Events

Jules & the Jems is a Madison-based "soulful-folk dynamo" led by singer-songwriter Jules Iolyn. Since 2017, the group has been a staple in the local music scene, known for high-energy performances that blend original songwriting with a "girl power" attitude. Their sound is often compared to a mix of Carole King, Brandi Carlile, and Lou Reed.

$10 cover. 9pm start time. 21+

What did the drummer do when he turned 60? Why, he played drums of course - with three bands! 

 The German Art Students 10:45pm-Midnight As Isthmus stated recently, Randy, Annelies, Andy, and Kirk "combine a deft hand for garage pop with a brainy, cheeky take on the foibles of contemporary life with hymns to absurdity like "Civil War Reenactor" and "Robots in Raincoats." Since 1997! 

 The Lee Rays 9:50-10:30pm The Returnables and the German Art Students played many shows together in Chicago and Madison over the years until the untimely passings of guitarist John Glick (Bobby James Lee Ray) and bassist Bran Harvey (Reggie Lee Ray). Surviving Returnables Jonathan Benisvy (Frankie Lee Ray) and Art Kubin (Arturo Lee Ray) have saluted their former band with many different line-ups of friends as The Lee Rays. The most recent Lee Rays configuration features Frankie backed by The German Art Students (Rollo Lee Ray, Flossie Lee Ray, Keith Lee Ray, Kinky Lee Ray) to bring you the racing melodic power-pop of The Returnables.  

Formerly The Thumbs 9:00-9:40pm The final show of Randy's college band took place in 1989 at Cabaret Metro in Chicago opening for Bongos, Bass, & Bob, a band featuring Penn Gillette of Penn & Teller. Then Randy went into radio, Brian went to med school, and Charles became an international man of mystery. Randy and Brian reconnected recently, conversation turned to a reunion, and here we are! Hear original "hits" like Frat Boys Look Funny, Ice Cream, and Mr. Woodcock along with a well-curated collection of post-punk covers. Special guests likely. 

 Social time 7:00-9:00pm. Show up early and hang out with Randy and friends pre-show! The Harmony has great food! $10 Cover. All proceeds go to the Fritz Food Pantry at Goodman Community Center on Madison's East Side. 

9pm start time. This is a 21+

Come celebrate the Cajun Strangers last Harmony Bar show of the season!

No cover. 4pm start time.

Bring your kids to the best show in town. David mesmerizes the the kids with the best kids music around. We’ll have our kid menu in full swing. It’s a good time for the whole family!

$5 cover. 5:30 start time.

After years of sharing festival bills and bumping elbows at open jams, Starr Moss, Trent Cuthbert, Michael Falk, Claire Kannapell and Paul Kienitz have convened to make their own brand of bluegrass-inspired music. Bigtooth, the culmination of this shared history, keeps one hand on the book of bluegrass standards and the other on the songwriting pen. Count on a distinctive repertoire that intertwines traditional material and original compositions, delivered with precision, finesse, and style.

This month, Bigtooth will be joined by Sugar Bush!

No cover. 6:30pm start.

Chris Powers is a prominent musician, music educator, and radio host based in Madison, Wisconsin. He is widely recognized as a "string wizard" proficient in guitar and mandolin.  

 No cover. 6:30pm start time.

Golden Joining: Eclectic alternative prog rock from Madison, WI

Haunt Smiley: A driving, energetic trio that pulls from Jazz, Punk, Alt Rock, roots for a driving, energetic, fitful show.

$10 cover. 9pm start time. 21+

Gaines & Wagoner is an award-winning musical duo based in Madison, WI, consisting of husband-and-wife multi-instrumentalists Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner. The duo is known for an eclectic mix of Americana, spanning vintage jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, and honky-tonk. Their performances are characterized by "high-wire" improvisational chemistry and humorous stage banter. 

This month, Mary and Chris will be joined by award winning Chicago-based singer/songwriters Robin & Jenny Bienemann.

 $15 suggested donation. 4pm start time.

The Harmony Drink N Draw is a time to draw together, connect with others, encourage creativity and most importantly have fun! Artists of all levels are welcome. We encourage people to bring their own sketchbooks and supplies but some basic materials will be available. Hosted by Know Love In The City. Come draw with us!

Join us on the first Tuesday of the month. Start time 6pm

Paul has all the questions. Do you have all the answers? Prove it!

We’ve got trivia that will rock you. Join us every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Free. Start time 6:30

The sixth in our monthly songwriter showcase! List of participants TBD.

No cover. Show starts at 6:30.

Sean Michael Dargan is almost too tall, standing six feet, four inches in his favorite black-and-white saddle shoes.  On a good day he writes and plays pop rock in the vein of Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello, Aimee Mann, and the Gin Blossoms. Guitar and voice are his main instruments, but if you’re not nice he’ll go get out his bagpipes.

Big, Big Furnace opens

$10 cover. 9pm start time. 21+

Robert J. is an award-winning singer/songwriter/recording artist who has been a mainstay in the Wisconsin music scene for decades. 

No cover. 6:30pm start time.

It’s our last monthly offering of Annie & the Oakies for this season.  Get ready for a most pleasing mix of folk, Americana and bluegrass.

No cover. Show starts at 6:30

Canyonero: is Dan O'Brien and Nick Brown on vocals/guitar/bass, Andrew Harrison on vocals/lead guitar, Matt Nafranowicz on pedal steel and keyboards, and Ben Wolf on drums. These guys have been holding it down for years in Madison bands including Brown Derby, The North Country Drifters, Pupy Costello & the New Hiram Kings, and more.

