Tag: Opinion

Graphic design is my passion: An ode to wonderfully crummy non-AI flyers

September 3, 2026

Every Monday I put together a weekly show and events calendar called Record Recommended. These roundups are relatively basic and lo-fi—words, links, occasional YouTube embeds—but they still take a fair amount o...

Unaccompanied, unbothered, unforgettable: The pleasures of going to concerts alone

Annie Raab

April 28, 2026

Does anyone remember Bucket Works? Or maybe Bucketworks? Bucket Worx? I don't remember if it was the name of a music series, or the venue, or—and this is not unlikely—not a name at all and something my friend m...

Michelin comes to Milwaukee. I have thoughts both dark and light

Kyle Johnson Cherek

April 16, 2026

This op-ed by Kyle Johnson Cherek originally appeared as a social media post. Michelin comes to Milwaukee and five other Great Lakes cities. I have thoughts. Just as national attention to Milwaukee’s culinar...

Summerfest, drone shows, and online misery vs. offline reality

Matt Wild

July 7, 2025

Over the course of the last three weekends, I had a terrible time at Summerfest. The lineup was pathetic, the prices were outrageous, and the Saz's sampler platter was mid. It was too hot and there wasn't enoug...

Music streaming injustices: A call for indie musicians to stick up for themselves

Brett Newski

February 26, 2025

In 2016 I made a song called "Fuck You Spotify." I recorded it during a performance at Paste Studios in New York City. For years, I hesitated to push this track, worried that Spotify would suppress my reach or ...

Hey MPS: More Montessori, please

Tad Kriofske Mainella

October 9, 2024

The purpose of this opinion piece is to suggest that Montessori education is not only developmentally appropriate and effective for most children aged 3-14, but elements of its theory and practice can and SHOUL...

In defense of Milwaukee’s “worst restaurants”

Matt Wild

November 14, 2023

If you frequent the Milwaukee subreddit—and you should!—you've likely come across a seemingly weekly question. Seriously, this karma-farming beauty comes up all the time. No, not the running gag about the "Arby...

If you could never leave one Milwaukee street, which would you pick?

Milwaukee Record Staff

July 28, 2023

In A-side/B-side, two Milwaukee Record writers tackle various city issues in an informal and hypothetical crosstalk style. Tyler Maas: I have a question for you, Matt. I must admit, it's kind of a strange on...

We need to #SaveTheBus (while there’s still a #Bus left to #Save)

Matt Wild

May 16, 2023

As you probably know by now, the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) is doomed. Seriously! That's not hyperbole! The agency responsible for the county's bus system is headed for a "fiscal cliff"—a cliff i...

Is Summerfest’s three-weekend format better or worse than the old format?

Milwaukee Record Staff

July 5, 2022

In A-side/B-side, two Milwaukee Record writers tackle various city issues in an informal, crosstalk style. Insults are hurled, feelings are hurt, and everyone learns something in the end. Maybe. Tyler Maas: ...

Getting excited for Milwaukee’s less-than-exciting mayoral election

Matt Wild

March 31, 2022

On Tuesday, April 5, acting mayor Cavalier Johnson will become Milwaukee's next elected mayor. Turnout in the election will be low. Johnson's opponent, former alderman Bob Donovan, will lose in a 75%-25% blowou...

We only have a few years left to enjoy the Milwaukee Public Museum

Matt Wild

March 9, 2022

Milwaukee Public Museum's plans to vacate its increasingly deteriorating 60-year home at 800 W. Wells St. and build a new, drastically smaller, and dramatically different downtown museum have been known for yea...

A-side/B-side: Are “classic album” concerts a grand idea or played out?

Milwaukee Record Staff

October 22, 2019

In A-side/B-side, two Milwaukee Record writers tackle various issues in an informal, crosstalk style. Insults are hurled, feelings are hurt, and everyone learns something in the end. Maybe. Joey Grihalva: On...

The “reimagined” Bayshore looks a lot like the same old Bayshore

Matt Wild

September 30, 2019

In 2006, Bayshore Town Center opened in Glendale. The new-and-improved retail center was the result of a two-year, $300 million project that transformed the aging Bayshore Mall—first built in 1954—into a much-b...

Hacienda Beer Co. is the latest and (arguably) the greatest example of the East Side’s resurgence

Tyler Maas

July 10, 2019

Almost exactly three years ago, we bluntly asked the following question: Is the East Side dying? Even at that time, we acknowledged the neighborhood was not quite on its death bed, but there were more than a...

Dear Milwaukee sportscasters: Stop shaming strangers (and children) on social media

Matt Wild

June 24, 2019

Sunday afternoon, 41,237 people enjoyed watching the Milwaukee Brewers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 7-5 at Miller Park. Among those 41,000-plus people was local sports radio person Bill Michaels, who most decided...

It’s time to admit that it’s (nearly) the end of the Milwaukee Public Museum as we know it

Matt Wild

June 13, 2019

Earlier this week, the Milwaukee Public Museum announced its new president and CEO, Dr. Ellen J. Censky. A Cedarburg native, Dr. Censky started her career with MPM back in 1977, and has served as the interim pr...

What makes chili…chili?

Matt Wild

March 6, 2019

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were discussing chili. You know, as husbands and wives often do. I mentioned to my wife that she should meet me downtown for lunch, and suggested Real Chili (pictured above) as a ...

Streetcars, the State of Wisconsin, and standing up for Milwaukee

Matt Wild

December 19, 2018

Twenty-eighteen was kind of a big year for Milwaukee, wasn't it? Like, an honest-to-goodness, no-kidding, no-hyperbole "transformative" year? Seriously! There was the long-awaited opening of the Fiserv Forum, a...

Milwaukee chef Shay Linkus responds to the death of Anthony Bourdain

Milwaukee Record Staff

June 8, 2018

The following op-ed, responding to the death of chef, author, and TV host Anthony Bourdain, is written by former Vanguard and current Snack Boys chef/owner Shay Linkus. Milwaukee Record would still like to add ...

Tagged Opinion