It doesn’t seem too long ago that Milwaukee live-music fans went from the sorrow of The Back Room’s closing to the celebration of the Vivarium’s opening. In fact, an entire year has past since the East Side venue opened its doors, and the Pabst Theater Group (PTG) has combined a little of the old with a big helping of the new to celebrate.
This Saturday, Feb. 22, the Vivarium will host a one-year anniversary party with a few different layers to it. The most prominent one is the music, which includes three much-loved Milwaukee acts: Immortal Girlfriend, Caley Conway and Holy Pinto.
That’s some legit variety in one lineup. You’ve got the alt-electronic “Dark Knights of Synth” bringing a cinematic vibe, Conway’s intimate honesty and warm musicianship, and Holy Pinto’s poppier approach to processing everything life throws at us.
Spending time with those three artists this Saturday won’t set you back too much, either. After resurrecting its 10 Buck Show just a few weeks ago, the PTG decided this was the perfect show to slide under that banner. It also decided to do something kind of wonderful with the anniversary party’s proceeds, which will go to the Friendship Circle of Wisconsin in memory of Alderman Jonathan Brostoff.
The former representative of the 3rd District on Milwaukee’s Common Council played an important role in the Vivarium’s development and was present at the unveiling ceremony in November of 2023. A year later, he died by suicide. The Vivarium anniversary show is tied to the Friendship Circle’s “We Can Save Lives” SafeTALK Suicide Prevention Tour that will make 41 stops while aiming to train 1,000 people as suicide-alert helpers.
Tickets for the Vivarium one-year anniversary party featuring Immortal Girlfriend, Caley Conway and Holy Pinto are on sale now online and at the Pabst/Riverside box offices.
