Customarily New Year's Eve is one of the biggest nights for going out in Milwaukee, but things may be a little quieter than usual this year. Events are back on after 2020, when virtually every public gathering was canceled, but some venues that usually host concerts are sitting this year out. "We're not up to the levels of 2018, 2019, where virtually every venue had something going on," Piet says.
On this week's episode, we preview the concerts that are happening, including the annual Stellar Spark bash over at The Rave, a huge EDM party that puts to use many of the staged in the venue's multi-room compound. (The Wisconsin Center has thrown its own EDM bashes in recent years, but that won't be happening this year, leaving The Rave as the uncontested destination for electronic music lovers).
For bluegrass and roots music lovers, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades will be back at the Pabst Theater for the first time since New Year's Eve 2018, with openers Ryan Necci and Buffalo Gospel.
There are some smaller venues doing New Year's Eve shows, too. Local guitar wiz Greg Koch will be playing Shank Hall, a venue that typically hasn't done New Year's Eve events, and fellow bluesman Albert Lee will be playing at Anodyne that night as well.
But with so many musicians and venues looking to make up for lost time after a lost 2020, Piet and I admit we're a little surprised the concert calendar isn't a little bit fuller this New Year's Eve. We theorize about why the calendar is quieter than usual on this week's episode, which you can stream below.