TOSA TONIGHT RETURNS!

Am I ever excited. Tosa Tonight is set to make a triumphant return after a 2020 season that never happened. 

For those that don't know, I have been volunteering for our city's great Summer concert series for the last four or five years (depending on when you count my first day). I started out as a photographer and marketing team member and then migrated to the Entertainment committee. My talented wife, Kay, joined me as a co-photographer. 

I have loved this music series for a decade and often could be found standing near the stage when no other non-performing adult was near. I always felt the music better standing near and as I slowly became a photography enthusiast, the combination of the hunt to capture the energy of a performer with an image while enjoying live music became an irrepressible hobby. For me, taking the perfect picture of a singer singing or a drummer drumming became an idyllic quest. Not too different than the hunter searching for a big buck, except in my case, no creature gets hurt. 

We started discussing the 2021 season days after Wisconsin hit the peak number of COVID cases (peak: mid-November 2020). Our conversations were like many in 2020: over the Internet. Planning a series then seemed like a pipe dream, but I felt strongly that, if we were to begin planning, we should plan a hyper-local season that showcased the many fine performers that lived nearby. Not only was this decision altruistic, but also practical. I mean, who knew who would be touring the country come June 16th? 

We turned the year texting, calling, or emailing some of our favorite local artists asking them to "Hold the date" and explaining the impending COVID clause that in non-legalese that says, "We really don't know what's going to happen and we might have to cancel. We'll just wait and see." Those artists eagerly replied, "Yes. We'll hold the date!!" (Well, one exception was the Tosa guy who plays bass in Alanis Morrisette's band... "Um. It looks like I'll be touring with Alanis that day. Think we could be moved up in the schedule?" Of course, Alanis' bass player. For you, we can do that.)

While we were keeping our artist selections local, one of our committee members suggested this guitar-slinging R&B artist out of Madison: Raine Stern. I gave her a listen and approved. "Yeah. She's good." Days later, Raine was a contestant on The Voice. Nick Jonas heard her and said, "Yeah. She's good," too. Soon Raine was blowing minds as part of Team Nick as she advanced a couple of rounds before falling short. Who knew when we asked her to save-the-date that THAT would happen??

[Side bar: when we first contacted Raine, it was to be an opener. However, due to the unavailability of another artist, we moved her to the headliner. The opener for Raine on July 14th will be our friend Ben Mulwana. Ben's so good. Tosa Tonight artists saved dates on their calendar, I suggest YOU save July 14th on yours!]

Wednesday, June 16th, the season kicks off with two groups that have both rocked my socks off. Opening will be Peter Thomas, a cellist with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and Steve Vorass, drummer extraordinaire and seemingly in a hundred bands. Veteran Milwaukee music fans will immediately recognize the band in which these two collaborated: I Am Not a Pilot. Together, they present familiar songs in a very unfamiliar way — a swirling mix of virtuosic strings phonetically punctuated by impeccably fluent staccato rhythms backed by a constant and steady bass drum beat.

Okay, maybe I overly wrote that. In short, they sound good.

Following them is a southeastern Wisconsin favorite: The Belle Weather. The Belle Weather forsakes percussion and replaces it with a multi-stringed sonic attack. Bass, cello, and violin join forces with an energetically strummed rhythm guitar. Combined, they create a cacophony of unique but accessible form of rockin' chamber-pop music. 

I had the pleasure of seeing The Belle Weather numerous times. Most recently, they rocked the dust off of the rafters at West Bend’s The Bend Theater. They knocked not only the dust off those rafters, but they knocked it off my year-long, COVID-confined, live-music-loving soul. It was a splendid performance and I’m sure all who were presented would agree. And, if you were not present, please enjoy The Belle Weather’s searing cover of Eleanor Rigby. 

So get ready, Wauwatosa. Tosa Tonight is back and I can feel that it is going to a GREAT season!

Don't Be 'You're Not There' -- Tosa Tonight's Final Show of 2019!

It's the last Tosa Tonight of the 2019 season. *sad face*

It's the first time Paper Holland and Scott Mulvahill will perform on Wauwatosa's Rotary Performance Pavilion stage. *happy face*

The Tosa Tonight team has brought many great musical artists to our little park. This year was no different. Five of the eight headliners were nationally touring original music talent, and with the exception of Miles Nielsen and The Rusted Hearts (who are playing Tosa Fest, by the way -- and I know they're looking forward to making up for the rain-out -- I've talked to Miles myself!), all have played under stellar weather. 

