Author: Jared Blohm

Fa-La-La-La-Lambeau: A Packers-themed holiday playlist

December 15, 2022

It’s that special time of year when we’re all absolutely inundated with holiday music. Everywhere we turn, yuletide ditties by Paul McCartney, Mariah Carey, Wham!, Elvis, Michael Bublé, and many other dollar-ch...

MKE Music Rewind: Don Nedobeck’s North Water Street Tavern Band, “The Milorganite Blues” (1983)

Jared Blohm

August 2, 2022

In our MKE Music Rewind series, we revisit notable Milwaukee music that was released before Milwaukee Record became a thing in April 2014. From beaches and beer gardens to festivals and Am Fam Field and more...

Old Milwaukee: 20 Cream City-inspired country classics, ranked

Jared Blohm

July 20, 2022

With its brewing (and drinking) tradition as well as its railroad-hub history, the city of Milwaukee has served as inspiration for many country songwriters over the years. A few of those songs have become honky...

The MilBillies rep Milwaukee in fiery bluegrass debut

Jared Blohm

November 19, 2020

For the past two plus years, The MilBillies have sharpened their boisterous bluegrass sound in the corners of the dimly lit dive bars of Milwaukee. While the five-piece string band hasn’t been able to perform i...

Dig Deep unearths fresh roots on ‘Heavy Heart’

Jared Blohm

March 18, 2020

Today is the last day of winter, but if you turn on Dig Deep’s new album, Heavy Heart, hoping for a little bluegrass pick-me-up for the tail end of another long Wisconsin deep freeze, you might want to skip the...

“It was just pure elation.” Former Brewers pitcher Seth McClung reflects on magical 2008 season

Jared Blohm

September 27, 2019

Over the last few weeks, former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Seth McClung has been showing up regularly on Twitter. Whether he's breaking down the Brewers playoff outlook, tapping into his nostalgia for his days i...

Driveway Thriftdwellers sharpen sound on new album

Jared Blohm

January 14, 2019

The Driveway Thriftdwellers are from Milwaukee. And Madison. They’re a country band. And a rock and roll band. And if your local record store has an Americana section, you’ll probably find the band’s albums fil...

Beaumont James & The Wild Claims reach deep into bag of tricks in debut

Jared Blohm

November 6, 2018

Beaumont James & The Wild Claims have been building a reputation in the Milwaukee area over the last year as a raucous country act led by a fiery front man. But when the four-piece country band hit the stud...

S.S. Web steers into new water with ‘This Cold Soul’

Jared Blohm

June 6, 2018

After more than 10 years as a band, it was safe to assume what was coming on S.S. Web's fifth album—a dark, fast-paced blend of folk and punk with country and bluegrass influences tied together with lead singer...

The .357 String Band’s ‘Fire & Hail’ turns 10

Jared Blohm

April 26, 2018

On April 26, 2008, a capacity crowd packed Mad Planet for the release of the .357 String Band's second album, Fire & Hail. Although the Milwaukee four-piece had been building a reputation as a genre-shatter...

Highlonesome prepares to hang it up after 12 years

Jared Blohm

June 13, 2017

One of Milwaukee's longest running bands will part ways after one last show this Saturday. Highlonesome, which formed in 2005, has decided to amicably split after almost 12 years of playing their mournfully upb...

S.S. Web plots its revenge with latest album

Jared Blohm

August 4, 2015

With wild eyes, a shaved head, and a silver front tooth, the heavily tattooed Henry Berger has the look of a hardened sailor of yesteryear. The S.S. Web lead singer delivers tales of drinking hard and loving wr...

Jayke Orvis returns to Milwaukee on his own

Jared Blohm

October 30, 2014

Milwaukee native Jayke Orvis reached a crossroads in 2007. While his band—the .357 String Band—was beginning to garner attention outside of Wisconsin, his personal life was crashing around him. He was going thr...

Video: .357 String Band reunites…for one song

Jared Blohm

July 30, 2014

Farmageddon Records Music Festival attendees were witness to a rare Wisconsin musical treat earlier this month—a surprise .357 String Band performance. The Milwaukee band reunited to play one song during a Jayk...

Joseph Huber goes it alone on The Hanging Road

Jared Blohm

July 8, 2014

Joseph Huber is a solitary craftsman. The Milwaukee musician and woodworker works alone, unburdened by time or a clouded vision. Whether he’s constructing a song or a piece of furniture, Huber dismantles rec...

Author Jared Blohm