Happy Bon Iver Day, Milwaukee. Mayor Barrett decreed the day in a statement Thursday, writing "Bon Iver's music embraces Justin Vernon's Wisconsin heritage, as he has become an international ambassador for both Milwaukee and Wisconsin." The mayor's proclamation will be delivered at Bon Iver's sold-out concert tonight at the Riverside Theater by assistant city attorney Tom Gartner, who happens to be Vernon's godfather. Won't you join me in celebrating after the show by getting blind drunk to forget your childhood?
In other news:
The Milwaukee/Madison party-punk band Direct Hit! is streaming its debut full-length album Domesplitter on Bandcamp ahead of its Aug. 2 release on Of Like Records. Good stuff; strongly recommended for fans of Descendents, Screeching Weasel or, you know, punk. The band will play a release show Friday, July 29 at the Frequency in Madison.
Miltown Beat Down victor Reason has posted Champion Sound, a sampler of his scattered production for Milwaukee rappers, to his Bandcamp page.
Local rap scene jack of all trades JC Poppe apparently realized there was one last trade he wasn't a jack of and quickly remedied the situation. He's launched a podcast, The JC Poppe Show, on his website. The debut episode features an in-depth interview with Tech N9ne and a whole lot of Milwaukee hip-hop.
Michael Carriere eulogizes Death Dream, the fantastic Milwaukee noise-rock band that plays its final show Saturday night at the Cactus Club.
And today in ridiculously good deals: WMSE is offering five-dollars off its four-day passes to next week's Radio Summer Camp event—that's a whole lot of live music for just $15. The complete lineup is here.
