Re-Integration Part II

what re-integration to Milwaukee would be complete without a visit to Shank Hall?! Check out inside photos under "specs" on the homepage. Shank Hall is a kinda cozy place with a good-sized stage, great sound inside, hundreds of black-white promo photos of the artists who have performed there over time littering the walls and great drinks!

So I'm listening to WMSE early in the week and learn that Mad-Town legend, LBCT (Little Blue Crunchy Things), is doing a show together for the first time in likely six years! MSE had invited the undescribable insanity into their live studio for the radio show and I knew right away I would be at the LBCT show two nites later.

Thursday nite rolls around and Shank Hall attracted a couple hundred people. I'm not in the club for more than two minutes and I bump into a former highschool colleague, Jon, who was in Symphony Band class with me. He's recording the show (with permission) and it seems like yesterday talking about cool bands we enjoyed earlier like the Pacers and MU330. And then deja vu; "Do you have any live recorded Wild Kingdom?". Today I realized that the last time I talked to Jon, probably 8+ years ago he was asking me the exact same question. haha!

I had a chance to chat with some of LBCT and their booking agent and recalled booking them for a Midwest ska show during undergrad up at Eau Claire when I worked in the concerts division of student development. Good times at Eau Claire with the UAC crowd.

LBCT produced a marathon gig of at least three hours not including the opening group. I think they covered nearly 90% of their musical repertoire. And they have matured musically given that the whole band has pursued various individual musical opportunities such as "The Kissers" (a very odd mix of celtic and punk) in various cities from Chicago to New York. Noah Tabakin is still as hyper as ever on vocals/sax and he never shuts up. He has the vocal versatility of the Jazzkantine

I started thinking mid-way thru the show, I should get a second gig bartending a couple nites a week at Shank. And I made sure to secure my ticket for the New Year's Eve show at Shank featuring local Milwaukee native and accoustic genius Willy Porter and band. Willy has been on the road or shall I say rail? lately playing abbreviated sets with a number of Canadian musicians three times a day from a boxcar-converted stage on the Canadian Pacific Railway while collecting food donations for local food pantrys along the way. A New Year's Eve show with Willy live at Shank will be just what the Dr. ordered to usher in some cheer and good tunes to fast approaching 2006!

Merry Christmas and enjoy your holidays!!