Attention polkaholics, polkanewbies, and stans for the Kenosha Kickers: the Milwaukee Polka Riot (“America’s first and only alternative polka festival!”) is set to return on Saturday, September 10. The festival’s fifth installment will take place at Last Rites MKE, 625 S. 6th St. You know, the place with the blank white sign out front.
The Riot—once again organized by the fine folks behind Milwaukee polka hip-hop band November Criminals—will feature performances from polka and polka-adjacent groups from Milwaukee, Madison, and Chicago. Will a Beatles polka band called Sgt. Sauerkraut’s Polka Band be in attendance? YES.
Here’s the lineup:
Yid Vicious (Klezmer/Polka/Folk) – Madison
Sgt. Sauerkraut’s Polka Band (Beatles Polka) – Chicago
Dead Freddie (Punk/Pop/Polka) – Chicago
November Criminals (Polka/Hip-Hop) – Milwaukee
The Cajun Strangers (Cajun/Zydeco/Blues) – Madison
Forró Fo Sho (Forró/Polka/World) – Madison
Preomnor (Cajun/Zydeco/Sludge) – Milwaukee
Kicking things off at 2 p.m. (and playing between sets) will be DJ Brümeister. And yes, the whole thing is free!
Fingers crossed for “Polka, Polka, Polka,” “Twin Lakes Polka,” “Polka Twist,” and/or “Domavougi Polka (A.K.A. Kiss Me Polka).”
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