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 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (404 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (160 MB)

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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 

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16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (116 MB)

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320 kbps mp3 files (63 MB)

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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)

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320 kbps mp3 files (153 MB)

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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)

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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)

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320 kbps mp3 files (100 MB)

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a performance in Rome about a week after this set:

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

I first heard 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:

Michael Vallera at Cactus Club in Milwaukee on January 6, 2025

Back in January of last year when Ryley Walker brought his band to the Cactus Club, he asked guitarist Michael Vallera to open the concert. Vallera's very textured sonic dronescapes were a welcome sound to these ears. Since then he has released a collaboration with Lee Ranaldo which has raised his visibility somewhat. 

This adventurous set was a delight and I am very happy that Michael agreed to let me post my recording.

Purchase his most recent album here.

Recording information:

MICHAEL VALLERA

2025-01-06

Milwaukee, WI

The Cactus Club

Opening for Ryley Walker

Michael Vallera: guitar

Setlist:

01 First (11:59)

02 Second (8:30)

Total time = 20:29

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional Source: SBD feed from Alex

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (107 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (86 MB)

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Dryhouse Ruins at MKE-Ultra in Milwaukee on April 23, 2026

A few weeks ago we had another chance to catch up with local drone legends Dryhouse Ruins at MKE-Ultra. As expected, there was a lot of interesting improvisation happening with this band. Each member has been in several Milwaukee bands going back to the late 1980s and it was a delight chatting with a lot of local musicians at the club who were in attendance and supporting their friends in the band.

Purchase their most recent release here.

Recording information:

DRYHOUSE RUINS
2026-04-23
Milwaukee, WI
Milwaukee-Ultra

Jeff Mitchell: guitar

Jim Warchol: guitar
Damian Strigens: bass
Ben Derickson: drums

Setlist:
01 One (19:11)
02 Two (12:09

Total time = 31:20

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF
Additional source: mono SBD (kick drums)
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (170 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (90 MB)

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Badman at Cactus Club in Milwaukee on September 25, 2025

Badman gave a very energetic set while opening for Wife at Cactus Club last September. Vocalist Sam Califf ran into the crowd several times while frenetically singing their short songs. It was a fun experience and a sign that punk is thriving in their hometown of Cincinnati.

Madison-based rock poet Thax Douglas provided a short impressionistic poem to kick off the set.

Purchase their most recent release here.

Recording information:

Badman

2025-09-25

Milwaukee, WI

Cactus Club

Sam Califf: vocals 

Nino Hernandez: guitar 

Spyder: bass 

Nic Preston: drums

Setlist:

01 Poem by Thax Douglas (0:24)

02 Violence Is Hopeless (1:53)

03 Tuesdays Really Are the Dullest Day (2:29)

04 Uber Everywhere (2:03)

05 Your Problem (2:59)

06 Like Snow (2:46)

07 Steampunk II (2:01)

08 Sam’s Song (1:23)

09 Wow I Didn’t Know They Could Do That -> Bowl To Scare (3:18)

10 Stupid Look (1:47)

11 Jesus Was American (2:26)

12 Somebody’s Gotta Pay (1:06)

13 Keyboard Cowboy (1:32)

Total time = 26:07

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in ORTF

Additional source: SBD feed from Alex

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (180 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (90 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible

video of a performance in April 2025: