When people think of Milwaukee, they immediately think of
beer, cheese, and the Packers. It is infrequently thought of as a cultural hub
for music. An out-of-towner would never suspect that Milwaukee is a great city
to live in if you love rock and roll. We have tons of venues for shows, both
organized and DIY. I can think of at least six independent music stores off the
top of my head within 30 minutes from my house. Our radio stations go above and
beyond to promote local musicians and create a closeness among Milwaukee music
fans. The music scene is on the smaller side, meaning that shows typically
foster a comfortable, intimate environment for both fans and performers.
A city that appreciates music so much is naturally home to a
large population of musicians. Artists of many genres reside in Milwaukee, but
rock musicians make up the vast majority. There are many bands in this city who
I think have potential to “make it” (as big as a Midwestern rock band can make
it in 2016). There are also quite a few that are, in my opinion, not quite as
great as local music writers make them out to be.
An issue I have noticed throughout Milwaukee music culture
is the lack of constructive criticism that is given to artists. Of course,
there are many Milwaukee bands that I am slightly obsessed with and think are
insanely talented. A small part of me doesn’t even want them to achieve major
success because I don’t want them to leave this city. That being said, for
every one band I am obsessed with, there are two that I don’t believe live up
to their local (and once in a while, national) hype.
Few bands from Milwaukee ever achieve anything close to
mainstream success. The most famous band to ever emerge from Milwaukee is ‘80s post
punk band Violent Femmes. Other notable groups include hardcore cult favorite
Die Kreuzen and indie rockers Field Report. I personally believe the reason
that so few bands escape the Milwaukee bubble is because they are never given
any constructive criticism. They are never told what they need to improve on,
and therefore they never get better. A few of the Milwaukee bands that I like
also suffer the consequences of sugar coating. They might be talented
musicians, but are lacking in stage presence, social media skills, or other
important non-music traits that a musician needs to be successful.
I observe the music scene as an outsider. I may have a few
friends in bands, but I definitely feel like I am looking into a fishbowl due
to my age and lack of social connections (friends). The music scene is fairly
small, meaning it is very close knit and cliquey. Understandably, everybody is
friends with everybody. No one wants to say anything negative about their
friends’ band. Politeness is a trait that very few Milwaukee residents are
lacking. While this may be to our benefit the majority of the time, I do not
think that being sweet as frozen custard is helping very many local
musicians.
Because so many musicians are friendly with local music
writers, very few negative things are ever said about Milwaukee bands. I get it
- nobody wants to look like the bad guy. However, I don’t understand how a
musician is supposed to grow if they are never told what they need to work on.
Local publications sing high
praises for nearly every band who lives within the 414 area code. I love that
the music scene is full of such positivity, and I like to think that if I ever
get a band together, people will be very welcoming and kind to me. While I am
all about supporting local musicians, I do not think that telling every band
that they are great is the way to do it. Every band has potential, but I don’t
believe that their potential is being reached if they are remaining stagnant.
