Hot Music: A humid, sun-drenched summer afternoon didn't deter a crowd from packing the “Sinkhole de My-Oh” concert held in the North Avenue parking lot for Chubby's Cheesesteaks, Sil's Drive-Thru and the Hotch-A-Do restaurant. To support the neighborhood afflicted by Mother Nature's wrath a couple of weeks ago, many of Milwaukee's favorite veteran musicians donated their time and talent to lift spirits and support the flood-dampened community. Among them were Paul Cebar; Robin Pluer with Juli Wood, Connie Grauer and Kim Zick; Lil' Rev; and Peggy James' snazzy new band, which features her husband, producer Jim Eannelli, on lead guitar, Matt Liban on drums and Jack Rice on bass.
Tail-waggers also enjoyed the music, including Lucy, with her owner Joyce Miller of GE Healthcare; Buckley, the pug-cocker of musician Don Moore, now playing with Charlie Faye; and Luna, a Husky mix accompanied owners Jackie and the above-mentioned Jack Rice. Musician/writer John Schneider brought Harlen, a basenji, and Wriggly, a sheltie, and photographer Frank Ford attached a stuffed Piglet doll to his bike handlebars, as an homage to the pig valves used in his heart surgery. Cassey, a 22-year-old Percheron, majestically oversaw the event, ridden by police officer John Tabaska.
Also spotted in the crowd were IT guy Dave Esau and Linda Andrews; Mark Shurilla, said to be the longest-running Buddy Holly tribute artist in the world; marketing expert Dan Petri; Club Garibaldi sound guy Chris Lehmann and the Shepherd's irascible, one-and-only Art Kumbalek, aka Rip Tenor.
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Thanks for the Memories: Internationally known musicians Mick Moloney and Joanie Madden were back in town for Irish Fest's 30th anniversary, gathering with festival folk at a bring-back-the-memories session at MSOE, site of the Irish Fest Summer School. Led by festival founder Ed Ward, the crowd laughed seeing long-ago movies, particularly one in which Cherish the Ladies' Madden literally jigged off the stage and careened into Ward, who was filming the show.
Among the evening's raconteurs were the summer school's Jane Walrath and Kathy Schultz, Ceol Cairde's Kristina Paris, videographer Dave Sargeant, and Dan Stotmeister, there with his wife, Patti. Michael Moloney, a second-year seminarian at Franklin's Sacred Heart School of Theology and a native of Waterford, Ireland, dropped in to catch the latest Gaelic gossip.
A reception on the grounds, hosted by fest President Chuck Ward of the Milwaukee County Parks, honored the Chieftains' Circle, a group of early fest workers and supporters, as well as visiting Irish, Northern Irish and Canadian guests.
Catching up on all the good old days were 20-year fest director Jane Anderson; Ed Ward's wife, Cathy, and Chuck Ward's wife, Kathy; Jackie Kane; former Irish Fest treasurer Jerry McCloskey and his wife, Polly, Mary Cannon, Mary Alice Tierney, Joe Orr, consultant Sandy Wright, Father Mike Maher, sisters Maureen and Barb Tyler, Mike and Deb Brophy, City Hall maven Terry Perry, Tom Kennedy, Mary Keane, headhunter P.J. Murphy, and photographer John Walrath with his historical “Erin Go Bocce” T-shirt.
Also talking "Green” were Barry Stapleton, head of the Ward Irish Music Archives, restaurateur Slim McGinn, sign-maker Larry Gietl, security czar Tom Tiernan, Marquette business professor Tim Keane, and city employee benefits director Mike Brady and his wife, Donna, while their son Kelly guarded the gates. Alderman Mike Murphy, along with Alderman Bob Donovan, Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn and Mayor Tom Barrett, were among Milwaukee's leading Irish on stage at the festival's opening ceremony.
Far Out: UWM's Inova/Kenilworth Gallery opened a dynamic double-whammy show: art and video by multimedia artist Bruce Conner (1933-2008) and “Psychotrope,” a selection of new video psychedeliaby seven contemporary artists inspired by Conner. Madisonians Natasha Nicholson and Thomas Garver motored in to see the display, where their vast collection of Conner's earlier prints and ephemera were featured.
The exhibit was co-curated by the Milwaukee Art Museum's John McKinnon and UWM's Nicholas Frank, the latter dressed to the nines in his mocha tux shirt and snappy shoes. Discovery World Executive Director Paul Krajniak was also handsomely attired in matching glasses and phosphorescent footwear. From the sponsoring MAM Contemporary Art Society were Joanne Murphy and Dr. Tony Krausen. Admiring the eye-boggling works were UWM Director of Galleries Bruce Knackert, MAM's Rachel Vander Weit and John McKim, flamboyantly attired performance artist Heather Warren-Crow, Tim Murphy, and Wade and Diane Hobgood.
After the exhibit, an artsy contingent stopped at nearby Café Brücke, the charming eatery under the new ownership of Stephen Haig Marks and his wife, Jennifer Pierce-Haig. Chef Jerral Salter served up delicious fare from the new menu, served by the effervescent Bryn Schumacher.
