(Live Review) MILWAUKEE SUMMERFEST - Day One (6/20/24)

By

The Beard & Little Johnny

Greetings friends, fans, and followers. For the next two articles, your normally metalcentric reviewing duo of The Beard & Little Johnny are attending the largest yearly festival in Wisconsin. The Mighty Summerfest.

Getting its start all the way back in 1968, Summerfest used to be an 11-day long festival, but the newest incarnation of Summerfest now runs for three consecutive three-day weekends. Where once you could see bands like Johnny Cash (1974), The Grateful Dead (1978), Eric Clapton (1983), Metallica (1992), Pearl Jam (1995), Prince (2004), etc. on free stages, now we get what is likely the most disappointing Summerfest line-up in the history of the festival (if you enjoy rock/metal music).

Nevertheless, Summerfest remains iconic, and the Beard and Little Johnny committed to two full days wandering the ten main, (and additional ten ancillary), stages located throughout the 75-acre Henry Maier Park. Summerfest is now also a cashless venue so have your credit card ready often to partake in ridiculously overpriced food and beverage options. To offset this a bit, your reviewing duo had a full lunch at Mader’s German Hall (where the lad and I split a German sampler platter complete with spätzle, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, cabbage, applesauce, potato dumplings, and pork loin) along with hefty German beers served in sizable steins. (Ed: Why didn't you just stay there for the day!?)

With optimistic hearts, we entered the north gate where a woman asked Little Johnny if he wanted a free Summerfest cap. With a smile he gratefully accepted it while looking at me winked and said, “See Beard, things always have a way of working out for me eventually.”

We wandered through the grounds to our first band stop at the Generac (Ed: Generic?) stage for Brooklyn alternative band Mary Shelly. As I remarked on their naming themselves after the author of Frankenstein, Johnny said “That was a book?”

MARY SHELLY

Taking the stage clad in trench coats and initially wearing animal masks, Mary Shelly took us through some alternative punk type numbers that were really kind of good for such an early-stage act on day one.

The songs were clear and short, but aggressive, and evoked a firm rebellious feel. The singer had a touch of Glen Danzig to his voice, and within the first two numbers was off the stage and out in the crowd. Upon returning, he climbed to the top of the amps to sing there. Mary Shelly’s guitarist was a woman who evoked shades of a young Joan Jett while bashing away in her torn t-shirt and stylistic sunglasses.

Even Mary Shelly’s ballad, an ode to New York, was tongue in cheek and ever so dipped in attitude. As the set went on, we observed another punk staple, namely they were all limited in how well they actually played often preferring bashing the strings rather than playing them, however, given the style, it was forgivable and ultimately I am awarding 82/100 for a much better than expected opening act on opening day. Little Johnny was happy to immediately see a band that jumped around and climbed on stuff, plus on one song they asked the crowd to make dolphin noises. Of course, Johnny obliged sounding like a very odd Flipper.

Next it was time to grab some corn on the cobb spiced with garlic, cajun seasoning & red pepper along with a drink before heading to the other end of the festival grounds for Australian act ...

THE LITTLE RIVER BAND

Johnny was skeptical, but his giant can of IPA calmed him down and he agreed to give this band a shot. The Little River Band pulled a surprisingly huge crowd forcing us to sit well back behind all the bleachers. This may have been a good thing as visual close ups were not The Little River Band’s friend.

They were a practiced festival style act, as evidenced by their quickly engaging the crowd in a singalong on the second number before breaking into one of their many hits “Take it easy on me” which was a ballad filled with several technical gaffes including Summerfest itself cutting in with an announcement about releasing 20,000 free general admission tickets throughout the venue. Note to Summerfest, “you wouldn’t need to do that if you booked better acts. Just saying.”

Although the band stayed professional and played right through the distraction, it had the effect of listening to a song at school and having the loudspeaker suddenly break in and say pizza was being served in the cafeteria.

Given that The Little River Band was rather an “easy listening” style of music, Johnny quickly grew bored and asked me if there was perhaps a “Big River Band” playing somewhere else that was heavier. After being told no, he headed off to see what else was at the other stages saying, “you got this band right Beard? They’re all old guys like you. I’ll be back.”

Little River Band played several more songs to a receptive audience, but I did not see the lad again until the band started into another of their yacht rock style numbers “Reminiscing” at which point he turned up with a fresh IPA, a small plate of cheese samples and a magician’s hat. He listened a moment and then asked, “What’s reminiscing?” It’s like thinking back on something fondly.” “Oh, well, then I am reminiscing about Milwaukee Metalfest because this sort of sucks Beard.” (Ed: The little one is bang on, once again!)

A couple of songs later they did “Night Owl” which WAS one I remembered hearing before. I didn’t like the way it sounded versus how I remembered it. You could tell the band was full of “past their prime” members. Little Johnny thought maybe if he got together with the guy who wore the Rooster mask in the mosh pit from the Milwaukee Metalfest, that together they could be called Night Owl & the Mosh Rooster. Then he said he was leaving again.

Little River Band finished with "Cool Change", "Lady", & "Lonesome Loser". I knew them all, so kudos for writing that many hits. Turns out Little River Band has been together 49 years and was looking forward to returning in 2025 for a 50th anniversary tour. Perhaps it should also be a farewell tour. I am going 80/100 mostly out of respect for just how many hits they wrote. Not my style of music but they were clearly a talented group as far as successful song writing.

Third up tonight was saxophonist extraordinaire ...

MINDY ABAIR      

I have covered Mindy already this year when she played with Jim Peterik of Vehicle and Eye of the Tiger fame, so I will not rehash her career. Suffice it to say she can play jazz, rock, and blues with equal aplomb. Her live sets show an extraordinarily talented musician, and someone versed in playing the festival style shows.

Surprisingly, for a change, our own Little Johnny was rather taken with Mrs. Abair and her playing. He was sad to find out she was married as he quite admired her skills on the saxophone.

Initially, I thought Abairs set was less entertaining than when she jammed out with Peterik earlier this year. About mid set though Abair and the band got into a great Hendrix "Voodoo Chile" jam with guitar and sax that was very entertaining. From there they riffed with back-and-forth snippets of classics by Aerosmith, Zeppelin, & Metallica. She can play that sax and make it sound like anyone’s music.

I always enjoy her hit “Pretty good for a girl.,” but the showstopper was the encore. Abair played "Purple Rain” on the sax and damn that was truly stellar. While I thought the overall set may have not have been as good as the last two sets I have heard her do, the cover of "Purple Rain" was the best single number I have heard from her as she really put the passion into that one and the crowd obliged with a loud chorus during the “ooh ooh ooh ooh” portion. It is always a fun time with Mindi Abair and the Beard awards an 85/100.

After some discussion, we decided not to remain for the Three Dog Night set as we had already covered them earlier this year in our non-metal column. (Check it out by friending Mark McQueen on Facebook), so instead we allowed Abairs great "Purple Rain" rendition be our night one closer. Just three bands watched, but at least everyone scored an 80+ and we did get rock ‘n roll of some sort.

Tomorrow we will try again but for now, and tonight, this is the Beard and Little Johnny (in his new cap) saying follow us each Wednesday on The Mighty Decibel, check out the videos of these and all the other acts we have covered this year at TikTok thebeard0728, and friend and follow Mark McQueen on Facebook for all the non-metal material and reviews. Until next time... Stay Heavy & Horns Up!!!