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Monday, April 9, was a busy night for Milwaukee music fans. While the indie rockers enjoyed the moody, acoustic stylings of Julien Baker at the Turner Hall Ballroom, and the cool dads relished a stripped-down, deep-cuts-only Weird Al performance at the Pabst Theater, just north of Downtown, revered nightclub Mad Planet was packed to capacity with rockers ’n’ rollers savoring the infectious energy of Ty Segall and his bewitching backing band.
With an extensive solo career under his belt, Segall is a seasoned veteran of contemporary indie rock. His 10-plus years of touring and cranking out albums were apparent after only the first song. The crowd was immediately transfixed with Segall and his four bandmates. Their groovy basslines, aggressive drumbeats and dueling guitars complemented one another perfectly. The five musicians had chemistry their peers may only dream of. With their undeniable rapport, one could assume they’ve been performing together for years.
Rock ’n’ roll is very obviously Segall’s forte, but his straightforward production style is anything but conventional. His music is a dynamic melting pot of rock’s most cherished tried-and-true subgenres. Notes of psychedelic rock, metal, power pop, punk and surf crept through his entire set. Though he’s most easily comparable to glam-rock greats like T. Rex and Mott the Hoople, he possesses a classic rock sensibility proportionate to Blue Öyster Cult and early Black Sabbath.
A captivating frontman, Segall made sure all eyes were on him as the set progressed. His wavy, Clay Matthews-style hair never stopped bouncing under the club lights as he shredded his electric guitar. He barely acknowledged the audience throughout the set, but he certainly didn’t need to. His sly grins of approval and twinkle in his eye were more than enough to keep the crowd engaged. The transitions between songs were virtually seamless, except for an occasional tune-up. When Segall and company were taking brief breaks from playing, the packed room was practically silent as the crowd shivered with anticipation. The huge crowd couldn’t wait to see and hear what Segall would do next.
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Though Mad Planet is famed for booty-popping Beyoncé dance parties, the lush dancefloor was transformed into an aggressive mosh pit as Segall took the stage. Audience members were crowd-surfing during only the second song of the night—an enthralling performance of “Fanny Dog.” Fans who opted out of the moshing action headbanged in unison all night long. Segall himself remained pretty tame throughout the set, and his dedication to performing was much appreciated. It would have been a shame for him to pause his thrashing and temporarily interrupt the never-ending dance party inside the sweaty nightclub.
It’s rumored that Segall refused to play a venue larger than Mad Planet, preferring to play only in smaller-scale clubs. Though some fans may have missed a rare opportunity to catch Segall in Milwaukee, those lucky enough to snag a ticket to this unforgettable sold-out show surely have bragging rights for a while.
