A pair of free concert series wrap up their seasonal runs this week: Jazz at Five on State Street and SummerJam at the Majestic, with the latter doing double duty as Bike Fest. The calendar also includes: more live music from Chris Chace, Porn N Chicken, Boo Bradley, Jack Grelle and the Johnson Family, and Wild Belle.
Tuesday 9.3
NOTEWORTHY: Future abolitionist Frederick Douglass escapes from slavery, 1838.
Brink Lounge, 7 pm
Chace was a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition for "See You Smile." His sweet bubblegum vocals and intense beats feel like the kind of music boy bands wish they were making, and his 2013 electro-pop debut single, "If We Did it All Again," was co-written by Grammy winner ToneDef.
Segredo, 9 pm
The Chicago dance party/freak fest brings DJ chops to Madison for a night of electronic/drum and bass/dubstep music. Not to mention porn and chicken: The act includes chicken wings and skin flicks on big screens.
Wednesday 9.4
NOTEWORTHY: Google founded by Stanford University students Larry Page and Sergey Brin, 1998.
100 block of State Street, 5 pm
Hit the free outdoor jazz series for a set of gypsy swing from the Twin Cities Hot Club. The night begins with the potent vocal-guitar duo of Cyrille Aimée and Diego Figueiredo.
Alchemy Café, 10 pm
The beloved local jug band, led by Texan Scott "Boo" Kiker, performs its porch-stomping combo of ragtime and Delta blues.
Jack Grelle and the Johnson Family
Mickey's Tavern, 10 pm
The honky-tonkers from Missouri offer old-timey folk that swings as easy as the door of a Texas saloon. Grelle, who got his start in punk bands, is only 25 but sings like he's 70 (in a good way). The band's latest record is a 45 titled Simple Needs.
Thursday 9.5
NOTEWORTHY: French National Convention initiates Reign of Terror during French Revolution, 1793.
Majestic Theatre, 7 pm
Family Groove Company, Ifdakar and Dead Horses present live jams, and Nick Nice and Kayla Kush DJ at Wisconsin Bicycle Federation's celebration of two-wheeled activities. Bike Fed members score free food and bike valet parking.
High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
Reggae and pop underpin this group's super-catchy songs, which also feature elements of ska and Afrobeat. Their debut album, Isles, earned a thumbs-up from The Guardian earlier this year. (See Tour Stop) With Max Jury and the Lower 48.
