues Band returns to Edgerton and the Lake House Inn (1612 E. Hotel Drive). 6 to 9? or 7 to 10 pm?

Saturday, September 2
Faux Fawn opens up The Dig In!, a curated line-up of independent, original Wisconsin acts at the Eastside Club at 2 pm. Catch their set and stay for Redshift Headlights, The Present Age, Jane Hobson, and Free Dirt (featuring Robby Schiller). $10 admission. Rain or shine. (Did we mention the spacious lawn and panoramic views, Tiki Bar and food?)

Sunday, September 3
The Birddog Blues Band plays the back yard at Toffler's in New Glarus. Afternoon! 3 to 6 pm.

Monday (Labor Day), September 4
The Birddog Blues Band whoop up the holiday on the patio at Club La Mark, just off the intersection of Hwy 51 and East Washington Avenue. Afternoon.

Saturday, September 16
The Dave Potter Blues Band (supported by members of The Birddog Blues Band) plays highwire blues in Baraboo at the Ringling Mansion. (Check back for details.)

Friday, September 22
Birddog Blues Band be back at the Lake House Inn in Edgerton. 6 to 9 pm.

Saturday, September 30

Birddog Blues Band plays the Capitol Square in Madison midday. Check back for details.

Friday, October 6
The Birddog Blues Band returns to the Hop Garden backyard in picturesque Paoli. 5 to 8 pm.

Holy Heat Dome, Batman

Sometimes all Hell breaks loose. Or it just feels like. Either way, the forecast is for unseasonably hot weather. Too hot for the fragile constitutions of Big Wes Turner's Trio. (see cancellation notice below)

Wednesday, July 26
The Birddog Blues Band entertains at Swan Park Bandshell in Beaver Dam from 7 to 8:30 pm.

Thursday, July 27 CANCELLED
The return of Big Wes Turner's Trio . The musical chameleons will NOT be displaying their eclectic and eccentric musical ware at Vintage Brewing in Sauk City.
Still a great place to stop for food and drink, though.

Friday, August 11
The Birddog Blues Band back at the shack out back of the Hop Haus Brew Pub and Shops in Paoli. 5 to 8 pm.

Friday, September 1
Once again, The Birddog Blues Band returns to Edgerton and the Lake House Inn (1612 E. Hotel Drive). 7 to 10 pm

Saturday, September 2
Faux Fawn opens up for Free Dirt at the Eastside Club. Did we mention the spacious lawn and panoramic views. Evening set, but full day event.

Sunday, September 3
The Birddog Blues Band plays the back yard at Toffler's in New Glarus. Afternoon! 3 to 6 pm.

Monday (Labor Day), September 4
The Birddog Blues Band whoop up the holiday on the patio at Club La Mark, just off the intersection of Hwy 51 and East Washington Avenue. Afternoon.

Saturday, September 16
The Birddog Blues Band plays the blues in Baraboo at the Ringling Mansion. (Check back for details.)

Friday, September 22
Birddog Blues Band be back at the Lake House Inn in Edgerton. 6 to 9 pm.

Friday, October 6
The Birddog Blues Band returns to the Hop Garden backyard in picturesque Paoli. 5 to 8 pm.

Department of Corrections

We are only human. And so, we err. Here are two recent examples of our unfortunate FUs, hereby corrected:

Faux Fawn will be making music at Crescendo Coffee's Espresso Sessions in Hilldale on Tuesday, July 18 (NOT the following day, as was listed in our previous post). 5:30 to 7:30 pm

And, on Saturday, July 22, The Birddog Blues Band plays from 6 to 9 pm at The Lake House Inn in Edgerton (NOT 7 to 10).

And, no mistakes here, Big Wes Turner's Trio fer sure gonna get it together for two sets of Rockin' Rhythm & Swingin' Blues for an evening at Vintage Brewing in Sauk City (unless it rains).

Thus your latest and probably mostly accurate events calendar. Do check back now and again.

The McMusical Calendar

Saturday, July 8
Sample some "squeezins" with The Birddog Blues Band at Doundrins Distilling in Cottage Grove (300 Progress Drive).
6:30 to 9:30

Thursday, July 13
Check out the spacious lawn and panoramic views on the shores of Lake Monona while The Birddog Blues Band entertains at the East Side Club (3735 Monona Drive). 5:30 to 8:30 pm

Tuesday, July 18
Faux Fawn, the alt-folk outfit fronted by singer/songwriter Paul Otteson pops up at Crescendo Coffee (in Hilldale Mall) for a rare weeknight gig. 5:30 to 7:30

Saturday, July 22
The Birddog Blues Band returns to Edgerton and the Lake House Inn (1612 E. Hotel Drive). 6 to 9 pm

Wednesday, July 26
The Birddog Blues Band entertains at Swan Park Bandshell in Beaver Dam from 7 to 8:30 pm.

Thursday, July 27
Enjoy food and drink whilst overlooking the mighty Wisconsin River and enjoying the return of Big Wes Turner's Trio (featuring Mel Ford, Rick Becker, Tom McCarty). Big Wes's musical chameleons offer eclectic and eccentric tunes from R&B, RocknRoll, and C&W traditions at Vintage Brewing in Sauk City.
6 to 8 pm (Outdoors and no rain date, so watch your radar.)

Friday, August 11
The Birddog Blues Band back at the shack out back of the Hop Haus Brew Pub and Shops in Paoli. 5 to 8 pm.

Friday, September 1
Once again, The Birddog Blues Band returns to Edgerton and the Lake House Inn (1612 E. Hotel Drive). 7 to 10 pm

Saturday, September 2
Faux Fawn opens up for Free Dirt at the Eastside Club. Did we mention the spacious lawn and panoramic views. Evening set, but full day event.

Sunday, September 3
The Birddog Blues Band plays the back yard at Toffler's in New Glarus. Afternoon! 3 to 6 pm.

Monday (Labor Day), September 4
The Birddog Blues Band whoop up the holiday on the patio at Club La Mark, just off the intersection of Hwy 51 and East Washington Avenue. Afternoon.

Saturday, September 16
The Birddog Blues Band plays the blues in Baraboo at the Ringling Mansion. (Check back for details.)

Friday, September 22
Birddog Blues Band be back at the Lake House Inn in Edgerton. 6 to 9 pm.

Friday, October 6
The Birddog Blues Band returns to the Hop Garden backyard in picturesque Paoli. 5 to 8 pm.