Every Friday, Off The Record looks to other Milwaukee publications (and beyond) for bits of news we missed throughout the week.
• The BMO Harris Bradley Center is in its final days. The soon-to-be-replaced arena’s last major public event was back in April, and its final private event is in July. So long, old place named after a bank and a conservative businessman; hello new place that will theoretically be named after something. And what better way to celebrate than by unloading a bunch of stuff and making a little cash on the side!
On Tuesday, a single bidder known only as “Orange1997” spent a cool $44,025 in an online auction of old Bradley Center memorabilia. Mr. 1997 made off with a Fender Telecaster signed by Prince at a 1997 Bradley Center show ($25,000), as well as “guitars signed by Garth Brooks ($1,575), James Taylor ($3,550), Bon Jovi ($4,250) and Neil Diamond ($9,650) as well as microphones signed by members of NSYNC ($3,550).” Leading up to the auction, the Bradley Center noted that bidders “should assume that the instruments and microphones in the auction were not owned by or played by the musicians.” Huh.
Other stuff that sold: a microphone signed by Cher ($400) and an ice skate signed by Nancy Kerrigan ($460). All $160,000 raised from the auction will be used to help cover costs of closing the Bradley Center. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Speaking of arenas, there’s now a big sign/group of letters/Instagram magnet that says “BUCKS” outside the new Milwaukee Bucks arena. [Urban Milwaukee]
• The owners of the sloooowly redeveloping Shops of Grand Avenue think a Target would be pretty neat. They’re also holding out for a grocery store. [Milwaukee Business Journal]
• Surgeons In Heat are great and they’re releasing a new album June 22 and their album release show is June 29 at Cactus Club and you should go. [YouTube]
• Summerfest’s new North Gate isn’t just a gate anymore—it’s a “community plaza”! The renovated area “features a new turnstile area, box office, benches and seating areas and interactive play areas, including a ‘percussion jam garden,’ ‘chime garden’ and interaction electronic sound and light sculptures.” [BizTimes]
• More Summerfest-related news: MC Lyte, Tony! Toni! Toné!, and Bobby Rush will headline the inaugural Black Arts Fest MKE August 4 on the Summerfest grounds. [Shepherd Express]
• The Downer Theatre’s Almost Midnight movie series has a bunch of good stuff lined up for this summer, including Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (June 15-16), Blade Runner: The Final Cut (June 22-23), and Friday The 13th: The Final Chapter (July 13-14). [OnMilwaukee]
• Milwaukee opened its 8,000th poke place, this one in the Third Ward next to the new Shake Shack. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• The Underwear Bike Ride is back, baby. The body-positive, “PG-13” bike ride spins its wheels tonight. [Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Want some nifty art on bus shelters? Of course you do! [Urban Milwaukee]
• Evan Christian will close his Walker’s Point venue Gibraltar on July 29. The Milwaukee musician “hopes to reopen the business in a new space at a later date, but in the meantime, he is focusing on his music.” [OnMilwaukee]
• Some dumb site called Milwaukee one of the worst cities in the U.S. (again), so let’s all get angry about that (again). Great job, Milwaukee![Milwaukee Journal Sentinel]
• Have a great weekend, Milwaukee!