Lady Antebellum to Perform at Summerfest 2011 on June 30

The first Marcus Amphitheater Summerfest headline show for 2011 has been booked. Lady Antebellum will perform on June 30, with Darius Rucker and Thompson Square. Summerfest 2011 will run for eleven days. That leaves ten big concert announcements to go.

Summerfest 2011 June 27-July 8

Once again, Summerfest will be closed on July 4. The festival opens on June 27, and runs through July 8. Gates open at noon each day, and close at midnight.

Indian Summer Draws Large Crowd to Summerfest

Reports from Indian Summer at Summerfest notes that over 50,000 people passed through the gates. The fireworks certainly drew families to the lakefront, and the Native American Crafts kept people down there. The weather certainly cooperated, as the sun shined brightly all weekend. This festival marks the last for the season.

Park and Ride to Summerfest

There are many ways to get to Summerfest. Park and Ride is one of the best modes of travel when heading down to the lakefront. In fact, the MCTS has any number of ways to get to the fest. What's best for you depends on where you are coming from.

Best Way To Get To Summerfest

Wisconsin Avenue shuttle buses are spaced just minutes apart, and run just past midnight. For three bucks, you can hop on to the shuttle at any bus stop on Wisconsin Ave. where you see the famous Summerfest smile on the sign. That three bucks pays for a round trip fare.

Freeway Flyer service from Park and Ride lots are six bucks round trip. Bring exact fare, because as they say "driver carries no cash." Pick up locations are at all park and ride locations, and the last bus leaves Summerfest at midnight.

Party Bus, or "Drunken Bus" service can be found at many of the more famous watering holes on the east side or near south side. You will find your way to the "drunk bus" at BBC, Twisted Fork, Vitucci's and a few other East side locations. If you are coming in from the south, try Vnuk's or King Pins. They have a shuttle that runs in the evenings.

Summerfest to Purchase Land from Charter Wire

It's doubtful that Summerfest's purchase of land from Charter Wire is the biggest announcement of the year, but it's worth noting here. Buying up the Charter Wire site will at the very least add more parking to the Marcus Amphitheater area. If a time comes when Summerfest would care to expand, they need acreage. That's what's happening here. Four acres make up this site, and it's just west of the southern grounds. It's not like this spot will become the 12th side stage, but at the very least, Summerfest is turning an old industrial site into something nice.

Summerfest Concert Featuring Moody Blues

On June 30, the Moody Blues will be headlining one of the side stages. The Marcus Amphitheater headliner has yet to be announced, but for some fans, the Moody Blues will be more than enough. The band goes back 45 years. Summerfest Milwaukee is a great place for the Moody Blues show.

Their best, and most famous early hit song was Nights In White Satin. The year was 1968, and the trippy melody was perfect for the times. Tuesday Afternoon was also a mega-hit on that same album. Eventually, the band went their separate ways.

A reunion of the band was sure to follow, and in 1977, they got together to put out an album worthy of the time. Their label was hoping to slide a somewhat nasty old live show out into the marketplace, and the Moodie Blues were having none of that.

Summerfest July 4th Show at Marcus Will Not Be Dave Matthews

Where will you go? Do you head down to Summerfest on July 4th to see a band that has not been booked yet, or do you head down to see Dave Matthews at Alpine Valley on July 4th. Yes, Summerfest fans, you have some decisions to make.


Personally, I don't head down to Summerfest on July 4th, because it's too crowded. I would rather drive to East Troy and see DMB on 7/4/10. He must really love Wisconsin. No matter who you are, you probably want to be somewhere special on the 4th of July.

Milwaukee Summerfest Admission, Stages, and Reviews

The leaves are changing and the weather is getting cooler, it is officially fall. Celebrating the season, I am drinking a pumpkin spice latte and starting to bundle up but before I get too far into unpacking my scarves, I will take a moment to look back on the warmer times. Summer is spent with days on the beach and if you’re lucky enough to live in Milwaukee, great nights at Summerfest seeing your favorite bands.

