Madison Music Review

The Casady sisters, Bianca “Coco” and Sierra “Rosie” originally set up CocoRosie as a duo back in 2003 and have over the years added a beatboxer, synth/piano player, bassist and a drummer to their live shows. The musical group swung through town a few weeks ago to woo Madisonian’s (and plenty of out-of-towners) with their unique style of acappella singing, opera, hip hop and electronica. The live show is part theatrical, part experimental art and music with the sisters and cast glittering at times, appearing crosshatched at others, in the flickering hues of color projected on to the stage/screen. Beautiful vocals, lyrics that had fans singing along and cry tears of joy (or sorrow… depends on how your day has been!), with some impressive beatboxing made for a very satisfactory musical evening. Some pictures from the show…

[View with PicLens]

It seems that Madison cannot get enough of Pretty Lights! Three sold out shows in town within the year with last month’s show at The Barrymore sold out months before the PL bus rolled into town. Pretty Lights is Coloradan’s Derek Vincent Smith and Cory Eberhard delivering a double punch of live electro-percussive, downtempo, hip-hop grooves. And of course the fabulous light show adds magic to the music… If you missed Pretty Lights in Madison, you can catch them at this year’s Movement festival in Detroit… May 31st at 7pm. We’ll be there to report on the dance floor mayhem. And if you want to rock to some of their tunes, go to www.prettylightsmusic.com to download their albums – Taking Up Your Precious Time, Filling Up The City Skies, and Passing By Behind Your Eyes for free! Some pictures that capture the moment… enjoy!

[View with PicLens]

12►

Opening for Pretty Lights were Savoy.

[View with PicLens]

Madison’s east side favorite Harmony Bar and Grill celebrated it’s 20th Anniversary under the stewardship of Keith Daniels on March 14th last month. A longtime lover and supporter of the blues, Keith decided to throw a mega concert at The Barrymore featuring the Bel-Airs, Westside Andy/Mel Ford Band, The Jimmy’s, Cash Box Kings, Jim Schwall/Andy Ewen Band, the Midwesterners, the Roddys and Jimmy Chuch & The Drunken Sailors. With hour-long sets starting at 1 pm, delicious (and free) food catered by Bunky’s, and the beer flowing, The Barrymore was packed with people before too long. More than 1500 people went through the doors to help Harmony celebrate! Here are some pictures from the late afternoon, early evening sets.. enjoy!

[View with PicLens]

123►

Dark Star Orchestra were back in Madison recreating the Grateful Dead experience, this time with a set from the May 4th show at the Olympia Theater in Paris France, the legendary Europe ’72 tour. Listed as show # 1766 on the band’s website, this performance also introduced the Madison audience to Jeff Mattson on guitar and vocals, doing a swell job channeling the Jerry Garcia spirit. A fun, epic 4 hour plus mid-week performance was just the dose needed to keep on truckin’ through the work week! Here’ s the set list from the show and some pictures…

Setlist: 05-04-72 Olympia Theater, Paris, France
1: Greatest Story Ever Told, Deal, Mr. Charlie, Beat It On Down The Line, Brown Eyed Women, Chinatown Shuffle, Playing in The Band, You Win Again, Hurts Me Too, He’s Gone, El Paso, Big Railroad Blues, Two Souls, Casey Jones
2: Good Lovin’, Next Time You See Me, Ramble On, Jack Straw, Dark Star> Drums> Dark Star> Sugar Magnolia, Sing Me Back Home, Mexicali Blues, Big Boss Man, Uncle John’s Band, Not Fade Away> Going Down The Road Feeling Bad> Not Fade Away
Encore: One More Saturday Night. Filler: Rockin’ Pnuemonia, Hard To Handle

[View with PicLens]

Indie rock darlings, Yo La Tengo played to the nearly sold out Barrymore Theatre last night.  The evening’s set  list was filled with some early tracks, but mostly leaned heavily on their highly praised new album Popular Songs and last year’s I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass. Overall it was another top notch performance by this ever evolving New Jersey trio.

Columbus, Ohio’s Times New Viking opened the show with their brilliant low-fi indie rock sound. Guitarist (and fake left-hander) Jared Phillips, drummer/vocalist Adam Elliott, and Keyboard/vocalist Beth Murphy tore through songs from their critically acclaimed releases Rip It Off (2008) and  Born Again Revisited (2009).

[View with PicLens]

1234►

Do not have Popular Songs? Strictly Discs has the CD or delicious double LP heavy weight pressing in stock along with other goodies from the extensive Yo La Tengo catalog.

Nashville, Tennessee old-time string band Old Crow Medicine Show makes their way back to Madison’s Barrymore Theatre. Last time they came through town I was there and it was SOLD OUT. The crowd hung on to every single note and applauded every down home instrumental jam – can’t forget to mention the Wagon Wheel sing along. Ketch Secor (Fiddle, Harmonica and Vocals) and the boys always manage to pull in an audience with rousing stage antics and top notch musical skills.

The band has performed at such major music festivals as Bonnaroo, Telluride Bluegrass Festival, and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Their 2007 live-performance itinerary included shows in Boone, NC, Seattle, Lawrence, KS, Arcata, CA, Knoxville, TN, Nashville and Boulder, CO, as well as overseas in London and Amsterdam. The band has also toured the UK several times, including an appearance at the Cambridge Folk Festival and on the BBC show Later with Jools Holland.

O.C.M.S. is the type of band that doesn’t come around that often and should not be missed.

Show Information:

Barrymore Theatre
2090 Atwood Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
Phone: (608) 241-8864
Showtime: 8 pm
Price: $26 adv / $28 dos

On Sale Date: Fri. 10/2 at 10am

Where to Buy Tickets: Tickets available at www.barrymorelive.com or call the box office at 608.241.8633.Fans do not pay service fees if they purchase tix at Barrymore Box office