Outdoor celebrations resound in and around Madison this hot summer weekend with WaunaFest, the Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival, WJJO Band Camp, Atwood Summerfest, and Greek Fest. The calendar also includes: productions of The Glorious Ones and The Lamentable Tragedie of Scott Walker; an Atlas Improv performance; Soundlab with DJ Abilities and an '80s vs. '90s anniversary party; a Webster Street fire benefit show; and, more live music from Scott Kirby, Kiernan McMullan, Bobby Bare Jr., Direct Hit!, Phat Phunktion, Daniel Martin Moore, All Tiny Creatures, the Josh Harty Band, and Star Persons.
Friday 7.29
NOTEWORTHY: Lady Diana Spencer marries Prince Charles, 1981.
BIRTHDAYS: Emmy-winning documentarian Ken Burns, Rush singer/bassist Geddy Lee, 1953.
Centennial Park, Waunakee, through July 31
The season of fairs rolls on. This one takes place up in Madison's neighbor to the north and promises food, carnival rides, sports tournaments, music (Vintage Red, Super Tuesday, Bob Klinger, more). You know, the works.
Sugar Maple Traditional Music Festival
Lake Farm County Park, 4:20 pm. Also Saturday, July 30, 1 pm
Bring your own camping gear and settle in for this two-day fest, which features fiddler Bruce Molsky & Big Hoedown, traditional Irish-music combo Chulrua, Ohio bluegrassers Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers, and much more. You should also bring your own instrument, for jamming purposes.
Bartell Theatre, 7:30 pm. Also Thursday & Saturday, July 28 & 30, 7:30 pm
Music Theatre of Madison presents the 2007 musical, which follows the adventures of a 16th-century commedia dell'arte troupe. Talks before each performance explain what commedia dell'arte was all about.
Young Shakespeare Players Playhouse, 8 pm
The improvisational-comedy troupe is searching for a new home venue, so get some laughs tonight and maybe slip them some scratch to help them on their way.
Brink Lounge, 8 pm
Twenty-two years ago Kirby left a career in political consulting for the sleepy seaside rewards of Key West. Since then he's honed his skills writing and singing breezy, folky, island-inflected tunes, many albums' worth. Perfect for your summer listening pleasure.
The Lamentable Tragedie of Scott Walker
Broom Street Theater, 8 pm
Yes, Broom Street is taking on the grand topic of Gov. Scott Walker, whose policies prompted massive protests earlier this year. The only thing surprising about this news is that it took the irreverent east-side troupe this long to get around to it.
Project Lodge, 8 pm
McMullan tumbles from folk to indie rock to spoken word and back again with ease and confidence. Stop by ProLo to see what the singer-songwriter's been cooking up for his forthcoming release -- if he's dropping any hints. With Fighting Aurora and Kyle Scidmore.
House concert at 1326 MacArthur Rd., 9 pm
He has a famous name, but the son's brand of country is more alt-rock than that of the "Detroit City" father. Bare Jr.'s latest album, A Storm a Tree My Mother's Head, takes its name from an event that really did involve his mother, a storm and a tree. With Carey Kotsionis.
Frequency, 9 pm
The hyperactive Milwaukee pop-punk band showcase a brand-new album, Domesplitter, before hitting the road with local quartet Masked Intruder. With Kyle WK, the American Dead and Devon Kay & the Solutions.
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
Rhymesayers turntablist DJ Abilities visits from Minneapolis to take the reins of the boogie bash of hip-hop, dubstep, dancehall and electro that local record-jammer Nick Nice launched in 2009. With Vilas Park Sniper.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
The building that used to house Café Montmartre also housed nearly 30 residents and the acclaimed Underground Kitchen, which lost nearly everything when the building caught fire June 30. Help raise some much-needed cash with a few drinks and some tunes from DJ Ted Offensive, German Art Students, Cory Chisel & Adriel Harris, and Jentri Colello's renamed-again band Land of Vandals.
UW Memorial Union Terrace, 9:30 pm
It's been five years since the local funkmeisters got a sizeable break, landing on one of Japan's biggest record labels and releasing a record that garnered multiple Tower of Power comparisons. Sample their tuneful new follow-up, Real Life .:. High Fidelity, on the stage where it all began in 1996. Learn more about the band -- and the album -- from this week's music story.
Saturday 7.30
NEW MOON
NOTEWORTHY: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Social Security Act establishing Medicare and Medicaid, 1965.
BIRTHDAYS: Singer Kate Bush, 1958; actress Hilary Swank, 1974.
Alliant Energy Center, 11 am
The all-day, all-ages show sponsored by local radio station WJJO will rock fans to the core with a lineup of more than a dozen bands. They include nu-metal purveyors Five Finger Death Punch (see Tour Stop), hard-rocking quartet Clutch, country-tinged post-grunge act Saving Abel, and the metalcore men of All That Remains. Visit Atwood Summerfest
2000-2010 blocks of Atwood Avenue, noon-7 pm
Nearly a dozen musical acts gather in the Schenk's Corners neighborhood, along with food carts and other vendors, to raise money for the Goodman Community Center. Highlights on two stages include Tex-Mex and country from Cris Plata & Extra Hot (1:10 pm), jam band Baghdad Scuba Review (4 pm), the blue-eyed soul of Kyle Henderson's Blue Eyed Soul (4:40 pm) and infectious disco by VO5 (5:30 pm).
Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 4-9 pm. Also Sunday, July 31, 11:30 am-7 pm
They gave us Homer, the Olympics and galaktoboureko. So celebrate the good people of Greece at this bash, which features music, tours of the church, fun for the kids and, of course, food, food, food.
North Mendota Supper Club, 8:30 pm
Moore's success story is the stuff of legends and movie scripts. He sent an unsolicited demo to Sub Pop in 2007 and nabbed a record deal almost immediately. Drink in his latest album, In the Cool of the Day, a collection of gospel classics from his formative years in Kentucky. With Count This Penny.
'80s vs. '90s: Three-Year Anniversary Party
Majestic Theatre, 9 pm
It's hard to believe that the Majestic's been hosting its face-off between the Moonwalk era and the age of grunge for three years. DJs Nick Nice and Mike Carlson will embody the 1980s and DJs Vinnie Toma and Fusion will represent the '90s, throwing down hot cuts and cool videos as a dance party rages around the stage.
UW Memorial Union Terrace, 9 pm
The local experimental-rock ensemble has returned from its summer tour and will share live renditions of songs from its debut LP, Harbors, which dropped in the spring. With Jeremiah Nelson.
High Noon Saloon, 9 pm
Harty and his band will perform tunes from their new album, Nowhere, which just received a big rave from No Depression. With DJ Bubba Grand, Winn Dixie and Anna Vogelzang.
Segredo, 9 pm
Whether you call them rap, electro, pop or a case of genre-identity disorder, there's no denying that Star Persons know how to start a party quickly. Check out their 19-track Rapper's Almanac on Bandcamp before the show, and you could be the next ruler of the dance floor. With Def Crew, DJ Pain 1 and DJ Fab U Lust.
Sunday 7.31
NOTEWORTHY: Thomas Eagleton withdraws as Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern's running mate after it comes to light that he was once treated for depression, 1972.
BIRTHDAYS: Former R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry, 1958; best-selling Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, 1965.