My favorite Summerfest show that I have been reminiscing about lately would definitely have to be seeing Jacks Mannequin the summer of 2007. The show was at the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage that is sponsored by Leinenkugel’s and FM 102.1 and took place on the 4^th of July. This show was such a great show because it took place on the best day of the year, my birthday! The band played at 10:00 PM and the weather was perfect, a cool breeze coming in off Lake Michigan and I went with all of my friends. The band put on an awesome show and front man and pianist Andrew McMahon shared a great moment with the fans as it was the last day he took pills for his chemotherapy to treat leukemia. The band played some awesome songs from their debut CD , Everything In Transit and some new tracks from The Glass Passenger, their most recent CD. For many reasons, this is my favorite show from my vault of Summerfest memories.

"The Beast" talks about Summerfest

Since I’m taking a blog break, I asked “The Beast” to write up what she likes about Summerfest. Let me introduce “The Beast.”
Being a resident of the Milwaukee tri-county area, Summerfest is an event that is always at the top of the list for summertime activities. Summerfest is my favorite annual music festival. It features all genres of music and boasts the slogan “The World’s Largest Music Festival.” Some headliners coming this summer are Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, Chicago, No Doubt, Bob Dylan and The Fray, just to name a few.
While Summerfest is a music festival, it is not just limited to music. Many local eateries serve food and beverages. You can find vendors selling clothing and novelties, and there are many family oriented activities for children available during the day.
Some personal highlights of Summerfest for me would be seeing Jack’s Mannequin at the U.S. Cellular Connection Stage in 2007 and 2008, and seeing A.F.I on the same stage in 2006. This year, I am looking forward to checking out Sound Tribe Sector 9 on July 1. I hope that the weather is better than last year, because it rained both times I went in 2008. One con of the free stages is the bleachers. You will find them bolted to the ground, and right up to the front edge of the stage. I would stand up close to the stage, but I usually get there early enough for a good bleacher spot. With so many people that attend the festival, you will surely be chatting with your neighbors while waiting to see your favorite bands (And hopefully meet some interesting and nice people.)
The U.S. Cellular Connection Stage is in a great location, because it is close to the lake. It’s almost a guarantee that you will feel a cool breeze; it’s also close to the many dining options bathroom facilities. The stage is sponsored by local radio station Rock 102.1, so many of the acts are alternative or rock. The U.S. Cellular Connection stage is not the only place to hear great music though. On the grounds, there are 10 free music stages, such as the Miller Lite Oasis, the Harley Davidson Roadhouse, and M&I Classic Rock Stage. The Marcus Amphitheater is the largest stage, and the “main” stage for performances on the grounds. That is where all the headliners play. Tickets for these shows cost extra, but that ticket price includes Summerfest admission.

Summerfest is a great place to go with your family during the day and enjoy the weather. It’s also a fun nightlife experience, with many bands and musical performances. This year, Summerfest runs from June 25 through July 5. The park is open from noon until midnight, daily. A unique and convenient perk of Summerfest is the Freeway Flyer shuttle service, offering rides to the park and back to park-n-rides in close suburbs and the Milwaukee County Public Transit system offers their bus services for those living downtown. If you are looking for some fun in Milwaukee this summer, I highly recommend that you check out Summerfest and their musical lineup.

Earth, Wind and Fire with Chicago at Summerfest

We saw the massive crowd at the side stage. Earth, Wind, and Fire drew a crowd so large that Summerfest decided that they were worthy of a Marcus Amphitheater show. Chicago is a band this has continued to perform since 1967. On June 30th, we will see if their fans can fill the venue. Both bands have had numerous hits. For Earth, Wind and Fire, their biggest was Shining Star. That also happens to be their only number one song. Their Album Gratitude hit number one in 1975. Since that time, they have not had a number one song or album. In fact, if we dig deeper Summerfest fans would be hard pressed to find their songs in the top ten since 1986.

Chicago has seen nineteen members come and go since they formed in 1967. They still have four of the original members in the lineup, so the other fifteen must have been temps? Colour My World is a song you will certainly hear at Summerfest.

Kid Rock with Lynyrd Skynyrd on tour, Sort Of.

Sweet Home Alabama is a song I know. Kid Rock put his own lyrics on top of that melody last year. It was a huge hit for Kid. We will see both Kid Rock and Lynyrd Skynyrd play The Marcus Amphitheater on the last night of Summerfest. Lynyrd Skynyrd will open the show, but you can bet that they will come back out for Kid's most current hit song.

Kid Rock comes from Detroit, so it was interesting to listen to the way he crafted the words to that old song Sweet Home Alabama. This Summerfest season sure leans towards the southern end of things. With three country acts, and now this southern rock band backing up Kid Rock, a whole new group of fans will come to know the fun of having Summerfest tickets in hand.

Less than 24 Hours to Go...

We have less than a day to go for the opening of the Summerfest gates for the 2008 run. All of the bands have been announced. All of the beer has been chilling and Saz's is loading up on the combo platters.

"The Big Bang" fireworks display will be tomorrow night Thursday, June 26, at 10:30 pm, weather permitting. Usually to accommodate people who want to see the fireworks, but attend the main stage show at the Marcus Amphitheater, the concert will either end in time for the fireworks or break for the "oohs" and "aahs". With Stevie Wonder being the opener this year, and probably an older crowd, I am going to go with the former. I don't know if he even has an opening act scheduled.

I listed it earlier, but there are various ways to get in summerfest for free. Food donations come to mind. Coupons are often available in the Journal/Sentinel. Some days, there is free admission if you get to the gate early. If you check the Summerfest website, you will find a list of the specials.

Summerfest Blogging

If you nose around the web looking for Summerfest information. Maybe you haven't been before and are looking for the locals' take. Maybe you are just curious about the admission promotions for the upcoming year. Either way, you are sure to stumble on a blog or two dedicated to Summerfest and it's charm. Just today I came across a blog entry from a neat site called Johnnyjet.com. You can read it on your own time, "Milwaukee: Part 2", but it deserves to be highlighted as it is very complementary to my Milwaukee, Brew City, which isn't something that happens everyday. It helps getting the word out that there are things to do in Milwaukee besides getting drunk.

Top Summer Beers to Enjoy at Summerfest

There is one big caveat to the following list. Not all of the beers listed can actually be purchased on the Summerfest grounds. The offerings at the various tents do run deeper than Milwaukee's Miller brands, though not as deep as a serious beer drinker might be hoping for.

Playing a quick game of "if I was in charge", I have compiled my list of ice cold brews I would like to enjoy as I take in some music at Summerfest. Sorry Miller, the list does not include your nasty Miller Chill. I tried, can't do it.

10. Pabst Blue Ribbon

9. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

8. Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

7. Corona with lime

6. Blue Moon

5.Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

4. Sam Adams Summer Ale

3. New Glarus Spotted Cow

2. Hacker-Schorr Weiss

with the obvious winner being...

1. Sierra Nevada Summerfest

Mellencamp fills in hole at Marcus Amphitheater

The final date to the Summerfest 2008 lineup at the Marcus Amphitheater has been announced. John Cougar Mellencamp will bring his classic rock to Milwaukee on Saturday, June 28. Having a nice long list of hits like, Jack and Diane, Small Town, Little Houses, ROCK in the USA, Paper in Fire and Hurts so Good to choose from will have concertgoers singing along like it's karoke night at Summerfest. For many of the dates, rocker Lucinda Williams is the opener, but no one has been confirmed as the Summerfest opener. I checked the Mellencamp official site, no one was posted there either.

Mellencamp tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster Saturday, May 31 at 10am central time. Ticket prices start at $45 before service charges. It does look like Summerfest will offer a limited number of free lawn seats the day of the show, usually via a nasty handstamp line early in the day.

