If you were in Milwaukee in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s and paying even the slightest attention to music, you've heard of Woolton Parrish.
The band formed in 1987 and called it quits seven years later, after a good run in town. Now, guitarist Stacy Maloney (who briefly led a different line-up of the band in 1995), bassist Keith Whitcomb and drummer Dan Buboltz reunite for a gig at Shank Hall on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. with blues rock outfit Center Stage.
The show -- a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation -- is the second reunion gig. The band also played a gig in 1996.
The main purpose of this show is as a benefit for the Make-A-Wish Foundation," says Maloney. "Of course, just getting back on stage and having fun playing music live again certainly plays into our motivations as well."
Playing all original music inspired by the music of the 1960s and the ‘80s, Woolton Parrish quickly carved out a niche in Milwaukee and made the not-always-easy leap to Summerfest, nabbing a big gig every year from 1988 to '94.
The band, which won a WAMI as best new band in 1989, also released three studio records and toured the Midwest, becoming popular in Chicago, too.
"We have people coming from as far as Washington, Georgia and Arizona for this show," says Maloney, "so that tells you something about the loyalty of our fans. It should be a fun show."
Cover is $7 for the 9 p.m. smoke-free show.
You can also hear the band on WMSE's "Local/Live" show, Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m.
Some other gigs in the upcoming week include:
Kid Rock is joined by Rev. Run (of Run DMC) and Peter Wolf (of The J. Geils Band), Wednesday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. at The Rave. Tickets are $43.50 and $68.50. Also at The Rave that night at 7 p.m. are Cobra Starship, Metro Station, We the Kings and The Cab. Tickets for that show are $10.
Dark Star Orchestra brings its Dead tribute to The Pabst Theater, Thursday, Jan. 31 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance, $24 at the door. The last show here sold out, however, so maybe waiting until the last minute is a bad idea if you want to go.
The following night The Pabst hosts Kansas with a 38-piece orchestra. 8 p.m., tickets are $39.50.
Twin Cities' theatrical pop-rockers Love in October play at the Art Bar on Burleigh in Riverwest on Friday, Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. Cover is $5. The quartet is touring in support of its new disc, "Pontius, the Devil and Me."
Meanwhile, former Muskego boy Dean Schlabowske comes to town the same night with the Waco Brothers -- which also includes Mekons man Jon Langford -- for a gig at Club Garibaldi on the corner of Russell and Superior in Bay View. The band's upcoming disc, "Waco Express: Live and Kicking at Schubas Tavern," is due out on Bloodshot in early March.
Electro-rockers Mutemath -- who played at The Rave in October -- return to Milwaukee as part of the "Exile in America" tour with Alanis Morissette and Matchbox 20, which stops at the Bradley Center on Tuesday, Feb. 5. Tickets for the 7 p.m. show are $43, $53 and $73.
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.
