The Summerfest Blog
Welcome to the Summerfest Blog. Your exclusive access to playlist recommendations, what it takes to plan the festival, and personal insights from guest writers from the local Milwaukee music community.
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Gabriel Sanchez and the Prince Experience: 2016
Posted on March 16, 2017
In honor of Summerfest's 50th, we've asked local music experts to help us celebrate music history by sharing their favorite Summerfest shows.
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Bob's Blog
Posted on March 8, 2017
We're back with Part 2 of Bob's Blog...the 2017 edition! You ask, he answers. Bob talks about coordinating 11 stages on 11 days, who he's excited to see, when the lineup will be announced, and more!
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Kanye West: 2011
Posted on February 23, 2017
In honor of Summerfest's 50th, we've asked local music experts to help us celebrate music history by sharing their favorite Summerfest shows.
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Summerfest Playlist 1970 - 1980
Posted on February 16, 2017
50 years of music makes up one great playlist. We're remembering Summerfest's greatest artists with Spotify playlists by the decade!
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Sum 41: 2003
Posted on February 9, 2017
In honor of Summerfest's 50th, we've asked local music experts to help us celebrate music history by sharing their favorite Summerfest shows.
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Bob's Blog
Posted on February 1, 2017
We're back with another round of Bob's Blog...the 2017 edition! You ask, he answers. Bob answers questions about the lineup release for Summerfest's 50th, booking a band and more.
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Coleman Hell
Posted on June 21, 2016
You've likely heard "2 Heads" on the radio and wondered who's behind the electronic banjo-sampling dance hit. Meet Coleman Hell, the 27 year old Canadian musician who writes and produces his full sound through just his keyboard. After touring with Twenty One Pilots and Robert DeLong, he'll release his first full-length album later this year.
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Con Brio
Posted on June 14, 2016
This week’s featured artist debuted in 2013 from the vibrant soul and Bay Area funk scene of San Francisco. Con Brio’s septet consists of musicians with diverse backgrounds and perfect chemistry, including a magnetic front man (Ziek McCarter) whose powerful vocals and funky dance moves have likened him to Michael Jackson and James Brown.
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The Wombats
Posted on June 7, 2016
If energetic indie rock is what gets you moving, The Wombats are a must-see at Summerfest. The English band made their debut in Liverpool in 2003, giving fans a modern mix of melodic pop and dark rock. The trio released their third album, Glitterbug, in April 2015.
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Rachel Platten
Posted on May 31, 2016
If you’re looking for uplifting or inspirational music, this week’s Fest Find will provide you with exactly that. Boston-bred Rachel Platten moved to New York after college and wrote songs for a decade before finally getting noticed. In 2015, her motivational hit "Fight Song" put her at the top of the charts and into the spotlight. She released her latest album Wildfire in January which features the hit song "Stand By You."
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St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Posted on May 24, 2016
Alabama-based sextet St. Paul & The Broken Bones will thrill you with their mix of soul, gospel and southern-tinged blues. After forming in 2012, they recorded two EPs before releasing their first full-length album, Half The City, in 2014. The dynamic group recently opened up for The Rolling Stones on two dates of their Zip Code tour last summer.
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Andra Day
Posted on May 17, 2016
It’s no surprise that this week’s featured artist has garnered some major critical acclaim for her debut album Cheers to the Fall. With a voice like Andra Day’s, soulful and uplifting, the listener has no choice but to pay attention. Combine that voice with her retro style and affinity for vintage jazz singers, and you have an artist who is as contemporary as she is deeply connected to the “old soul” classics.