If you see a guy playing a Hofner bass on Summerfest's Harley Roadhouse at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, it won't be a young Paul McCartney transported to the future. But it will be someone with some clout here in Brew City.
That's Dan Attanasio, bassist for Cali band Pan Am and son of Brewers owner Mark Attanasio. This year marks the band's third straight year at Summerfest.
Groan, if you will, about nepotism, but Pan Am has every right to play Summerfest. After all, if the band is good enough to rock L.A.'s famous Roxy, Troubadour and Whiskey a Go Go and New York's Knitting Factory, then it's certainly ready for the Big Gig.
A Pan Am press release promises: "The band's performances feature a great amount of energy, rhythm and excitement, and include an upbeat blend of original songs with sing-along choruses and plenty of feedback. Lead singer Steven Lundy channels the cool and grit of The Kinks' Ray Davies, while his brother Gary complements with sweet harmonies like those in other brother-bands such as The Beach Boys' Wilsons and Oasis' Gallaghers. Sammy Perlmutter rounds out the bunch with chaotic (but never frivolous) beats in the vein of Keith Moon or, say, Animal from the Muppets!"
And we've all heard Dan's granddad sing the national anthem at Miller Park, so we know he comes from a musical family.
Go show your support and cheer on the band as Pan Am lands at Summerfest on Sunday.
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.
