Odd covers at Magnus, rap at Alchemy make a strong local-music weekend even better
Jessica Horn
Stink Tank suit up for a night at Alchemy.
This is one of those weekends where local bands and DJs really outshine the touring acts. (No offense, Bowerbirds, but that's just how it is.) Madison DJs hold down two dance nights at the Majestic—Vinnie Toma and Chuck Money's Funky Fridays, and Nick Nice and Mike Carlson's Madonna night on Saturday—and three local bands are putting out new music. The Hussy dropped a new 7-inch last night at The Frequency; The Treats celebrate Sir Unicorn, their latest reliable set of roots-rock tracks, Saturday night at the Crystal Corner Bar; and The Shtetlblasters drop the funky Balkan curiosity Tantz Mit... (which earned a good review from us) Sunday at the Project Lodge. Plus, Sexy Ester And The Pretty Mama Sisters, headlining tonight's Local Sounds fundraiser at The Frequency, have a certain eccentric new-wave-meets-hard-rock charm.
Even though our Calendar for the weekend is already heavy on locals, I'd like to mention a couple more hometowner shows, both happening Friday night, and both free. Madison sax player Patrick Breiner and fellow local jazz youngster Luke Polipnick join a couple of friends from Minneapolis tonight at Restaurant Magnus for a show that Breiner says will include original tunes as well as covers of such oddly mixed artists as Bill Frissell, Ali Farka Touré, and Patsy Cline. The "why the hell not?" vibe is also in effect at the Alchemy, where a grab-bag of local rap artists will crash in on the microbrews-and-organics vibe. Isodynamics headlines, with support from MC Starr, DLO, and Stink Tank, an innovative duo featuring Dumate MC Dudu Stinks and producer Man Mantis (Stink Tank's record Books On Tape was among the best local albums of 2008). Here's some decent-sounding footage of Isodynamics' CD-release show back in August.
