It’s a far cry from Halloween celebrations a few years ago, which sometimes ended with vandalism, and police bringing out the pepper spray. The mix of live entertainment with a more controlled environment and an admission charge seems to have done the trick in making for a party that’s fun without getting too crazy.

Tickets are $8 in advance and $12 at the gates, which open up at 7pm.

There’s a big costume contest as well, with judging next to the North Frances Street stage between 11pm and midnight. A word of warning from police..all dangerous props will be confiscated. So that means leave the swords and Ninja throwing stars at home.

The music lineup this year includes Neon Trees, Locksley and All Time Low. Here’s a preview.

Chances are, Ray Davies will sing it for you Sunday November 6th when he plays the Barrymore Theatre.

I’ve never been lucky enough to see the Kinks, but I have had the opportunity to see Ray Davies live three times, and he does not disappoint. The guy can still sing and entertain..demonstrating that he’s still got what it takes to be a fantastic frontman.

The first time I saw him was probably more than a decade ago when he was on his Storyteller tour. That show was also at the Barrymore. The small but devoted audience got to hear all the great Kinks songs..and the stories that went with them. How did his brother Dave Davies get that signature tone on “You Really Got Me?” He stuck a knife in his amplifier. And all the stories were told with wit and passion.

I got to see Ray again  when he played the Barrymore to start off a 2006 U.S. tour, and then later in the tour at Summerfest. Mike and I sat right next to the soundboard at the Barrymore show, so we could see the setlist..and it was a great one! He included lots of hits, some chestnuts for hardcore fans, as well as songs from his new album…and those were great too!

He’s funny, he’s a talented songwriter and performer..and he has more charisma than the average Well Respected Man. If you’re a Kinks fan and have never seen him before..make sure you see this show. If you have seen him before, chances are you’ve already bought your tickets.

–Previewed by Kitty Dunn

If you’ve never been to the Willy Street Fair, you’ve really got to check it out. It’s a bittersweet thing, because it means the end of summer. But it’s a party like no other.  There will be entertainment on ten stages over two days, plus food and beverage vendors, street performances, and a parade that could only happen on Willy Street!

For the 3rd year, the Willy Street Fair teams up with the Wisconsin Union Theatre and the World Music Festival to bring acts from around the world to Madison on Saturday.  New this year..free Greyhound bus shuttles from campus to the fair on Saturday.

Here’s the entertainment lineup for 2011:

Saturday, September 17 / 1:45 pm to 9:00 pm, 900/1000 block of Williamson Street

Main Stage
1:45 Luisa Maita
3:30 Marco Calliari
5:30 Sergent Garcia
7:30 Bomba Estereo

3:00 & 5:00 pm Dragon Knights Grounds Parade

Folk stage
2:00 Blake Thomas and Josh Harty
3:30 Eric Schwartz
5:30 Cris Plata

Madcat Electronic/DJ Stage
2:00-7:00 Local/Regional Electronic/DJ Performers
7:00 East Coast/West Coast Legend, Dr. Dunks

Sunday, September 18 / 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, 800, 900 and 1000 blocks of williamson street
Willy street fair parade: 11:00 am

Main stage
1:00 Emmettville
2:30 the Midwesterners
4:00 Bumpus
5:45 the Kissers

Kid’s Stage
1:00 Mad Rollin’ Dolls Demonstration
2:00 Wil-Mar Teen Fashion Show
3:00 Madgadders
4:00 EMCC BreakDancers
5:00 Truly Remarkable Loon
6:30 Willy Street Fair Raffle

Culture Stage
11:45 Yid Vicious
1:00 Cajun Strangers
2:00 Sadira and the Riad Dance Company
2:45 An Blas Quartet
3:50 Xtring
4:55 Atimevu Drum and Dance
6:00 Charanga Agosa

WORT Underground Stage
12:00 Whitney Mann (& Band)
1:10 Roboman
2:20 the Shabelles
3:30 Venus In Furs
4:40 Weapons of Mass DeFunktion
5:50 (From Toronto, Canada) The Sadies

Folk Stage
12:00 Small Potatoes
2:00 Bret & Frisk
3:30 Bill & Kate isles
5:00 Moonhouse

Queenie & The Blue Cats

What are you doing on Sunday afternoon? Head to the High Noon Saloon to catch some great live music, and support the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Dane County.

Here’s an interesting twist–each of the bands performing at the Rock ‘n Blues concert has one member who works in the Meriter Hospital Adults Psychiatry Unit.

Here’s the lineup:

1pm Mud Room, a rock band featuring Dr. Tyler Rickers singing and playing lead guitar

1:30pm Queenie & The Blue Cats, blues and funk featuring Bill Cheadle, a Meriter Adult Psychiatry Clinical Specialist on drums.

4pm Bonobo Secret Handshake, socially motivated rock funk and blues, with Meriter Adult Psychiatry Mental Health Specialist Teresa Nyholt as singer. Two doctors add to the mix as well, David Melnick and Scott Meskin.

5:30pm:  Jam session!

It’s just $7 for tickets if you buy them in advance, or $10 at the door.

More info here.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness, and was founded right here in Dane County. NAMI Dane County provides free support meetings, educational meetings, a resource library and more.

It was an extremely warm afternoon in Madison, but folks looking for entertainment and camaraderie got what they were looking for at Atwood Summerfest on Saturday!

And it was all for a good cause..the Goodman Community Center.

VO5!

That's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it

The Jimmys

Heat 1, Jimmy 0

Cool cats enjoying last year's festival

This is one of Madison’s great summer festivals, with tasty food, refreshing beverages..and great live music.  Local bands make up this year’s lineup, with a little something for everybody.

Proceeds benefit the Goodman Community Center (which used to be the Atwood Community Center). They’ve got great programs for kids and adults and really do great work. This is one of their major fundraisers, so let’s hope it’s a big success.

Now I know it’s going to be HOT this weekend, but here’s another great thing about this festival. It’s located within convenient walking distance of several air conditioned bars.

Here’s the lineup for 2011!

Harmony Bar / Capital Brewery BLUES Stage
12:00 pm The Roddys: a duo that mixes country with the blues
1:10 pm Cris Plata and Extra Hot: original Tex Mex
2:20 pm Sigourney Weavers:  original rock/alternative
3:30 pm David Hecht and Primitive Culture: funk, blues, tropical
4:40 pm Kyle Henderson and Blue Eyed Soul: soul & blues from an original member of the Producers
5:50 pm The Jimmys: 8-piece Chicago style blues led by rock-n-roll farmer Jimmy Voegeli

Maximum Ink / Ale Asylum ROCK Stage:
12:00 pm Unity the Band: reggae
1:20 pm Lova Nova: get your groove on
2:40 pm Soul Shaker: rock n roll, blues
4:00 pm Baghdad Scuba Review: progressive rock
5:30 pm VO5: funk/disco/dance

The opening of the video for Circulation features what looks like a young Patti Smith. Moore has long been a fan of Smith’s. Check out this 1996 interview he did with her. It gives some great insight on both artists.

Thurston Moore performs at the High Noon Saloon tomorrow night. Hush Arbors, signed to Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label open the show at 9:30p.

Although the album was recorded in a makeshift studio carved out of the gymnasium of a local church…according to Rolling Stone, the new record features “trippy keyboards, twisted pop hooks and fuzzed-out guitar attacks,” and “feels like the culmination of the sonic adventures the band began with 2005’s ‘Z’ — while also capturing the power and dynamics that have made MMJ one of the greatest live bands of their generation.”

Check out this video of the band performing on Conan – the enjoyably daft Holding on to Black Metal suggests Evil Urges lurks in the band’s DNA – but the addition of a teen choir and the horns creates an almost transcendental sound.

Wed. June 29:
The Nod 3pm at the Cascio Music Stage. Garage rock from Madison. Find out why Rob Thomas of 77 Square says their music is smart and jangly pop reminiscent of Cake or Spoon.

Thurs. June 30
Mighty Short Bus noon at the Briggs & Stratton Stage. See Project M champ Frank Busch in his natural element..on stage with his band.

The Jimmy’s, 2pm at the Briggs & Stratton Stage. A great blues band featuring our favorite rock n roll farmer, Jimmy Voegeli

Bascom Hill, 5pm at the Miller Oasis. More great Madison music!

Friday July 1:
Big Bob & the Ballroom Blitz with Greg Koch, 4pm at the Harley Davidson Stage. Greg Koch just might be the best guitar player in  WI.             Check this show out and experience real gristle!

Saturday July 2
M & I Employee Party, Noon at the Classic Rock Stage. What? That’s not a band name?

Sunday July 3
De La Buena 6pm at the Harley Davidson Stage.  Danceable Afro-Cuban Latin Jazz. Say hi to Jeremy, the drummer. He used to work at Triple M!

Monday July 4
Summerfest is closed. What’s up with that?

Tuesday July 5
Elusive Parallelograms 6pm at the Cascio Music Stage. That just might be the coolest band name ever! They play alternative experimental pop rock.

Wednesday July 6
Mike Droho & The Compass Rose, 6pm at the Cascio Music Stage. Hey  it’s Season One Project M winner Mike Droho! Woo hoo!

Thursday July 7
Locksley, 3pm at the Rock Stage. Little Steven loves ‘em, they’re on tons of commercials..and they’re from Madison!

Friday July 8
Sue DeBaco & The Double Down 6pm at the Potawatomi Stage. How about a little blues for your evening listening pleasure?

Saturday July 9
Pat McCurdy 5pm at the Briggs and Stratton Stage. How about a little Sex & Beer everybody?

Sunday July 10
Daniel & The Lion, 4:30 at the Cascio Music Stage.  Featuring another Project M winner, Jimmie Linville. It’s a Summerfest Trifecta!

The Avett Brothers sold-out show at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre on July 9th will be broadcast live via satellite to the band’s hometown of Concord, NC on the planets largest HDTV screen.  AEG Network LIVE is responsible for producing and shooting the entire event in HD & delivering it via iClips to Charlotte Motor Speedway.  Charlotte Motor Speedway, home to the massive 80′ x 200′ Panasonic HDTV, will host Avett Brothers fans from near and far for a chance to be part of this exciting show as it happens live.  Fans who can’t make it to Colorado or North Carolina on July 9 will be able to stream the show on iclips.net.

The live simulcast will give the Avett Brothers’ rabid local fan base the opportunity to view their historical show from Red Rocks on the speedway’s massive HD video board.  Tickets for this one-of-a-kind concert venue experience are on sale now and can be purchased at the speedway ticket office or by calling 1-800-455-FANS(3276).  Tickets are only $10 until July 1, when they will increase to $15 until July 8.  If purchased the day of the event, they will cost $20.

If you’re a fan, you don’t want to miss the energetic performance that the Avett Brothers will surely deliver with no less than a true fan would expect.