Brew City Weekender V Scooter Rally

July28-30 marks the fifth annual Brew City Weekender scooter rally. Open to all(even non-riders or the scooter-curious), scooterists from around the midwestconverge with their rides, from vintage Italian Vespas and Lambrettas to modernmachines, for a weekend of riding, scooter games, socializing, food, music and(once the riding is done) a few adult beverages.

Scooterculture is an amalgamation of two-wheeled traditionalists, wrenchers of allthings vintage, and fragments of different youth cults. Rockers, Mods,Skinheads, Scooterboys, and Punks are among the many cultures that haveinfluenced the scootering community. For many of us in Brew City though, Punkis the culture that led us to all of the others. Need evidence? Milwaukee’sRevenge Scooter Club is named after a TSOL song, but it could just as well benamed after the Black Flag song of the same name.

It’sbeen five years since the Brew City Weekender began, and forty years since1977, the year that punk rock cemented its place in popular music history, andso this year we’ll try to hit two birds with one stone. Brew City Weekender V’sgraphics directly lift from both the Vibrators 1977 debut album “Pure Mania”and the booklet from the Who’s 1973 record “Quadrophenia”. The Saturday nightband will be packed with Revenge Scooter Club all-stars, playing a set of punkcovers that range from the Damned to Naked Raygun. DJ sets will feature a widearray of tastes endemic to the scootering world, including soul and 60s hits.

Ascooter rally is an elaborate excuse for old and not-yet- introduced friends toget together and forget about the outside world for a few days. For openers,we’ll converge at Fuel Cafe's new Walker's Point location (630 S. 5th St) forregistration, food and drink, and general shenanigans. Saturday morning wereconvene at Fuel Cafe for a long group ride along the south shore, back toMoto-Scoot Garage (1420 E Belleview Pl) for midday fun and games, andeventually make our way to Sabbatic (700 S. 2nd St) for revelry, our famousraffle and music by The Royal Malossi and DJs. Sunday morning recovery brunchtakes place at Barnacle Bud's (1955 S. Hilbert St.), followed by heartfeltfarewells and a post-brunch ride for the sturdier participants.