If you head to the Turner Hall website to buy tickets for Friday's show by Milwaukee's own .357 String Band, you'll get some big local music news.
The site – also on the group's Facebook page – has a statement by the band that reads:
"Dear Fans, Friends and Family,
"It breaks my heart to have to make this announcement, but Nov. 25 and Nov. 26 will be The .357 String Band's final two shows. Joe (Huber) has decided that the aesthetic of The .357 String Band no longer represents him; he will be returning to school to study woodworking, and pursue his own musical interests part time. The other three of us could not agree on a way to continue The .357 String Band without him.
"Keep an eye out for solo projects/tours/etc, and we may occasionally make an announcement or two on here. Thank you all so much for the support over the years, it has meant the world to me. I hope to see you all at one or both of the shows next weekend, so we can celebrate 7 years of Streetgrass, whatever the hell that means."
The band has toured extensively throughout the world and was one of the first – if not the first – local band to sell out Turner Hall. Take advantage of one last chance to see them here at home.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
