On April 30, people joined in a line that stretched from the Lilliput Records to the City Reformed Church on Farwell Avenue. Although not particularly gathered for liturgy, there was an exciting ceremony underway: the celebration of Something Worth Waiting For, the new album from critically acclaimed Chicago indie-rock band Friko.
With the release of the record, the band embarked on a record store tour through the Midwest, making their way to Chicago’s Shuga Records in Wicker Park, Minneapolis’ Electric Fetus, and Madison’s Strictly Discs. On Thursday, the mini-tour led the band to Lilliput, Milwaukee’s haven for vinyl, CDs, and more.
Lilliput owners Tanner Musgrove and Brian Kirk organized the event and were contacted by ATO, Friko’s current label. As fans themselves, they were eager to host. As owners, they try to facilitate exciting events whenever possible, said Musgrove.
“We are always more than happy to get music in people’s hands if our doors are open,” Musgrove said.
Friko’s Milwaukee visit came with an in-store signing and a seven-song set, bringing the cozy crowd a delicious mix of winning vocals, clear-cut riffs, and a mesmerizingly close display of talent. During the signing, guests who purchased LPs of Something Worth Waiting For also received a lithograph poster with a map design by artist Eli Schmitt.
Friko includes vocalist/guitarist Niko Kapetan, drummer Bailey Minzenberger, bassist David Fuller, and guitarist Korgan Robb. Something Worth Waiting For was produced in Los Angeles by Grammy Award winner John Congleton.
Friko’s set at Lilliput records was a multi-sensory treat. Walking into the store, your nose was hit with the smell of yummy incense, your ears with indie-rock music like “Sidewalk” from Built To Spill, and your eyes with upcoming show posters and the new Something Worth Waiting For CDs and vinyl front and center.
As opposed to a traditional concert venue, being in close quarters with the talent of Friko, local music lovers, and Lilliput staff was incredibly special. You’re literally in a big bowl of music, listening to a band with worldwide recognition in an intimate setting.
“Third spaces are diminishing by the minute, so providing another outlet for our community to congregate is always at the forefront of our minds,” Musgrove said. “Plus, what better place to have live music than the place where you can buy the music?”
The set included songs off the new record, like “Hot Air Balloon,” a song inspired from a morning spent in a van in Albuquerque, New Mexico, looking up to a hot air balloon convention while in a Cracker Barrel parking lot.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Hvs5Y00JTeQ
A man in a brown hat sang every word and filmed the entirety of the song “Seven Degrees.” The band played “Something Worth Waiting For” and a cover of Karen Dalton’s 1971 song “Something On Your mind,” the latter with vocals from Kaplan that cut clearly through the room. They played “Choo Choo” and even “Where We’ve Been,” from their 2024 debut album Where We’ve Been, Where We Go From Here.
You could literally feel the music in the floor, in the aisles, and in the vibration of the vinyl next to you. Record store performances still reign as classic, lucky chances to see your favorite artists.
To stay up to date with upcoming events at Lilliput Records, listeners can tune into socials, @lilliputrecords, or visit the calendar online.
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