Photo courtesy of the band
Shellac
Chicago-based Shellac does almost no promotion for their work and pays little attention to publicity. Though beloved in the underground indie scene that followed punk in the ’80s, the opinions of their audience have no weight on the band’s sound and message. The do-it-yourself ethic of its members is tireless; they produce their own recordings, book their own tours and manage the band themselves. They operate outside of the mainstream music industry, but instead of coming into Milwaukee unrecognized, ticket sales have pushed Shellac’s March show from the cozy Back Room at Colectivo to the enormous Turner Hall Ballroom.
Ticket sales can’t measure anticipation, but those who followed indie rock through the ’80s and ’90s, especially in the Midwest, understand the whirlwind the band creates as it breezes through the region. Shellac playing in Milwaukee is a big deal because each member of the band has lived and breathed indie rock for the past three or four decades. For those who work on their own DIY music in Milwaukee, the careers of Steve Albini, Bob Weston and Todd Trainer should inspire or reflect on their paths in some way.
Albini plays guitar and provides vocals, Weston plays bass guitar and Trainer plays the drums. Each member had experience playing in punk-rock bands in the ’80s—Trainer in Minneapolis’ Rifle Sport and Weston in Boston’s Volcano Suns, while Albini headed Chicago’s infamous Big Black.
“It’s all about logistics and reasonable-length drives,” says Weston, talking about why Milwaukee fell into Shellac’s sights. “We haven’t played in our hometowns of Chicago and Minneapolis in a while. We need shows to get us between the two cities. Milwaukee is a great place to play and is in between.”
The move from Colectivo to Turner Hall is a surprise to both ticketholders and the band itself. “I like small and intimate spaces and informal settings like that,” Albini says. “We didn’t honestly know how many people would want to come, so it seemed like it might be fine, but it turned out there was more interest in the show than they could accommodate, so we had to move it to a bigger place. That’s all.”
Milwaukee Stories
Both Albini and Weston have their own Milwaukee stories from previous visits. “Our first experience in Milwaukee,” says Albini, “We played at a loft at a show that was put together by the band Dis-.” Dis- was a Milwaukee alternative rock band that started in 1991.
“After that, we were taken to a pizza restaurant that was really memorable,” Albini continued, “The proprietor made a point of coming out and greeting everybody and making sure everybody knew that it was his place, that he was going to take care of us and that he was going to feed us so much that we were going to beg him to stop. That has become sort of the long-term metaphor for hospitality within the band. ‘You’re going to beg me to stop.’”
“I’ve always enjoyed playing in and visiting Milwaukee.” Weston says, “I had a funny interaction once at Faust Music. The owner wouldn’t let us in until we told him what brand and model guitars and drums we each played.”
Albini says he can’t predict which songs the band will play at Turner Hall, but he says he’s currently rehearsing new material with his bandmates. The storytelling in Shellac’s songs is impeccable, no matter the subject. “Riding Bikes” is a song about young vandals, “Canada” is about the frozen landmass to the north and “Prayer to God” explores jealous male rage. Other songs are comedic, like “Squirrel Song,” about a squirrel-powered electricity machine. When the band plays “Wingwalker,” Albini and Weston pretend to be airplanes during the middle portion of the song.
Riding with Shellac is Loki’s Folly, two young punk sisters from the Twin Cities that play blasting guitar rock. “Todd saw them and really liked them, and he suggested we consider them for this trip,” Albini says. “They’re extremely fun people. I like the idea of giving a young band without a lot of experience a chance to do a number of dates in a row where they’re going to have an audience.”
“Most bands, when they’re starting out, don’t necessarily get to play to perceptive audience,” Albini says. “Whenever it’s possible for us to be nice to somebody and do something like this that will make their overall experiences as a band better, that’s an opportunity we shouldn’t pass up.”
Shellac, with opening act Loki’s Folly, will perform at Turner Hall Ballroom on Thursday, March 12, at 8:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit pabsttheater.org.
