Minibeast at MKeUltra in Milwaukee on May 17, 2026

Since 2011, former Mission of Burma drummer Peter Prescott has been releasing music in the group Minibeast, backed by two Providence, RI musicians -- Keith Seidel on drums and recent addition bassist Pete Weiss. They produce a minimalist, crunchy experimental noise rock and the audience at MkeUltra was definitely absorbing and appreciating all the energy that Prescott and lads had on display.

Purchase their music here.

Recording information:

MINIBEAST
2026-05-17
Milwaukee, WI
MKeUltra

Peter Prescott: guitar, keyboards, voice
Pete Weiss: bass
Keith Seidel: drums

Setlist:
Improv Jam (3:08)
Town Crier (7:48)
Exclusive (4:43)
Id Night (3:50)
Nearo (5:33)
Cookie Data (5:40)
X-Ing (6:36)
On Ice (7:18)

Total time = 44:36

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF on stand
Additional source: mono soundboard feed from Brian Hospital
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (283 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (172 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

video of the band performing in Medford, MA two months prior to this gig:

Garcia Peoples with Mike Bones at the Bur Oak in Madison, Wi on October 17, 2021

In October 2021, Garcia Peoples came to the Bur Oak in Madison to perform with Weak Signal opening. For their final piece they invited the legendary guitarist of Weak Signal, Mike Bones, on the stage for a 20-minute jam. It's a really excellent thundering performance that I have enjoyed listening to many times since.

Unfortunately, onstage equipment issues on prompted a member of the band to request that the rest of my recording of the GP's performance be withheld from circulation, so this is what we have to enjoy.

Purchase the band's music here.

Recording information:

GARCIA PEOPLES with MIKE BONES

2021-10-17

Madison, WI

The Bur Oak

Mike Bones: guitar 

Tom Malach: guitar and voice

Danny Arakaki: guitar and voice

Andy Cush: bass

Pat Gubler keyboards

Cesar Arakaki: drums

Tracklist:

01 Mike Bones Jam (20:14)

Total time = 20:14

Recorded by Richard Hayes with permission

Microphone: Beyerdynamic MC 930 in ORTF

Additional source: mono SBD feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (121 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (57 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

Bitter Wish at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 11, 2024

We continue an exploration of the bands who performed at the 2024 Milwaukee Psych Fest -- the last year that this beloved festival took place -- with this mind-blowing set by Bitter Wish. 

I don't like quoting promotional material, but I thought this description of the band from their Bandcamp page was perfect: "Formed in Philadelphia during the Covid days of fall 2021, Bitter Wish is a psychedelic power trio comprising guitarist John Comune, bassist Clint Takeda (Bardo Pond/Double Wig) and percussionist Scott Verrastro (Kohoutek/Heavy Lidders). While the band doesn't stray far from its Bardo Pond and Kohoutek roots, they incorporate more repetition and minimalism into their fuzzy vibe."

Purchase their music here.

Recording information:

BITTER WISH

2024-05-11

Milwaukee Psych Fest

John Comune: guitar

Clint Takeda: bass

Scott Verrastro: percussion

Setlist:

01 Entire set (43:42)

Total time = 43:42

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes 

Microphones: Line Audio OM1 omni pair

Additional source: mono soundboard feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre3

Software: Audacity, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (260 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (117 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

video of a portion of this performance:

Jackson - Heinemann - Shead Trio at Bar Centro in Milwaukee on August 14, 2025

The Jackson-Heinemann-Shead Trio performed two sets of thoughtful and thrilling jazz at Bar Centro last August as part of a series of concerts promoting their new album Stinger on the Irritable Mystic label.

Keefe Jackson is a tenor saxophonist and clarinetist who moved to Chicago in 2001 from Fayetteville, Arkansas. He is often associated with the free jazz scene in Chicago but (like Josh Berman) seems to have arrived at free improvisation as a progression from a solid grounding in American post-bop jazz rather than from a "burn it all down" European perspective. His soloing is always tasteful and confident and his compositions complex and emotionally expressive.

Hailing from Madison, WI, Jakob Heinemann has recently moved to Los Angeles where he is busy teaching and performing in that growing jazz scene. 

