It’s Autumn and the temperature is dropping. Another Madison winter is around the corner. Why not spend Friday night in the warm, comfortable Wisconsin Union Theater?
Hailing from balmy New Orleans, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band takes the stage at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 with a UW-Madison ID, $30 for general public.
The Dozen will make their seventh stop here on a 19-city tour showcasing their vibrant 1984 debut album My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now. They are currently working on a re-issue of the album to commemorate the 25th anniversary of its original release.
That’s right, they’ve been doing this for over 30 years and haven’t slowed down yet. Across three decades they have released an additional 13 albums, coupled with incessant touring. It is exciting, however, to see the Dozen reprising their earliest work.
More recently expanding their musical repertoire in collaborations with such modern names as Dave Matthews Band, Modest Mouse and Widespread Panic, the Dozen retains their roots in their unique blend of good-times jazz and funk that could only spring from New Orleans. It is a style they stick to and one they pioneered.
Touring sousaphonist Julius McKee will provide chest-thudding melodies deeper than Lake Monona. The difference: McKee’s tunes stay smooth in the bitter wind.
If the sousaphone doesn’t captivate you, drummer Terence Higgins’ rapid funk style will surely keep you watching. It might even warrant some toe tapping.
From the Dozen, expect swift rhythm. Expect an ongoing brass jam with few pauses. Expect to marvel at the Brass Band’s inhuman lung capacity and relentless stamina.
Friday, expect to forget about the Madison cold for a while. Once the horns get going and the drums start to bang, Wisconsin Union Theater will feel the heat and good times of New Orleans. Mardi Gras attire optional.
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band will take the Wisconsin Union Theater stage on Friday, Oct. 2
