In a couple of weekends, the Cocoon Room in Riverwest will host the inaugural Riverwest FemFest, a two night celebration of women artists and musicians, with proceeds benefiting the Milwaukee Women’s Center, a shelter aiding women (and men and children) in need. That event will also effectively double as a release show for a new compilation spotlighting Milwaukee women musicians, Chapter 1, the first of many planned releases from a local group called a Milwaukee.
Chapter 1 features 14 acts, some of whom will perform at Riverwest FemFest. Though about half of these artists could be loosely described as singer-songwriters, the compilation doesn’t limit itself to one genre, clearing space for some mischievous punk from The Olives, pummeling alt-rock from Faux Fiction, jazzy cabaret folk from Soulfoot Mombats, evocative electronica from Pleasure Thief and dubby disco from Our Own Devices. It’s a wonderfully varied sampler, and it should introduce even the most avid Riverwest showgoers to at least a few artists they weren’t already familiar with.
a Milwaukee will be selling physical copies of the album during Riverwest FemFest, Jan. 23 and 24, but you can stream or purchase a digital copy of the compilation before then, via Bandcamp. Proceeds from the record will go to the Milwaukee Women’s Center.
