Photo Courtesy of Good Vibes Only
PaperStacks at Cactus Club
PaperStacks at Cactus Club
Hip hop artist PaperStacks has been making waves in the Milwaukee music scene with his concert series “Good Vibes Only.” Debuted in 2022, the Cactus Club-exclusive production showcases emerging artists of primarily hip hop and R&B talent on a monthly or bimonthly basis, partnering with a different vendor for each edition. Good Vibes Only shows both spotlight a diverse cast of local artists and cultivate an authentic sense of community in the midst of Milwaukee music’s current renaissance.
PaperStacks, a seasoned Milwaukee artist and performer himself, noticed that many of the city’s street festivals and large-scale music events often lack proper representation of local hip hop and R&B music. “I didn’t want to just sit around and complain,” he recalls. “I thought about what I could do to change things.”
In summer 2022, shows had been returning after quarantine and Stacks took it upon himself to put together the showcases he wanted to see. “There are so many festivals in Milwaukee, but my friends and I don’t really get called for them,” Stacks continues. “To the artists who are getting booked, I applaud and give congratulations to all of them. But there’s a lot more of us who want these opportunities too.”
Many Projects
He and frequent collaborators Camp Shuttlesworth hosted a show at Cactus Club in 2021 with warm success. The Camp Shuttlesworth collective (MoCity, PeezSW, Holly Mae, Phif, C’Zo, KELCH, So and Gonzales Visuals) are a creative force to be reckoned with, known for their warm, familial energy and spirited shows. Many of them, however, had been busy with their own projects.
PaperStacks opted to continue throwing shows of his own under Good Vibes Only.
The name is self-explanatory; only love and positivity is invited - no drama, fighting or bad attitudes are allowed. Although Good Vibes Only events have been attempted at other venues, Stacks believes that Cactus Club is perfect for the energy of the series. “It’s got the best sound in the city,” he says. “Plus, Kelsey Kaufmann is the definition of dope. She gives you the feeling of “this is your club for the night” and really lets you run the show. And she’ll be there enjoying the event too.”
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Spacecrime is the resident DJ while Phif of Camp Shuttlesworth makes each show’s flyer. When curating a Good Vibes Only lineup, PaperStacks strives to make it as diverse as possible. “The number one thing about the card is that women need to be represented,” he explains. “I also always try to work with artists who I haven’t worked with before.”
Promotion is another key component to Good Vibes Only. As each show approaches, Stacks highlights every performer ahead of time on Instagram. “Posting the flyer once is not enough, otherwise people might not even know that there’s a show,” he adds. “A lot of times I’ll post videos of the artists promoting the show or have clips of their music videos so that people can really get to know their music better.”
Positivity and Community
If Stacks cannot book an artist for a particular show, he often sends or recommends them to other promoters. He emphasizes that he is never competing with other promoters or shows, aligning with the Good Vibes Only motto of positivity and community. “There needs to be more avenues and opportunities within the scene,” Stacks contends. “When you start performing on cards with different artists and at different places, that’s how you grow.”
One of PaperStacks’ proudest moments with Good Vibes Only had been featuring esteemed R&B artist and producer Tae the Don for his first-ever public performance in March. “Doing something for the first time is always nerve-wracking, but after the show he was already down to do it again,” Stacks laughs. The most recent Good Vibes Only show took place in May and featured PeezSW, Yogie B, Shadi, YTMG Dubb, TRA, Odiefromthego, Rtistic and Sere’Nae with vendor Nobody Fails.
PaperStacks’ goal with Good Vibes Only is to eventually turn it into a festival complete with performers, food and vendors all day long. With each show he puts on, PaperStacks gets closer to his goal.
He credits his friendship with Kelsey Kaufmann of Cactus Club for giving him insight. “When she threw her Beet Street fest, it was everything that I envisioned mine to look like,” Stacks shares. “She gave me a lot of tips when I picked her brain about it. Her biggest piece of advice was to consider three important things: why, where and when. Once those things get figured out, everything else will fall into place.”
Follow Good Vibes Only on Instagram @good_vibes_only_mke and PaperStacks @bigdog_stacks to get in touch. More shows will be announced soon.
