ROCKSPOSURE.....Be Heard

Artist of the Month: The Wildbirds
MILWAUKEE CONCERT REVIEW

Article By Joey Tayler
Photography by Kristy Kramer

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When monsoon season drowned out the Wildbirds’ Milwaukee Boat Line EP-release party last month, the band tempted fate by rescheduling for a Friday the 13th. On cue, fate started grumbling as we approached the Milwaukee River docks, but it couldn’t muster more than a fussy sprinkle. Nobody seemed happier that the clouds parted than the Wildbirds -- if singer Nicholas Stuart stopped smiling for even one second during our two hours rockin’ on the water, I didn’t see it. Nothing but monitors and mic stands separated the band from its giddy fans at the front of the Iroquois’ cabin, and from the sound of things, nothing but a little lost time separated this incarnation of the Wildbirds from the one that cut “Golden Daze” three years ago. “421” and “Shake Shake” shook shook even harder than they do on that classic Milwaukee record. New EP “Sunshine Blues” must be making serious headway into the Milwaukee canon too -- every cut was a sing-a-long puddle-stomper. As the boat neared the dock I’d barely finished yelling “ONE MORE SONG!” before it caught a deafening echo in the rest of the crowd. The Wildbirds did indeed have one more great cover to compliment their rowdy runs through the Band’s “The Shape I’m In” and the Stones’ “Happy,” but just as they hit the chorus on Petty’s “I Need to Know” the boat stopped and the captain cut the power.

No better place for the Wildbirds to plug back in than at Frank’s Power Plant in Bayview Thursday night. Wouldn’t miss it.

Click here to listen to a few tracks off of "Sunshine Blues" and to learn more about The Wildbirds

Joey Tayler is the lead writer on Rocksposure.com. Based out of Milwaukee, WI, he is always looking for a new show to see. If there is something you think he should be listening to, send him an email at JoeyT@Rocksposure.com