No cover. 6:30pm start time.

Richard Wiegel, leader of well-known Madison roots rockers The Midwesterners, is celebrating the release of his fifth solo album “Driftless Blues”. 

Richard Wiegel has been a force in Madison music since 1968. First with legendary bands The Bowery Boys and Clicker, then in the 80’s with Johnny & The Hawaiians, and starting in 1991 until now his current band The Midwesterners. Richard has released ten albums, five with The Midwesterners, and five solo records. His solo style leans more on country blues and the Piedmont style of fingerpicking, which is described as ‘alternate thumb’ picking ala Mississippi John Hurt or Merle Travis, throw in the thumb-thumping style of Big Bill Broonzy, some Chicago blues shuffles, and you’ve got an amalgam called ‘Driftless Blues’.

6:30 start time. No cover.

Fundraiser for Solace Home

Entertainment features:

Stone Prairie: an Americana band from Wisconsin, known for their blend of classic covers and original songs.

After August: A Madison, WI bamd that emerged in 2022.  They perform their own original rock songs and are known for their award-winning song writing, engaging harmonies, driving rhythms, and catchy riffs. 

$10 cover (goes to Solace Home). 4pm start time.

Madison's hardest working Bluegrass band, Soggy Prairie, is proud to host the Madison Bluegrass Roundabout, a monthly Tuesday night series highlighting Southern Wisconsin's Bluegrass scene. The series will feature new and upcoming bands, as well as well-established groups. Each month will feature a set from Soggy Prairie followed by a set from the Cork N Bottle String Band.

No cover. 6:30pm start time.

Paul has all the questions. Do you have all the answers? Prove it!

We’ve got trivia that will rock you. Join us every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.

Free. Start time 6:30

Sequoia Rose is a bluegrass musician whose music bridges the timeless soul of Appalachian tradition with a fresh, heartfelt voice. Raised in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, Sequoia grew up immersed in the sounds of bluegrass, folk, and old-time country—music that felt as natural and essential as the landscape around them.

Now living in Nashville, Tennessee, Sequoia is part of a new generation of artists breathing life into bluegrass with authenticity and creativity. Whether on stage or in the studio, their performances are marked by sincerity, soul, and a clear reverence for the genre’s roots.

No cover. 6:30pm start time.

Singer, Songwriter, and guitarist extraordinaire Andy Ewen will perform an acoustic show with fellow Honor Among Thieves founder Doug DeRosa on bass and long-time friend and collaborator Tim Haub on guitar and mandolin. The show will feature many of Andy's fine compositions, songs from his various influences, and a generous helping of freewheeling, uncharted improvisation.  

No cover. Start time 5pm.

After years of sharing festival bills and bumping elbows at open jams, Starr Moss, Trent Cuthbert, Michael Falk, Claire Kannapell and Paul Kienitz have convened to make their own brand of bluegrass-inspired music. Bigtooth, the culmination of this shared history, keeps one hand on the book of bluegrass standards and the other on the songwriting pen. Count on a distinctive repertoire that intertwines traditional material and original compositions, delivered with precision, finesse, and style.

This month, Bigtooth will be joined by Pat Sheridan!

No cover. 6:30pm start.

Did you miss their recent reunion show? You’re in luck, they’re playing again!

 Madison-based Optometri is a band that started in the former Soviet Union. Not. Or did they? This tongue-in-cheek outfit is one part performance art and one part rock music awesomeness.

$10 cover. Start time 5pm.

Gaines & Wagoner is an award-winning musical duo based in Madison, WI, consisting of husband-and-wife multi-instrumentalists Mary Gaines and Chris Wagoner. The duo is known for an eclectic mix of Americana, spanning vintage jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, and honky-tonk. Their performances are characterized by "high-wire" improvisational chemistry and humorous stage banter. 

This month, Mary and Chris will be joined by Boo Mullarkey.

 $15 suggested donation. 4pm start time.

Grouvin Brothers Tim Haub and Doug DeRosa team up with banjo master and multi-instrumentalist Max Winkles as well as the exceptionally talented Annie Emmenegger on guitar and vocals to perform a wide range of Americana — from bluegrass to blues — with an emphasis on vocal harmonies.

No cover. 6:30 start time.

Madison's hardest working Bluegrass band, Soggy Prairie, is proud to host the Madison Bluegrass Roundabout, a monthly Tuesday night series highlighting Southern Wisconsin's Bluegrass scene. The series will feature new and upcoming bands, as well as well-established groups. Each month will feature a set from Soggy Prairie followed by a set from a guest band. This month’s guest band is Grass Attack!

No cover. 6:30pm start time.

After years of sharing festival bills and bumping elbows at open jams, Starr Moss, Trent Cuthbert, Michael Falk, Claire Kannapell and Paul Kienitz have convened to make their own brand of bluegrass-inspired music. Bigtooth, the culmination of this shared history, keeps one hand on the book of bluegrass standards and the other on the songwriting pen. Count on a distinctive repertoire that intertwines traditional material and original compositions, delivered with precision, finesse, and style.

This month, Bigtooth will be joined by Slapdash!

No cover. 6:30pm start.

$10 Cover. 5pm start time.

We're open on the 4th so come celebrate with us!