Friday the 13th proved to be a memorable night for music in Kenosha. 

And there were quite a few events that were worth risking going out on the dreaded day.

Mitch Downey at Public Brewing

Mitch Downey manned the stage at Public Brewing Company Friday night, with the help of fellow Spirit Shaker Alex. Mitch is someone I appreciate as an artist because of how eclectic his style and the songs he chooses to sing are. One minute he can be doing a whole production of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”, the next he can slip into a waltz-style country tune.

Experience his style in the video below. 

John Till at Soundbar Musick Cafe

At Soundbar Musick Cafe, we had John Till playing country blues. I had never seen him play before, but I became an instant fan as soon as I heard him sing one song. Till’s style is smooth, and his voice reminds me of plenty of classic, soulful singer-songwriters I’ve listened to and considered masters of the craft since I was young.

If you’ve never encountered his music, please, do yourself a favor and listen to him in the video below. 

BOdy art + Live music at Kenosha CReative Space

Kenosha Creative Space hosted its unique Body Art + Live Music event. The music, provided by Toke Magic, fit the event perfectly. Toke Magic is a band that I love to see because the two have a great dynamic. Not only do they seamlessly jam with each other, but it’s clear that they enjoy playing together because of how playful they can be and how they feed off of each other when they’re just riffing.

Check out one of their jams below. 

Primitive Broadcast Service at the port

I find myself at The Port more often than I mention here, but it is how it opens its doors to bands like Primitive Broadcast Service and the other local bands that fill it with the sounds of our more heavy, chaotic music genres that I truly appreciate. The Port is a legendary place in Kenosha, whether people truly acknowledge that all the time or not. In fact, it may be one of the most sacred music spaces in the city when you take its entire history into account.

Experience part of its current history in the making with a performance by Primitive Broadcast Service below. 

Midwest Picking Coalition at Union Park Tavern

Finally, I got the chance to stop out at Union Park Tavern to catch the Midwest Picking Coalition. I will be honest, after a long night of different heavier bands, this group served as the ointment to soothe the sore before I headed home for the night. The band has a great dynamic; each member is masterful on each instrument they pick up; and honestly, it’s just such fun to see a group so easily and so incredibly keeping old standards and newer music alive.

Experience MPC in the video below. 

Below, enjoy some photos from Friday the 13th in Kenosha. If you really like any of the photos, you can purchase them online here.

Photos from Friday the 13th

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Written By

Daniel Thompson

Inside the Mind of Daniel Thompson (Podcast)

Ep 25: Ego and the music scene – Inside the Mind of Daniel Thompson

I have a big ego. I have all my life. If you don't know that I do, then I'm doing a good job at managing it. My recent thoughts on my own ego and those you see in a typical music scene inspired this episode. Give it a listen and tell me what you think.

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