Part Chimp at Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee on May 24, 2024

Part Chimp is an experimental noise rock band from London, England (formed in 2000) who made a rare US appearance at Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee as part of Minneapolis' Caterwaul Festival. I was primarily at the show to record the Isolation Tank Ensemble (a Louisville, KY-based "trash prog" band) but was very surprised at the how great the other groups (such as Part Chimp) were at this mini-fest. I'm happy the band allowed me to post this recording and I hope they are able to return to the US soon. 

Buy their most recent album here.

Recording information:

PART CHIMP
2024-05-24
Milwaukee, WI
Club Garibaldi

Tim Cedar: guitar and vocal
Iain Hinchliffe: guitar
Joe Mclaughlin: bass
Jon Hamilton: drums

Setlist:
01 One in the Eye (3:35)
02 Back From The Dead (3:02)
03 Solid Gone - USisA (7:35)
04 Namekuji (4:09)
05 Mapoleon (3:06)
06 Drool - Up With Notes (8:26)
07 Worms (4:01)
08 Trad (5:05)
09 30,000,000,000,000,000 People (6:26)

Total time = 45:25

Recorded by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Beyerdynamic MC930 in ORTF
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (301 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (124 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible

video of their performance at Caterwaul the next day in Minneapolis:

Isolation Tank Ensemble at MKE Ultra in Milwaukee on June 24, 2025

Isolation Tank Ensemble is a Louisville-based instrumental progressive rock band who came though Milwaukee on a week-long midwest tour a few weeks ago. 

They describe they sound as "trash prog" which I think is meant to eliminate any comparisons to gentle prog groups like Yes. Rather I think of them as long-lost cousins to 1972-74 King Crimson. A lot of the titles seem to reference water, as does their name, of course.

I first encountered the band at a music festival last year at Club Garibaldi -- an offshoot of Minneapolis' Caterwaul Festival. They were one of the highlights of that festival, so I made sure to catch up with them on this tour.

This time the group came to a fairly new venue in Milwaukee, the artist-run venue known as MKE Ultra -- whose name is a play on the infamous series of CIA experiments in the 1960s known by its code name MKUltra. This is an extremely charming venue that I hope to visit many times in the future. Locals should check out their website and take a chance on a show.

Purchase their new album here.

Recording information:

ISOLATION TANK ENSEMBLE
2025-06-24
Milwaukee, WI 

MKE Ultra

Mateo Barnett: mandolin
Andrew Allen: guitar
Kirstyn Blandy: violin
Matthew Clayton: keyboards
Richard Herrell: bass
Lamar Cornett: drums

Tracklist:

01 The Oceans Wake (8:09)
02 March Of The War Mage (6:34)
03 Challenger Deep (5:08)
04 Changeling (6:00)
05 Cavaliere del Deserto (3:40)
06 Unfathomable (4:52)
07 Hark! (7:07)

Total time = 41:30

Recorded with permission by Richard Hayes for this blog

Microphones: Line Audio CM3 pair in NOS about 6 feet in front of band
Recorder: Sound Devices MixPre6ii at 32/96
Software: Audacity, Fission, xAct

downloads:

16bit, 44.1 kHz FLAC files (288 MB)

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

320 kbps mp3 files (141 MB)

highest quality lossy mp3 files possible 

check them out in this live recording from 2022: