SCENE APPLETON • FOX CITIES EDITION | WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM | APRIL 2016
VOLUNTARY 75¢
Welcome
DAVE
STEFFEN TO THE HALL OF FAME
Winnebago County Parks Dept. 625 E. Cty. Rd. Y #500, Oshkosh WI 54901 (920)2321960 www.co.winnebago.wi.us/parks email: vredlin@co.winnebago.wi.us.
Picture Yourself in Winnebago County Parks With...
L2 | SceneNewspaper.com | Appleton • Fox Cities | April 2016
9th Annual
TRUNK SHOW Saturday April 30th • 9am-3pm Jewelers.com
“Let Our Location Be Your Savings” 603 Wisconsin Avenue• •North North Fond Lac • (920)922-6259 603 Wisconsin Avenue Fonddudu Lac • (920)922-6259 April 2016 | Appleton • Fox Cities | SceneNewspaper.com | L3
No Drops- No Hassle
Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery Putting in eye drops can be difficult & time consuming after cataract surgery. Dr. Dudley is performing NO DROP cataract surgery to eliminate the extra expense and hassle of post op drops. Patients can also choose to have the blade-free LASER assisted cataract surgery!
Stephen S. Dudley, MD, F.A.C.S.
OptiVision
Eye Care
L4 | SceneNewspaper.com | Appleton • Fox Cities | April 2016
437 N. Pioneer - Fond du Lac
923-0000
WISCONSIN EDITION
R14
Start Your Fairy Garden Fairy Garden Classes forming Now! Call or Stop in for Details
R8
R16
CONTENTS FINE ARTS R4 Foxy Finds R6 Pierre Henri Matisse FOOD & DRINK R2 Brewmaster ENTERTAINMENT R8 Dave Steffen R12 Willy Porter & Carmen Nickerson
CONTRIBUTORS Steve Lonsway Jean Detjen
Michael Casper Jillian Dawson
SCENE STAFF
Publisher James Moran • 920.418.1777 jmoran@scenenewspaper.com Editor Michael Casper • 920.344.0036 mcasper@scenenewspaper.com Graphic Designer Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297 ebaker@scenenewspaper.com
R14 De-Fermented Mind R16 The Evolution of Rob Anthony R18 Concert Watch R22 The Spanish Inquisition R26 Ramos Miss Molly R26 A Taste for Something R30 Postcards from Milwaukee
Huge Selection of Enchanting Fairy Garden Supplies! Call or Order Online 7 DAYS A WEEK - 24/7 www.haentzefloral.com Fond du Lac • (920) 921-0970 • www.haentzefloral.com Open 7 Days a Week • M-F 8-5:30 Sat 8-4, Sun 10-3
EVENT CALENDARS R36 The Big Events Jane Spietz George Halas
Blaine Schultz
Ad Director/Sales Greg Doyle • 920.251.8944 gregdtdoyle@yahoo.com Norma Jean Fochs • 715.254.6324 njfochs@scenenewspaper.com Patrick Murphy • 920.360.3450 pmurphy@scenenewspaper.com Maureen Andrejeski • 920.522.2381 mo@scenenewspaper.com Connie Carmical • 920.267.0721 ccarmical@scenenewspaper.com
Advertising deadline for May is April 20 at 5 p.m. Submit ads to ads@ scenenewspaper.com. The SCENE is published monthly by Calumet Press, Inc. The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics, current INC. events, arts and entertainment, and daily living. We retain sole ownership of all non-syndicated editorial work and staff-produced advertisements PO Box 227 • Chilton, WI contained herein. No duplication is allowed without permission from 53014 • 920-849-4551 Calumet Press, Inc. 2016.
Calumet
PRESS
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R1
FOOD & DRINK // BREWMASTER
Ommegang Brewery & Liefman’s Brewery Rosetta - Fruit Ale BY STEVE LONSWAY This months’ feature beer is a beer we recently started offering in the Stone Arch Tap Room. It is our first imported beer which is a bit outside our box. It’s called Rosetta, a fruit ale that was aged on cherries. By style definition it is a traditional Belgian Kriek beer. Brewed in Belgium by Liefman’s Brewery for their sister brewery, Ommegang located in Cooperstown, New York. More about the breweries after we take a good look at the beer itself. The label on this libation is very clean and basic. An image of three cherries pop out in the center of the label which is topped by the familiar Ommegang logo. With the use of green and the red from the cherries, it almost has a Christmas feel to it although it has nothing to do with the holiday. What we really like about the content of the label is that they display the recommended serving temperature as well as the ideal glass from which to enjoy it. When tasting this brew, our team followed their recommendation in using a stemmed glass with a narrow mouth and wide body which holds most of the aromatics in until the very end. It pours a bit fizzy from the higher carbonation level but isn’t so much so that it overflows the glass. The off-white head drops quickly to a thin layer that lasted for the whole experience. The appearance is inviting as the dark chestnut amber fluid flows. The nose is primarily sweet and sour cherry with some earthy malt tones sneaking in behind. A Belgian yeast note can be detected followed up by a slight caramel scent. The effervescent sourness hits your palate first with a cherry sweet finish that soon follows. The Stone Arch Brew Team varied in the pungency of the cherries. Some said it was a bit overpowering, where others felt that is was a nice compliment. What was universal is the opinion that the sweet/tart aspect was very well balanced and quite R2 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
pleasing. Although the alcohol by volume is only 5.6%, a slight alcohol note can be noticed as the sweetness fades away. Often fruit beers are too fruit forward with the beer flavor just an afterthought. That is not the case with this one, beer flavors still shine through the cherry layers. The finish is uncharacteristic for a Kriek in being a bit sweet. The sourness is predominately in the nose and initial taste and tends to lead the way for the sweetness to finish off, very clean and drinkable nonetheless. When the brew team was asked for good pairings for this beer, we all jumped on the famous Stone Cellar Biergarten salad as a perfect fit. Most salads and lighter fare would also do well with the Rosetta especially with softer cheeses infused. Ice cream, cheesecakes and cherry chip cookies were also suggested as good pairings, but let it be noted; it’s a good stand-alone beer as well. Now let’s get into the nuts and bolts of the breweries involved. Liefman’s Brewery made this Kriek style beer specifically for its sister brewery Ommegang. The name Rosetta is in honor of the first women Belgian Brewmaster…Madame Rosa Merckx who was a former Brewmaster with Liefman’s Brewery. What these skilled brewers did to make this beer was to add a perfect blend of a new Flemish Brown Ale to a Flemish Brown Ale that is “old” (oud bruin) and aged on cherries for at least three years. The resulting complexity can only be achieved by this very patient approach. Rosetta is available in 11.2 ounce brown bottles and can be purchased throughout Ommegang’s distribution territory of 44 states, Wisconsin being one of them. Ommegang got their start in 1997 when two folks who owned Vanberg & Dewulf Beer Import Company teamed up with three family owned Belgian breweries that they developed strong relationships with through the years. Vanberg & Dewulf are self-proclaimed Belgian beer experts, and built their business motto on import-
ing the very rich and unique beers Belgium has to offer. They combined their efforts by building a beautiful brewery based on a traditional Belgian Farmhouse. The land they chose for their venture was a 136-acre property that was once a hop farm and is located in the Susquehanna River Valley, four miles south of Cooperstown, New York. The all-too-familiar consolidation phase hit Belgium strong and the three partnered Belgian breweries were absorbed by larger corporations. This prompted the Vanberg & Dewulf people to sell their shares of Ommegang in 2003 to the Belgian brewer Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat. Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat is best known for brewing Duvel Golden Ale which is a world-renowned Belgian beer. Ommegang
has grown rapidly since their inception and in 2005 added the necessary equipment to increase their annual capacity by 40%. With so much property and a beautiful building, many events are hosted from ‘beer-cations’ to bike races to beer festivals. Ommegang Brewery should be a destination on all beer lovers bucket lists. FINAL WORD: Easy drinking effervescence with a complex sweet and tart cherry flavor profile. Totally worth it!
IT’S OUR PEOPLE
over 300 of them — their smiles, know-how and helpful caring attitudes
THAT MAKE HOLIDAY customers fans of what we do, and each and every visit
WORTH THE TRIP! Thank you to them, and
THANK YOU FOR DRIVING WITH US!
BUDGET CENTER
Hwy 41 & Johnson St., Fond du Lac
WWW.HOLIDAYAUTOMOTIVE.COM April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R3
Foxy Finds FINE ARTS // FOXY FINDS
BY JEAN DETJEN, ARTFUL LIVING
The perfect bracelet for renegades, romantics and visionaries! Crafted from custom and vintage guitar picks, gemstones and fine metals, Electric Picks modern jewelry is all about a rock n’ roll attitude. Each dream-inspired bracelet is intricately crafted to aspire to be as timeless as music - and you! Pick up your own at Azure in DePere, where contemporary cutting edge fashions and accessories tempt and delight.
Show your state love with this Wisconsin: WIse, WItty & WIld unisex tri-blend tee by Megan Lee Designs, a one woman business showcasing a love for fashion, art, textiles, and design. Everything is handmade in her home studio, beginning with a pencil drawing, which she then scans, prints and burns to a screen, and finally prints one-by-one on her table-top press. Her cute and quirky designs can be found on t-shirts, tunic dresses, totes and greeting cards and are inspired by her love of animals, food, nature and the Midwest. Spotted here on a stylish toddler at The Puddle Duck, a children’s specialty clothing boutique in De Pere. $28/tee.
Absotively cool Mid-Century era hairpin legged kitchen table and chair set, brought back to life with new vinyl and finish. Sweep up this retro find at AtomicKatz in Oshkosh, offering vintage clothing, furniture, jewelry & accessories. The store’s philosophy is that each item is a piece of history and prides itself on their wide selection. Call 920.235.0023 for pricing.
Tell your own fashion story with this creatively inspired knit tunic tank by Ryu. Gorgeous paprika hue accented with ivory lace detailing. Versatile, lightweight layering piece with a fresh, flowy silhouette. Features three self tie bows in the open back. $58 in women’s sizes S-M-L. Find this and other fun and feminine styles at Blue Ivory Contemporary in Sturgeon Bay, Door County. Hand-woven free trade African market baskets from Natural Healthy Concepts, Appleton. Each beautiful Alaffia basket is a sustainable, handcrafted work of art. The wild-harvested savanna grass used to weave them is biodegradable, drought-tolerant, and thrives in degraded soils. Choose from a variety of color themes and designs, prices vary. So many uses, you will have a hard time choosing just one!
Cheers to living artFULLY in the heart of Wisconsin! Send your suggestions for Jean’s Foxy Finds to jdetjen@ scenenewspaper.com
R4 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Fond du Lac Distributors, Inc. Supplying building materials to Fond du Lac and the surrounding area for 29 years!
Visit our showroom!
1160 W. Scott St. Fond du Lac 920-921-1600
Spring 2016 has arrived!
Fond du Lac Distributors, Inc. is a local, family owned business in their third generation. We carry a complete line of exterior building materials. Our knowledgeable staff is eager to offer advice on any size project whether you are building from the ground up or remodeling. When you are in the market to build or remodel, you want to be certain your materials are of the finest quality and your supplier inspires the highest level of confidence. That’s why Fond du Lac Distributors, Inc. is the areas #1 choice for windows, doors, siding, shingles, designer accessories, decking and more. Fond du Lac Distributors, Inc. 1160 West Scott Street Fond du Lac, WI 54937 920-921-1600 www.fdldistributors.com Visit us on Facebook April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R5
FINE ARTS // PIERRE HENRI MATISSE
Pierre Henri Matisse Art Show Exhibit The Fox Cities’ recently unveiled “creative vortex” known as The Draw has opened its doors to the artwork of 88 year old French born artist Pierre H. Matisse, grandson of Modern Master Henri Matisse, one of the most iconic and influential artists of the 20th century. Matisse’s 2016 “Freedom & Love Tour” begins in Appleton, Wisconsin with its kick-off exhibit through April 22 at the Feather & Bone Gallery at The Draw, nestled on Appleton’s Fox River. The community art experience includes hands-on art projects for kids, live music, guest speakers, and more. A mixed media assortment of Matisse’s original works will include boldly hued oil paintings, cut-outs and lithographs. The exhibit is free to the public. Donations will be accepted at the door for which net proceeds will go to supporting arts education in the Appleton Area School District. Matisse’s paintings are unmistakably inspired by his home country and famous lineage. His works are immersed in bold color, sensually vibrant French imagery, and joie de vivre. The majority of Pierre’s works are oil paintings executed with a palette knife in a heavy impasto technique. He also has mastered the cut-out technique, in many ways a homage to his grandfather. “I use my art to express my appreciation of freedom and love,” says Matisse. “The Fox Cities is not a large venue, but it is a quality venue. Over the past few months it became apparent to me that the community wishes to offer more opportunities for those interested in art to learn that there is an artist in all of us; creativity is in our spiritual DNA. By applying imagination and energy, we create. This is the first step toward critical thinking and is why the sessions being held for the children are extremely important to me. I am delighted that my work will be shown in such a quality, diverse and positive environment.” “I encourage visitors to pay particular attention to my Circle of Love, a linocut print. It depicts the mother and infant child in loving embrace. This child is the miraculous manifestation of the love of its parents - truly a circle of love where the soul begins to be nurtured.” “The work of art is created by hand carving on a lino plate, preparing the paper with the correct level of moisture. Then applying ink to the plate being hand pulled by me as the artist to register the print. R6 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
The substrate I have chosen for the linocut prints is 400lb rough cut, cold press, deckled edge Arches paper. The history of Arches starts in 1492, just as Columbus was discovering the New World, Arches completed the amalgamation of the papermaking facilities around the village of Arches, South of Epinal in France.” “Perhaps the Paper Valley is a distant relative of this town in France where this paper company thrives to this very day!” Jean Detjen, Artist Representative for the exhibit, saw a perfect fit in bringing Matisse’s art to Appleton. “The growing Fox Cities art scene is incredibly vibrant,” Detjen said “and our creative community spirit has a very embracing nature. Pierre’s art is all about celebrating freedom and love despite life’s challenges and inevitable tragedies. Creating art can help process what we sense in the world so we can make sense of it. This is a wonderful and important thing to teach our children.” Exhibit partners agree. “It’s an honor to have someone who cares so much about art, education, music and who is so vibrant at his age,” said John Adams, Curator and Manager of The Draw who also oversees the on-site Feather & Bone main gallery with friend and business partner Cory Chisel. “We are excited to show his work and continue his message of love and happiness.” Creative outlets and influences helped form Matisse’s own innovation and vision as an artist. One of the paintings to be displayed actually rotates 360 degrees on the wall by means of an invention engineered by the artist himself. In each corner his signature is visible so that the viewer may display it any way he likes and it will look correct. Visit thedrawappleton.com ARTIST BIO: Who is Pierre Matisse? The answer seems to be as complex as his life. With a most extraordinary view of the world, Pierre has brought his journey into focus using art to express his varied experiences. It’s no surprise that his work reflects passion, beauty, joy, love and freedom. One is drawn to Pierre’s work because of its intensity, power and depth of color, however on closer inspection, the drama of the scene plays out until it feels as though you are part of the picture.
As with most projects, first there needs to be an idea. In this particular instance Pierre H. Matisse, The Idea Man, is also an integral part of the story. Pierre was born to artist parents in Paris on February 1st, 1928. His father, Jean Matisse, was a sculptor, his mother, Louise Milhau, was a painter, sculptor and ceramist. He grew up immersed in the world of art, being the grandson of Henri Matisse. Pierre’s childhood involved the artistic life of Paris and the French Riviera. The Matisse family often moved, “entourage” from one location to another, in France and Spain during his early years. He had the opportunity to meet and spend time among some of the most famous artists of this century, Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Aristide Maillol, Jean Effel, Salvador Dali, Pierre Bonnard, Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse, Fernand Leger, Maurice De Vlaminck and Auguste Lumière. As a teenager, he was involved in a world that dealt with cruelty, intrigue, horror, and the destruction of war. Both Pierre and his father, Jean Matisse, were heavily involved in French underground activities. Before the war ended, his grandmother and aunt had been imprisoned for their subversive activities. Both Pierre, and his father, were on the run from the Nazis for their efforts in aiding the British spies and saboteurs. Occasionally they engaged in their own sabotage efforts. Some of these stories are amazing! At the age of sixteen, on D-Day, during the invasion, Pierre found himself in Normandy forty miles from the landing beaches. Once liberated, he served as translator between the British and French authorities. He then volunteered, serving in co-operation with the British military transport, to repatriate the French civilian refugees displaced by the Normandy battle. When the war ended, he worked in the restoration of the art and historical monuments damaged by the war in France. At nineteen, he volunteered for a French commando paratrooper outfit, engaged in North Africa. Half of his group was sent to Indochina. Pierre fought in Algeria. Eventually earning a PhD. in antique furniture restoration and authentification after his return from duty. He is quite an adventurer, both a sailor and a pilot. He dreaded the memory of war, and in the early 50’s struck out to
Canada with his family. He was a settler in the wilderness of the Canadian frontier. Now as a citizen of the United States, Pierre is international in his thinking with ties to France and Canada. He has a variety of societies in his ancestry: French, some traceable back to Charlemagne, German and Spanish, in fact some of his ancestors were Mediterranean pirates. Pierre is a man who has not lost the sense of wonder of life, inquisitive, full of energy and open to every possibility, sure in his knowledge of himself, truly his own self. As an artist, Pierre has always pursued his work in a generous manner. Giving an entire series of Florida landscapes to the Deland Museum, which have become a part of their permanent collection. These paintings were executed in the 70’s to record, for future generations, an ecology on the St John’s River that is quickly disappearing. He has also given or created commissioned pieces to help many other organizations such as Project Hope, The American Red Cross, Variety Clubs International, The National Epilepsy Foundation, Music Educators National Conference and Fame, UNICEF Orphans foundation, The Sunrise Children’s Hospital of Las Vegas, The Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital, The Denver Children’s Hospital, Make-A-Wish Foundation, A Community of Angels, The United Nation’s Women’s Guild, Code Amber Organization, The Boggy Creek Gang, The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang and many others. After twenty years as a cartographic manager, for a government agency, Pierre, to put it in his own words, “retired from conventional work.” For a character like him, idleness is an anathema, so now Pierre is using his creative talent and boundless energy painting, writing, teaching and refining an art form known as cuts outs and translating different mediums into new avant-garde mixed media. Today the dream and plans for this new artistic exploration and using his art to help others has become the driving force in Pierre’s life. Above all, Pierre believes in freedom...as do all artists. For more information contact: Jean Detjen Artist Representative for Pierre H. Matisse jeandetjen@sbcglobal.net / 920.574.6841
Honored as one of “America’s Coolest Stores” by InStore Magazine Goldsmith Ron Emanuel
the
Goldsmith
177 S. Main Street, Downtown Fond du Lac 921-3113 • www.thegoldsmithfdl.com
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R7
ENTERTAINMENT // DAVE STEFFEN
Dave Steffen is called to the WAMI Hall BY MICHAEL CASPER Growing up in Plymouth, Wisconsin in 1951, there wasn’t a lot a 6 year old could do to occupy his time. When Dave Steffen and his family moved to the Crystal Lake area, he says he was a loner who liked to run away from school at recess. “I was pretty much out of the main stream,” Dave said “I was shy, and when I got off the bus, I was pretty much by myself, and there wasn’t really anyone around. I had a basketball hoop, so I was pretty good at hoops, but music was what I liked, and the guitar is what I loved.” Dave had older sisters who were into Dick Clark’s American Bandstand. “It was there that I was first introduced to the likes of Chuck Berry,” Dave said “The Ventures, Everly Brothers. Pretty much any group or performer that played guitars, I was into. I liked the Rock and Roll side of things. So for me, my ‘guitar life’ began at age six.” Like many youngsters, Dave got a toy guitar for Christmas, and his parents were very supportive of his musical passion. But he didn’t get his first real guitar lesson until he was ten. “My folks rented it from a guy by the name of Joe Champeau from whom I took lessons,” Dave said. “He lived about 20 miles from the Sheboygan area. I can’t remember what type of guitar it was, and I think my folks paid like $2 or $3 for the rental. My first lesson I flat out stunk (laugh). In fact my parents told me I didn’t have ‘it.’ But after that first lesson, I went back home, and basically practiced my guitar until my fingers bled. I was ticked off. I was not a natural. But I came back after the first week and I blew everybody away. At ten years old, I was totally determined.” Playing the guitar may seem easy for those who watch Dave Steffen play, but it’s hard. And even Dave didn’t realize how hard. “To this day, when I teach students the first time,” he said “I recognize all over again how hard it is. It’s not like a piano where you can play a single, clear note. R8 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
You have to work at it, your fingers get calloused, muscles have to do things they have never done before. It looks easy on TV.” Dave’s bullheaded determination led to his first performance. “My instructors were so impressed with my enthusiasm and quick progress,” Dave said “they put me in the ‘studio recital,’ after just three weeks. I was one of the last kids to perform, there were like fifty students. It was in a hall, and I played ‘Blue Tail Fly.’ I screwed up the first measures, so I started over again. I was nervous, it was my first time on stage. But I was already headlining (laugh)! And the studio was using me as an example of what can happen when you work hard.” All these many years later, Dave’s hard work, and countless gigs have resulted in his being inducted into the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) hall of fame. “I was shocked when I got the news,” Dave said. “I was never even mentioned for and of the WAMI’s prior to this (laugh). But this is an honor, and I’m really happy and humbled by this.” Dave’s never been big on accolades. “I’m just not a guy who likes folks making a fuss,” he said “these big events, I’m still mostly a loner, and not into big celebrations. I’m just happy to still be playing my guitar, working, and doing what I love.” Dave’s the first to say he wasn’t a natural, but he had learned some music from his dad who had his own big band. “The Roy Steffen Band,” Dave said “a twelve-piece band that played all the Glenn Miller-like standards. They toured all over the Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin area. I remember my dad telling me about when they came to Cedar Lake to play a wedding, and found out they had to play polkas, and they didn’t know any polkas (laugh) they ended up having to pull out some sheet music in a hurry!” Dave continued to take lessons once a week. He would spend a lot of time listening to “guitar stuff,” picking it up by ear. And that led into Dave’s first gig at age 14, with his group “The Wanderers.” “It was during Road America at the Pit
and Paddock,” Dave said “back in 1965. We had to have our parents there, since we were all under age. We played some Beatles, Herman’s Hermits. I’ll never forget that night because I had an ‘awakening.‘ We were playing, when all of a sudden out of nowhere, there was a chick who came out of the crowd, climbed up on our piano, and started dancing and taking off her clothes! And that’s when I realized, I was going to keep practicing guitar because this business is for me!’ (laugh)” In 1968 Dave put together another band called Love Society. They took the song “Do You Wanna Dance,” by Bobby Freeman and gave it more of their own sound, and entered a Battle of the Bands, where agent Al Posniak from Target Productions heard it, and wanted to record them. “It actually became a hit locally,” Dave said “and we had a bidding war between three or four companies who wanted to sign us. We eventually signed with Scepter Records, which at the time had a singer by the name of Dionne Warwick signed to the label. The song made Top 10 across the country, we landed a manager, got a Greyhound bus, and we were off. We toured. Did a live show on WLS radio in Chicago, did a show for TV called “Upbeat” which was out of Cleveland.” They were on a roll. Then came the realization that they needed another hit. “We tried doing a follow up,” Dave said “but we were kids. We were getting into heavier music. Against our manager’s will, we did a song called Tobacco Road, a psychedelic version of it which to this day I still think sounds cool, but it wasn’t a good business move. We ended up getting a contract with RCA, at the time located at 1 Wacker Drive in Chicago, and we recorded an album there. We had one hit, “Bang on Your Own Drum,” which was getting airplay, but no sales due in part to a shipping or trucking strike or something. There were no records to be found in the stores.” It was in 1974 when Sun Blind Lion was formed out of the Love Society, and with it came that harder edge sound. They recorded an album at Sound 80 Studios in
Minneapolis. Bob Dylan had just recorded ‘Blood on the Tracks’ there two weeks prior. “It was at Sound 80 where ‘Jamaican Holiday’ was recorded in just a few days,” Dave said “it was a regional hit in 1976. We were doing a lot of midwest touring. Scott Rivard was the engineer, and he also was the engineer for Garrison Keillor and Prairie Home Companion. Record companies were coming to see us, and we almost got signed. But they had a different idea of what they wanted us to be. Spandex pants, and all that...they were looking for a ‘formula.’ That was not our style. We decided we couldn’t be something we weren’t.” Sun Blind Lion kept gigging until about 1979. “And then in ’80 I decided it was time to follow my guitar playing and blues rock roots,” Dave said. “And we started the Dave Steffen Band. Back then you made ‘cassettes’ instead of vinyl albums. In ’81 we recorded in Sheboygan. In ’82 we did another studio album in Waupun at Madison Street Studio. Nick Kazulka, the engineer there, did a fantastic job. He had an old sound board that Jimmy Hendrix has once used, it sounded killer. And it wasn’t just the board, but also Kuzulka’s engineering on that album was brilliant.” Then California called. “I had this friend, Don Burhop who lived in San Francisco,” Dave said “and he was doing the lighting for Jefferson Starship, Santana, Grateful Dead, bands like that. He told me, ‘Dave, you gotta come out here.’ He invited us to come out. We were playing a few gigs in some smaller bars at the time here, until in January of 85’ we finally thought we’d give California a try for a while. We loaded up the Chevy van and headed for the coast. That ‘few month trip’ turned into 10 years.” The band got by on very little. “It was not easy,” Dave said “ for quite a while we lived off a sack of potatoes (laugh). I mean there are only so many ways you can make a sack of potatoes into something appetizing.” They lived at Burhop’s house. Continue on page R10
2 0 1 6 / 1 7 S E A S O N a n n o u n c e d
PLAY BALL Famous White Chicken Chili & Cheese Curds SERVING BREAKFAST SATURDAY & SUNDAY from 11am-1pm
922-4696 Call Ahead
Use Our Pick-up Window HAPPY HOUR EVERYDAY 3-7pm
99 W. Pioneer Road•Fond du Lac
OUR
LEAD
SPONSORS
Resident Partner of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
www.foxvalleysymphony.com/concerts-and-tickets/concerts/ April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R9
ENTERTAINMENT // DAVE STEFFEN
Continued from R8 “He took us in. And that cassette album we recorded in Waupun...it opened a few doors, and we ended up opening for The Tubes, Santana, Robin Trower. We entered a Battle of Bands, took 2nd place, we got to be known, but it took time and it was not easy.” True to his Wisconsin roots, Dave always returned in the summer months. “That blue Chevy van went more than 600,000 miles,” Dave said “it never rusted, thanks to the California weather, so we just kept dropping in a new engines and tranny’s when we needed to!” (laugh) We met a lot of great folks in California, hanging out in Marin County like Huey Lewis and the News, Carlos Santana, guys from the Dead. It was exciting, thrilling, but we never really got the ‘big deal’ we always wanted.” Dave moved back to Wisconsin in 1995 when his mom was diagnosed with cancer. “I came back to take care of her,” Dave said “it’s what you do.” Dave misses California, and its vibrant music scene, but as he says, “the times were
changing out there, and we’ve been able to carry on what we love here in Wisconsin.” Playing the blues guitar is what he knows. “I’m not getting wealthy,” Dave said “I have a buddy of mine that does some yard work, and I’ll occasionally help him out, I call it ‘raking for the rich’ (laugh) to give my muscles a work out. But music is my love! And I’m making a living playing.” Dave will be the first to tell you he couldn’t do what he’s done without a core group of performers and friends. “Craig Neuser has been with me since we did our Hawaii gig,” Dave said. “He was 19 at the time, so it’s been 20 years. I was teaching Craig’s brother at the time, and I was doing an acoustic set; Craig came out and played with me, and he played pretty good, and the dude could sing, which was a bonus! Didn’t take much to convince him to come along to Hawaii. We also have Spencer Panosh, who was Craig’s good friend from Whitelaw, Wisconsin and I really liked his drumming, and I loved how he and Craig worked together so well. He joined Reverend Raven for awhile, but came back 10 years ago. Spencer is very
Only the Best Beer Served Here Live Music Every Tuesday
Open Tuesday, Friday & Saturday at 5:00 p.m.
