Last summer’s Mile Of Music—the inaugural downtown Appleton music festival curated and co-founded by Fox Cities ex-pat Cory Chisel—was nothing short of a success. More than 100 bands from all corners of the country crammed into 40 makeshift music venues on and around the sleepy college town’s famed College Avenue. Many of those acts hailed from Milwaukee. This year’s sequel, dubbed “Mile 2,” (August 7-10) will bring double the bands to activate the fuck out of even more nooks on Appleton’s main drag. Once again, a significant number of them will be venturing about 100 miles north on Highway 41 to play, as evidenced by Thursday’s announcement of 11 Milwaukee acts (of 98 announced) booked to play Mile 2 so far.
Joining Cory Chisel And The Wandering Sons, (REM side band) The Baseball Project, Sturgill Simpson, Nikki Lane, Corey Hart (no, not that Corey Hart or that other Corey Hart), Mutts, The Traveling Suitcase, WAMI-nominated artist Rob Anthony, and a heft of other acts from Nashville, Los Angeles, Chicago, Madison, and the Fox Valley are Brew City bands: The Fatty Acids, Kane Place Record Club, Sugar Stems, I’m Not A Pilot, Christopher Porterfield, Hugh Bob And The Hustle, Great Lake Drifters, The Sleepwalkers, Bright Kind, Hayward Williams, and Vic And Gab (<— likely playing shows in Fond du Lac and Neenah on the drive up that day).
With Milwaukee bands representing more than 10 percent of the current lineup, and more than 100 acts (and certainly more from here) yet to be announced, Mile 2 presents an opportunity to experience both some familiar favorites and some new ones in a different area code. Be sure to check the lineup in the coming weeks to see an updated list of performers. Just to be safe, Fox Cities transplants and people with any Appleton connections should probably figure out lodging now.
Hey mom, please change the sheets in the guest room. Your little man is coming home.