Author Dan Agacki

Unlawful Assembly is a DIY hardcore label of the people and for the people

September 20, 2023

With the advent of big business poking around in the hardcore scene, one thing is certain: Unlawful Assembly is not a record label that's producing music for Taco Bell ads. Big business will not be sniffing at ...

Lou Barlow had something special in store at intimate URSA performance

Dan Agacki

July 10, 2023

Just short of five years since his last visit, Lou Barlow made his return to URSA in Bay View last Friday. The previous appearance had a “working out the kinks” feel, with minimal seating and plenty of folks mi...

“Be humble and don’t suck.” A conversation with Doug Carrion of Field Day

Dan Agacki

November 8, 2022

With seemingly every band that's ever sniffed a stage getting back together, there's a lot to think about in regards to legacy. Where some try to pick up where they left off, others try to touch on a previous s...

Milwaukee musicians discuss Elliott Smith ahead of “Pictures Of Me” tribute/benefit show

Dan Agacki

July 26, 2022

The seeds for "Pictures Of Me: An Evening In Tribute To The Music Of Elliott Smith" (Friday, July 29 at Cactus Club) were planted in 2013. As a way to break the mold of tributes dedicated solely to commercially...

Big Laugh goes from side project to top priority

Dan Agacki

May 14, 2020

Big Laugh is no laughing matter. What started as a side project roughly a year ago has now become a top priority. Featuring members of Beggar, Forced Impact, Mister, and Gangstalker, Big Laugh is composed of pe...

LIFES put a personal spin on pummeling hardcore

Dan Agacki

July 30, 2019

For the entirety of their adult lives, Dave Rudnik and Zak Holochwost have been dedicated to hardcore. Even as they’ve immersed themselves in family life and their respective places within the scene have evolve...

An interview with Tunic, a Winnipeg noise rock machine

Dan Agacki

April 17, 2019

Tunic is a noise rock machine.The Winnipeg band’s recently-released debut album, Complexion, is a nuanced assault on your senses. The dissonant guitars and shouted vocals collide with a thick rhythmic pulse...

Henry Rollins’ “Travel Slideshow Tour” shows the world through his lens

Dan Agacki

September 25, 2018

From his time fronting Black Flag and Rollins Band to his spoken word, radio and TV gigs, Henry Rollins has never shied away from being the megaphone. Even as a man who suffers from social anxiety off-stage, he...

“Bands from our genre don’t know Milwaukee has anything going on”: Forced Impact talks straight edge in the Midwest

Dan Agacki

August 14, 2018

Forget what the talking heads in documentaries have been saying for years—real punk is not "in the malls." Punk is still a marginalized part of society. Dig down a little further and you'll find hardcore. From ...

“It has all been an accumulation and a fucking wild ride”: An interview with Uniform vocalist Michael Berdan

Dan Agacki

July 30, 2018

The underground punk scene can be a fickle beast with rigid puritanical guidelines. Bands are expected to grow organically and slog their way through years of touring before attaining anything approaching succe...

Lou Barlow’s intimate URSA in-store performance was worth every penny

Dan Agacki

July 26, 2018

Inspired by the house shows where many artists took the first steps toward honing their craft, limited ticket small show tours have become the thing to do. From Pedro The Lion’s David Bazan, to Eric Bachman of ...

“I never left music. I was always creating”: An interview with L.A. punk legend Alice Bag

Dan Agacki

July 10, 2018

Alice Bag speaks with a loving bluntness. She’s not afraid to say what’s on her mind, though she always seems to find the silver lining. From her days fronting first-wave L.A. punks, The Bags, appearing in Pene...

“Milwaukee could be as big as Austin if there weren’t so many restrictive venues”: An interview with Beggar

Dan Agacki

July 5, 2018

There's no aging out of punk, but as the years go by and the mid 30s set in, people tend to fall away into adult obligations. At the opposite end of the spectrum there's also no age limit. The reality, though, ...

Craig Brown talks about landing on Third Man Records, opening for Dwight Yoakam, loving Milwaukee

Dan Agacki

June 21, 2018

Craig Brown is a persistent hype-man for the city of Milwaukee, though he’s never lived here. The Detroit area native has spent numerous nights playing Milwaukee bars and basements over the past decade and a ha...

Cesar Millan brings canine companions, plenty of treats to Riverside Theater

Dan Agacki

June 21, 2018

We live in a world where Saturday morning cartoons are a thing of the past. Cycling through the channels turns up nothing but news shows and infomercials. The sole moment of glory is found with syndicated episo...

“When I left, setting up shows here sucked”: Peter J. Woods talks Milwaukee’s ascendant noise scene

Dan Agacki

May 23, 2018

It would be impossible to discuss the last couple of decades of Milwaukee's experimental music scene without mentioning the name Peter J. Woods. From playing a major role at The Borg Ward to establishing Milwau...

Detenzione and Rio Turbo do Japan: A tour recap

Dan Agacki

May 18, 2018

From the last week of April through last week, Milwaukee's own Rio Turbo and Detenzione were on a Japanese tour together. Since it's a once in a lifetime opportunity for most Milwaukee bands (unless you're Holy...

Tyler The Creator, Vince Staples end tour on high note at The Rave

Dan Agacki

March 5, 2018

Approaching The Rave Sunday night for the sold-out Tyler, The Creator show, there was a constant flow of twenty-somethings making their way inside. Police were forced to shut down the block behind the venue in ...

Steve Aoki shows love for Milwaukee, Steve Aoki at The Rave

Dan Agacki

February 22, 2018

While making the slow cruise to park outside The Rave on Wednesday night, herds of twenty-somethings made their way to the venue—guys in tank tops and girls just in bras, for some reason. It may seem like an od...

In sickness and in health: Mike IX Williams reflects on 30 years of Eyehategod

Dan Agacki

February 6, 2018

With 2018 in full swing, New Orleans band Eyehategod are celebrating 30 years of bashing out sludgy metal-tinged hardcore. "We're definitely outcasts, but we always have been," vocalist Mike IX Williams says. I...