Photo Credit: Jeffrey M. Goldsmith
Wes Streater, familiar in Milwaukee for his work at various music clubs, died in his hometown of Winona, Minnesota of cancer on Nov. 14. He was 68.
The fourth of eight children, Streater grew up as an athlete notably as a high school wrestler. Along with his brother Mike, Wes became an expert barefoot water skier.
Music was always a force in Streater’s life. After high school he formed Pork Belly Productions with his brother John and was responsible for bringing Gram Parsons and the Flying Burrito Brothers to Winona in May of 1970. The soundboard recording of this show has been widely bootlegged. Other productions included underground cartoonist Vaughn Bodē and bluegrass bandleader Ralph Stanley.
Thanks to an ROTC scholarship, Streater entered Dartmouth College at the height of the Vietnam War. One story has him showing up for morning roll call in just a pair of cut-off shorts instead of his military uniform. He would finish his college career at St. Mary’s University.
The early ‘80s found Wes in Minneapolis working at Jay’s Longhorn Bar, ground zero for punk and new wave music. He remains one of the rare individuals who could boast seeing both The Only Ones and Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band perform, the latter at Knott’s Berry Farm family amusement park.
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From Minneapolis Wes made his way to Milwaukee where he worked at music clubs The Toad Café and Shank Hall in various capacities. But it was at Quarters Rock and Roll Palace in Riverwest, which musician-impressario Mark Shurilla turned into a music “goldmine,” where Wes hit his stride.
Living upstairs or just down the street from the unassuming corner bar, Streater was instrumental in everything from booking bands to running the soundboard to mopping the floor. His catholic music taste ranged from spreading the word on Iris Dement’s first Milwaukee performance to booking numerous dates for Paul K and the Weathermen to shows by Milwaukee’s notorious Motherfuckers.
According to his brother Tom, Streater was a news junkie and remained an avid reader until the end having recently started several books.
A memorial for Streater will take place Saturday, Dec. 8 from 5:30-9 p.m. at Broken World Records (265 E. 3rd St., Winona, Minn.).
