On Saturday, October 19, Indeed Brewing Company will formally introduce Milwaukee to its new (and downright awesome) Walker’s Point brewery and taproom with a block party the 2nd Street establishment is calling “The Low Down.” The all-day street party will have food, plenty of delicious beer—including some Milwaukee-exclusive rarities the Minneapolis-born operation made for the event—and a stacked music lineup. Joining the likes of New Age Narcissism, No No Yeah Okay, and Platinum Boys on stage is a band known as Cozy Danger. Though they’re sure to be new to many of those attending The Low Down this weekend, the Milwaukee rock trio has existed in some capacity for close to a decade.

Founded in 2010, Cozy Danger (which was originally called “Cheese”) played a number of shows and put out its debut release, Lake Pirates EP, during their first four years as a band. In 2013, guitarist/co-vocalist Chris Vertovec’s decision to move to Michigan resulted in an extended hiatus. When he returned recently, so did Cozy Danger. The band has spent much of 2019 playing around Milwaukee (with a few out-of-town shows thrown in as well) and writing new material. That said, their 2013 material still holds up, as evidenced by the brand new video for a song off the six-year-old release.

Despite the lively, up-tempo sound of “80 Proofed” and its accompanying video that shows a group of guys (including the band’s bassist, Phil) shotgunning beers at a bachelor party, Cozy Danger’s single actually has a much deeper and darker meaning. According to drummer Jake Brandt, the song is about a drunk driving accident that killed one of his high school friends (the passenger) and spared the intoxicated driver.

Brandt tells Milwaukee Record the song “searches for the line between social drinking culture and alcoholism and reckless endangerment.” He says says the slowed-down footage gives viewers and longer, more in-depth look at drinking rituals. “Rather than pass judgement, the video and song pose the question to ourselves ‘Where is the line?'”

The unexpectedly heavy song and video comes to a lighthearted conclusion, with footage of Brandt taking a trip down Bernie Brewer’s slide at Miller Park.

You can watch Cozy Danger perform this 2013 song and some new material at “The Low Down” block party at Indeed Brewing Company this weekend. They play at 5 p.m. The event is free to attend. If this video and its message haven’t stressed this enough already, please drink responsibly Saturday (and every day) and don’t drive under the influence.

About The Author

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Co-Founder and Editor

Before co-founding Milwaukee Record, Tyler Maas wrote for virtually every Milwaukee publication (except Wassup! Magazine). He lives in Bay View and enjoys both stuff and things.