Summerfest

Here are my picks for having a good time at Summerfest this year:

Thursday, June 28

11 pm, Violent Femmes, Miller Lite Oasis – it’s the Violent Femmes for god’s sake! Go!

Friday, June 29

10 pm, Silversun Pickups, US Cellular Connection Stage – I’ve heard the Silversun Pickups disc called “the best album the Smashing Pumpkins never made”. And the music rocks.

Saturday, June 30

7:30 pm, OK Go and Mae (skip the Fray), Marcus Amphitheater – This is the show to see if your friend has an extra ticket to the show and you have nothing better to do.
10 pm, Rise Against, US Cellular Connection Stage – Mmmmmmmmmm – raw punk! No “I met a girl, fell in love, lost the girl, and got her back” songs here. Rise Against doesn’t completely exclude love from its discussions, but views it as part of a larger realm of issues that make up the human condition. Warning: you will hear young men ruining their vocal cords.

Sunday, July 1

7:15 pm, Fever Marlene, US Cellular Connection Stage – They’re a local band – give ‘em a listen!
10 pm, Local H, Zippo Rock Stage – One song title – “Bound for the Floor”. You will have a good time!

Monday, July 2

6:30 pm, Beatallica, Zippo Rock Stage – A band covers Beatles’ songs Metallica style. Or was it that they cover Metallica songs Beatles style? Either way, ROCK!
10 pm, Social Distortion, US Cellular Connection Stage – BALL AND CHAIN! Need I say more?

Tuesday, July 3

Wednesday, July 4

7:30 pm, Tool, Marcus Amphitheater – (You are getting sleepy) You are buying tickets to this show (very sleepy) and you will buy enough so I can come and bring my husband (when you click your mouse, you will wake up, follow these instructions, and not remember reading this).
10 pm, The Black Crowes, Miller Lite Oasis – Good old-fashioned southern rock!

Thursday, July 5

3:30 pm, Rodrigo y Gabriela, Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard – Most of the time the bands at this stage (with the exception of the Red Elvises when they come) are so-so at best. Not Rodrigo y Gabriela. Watch these two play their set of acoustic guitar songs and you will swear you are hearing instruments that really aren’t there and you will recognize some fantastic covers.
8:30 pm, B.B. King, M&I Bank Classic Rock Stage – Don’t even ask me to explain why you should see this one.

Friday, July 6

10 pm, Chevelle, US Cellular Connection Stage – Noted for a while as a copycat band, Chevelle has really come into their own. See it for yourself.

Saturday, July 7

10 pm, Live, Miller Lite Oasis – Ahh, more 90’s grunge happiness. If this doesn’t quite float your boat hop on over to the Zippo Rock Stage for some (yawn!) Collective Soul.

musings . . .