Meg Baird at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee on November 2, 2022

During the last week of October and first week of November 2022, Meg Baird and Chris Forsyth toured the east coast and midwest with a unique concept: they shared the same rhythm section consisting of Doug McCombs on bass and Ryan Jewell on drums. Meg's band also featured Charlie Saufley (a fellow member of the band Heron Oblivion) on guitar.

 

Purchase Meg's most recent album here.

   
You can hear and download Chris' performance from that same evening here.

   
Recording information:

   

MEG BAIRD

2022-11-02

Milwaukee, WI at Cactus Club

Meg Baird: vocals, guitar, keyboards

Charlie Saufley: guitar

Doug McCombs: bass

Ryan Jewell: drums

Chris Forsyth: guitar on Track 9

Setlist:

01 Ashes, Ashes (6:05)

02 Mosquito Hawks (3:21)

03 Back to You (4:40)

04 Star Hill Song (6:15)

05 Twelve Saints (5:45)

06 Manfield and Cyclops (6:28)

07 Ship Captains (5:25)

08 Unknown (5:42)

09 Will You Follow Me Home (8:15)

microphone: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

additional source: soundboard feed from Alex

recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

Total time = 51:56

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (331 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (226 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Pan American at Acme Records and Music Emporium in Milwaukee on December 8, 2021

Mark Nelson was the guitarist and vocalist for the pioneering post-rock drone band Labradford, which was active between 1993-2001.

   

Under the moniker Pan American, he has released 13 ambient and experimental albums — mostly on Chicago’s wonderful Kranky Records.

  

  

In December of 2021 he came to Milwaukee’s Acme Records to perform a short opening set for Mary Lattimore. This was a very lovely and meditative guitar soundscape performed on a candle-lit stage that perfectly set the mood for Lattimore’s harp performance.

Purchase Pan American's latest album here.

Recording information:

PAN AMERICAN

2021-12-08

Milwaukee, WI

Acme Records and Music Emporium

Mark Nelson: guitar and electronics

Tracklist:

01 untitled composition (42:40)

Total time = 42:40

Sources: mono soundboard feed and a pair of Beyerdynamic MC930 mics in NOS configuration at stage lip

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (151 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Tired Eyes at the Cactus Club in Milwaukee on June 28, 2024

 Alan Sparhawk brought his Neil Young cover project to Milwaukee a few weeks ago for a marathon 26-song concert. In his band were Rich and Glen Mattson as well as Kraig Johnson. 

Over the course of over two hours, the band played many hits such as "Cinnamon Girl" and "Hey Hey My My," but also delved into lesser known songs such as "Look Out Joe" and "Tired Eyes." Their approach was respectful but lacked the somewhat annoying tendency of so-called "tribute bands" to mimic the mannerisms and appearance of their subject. The focus of the night was music and not spectacle.

Alan and the boys were clearly enjoying themselves however, and it was a delight to see Haley Fohr sing one song (and then spend the rest of the second set dancing near me).

Purchase Alan's latest album here.

Recording information:

TIRED EYES
2024-06-28
Milwaukee, WI at Cactus Club

Alan Sparhawk: guitar and voice
Rich Mattson: guitar and voice
Kraig Johnson: bass and voice
Glen Mattson: drums
Haley Fohr: vocals on track 13

Setlist:
01 Look Out Joe (3:43)
02 Everyone Knows This Is Nowhere (1:55)
03 Ohio (3:15)
04 Winterlong (3:21)
05 Down by the River (8:15)
06 Revolution Blues (4:15)
07 Albuquerque (3:48)
08 Don’t Cry No Tears (3:02)
09 Words (8:18)
10 Cinnamon Girl (3:33)
11 Razor Love (6:07)
12 Come on Baby Let’s Go Downtown (3:19)
13 Comes A Time (3:11)
14 Powderfinger (5:31)
15 Out on the Weekend (4:55)
16 Cowgirl in the Sand (7:16)
17 The Loner (4:43)
18 Motion Pictures (4:46)
19 Mr Soul -> Roll Another Number (7:24)
20 Barstool Blues (3:14)
21 Rapid Transit (4:32)
22 Cortez the Killer (8:22)
23 Tired Eyes 5:28)
24 On the Beach (5:28)
25 Hey Hey My My (4:56)
25 Tonight’s the Night (6:20)

Total time = 131:53

microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
additional source: Soundboard mix by Alex
recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (843 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (364 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Dinosaur jr at The Majestic Theater in Madison, WI on September 28, 2022

 I found myself on the guest list at the Majestic Theater in Madison in September 2022 via the good graces of Ryley Walker, who had asked me to tape his band. That night they were opening for Dinosaur jr as part of a national tour. I stuck around for the headliners and was rewarded with a loud and raucous concert.

Lou Barlow, J Mascis, and Murph first came together in 1984 as "Dinosaur" (later changing their name for legal reasons) and were one of a handful old exciting bands appearing on the SST records label. The original lineup reformed in 2007 and have been on a tear ever since.

Buy their most recent album here.

Recording information:

DINOSAUR JR
2022-09-28
Madison, WI at Majestic Theater

J Mascis: guitar, vocals
Lou Barlow: bass, vocals
Murph: drums

Setlist:
01 The Lung (5:40)
02 I Ain’t (3:49)
03 Garden (3:36)
04 Little Fury Things (3:12)
05 Out There (5:40)
06 Crumble (4:11)
07 I Expect It Always (3:36)
08 To Be Waiting (4:10)
09 I Met the Stones (4:00)
10 The Wagon (4:54)
11 Been There All the Time (3:36)
12 Start Choppin (5:15)
13 Feel the Pain (4:15)
14 Mountain Man (4:30)
15 Freak Scene (3:34)
16 Gargoyle (9:24)
17 Raisins (4:00)
18 Just Like Heaven [The Cure] (3:18)

Total time = 80:40

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 pair in ORTF
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (518 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (235 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Jeff Parker solo at Thalia Hall in Chicago on December 2, 2021

This is the first of two Jeff Parker shows I recorded in the last month of 2021, just after the release of his album "For Folks."

    

   

Jeff was on a national tour with Steve Gunn and the pair performed at the venerable Thalia Hall.

Purchase his album "For Folks" here.

Recording information:

Jeff Parker
2021-12-02
Chicago, IL at Thalia Hall

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 ORTF stereo pair on stand
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct
Location: Center balcony, next to soundboard

Setlist:
01 Mainz [Chad Taylor] >
02 Four Folks >
03 My Ideal [Richard Whiting, Newell Chase & Leo Robin]
04 banter
05 Excess Success >
06 La Jetée

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (246 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (154 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Ryley Walker at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on March 5, 2022

After uploading my recording of openers Bitchin Bajas, the headlining act that evening is up next.

Ryley Walker is one of our best songwriters and performers in the US at the moment. Aside from the strength of his compositions, he makes an effort to improvise at each show so that each is unique. Add to the mix a rotating selection of all-star jazz musicians from the Chicago scene and it is an irresistible combination.

For many shows I upload here, I eliminate the stage banter, since I believe most of the time that what the performers say to the audience is more a reflection of what was happening in the moment and doesn't sound "right" to me to present it after the fact. Ryley is the exception. His between-song banter is better than most of what I have seen in comedy clubs.

I feel a strong need to mention Ryley's amazing band for this show -- the always-amazing Bill MacKay on guitar, wonderful bassist Andrew Scott Young, and versatile drummer Quin Kirchner.

Purchase Ryley's latest album here.

Recording details:

RYLEY WALKER
2022-03-05

Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle

Ryley Walker: guitar, vocals
Bill MacKay: guitar
Andrew Scott Young: bass
Quin Kirchner: drums

Set list:
01 Banter - They Make Sausage Out of Opening Bands (0:56)
02 Striking Down Your Big Premiere (5:09)
03 Banter - Chili’s Was a Dark Zone (0:52)
04 The Halfwit In Me (15:10)
05 Banter - That Last Song Was a Ripoff of Jim O’Rourke (0:31)
06 Axis Bent (4:55)
07 Banter - I Was All Nervous (1:58)
08 Shiva With Dustpan (6:28)
09 Telluride Speed (7:59)
10 Opposite Middle (3:33)
11 Banter - Mom’s in Merch Mode (2:42)
12 The Roundabout (11:54)

Total time = 62:07

Source 1: mono SBD feed (shared with Quin Kirchner via XLR splitter cable)
Source 2: Stereo pair Beyerdynamic MC930 on 10 foot mic stand in NOS configuration, in front of mixing board.
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (362 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (144 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

Bitchin Bajas at the Empty Bottle in Chicago on March 5, 2022

Ryley Walker brought the Bitchin Bajas with him on a little mini-tour of Milwaukee and Chicago during the first week of March 2022. It was really more of a co-headlining show, as Ryley no doubt would agree to, since he referred to the Bajas on stage as "one of the most important Chicago bands of the past 20 years."

   

Comprised of keyboardists Cooper Crain, Dan Quinlivan, and Rob Frye (who also plays flute and sax) the band has released a surprising number of albums since their beginnings in 2010. The music is at turns psychedelic and meditative, lush and hypnotically repetitive. 

For this show they were joined onstage by Jayve Montgomery on an Akai electronic wind instrument for a cover of Sun Ra's "Opus in Springtime."

Big thanks to the band for allowing taping and especially Cooper who went out of his way to make sure I had the correct setlist.

Buy their newest album here.

Recording information:

BITCHIN’ BAJAS
2022-03-05
Chicago, IL at the Empty Bottle

Cooper Crain: keyboards
Rob Frye: flute, sax, and keyboards
Dan Quinlivan: keyboards
Jayve Montgomery: Akai EWI-4000 (Track 4 only)

Setlist:
01 World B. Free (10:54)
02 Amorpha (8:17)
03 Chili (5:21)
04 Opus In Springtime [Sun Ra] (8:03)
05 Jammu (8:49)
06 Be Going (10:00)

Total time = 51:24

microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 stereo pair in NOS
additional source: mono soundboard feed
recorder: Sound Devices MixPre 6 at 24/96
software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.kHz FLAC files (230 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CDR, if you are into that

320 kbps mp3 files (121 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible