Frank Hurricane at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 11, 2024

Frank Hurricane came to the outside stage of the 2024 Milwaukee Psych Fest and immediately captured the attention of the crowd with his unstinting positivity and psychedelic take on freak folk. 

At first, as I was watching him perform, I wasn't sure exactly what to think. He was alternating wild, rambling and hilarious spoken passages with wonderful and soulful folk songs. After a few minutes I realized that I was in the presence of a truly unique talent. 

Members of several of the bands performing later were hanging around outside with me, beaming and soaking in every note. Frank's immense humanity and positivity captivated me and I was so happy that this recording came out as well as it did.

Purchase his latest album here

Recording information:

FRANK HURRICANE

2024-05-11

Milwaukee Psych Fest

Frank Hurricane: acoustic guitar and voice

Setlist:

01 Intro

02 Instrumental

03 Eternal Friend

04 Questions

05 Intro to Girthworm Jim

06 Girthworm Jim

07 Banter - Kyle

08 Like A Star

09 Down in Dark Holler

10 Darkness

11 Unknown

12 Sneedville Blues

Total time = 42:30

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in X-Y

Additional source: Excellent SBD feed via Max Nemer

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre3 at 24/96

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (282 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (168 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

video of Frank performing in Philadelphia a few months after this show:

Rich Ruth at Thawed Out Fest in Chicago on April 26, 2025

We continue our exploration of the recordings made at the wonderful Thawed Out Fest which occurred at the iO Theater in Chicago in late April of this year. Up next is a brilliant set by a quartet led by Nashville-based composer and bandleader Rich Ruth.

The music had elements of New Age, Space Jazz, psychedelia, and kosmiche, and the virtuosity on stage definitely warmed up the by-now quite chilly evening air.

Purchase his newest album here.

        

Recording information:

RICH RUTH

2025-04-26

Chicago, IL
Thawed Out Fest

Rich Ruth: guitar and keyboards
Sam Que: soprano saxophone
Taro Yamazaki: bass
Taylor Floreth: drums

Setlist:
01 Heavy & Earthbound (6:41)
02 Taken Back (6:31)
03 Haynes Manor (5:24)
04 Crying In The Trees (6:45)
05 Marina (8:27)
06 Older But Not Less Confused - It’s The Water - Desensitization and Reprocessing (22:09)

Total time = 55:57

Recorded with artist permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF
Additional source: mono SBD feed
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre3 at 24/48
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (311 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (171 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

video of the band at Zebulon in Los Angeles a month after this show:

All-Seeing Eyes at the Milwaukee Psych Fest on May 6, 2023

I was delighted to be able to see the band All-Seeing Eyes when they brought their garage rock-infused psychedelia to the Cooperage in Milwaukee in May 2023, playing a late afternoon set as part of the annual Milwaukee Psych Fest.

The band is led by guitarist Johnny Wirick, who performs as "Johnny Walker." His past includes a stint in the Soledad Brothers (which he helped form) as well as singing for the 2003 MC5 reunion tour. He played guitar on the first White Stripes album and also did session work for the Detroit Cobras. Interestingly enough, he now practices psychiatry near Cincinnati, OH.

Buy their newest album here.

Recording information:

ALL-SEEING EYES

2023-05-06

Milwaukee, WI at the Cooperage

2023 Milwaukee Psych Fest

Johnny Walker: guitar and harmonica

Kane Kitchen: bass

Lance Kaufman: drums

Setlist:

01 Soul to Waste (5:15)

02 Cage That Tiger (4:41)

03 Diddy Wah Diddy [Bo Diddley] (3:37)

04 Somnambulance (2:26)

05 The Wizard (3:48)

06 Brick by Brick - Terraplane Blues (3:08)

07 Blue Cashmere (3:13)

08 Black to Comm [MC5] (6:16)

09 Elevation (2:05)

10 Walk (2:34)

11 Gospel According to John (6:26)

Total time = 43:29

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 in NOS

Additional source: SBD

Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii

Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (265 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (148 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

video of All-Seeing Eyes performing in Cincinnati later in 2023: