Photos by CJ Foeckler
For over a decade the Pabst Theater Foundation has been taking good care of some of Milwaukee’s most historic and majestic venues, not only ensuring that they don’t fall into disrepair but also that they play host to the kind of prestigious artists who previously would’ve avoided our fair city like the plague. Considering the spectacular spaces they have to play with, it’s a little puzzling to see the foundation now partnering with Colectivo Coffee to develop “the Back Room” of their Prospect Avenue location into an intimate new venue. After all, Milwaukee already has plenty of small clubs, and to differentiate themselves they’ll need exciting bookings as much as their marketing budget—ones that perhaps cast a wider net than Monday night’s show, which offered its fair share of pleasurable moments but still sounded pretty much like what you’d expect to hear emanating from the back of a coffee shop.
After navigating past disinterested regulars sipping lattes and taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi, concertgoers are funneled into the eponymous back room, a nondescript, somewhat poorly ventilated space outfitted with acoustic paneling. Logistically speaking, there may be a few more kinks left to work out, since in front of the small corner stage was a motley patchwork of candle-lit cabaret tables and uncomfortable wooden chairs, the sections of which came together at awkward angles and left little space in between. After some head-scratching, however, the sold-out crowd managed to settle into their general admission seats, just in time for local opener Trapper Schoepp. Sans usual backing band the Shades but accompanied by his brother Tanner on electric bass, Schoepp’s self-consciously homespun singer-songwriter fare received a warm reception, with their set-closing rendition of the Everly Brothers’ classic “Bye Bye Love” stealing the most applause.
To say that headliners Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear fit the coffee-shop vibe is less a comment on the quality of their music than on its stylistic trappings. In fact, the charming Kansas City duo, which unlike some acts with familial names actually consists of guitarist Madisen Ward and his 63-year-old mother Ruth, have a startlingly original take on largely traditional influences. Blending spirituals, blues and folk with more modern inflections, their particular brand of Americana is appropriately dark and beautifully wrought, especially when Madisen’s bold, vibrato-tinged baritone comes to the fore. While many selections, like the haunting opener “Down in Mississippi” or their big single “Silent Movies” tended toward heaviness, there were more fun entries too, such as when Mama Bear took the lead on an elegant rendition of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” It really was an impressive performance, only of the sort that wouldn’t interfere with selling scones.
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