As great as all of these performers have been, there's one that's got something a little different on his resume: the only Tosa Tonight artist to have appeared on his own NPR Tiny Desk Concert. That person is Scott Mulvahill -- Tosa Tonight's final headliner of the 2019 season. 

Some of you might say, "What's an NPR Tiny Desk Concert?" Fair question. To me, an original music lover, it's been one of the best uses of the Internet ever. NPR brings renowned performers into a small setting and lets them play in front of an intimate gathering of spectators. I have loved the series for years because it so rawly presents the talent of the artist. There's no hiding. No effects. No lip-syncing. They're just there, baby, and lovin' every minute of it. 

I can't tell you how many times I've melted into my chair streaming the series from YouTube onto my TV. Not only does it allow one to see their favorites playing a stripped-down set, but it also does a wonderful job of introducing new artists. Ones you should hear. Like Mr. Mulvahill, a member of Ricky Skaggs' Grammy-winning band. 

Debuting only five months ago, the YouTube version has already been watched more than 358,000 times. Watch it here. See if we can make it 359,000 by tomorrow night. 

Doubly exciting is Milwaukee's own Paper Holland gracing the stage. I've seen this band once, and it was too long ago. I know they've continued their sonic growth, and this should be great.

Need a description? As much as I like to write, I'm going to steal a line from their bandcamp site: "Drawing from the pop sensibility of acts like Death Cab For Cutie, the sparkling guitars of The Cure and the mild experimentalism of Tame Impala, Paper Holland create rhythmic and driving music with elegant horn arrangements, memorable hooks and skillful musicianship."

There. They said it best themselves. And keeping in the Tiny Desk Concert vibe, here's Paper Holland's excellent song, "You're Not There." When they launch into it Wednesday night, I might lose it. I really dig this track. 

So don't be 'You're Not There.' Be there. Winter's coming soon enough and you'll be dreaming for warm days in the Summer grass in Wauwatosa. This is your last chance. 

See ya there, fireflies!

Let's Go for a Ride, Fireflies

As soon as Tosa Tonight announced their 2019 schedule, I circled July 24th as a can’t miss. Starring Milwaukee’s Brett Newski and Nashville’s The Foxies, this was a going to be a night of musical performance that was right up my alley.

My alley is folk-punk and pop-rock. And glitter. I also like glitter.

First, Brett. Man, this guy is tireless. I’ve been following him on the socials and his touring schedule is exhausting. I wouldn’t doubt if he’s playing Perth, Australia in the morning and Tosa Tonight in the evening.

A stretch, you say? Not entirely. At Summerfest, Brett opened for Australia’s own folk-punk/dork rock hit-maker: Courtney Barnett.

So it could happen.

Brett, too, makes the funniest and most poignant videos. As he galavants around the globe, his dance moves on ‘Ride’ crack me up. Just be careful to not make this the last thing you watch before bed or else the next day -- all day -- your brain is going to be singing, “I wanna take you for a ride. Ah, ah, ah, ahh. I wanna take you for a ride.”

Trust me. I did this.



Plus, you’ve heard of free-range chickens, right? Brett’s been known to be a free-range Newski. Untethered form a cord, Brett often strolls, dances, cajoles and high-fives his audience. Will we see a free-range Newski on Wednesday? My Magic 8 Ball says, “Signs point to yes.”

I’ll be straight, though, I did not know of The Foxies until Tosa Tonight announced them, but after listening to their two EP’s, Battery and Oblivion, about 20 times each, I knew they were going to bring something special to the Rotary Performance Pavilion like they did at the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage at Summerfest earlier this Summer.

Listening to The Foxies, I can’t quite put my finger on who they remind me of. At times, I hear just a squeak of Gwen Stefani -- Gwen's good squeak -- and then I hear the wall-of-sound backdrop of 80's New Wave greats like Berlin and Missing Persons. Others claim a Tegan and Sara, Rilo Kiley, and The Veronicas vibe while I'll claim at least two songs remind me of Milwaukee's Reyna.

As far as I can tell, there are four members of The Foxies (their press pictures prove it). But when you look at their pics, it’s clear that one member stands out: Gary, the fiddle player.

No, no, no. There is no fiddle player in The Foxies. There is Jake, Rob, Kyle, and Julia. You guess who grabs the attention. I’ll leave the picture below as a hint.

No doubt. This is going to be one of the sparkliest, power-folk-pop-punk Tosa Tonights ever produced. Plus, the weather forecast is PERFECT. I’ll be taking pictures as always, but if you ever considered bringing your “good” camera to a Tosa Tonight, this will be the one. Put your battery in the charger in the morning.

See ya there, Fireflies!