Play in the City : Concert Preview: January '08

2007 brought a bunch of unforgettable live shows to Milwaukee and 2008 is quickly taking off as January ushers in some awesome, must-see shows late this month.

The Walkmen with special guests White Rabbits
Friday, January 18 at Turner Hall Ballroom

The Walkmen
It’s like Bob Dylan met indie rock, fell in love, and had a baby called The Walkmen. What I’m referring to is The Walkmen’s sound, which consists of saloon pianos, “shambolic” guitars, irregular drumbeats and howling Dylan-esque vocals.

The Walkmen’s thoughtful (sometimes urgent), artful songs alternate smoothly between brash, fiery atomic rock and introspective ballads. These components loosely hang together and will make you feel as if you have just walked into some dive bar mid-set, and the band couldn’t give a damn whether you like them or not. The Walkmen are so unpredictable, laidback and talented that they are arguably one of independent music’s most exciting bands.

Hear what you've been missing.

White Rabbits
They stole the show last summer at The Pabst and now White Rabbits are back to round out this great bill. To me the New York City six-piece band is like a head rush of stellar songwriting mixed with an exotic instrumental style that’s made up of heavy piano and strong melodic vocals. They are playful, charming and gravely edgy.

Head over to this site and hear for yourself.

I have a feeling that White Rabbits will meld quite nicely with their bill-mate, The Walkmen.

$12 advance/$14 day of show General Admission

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Velvet Revolver
Friday, January 25, 2008 at the Rave

The reason I suggest seeing Velvet Revolver is primarily due to the fact that not every day you’ll have the opportunity to see rock ‘n’ roll icons like former Guns N’ Roses bandmates Slash, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum united with ex-Wasted Youth guitarist David Kushner and ex-Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weiland, all together on one stage.

The fused bands have an undying allegiance to the genre of metal and old-school rock ‘n’ roll and their merged histories make for “skittering” riffs, punchy choruses and zooming bass lines. It’s exactly what you’d expect from such rock stars.

$40 General Admission

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moe.
Saturday, January 26 at the Rave

Last August at Lollapalooza, I found out that moe. is an exceptional jam band. Normally, I’m not very fond of jam bands – these guys seem to be the only exception – but because moe. continues to be an atypical band in the jam band genre – they actually produce quality studio work – it’s hard not to like them. I’m not the only person who has recently taken a liking to them either; moe.’s renowned live show earned them a Jammy Award for Best Live Set after an up-til-dawn performance at Bonnaroo.

Since they emerged from the college bar scene in upstate New York, moe., have carved a niche for themselves with a distinct blend of Americana, exceptional songwriting and diverse sounds that range from nasty riffs to heavy procession and drum beats, and slide from acoustic to metal to bluesy licks. With improvised music swirling around the stage it’s hard not to throw your hands up and fluidly sway to the playful melodies of moe.

Have a listen. Click here.

$23 General Admission

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Editors & Hot Hot Heat
Sunday, January 27 at The Pabst Theater

"A must-see event matching the splendor of Editors’ epic indie rock along with explosive sounds of Hot Hot Heat in a hugely exciting evening," according to our friends at the Pabst.

Editors
Oozing with upbeat and heartfelt compositions, Editors are frequently compared to New York City foursome Interpol – another one of my favorites. Editors are fronted by attractive, yet awkward, Tom Smith who probably won’t argue claims of Interpol’s influence, considering his delivery and the band’s beats and demeanor is almost identical to that of Interpol.

Editors have two types of songs: one starts upbeat, reaches an emotional peak and returns to upbeat while the other starts slow, reaches an emotional peak and stays there. Both versions work for them and please the crowd; so I say if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it and we’ll all have a good time.

Listen here.

Hot Hot Heat
I own three albums from their vast collection; still I’ll admit that Hot Hot Heat sounds better live than on my iPod. Their performances are very lively with danceable music that tends to go with the same beat – perhaps a bit too much – but in a good way.

Their poppy, grab-you-by-the-seat-of-your-pants sound – think Snow Patrol meets The Killers meets The Cure as a reference point – lives up to their name. With much gusto and with moves that rival those of Jerry Lee Lewis, no Hot Hot Heat attendee will fight the urge to follow every nuance of front man Steve Bay’s movement (even if it’s only a slight head bob or foot twitch). Hot Hot Heat is living proof that music is made to make you move.

Click here for an instant dance party.

$18 General Admission

If none of my recommendations tickle your fancy, there are many more shows coming to Milwaukee in the next couple of months. For more concert information, take a look at the Rave, Pabst, Riverside and Turner Hall, or any of the venues listed to the left under “Rock Out.”