David Lord at MKeUltra in Milwaukee on July 20, 2026

David Lord is a fascinating guitarist and composer who straddles the line between jazz and composed modern classical guitar music in a way that fascinates me. His compositions are often brief, sometimes with the spare directness of a Webern piece and sometimes with a full serving of effusive and dynamic joy.

This blog was fortunate enough to cover his spectacular St Patrick's Day 2024 appearance at the Jazz Gallery, performing before Andrew Trim's group Hanami. This appearance at MKeUltra also included Trim -- in fact the final piece on this recording is an improvised duet with the two guitarists.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

DAVID LORD


2026-07-20
Milwaukee, WI
MKeUltra

David Lord: guitar
Andrew Trim: guitar (track 8 only)

Setlist:
01 Wolf’s Milk Slime Mold / Brush Footed Butterfly (6:41)
02 Old Man of the Woods (3:32)
03 Mossy Maze Polypore / Tapering Russula (7:16)
04 The Forest Butterfly (3:23)
05 Humble Mushroom (3:39)
06 Amethyst Deceiver (2:59)
07 Crown Rust (2:08)
08 Rabbit Hole (8:44)

Total time = 38:22

Recorded with kind permission of the artists by Richard Hayes for the blog www.milwaukeetaper.com

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional source: Soundboard feed from Andy
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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video of David performing at Elastic in Chicago in March 2024:

Spain at MKeUltra in Milwaukee on September 19, 2026

Spain is an emo/punk trio from Kingston, NY who came through Milwaukee last Saturday on a week-long, mostly-Midwest tour. 

A recent online article describes the band's sound:

"Unhinged, needling, vicious screamo that somehow leaves a surprising amount of room for slower passages, mostly so it can build something properly horrible before drilling back into your skull like that scene in the legendary Pi movie. Then it loosens its grip for a second, gives you some air, and goes straight back into the spasms and all that raw nerve damage that fierce '90s and '00s screamo was built on."

Their four song set was a delight -- only a bit unhinged and not at all vicious in my opinion -- and at 19 minutes, much too brief. Hopefully they can visit the Cream City again.

Purchase their album here.

     

Recording information:

SPAIN

2026-09-19

Milwaukee, WI

MKeUltra

Lorraine Salisbury: guitar and vocals.

Lynn Tuimil: bass

Sofia Peeters: drums

Setlist:

01 Excess (6:07)

02 ??? (2:05)

03 Orange Cloud Over Oneida (4:52)

04 50 Pound Parasol (4:28)

05 In Absentia (1:19)

Total time = 18:51

Recorded with kind permission of the band by Richard Hayes for this blog 

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in wide ORTF

Additional source: soundboard feed from Brian Hospital

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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320 kbps mp3 files (61 MB)

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Voocokesh at MKeUltra in Milwaukee on December 27, 2025

My third recording of Milwaukee psych rock legends Vocokesh is now ready to be shared. Richard Franecki and his trio came to MKeUltra for an evening filled with experimental avantgarde music and the improvising psych rockers of Vocokesh fit perfectly with the other bands on the bill. 

Interestingly, their first song of the set was a radical and extensive reworking of the title track from Pink Floyd's second album, something that barely registered with me at the show.

Purchase their most recent album here.

Recording information:

VOCOKESH
2025-12-27
Milwaukee, WI
MKE-Ultra

Richard Franecki: guitar
Tom Schnier: bass
Jim Gawelski: drums

Setlist:
01 A Saucerful of Secrets (19:10)
02 Two (5:04)
03 Three (7:18)
04 Four (8:00)

Total time = 39:32

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

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

audio downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (262MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (123 MB)

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video of the band at the 2024 Milwaukee Psych Fest:

Knifeplay at MKeUltra in Milwaukee on April 30, 2026

Knifeplay came through Milwaukee on tour a few months ago and stopped at MKeUltra for a compact, melodic set. This shoegaze band formed in 2017 in Philadelphia and has released two studio albums, a live cassette, and a handful of EPs since. I thought it was a really excellent set of music and I'm looking forward to seeing them the next time they are on tour in the Midwest.

Purchase their latest album here.

Recording information:

KNIFEPLAY

2026-04-30

Milwaukee, WI

MKE-Ultra

TJ Strohmer: vocals, guitar

Johanna Baumann: guitar, vocals

Dennis Martiniello: guitar

Max Black: keyboards

Alex Stackhouse: bass 

Nora Maupin: drums 

Setlist:

01 Unreleased 1 (7:20)

02 Agonizing Mountain (8:42)

03 Promise (6:03)

04 Unreleased 2 (8:29)

05 Interlude 1 (1:23)

06 Lord, Where are You? (8:56)

07 Interlude 2 (1:13)

08 Tears (5:19)

Toal time = 47:25

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional source: mono soundboard feed from Andy W

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

audio downloads 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (257 MB)

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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 -- drummer Keith Seidel and recent addition Pete Weiss on bass. 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 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (283 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (172 MB)

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

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)

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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)

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320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

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Luke Schneider at MKE-Ultra in Milwaukee on May 6, 2026

Almost exactly two years ago I recorded Luke Schneider performing a lovely set at the 2024 Milwaukee Psych Fest. He returned to Milwaukee a few days ago to perform in the warm confines of MKE-Ultra. Once again, this was an absolutely beautiful set of ambient music where the audience was encouraged to sit down and absorb the vibrations. 

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (215 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (109 MB)

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video of a performance Los Angeles in August 2025: