With summer almost closing in, it’s time to start making plans to hit up music festivals. Below are three of the best festivals the Midwest has to offer, from hip-hop in a Minnesota suburb to dubstep in the woods of Michigan. With factors such as cost and location, choosing the… Read more »

Redefined, the University of Wisconsin’s premier co-ed a cappella group, retunes music on campus with its dynamic sound and wide range of vocal styles. The group plans to give all profits from its end-of-semester concert at the Overture Center for the Arts this Friday to the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music, a… Read more »

As the sun begins to create unbearably hot afternoons, it’s time to start heading to cool theater spaces for a summer of superhero blockbusters, actor reunions and highly-anticipated animated sequels and prequels. Here is a glimpse of the most exciting films debuting in the next four months.  MayThis weekend marks the… Read more »

Delta Spirit By Kevin Kousha Many of the artists at Revelry haven’t been around very long. Some, like Hoodie Allen, have found fame despite their youth and have at least a little experience under their belt. But few of the artists have little fame or records to show. Regardless, each one is… Read more »

The four-piece rock group Icarus The Owl is stopping through Madison on its 2013 spring tour to play at The Frequency Tuesday. Hailing from Portland, Ore., Icarus The Owl is emerging in the rock scene as they take on the challenges that come with being an independent band. Led by… Read more »

Merge reggae, funk, afrobeat and a dash of jazz catchiness and you’ve got yourself Euforquestra, a band ready to ignite the dance floor at The Frequency this Thursday. Hailing from Fort Collins, Colo., this tour-heavy band comes prepared for anything. Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, these guys have seen change… Read more »

You may not have heard of them, but Five Knives is ready to pack a punch opening for Twenty One Pilots this Friday at the Majestic Theatre. Don’t let Five Knives’ Nashville roots fool you. Their music is a solid blend of electronic, hip-hop and punk. The band consists of lead… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin is about to get a taste of hot pink lipstick and fedora. The queens and kings are coming down the catwalk, and it’s going to be fierce. As part of Out & About Month, UW’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Campus Center will be hosting the “UW Drag… Read more »

Since Reverly Music and Arts Festival doesn’t have huge names in its lineup, students unfamiliar with the performing artists are just gonna have to get familiar with something new.We’ve compiled the top songs of each player that has music on Spotify, so just turn it on and educate yourself.… Read more »

For a band standing on the brink of entering the “mainstream,” Los Angeles-based band IO Echo shrugs off any attempt to define itself and its genre. “What is alt rock?” says Leopold Ross, IO Echo’s bassist and programmer. “I think it’s a term coined by journalists to classify music. I… Read more »

The cigarette-smoking, heavy drinking, womanizing advertisers of Madison Avenue are returning once again to capture America’s attention. The critically acclaimed AMC drama set in the 1960s is all prepped and ready for a two-hour season six premiere this Sunday. Behind the face of actor Jon Hamm, this funny and superficial… Read more »

Another month of film begins now, and sandwiched between an award season of critically-renowned films and an upcoming summer of blockbuster hits, April could potentially prove weak for the box office. However, perhaps this eclectic group of films offers something for everyone with genres ranging from horror to comedy… Read more »

From the frozen landscape of the Midwest comes a magical voice that, at its angriest, sounds like a pack of hyenas gnawing at the carcass of injustice and, at its gentlest, sounds like an arthritic butterfly perched atop a flower just as heavy raindrops begin to fall from the sky.… Read more »

Although it’s hard to believe, spring is quickly approaching, and that means the Wisconsin Film Festival is just around the corner. About to enter its 15th year, the festival, which is programmed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arts Institute and the UW Department of Communication Arts’ film studies program,… Read more »

Straight from the mouths of showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, Season Three of the immensely popular HBO series “Game of Thrones” is the one they have been waiting to make. Weiss said in a YouTube video released December 2, 2012, “… if we made it through Season Three,… Read more »

After a late 2012 tour to promote their then-unreleased album Waking Season, post-rock group Caspian is back on the road again.Caspian’s last tour marked their first in three years. The group has shows booked back-to-back on many of their tour dates, and have been driving around the country hoping to… Read more »

With the passing of the Academy Awards, a new year of film begins. Although the spring tends to be a generally weak season prior to the summer season of blockbusters, there are a couple of flicks worth a trip to the local theatre.  To kick off the year, fans… Read more »

The Seattle-based math rock quintet Minus the Bear is stopping by the Majestic Theatre this Saturday on their headlining tour with Rah Rah and Eighteen Individual Eyes in what will be a groove-infused night of rock and electronic tunes. Minus the Bear consists of Jake Snider (vocals, guitar), David Knudson… Read more »

On its fourth visit to Madison, Big Gigantic is ready to bring back its unique mix of live instrumentals and electronic beats to re-energize a campus in the depths of winter. Big Gigantic is a duo consisting of Dominic Lalli, who plays saxophone and produces the beats, and drummer Jeremy… Read more »

LL Cool J is back for the second year as the host of the 55th Grammy Awards, airing on CBS Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. from the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Viewers can expect to be enticed with scheduled performances from Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, Sting, Rihanna, The Black… Read more »

At first listen, Yonder Mountain String Band seems like the typical bluegrass band. Despite the use of traditional strings like the banjo and mandolin, one can clearly recognize YMSB’s genre-bending elements. They infuse punk and alternative rock into bluegrass to create a sound guitarist Adam Aijala describes as “high-energy, fast… Read more »

Who would have ever thought Googling such a widely used adjective would result in a band’s website? The moniker that came from a simple band name spitball session in New York is quickly becoming one of the world’s most recognizable rock groups. Get ready because fun. is coming to campus… Read more »

The award season is now in full swing, and this year’s crop of films continues to have audiences racing to the theatre to watch the latest flick. This month has everyone asking one question in particular about two mainstream Hollywood releases: “The Hobbit” or “Les Miserables”? Academy Award-winning director Tom… Read more »

Today’s chart-topping singles and albums are often a collision of genres. “Britain’s Got Talent” contestant band Scala blew audiences away with electric string instruments before topping charts. Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble” gained popularity for its mashing of country themes with a sick dubstep drop. But it’s not… Read more »

Sunday’s show at the High Noon Saloon provided clear evidence of a loyal following for the previously on-hiatus band Pinback. With eyes intently locked on guitarist and lead vocalist Rob Crow, many fans were singing along with just as much emotion. The band’s tour is promoting the release of its… Read more »

Bassist Zach Smith of the band Pinback says his life as a musician is all about doing what you love.  “It’s about staying true to yourself and doing what comes naturally,” he said in an interview with The Badger Herald.  Pinback is Rob Crow on guitar and vocals, Zach Smith… Read more »

Recently, life has been a blur for Milwaukee-based folk band Field Report.”Everything seems to be happening pretty quickly,” said Field Report’s front man Christopher Porterfield. Porterfield formerly played with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver until branching out with Field Report, the name of which is an anagram of his last… Read more »

With union rights in the news more than usual during the past year, student theatrical production “The Cradle Will Rock” is especially timely — perhaps as much so as when it was written in the 1930s.”It is a seminal piece of theatre. It is a piece that resonates today and… Read more »

Coming off of a year that has seen a tour by railway, a concert DVD, an appearance on Prairie Home Companion and a new album Carry Me Back, Old Crow Medicine Show has been a very productive bunch. However busy the band might be though, founding member Christopher “Critter” Fuqua… Read more »

Maybe you’ve seen the t-shirts that say: “Flynt Flossy is my favorite rapper.” Maybe you’ve watched “Lemme Smang It” on YouTube. Maybe you’ve heard Childish Gambino’s song “F**k Your Blog.” If any of the above sounds familiar, you’ve experienced Turquoise Jeep, and tonight, you’ll be able to experience them in… Read more »

It is rare to find a musician who truly cannot be compared to anyone else. Matisyahu is one of those artists. Creating a mix of music that is part reggae, part alternative rock and part religious, he produces a blend that is certainly one of a kind. Matisyahu, known for… Read more »

“There is a lot of tension in our music,” says Orifice Vulgatron, one of the founding members of the UK rap group Foreign Beggars. “It’s just energy,” Vulgatron said in an interview with The Badger Herald, and tonight, he and fellow members Metropolis and DJ Nonames will be bringing that… Read more »

“It’s a way to say to the scene, ‘Here we are; get ready for us.’” This is how Matt Zigan, vocalist and keyboardist for the Milwaukee-based metalcore band To Paint With Fire, described the release of the band’s highly anticipated debut EP “Visions.” “We want to show everyone what we can do… Read more »

One-room schoolhouses, log cabins, barns or anything else people think up. These are examples of the many creative Little Free Libraries people have made around the world, and many students have probably seen them around Madison. For those who do not know much about the Madison-based organization, the group’s documentary,… Read more »

As a teenager filled with wanderlust, Chad Stokes started jumping trains. Stokes continued to ride the rails through college and once jumped freight trains across the country with his brother. Between the mountains and prairies of our great American landscape, he found inspiration. “Its just this amazing way to see… Read more »

One minute you’re a finance major, the next you’re DJing at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. While this may sound like a power lecture daydream to many, such is life for 21-year-old Justin Blau. Blau, or 3LAU as he is billed, was attending school at St. Louis’ Washington University when… Read more »

As the holiday season starts to set in, the film industry is gearing up for awards season. This month brings a mix of critically acclaimed films and love stories, including “Life of Pi” (Nov. 21) and the finale to the Twilight series, “Breaking Dawn - Part 2” (Nov. 16). Here… Read more »

Supposedly, the end of the world is right around the corner. Perhaps the Mayans are right about the impending 2012 apocalyptic doom. Or perhaps their calendar simply ran out of space. Regardless, Kanopy Dance is revealing its take on the matter in its upcoming show, titled “End Times.” This show… Read more »

The Wallflowers are set to reboot roots-rock melodies tonight alongside material from a fresh album, leaving them energized to rock the Majestic. Featuring songs from their first studio album in seven years, along with old fan favorites, this show is likely to have something for everyone.Glad All Over is the… Read more »

Macadelic Mac Miller: Pittsburgh rapper to headline Capitol Stage Not all of us can relate to growing up in Pittsburgh, rapping with Pharrell or releasing a mixtape at age 15. But we can all relate to being 20, smashing bottles of Hennessy and secretly loving Bright Eyes. It is this… Read more »

Madison is no stranger to big-name electronic shows, but Big Gigantic separate themselves from the pack with a unique blend of live instruments, sampling and synthey beats that’ll be pulsating from the Gilman Street stage at Freakfest this weekend. Jeremy Salken, the drummer of the Big G duo, said in… Read more »

Previously seen in “The Help,” Leslie Jordan introduced himself to Wisconsin via the unlikely route of Los Angeles. Shopping in Nordstrom, he selected a shaving brush for purchase, and when it came time to check out, the bill came to $110. “For a shaving brush?” Jordan said. “[The cashier] said, ‘Oh… Read more »

Happening upon old home movies can mean hours of enthralling entertainment: the weirder, the better. Awkward grade school recitals, intense backyard wiffle ball games and the vividly red, oversize glasses your mom thought would be a wise wedding fashion statement all bring blushes for those captured on film and laughter… Read more »

Looking into the next month of film, it’s no surprise a flux of horror/thriller movies are arriving just in time for the Halloween season, including Tim Burton’s “Frankenweenie” (Oct. 5), along with the fourth and latest edition of “Paranormal Activity” (Oct. 19). Of the month’s newest arrivals, here are some… Read more »

If this country is a melting pot, Wisconsin makes the fondue. The Madison World Music Festival is sifting through that proverbial cheese to celebrate some of the most talented musical artists from around the globe. Thirteen countries are represented among the nine sets, providing modern twists of traditional cultures… Read more »

With a summer of superheroes, talking teddy bears, and male strippers behind us, it’s time to look forward to the most promising fall flicks. Looking at the lineup of September films, audiences have several reasons to visit the theatre and cough up the cash for a ticket that might even… Read more »

It’s been a while since they last played Madison or released any new material, but come this weekend, Minneapolis rockers The Suburbs will return to the city after 20-some years of separate projects. Keyboardist Chan Poling described a sort of full-circle evolution within the band that brought them back to… Read more »

Many have seen the people ambling down streets with their hands in the air and glow sticks on their necks. Those witnesses have seen dubstep. During the past several months, Madison has seen big-hitting bass purveyors like Rusko and Bassnectar paint the town neon. Tonight, we have another contender for… Read more »

In a world full of auto-tune and reverb, it is harder than ever to come by music in its least adulterated form. Yet concertgoers will have a chance to hear contemporary music without all the squeaky-clean production at the University of Wisconsin’s coed a cappella group Redefined’s spring show this Friday.… Read more »

Fountains of Wayne has come a long way since its 2003 pop hit “Stacy’s Mom.” For many of us, the band may seem like a one-hit wonder that rocked our middle school dances, but after catching up with band member Chris Collingwood this past week, it is apparent these guys have… Read more »

With the most fitting name in the music business, fun. hopes to bring a great time to the Majestic Theatre’s stage Wednesday night as it stops on its nationwide headlining tour.The band is the combined brainchild of The Format’s Nate Ruess, Steel Train’s Jack Antonoff and Anathallo’s Andrew Dost. The… Read more »

Perhaps the best showmen on the planet will come pillaging through Madison tonight at the Majestic. In a performance sure to include spraying audience members with gallons of fake blood and costumes as epic as any Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers super villain, GWAR plans to bring unholy thrash to King… Read more »

There’s no doubt that finals week is a stressful time. While most students were holed up in the library cramming for exams, one ambitious group of University of Wisconsin students was dealing with another set of stresses. UW-Hollywood Badgers spent their finals week filming a movie that was the culminating… Read more »

SUNDAY “GCB” — ABC, 9 p.m. Series premiere on March 4. Is it cynical to suggest that the naming of ABC’s new show — originally “Good Christian Bitches” — was as much of a marketing ploy as the diamond encrusted font used on its posters? Kristin Chenoweth stars in this… Read more »

Since his debut in 1997, stand-up comedian Brian Regan has regularly brought down the house with his unique combination of clean humor, situational comedy and ever-changing routines that represent the freshest in stand-up theater. Thursday, Regan will bring his act to the Overture Center for the Arts in pursuit of… Read more »