Back from a few days at Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI. Being from the Milwaukee area originally, I’ve been going to Summerfest as long as I can remember and I can tell you that it never disappoints. Neither did the 60 bands that booked their Summerfest gig on Sonicbids this year.
Summerfest truly has something for everyone. Loads of festivals say it, but Summerfest really means it. This year, the lineup boasted seasoned pros like Eric Clapton and pop stars like Justin Bieber, all the way to niche performers like cover bands, Celtic musicians, comedians and more.
When I go, I like to hang around the US Cellular Stage and the CoolTV Rock Stage (formerly known as the Zippo Rock Stage), where they feature tons of emerging artists during the day. I checked out some catchy tunes by Asteria and then some serious face melting rock from the dudes of 9mm SOLUTION. If you’re a hip-hop fan, groups like The Lab Experiment warmed up the stage before Public Enemy played Friday night (side note: how ridiculously cool would it be to support Public Enemy if you’re an indie hip-hop group?)
I really mean it when I say that every band I saw there was quality, but of course I have some personal favorites:
Dynasty Electric from Brooklyn, NY. I’m a sucker for music with energy and a theremin. These guys have both. And lots of it.
20 Reasons Taken from Milwaukee, WI. Just a real solid rock band here. No joke, the drummer, Brad Schwechel, was one of the finest I’ve ever seen live.
Erin Martin from Chicago, IL. Erin has a great voice, a unique vocal style, and has some serious songwriting skills. She also happens to be totally gorgeous. Some girls have it all (sigh!).
I also got to check out Passion Pit, who formed in Boston and a band I’ve gotten to see progress over the past few years. Was awesome to see them headline at SF with a great lightshow and the whole ka-bang. The crowd absolutely loved them and that’s always fun to experience.
Jealous of all the cool bands I got to see? You’re in luck. Summerfest is still going on and lasts until July 4th. If you’re in the area, make it a point to head there and check it out. Looks like fantastic weather.
See some photos below and some more on our Facebook.