The variety of approaches to our Studio Milwaukee Sessions include what we call “intimate” performances. That’s code for when an artist flies solo on our stage while sharing music with the Radio Milwaukee members in the audience and everyone listening on 88Nine.
Most opt for an acoustic guitar for those scaled-back situations, although we do get the occasional saxophone (see Nelson Deveraux) or full light show (thank you, Miss Grit). For his Tuesday afternoon session, Alan Sparhawk decided to go with electric guitar, an instrument not immediately known for creating an atmosphere of intimacy.
It speaks to Sparhawk’s craftsmanship that, for each of the five songs he played, the signs of a hushed and emotional performance were everywhere. At the end of every song, it was like nobody wanted to be the first to clap and break up the feeling in the room. By the end of the set, more than one person had wiped away a tear and been forced to take a deep breath as a way of gathering themselves.
With this tool in hand that’s capable of delivering face-melting solos and conveying the loudest of emotions, Sparhawk gently coaxed the audience into a more delicate space. It was like watching someone carve a beautifully detailed pocket figurine with a battle axe.
The veteran musician comes by that ability honestly, honed over decades with the band he co-founded with his late wife Mimi Parker and unfortunately informed by her death in November of 2022. He called an audible and dropped “Heaven” into his set, one of the songs from White Roses, My God, the album that emerged from that period. But he started with “Not Broken” from the more recent With Trampled by Turtles record.
You could hear a feather drop on a felt tabletop as Sparhawk sang, “It’s not broken, I’m not angry,” and let the last note from his guitar fade into silence before offering a quiet “thank you” as if to let the audience know it was OK to applaud.
While the performance carried some emotional weight, the mid-set interview was lighter and laid back, with Sparhawk genially describing how his long connection to Trampled by Turtles became their collaborative album.
“Musicians are good about, like, ‘Oh man, we should get together sometime and do something,’” he began. “And, you know, nine times out of 10, it doesn't come to fruition. But it's good to dream because sometimes those dreams do come together and usually unexpectedly.”
This session was expected around the Radio Milwaukee offices in every way possible — on our calendars and in anticipation of a wonderful musician plying his trade on our stage. You can get a taste of the experience using the player at the top of the page and guarantee yourself a seat at our next performance (intimate or otherwise) by becoming a Radio Milwaukee member today.
Studio MKE: Alan Sparhawk set list
- “Not Broken”
- “Stranger”
- “Heaven”
- “No More Darkness”
- “Holy Ghost” (non-broadcast performance)
