imusi On The Road

Beer Barrel Polka

Among the great performers hailing from Wisconsin's largest city is Liberace. Look up his YouTube for the Beer Barrel Polka. Not really our cup of tea, but look at those on-stage fountains!

We always have a blast in Milwaukee, so we were very glad to go back. Among the dozens of venues in the Milwaukee area are the Jazz Estate, the Milwaukee Rep, the Wilson Center (Brookfield), the Milwaukee Theater (pictured below) and even the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center a few miles south. Special recognition goes to Mo's Restaurant for live music during dinner.

Most of the clubs, PACs and theaters have smaller spaces, so don't overlook this city when going on tour. And that concludes the imusi tour through Wisconsin!

And... On our way back into the City of Chicago we made one last stop in Arlington Heights to the Metropolis Performing Arts Center. This space has roughly 380 seats, but they pack in over 400 performances each year! Sometimes with 3 or 4 performances in a single day. Check it out:

Keep checking the blog because our travels have just begun.

Next week: Southern Nevada

Then: Michigan

Twitter.... @imusi

Green Acres Is the Place For Me

Yesterday we visited Appleton and Waupaca. Appleton's Fox Cities Performong Arts Center still looks new after roughly 7 years. They have a 2,000+ theater and also a smaller room typically used for private events, but occassionally for cabaret-style seating for one of their series shows:


And if you've never heard of Annie Hughes, you should know who she is. Annie now lives in Waupaca, WI but performed for many years on New York City's nightclub circuit. Annie may very well be Wisconsin's best kept secret. She occassionally performs at a nearby Opera House and community events, but mostly helps rehabilitate abandoned dogs on her lake-front estate. You may want to look her up on google or YouTube. Now off to the Milwaukee area!

Mad for Madison

Madison is beautiful! Nestled between two lakes, the downtown area is packed with live entertainment and 20-something hipsters from UofW Madison. In the center of town on the highest hill is the state house:


And from there you can walk down State St. for the live entertainment venues. Here is just a taste:


(The Comedy Club)


(Orpheum)


(Offices for the Univ. Of Wisconsin's three theaters: one with 450 seats, one with 600 seats, and one with a few thousand seats) And a rare gem in any State is the Overture Center for Performing Arts:








(an 1100-seat refurbished vaudville theater)


(350-seat thrust stage, which has such amazing accoustics that all performances are done without amplification)

Borderline

As we approached the "Welcome To Wisconsin" sign we were amazed at how different the landscape is from Illinois. Southern Wisconsin has rolling hills, and lots of corn and cows, no doubt responsible for those cheese curds we have yet to taste.

But down to business. After a tour of the Elgin Community College performance center (a 650-seat theater as well as a black box space with a smaller house), we were pleasantly surprised by this:

(yes, that's a 9-foot grand piano on stage right).


This picture does not do justice to the beautiful stained glass that graces this former Methodist church. 34 years ago the dwindling Methodist community in Monroe, WI made 3 churches uneccessary, so they sold one to the performing arts community. They kept the pews for the sake of historical preservation, and have plans to renovate the space for comfort once they complete a major fundraising effort, launching soon. We had lunch on the square a few blocks away at a delicatessen. I had a turkey sandwich with the best melted artisinal Swiss cheese I have ever had (Wisconsin made, of course). This is the centerpiece of that square:


And on to Madison.... The state capital.

First Stop: Skokie, IL

The first stop on the imusi tour... The Skokie Theater in downtown Skokie, a Chicago suburb (15 miles from downtown).

Intimate theater with 180 seats (theater style). The stage has no wing or fly space and is designed more for concert events featuring a high tuned Yamaha Baby Grand, but don't try sitting on it, or they'll pull your sound... (we're only half-joking) We know of Octets who played the Skokie with with plenty of stage room to spare. The marble walls, pristine sound, and thoughtful lighting design all make this a favorite spot for taping live performances. (note: taping requests must be made in advance and are priced on the high side).

Typical acts include local cabaret, headliners from Broadway In Chicago, occasional out-of-town acts, and some folk and world music. If you find yourself in Skokie pre- or post-show, check out the Village Inn up the street, which is a divey hang out for performers, patrons and theater staff. And just outside the Village Inn is this:

[COMING UP: Tomorrow in Wisconsin.......]

Shows in a Barn?

Has anyone seen those Judy Garland films, like Babes in Arms, where out of nowhere, this barn appears and they "put on a show"?

In Wisconsin, things apparently aren't much different... Check out this venue in Wisconsin, and "Let's Put on a Show, Kids!"

http://site.artinthebarnwi.org/

Well, you might not see one of the kids from the Mickey Mouse Club in this barn. It actually sounds like fun. I wonder if they use bales of hay instead of chairs?

Interesting article on live entertainment

We are in utter agreement with almost everything this blogger has to say about the near term trends in the concert business. "What concert business?" he asks. Check it out. You can no longer comment on that site, but feel free to comment here. We want to know what you think.

http://lefsetz.com/wordpress/index.php/archives/2009/08/02/the-concert-business/

Next Week --- WISCONSIN

Coming up... Our travels through Wisconsin. We are heading to one of the great states on the Great Lakes.

We'll pass by Lakes Butte Des Morts, Kegonsa, Petenwell, Monona, Koshkonong, Beaver Dam, and, of course, Lake Michigan. We'll savor cheese curds, frozen custard, and butter burgers...?

AND, we will witness the amazing talents of local singers and musicians in some of the finest venues in small town America. Performing Arts Centers, Rock clubs, Country bars... even barns!

Keep checking back as we get closer to our trip. And while we're on the road, look forward to photos, descriptions of venues and the communities surrounding them.

[Future travels: Michigan and the Southwest]