JUNE 11 – CLUB GARIBALDI’S, MILWAUKEE, WI
It truly is cooler by the lake. Our van’s AC decided to quit on our drive across Wisconsin, so the drive on the Lake Freeway Bridge was a much needed blast of cool air. This was our first Wisconsin show in four years, and our first ever in Milwaukee. Seeing the grandness of Miller Park (home of the Brewers) was a staggering monument of America’s beer economy.
Club Garibaldi’s sits on a busy S. Superior Street intersection just a block from the lakeside where hundreds of sailboats moor. Apparently there is a smoking ban in Milwaukee that is universally ignored. People here are puffing away like it’s 1998. Now smoky bars seem antiquated, and this place even had a smoke machine as part of its impressive stage design. The trigger was conveniently placed on the drum riser, so Dave was multitasking throughout our set: playing the kit with his right hand and pumping out the fog with his left. We’re beginning a streak of having great sound engineers so far. Chris a.k.a. “Lucky” (“because all my shit gets stolen,” he says) was a master of his craft. He built the club’s performance stage all himself, and it was quite impressive. And he was far from a set-it-and-forget-it soundman. He was riding faders, sweetening sounds, adding effects, and operating the stage lights for our set.
We were fortunate to see the debut performance of Favorite Shape Triangle, taking bets as to whether or not the lead singer’s Powerade would fall off of his music stand. Followed was Argyle Wishlist, a local power pop trio. Small crowd, but we had a fun time at the show. We debuted another new song “Ordinary Vision.” Our ever faithful booking agent Shawn took the ferry across from Michigan to join up with us (and make our van all the more cozy). Thanks to Daniella for making the trip out from Madison while we were all wondering “Where’s Tito?” And thanks to Mike for the hospitality.
The pet we met: George
The word we heard: “Are you Fatty Latte?” -Shawn
DD: Dave no tipsy walky in Milwaukee
Start The Revolution / Don’t Go / By The Wave / Being Gone / When The World Sleeps / Camille Claudel-Alice-Collage Of Impressions / Friends In The Band / Make Love A Star / Ordinary Vision / Pacific Sunrise / Magic Circle Symphony
