Photo by Dick Blau via Milwaukee Polka Riot - Facebook
Forró Fo Sho - Milwaukee Polka Riot
Forró Fo Sho performs at Milwaukee Polka Riot 2022
Since 2017 Milwaukee Polka Riot has packed in a wide array of music in one day, eclectically broadening the definition of the event's namesake genre. But why is it a “riot” and not something less, well, chaotic?
“We call it a riot because if it were better organized it would be a festival,” says Keith Gaustad, one of the Riot's founders as well as a member of Milwaukee's camp-free, often politically minded polka fusionists, the November Criminals. The latest iteration of the alt polka extravaganza comes to Linneman's Riverwest Inn for a free reverie starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6.
The annual sonic onslaught has earned its place as a platform for fresh takes on traditional sounds and was birthed as a way for its anchor band, the November Criminals, to get a gig the polka establishment wasn't offering. “When the November Criminals were in our early days, we would flat out not get booked at polka festivals,” Gaustad recalls.
Break the Mold
“After a year or two of trying, I gave up and decided to start something for bands that don't fit the mold. For the most part the trend of being ignore) has continued, as Oktoberfests don't reach out to us though we as a band have had plenty of kind write-ups and positive coverage. So, we took the sour grapes and make the wine that is the Milwaukee Polka Riot.”
As for the bands on Riot bills that don't play polka by consensus definition or specialize in mutant variations of the music, Gaustad offers, “Mostly it's a great way to piss off the gatekeeping music Nazis out there.” This year, the bands who might have difficulty performing at, say, Pulaski Polka Days but are finding a welcoming stage at Linneman's include Chicago zydeco boogie instigators the Fantastic Sound System and Milwaukee's own Good Friends Klezmer Band.
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Gaustad's November Criminals will add another wrinkle to their already singular aesthetic by sharing Linneman’s stage with a recent civic honoree. Of that guest, Gaustad shares, “Mario The Poet (born Mario Willis) is a Poet Laureate Emeritus of the City of Milwaukee. He has been attending (the Polka Riot) for years now and is a personal friend of mine. Last year we asked him to join us on stage and do a poem before the November Criminals' set. I asked him if he wanted to do it again and he said yes. So, he is returning. He's not an expert on polka music or anything like that but his enthusiasm for the event is well-known to folks in the community.”
Dream Acts?
Mario is an artist the Riot has been able to nab. Others, such as Texas renegade polka pioneers Brave Combo, have been more elusive. Gaustad can deal with it. And he appreciates being able to give more unfamiliar acts some attention, too.
“Truly, the list of dream acts is pretty substantial at this point,” Gaustad admits, adding “but we are fortunate to find new acts who inspire us to keep going as well. Part of what we have always been is a place for bands to be heard by new ears and that is as big a part of what we do as anything at this point. As much as we really want to have those big names to join us, we also want to make sure the bands people haven't heard yet are given a stage too."
To his chagrin, Gaustad hasn't yet been able to book Shepherd Express Best of Milwaukee readers' favorite polkas band. “We’ve done it all without ever having been able to book the Squeezettes. Not for lack of trying!” That frustration may be emblematic of the difficulties that have presented themselves as to keep the Riot going. “Organizing shows is a challenge and when you start bumping it up in scale the risk/reward ratio is more drastic.”
Nearly a decade into its existence, Gaustad has a simple request of Milwaukee Polka Riot's revelers in order to continue its unique mission. I really just want people to have a good time and pass the word on so that we can continue to do this.”
This explanatory gives a cheeky explanatory of Milwaukee Polka Riot's festive breadth:
