“I know it’s a terrible time for many, but the virus is going to get people off the hamster wheel and have a healthy new perspective. It will give people much more clarity as to what’s a priority in their lives.”
That was tireless Milwaukee troubadour Brett Newski back in April, speaking at a time when we all naively thought there would be a timely end to [gestures broadly at everything]. So what kind of clarity has Newski found in the last few months? He’s sticking to something he knows well: making music videos where he bugs the hell out of (and, yes, delights) the general public. And he’s gotten back on his hamster wheel to do it.
Yes, more than two years after playing inside a South Milwaukee Walmart and getting kicked out, Newski is playing inside…an inflatable hamster ball (and occasionally getting kicked out of outdoor restaurant patios). Quarantine times call for quarantine measures, we suppose.
“Live concerts have mostly been abolished in the U.S.,” Newski says. “We decided to run around in a giant hamster ball and play some safe, yet illegal shows. This brought joy to many, but enraged others.” Eat your hearts out, John Travolta and Wayne Coyne.
Watch the fun/chaos unfold in the Max Hauser-directed video for “What Are You Smoking?”—four words that some dude probably muttered as Newski rolled past him on the beach.
“What Are You Smoking?” is available on all streaming platforms NOW—but, because this is Brett Newski we’re talking about, there’s more! The singer-songwriter will play an all-request livestream show on Sunday, October 4 at 1 p.m. CST. Tickets are available HERE. And don’t forget about Newski’s podcast, Dirt From The Road, where “nomadic musicians discuss the weird lifestyle and crazy stories from making a living on the road.” Let’s hope everyone can get back on the road—sans plastic bubbles—soon.