The Rave is no stranger to suspected unearthly history. When its uncanny past meets the joyful traditions of the holiday season, you get Haunted Holidays, a four-day series of self-guided tours of The Rave’s infamous spooky spots and decadently decorated ballrooms and performance stages.
On December 17 I attended the first night of Haunted Holidays. The tour is $45 a person and comes with a free drink voucher. From light-filled ballrooms, winter-wonderland stages, and animatronic skeletons, to the magnificence of thousands of signatures in the underground pool, it’s quite the experience.
The Rave began as the home for the Milwaukee chapter of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. The building was designed by a student of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Russell Barr Williamson. It opened its doors in 1927 after two years of construction; in 1955, it became the Fraternal Order of Eagles’ national headquarters, according to The Rave’s website. Now, the space is a massive performance and events venue.
“In a concert environment, you’re probably not looking intently at the architecture or checking out all the old pictures of the Eagles Club,” said Maggie O’Brien, Marketing Assistant at The Rave.
The tour began with a visit from Santa, plus a few ominous animatronics and decorations. An employee snapped a few photos and guided us to The Rave Craft Beer Lounge, where we grabbed a beverage. An elf greeted us and guided us toward a circa-1926 manually operated elevator, a feature of the original building.
Upon exiting the elevator, we ventured up to the Penthouse Lounge, an outdoor lounge that overlooks the Milwaukee horizon. One gentleman noted the spookier parts of the building he’s encountered as an employee, including the Saw movie-like boiler room in The Rave’s basement.
The tour then led into the 25,000-square-foot Eagles Ballroom, decorated with red and green lights and a winter holiday display perfect for photo-taking. The emptiness of the ballroom exaggerated its enormous size. On the top floor of the ballroom, visitors can see posters of prominent artists who have played there, and the dates of their visits.
After the ballroom, we were able to see the Rave Hall, dressing rooms, and artist spaces downstairs.
We made our way to The Rave’s underground indoor pool area, an extraordinary feature for a venue space. It’s one like no other, featuring thousands of signatures from artists across the world on its walls, ceilings, and inside the pool. There, you can see written history in the inscriptions from artists like Ke$ha, Machine Gun Kelly, Alice In Chains, and T-Pain.
O’Brien shared a bit of the pool’s haunted history with us, including the tragic story of Francis Wren, a teenager who sadly drowned in the pool in 1927. She mentioned that people have said to encounter Wren’s shadowy, ghostly presence in the space.
While you can’t enter the pool, a helpful employee showed us their favorite signatures. Mac Miller’s famous quote reads: “I am Mac Miller. I once lived now I am dead, my soul remains here. Enjoy…PS I sold this place out 3 times.” We learned that three sold-out shows at The Rave earns artists the chance to sign the inside of the pool.
We then entered the Rave Bar, which had skeletons playing a show. With a photo wall, beautiful decorations, and holiday photo-ops, we ended the tour reflecting on the magnificent history that has passed through The Rave’s doors.
The Rave’s Haunted Holidays continues December 18 from 5-9 p.m.; December 20 from 1-8:30 p.m.; and December 21 from 1-7 p.m. If you’re a history, Halloween, holiday, or music lover in Milwaukee, the tour is a chance to combine your fascinations into one excursion.
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