Comet Cafe is nothing short of a Milwaukee institution. Beyond being a southeastern Wisconsin dining staple, a place where Guy Fieri was filmed face-fucking himself with a meatloaf sandwich, and an establishment that was well ahead of both the bacon and craft beer crazes, the East Side coffee shop-turned-bar and restaurant is also an undeniable supporter of the city’s creative community. With the restaurant celebrating its 20th year in business, general manager Nick Westfahl rounded up just some of the innumerable bands with Comet ties to ring in its anniversary on Saturday, September 26.
“I just reached out to everyone, basically in the Comet family, that I could to put together something as eclectic as possible,” Westfahl says. “There is no better way to salute this benefactor of grassroots culture than to put on display some of the musicians and artists who have in one way or another been involved in Comet’s story.”
Outside of the Comet connection, most of the acts don’t share much in common stylistically. Among the bands announced Monday night, there’s a couple of metal bands, a jazz/hip-hop amalgam, Westfahl’s own band, and the city’s premier Chumbawamba cover band. Here’s the varied lineup of acts that will take the stage on Irving Place between 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. to celebrate Comet’s 20th anniversary in style.
Chimp Eats Banana
Filtharmonic
Alta
Ahab’s Ghost
Boy With Bosoms
Towers
Floods Fires
(WMSE DJs between sets)