1004 S. Olde Oneida St. • Appleton R10 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
StoneCellarBrewPub.com
talented, and a natural drummer. So when you match that up with the voice that Craig has, you get something special. They are reliable, with no baggage, these guys are straight forward guys.” Dave also co-fronts another version of the Dave Steffen Band called The String Benders, a quartet including two acoustic guitars, drums and a bass. “Russ Reiser sings and plays acoustic,” Dave said “he started the Benders as a part time band. I joined him, along with Ron
c
Kalista on drums, and Craig Neuser on stand-up fiddle.” So into the WAMI Hall of Fame goes Dave Steffen. “I’m humbled,” Dave said. “They told me it has a lot to do with my body of work, but I think part of it is because I’m still ‘hanging around’ (laugh), hang in long enough...hey, somebody will recognize you (laugh).” To find Dave’s complete upcoming schedule and music, visit davesteffenband.com
Chic Unique Affordable
216 Main Street Menasha WI 111 W. Fulton St., Waupaca, WI therevivalmail@gmail.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R11
ENTERTAINMENT // WILLY PORTER & CARMEN NICKERSON
Willy Porter & Carmen Nickerson AT THE JENSEN THEATER IN AMHERST BY MICHAEL CASPER Willy Porter is an extraordinary songsmith in the folk / bluesy vein, whose lyrics weave tales you follow as if on a pleasant walk. Native to Milwaukee, he thinks himself a ‘musical carny’ singing his soulful collection on stages around the world, pausing between tunes long enough to tell stories and improvise ditties. He and Carmen Nickerson have collaborated over the last several years beginning with their “Cheeseburgers & Gasoline,” CD, and followed by “Iowa Sky.” In March they were featured on A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Kiellor. Theirs is a harmonious blend. “This past December we released ‘Human Kindness,’” Porter said “here and in the U.K. on my Weasel Records imprint. And right now Carmen and I are about finish a new record, an album of ‘co-writes,’ and it will debut in October of ’16.” Carmen Nickerson grew up in rural Iowa. “She’s a fantastic singer and songwriter,” Porter said “who had been playing in various projects including a jazz-standards duet with a wonderful Russian pianist in Milwaukee, as well as having her own quartet. She can sing anything.” At the urging of Porter’s former bass player, Willy and Carmen finally connected musically. “He said our voices would be perfect together,” Porter said. “I listened to her music, and lo and behold, it did work, and she is great. I have sort of a unique voice in some ways, but our blend has been great, and we’ve become good friends, and good writing partners.” Willy’s interest in music began early. “My folks were fairly musical,” Porter said. “My dad played jazz piano as a hobby, but was a pretty good player. There was always a lot of music in the house growing up. And a lot of encouragement to play music. I started out on the viola, and then in 3rd or 4th grade I discovered R12 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
the guitar, and I never really thought about anything else since. I really wanted to be a classical musician, but I realized rather quickly when my friends, who were really really good were going to camps for classical music, how difficult it is. All I wanted to do was play songs.” Willy majored in psychology and business administration at UW Eau Claire. “I went up there because I fell in love with the campus,” Porter said. “I loved the geography of the area, but more than that, they have a great theater department. I didn’t participate in it, but there was a lot going on, and the music school was great, and I thought this is a great place to get a good liberal arts education. I was compelled by the university’s activities commission, and through that got involved with the great Cabin Coffee House, and their open mike nights. That’s when I thought I should really try to work on my own material. It was a great environment to be creative.” Melodies and riffs come to Porter before the lyrics. “I tend to trust the guitar, so I’ll go to the guitar first,” he said “I do a lot of writing by just rolling tape. I’ll just record as I go, meanderings, mumblings, then go back later in the day and see if there’s anything there. For me the main objective is to trust whatever is within me, and just let it out. A lot of times it’s just dreck, and I don’t want to deal with it or it’s not very musical. But sometimes I’ll find these threads, and they’re sometimes worth working on. Songs come from everywhere, from seeing how other people are dealing with the stresses and structures of their lives, as well as how you tackle you own things. I tend to be more interested in the observational point of view.” Porter’s current CD “Human Kindness,” was made over the course of three years. “The songs from the ‘Cheeseburger’ album were pulled from that project, because they were so different,” Porter said. “Cheeseburgers & Gasoline felt like it was
a project unto itself, and for the Human Kindness record I decided to write a few more tunes that were more band-oriented, and the result was the two projects over that span of time.” The album Porter is currently working on, due in the fall, he says is quite a bit different. “It’s Carmen’s and my combined ‘voice,’ which is different than mine on my own, certainly,” Porter said. “A lot of the songs are relationship based. We’re both old enough to have a pretty solid perspective on the ebb and flow of relationships. So, there’s some dialogue pieces, there are some tunes about ‘things working out’...or not. Its emotional landscape is rich, because of Carmen’s perspective. I think it’s a broader view than some of my writing, which can be a little more constrained ‘topically.’ In
l al adrs C ee h A rd O
that regard, it will be an interesting album.” Expect a cross section of music on April 30th. “Songs from my catalog as well as many of the co-writes from the new record,” Porter said. “Plus we’ll perform brand new songs that aren’t on the record. It’s been a prolific time (laugh). It’s a fun show when Carmen and I get together, with some interesting balance to it, musically.” The show is at the Lettie Jensen Community Center in Amherst, Wisconsin Saturday, April 30th - 7:30 pm $20 in advance $24 at the door 715-824-5202 Tickets online at jensencenter.org willyporter.com
NOW OPEN!
Located in Downtown Fond du Lac Vintage Cafe Look Open for Breakfast & Lunch Serving Oatmeal & Breakfast Sandwiches Lunch Sandwich Favorites, Soups, Chili & Salads Collectivo Coffee in a Cup or Bag to Go
72 S. Main Street • FdL • 933-5337 Open M-F 5:30am-3pm & Sat 6:30-3
YMCA Overnight Camp Nan A Bo Sho offers a wide variety of outdoor adventures led by trained and experienced leaders who guide children and teenagers in having an unforgettable experience. Your child will build life-long skills, meet new friends, gain confidence and learn character values for life.
18369 Okonto Ln, Lakewood, WI 54138
(715) 276-6084
Now in Full Swing:
Softball Leagues (920) 967-0391 2590 Winchester Rd, Neenah. WI 54956
www.williebeamons.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R13
ENTERTAINMENT // DE-FERMENTED MIND
John Brandel’s De-Fermented Mind BY MICHAEL CASPER In college John Brandel majored in microbiology, so maybe that’s where his interest in all things fermented was borne. Maybe. More likely it began in the early 80’s when he and his four best buddies began
visiting craft breweries which, at the time, were something very few even knew existed. He’s written and self-published a chronicle of his worldwide travels and tastings of all things fermented, including beer, cider, sahti, wine... pretty much any “liquid whose chemicals are broken down by bacteria, yeasts, or other microorganisms, typically involving effervescence and the giving off of heat, or whose sugars are converted to ethyl alcohol.” “The book isn’t exclusively a compilation of drunken tales of me and my friends,” Brandel said “those are included (laugh), but it’s also about geography, and history of the towns we visited, the breweries, a review of beers we drank, although this also is not a hypercritical breakdown of any one beer and why it was better than another. It’s not, ‘This place had the best IPA I ever tasted.’ R14 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
It’s more, ‘The beer was really good, you’ve got to one day visit Pembine, Wisconsin and see the brewery they’ve wedged into about 30-square feet of building, and there was a cute waitress there that night.’” History is woven throughout as Brandel has visited 18 countries, sampling and writing, writing and sampling. “Believe it or not, there’s a brewery not far from where the Spandau Prison was in western Berlin,” Brandel said “where Rudolph Hess was imprisoned.” This book is the first of what may end up being a series. “After a visit with a teacher of mine from high school, Mr. Cooper,” Brandel said “who has self-published a book of his own on 8-man football, he suggested to me that what I have is more than an interesting hobby, and that maybe I should ‘pick up on it.’ So, every night I’d start writing about a town, or a beer, and suddenly I had chapter after
chapter. I’ve managed to get 350 breweries that I visited into De-Fermented Mind, it was originally 694 breweries, but my editor said I needed to rein it in.” His second book will be about the bal-
ance of the 694 breweries, and Brandel’s third will be about 300-plus breweries that took him beyond the 1000 mark. This fascination began while working for 3M, and living in Dallas, Texas. Brandel joined a beer tasting group called the Bavarian Stein Club. “Just a bunch of us like-minded people would get together every Saturday,” Brandel said “and we were from all over the country. One friend from Maine had been tracking his beers, and taking notes, and he asked me what my ‘life-list’ of breweries looked like? Hell if I knew! I was already a couple hundred breweries in when I decided I wanted to visit breweries in every state. I traveled a lot for work, so I started plotting trips with my frequent flier miles. Any one weekend I’d hop on a plane for example to say...Hartford, Connecticut and hit 15 breweries. Jot some notes, and cross that state off the list. The next trip was to Kiln, Mississippi, Brett Favre’s hometown, which isn’t far from New Orleans...so, why not do both? Suddenly I was obsessed with going to new places.” Soon Brandel’s wanderlust turned international. “There were some beer festivals in Canada,” he said “I found one in Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg, and from there I found one in Halifax, so I went there. I started clicking off the different provinces, and thought, ‘Well I have to get up to the Yukon.’ So that’s where I went.” One day Brandel read a story about sahti, and how it’s made with Juniper berries. “I was off to Finland,” Brandel said “for more research! (laugh) And my family background is Belgian, German, and Polish, so I started doing some genealogy visiting those countries, and visited breweries. Everywhere I go I make it a point to seek out breweries. And they keep popping up. There are something like 4000 craft beer producers in the United States, so to have reached more than a thousand on my own, I’m barely skimming the surface. For me it’s the experience of going to these places, not judging one beer over another, rather to find these entrepreneurial people who maybe gave up on corporate America to follow their dream, and brew beer.”
Many of the trips Brandel set out on his own, but a good many were also shared with his mother, Virginia. “After my father, Arnie passed away in 1985,” Brandel said “my mom, who was more a cocktail drinker who liked her Old Fashioned’s, was suddenly alone, and as a way to get her out of the house, I’d sometimes take her along. And suddenly she started getting into the craft beers, and she loved being out with new people, and the next thing I knew she was becoming a fanatic about it, and started jotting her ‘life-list’ and taking her notes, like what was on the food menu, or who she talked to this or that particular night, and her anecdotal stories became part of the book. A month before she passed away we had gone to a couple breweries together in Illinois. We counted, and she had gone with me to fourteen different states, and 230 breweries before she passed.” John’s circle of friends with whom he gathers for many fermented sojourns are Jim Davies, Pat McBride, Nick Bell, and Larry Cohen. “I’ve known these guys since childhood,” Brandel said “and us getting together, because all our lives have taken us on different geographic paths, usually happens over the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ve been all over together. Nick got married in Italy, so off we went. We aren’t all always able to make it, we’ve been doing this for 34 years, and with marriages, kids, and curve balls life throws, sometimes it’s only a couple of the ‘gang’ that get together.” A De Fermented Mind is part travelogue, part historical, cultural, stream of consciousness, a memoir of stories from the beer soaked road, sort of a Hunter S. Thompson meets Norm and Cliff at Cheers. “Each chapter is a ‘tour’ of breweries,” Brandel said “but they segue into trips to museums, historical sites, strip joints (not with my mom), there’s foolishness, laughter, maybe you’ll learn something. It’s not so much about the beer as it is about the people I’ve met, and the life experiences I’ve enjoyed along the way.” John Brandel is currently selling his book out of the trunk of his car. He can be reached via email at jbrandel@mmm.com
(920) 725-8441 123 E. Wisconsin Avenue • Neenah, Wisconsin 54956 www.rwhotelneenah.com
(920) 336-9111 | www.GreatHarvest.com George Street, De Pere, WI 54115 April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R15
ENTERTAINMENT // THE EVOLUTION OF ROB ANTHONY
The Evolution of Rob Anthony BY JILLIAN DAWSON If you happen to follow Rob Anthony on social media, you have likely seen a handful of old ‘throwback’ photos ripe with quintessential 80’s hair, bleached out down his back with a clean-shaven face. “I started playing electric guitar in the 80’s,” Anthony said “a far cry from where I am now. I learned to play guitar from popular metal bands of the day from likes of Metallica, Slayer, Iron Maiden, and the list goes on.” It’s hard to imagine the bearded Anthony, a musician best known for his solo acoustic shows and recent tour experience with the BoDeans, started his career in a metal band at age seventeen. Four years passed before Anthony picked up an acoustic guitar and branched out into songwriting. “It wasn’t until I matured a bit,” he said “that I heard what people were saying in songs and how they spoke to me instead
R16 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
of just the musicality of the guitar parts. When I started playing acoustic guitar, I started writing Americana almost countryalternative acoustic songs which ultimately led to my first solo album release, and it opened a whole new world for me.” Since then he has released six albums, each with a slightly different sound than the next. Anthony did not initially set out with the intention of creating another album, though encouragement from fellow musician friends gave him the nudge he needed to record his newest material. The result is his latest release, “Where We Are.” “I can’t speak highly enough about the guys in the band,” Anthony said. “The cool thing about recording is you always want to be challenged while being true to what you’re doing and saying. We experimented with a lot of ideas for the songs, and I trusted the guys to push me in the direction that it ended up going to.” One listen through the album and you
can hear his sound is still ever-evolving. “I had this vision of it being a very roots-rock album,” he said “but it just wasn’t turning out that way. In the end it was good because it challenged me to get past something that wasn’t there and ultimately it’s the album I’m most proud of.” How does Anthony describe what his latest effort has become? “I think I’d have to say it’s an acoustic driven adult-contemporary meets Americana album, with a sprinkle of Caribbean flair...it’s definitely open to interpretation.” The album was recorded at Marc Golde’s Rock Garden Studio in Appleton where Anthony will be showcasing his newest songs for a storytellers-style live recording with a full band. The studio seats about ninety people with the audience surrounding the band for an intimate musical experience you can’t find in a bar or theater. The best part? “Everybody in the room is there for the music,” Golde said. “There’s a different
connection and energy between the musicians; the audience is hanging on every word and note.” Performing his music live has always been an important facet to Anthony’s career. “Songwriting has always been my most honest way to connect with others and express myself,” Anthony said “shed my shell so to speak.” Of the upcoming Rock Garden show, he adds, “It gives a nice look at what we’ve worked so hard on in between touring and performing over the past couple years. As a band, with the songs I wrote, we’ll reflect back to what the songs truly meant at the time they were recorded. It’s a spiritual moment when energies connect on a musical level and I want others to feel that experience when showcasing the talent everyone brought to the table because they’re really good, the songs are really good and the stories are really good.” Visit www.robanthonymusic.com for more details and your chance to attend.
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R17
ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH
Lewis Black coming to the Pabst BY JANE SPIETZ Being funny is serious business for satirist/comedian/social critic/playwright/ author/actor Lewis Black. He not only strives to make people laugh, but is also extremely passionate about expressing his opinions about subject matter that others might find too controversial. The Grammy Award winning Black takes on politics, religion, current events, and many other topics with ease. His outspoken nature reminds one of the styles of such comedic greats as Lenny Bruce and George Carlin. He has been referred to as ‘the king of the rant.’ Black’s television series, Lewis Black’s The Root of All Evil, ran for 18 episodes on Comedy Central until 2009, and his popular Back in Black with Lewis Black segments on The Daily Show continue today. He was cast in the role of Anger in the Academy Award winning 2015 Pixar film Inside Out. Black played Ezra Merkin on the acclaimed ABC miniseries Madoff in 2016, a role he is very proud of. He has appeared in feature films and has done specials for HBO, and he has also authored three best-selling books and written more than 40 plays. Lewis Black recently phoned me from Colorado during a massive snowstorm before a sold out show there. Jane Spietz: Were you funny as a kid? Lewis Black: I was surrounded by funny people, so that really helped me. So I developed a sense of humor. I picked it up from my friends. I gravitated toward people who were funny. JS: How did you make the switch from playwright to standup comedian? LB: It wasn’t difficult. I’d been writing and writing and writing, and I was really beating my head against a brick wall. I was tired of it. In the meantime, I was doing standup on the side. Then we started running a small theater in the basement of a restaurant in Manhattan, which had a bar in it. We did theater out of there and I started introducing all of the plays. We started doing one night of standup in there. As I got more and more comfortable, I started to develop what one would call an act. That was what people seem to gravitate toward. It was like all of a sudden I could make a living. By the time you’re 40, and R18 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
you’re broke, you kind of go, ‘oh, maybe I should do this.’ JS: Is it uncomfortable for you to let loose in front of your parents? LB: No, never. My language doesn’t bother them. I learned most of it from them. JS: Who are some of your major comedic influences? LB: Richard Pryor, Kurt Vonnegut, George Carlin, Lenny Bruce, Paul Krassner, Bob Newhart, Bill Hicks, Lily Tomlin, Shelley Berman. Those are pretty major. There are others. JS: You have described yourself as shy. I find that hard to believe. LB: No, it’s true. It’s easier on stage. I have no fear on stage. I’m not shy if I know people, but yeah, I’m a little withdrawn. JS: Are there any topics that are taboo in your routine? LB: Nothing. I mean, I have used the word abortion to show that I can’t do comedy about it. That’s the only topic. JS: What is your favorite subject to take on? LB: Stupidity. Stupidity in high places, stupidity in low places. Stupidity in general. JS: You’ve also talked a lot about health insurance companies in your act. LB: They’re unbelievable. What country decides going to improve their health care system and then invites part of the problem to sit down and help them solve the problem? It’s senseless. There always is this thing, and it’s not just Bernie Sanders’ idea – it’s a basic idea. Somehow there’s this thought that business is more important than people. The problem with capitalism is, whether you like it or not, we are living in a time when money has become more important than people. And I don’t care what people think about that sentence, by the way. I’m tired of it. Enough’s enough. People are really important. We have to figure this out. Everybody kind of wants the same thing. What we’re doing is really madness. JS: Speaking of Bernie Sanders, you have said that you are a Bernie supporter and a socialist. LB: Everybody sees it as like, ‘well, you know he’s not going to win.’ I think the win is having a socialist run. From the time I was a kid, I thought that this made more
sense. I worked for Republicans to run and I worked for Democrats to run, and I didn’t really enjoy their company. There were no socialists in the neighborhood so I thought, well this is good. There’s nobody around to bother me. Now you’ve got a candidate. That’s extraordinary. That’s really remarkable. People don’t realize how remarkable that is. There hasn’t been one in my lifetime. There may have been one other, but this is a major candidate. You take small steps. I don’t know how people don’t realize that. That’s the price. America lives at the speed of light and we move like snails. Bernie has made a huge impact. JS: What do you make of the 2016 election overall? Certainly there’s a lot of fodder there among the current crop of candidates. LB: I think it’s appalling. The media has been reckless and the media has been kind of as stupid as they were during the Iraq war. Trump knows how to play the media, while the fact is that the media also lets Trump play them. He’s the only
WHAT: Lewis Black WHERE: Pabst Theater, Milwaukee WHEN: 8 PM Sat., May 13 and Sun., May 14, 2016 COST: $55 INFO: www.lewisblack.com/www.pabsttheater.org candidate who phones, who calls in. You don’t allow that. They give him more time; they give him more space because he says ‘stuff.’ They certainly don’t know how to ask him a question. They allow him to rattle on. And they don’t put the kind of pressure on him in terms of their questioning. They just kind of let him go. It’s all so tiring. CNN brings on this person; she is a political analyst who works for the Trump campaign. Well, that’s not a political analyst. That’s someone who works for the Trump campaign. A political analyst who works for Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, or Bernie Sanders – they’re not. I’m tired of listening to them. And you don’t need six of them telling you what you just saw
Wood Furniture For Mother’s Day
Handcrafted Solid Wood Furniture Special order and in stock Amish bedroom sets, dining sets, bookcases, gliders, desks, end tables, children’s furniture & much more!
Hours:
Tues-Fri 10-4 Sat 10-2 or by appt. 116 S. Main Downtown • Fond du Lac • 926-9663
ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH
and what it all means. And they’ve run this thing down our throats. And this isn’t the way it should be. It’s been a year that this is been going on. A year! There’s got to be an adult who finally goes, ‘Enough is enough. Nobody should be doing this.’ There’s no other country on earth that subjects them to this kind of thing. And meanwhile, all of them, including Bernie, are discussing things that should’ve been done 15 years ago, 10 years ago, five years ago, yesterday. It’s ludicrous. I don’t need to listen to a bunch of people tell me what we should be doing when we haven’t done it. I don’t need a president of the future. I need a president who is willing to deal with the day before yesterday. Because that’s when the house of cards tumbled, and nobody seems to want to pick them up. JS: You’ve been the voting rights ambassador for the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) since 2013. LB: They asked me if I would be the ambassador for voting rights. I said I would do it as long as I didn’t have to support everything they did. (Laughs) As much as I respect what they do, a lot of what they do is a waste of time and energy. A lot of other stuff they do I believe in, but I really believe in voting rights and so I said sure. I spent my youth watching people finally get their voting rights and then to watch these idiots trying to take it away is beyond belief. It’s nonsense. It’s hard enough to get people to vote. Now you’re going to make it a pain in the ass? No other country subjects their people to this kind of crap. Democracy, my ass. JS: I’d like to travel back to the year 2000 and hear about your adventures on ‘The Naked Teen Voyeur Bus.’ LB: That was great. I was doing a radio show in New York called the Opie and Anthony Show. I was advertising stuff like gigs that I was doing around town for that weekend and they said that they had this naked voyeur bus. They’d been going around the country in the bus with a couple of women who were topless. This was their way to show their support for the First Amendment, which was really psychotic. (Laughs) The show had said they would take six, eighteen and nineteen year old teenage girls on the bus with these other girls. They said to me and Jim Norton, another comic, ‘Would you two rather be on the bus or would you rather be in the studio?’ Well, I’m going to go on the bus. It was extraordinary. We drove to New York. Nobody was freaked out. And then three
blocks from where we needed to get back to the studio, we were stopped by the New York City police. The reason was because it was really important to Rudy Giuliani, who was the mayor at the time, that we clean up New York and this was really wrong. This was the route that Bill Clinton would be coming down three hours later! We were held in jail. It was horrifying. I said that this would be the last time I would ever come back there. We were in a horrible place called the Tombs of New York. Twenty-four hours later we got out and the judge said ‘Lewis, what are you doing here? Really, seriously? This is supposed to be a case.’ Giuliani was out of his mind.
JS: Tell us about your character in Inside Out. LB: I played Anger and I was apparently the first one that was cast. I was used in the pitch that ‘Lewis Black will be playing Anger.’ That was an honor. I was very pleased to have been picked for that role. JS: Are you that angry in real life? LB: No, I’d be dead! JS: You will be bringing your The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour to the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee for two nights on May 13 and 14. What can your audiences look forward to? LB: After every show I do a Q&A with the audience. It goes out live all across the
Internet, around the world. You can watch it on your phone. If you go to lewisblack. com it’ll explain it to you. Or if you go to my Facebook page, it’ll tell you how to see it. I do a half hour Q&A. People ask questions from the audience, people send questions from the web, people send in rants. I read the ones I think are really funny but also some that aren’t funny. All the stuff that I do isn’t funny when I’m doing it. The whole thing is a work in progress. It’s kind of a primitive TV show. Since I’m not going to get a TV show, it’s the only one I’ve got. After we do it, the next week people who haven’t seen it can watch if they didn’t see it live. I’m looking forward to it.
Celebrating Our 35th Year
Get your Golf Swing Back! Low Level Light Therapy
Ask about a revolutionary technology for the treatment of pain and inflammation. Light Therapy effectively treats Knee Pain, Arthritis, Back Pain, TMJ, CTS Pain, Tennis Elbow, Plantar Fasciitis & More
Dr. Scott Suprenand
Dr. Craig Wink
Walk Ins and Same Day Appointments Great health happens by choice...Not by chance! Welcome! mention this ad and you will receive a complimentary consultation
Open Monday - Friday 8-12, 2-6 • Saturday by Appointment
921-4130 • 924 Forest Avenue • Fond du Lac April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R19
Proudly Announcing Opening Our Newest Location in Green Lake
MAY 2 , 2016 ND
Just in time for Mother’s Day May 8th!
Gysbers Jewelry will be serving you from 2 locations
WAUPUN
GREEN LAKE
A 5th Generation Family Owned Jewelry Store Continuing a Tradition of Excellence
for Diamonds since 1874 Waupun ~ 305 E. Main Street ~ 920-324-5261 Open Mon-Wed 9-5, Thurs 9-6, Fri 9-5, Sat 9-3
Green Lake ~ 528 Mill Street ~ 920-807-0074 Open Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-3 Extended Summer Hours Starting Memorial Weekend.
www.gysbersjewelry.com
R20 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Live.
Dine.
URBAN EVOLUTIONS Made in America.Again.® LiveDineSleep_Scene_April2016.indd 1
Sleep.
2401 W. College Ave., Appleton, WI (920) 257-5900 urbanevolutions.com 3/24/16 1:46 PM
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R21
ENTERTAINMENT // THE SPANISH INQUISITION
Ross Catterton: The WAMI’S & Beyond BY GEORGE HALAS In addition to the latest and greatest on fabulous music, artists and venues, the myriad of beneficial services The Inquisition provides includes preparation for one-upmanship. Savvy Inquisitors know that oneupmanship is a vital skill for water coolers, break rooms, family gatherings and anywhere pitchers of beer are served. Historical examples of one-upmanship include phrases like “I saw Robin Williams when he was still in an improv group at Off The Wall in Reseda,” and “I saw ‘Grease’ when it was still an experimental theater project at The Kingston Mines in Chicago.” Preparation is the key, so you may want to start practicing phrases like: “I saw Ross Catterton when he was a guest soloist with The Jazz Orgy,” or “I saw Ross Catterton play with Kyle Megna and The Monsoons” or “I saw Ross Catterton play solo at Mile Of Music before his CD came out” or “Oh yeah, well Ross Catterton’s mother taught my brother-in-law how to fly.” The Wisconsin Area Music Industry Awards Show – the WAMI’s – is coming to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center on Sunday, April 16th. Catterton is nominated in the “Best Reeds/Brass Player” category for his work as a saxophonist and is also nominated along with his bandmates in Kyle Megna and The Monsoons in the “Artist of The Year,” category. “I was completely humbled to be put in a category with so many phenomenal musicians, it’s such an honor,” Catterton said. “I’ve never sought out awards in my career because my focus has always been on creating the best listening experience for the audience. So for me the way I look at it is this nomination is more so a physical affirmation of my original intention of creating a musical atmosphere of pleasure and enjoyment for the audience and fans. Whether I win or not isn’t the issue to me, but rather it’s about the contentment I feel knowing that my goal of bringing musical happiness into this world has been achieved.” The nominations are well-earned, but The Inquisition theorizes that they are but another step in a rapidly ascending career R22 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
arc that seems almost limitless. Tom Washatka has a Producer of The Year WAMI as well as being one of the state’s finest saxophone players, composers, arrangers and recording engineers. “I met Ross at Lawrence University the first year he got there,” Washatka said “he was a student of mine. I remember he had such a great energy. I had a sense early on he was going to make a living making music. He just needed to find his voice, which I think he has. We’re going to be hearing a lot from Ross Catterton.” Michael Underwood has been honored with a number of WAMI’s – he won Drummer of The Year in 2013 (he’s been nominated five times and is nominated again this year) as well as winning as a member of The Jazz Orgy (twice), Greg Waters and The Broad Street Boogie and Andy’s Automatics. He is also nominated this year as a member of Kyle Megna and The Monsoons as well as WiFEe and The HUZzband. He recognized Catteron’s talent immediately. “I met Ross back in 2004 in Green Bay where we had a regular Jazz Orgy gig,” he recalls. “He was underage and tried to sneak in and they kicked him out. When they finally let him in to jam, he was smokin’ from the moment he started. He has always been a great player.” Catterton released his first all-original solo album, “Love of The Union,” in January. He recorded with Marc Golde, WAMI-nominated as Studio Engineer of The Year, at his Rock Garden Studio in Appleton, nominated for Studio of The Year. “The album went through several permutations, but my end decision was to create an album that by myself - an aural slice of what I’m capable of as an artist musically, creatively, lyrically, and from a production standpoint as well - that I can recreate live,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that the audience hears on the album what they can hear live. I’m really happy with the end result. Marc Golde did a fantastic job recording it, and my friends Jon Wheelock and Mike Underwood who I initially recorded with for a full studio album were very instrumental in producing my sound once I made the decision to record it solo. It’s really satisfying as an artist to have an aural representation of yourself that
embodies your artistic intentions.” When he performs live, Catterton uses looping technology that enables him to play saxophone, guitar, bass, percussion and sing simultaneously. “The album sounds great. It’s awesome,” Underwood said. “I feel like it definitely showcases his talent in a lot of different areas, how versatile he is.” An Appleton native whose teachers and mentors include Washatka, John Harmon, Steve Jordheim, Mike Hale and the late Fred Sturm, Catterton has moved to Nashville to continue his career, where he hopes “to become an established, respected, and self-sustaining musician in this new city,” but he will be back to perform at Mile of Music this summer. “I do plan on playing at MOM again this year - the response I received last year was astounding,” he said. “I have been using the album as a sort of business card since my relocation to Nashville and have been very pleased with its reception. Since I moved in January I’ve been on two tours
and have been back up to Wisconsin twice so I really haven’t done that much canvassing, but the spring is looking very promising. I’ll be updating my website www. rosscatterton.com with more dates as I book them.” In addition to his wide range of superb musical skills, Catterton is charismatic and has the chops to be a stand-up comic if he so desired. He is committed to putting all of his gifts into play. “This is quite lofty, but (my career goal is) to be someone who shifts the course of music, someone that impacts it in a way that whatever follows can be traced - obviously with some scholarly discussion - back to my influence,” he said. “This album has given me a focal point from which to pursue and gauge future trials and successes. I’ll continue to create, explore, improve, and refine the music that I’m so glad my friends, family and fans have come to enjoy.” You can get a copy of and/or download the CD at his website or at cdbaby.com
Only 4 Showings! Reserve Today!
Dinner & Show or Show Only Optional!
Storewide event on now!
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R23
Over 450 Satisfied Customers See why at
SignatureHomesAJ.com
ON SITE ARCHITECT • 3D COLOR COLOR RENDERINGS
KNOWLEDGEABLE PROJECT MANAGERS • MODERN CONCEPTS
View Home Photos
(920) 926-9933 • signaturehomesaj.com
Visit Our Showrooms • Fond du Lac • Oshkosh • Appleton • Green Lake R24 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
9th Annual CURRENT AUTHORS SCHEDULED TO APPEAR:
MELISSA GORZELANCZYK VIRGINIA ATHEY LAUREL BASTIAN JIM BEARD LAURIN BELLG GARY BEYER JAMES BUSHA SUSANNA CALKINS CHRIS CZARNIK JAMES DEVITA PATRICK DEWANE TERRY FISK JONATHON FRIESEN ABBY AB FRUCHT LINNEA GARCIA BRITTANY GIBBONS JOHN HILDEBRAND B.J. HOLLARS CHRISTOPHER JOSSART ANN LEWIS PATTY LOEW CARINE MCCANDLESS JACQUELYN MITCHARD JOSE ANGEL N. MICHAEL PERRY SIMON & SVANOE PIERCE KARYN SAEMAN
DAVID SHEFF JON WATERMAN MARK ZIMMERMAN
WAYNE MARTIN PAT ZIETLOW MILLER JOHN JACKSON MILLER JUDITH CLAIRE MITCHELL W. NIKOLALISA RITA MAE REESE WALTER RHEIN GAVIN SCHMITT SHARON SHORT KATHRYN SPRINGER J. RYAN STRADAL LIV SVANOE JILL SWENSON LIZ TOLSMA STACY TORNIO ELIOT TREICHEL RONALD WALLACE MARY WIECZOREK BETH ZIARNIK ROB ZIMMER JAMES CAMPBELL STEVEN CROSS JOHANNA GARTON DR. THOMAS KUNKEL LEONARD PITTS ALAN PRAHL ERICK RICHARDSON
VISIT WWW.FOXCITIESBOOKFESTIVAL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION THE BOOK FESTIVAL & AUTHORS April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R25
ENTERTAINMENT // RAMOS MISS MOLLY
RAMOS MISS MOLLY BY GEORGE HALAS
WAMI NOMINEE RAMOS, MISS MOLLY TO RELEASE CD’S Adria Ramos, nominated for a WAMI as Best Strings Player, and criticallyacclaimed duo Miss Molly will both release new, all-original albums this month. The official CD Release Party for Ramos’ “Apollo,” is scheduled for The Source in Menasha on Friday, April 22nd. Pianist Molly Conrad and guitarist/multiinstrumentalist Michael Theroux of Miss Molly will join her and other musicians. Miss Molly will have a CD Release Party for their concept album “Snow,” at The 602 Club in Appleton on Thursday, April 28th. Ramos will join them in house concert format as well as playing a number of her new songs. She also performs at Uncorked in Neenah on April 16th. Located at 602 North Lawe Street in Appleton, The 602 Club is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the premier venues for house concerts in the Fox Cities. Ramos, a songwriter, singer and multi-
instrumentalist, with release “Apollo,” an album of all original songs recorded by WAMI-nominated studio engineer Marc Golde at his WAMI-nominated Rock Garden Studios. The recording includes contributions from such stellar local players as guitarist/ vocalist Kip Jones, drummer/percussionist Jonathan Leahy, bassist Jon Wheelock, Kurt Shipe, flugelhorn, and Golde on Hammond B3, vibraphone and bells. An intern at NASA during college, Ramos notes that “Apollo,” has a number of meanings including being the name of the space program that put men on the moon. Her previous album, “Mercury,” included a song, “Gemini.” “Apollo is the Greek god of music. He and his twin sister, Artemis, were archers, healers, and protectors,” she said. “Apollo is also an historic music hall in Harlem. It persevered in the face of prejudice and shaped the course of music and society, while the space program challenged us as a nation, but it put us on the moon and changed everything. ‘Apollo’ (also the title of the first track) is about hope and deter-
mination. The lyrics and imagery of Apollo are really important to me. They stand for something very healing and hopeful. Just like music.” The second cut, “April” is “a love song for spring. “I wrote it on an early morning drive following a cruel joke of a spring snowstorm,” Ramos said “The rising sun was melting the ice on the trees and it glittered like diamonds as it fell to the ground. It felt like the entire world was thawing, like something dark was finally behind us. It was like falling in love again after a long time and remembering what it feels like.” Co-written with Jones, “Buzz” speaks about a life moving out of control. “Of time passing by while you wait for something to happen,” she said. “But the song turns around when you realize your own strength and decide to finally take back what is yours.” Shipe’s playing is a highlight. “Here Now” is about the power of living in the moment. “When we stop and breathe, we
embrace things that are important and let go of things that don’t matter,” Ramos said. “Living in the moment is not an easy thing to do. Children know how to do it. They don’t carry lists of regrets or worries about the future. They don’t think about their destination because they’re already there. ‘Itch’ is a song about desperately wanting something that you can’t have, but realizing that there is some sort of satisfaction in the longing itself.” For details about Miss Molly’s album, “Snow,” and the creative process that led to it, please go to: http://new.scenenewspaper.com/2016/02/miss-molly-to-releasesnow-in-time-for-spring if you don’t have a print copy of the February issue of SCENE.
A Taste of Something for Everyone Ever wanted to take a sneak peak into some of the most unique homes in your neighborhood? The 2016 NeenahMenasha Emergency Society Kitchen Tour, sponsored by FNB Fox Valley, gives you a chance to tour five amazing homes in the Neenah area, plus enjoy tastings, demonstrations, prizes and raffles. And it’s all for a good cause – helping those in crisis or in need of food, clothing, school items, or basic essentials, right here in our community. This year’s event will be held on April 21, with showings from 10am - 2pm and 4-8pm. Tour goers will find something for everyone, from brand new construction, to a historical residence, to amazing remodels. These homes have intriguing features, such as Zero-entry entrances, solar panels, custom-sculpted stone walls, meticulous landscaping, reclaimed wooden ceiling beams, upcycled decor, auto-motion lights, R26 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
an outdoor kitchen with hybrid grill, an Indy-themed man cave, a handcrafted Vermont Castings wood stove, and much, much more. One home is so “green,” that they have virtually no gas or electric bills. In fact, this 5,000-plus square-foot home has less than $100 in monthly energy bills! This “ZeroNet Energy Home,” was constructed to the highest efficiency levels using behindthe-scenes green technology and renewable resources, including solar and geothermal technologies, high-efficiency heating and electrical, light fixtures, low-flow faucets, low-VOC paints, and Energy Star® appliances, lights, fans, windows and water heating systems. The design and detail in another home, owned by an interior decorator, is truly one-of-a-kind. It features an amazing kitchen with beautiful Martha Stewart cabinetry, quartz countertops, a custom
backsplash and unique lighting fixtures. Throughout the home, original features have been married with new accents, from vaulted ceilings, reclaimed beams with tongue and groove, refinished floors, a floor-to-ceiling cabinet original to the home, beautiful plants of numerous varieties, to countless other meticulous details that make it unique. The fireplace in the formal living room is hand-built from upcycled fence boards with an antique mantle that was purchased from a local antique store. All homes are within an 8-mile radius, making it convenient for attendees to tour all five homes. “Our annual Kitchen Tour is critical to helping us sustain our local programs,” says Hilary Armstrong, President of NMES. “Those who attend this event not only enjoy touring beautiful homes with tastings and demonstrations from local ven-
dors, they also support our mission, which is to help those in need.” Each year, NMES provides more than $70,000 in assistance to residents of our community. They take requests for emergency financial assistance monthly, prepare and serve meals at Community Table, deliver Meals on Wheels every weekday, coordinate and host the Back to School Fair serving more than 1,100 students in Neenah and Menasha, and provide shoes, boots, coats and snow pants as requested. The Kitchen Tour is NMES’s primary annual fundraiser. “We support NMES because it’s a local charity helping people right here in our community which is the same mission we have,” says Karri Bedor, vice president, chief marketing officer for FNB Fox Valley, the Kitchen Tour’s Title Sponsor. Read more and get tickets here: http:// nmesociety.org/kitchen-tour/
Follow financial principles, not fads or trends. Create your financial plan with a Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Advisor. Together, we’ll design a disciplined and balanced approach to protecting, accumulating, and managing your wealth, so you can take advantage of life’s opportunities. Who’s helping you build your financial future?
James Woelfel CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, CLTC Wealth Management Advisor (920) 882-8371 jameswoelfel.nm.com
05-3054 © 2016 Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for The Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, WI (life and disability insurance, annuities, and life insurance with long-term care benefits) and its subsidiaries. Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC (NMIS) (securities), a subsidiary of NM, broker-dealer, registered investment adviser, and member of FINRA and SIPC. Jame C Woelfel, Insurance Agent(s) of NM. James C Woelfel, Registered Representative(s) of NMIS. James C Woelfel, Representative(s) of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Managament Company®, (NMWMC) Milwaukee, WI, (fiduciary and fee-based planning) subsidiary of NM and a federal savings bank. Certified Financial Planer Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANICAL PLANNER™, CFP® (with plaque design) and CFP® (with flame design) in the U.S., which it awards to individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. NCAA® is a trademark of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Ink and toner, printers, service and supplies. If you need to print, talk to Cartridge World. We’re home and office printing experts.
www.cartridgeworld.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R27
A Friend in the Real Estate Business
Someone you can trust when buying your first home.
920-450-9400
KarlVolkman.com
april LIVE MUSIC 9 April
Fresh hops
10 April
pBr BluegrAss BAnd. BluegrAss Brunch
with
one strong Army
14 April dAve simonett & AdAm greuel doors open At 5 For dinner. only come iF
you
10pm
$7
2-4pm
no chArge
sold out show hAve A ticket.
10pm 15 April Jon wAyne & the pAin $10 ticket in AdvAnce At www.BrownpAperticket.com $15 16 April
iFdAkAr
17 April
them coulee Boys
And
R28 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
evergreen
cover
At door
10pm
$7
2-4pm
no chArge
At door
Spring Fever
Save Now!
Mother’s Day
HOME SHOW SPECIALS ON NOW
Don’t put off another HOT Summer without a Pool!
Just in time for Mother’s Day May 8th HURRY! HOME SHOW SPECIALS END APRIL 30th!
ONE YEAR FREE FINANCING ON POOLS AND SPAS For less dust in the home and fewer allergens in the air creating a healthier environment
HIDE-A-HOSE
The Vacuum Hose thats stored in the wall
ABOVE GROUND & INGROUND POOLS ON DISPLAY
Saves Time & Energy! Rids home of dust & dirt
See HIDE-A-HOSE at www.hideahose.com
Lowest Prices of the Season!
Think Spring... Order Your New Pool or Spa Now!
510 N. PIONEER RD. • NORTH FOND DU LAC 922-9313 OR 1-800-369-6938 visit us a www.binner.com
32 N. Main Street • Fond du Lac 920-922-3360 • info@cuttervac.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R29
ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE
Eric Ambel The Swiss Army Knife of Roots Rock BY BLAINE SCHULTZ If Eric Ambel’s name does not ring a bell, consider that since 1981 he has toured and made records with the likes of Joan Jett and Steve Earle. Yes, Amble has been a Blackheart and a Duke. He has been a member of the Del-Lords and the Yayhoos (with Georgia Satellite Dan Baird). His mentors as a producer include Ritchie Cordell, Lou Whitney and Jim Dickinson, and he has produced albums for The Bottle Rockets, Mojo Nixon, Marshall Crenshaw and Nils Lofrgren. Technically a Batavia, Illinois ex-patriate, Amble spent his summers in Fontana, Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Geneva. For six years (until rising rents shut them down) Ambel coowned the Lakeside Lounge, perhaps NYC’s most-music bar featuring live music. For the last fifteen years Ambel has co-owned and operated Cowboy Technical Services, a recording studio in Brooklyn. As a player himself, his perspective offers advantages. “At my place I have a lot of instruments and amps,” Ambel said “I might only use that electric sitar a couple times a year, but when
CPA
David Hidalgo walked into my place that’s the first thing he grabbed. Whatever it takes to be inspired.” Somewhere along the way, Ambel found time to record his fourth solo album, “Lakeside.” A few years ago ex-Squirrel Nut Zippers leader Jimbo Mathus recorded an album with Eric at the board, and when the time was right Mathus returned the favor. “I had been thinking about having Jimbo produce me since I produced his ‘White Buffalo’ record,” Ambel said. “I needed Jimbo in NYC for some session work and it seemed like a good time to do some recording for me. That was it.” With help from Phil Cimino on drums and Keith Christopher on bass, Mathus pitched in where needed with Amble handling most guitar and bass duties. “Here Comes My Love,” ramps things up to a nice start. With a laid back groove and slow rolling drums, add Ambel’s relaxed vocals and this platter could be bouncing off a satellite in Shreveport, circa 1964. “Hey Mr. DJ,” and its sardonic viewpoint might very well be the result of working with Bottle Rockets
Brian Henneman. The punchy low end guitar riffage of “Have Mercy,” nails a timeless rock sound, while “Let’s Play With Fire,” has a Telecaster twang. The ten song album really is an album. The vinyl version is a limited, signed, and numbered LP that includes a download card with links to both CD quality and Hi-Res 192/24 bit digital versions of the album. The vibe of the album reflects an intuitive, from-the-gut approach. “Massive Confusion,” nods to the long shadow of the Ramones clocking in at 1:56 and “Money,” is a power trash take on the Barret/Strong standard. “My last solo record, 2005’s ‘Knucklehead,’ was a collection of songs from different sources and sessions,” Ambel said. “As I thought about making a new record I knew I wanted to have a producer rather than do it myself, and I wanted to record quickly in a batch of one or two sessions.” Ambel’s experience behind the board translates well to the other side of the glass. “There’s always something new in the studio. I’m fortunate to work very often producing lots of great artists. There’s no one way to work,” he said. “You have to have a
good plan, but keep your mind open for the unexpected.” There were times when he acknowledged his name was going on the front of the record and Mathus’ was going on the back. “I was happy to have Jimbo let me know when he thought that take was ‘the one,’ or to have him suggest a part or an instrument. It was great to have a conversation with another person instead of myself.” They made some inspired choices. Ambel’s cover of Gillian Welch’s “Miss Ohio,” builds and morphs into a massive guitar solo, one that eventually quotes from “Hey Joe.” Not bad for a guy who once claimed he couldn’t play Hendrix. The strident drumming of “Don’t Make Me Break You Down,” offers up a claustrophobic compressed groove, complimented by guitar tone not far removed from that of Neil Young. This is the sound of a tremolo-throbbing amplifier on the verge of blowing up. Yet “Buyback Blues,” is the album’s centerpiece, a towering minor key tune that sounds like Albert King in an unhappy mood. Like those old Slim Harpo records, you’d swear you can hear the weather on this one.
Introducing the “CPA” Custom Pale Ale from Lion’s Tail Brewing Co. The world’s only craft beer where YOU are the brewmaster - choose from our 10 varieties of whole leaf hops and then load your beer up with the fresh hop aromas and flavors by dry-hopping your beer right in our taproom.
Cheers!
Happy Hour
Mon-Thurs 3:00-5:30. Open Fridays and Saturdays until midnight. Downtown Neenah next to the historic Clocktower R30 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R31
Queen For A Day Because She Deserves It!
