Performances of the Year:
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| photo from tmj4.com |
Stapleton, arguably the biggest break out star of 2015, roared into the Marcus Amphetheater for a co-headlining performance with Alabama Shakes for his first Milwaukee appearance. The capacity crowd sang back the chorus to one of his more poignant tunes, "Fire Away," leaving the prolific singer-songwriter misty-eyed. Months later this moment still resonates with me as a fan. To be able to take a huge space like the 24,000 seat Marcus Amphitheater and create an intimate connection with your audience is a feat that few can accomplish, and Stapleton nailed it on his first try.
"Hello Central, Give Me Heaven," Curated by Christopher Porterfield
Alverno Presents How To Write a Popular Song, Pittman Theater, 1/30/16
Powerful, heart gripping, and incredibly warm, Christopher Porterfield and an all-star cast of musicians featuring Phil Cook, Monica Martin, Caitlin Canty, Barry Clark, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Dave Godowsky, Shane Leonard, Ryan Necci and Thomas Wincek, blew the roof off of the Pittman Theater with this incredibly soulful cover of "Hello Central, Give Me Heaven" a tune penned by Charles K. Harris in 1901 and popularized by The Carter Family. The amazing ensemble of musicians breathed new life into a classic, and for a group assembled for one show only, this performance was among the best I've ever seen.
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| photo by Stephen Bloch |
Sister Mavis's early afternoon set at the second annual Eaux Claires festival was among the festival's finest. At 77 years young, Mavis remains a "performer's performer" with a riveting set of material showcasing cleverly arranged covers and hits to appeal to fans, most of which were at least half her age. You know Mavis is a big deal when many of the other performers gathered on the sides of the stage to watch a master at work as Mavis grooved from one end of the stage to the other. She humbly thanked Justin "Bon Iver" for inviting her, and her mispronunciation of Bon Iver's name added only to Mavis's sweetness and charm. Mavis is the grandmother you wish you had, and her genuine humility and funky grooves made her cover of The Talking Head's classic "Slippery People" extraordinary. I think that my cheeks still hurt from smiling throughout this song and her entire set.
Shows of the Year:
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| photo by Stephen Bloch |
Passionate songwriting lead to an even more passionate performance from Jason Isbell and his band, The 400 Unit. We were treated to having Isbell's wife, Amanda Shires perform alongside her husband and the genuine interplay between the couple made songs like their duet of "Mutineer" leave me with goosebumps.
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| photo by Stephen Bloch |
2016 was a banner year for the new king of outlaw country, Sturgill Simpson. Simpson has exploded on the music scene over the past five years, going from a buzz alt-country songwriter to a bonafide stellar performer. Joined with larger backing band, Simpson rocked the Riverside Theater in a two-set performance that saw him playing his entire release A Sailor's Guide to Earth front to back.
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| photo by Stephen Bloch |
The Record Company- Turner Hall Ballroom, 10/6/16
I had the pleasure of checking out The Record Company twice in 2016- both at Summerfest and at Turner Hall for their fall performance. A family trip to the Great Smokey Mountains was the only thing that kept me from their show in the spring at Turner Hall, but thanks to MKERocks writer, Jeremiah Weber, we have that show covered for you here too. Simply put- I challenge you to find a musician who enjoys performing more than Chris Vos. Vos and company are true pros and seeing their show evolve into a coast-to-coast sell-out act is pretty amazing for a Wisconsin native who has worked extremely hard to get to where he is today. If you haven't seen The Record Company, you need to.
Opening Band of the Year:
Fort Frances opening for Ryan Adams and the Shining- Summerfest, Harley Stage, 7/10/16
Fort Frances has always been a stellar and consistent live act, performing original, catchy indie rock tunes at local festivals, clubs and even a headlining performance at the Cedarburg Cultural Center earlier this year. However, they had some serious rock star swagger going for them performing to a full stage worth of fans waiting to see Ryan Adams and the Shining headline the Harley Davidson Roadhouse at Summerfest. With a set that favored more rocking numbers, many of which came from Fort Frances's excellent 2016 release Alio, and a blaring rendition of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" to close the set, Fort Frances got the strong crowd up and on their feat, ready to see Ryan Adams perform his best show I've seen to date. On a beautiful summer evening, you couldn't ask for better tunes.
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| photo by Will Piper |
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| photo by Stephen Bloch |
Trapper Schoepp played a lot of great shows in Milwaukee this year that I had the pleasure of seeing, ranging from stellar sets at Cedarburg Summer Sounds, Rock the Green Sustainability Festival, and opening for The Record Company at Turner Hall this fall. Schoepp was touring in support of his current release, the Brendan Benson produced Rangers and Valentines, which showcases both maturity and progression in Schoepp's songwriting. Few artists can weave a tale better than Trapper Schoepp and with upbeat rock arrangements and passionate performances, Trapper Schoepp continues to hone his craft as an artist who is well beyond his years.
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