Adam Shead is a busy percussionist in Chicago who leads the group Microplastique and who was featured on this blog with the Stein/Smith/Shead trio.

Buy their most recent album here.

Recording information:

JACKSON - HEINEMANN - SHEAD
2025-08-14
Milwaukee, WI
Bar Centro

Keefe Jackson: tenor sax, bass clarinet
Jakob Heinemann: bass
Adam Shead: drums

Setlist:
01 Dewey’s Tune (6:41)
02 Oles Anders (3:31)
03 Slant (6:40)
04 Yearning (7:16)
05 Silent Danish Girl (5:46)
06 Mushi Miyake (17:22)
07 Raija’s Bop (4:33)
08 God of the Fickle (9:56)
09 1 2 3 4 5 (6:37)
10 March for Mr A (3:22)
11 Unknown (7:13)
12 Unknown (4:43)
13 Easy (6:35)
14 Unknown (3:29)

Total time = 93:44

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Recorder: MixPre6ii
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (628 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (430 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

video of the first part of this performance:

Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon at Acme Records in Milwaukee on April 8, 2017

One of the early uploads to this blog was a late 2017 performance by Tashi Dorji and Tyler Damon at Acme Records. At that time I felt the need to explain who Tashi was and the story behind me discovering his music when he had only one or two releases to his credit. Nine years later, I don't have to educate folks about this Bhutanese free improvising guitarist.

This April 2017 show at Acme was my first chance to see Dorji perform in person, and I wasn't disappointed. This was a lengthy, intense, mind-shattering set of music, sixty-six minutes of free jazz spread over three pieces.

Purchase their music here.

Recording information:

TASHI DORJI

TYLER DAMON

2017-04-08

Milwaukee, WI

Acme Records

Tashi Dorji: guitar

Tyler Damon: percussion

Setlist:

01 Improvisation (16:29)

02 Improvisation (29:03)

03 Improvisation (19:44)

Total time = 65:16

Recorded with artist permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Church CA-14

Recorder: Sony PCM-M10 at 24/44

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (404 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (160 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

 

video of Tashi and Tyler in September 2017 in Bloomington, IN:

Apollo Vermouth at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 6, 2023

Alisa Rodriguez is a Milwaukee-based musician who has been performing under the moniker Apollo Vermouth for several years, along with several other projects including Operations, Sundial Mottos, Dreamsucker, and White Tropics. Her music as Apollo Vermouth is varied and not easily categorized, but I think of it as ambient experimental pop, a genre expanding the perimeters of what can be considered a popular song. There is song structure but with an idiosyncratic approach. Here in this short set she sings and plays guitar over a rhythm track and synthesizers which provide ambient atmosphere.

Alisa is one of the more interesting musicians in the Milwaukee area because of her range and unpredictability. I have recorded her in several contexts and have finally started processing these recordings. I will be sharing more soon.

   

Purchase her music here.

Recording information:

APOLLO VERMOUTH

2023-05-06

Milwaukee Psych Fest

Alisa Rodriguez: guitar, electronics, voice

Setlist:

01 One (3:53)

02 Two (6:41)

03 Three (7:07)

Total time = 17:41

Recorded by Richard Hayes with permission for this blog

Source: Line Audio CM3 stereo pair

Additional source: mono soundboard feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads 

(these will automatically download when you click them):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (116 MB)

these lossless files can be burned to CD, if you are into that sort of thing

320 kbps mp3 files (63 MB)

highest quality mp3 files possible

video of a performance at X-Ray Arcade a few months after this festival:

Garcia Peoples at Judson and Moore in Chicago on April 8, 2023

Garcia Peoples and Chris Forsyth co-headlined a short tour in April 2023 which brought them to (among other cities) Chicago (for two nights), Milwaukee, and Madison. The first night of their Chicago residency is presented here.

The band's name of course brings up associations with a very well known jam band, but I consider the group to be more of a psychedelic rock group with some elements of jamming, which I define as increasingly complicated variations of relative simple chord progressions and melodies. The point of a jam band is the jamming. The Garcia Peoples songs themselves, however, are high quality enough to stand o their own merit.

Purchase their music here.

Recording information:

Garcia Peoples

2023-04-08

Chicago, IL

Judson and Moore Distillery

Danny Arakaki: guitar, vocal

Tom Malach: guitar, vocal

Derek Spaldo: guitar, vocals  

Andy Cush: bass 

Cesar Arakaki: drums

Setlist:

01 Cashing Out - Sigh of Relief (5:06)

02 High Noon Violence (5:57)

03 Fire of the Now (9:02)

04 A Reckoning (11:19)

05 Total Yang (5:34)

06 One at a Time (8:08)

07 Show Your Troubles Out (5:45)

Total time = 50:51

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in NOS

Additional source: mono soundboard feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads (these will automatically download):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (314 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (153 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible

video of the band in Philadelphia a few weeks after this set:

tat songs at MKE-Ultra in Milwaukee on May 10, 2026

Tom Sadler has been releasing music for several years under the moniker tat songs. This Chicago (by way of western Massachusetts) musician often serves up guitar-based experimental pop and improvisations, but for this short set he concentrated on synthesizers and some vocals. The eight relatively short songs were atmospheric (even at times ethereal) but had enough complex rhythms to maintain interest. 

Tom told me that this was his first show in Milwaukee and I certainly hope he returns again soon.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

TAT SONGS
2026-05-10
Milwaukee, WI
MKE-Ultra

Tom Sadler: electronics and vocals

Setlist:
01 Gold Rolex (1:47)
02 Western Lip (5:15)
03 Broken Stream (3:36)
04 Elsa Strum (2:56)
05 Likeness (3:55)
06 Five of Cups (4:51)
07 Ghostwriter Blues (3:39)
08 Get Out (5:15)

Total time = 31:14

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Additional source: mono SBD from Brian Hospital
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads (these will automatically download):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (166 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer at the Falcon Bowl in Milwaukee on October 3, 2025

Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer came to town last October on a short tour opening for the wonderful Bitchin Bahas. They played in the performance room at Falcon Bowl, which is located in Milwaukee's Riverwest neighborhood. The alley first opened in the late 1800s and is one of the oldest continually operating bowling alleys in the country.

They presented a stunning 40-minute continuous set which combined Chiu's suitcase full of analog synthesizers with Honer's viola and percussion, along with field recordings. The music was drawn from their amazing new album on International Anthem, Different Rooms. It was evocative and hypnotic, and I can't wait to see this duo again.

Purchase their most recent album here.

Recording information:

JEREMIAH CHIU

MARTA SOFIA HONER

2025-10-03

Milwaukee, WI

Falcon Bowl

Jeremiah Chiu: synthesizers

Marta Sofia Honer: viola and percussion

Setlist:

01 Entire set (40:34)

Total time = 40:34

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional source: mono soundboard feed

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads (these will automatically download):

  

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (213 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible

a performance in Rome about a week after this set:

Toby Summerfield at MKE-Ultra in Milwaukee on April 23, 2026

I first became aware of Toby Summerfield because of his recent release on the dependably excellent Island House Records label, although he had been active for many years in the Chicago free jazz scene in the early 2000s, working with an impressive roster of musicians such as Jaimie Branch, Frank Rosaly, Josh Berman, Fred Lonberg-Holm and Quin Kirchner, to name a few. 

He came to MKE-Ultra a few weeks back on a solo tour supporting his excellent album on Island House, Bodies of Water. He moved seamlessly between several guitars, culminating with a piece on pedal steel.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

TOBY SUMMERFIELD
2026-04-23
Milwaukee, WI
MKE-Ultra

Toby Summerfield: guitar and pedal steel

Setlist:
01 Post Pond (5:33)
02 The Pools Below Tannery Falls (4:08)
03 Caulk the Wagon and Float It - The North Branch of the Chicago River (4:28)
04 The Dog River (4:22)
05 The Shaker Dam at Reservoir Pond (5:23)
06 Slowly Down the Russian River (2:20)
07 Grant Brook (6:23)

Total time = 32:37

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Additional source: mono soundboard feed
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads (these will automatically download):

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (155 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible