These 5 Fake Shows Will Change Your Outlook On Live Music

Here at WUD Music, our mission is to produce free live concerts on a weekly basis that showcase quality music by local, regional, and national acts. We even book international acts sometimes (see: Mac Demarco)!

Because of the high volume of shows we put on and the smaller venues we book for, we obviously cannot afford to produce concerts at the level of quality everyone’s favorite superstars would expect. Regardless, it’s still fun to to see how much it would cost to make these fantasies a reality.

The following show fliers represent some of the awesome design work our marketing subcommittee has been up to, as well as what we would have to charge for tickets to these uber-intimate concerts that we would all kill to witness.

1. Lady Gaga 

Lady Gaga has been more focused on her duets with Tony Bennett for the last year or so, but that doesn’t mean one of her solo productions doesn’t still break the bank. Ticket Price: $3,555

2. Kendrick Lamar w/ ScHoolboy Q

Speaking of “Break the Bank”, how about we have ScHoolboy Q come to Madison? That would be a dope show, but if he OPENED for Kendrick Lamar?! That show would be beyond lit. With the release of To Pimp a Butterfly, Kendrick is bound to cost a bit more for live concerts, but I sense that many hip hop heads would be willing to shell out the same amount as a weekend at Lollapalooza for a TDE set in a 500-person venue.
Ticket Price: $295

3. Lana Del Rey

A favorite of college students at all campuses, somber pop songstress Lana Del Rey would put on an amazing stripped-down set in Der Rathskeller. Just so long as no one tries to run up on stage and hug her to death first. Ticket Price: $688

4, Mumford and Sons

The boys are back together! After a break up/hiatus for the past year or two, Mumford and Sons return to prominence with a new album set to release on May 4th. I guess they couldn’t resist making tons of money, as evidenced by another exorbitant admission price for a nonexistent show. Ticket Price: $1,425

5. Taylor Swift

Oh man. This show might be the most expensive of the five, but based on her impromptu performance at the SNL 40 afterparty, at least we know she’d be nice enough to make it happen if we could shell out the dough.
Ticket Price: $4170

There you have it. Have a favorite flier? Want to know the price of a different show? Hit us up on Twitter (@WUDMusic). You can check out our REAL list of shows via our Facebook events list. We hope to see you at one of our FREE shows soon!

 

 

 

 

WUD Music Presents: Bryce Vine w/Chris Labella, Der Rathskeller at 8pm

The only way this Friday the 13th will be unlucky is if you don’t check out these young talented fellows. Chris LaBella, a local rapper will be opening for Bryce Vine all the way from LA! Check them out at Der Rathskeller tonight (Friday 13th) at 8pm!

I got to ask Bryce a couple questions during his busy route to town.

Where were you born, and what brought you to Los Angeles?

I was born in a small apartment in Manhattan. I moved to LA when I was about ten because my mother who was an aspiring actress at the time landed a role on a daytime soap opera.

Did you start as a rapper?

Actually, no.  I started as the lead singer of a punk band. 

How did you come about the name (of the new album)? 

Laissez-faire was the name of the little party boat my mom used to have.  My friends and I spent many summers on the lake drinking and rock jumping. The album title was a tribute to those memories.

Who is/are your biggest inspiration(s)

Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind and Frank Ocean are some of my favorite writers.  Big fan of Kid Cudi, Brother Ali, and The Wombats, also.

Would you be looking for a girl to go see “50 Shades Of Grey” with? 

I’d Probly rather go alone and pretend to weep next to happy couples.

What’s your spirit animal?

Kama, the Hawaiian Surfer Pig…Google him. –>

What would you do to get some free sour patch kids?

Murder.

 What is your favorite thing about performing on College Campuses?

College students hold nothing back when they are feeling the music.  They go ape shit.

What is the weirdest talent you posses?

My perfect impersonations of Macy Gray and Shaggy.

Is there anything crazy we can expect from your show tonight?

Two words…Panda Cannon

Thank You

VUD Music Presents: A Vednesday Valentine’s Playlist

Because alliteration guys! The smells of dating culture are in the air, and ve couldn’t help exercising our poor German accents to make a cool blog post about our collaboration playlist vith The Visconsin Union! Check the Valentine’s Day-themed tracks below, and have a Vonderful Vednesday!

Need more Valentine’s Week Music? Local favorite Ben Ferris is curating a special Valentine’s Day show in The Sett at Union South Saturday night at 5:00 PM. You can check you out the full event info by clicking anywhere on this sentence!

Con Shot First: A Star Wars-Themed Interview With Con Solo

This Saturday, CATCH WRECK affiliates Con Solo and Coby Aships will be performing live beats to round out the second half of a DJ-centric weekend in Union South. Con Solo, for those that know him on Facebook, also goes by the name ‘Brandeaux Calrissian’. Between his spacey sound, an apparent affinity for Star Wars, and an overall mysterious aura, I decided to invite Solo to answer some questions about his music and to get his opinions on arguably the best film series of all time.

Please state your birth name for the record:

Brandon Le Andrew Washington.

Do you identify more closely with Lando Calrissian or Han Solo?

I’d like to think they’re both two aspects of a singular, baller entity.

A Yin and Yang type-thing, or something else?

Like the sun and the moon, occupying the same space, separately. In a state of calm, I lean towards Calrissian in my attempts to always keep a level head. When I perform, more so in favor of Solo. There’s a necessary bravado, and sometimes you have to shoot first.

What is your favorite film of the series so far?

Empire Strikes Back. Its all about that Dagobah force training montage.

Opinion on the prequel trilogy?

While it doesn’t have the nostalgia factor of the original, they made Samuel L. Jackson a Jedi and that’s really all I ever needed.

I’ve always thought Anakin Skywalker acted like a brooding teenager regardless of his age. Which prequel do you think he was the most brooding in?

Probably gotta say Revenge of the Sith, when he starts to turn and has that emo hood on, running around lightsabering kids. It’s especially prominent in the Duel on Mustafar, where he’s all “I HATE YOU DAD” to Obi Wan Kenobi, before the latter ginsu’d his appendages.

Does Jar Jar Binks get the rap he deserves?

Yo, Jar Jar Binks always seemed like a poorly hidden amalgam of black stereotypes.

I wouldn’t disagree with that. He definitely has the distorted version of a Jamaican/Rastafarian accent going on.

Like, come on Lucas. We live in the future, there’s absolutely no reason to have some jabber-jawed minstrel show alien running around getting into sophomoric antics. They should have let me write his character, he’d have been a straight up bad-ass.

Has Star Wars influenced your music in any way?

In a way, it influenced my life at a young age turning me into a lil’ nerd. That eventually took me from sci-fi nerd to space and physics nerd to audio nerd, so hey I guess that works.

As an audio nerd, do you obsess more over the actual quality of the audio you’re producing, or the sonic aesthetic you want to present?

As an artist, no one wants to put out a half-assed product. That being said, I prioritize mood, emotive resonance, and the overall gestalt of each piece before really sitting down to focus on the mixdown. The main goal, always, is to get everyone else to feel what I’m feeling when they hear it.

What is your thought/work process in regards to creating new instrumentals, and how does that differ from your thoughts while performing a live show?

When I’m composing or producing, its more meditative. Zen-like. Alot of time spent in my own worlds, creating. Performing is a different ballgame. Like warring with myself and everyone else for their focus. There’s alot of improvisation that goes into my set, so it all comes down to keeping the crowd (and myself) on their toes and striking the right spots at the right times.

Is there anything special we can expect from the show this Saturday?

I’ve been working on a large amount of new material since I got back from touring and Los Angeles. I’m hoping to bring alot of what I learned along my travels back home for this one. Coby Ashpis and KidA are both very talented artists in their own fields, so I feel like its gonna be generally stellar.

https://soundcloud.com/theconsolo/seer

LIGHTNING ROUND

What’s your opinion on the upcoming film?

Looks both so fresh and so clean-clean.

Jedi or Sith?

Jedi, but New Jedi Order era. Not trying to be all Lawful Good all the time.

What color would your lightsaber be?

Green: Jedi Consular. Straight up ass kickin’ diplomat.

Favorite species of the Star Wars universe?

Bad ass Twi’lek ladies.

Favorite line from the series?

Every instance of sexual tension between Han and Leia, and everything Chewbacca says.

Thanks for your time and insight, Brandon.

Ayyyye, anytime. Should be a good one.

Night Moves w/Pony Bwoy and The Great Duck War: Saturday, November 15th, der Rathskeller

I’m normally not one to put genre labels on bands. But today, I AM THAT PERSON. “Psychedelic Country” is TOTALLY Night Moves. If I had to describe them in terms of other bands (which I’ve been trying to do for years now with almost no success because they are so original) I would mayyyyybe say something along the lines of Fleetwood Mac beats with twangy/Tame Impala-ish/Temples-ish vocals. But even that cannot describe them in all their glory.

Look at all that hair.

I listen to a lot of hip-hop/rap and alternative artists, and not much country music. However, I find myself scouring the interwebz in search of more Night Moves.

Between their charming twang, groovy bellbottoms, and echoing vocals, there is something for everyone to love.

This Minneapolis-based group has played on campus before. I first saw them on complete accident in high school in 2011, and INSTANTLY fell in love. Since then they’ve returned every year, probably Madison’s music taste is impeccable and we don’t want to escape those dreamy chords.

Check out their live performance of “Headlights” on KEXP here:

Night Moves’ return to Madison is special this time. They’re bringing some friends with them: Pony Bwoy.

Pony Bwoy must have caught the Night Moves fever.

When wandering around Youtube Narnia one night I discovered Pony Bwoy’s most chill music video; it oozed synth and bled passion. My eyes were glued to my Ba$ic Bitch Macbook Pro. I was hooked.

Here is that video, PREPARE YOSELF:

TURNS OUT THEY’RE FRIENDS WITH NIGHT MOVES— WHO KNEW?? It was perfect. This show was ‘bout 2 be off da hook.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Who doesn’t like jamming to your friend’s band like you would in a house show??
The Great Duck War to the rescue!

Reid Kurkerewicz and Noah and Justin Huber combine Modest Mouse-esque vocals with energetic drumming and delicate guitar to create one hell of a sound.

How could you not love these g00nz??

The Great Duck War killin’ the photo game.

You can catch all these gnarly bands this Saturday in der Rathskeller. You don’t want to be that person at your neighbor’s house party next week who missed this show, do you?

Oh, did I mention it’s FREE?!

An Interview with Low Roar’s Ryan Karazija

Source: bernardinai.lt/

Last Saturday, we here at WUD Music hosted a special  performance in Memorial Union’s new Play Circle theater, featuring Icelandic singer-songwriter Asgeir and fellow Icelandic band Low Roar. Low Roar’s frontman, Ryan Karazija, was able to take some time during their busy tour schedule to answer some questions and provide insights on their newest music.

Andrew Mackens: So, Ryan, you used to be in a different, California-based band, Audrye Sessions, and then decided to move to Iceland and begin recording as Low Roar. What was the catalyst for this change? Can you tell us what the adjustment process was like?

Ryan Karazija: I moved for a few different reasons, one of those being a girl, and then once I moved I decided to write a record, and this is what came out . I didn’t have a hard time adjusting at all, it felt completely natural to me. Granted the weather is a bit different than California, but still, I had no real problems or issues.

AM: What’s the biggest connection musically between Audrye Sessions and Low Roar for you? Did anyone from the first band transition to the second with you?

RK: There is no connection between the two for me. They are almost like two completely different lives…

AM: How did you link up with Asgeir for the tour? I imagine it was through music in Iceland?

RK: We all live very close to each other and are friends, and when our booking agent saw this pop up, we just submitted for the tour. It has been a lot of fun.

AM: I watched the video for “Breath In”, a song off of your new album 0. Can you tell us about the overall concept of the video and what you were thinking about the roach scene? (It made me think of Tyler, The Creator’s “Yonkers” immediately.)

RK: Well, I actually had no input on this video; someone offered us a video. They wanted an upbeat song, so I sent them the slowest, and it all worked out.

AM: How does “Breath In” fit with the sound for the rest of 0?

RK: I think it fits perfectly, it is the opener on the album…just kinda leads you in….for me it is a very important piece of the album.

You can check out more of Low Roar’s music at lowroarmusic.com.

Potter’s Last Stand: A Tribute to Our Open Mic Host’s Final Night

Greetings, Dear Blog Reader,

You might not know me, but my name is Courtney Byelich – and for the last 3 years or so now, I’ve advised WUD Music. Often, upon finding out that I advise the students that book the bands on UW’s campus, the next question people ask is something along the lines of, “Wow. You must see a lot of bands. What’s the best thing you’ve ever seen? Who’s your favorite band?” And to that end, my answer is simple. My favorite program always and forever will be Open Mic Night.

The Wisconsin Union’s mission, simply stated, is to help folks in the campus community make connections with one another. I might be biased, but I think that WUD Music is pretty good at this. We facilitate somewhere in the neighborhood of six concerts a week, of varying styles, genres, and instrumentation. We garner thousands of people each year, dancing in front of the stage, sitting back listening to the music, and clapping for their favorite performers. Open Mic though, takes all of this and puts the opportunity into the hands of our community members to provide entertainment, to learn from their performances, and to develop a local audience.

For the last three years our Open Mic host, Martin Potter, has helped each of our performers do just that.  Usually wearing his signature duck hat, Martin plays one song at the beginning of each set, and then facilitates the next three hours of music from anyone who wants to perform. From determining if the mics are positioned appropriately, to loaning out his guitar in a pinch, Martin has made sure that everyone who performs with us feels comfortable and welcomed.

I’m sad to report that Martin is moving to California at the end of this Fall, and as a result, his last Open Mic Night as host will be on Wednesday, October 8^th. In celebration of three great years of service as Open Mic Host, I’d like to invite you to save the date, and join us for some cake and a brief ceremony to thank Martin for donning his duck hat on our behalf.

Martin Potter’s Last (Open Mic) Stand
Wednesday, October 8^th, 2014
7:45pm, Der Rathskeller
Cake will be served! (While supplies last)

Saturday Night on the Terrace: Lords of the Trident w/ Thunderunderus and Beast Warrior

BEHOLD, the most METAL band on Earth! Or at least that is what Madison-based group Lords of the Trident claims. With an epicly extensive legend on the formation of the band, and musical arrangements that harken back to the 80s metal sound of bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, the question of their being the most metal band in the world at least warrants debate.

In all seriousness, the band is more a parody of itself than anything, and more comparable to Tenacious D (minus the wussy acoustic guitar) than Iron Maiden. I mean, come on. They have a song called “Rapeshore”.

But despite the ridiculousness of their image and the pyrotechnics and confetti cannons, Lords of the Trident is a talented group of individuals playing the music they love and having as much fun as they can on stage. Because of their talent and attitude, they actually have a strong core following from Madisonians. Their most recent release was funded by Kickstarter, and with only 108 backers, they more than tripled the amount of money they needed to fund the project. If that’s not fan dedication, I don’t know what is.

Lords of the Trident will be headlining Saturday, 8/10 at the Memorial Union Terrace. The first stop on their fall tour, fellow metal bands Thunderunderus and Beast Warrior will be providing support. The show starts at 9:00PM, and admission is FREE!

Saturday Night on the Terrace: El-P and Killer Mike w/ Despot, Kool A.D.

Tonight, WUD Music is presenting what is arguably the biggest rap show it has ever produced on the Memorial Union Terrace. Rappers El-P and Killer Mike have both gained mad respect over the years in the alternative and dirty south hip-hop scenes, respectively.

El-P is a former member of the underground group Company Flow, has produced music for a plethora of artists, and is the co-founder, owner and CEO of New York record label Definitive Jux.

Killer Mike has been in the game since he met Outkast rapper Big Boi in his college years, and has been on the grind ever since. While releasing six solo albums, he was also featured on a handful of songs in the early 2000s, most notably Outkast’s Grammy-winning single “The Whole World”.

Tonight, these decorated MCs come to you as a newly formed hip-hop duo, Run the Jewels. Their self-titled album can be downloaded for free here, and trust me when I say it is more than worth the time spent to acquire it. Clocking in just under 33 minutes, the duo brings 10 tracks with unique, hard-hitting beats and verses that seem effortlessly crafted. When El-P’s faster staccato bars mix seamlessly with Mike’s smooth dirty south flow, it leaves the listener more than satisfied. But my words alone can’t justify the album. Listen for yourself.

