It is rare to have a good concert on a Monday night in Milwaukee. On Monday there were two shows to choose from; indie super group Martha's Vineyard Ferries or the Foals. I choose Martha's Vineyard Ferries because of: a). the band features members from Shellac, Volcano Suns, Come, and Codeine and b) I'm not sure who the Foals are. Apparently the young Milwaukee hipster crowd picked the Foals. The twenty people who made it to the Cactus Club witnessed one of the best shows to come to Milwaukee this year (so far). Martha's Vineyard Ferries band members are Elisha Wiesner, Bob Weston, and Chris Brokaw. This performance was classic college 80's rock. Songs of two to three minute power-punk pop with big hooks, angular guitar and cranked up bass. The bass was dominant, filling the entire room, giving it a much bigger sound. You can definitely hear each individual's past band influences in the music. The trio shared lead vocals, which gave a nice variety of musical influences. Mr. Wiesner's songs were more power pop and quirky, reminding me of Big Dipper, if they played heavier. Mr. Weston displayed more of a harder garage influence during his selections. Mr. Brokaw sung only one song of the night, but it complemented the collection. I asked Chris Brokaw about the set and the future of the band. He said they played four older songs, the four from the ep (In The Pond – Sickroom Records) and some new songs. He added they were going to record some new songs soon and possibly release a full length album in the future. I look forward in hearing more from this band and hope they return to Milwaukee soon.
Reporting for MOTORCITYBLOG on all things Milwaukee - Scott Sabatke
