Evan Christian
The well-traveled musician tells Decider about his favorite Milwaukee neighborhood bar
Welcome to Ringing Endorsement, wherein Decider speaks to local people of note to get their hearty recommendation of an event, restaurant, or whatever strikes their fancy. This week, globe-trotting Milwaukee musician Evan Christian checks in from an overseas tour to offer his ringing endorsement of Bay View bar Burnhearts.
I wish I had some crazy story about something that happened to me at Burnhearts to spice up its reputation, but the truth is I just got drunk there. A lot. The atmosphere is classic neighborhood joint—all about PBRs and whiskey. I used to drink lots of Pabst in between recording sessions when I lived in Bay View, but I only played there once. The intimacy of playing at small venues in Europe reminds me of Burnhearts. Although the main difference is that American musicians are a bit of a novelty here, and you really have to adapt and keep it spontaneous, unlike in the States, where if you’re good you’re generally well received. The vibe is chill and low key, and even though the patrons’ ages range from early 20s to 40s, the place has a fresh feel to it. That might be because the owners are around my age. Jess [McCluskey], Tanya [Bruski], and B.J. [Seidel] are cool—inviting and accommodating, not to mention really funny. One of my favorite things about Burnhearts is the décor. The lighting is sexy and there’s lots of pictures of nude women—you know, nice and cozy.
