A new Broom
Lil Rail and 608 Nikyra Monae
Here we are at the end of February, creeping toward a year since we all started staying home. All that time at home combined with multiple streaming channels has led to possibly even more new music than usual by local artists, so much so that it would be a full-time job just to keep up with it all. And it would be a fun job, thanks to the creativity and range of sounds and experiences you can find out there. Read on for a sampling of what s caught my ear recently.
One reminder: Bandcamp is continuing the practice of waiving its fees on the first Friday each month through at least May, which makes Friday, March 5, a good day to support your local artists.
A year of survival and reinvention
Artists, venues and organizations persist through the dark times
Arts-Barrymore-12-30-2020
The 91-year-old Barrymore Theatre will come out the other side of the pandemic, says general manager Steve Sperling.
Oh, the things I learned while talking to arts folks about surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. Bill Brehm, director of the Stoughton Opera House, planted grass for the first time this spring, and was enjoying watching it grow, except under the ferns. Steve Sperling, manager of the Barrymore, is more worried about Madison restaurants than music venues. Mark Bitney, a veteran Overture stagehand, has been keeping bees, playing trumpet and recording music. Kirk Stantis, executive director of the Bartell Theatre, kicked one of the door frames at the theater in frustration, and then apologized to the building.