Oh, Hi Summerfest! 2

(Note: To actually SEE the bands playing at 8:00 or 10:00pm, it's wise to get to that stage about 2 to 3 hours in advance of the show to actually get 'seats'. As I'm sure many of you know, the free stages fill up quickly, and some spots are better than others to actually see the music).

onward with my picks of who to see:

Tues, July 1st

3:00pm / Zippo Rock Stage - Muzzy Luctin

Another local Madison favorite, these guys will rock ya face off. Back in the Whitewater days when MTV thought it would be a good idea to 'invade' a small school of 10,000 bored college students with Hoobastank, Muzzy Luctin opened up for the 'stank on short notice when Everclear cancelled. They were good. Not sure if they have any new stuff out, but go check up on them anyways.

8:00pm / Zippo Rock Stage - Red

These guys have great melody. They do. Crushing guitars paired with piano & violin (probably not included in their live shows). Really liking this band as of late. Curious to see how their live show might be. Hopefully looking to actually go to this Tues night. Followed by an old fav of mine...

10:00pm / Harley Roadhouse Stage - O.A.R.

O.A.R. has been playing 'Crazy Game of Poker' for what seems like a decade now. And I'm fine with it. I've seen them 4 times, and they bring something different to every live show they do. Label them all you want, but this isn't just a stoner frat-college band anymore. These guys have to be in their 30's and still are making great records. I'm not sure how often this happens, but they are headlining Wednesday night as well.

Wed, July 2nd

2:30pm / Zippo Rock Stage - Marashino

Local Milwaukee favorites start your afternoon out right with some hard rock sounds, and if you're normal - grab a beer or ten and hang out in the sun. A local band that actually might go somewhere if they could get a break.

7:00pm / Miller Lite Oasis - Mt. Olive

Always heard good things about this band...but I've never actually seen them. Summerfest just may be the place to break my Olive Cherry. Lol that sounds ridiculous. Miller Lite Oasis stage area has also been renovated I think, so it would be nice to check that out too.

10:00pm / Harley Roadhouse Stage - Crystal Method (Dj Set)

While my buddy Tom (from Jake gets his Sobriety Tested) will be jammin out to Coheed & Cambria playing on the Miller Lite Oasis stage during this time, I'll hopefully be wasted and dancing with glowsticks and club kids to a dj set from the Crystal Method. 90's pioneers in mainstream techno music, TCM should be a crowd pleaser for the electronica fans in WI (they're out there, right?) I question the stage they were put on (nothing goes together like Harley Motorcycles & Dance Music), but by the time 10pm rolls around, I'm guessing all the 'adults' will clear out when they hear Dieselboy take the stage at 8pm...

Thurs, July 3rd

Another disappointing night for me, music-wise. Only 3 bands I would really consider going to see. Had I been attending every day of Summerfest until this point, this would be my day off.

Alas...

6:00pm / Briggs & Stratton Stage - Slumpbuster Ft. KB

LOL. Another hilarious name. Slumpbuster & Roshambo should get together & jam for awhile. Anyways, I'm wondering if this "KB" is KB from 96.5 WKLH, a hilarious morning radio personality for a classic rock station. Would be great to see him rock for awhile. I haven't done my research, but I'm guessing it's him.

8:00pm / US Cellular Stage - Ludo

Just discovered this band the other day. Harmless pop music from this group. I think they have a single on the radio. It's catchy, but a tad too teenybopperish. If I was surrounded by teenagers as the show started, I'd move on to get a spot at one of the other stages for a 10:00 show. But not after getting some phone numbers first. I mean...what?

10:00pm / Miller Lite Oasis - Thievery Corporation

This was a toss up for me. I'm going with the lesser known band, and hopefully the stage with less people. Kansas is also playing at this time, so if I were actually there, I'd have to toss a coin to figure out who to go see. I'm intrigued by Thievery Corporations live show. A downtempo/jazz outfit from overseas, I'm guessing they actually play instruments for their live shows. Either way, it would be a relaxing way to end the night after getting some Cheese Curds from...well, anywhere.

Fri, July 4th

I'll be at a wedding. On Independence Day. July 4th. But if I wasn't there, I'd be watching fireworks light up the sky during the midnight hour (I think?). For the 4th of July, there's not too many bands I'd like to see on this night. Except for one, MAJOR BEHEMOTH of a band. That band is...

7:30pm / Marcus Amphitheater - Stone Temple Pilots (opener: Black Francis - Frank Black of the Pixies)

AOHHAHHDFDJkasd what a shooow. I would see this in a heartbeat. Will Scott Weiland be fucked up enough to not pronounce a single lyric correctly? I wish I could find out. I'm sure plenty of other Milwaukeeans will see this, and I'll hear about it later.

Other bands playing the headlining hour: The Roots, Goldfinger, Less than Jake, Phil Lesh & Friends, Slightly Stoopid, and Five Finger Deathpunch.

Sat, July 5th

I can tell you what I will be doing today. I have tickets for

8:00pm - Marcus Amphitheater - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

A tradition with some high school friends started long ago. Every summer, we get obliterated and sit in the grass seats for Tom Petty. It's just what we do. Tom Petty is so old that he & Keith Richards smoke cockroaches together. He looks like a skeleton's skeleton. If that makes any sense. But no matter how toasted we all get, we all still know the lyrics to basically every song he plays. It's always just a great time. Can't wait to go again this year. Stevie Winwood opens, too! Time for some Higher Love, baby!

Sun, July 6th

10:00pm / Miller Lite Oasis - 311

Even though The Bravery is playing on the US Cellular Stage at this time, I've been a huge fan of 311 for some time now, and have STILL not seen them. Last year when I went, it rained for 4 straight hours prior to the show, and there was not an open crevice in the crowd AT ALL. We tried to snake around places to see the stage, to no avail. It's another thing I'd like to do before I turn 25. The fact that I still haven't seen 311 makes me feel like theres a void in my soul somewhere. I think I may actually go to this (if my body can even function this soon after Petty) and stake out a spot around the 5:00 hour. One of my favorite bands of all time. It had to be said.

And that's it. The end of Summerfest. The world's largest music festival. Again, any information you need can be found at http://www.summerfest.com/ .