For “La La Land” composer and songwriter Justin Hurwitz, it’s been a long, laborious ride from dreaming up the musical with his old college roommate Damien Chazelle over six years ago to becoming the toast of awards season.His catchy score and songs have broken through, too, securing their own place in the spotlight and overshadowing the likes of Justin Timberlake and Lin Manuel-Miranda .... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaWhen I moved back to Milwaukee in late 2013, the most talked about local band was The Fatty Acids. The psych-rocking four-piece — at that time a sextet — were fresh off the release of Boléro, their third full-length and one of the best Wisconsin albums in recent memory. Almost a year later, my girlfriend and I went to the Polish Falcon ballroom for Canopies’ Maximize Y.... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaEver since he was old enough to drink, West Allis native Sean Raasch has been playing music in Milwaukee area bars and clubs. He first made a name for himself as one half of the band Jackraasch — “an angsty, sloppy, rockin’ two piece” — with drummer Tyler Nelson. The duo became known for power chords, upbeat songs, shout singing, and plenty of partying. In 2012, Raa.... Read More
Some stars shine more brightly than the surrounding firmament, as pianist Stephen Hough displayed radiantly last night in performance with the Madison Symphony Orchestra.The guest artist for this weekend’s concert series at Madison’s Overture Hall, Hough demonstrated his virtuosic talent once again, performing Camille Saint-Saëns’ Concerto No. 5 in F Major for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 1.... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaKatie Lafond is no stranger to the big stage. She's performed (as Siren) all over the country alongside her partner Sam Ahmed (WebsterX), anchoring his signature hit "Doomsday." Even before becoming the New Age Narcissism (NAN) collective's secret weapon, she was playing to thousands of people with just her guitar and breathtaking voice, including her own sets at Summerfest and .... Read More
In the video "She Persisted," dozens of women, including Rosanne Cash, Carly Simon and Bridget Everett, read the 1986 letter by Coretta Scott King that Elizabeth Warren was unable read on the Senate floor while opposing Jeff Sessions' nomination as U.S. attorney general.The result is a three-and-a-half-minute video — created by Steve Lippman, aka FLIP — of women coming together in solidar.... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaIt is unwise to employ the term “genius” loosely. Gratuitous use can degrade its meaning and discredit your judgement.That said, I find Brandon Thomas — also known as bliss & alice — to be a genius. Since his debut project — Poetry Volume One - The Shit Talker Tape — was released in 2014, he has been heralded as a hip-hop virtuoso. Thomas can be understood.... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaFor the bulk of its existence, hip-hop has been a culture and a music championed by youth, much to the chagrin of parents. This paradigm is shifting now that hip-hop is nearly a half century old. As I discovered talking with young Milwaukee hip-hop artists, many of their parents love hip-hop and some are even performers themselves. “When I was young my mom played so much Mo.... Read More
By Joey GrihalvaWisconsin has some incredibly talented female artists. That is not an “alternative fact.” But you might not know it if you went to any random concert, art gallery or comedy club. In an effort to address this gender imbalance, multiple venues in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood played host to a parade of female and female-identifying creatives for five days last week .... Read More
Would an opera about a jazz performer still be considered an opera? Or is it more like an extended jazz riff on the performer’s life?According to composer and jazz saxophonist Daniel Schnyder, it can be a bit of both.The Swiss-born Schnyder explored this thesis with Opera Philadelphia in 2015 through his work Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, a fantasized look at 48 hours in the life of Parker, t.... Read More