Experience the magic of live performance in a cool little historic venue
Choose Any Gift Certificate Available SPECIAL TREAMENT PACKAGES
1. VIP 2. Mommy Dearest 3. Time Out 4. Serenity
Owner/Stylist - Arin Stueber
We can customize any Spa or Beauty Package for Mom! 432 Prospect Avenue North Fond du Lac (920) 922-3325 createsalonandspa.com
Saturday, April 9 | $22 | 7:30 p.m. April Verch Band | Fiddler/singer/stepdancer with a unique style of music blending American roots, bluegrass & folk.
Saturday, April 23 | $23 | 7:30 p.m. Guy Davis | A true renaissance man nominated for a dozen Blues Awards and released thirteen acclaimed albums.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR ALL EVENTS!
Saturday, April 30 | $25 | 7:30 p.m. David Lindley | Best known as featured accompanist with Jackson Browne and as leader of his own band, El Rayo-X.
Fri. & Sat., May 6 & 7 | $28 | 7:30 p.m. Paul Thorn Band | Singer/songwriter with a muscular brand of roots music bluesy, rocking and thoroughly Southern.
Saturday, May 14 | $30 | 7:30 p.m. James Hunter Six | A rhythm and blues singer/songwriter whose delivery often evokes Ray Charles and Otis Redding.
Fri. & Sat., May 27 & 28 | $30 | 7:30 p.m. Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues with Ernie Watts | Harmonica virtuoso performs with Grammy winning jazz legend.
Saturday, June 11 |$29 | 7:30 p.m. Jimmy Webb | Famed songwriter of “By The Time I Get To Phoenix,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Galveston” & more!
Friday, June 17 | $20 | 7:30 p.m. Susan Werner: The Hayseed Project Esteemed singer/songwriter celebrates farming, rural America, locavores & more.
Visit website for more info! 506 Mill St. Green Lake, WI 54941 920.294.4279 info@thrasheroperahouse.com www.thrasheroperahouse.com R32 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
All shows begin at 10 pm unless otherwise noted. All shows are 21 and older.
伀爀搀攀爀 琀椀挀欀攀琀猀 昀漀爀 漀甀爀 愀瀀爀椀氀 猀栀漀眀猀 渀漀眀℀ 䴀椀猀猀漀甀氀愀 䌀栀椀氀搀爀攀渀ᤠ猀 吀栀攀愀琀爀攀㨀 䄀氀愀搀搀椀渀 匀愀琀甀爀搀愀礀Ⰰ 䄀瀀爀椀氀 ㈀ 愀琀 ㌀ ☀ 㜀 倀䴀
伀猀栀欀漀猀栀 䌀漀爀瀀漀爀愀愀漀渀 䘀漀甀渀搀愀愀漀渀 匀攀爀椀攀猀 倀攀爀昀漀爀洀愀渀挀攀 倀愀爀琀渀攀爀㨀 嘀攀爀瘀攀Ⰰ 愀 䌀爀攀搀椀琀 唀渀椀漀渀
伀渀氀礀 愀琀㨀
氀漀甀爀搀攀猀 愀挀愀搀攀洀礀 栀椀最栀 猀挀栀漀漀氀㨀 吀栀攀 䴀甀猀椀挀 䴀愀渀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 㜀 ☀ 㠀 愀琀 㜀 倀䴀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 㤀 愀琀 ㈀ ☀ 㜀 倀䴀
䌀愀氀氀 ⠀㤀㈀ ⤀ 㐀㈀㐀ⴀ㈀㌀㔀 漀爀 ⠀㠀㘀㘀⤀ 㤀㘀䜀刀䄀一䐀 伀爀搀攀爀 漀渀氀椀渀攀㨀 䜀爀愀渀搀伀瀀攀爀愀䠀漀甀猀攀⸀漀爀最
䠀礀猀琀攀爀椀挀愀氀 倀爀漀搀甀挀琀椀漀渀猀㨀 䤀渀琀漀 琀栀攀 圀漀漀搀猀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 㔀ⴀ㘀Ⰰ ㈀ⴀ㈀㌀ 愀琀 㜀㨀㌀ 倀䴀 簀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 㜀 愀琀 ㈀ 倀䴀
吀栀攀 䜀爀愀渀搀 伀瀀攀爀愀 䠀漀甀猀攀 䈀漀砀 伀昀昀椀挀攀 䠀椀最栀 䄀瘀攀⸀ 簀 伀猀栀欀漀猀栀Ⰰ 圀䤀 㔀㐀㤀 䠀漀甀爀猀㨀 䴀漀渀搀愀礀ⴀ䘀爀椀搀愀礀 㨀㌀ 䄀䴀ⴀ㔀 倀䴀 匀愀琀甀爀搀愀礀 䄀䴀ⴀ㈀ 倀䴀
伀猀栀欀漀猀栀 匀礀洀瀀栀漀渀礀 伀爀挀栀攀猀琀爀愀㨀 䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀渀 䠀愀爀洀漀渀礀 䄀瀀爀椀氀 ㌀ 愀琀 㜀㨀㌀ 倀䴀 April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R33
LIFE CHANGES.
YOUR MATTRESS SHOULD TOO.
4884 W. Lawrence St. Appleton, WI 54912 R34 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
920-734-6700
Where June 2016 Classes Kids & Teens Pumped for Printmaking June 6 - 10 $145, $130 member
Artistic Director John Harmon
GOOD TIMES & GOOD FOOD live Music • Food • Great atmosphere
THE EVOLUTION OF JAZZ All Performances at 7:30pm
Doors open at 6:30pm, featuring musicians from Lawrence University.
come together!
Art Immersion: Japan June 20 - 24 $165, $150 member Rebooted Robots Wed., June 22 - July 13 $70, $55 member Art Play for Toddlers Thurs., June 23 - July 14 $70, $55 member
April 21, 2016 Dave Bayles
High School/Adult
Conventional Piano Jazz Trio
Pumped for Printmaking June 13 - 17 $145, $130 member
May 19, 2016 Matt Turner and John Harmon
iPhoneography June 18 $40, $25 member Abstract Acrylic Wed., June 29 - Aug. 17 $165, $150 member
Contemporary/Future
LEINIE’S FRIDAY FISH FRY! Beer Battered Shrimp
(Thai Chili, Garlic Butter or Regular)
Lightly Hand-Breaded Baby Walleye (Regular or Cajun)
Leinie’s Beer Battered Cod Crispy Panko Breaded Cod Hand-Breaded Haddock
Tickets: $20 Museum Members: $12 Students: $5 Tickets available online or by calling 920-733-4089 Season VI Series Sponsors:
Visit our website to register and to check out July and August class offerings!
111 W. College Avenue, Appleton, WI 54911 (920) 733-4089 www.troutmuseum.org
(Regular or Cajun)
Hand-Breaded Butterflied Lake Perch (Regular or Cajun)
Grilled 8 Oz. Ribeye Surf N Turf Grilled 8 Oz. Ribeye with Beer Battered Shrimp
UPCOMING EVENTS:
ate ur Priv o Y k o ! Bo with Us Parties
Fri., April 1 - Cowboy and Friends Sat., April 9 - Third Wheel Sat., April 16 - Rockaholix Band The Bridge Bar & Restaurant Sat., April 23 - Grayling Pingel Sat., April 30 - Dave Olsen Band 101 W Main St. Fremont, Wisconsin 54940 (920) 446–3300 Sat., May 7 - Third Wheel www. bridgebarfremont .com Sat., May 14 - Dan Tulsa Band Sat., May 21 - The Jenirators
Find us on Facebook!
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R35
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS
WISCONSIN
For inclusion in our calendar of events, please contact us
March 1 - Ongoing Rare WWII Nose Art Exhibit
EAA AirVenture Museum The collection from the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) headquarters in Dallas, Texas, made its debut in November after a month of preparation in the EAA museum’s Eagle Hangar, which honors the people and aircraft of World War II. The artifacts have been designated by the National Trust for Historical Preservation as an official project of Save America’s Treasures, which seeks to preserve historic structures, art, and published works throughout the
nation. It will be on display at EAA throughout 2016.
March 1 - May 29 Walter Wick: Games, Gizmos, and Toys in the Attic
Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum A retrospective of the photographic illustrator of the “I SPY” books published by Scholastic Press, the exhibition includes large-scale photographs and Wick’s elaborate sets and models depicting visual riddles, puzzles, and optical illusions.
While the SCENE does everything to ensure the accuracy of its Events calendar, we also understand that some dates and times change. Please call ahead to confirm before traveling any distance.
March 1 - May 16 Be the Dinosaur
Oshkosh Public Museum Tues-Sat 10 am - 4:30 pm Sun 1 pm - 4:30 pm Want to know what it would be like to be a dinosaur? Now you can through virtual technology in this new, innovative exhibition. Be the Dinosaur™ is a groundbreaking fusion of stateof-the-art video game technology and traditional exhibits, featuring full-size dinosaur bones, a paleontology field station, a Safari Jeep and more. Visitors of all ages can enter into the largest and most complex restoration of an extinct ecosystem ever created.
April 1 Portage County Taste of Wine and Cheese
Noel Hanger - Stevens Point Municipal Airport 7-10pm | $60 The 12th annual Portage County Taste of Wine & Cheese features over 100 wines from around the world, more than a dozen specialty cheeses, hand crafted beers, delicious desserts, a silent auction, and a special bourbon tasting.
April 2 ACM Student Film Festival
Lawrence University Aspiring student filmmakers from 11 Midwest colleges will showcase their talents in the first ACM Film Festival. Seventy-five films in genres ranging from documentary to animation to experimental will be shown in the Warch Campus Center, Wriston Art Center and Hurvis Film Center. The festival opens Friday at 5 p.m. with a discussion featuring the festival judges: TV agent Alan Berger, film & TV executive Phyllis Berger, actor/writer Garrett Brown and filmmaker Louis Massiah. All events are free.
Tanya Tucker Meyer Theatre 8:00 PM
$55 - Orchestra and Grand Tier, $50 Mezzanine Tucker truly puts on an unforgettable stage show. She shows her vulnerable side through the emotional lyrics of many of her heartbreaking ballads; but, there’s another side of Tucker – the side where she showcases her flirtatious and sensual nature. Both of these elements have kept Tucker a crowd favorite for many years.
April 3 Waupaca Community Oratorio Chorus Concert Waupaca High School Auditorium 2:30pm
The Waupaca Community Oratorio Chorus, 100-voice chorus performs with symphony under the direction of Dan Wolfgram. The Waupaca Community Choir is a non auditioned choir which welcomes singers of all ages and abilities. The choir has a 50+ year tradition of presenting master choral works with orchestra to the greater Waupaca Community. Tickets available at the door, from chorus members, or at the Waupaca Area Chamber.
April 5 After Thoughts with Sarah Meredith
Live Music SCENE C A L E N D A R Wisconsin’s Arts & Entertainment Paper
Live Music
Sign up for our new SCENE LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR WEEKLY DIGITAL EDITION. Get the area’s Live Entertainment Schedule Sent Directly to Your Digital Device Each Week for FREE!
GO TO WWW.SCENENEWSPAPER.COM TO SIGN UP TODAY! R36 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Celebrations & Events ENJOY OUR
Wine Bar
XTENSIVE SELE
ION OF
ENJOY
RE
CT
OU
Open to the public every Wednesday only • 4 pm - close Extensive wine selection • Full cocktail bar Beers on tap • Unique bottled beers Small plate menu • Soft instrumental music
Special Event
HOLD YOUR
WITH US
• Full Banquet Hall seats up to 200 • Large Bar Room
• Outstanding view of the Fox River • Locally sourced menu
1101 S. Oneida Street Appleton, WI 54915 920.997.3332 stonecellarriverview.com Just across S. Oneida St. from Stone Cellar Brewpub
920.997.3332 • stonecellarriverview.com 24 HOUR Emergency Service
Here’s just a partial list of the types of services we provide to our customers:
920-832-1462
• We Service Most Brands & Models
• Residential & Commercial Services
• Carbon Monoxide Testing
• Same Day Service
• Yearly Maintenance Programs
• 24-Hour Emergency Service
• Licensed / Insured
• Air Conditioning Cleaning / Repairs
• Financing Available
• High Efficiency Systems
• Humidifiers
• Carrier Leadership Dealer
• Air Conditioning
• Sheet Metal Work
• Showroom
• Air Cleaners
• Puron Products
• Furnace Cleaning & Repair
www.fourseasonsheatandcool.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R37
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS
Livingston
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 5:00pm | $15.00 Sarah Meredith Livingston, UW-Green Bay Professor of Music, will explore the contributions, obstacles and challenges of selected women performing artists from the 12th century to the present and what we can learn from them to cultivate our own dynamic personal journeys.
April 6 Nate Bargatze
Meyer Theatre 7:00 PM $15 General Admission Seating Nate Bargatze is a stand-up comedian following in the entertainment business footsteps of his dad, a former clown turned world class magician. He has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” twice, following two appearances on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” He has also appeared on Conan four times, is a recurring guest on @ midnight and had his own Comedy Central Presents.
April 7-9 Lourdes Academy Presents: THE MUSIC MAN
Grand Opera House Lourdes Academy High School proudly presents the classic, family friendly
musical by Meredith Willson, “The Music Man.” Travel back to 1912 Iowa with Harold Hill, Marian the Librarian, and a cast of characters you will find endearing and humorous. With a memorable score you will be humming for days, this is one high school show you can’t miss!
April 8 Kewaunee County Pickers
Meyer Theatre 8:00 PM | $30 Frank and Mike are on the lookout for an old Harley-Davidson, a Howdy Doody doll and Frank’s real family in “a ’70s Cinderella story” that also includes an old Army boot that will only fit the girl of Mike’s dreams.
April 9 Gaither Vocal Band
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 6:00pm | Starting at $25.50 A full evening of entertainment and meaningful music is a rare treat anytime, but when the occasion includes the best-loved voices in gospel music… it’s a must-see celebration! If you attend just one musical event this year, an evening with the Gaither Vocal Band is one you can’t miss. It will leave you encouraged, grateful and most certainly smiling!
MacDowell Male Chorus
and signed to S-Curve Records. With his 2011 self-titled debut album, Grammer became the first male pop star in a decade to reach the Top 10 at Adult Pop Radio on his first two singles, “Keep Your Head Up” and “Fine By Me,” certified Platinum and Gold respectively, selling more than 1.5 million downloads combined.
and comedic brilliance, the septet has become an international sensation.
Waupun City Hall Auditorium 201 E. Main Street Waupun 7:30pm, doors open 6:30pm $10 General Admission MacDowell Male Chorus performs “Lean on Me, A Legacy of Brotherhood” at the historic Waupun City Hall Auditorium. Over 70 members strong, MacDowell has been performing for 82 years in the Midwest. This event is xqa fundraiser for the capital campaign for the Christian Home & Living Center.
Caroline Smith with J-Council
Meyer Theatre 8:00 PM $15 General Admission Standing Merging ’90s R&B and neo-soul with her indie-rock roots, Caroline Smith’s new music has settled comfortably into a new backdrop as she takes a step from girl to woman. Half About Being a Woman is a record about self-acceptance and growing into yourself. It’s about going back to the roots of ‘feel-good’ music. “I wanted to find my way back to the reason why I started playing music in the first place,” says Smith. “Over the last year I began to embrace that being a strong, confident, opinionated woman is something to be proud of, not subdued. I have to embrace where my roots are and stay true to who I am: an unabashed fan of 90s R&B, pop, and neo-soul.”
April 10 The Smithereens and Martha Davis and the Motels
Meyer Theatre 7:00 PM $50 General Admission, $100 Front Five Rows and Grand Tier Relive the fun days of MTV, and the music you remember with 80’s fervor! Come party with The Avenue family all while supporting the music and the mission of 91.1 The Avenue!
April 15 Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:30 pm | Tickets: $30 Be inspired when the Mark Morris Dance Group and Music Ensemble bring their stunning storytelling to the stage. Called “the preeminent modern dance organization of our time” the distinguished modern dance company has a commitment to live music at every performance. This unique combination of beautiful and moving modern dance with a powerful, emotional score help both classical and familiar compositions come to life on stage. www.foxcitiespac.com
April 13 Andy Grammer
April 12
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 7:30pm | $35
Mnozil Brass
From hustling street performer on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade to multi-platinum selling recording artist, it seems like just yesterday that Andy Grammer was discovered by manager Ben Singer
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 7:30pm - 9:30pm Mnozil Brass has established itself as one of the world’s premier brass ensembles. Seamlessly blending technical virtuosity
Tour the Town Art Walk Fond du Lac Downtown Fond du Lac 130 S. Main St 5:00 - 8:00 P.M.
SAVE THE DATE th
48
ART
on the
Rain o Oven r Shine Island
island
Sunday, June 5th, 2016 Lakeside Park VSEEKING ORS Fond du Lac DFieneEANrtD s & Cr afts 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
adlin
For app e May 9th contactlications A or Royc ileen e at fdlartis t saoi@g
R38 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
mail.co m
Make your
Mother’s Day Reservations Today!
Join us for our country style meal on Mother’s Day. Chicken, ham, beef tips and all the trimmings for only
Adults $12.99 Kid’s 3-10 $1.00 per age Kids 2 & Under FREE
o h w S & e u S q ale i t nA
19th Annual Appleton
Saturday, April 16 10 am - 5 pm
Featuring quality antique dealers of furniture, home & garden decor, glassware & china, quilts & linens, toys & sports, country primitives, paper & textiles, advertising & signage, jewelry & collectibles. On-site Concessions Door Prizes • Hearthstone Exhibit with Costumed Characters • Admission: $6, good both days • Children under 16 FREE. Strollers welcome
(does not include tax or tip)
•
Call for Reservations
•
795-4484
Country Style Serving at 11:00, 12:30, 2:00
Serving off the menu from 4-8pm.
Prospect Ave. (BB)
$1 off
admission with this coupon (Limit 2)
Tri-County Ice Arena 700 East Shady Lane, Neenah, WI Hwy 41
American Dr.
Mother’s Day is by reservation ONLY so don’t forget to make your’s today!
Sunday, April 17 11 am - 4 pm
Tri-County Ice Arena E. Shady Lane
Directions to Antique Show & Sale: Along Hwy 41: 100 miles north of Milwaukee; 30 miles south of Green Bay. Hwy 41 to Prospect Ave (BB) Exit. Head west on BB 1/4 mile. Turn left on American Drive; 11/2 miles on American Drive to East Shady Lane. Turn right on to East Shady Lane. Tri-County Ice Arena will be on the right.
Serving Quality Food at Affordable Prices for 62 Years
Monday - Thursday Bar: 4:30 - Dining: 5:00 Friday - Saturday Bar: 4:00 - Dining: 4:30 Sunday Bar: 3:30 - Dining: 4:00
W2655 County Road Q Malone, Wisconsin blanckssupperclub.com
Proceeds benefit
The world’s first home lighted with hydro-electricity using a Thomas Edison system. History, culture & innovation are “illuminated” for visitors in a beautiful 1880’s Victorian mansion built by an early Wisconsin entrepreneur. Visit: HearthstoneMuseum.org or call 920.730.8204 for more information about the antique show, tour hours, exhibits & special events. April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R39
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS Stroll historic downtown Fond du Lac during Tour the Town, held the third Friday of every month from 5-8 p.m. All manner of artists - from painters, to jewelry makers, to mixed media artists, to cheese artisans, and every medium in between - grace our downtown’s venues with their wares for purchase. This event is always free!
WiFEE and the HUZz Band
fame)—they’re all among the cockeyed characters in this irreverent Tony Award-winning musical deconstruction of works by the Brothers Grimm. Hysterical Productions takes on the brilliant lyrics of Stephen Sondheim with a whimsical, wordy concept. What begins as a lively fantasy becomes a moving lesson about wishing, wanting, gaining and losing.
April 16
Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts Bar opens 7pm, Performance 8pm. Best described as the “new vintage,” WiFEE and the HUZz BAND is sure to rock your socks off! Vocalists Ruby James and Stephen Cooper front this 10-piece powerhouse, leading the listener through their emotional love story with the reinforcement of a full horn section and a smokin’ rhythm section that will take you back to the glory days of Motown while being on the forefront of today’s cutting edge.
April 15-17, 21-23 Hysterical Productions: INTO THE WOODS
Grand Opera House Tickets: $24/$20/$15 An ambivalent Cinderella, a bloodthirsty Little Red Riding Hood, a childless Baker and his Wife. Witches and wolves, giants and Jack (of beanstalk
Hotel California — A Salute to the Eagles
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:30 pm | Tickets start at $28.50 For more than two decades, Hotel California has touched the hearts of fans all over the world, by faithfully and accurately reproducing the Grammy award winning sounds of the Eagles. This dynamic, highly acclaimed show incorporates their very own world renowned vocal harmony, and authentic instrumentation, including all specialty instruments in a stage spectacle that is both modern and exciting. Each concert presents an exciting, showcase of The Eagles megahits such as “Take it Easy” “Heartache Tonight” and of course “Hotel California” as well as selected titles from the solo works of Don Henley, Glen Frey, and Joe Walsh. www.foxcitiespac.com
Two Dudes & A Lady
Meyer Theatre 8:00 PM $10 General Admission (Seated) With roots in Chicago’s Second City, Caroline Quinn, Matt Worzala and Donald Shadian have been featured in numerous television commercials, shared the stage with the likes of Martin Short and performed together for nearly 15 years. Every show is a fresh new mix of comedy scenarios and a heaping handful of improvisational comedy. With crazy characters and amazing chemistry, this trio is guaranteed to bring you an evening of wildly original comedy!
Jennifer Nettles
Resch Center $49.75, $39.75, $25 CMT and Grammy-winning singer/ songwriter Jennifer Nettles will soon rule the road on the “CMT Presents Jennifer Nettles with 2016 Next Women of Country Tour,” it was announced today at an event in Nashville. The sought-after ticket will include Brandy Clark and special guests Lindsay Ell and Tara Thompson for over 30 dates across the USA and Canada starting in January. The tour is an extension of CMT’s Next Women of Country campaign, an effort that seeks to give more attention and airplay to female country artists.
Amber Brown Is Not A Crayon
Thrasher Opera House Doors open 2:15pm. Performance begins at 3pm Tickets $13 Based on the book, “Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon” written by Paula Danziger, ArtsPower’s uniquely funny and forthright musical portrays a feisty young girl who refuses to let her problems get the better of her. You’ll laugh and cry with Amber as she learns some valuable lessons about the virtues of patience and the meaning of friendship. Family-friendly play/musical.
April 17 Civic Symphony of Green Bay
Meyer Theatre 3:00 PM Single: Adult $17, Senior $12, Student $7, Family* $40 Symphonie Fantastique mvt. 5 by Berlioz Requiem by Mozart with Chorus
April 19 Third Annual St. Jude Jam Meyer Theatre 7:00 PM $25 - All Seating is Reserved
The 3rd Annual Y100 St. Jude Jam features five artists, each one with a great story, on April 19th at 7pm at the Meyer Theatre in downtown Green Bay. The first two St. Jude Jams have brought in over $30,000 towards the cause. Here are the stars this year… Craig Morgan Maren Morris Drake White Lauren Alaina Luke Baehmann – Y100 Big Sing Winner
Star Trek
Resch Center $55, $35, $25 Celebrate 50 Years of Star Trek with the 100-city concert tour. Featuring Star Trek‘s groundbreaking musical achievements performed by a live symphony orchestra and the most iconic Star Trek film and TV moments beaming in high definition onto a 40-foot wide screen. The concert will feature some of the greatest music written for the franchise including favorites from Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and much more. This live event is perfect for music lovers, filmgoers, fans and those looking for a unique concert experience.
“Don’t Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today” This is a phrase we often hear, but don’t give it much real thought. However, this phrase holds true, especially when it comes to the importance of Pre-Planning. MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY
Judine Lange
General Manager
See Our New Mausoleum Addition
Call Judine at (920) 923-2202
CALVARY CEMETERY & MAUSOLEUM
for a no-obligation tour, answers to questions about pre-planning, and an explanation of all your burial options.
686 Fond du Lac Ave. • Fond du Lac, WI • 923-2202 calvaryfdl@gmail.com • www.calvarycemeteryfdl.com
All Faiths Welcome!
A non profit Christian Assoication of lot and crypt owners
R40 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Affordable NO INTEREST payment plans available.
Serving the Fond du Lac Community Since 1889
ly S er vic e
nd
rie
Fa
s
tS
hip
pin g
ic • G re at Pr
e
F • s
Did you know that you can make commercial quality wine at home? Start an easy new hobby today and impress your friends with great wine all Summer long. Let Point Brew Supply show you how!
April stock up special:
Buy a $50 gift certificate for Mom and she receives an extra $10 upon redemption (restrictions apply, see store for details)
Point Brew Supply.....where advice is always free! Hate dandelions? Spring is the time to turn those pests into wine! Located at 3038 Village Park Drive, Plover, WI 54467
|
Exit 153 off of I-39 S
|
1-715-342-9535
|
pointbrewsupply.com
April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R41
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS
April 19-23
You just never know what’s going to happen (and the actors don’t either!) www.foxcitiespac.com
Oil City Symphony
Webb Theater - St. Norbert College Tue, Thur, Fri 7:30pm, Wed 2:30pm, Sat 8pm. Oil City Symphony, the story of four graduates who return to their alma mater Oil City High School to honor their beloved music teacher. Remember… it’s hip to be square. The four musicians perform a program that ranges from the “1812 Overture” to “The Stars And Stripes Forever” to rock standards, sentimental favorites and off beat original songs, filling their recital with good old-fashioned fun.
April 20 The Improvised Shakespeare Company
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Tickets: $25 Presented in Kimberly-Clark Theater Based on audience suggestion (a title for a play that has yet to be written) The Improvised Shakespeare Company creates a fully improvised play in Elizabethan style. Each of the players has brushed up on his “thee’s” and “thou’s” to bring you an hour of off-the-cuff comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. The improvised nature means it could end up a comedy, tragedy or history with star-crossed lovers, kings, queens or even sword-play!
Nate Bargatze
Meyer Theatre 7:00 PM $15 General Admission Seating Originally from Old Hickory, Tennessee, Nate Bargatze is a stand-up comedian following in the entertainment business footsteps of his dad, a former clown turned world class magician. He has appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” twice, following two appearances on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” He has also appeared on Conan four times, is a recurring guest on @ midnight and had his own Comedy Central Presents.
April 21 Jazz at The Trout
The Trout Museum of Art 7:30pm Jazz at The Trout, Season VI: The Evolution of Jazz Concert 6: Dave Bayles (Conventional Piano Jazz Trio) Journey through The Evolution of Jazz with Season VI of Jazz at The Trout. From ragtime and blues to contemporary and beyond, this season presents a progression of sounds comprising jazz music from the past 100 years to today.
Alt-Nostalgia – Gypsy Trip Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 6:30pm Gypsy Trip takes inspiration from the “hot club” jazz of Django Reinhardt and infuses it with a modern sensibility. Their debut recording, Alt-Nostalgia, was released in September 2015. 6:30 Thursdays: music from every angle is an innovative performance series designed to connect the campus and local communities with music in more meaningful ways. Performances feature scintillating and provocative discussions by composers, performers, and arrangers. The series offers new perspectives on diverse musical styles, often considering a single aspect of music through multiple perspectives. The 2015-16 series features a wide array of musical styles and guest artists, including jazz, classical, contemporary, and third stream music events.
Barry Manilow
Resch Center 7:30 PM With his band of 13 musicians and singers, Manilow said, “We’re having a great time putting the show together. We hope to take everyone on an emotional roller coaster. I can’t wait to see everyone dancing in the aisles.”
April 22 Wind Ensemble &
Show Her Your Love
Personalize Your Mother’s Day with a Floral Bouquet Just for Mom!
Symphonic Band
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 7:30pm Spring Symphony Night Hike Kettle Moraine State Forest - Northern Unit N1765 Highway G Campbellsport 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. (Friday) Nature awakens from its long winter slumber with a symphony of sound. Journey through the darkening spring woods to locate who are the members of the spring choir. This hike is most appropriate for adults and children over the age of 6 years.
April 22-23 Christine Ebersole Cabaret
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 8:00 p.m. Tickets start at $30
Whether you have a taste for jazz, pop or Broadway hits, Christine Ebersole has done it all in critically acclaimed cabarets throughout the country. Go on a journey with Ebersole in an intimate cabaret setting that allows you to get up close and personal with the two-time Tony Award® winner. Relax in the Kimberly-Clark Theater as Ebersole offers up a variety of music peppered with personal stories and humor that will have you smiling. www.foxcitiespac.com
April 23 Bethel Music Worship Night
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:00 p.m. Tickets: Early bird (Feb. 8 - 26): $23.50 General admission: $28.50 Bethel Breakout: $72.50 An afternoon workshop with the artists at the Radisson Paper Valley includes admission into the concert Bethel Music Worship Nights are coming to Wisconsin with Jeremy Riddle, William Matthews, Jonathan and Melissa Helser and Steffany Gretzinger! Our heart for Worship Nights is to partner with what God is doing in communities around the world and see heaven invade earth. Join us for an authentic night of worship, encouragement, and prayer as we love God together and pursue His presence. www.foxcitiespac.com
Winefeast
Oshkosh Convention Center 4-10pm Over 750 members of the community gather together at the Oshkosh Convention Center to enjoy the company of friends and colleagues and to sample scrumptious food and beverages. WineFeast also benefits a great cause. 100% of proceeds raised from the event go toward fulfilling the mission of
Let us be the light in your time of need...
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel
Continuing a 75 year tradition
OPEN Mon-Fri 8-5:30, Sat 8-4 • Sunday Mother’s Day 9am-1pm
14-16 E. Second Street • Fond du Lac • 924-9399 www.personalflowers.net
R42 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Kurki-Mach Funeral Chapel Crematory &
Call Don Kurki
Funeral Director
31 E. Division Street • Fond du Lac • 921-4420
S
n o s a e
O pe n e r
THE 67TH SEASON - A GRAND AFFAIRE
A GRAND AFFAIRE
featuring Julie Simson, mezzo-soprano
SATURDAY April 16 at 7:30p.m. SUNDAY April 17 at 4:00p.m.
800.838.3378 cwso.org/tickets
Catch all the Big Games this Spring with a Bob’s Pizza
WORTH COMPANY WISCONSIN ARTS BOARD • WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO UWSP COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION THE CITY OF STEVENS POINT
Marley’s Smoke Shop
Family Owned & Run
Glass At Sweet Prices 1 Day Only No Gimmicky Sales Wed., 4/20 Just Sweet 20%
Featuring
Glass pipes directly from the artists, Vaporizers, Hookahs, E-Cigs and E-Juice & much more!
25 E. MERRILL AVE.
922-6505
A Great Tradition for Nearly 50 Years
Tuesday Family Night
3.00 Off
$
Any Extra Large Pizza Limit of 2
Not valid with any other promotion. No coupon necessary.
OFF
STOREWIDE Both locations!
Now Open in Oshkosh
545 High Avenue (Across from Molly’s) • 920-267-8454 614 W College Ave • Appleton • 920-733-5700
25 E. MERRILL AVE.
922-6505
FREE DELIVERY to home or office Open Daily 11am - 7 Days a Week
922-6505 April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R43
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS the Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh.
Guy Davis
Thrasher Opera House Doors open 6:45pm. Performance begins at 7:30pm Tickets $23 His parallel careers–as a musician, an author, a music teacher and a film, television and Broadway actor—mark Davis as a Renaissance man, yet the blues remain his first and greatest love. He’s released nine acclaimed albums for the Red House label and three for his own label, Smokeydoke Records; and was nominated for nearly a dozen Blues Awards.
9th Annual The Ladies of Bluegrass
The Watering Hole The Ladies of Bluegrass annual cancer charity benefit. www.ladiesofbluegrass.com
April 24 Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo: We Live for Love Tour
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:30 pm Tickets start at $55 A memorable evening of music is planned drawing on the impressive background of Pat Benatar’s more than three decades in rock n’ roll. With multiple Multi-Platinum, Platinum and Gold albums which includes her 19 Top 40 singles, which produced such hits as “Hit Me With Your Best Shot”, “Love Is a Battlefield”, “We Belong” and “ Invincible”, the evening promises to be an unforgettable journey with this female rock star who forged a path for today’s female artists and still rocks today. www.foxcitiespac.com
April 24-27 Congressional Art Competition 2016
Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts 51 Sheboygan Street Monday - Friday: 10:00am - 5:00pm; Saturdays: 11:00am - 3:00pm (Closed for Private Events) Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in each congressional district. This contest is open to all high school students in the District, and can include paintings, drawings, collage, prints, mixed media, digital art, and photography. The overall winner of each district’s competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide. The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to
provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition. Reception Date: Sunday, April 24, 11:00am - 1:00pm
April 24-29 Art Show
Waupaca Expo Sun 1-7pm, Mon-Thurs 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-2pm Artists from throughout central Wisconsin and beyond display works and compete for prizes in this annual, professionally-judged show sponsored by Waupaca Fine Arts.
April 25 All City Strings Festival
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7 p.m. Tickets are $7.50 Listen as rising stars from Appleton schools perform during the annual event which features student musicians. It’s a great opportunity for parents and the local community to see how the children have grown as musicians. www.foxcitiespac.com
April 26 Gallery Tour with LU Archivist Erin Dix ‘08
Wriston Art Galleries Art @ Noon tour of the exhibition The Archive as a River: Paul Vanderbilt and Photography by LU Archivist Erin Dix ‘08 Check out the current exhibitions here: www.lawrence.edu/s/wriston
George Winston
Meyer Theatre 7:30 PM $39 Reserved Seating This concert will feature George’s Winter Show, which will include melodic fall and winter type songs, some of Vince Guaraldi’s Peanuts pieces, pieces inspired by the New Orleans piano & the stride piano traditions, and songs from his latest album, Spring Carousel – A Cancer Research Benefit.
April 27 Red Green
Meyer Theatre 7:00 PM $49.50 The man who is known worldwide for his humour, his insight and his wisdom about life and the people one encounters in it, is back with a brand new show….. “I’m Not Old, I’m Ripe!”
April 28 HATS OFF! 2016 Lip Sync Challenge
R44 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 5:00 p.m. Tickets: Individuals: $75 ($80 day of ) Tables of eight: $500 in advance Local teams go head-to-head in an all out battle for the coveted Lip Sync Challenge trophy for the benefit of B.A.B.E.S., Inc. Child Abuse Prevention Program. Who will win? Your votes decide! 5:00 p.m. – Reception - dinner hors d’oeuvres, plant sale, silent auction, and raffle 6:00 p.m. – Presentation of awards hosted by Mayor Tim Hanna 7:00 p.m. – Guests will be seated in the Kimberly-Clark Theater for the Lip Sync Challenge hosted by Phil Cianciola, WHBY Ties and sparkles encouraged! B.A.B.E.S., Inc. is a non-profit agency working to achieve family stability through Alleviation, Redirection, and Support. Proceeds will support these initiatives. www.foxcitiespac.com
Brantley Gilbert
Resch Center $39.75, $34.75 7:00 PM Brantley Gilbert’s always pushed the edge when it comes to music. So when it comes to striking out on the road with his Black Out Tour, it figures the man with back-to-back platinum albums would never settle for North America. Instead, the renegade Country star is hitting the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Australia, in addition to playing arenas across Canada and the U.S.
April 29 Jennie DeVoe
Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts 51 Sheboygan Street Bar Opens 7:00 pm Performance 8:00 pm General Admission Amount: $20; Students: $10; Pub for 2: $60; Bistro for 4: $100 (40% off for Friends of THELMA) Attracting fans of all ages, Jennie DeVoe is at her best in front of a listening audience, never failing to mesmerize and captivate with her talent, humor and personality. Her live shows are, to quote Ann Arbor, MI DJ, John Bommarito simply “Magic.” No matter the venue, DeVoe makes you feel like you’re in your living room with old friends - until she knocks you flat with her amazing voice, and you forget where you are entirely. DeVoe is the kind of singer who makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand at attention. To watch her work is to fall in love with someone who is in love with what they do. Tables must be reserved by calling 920.921.5410 or by stopping in the THELMA Box Office.
April 29-May 1 Kohler Festival of Beer Starting Address: Horse & Plow
Restaurant The annual Kohler Festival of Beer celebrates one of Wisconsin’s top industries with the country’s premiere craft brewers and beer fans from around the nation. The Village of Kohler comes alive with music, food pairing events, cooking demonstrations, and flowing taps that highlight the weekend.
April 30 Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra: American Harmony
Grand Opera House 7:30pm Immerse yourself in a collection of music performed by the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra celebrating this great country. Hear works by John Williams and Aaron Copland – plus the Midwest premiere of John Harmon’s symphony Crazy Horse: Legendary Hero of the Lakota. Tickets $30/$26/$21/$19. $2 of every OSO ticket sold supports the Grand’s restoration. Discounts available when purchased as part of a five-show or more package. oshkoshsymphony.org
David Lindley
Thrasher Opera House Doors open 6:45pm. Performance begins at 7:30pm Tickets $25 Multi-instrumentalist David Lindley performs music that redefines the word “eclectic.” Lindley, well known for his many years as the featured accompanist with Jackson Browne, and leader of his own band El Rayo-X, has long championed the concept of world music. His performance effortlessly combines American folk, blues, and bluegrass traditions with elements from African, Arabic, Asian, Celtic, Malagasy, and Turkish musical sources.
May 1 RAIN - A Tribute to The Beatles
Weidner Center for the Performing Arts 7:30pm - 9:30pm
RAIN: A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES is a live multi-media spectacular that takes you on a musical journey through the life and times of the world’s most celebrated band. Featuring new songs & high definition imagery, this expanded RAIN adds even more hits that you know and love from the vast anthology of Beatles classics such as “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together” and “Hey Jude.” This stunning concert event takes you back in time with the legendary foursome, delivering a note-fornote theatrical event that is the
Want to know what it would be like to be a dinosaur? Now you can through virtual technology in this new, innovative exhibition!
February 1 – May 16 OSHKOSH
PublicMuseum 1331 Algoma Boulevard, Oshkosh WI 54901 920.236.5799 • oshkoshmuseum.org
John Harmon
Tom Washatka
Janet Planet
Tom Theabo
Tony Taylor
Andy Sachen
Reunion Concert at The Grand by:
fire
Ice &
Visit the Kristmas Kringle Shoppe for Mom!
May 26, 2016 Celebrating 10 Years of Community Radio in Oshkosh
Tickets available at:
Online: www.grandoperahouse.org or The Grand Ticket Office 920-424-2350
SS16_Neutral_HorizColor_MirandaRings.indd 1
1/5/2016 10:44:26 AM
Mother’s Day May 8th SS16_MD16_VertColor_SL1_MultiNecks.indd 1
SS16_MD16_VertColor_SL1_MultiNecks.indd 1
1/4/2016 5:02:25 PM
K R IN GL E S H S A OP TM S I 1/4/2016 5:02:25 PM
PE
KR
Sponsored by:
1330 S. Main Street • Fond du Lac • (920)922-3900 www.kristmaskringle.com • Open 7 Days a Week 10am-5pm April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R45
CALENDAR // THE BIG EVENTS next best thing to the Beatles. Don’t miss the Broadway smash that’s taking the world by storm.
May 5 Jane Lynch: See Jane Sing!
Fox Cities Performing Arts Center 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $45 Prepare for an evening of side-splitting laughter as famous actress Jane Lynch (Glee) brings her musical comedy and dash of wit to the Fox Cities. Laugh along with Lynch as she explores her love of the beauty and absurdity of the American standard and show tunes with her trademark humor in a style you’ll love. www.foxcitiespac.com
Carrie Underwood
Resch Center $76.00, $46.00 7:00 PM The Storyteller Tour – Stories in the Round will be Underwood’s first tour “in the round.” With the stage in the middle of the arena floor, the 360-degree setting will allow fans on all sides of the arena to get a very intimate and unique concert experience. Carrie’s new album, Storyteller, has been heralded by Rolling Stone as “the most anticipated country album of the year.” The album was produced by Jay Joyce, Mark Bright, and Zach Crowell with six of its 13 songs co-written by Carrie, including the record-breaking first single, “Smoke Break.”
May 6 Art Momentum
UW-Fond du Lac 5-8pm Art Momentum is a student-run, organized and juried art event. The evening will feature student art work on display and available for purchase. There will also be music and light refreshments. Students who participate in the Art Momentum show commit to donating half of the proceeds from each item sold to support a student art scholarship fund through the UW-FDL Foundation. For most of the students, this is their first experience showing work, having it judged and offering it for sale. A mixture of drawings, paintings and three dimensional work will be available for purchase. “The students have been carefully selecting work for this event for several months,” said Wendi Turchan, art lecturer. “Art Momentum is a wonderful opportunity to show our support for the work done this year by the art students at UW-FDL.”
May 6-8 Oshkosh Community Players: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown Grand Opera House Tickets: $24/$20/$15
Charlie Brown and the whole Peanuts gang come to life in this upbeat musical for young-at-heart adults and thoughtful children. Sit back and enjoy a day in the life of America’s favorite 7-year-old philosophers.
Open Wed-Monday 3pm - Close
Happy Mother’s Day Serving from 10:30AM till 4PM
Reservations are being accepted. Make Your Reservation Today. MOTHERS PICK A FLOWER & get up to 50% OFF your meal. (1 per family)
Sick of Buffets?
serving regular menu ask about specials R46 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
141 County KK, Amherst
715.824.3113 Gary and Darlene Anderson
Located on North Main Street, just north of Hopper’s Silk Screening
Presenting...
The Talented & Popular
LIGHT HOUSE BIG BAND Playing everything from Beatles to Basie
TUESDAYS, April 12th & 29th • 7:30 PM
Come Early...
The
Show is FREE!
Enjoy Dinner Before or During the Show!
101 North Main, FDL (Next to Hopper’s) 933-6003 • Kitchen open daily 7 am
Spring Fever
Don’t put off another HOT Summer without a Pool!
30 info@FoxBanquets.com
www.FoxBanquets.com
Crescent Moon Antiques & Salvage
ONE YEAR FREE FINANCING ON POOLS AND SPAS utes n i m 20 Just of h t u o s off h s o k Osh 41! Hwy ABOVE GROUND & INGROUND POOLS ON DISPLAY
Architectural Salvage since 1987 537 N. Main St. Oshkosh (920) 232-MOON (6666) www.crescentmoonantiquesandsalvage.com
Lowest Prices of the Season!
Think Spring... Order Your New Pool or Spa Now!
510 N. PIONEER RD. • NORTH FOND DU LAC 922-9313 OR 1-800-369-6938 visit us a www.binner.com April 2016 | SceneNewspaper.com | R47
Now Serving Dinner Fri. & Sat. 5-10pm
OPEN MIC - 7pm 1st Friday of Every Month (Apr. 1)
SAVE THE DATE April 23rd
Comedy Night $10 Mark’s Birthday Party April 9th Wine & Canvas April 16th Lil Baba 7pm $5 April 28th Beer Dinner w/Central Waters Call, Stop in or check Facebook for details R48 | SceneNewspaper.com | April 2016
Sunday thru Thursday 8am-2pm Friday & Saturday 8am-10pm Breakfast Specials Every Sunday
Book Your New Construction for Summer or Fall Now
We Have Built over 1,100 Quality Homes in the Fond du Lac Area
1315 S. Main Street • Fond du Lac www.robertshomesandrealestate.com • CALL NOW 923-4522 April 2016 | Appleton • Fox Cities | SceneNewspaper.com | L5
L6 | SceneNewspaper.com | Appleton • Fox Cities | April 2016
We roll out the
(or any other color)
RED
carpet for our customers. TILE SHEET VINYL HARDWOOD CARPET CLEANING/REPAIR CARPET REPAIR-EDGING & SURGING
FALK’S CARPET INC.
Since 1965
920-494-2709 www.falkscarpet.com 2674 N. Packerland Drive Green Bay, WI April 2016 | Appleton • Fox Cities | SceneNewspaper.com | L7
3320 N BALLARD RD APPLETON WI 54911-8987
700 W NORTHLAND AVE APPLETON WI 54914-1425
3301 W COLLEGE AVE APPLETON WI 54914-3921
2001 S KENSINGTON DR APPLETON WI 54915
1281 VALLEY RD MENASHA WI 54952-1136
212 RACINE ST MENASHA WI 54952