El-P and Killer Mike will be supported by Despot, a New York underground rapper with over a decade of experience, and Kool A.D., a former member of the New York group Das Racist.

Saturday, July 20, 8:00PM, Memorial Union Terrace
Admission: FREE

Monday Feature: Interview with young rapper, BKnitts

Because of the countless music outlets located on the web, discovering new music from young artists that are experimenting with their own musical talent and style is almost effortless. However, is it that easy for the artist on the other end to break through the music industry barrier? The fast pace demand of our society for the next best thing can take a toll on artists trying to understand both who they are in the music industry and how they want to portray it.

The young rapper BKnitts from South Milwaukee, WI gives us a little insight into this dilemma and also his own musician characteristics.

1. As an up-and-coming artist, what are some challenges you face in the music industry?

The biggest challenge I face is grabbing the attention of people that don’t know me personally. I spend a lot of time on every song/video I make trying to think of ways to capture a new audience. A lot of this goes hand in hand with finding the right sound, rapping about relatable topics, bringing versatility to the songs, etc.

2. Your style was described as “intelligently hard,” could you explain what this style essentially is?

“Intelligently hard” means that I bring about a conscious demeanor in my songs, while at the same time still maintaining emotion in my voice. I want people to feel connected, and at the same time I want them to be impressed with my cadences and passion on the microphone. It’s easy to rap about causing harm to people and sound aggressive. It’s an art to rap about every day, real life situations and remain passionate.

3. Your latest release #SummerSessions includes remixes of MIA’s “Paper Planes,” and Yellow Ostrich’s “Whale,” what do you look for in a song that inspires you to make a remix of it?

Songs like that are either shown to me by my indie band loving friends, or I hear them randomly on Pandora/YouTube. If the beat of the song is catchy, and thoughts immediately come to my head when hearing it for the first time, I feel obligated to remake it. Other songs like “Paper Planes” are just fun to rap over. The beat is catchy. The hook is catchy. Can’t go wrong there.

4. Do you freestyle? If so, where does your inspiration derive from?

To quote the almighty Soulja Boi, “I don’t freestyle, cuz my style ain’t free.” No, for real though. I’ve attempted public freestyle maybe twice (to no avail) as well as recorded freestyle maybe twice (also to no avail). Most of my writing process is just writing down whatever I rap while the beat is playing, but doing any sort of consistent freestyle is out of my mental league, unfortunately. People are always like “Oh, you rap? Freestyle right now!”  – They don’t get me.

5. You often incorporate normal conversation in your songs, is this a tactic used to connect to your audience?

Saying things like “My sister thinks I’m trippin, damn” or “My mom asked me if I have ever contemplated”, to me, bring the songs to ground. I want people to know that I’m not making things up when I rap (the majority of the time). I enjoy talking about my life, even if the topics are sensitive. I make real music because I want real people to connect to me. If you like party music, you’ll like about half of my songs, but I still talk about real life in the majority of my songs.

6. What is a song of yours that you are most proud of?

I’m proud of most of my songs. The one song that sticks out to me when I think about my work as a whole is “Beach House Flow”, which is the introductory track to the #SummerSessions mixtape. I wrote it the day before I released the mixtape, because I still needed an intro track for the tape. I sat down, put a beat on, and just rapped about my thoughts. The story of the song flows well, and I am very content with how it showcases my abilities and style.

7. Where do you see yourself going from here with your music career?

The next phases of my “career” include me getting on some stages to show the world who I am and what I can do, as well as working on an actual album for purchase so I can start feeding money back into the music, to maintain a constant growth rate.

8. If there was one rap artist that you could share a stage with, who would it be?

Tough question. I’m inspired by Macklemore, but I could never touch the same stage as him. That would end my career [haha]. There is a local artist coming out of Chicago named Chance The Rapper, who I would love to work with on a song, as well as get on a stage with. It’s nice to have dreams like these. It’s something to shoot for.

 

Want to know what BKnitt’s #SummerSessions or his other songs sound like? Check out the video below.