US Cellular / 102.1 Stage Announcements

Even though I am approaching the age whereby I should enjoy the Marcus Amphitheater lineup at Summerfest, I tend to get just as anxious to see who the 102.1 radio/US Cellular people line up for their main stage on the Summerfest grounds. Generally, "alternative" type rock and usually doesn't disappoint. This year the first and last day of the fest have peaked my interest with They Might Be Giants playing at 10p on the first night and The Bravery closing the 10 day music festival in Milwaukee. For my $15 Summerfest admission, these two bands can have my loot. The trouble is now, I have the open, the close and the 4th to see The Roots play. Being the grumpy middle-aged gal that I am, I just don't know if I have the stamina to go three days. Depressing I realize. I am more of a Captain's Deck kind of girl. Free beer, place to sit and chill with my friends all sounds good to me. But what doesn't kill me will make me stronger. So watch out you little drunk 18-year-olds trying to see The Bravery, this mama is making her way to the front of the stage.

Concert Set Post-Summerfest

I didn't remeber if I posted this concert announcement or not, and I am too lazy to go back and look. (sorry). The Counting Crows, Marron 5 and Sara Barielles will be playing the Marcus Amphitheater on the Summerfest grounds later this summer. The show is Saturday, August 23. I just don't know about the show. All of the artists have new songs out, but are they collectively strong enough to sell enough tickets to fill the amphitheater?

When was "Mr. Jones and me" a hit? I appreciate the idea, but I hope that Sara can help drive some of the sales with her "Love Song". A song that, for me, still hasn't gotten old.

Last I looked on Ticketmaster.com, you can still purchase pretty good Counting Crows tickets in the red section of the Marcus Amphitheater. Seats just off the aisle in Section 3. There is a long time between now and August. I think sales for this show and a few others will pick up now that the weather is nice and people have stepped out of their hibernation.

Happy concert-going!

Summerfest Miller Lite Stage Announcements

Next to the Marcus Amphitheater headliner announcements for Summerfest, the Miller Lite Main Stage headliners are next in line as far as hope goes for music fans. Most of the nights have been announced. This year it looks like there is some of the standbys are back along with the likes of Matisyahu, Rusted Root, Trace Adkins, The Roots, Keller Williams, 311 and Jack's Mannequin. If you are trying to negotiate your visit to Summerfest, you always have to hope that you aren't dying to see both the Amphitheater act and the Miller act the same night, because generally speaking, you will be out of luck. It just gets too crowded to make your way down the grounds.

Stone Temple Pilots Reunite at Summerfest

Stone Temple Pilots have been around for awhile, but with some ongoing drama. The were together from 1987 to 2003 and then broke up only to reunite this year, 2008. Lead singer, Scott Weiland underwent a highly publicized rehab and jail stint. He took to the crack cocaine.

Anyhoo, the band is back together and playing the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest 2008. Stone Temple Pilots tickets are available though Ticketmaster, but many of the good seats are sold already. When I heard STP was one of the headliners, I was skeptical. Then I took a look at itunes and was reminded of their hits: "Plush", "Creep", "Vaseline" and the played-a-million-times "Interstate Love Song".

Post-Summerfest Enter Cruefest

Motley Crue is headlining its own touring festival this summer. They are calling it Crue Fest. Think chicks, buses and Jack Daniels, oh and a bunch of loud rock music. The tour comes to Milwaukee on July 19th, post-Summerfest, when Motley Crue and Friends play the Marcus Amphitheater.

Here is a good one. Motley Crue bassist, Nikki Sixx gave the following in a press conference, "A night of hit songs by great bands and a trail of panties coast to coast. ... Crue Fest, hell yeah!". Wow. Gloria Steinem still has some work to do.

I would suspect they'll play the following songs:

Girls, Girls, Girls
Wild Side
Dr. Feelgood
Kickstart My Heart

Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.)
Home Sweet Home
Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)
Without You
Smokin' in the Boys' Room
Shout at the Devil

To each his own I say. Nothing wrong with some old-school rock. The band says they will also release their first studio album together in ten years, Saints of Los Angeles, in June.

Motley Crue tickets are reasonably priced, something the band did intentionally.

Other rockers on the CrueFest tour include Buckcherry, Trapt, Papa Roach and Sixx A.M.

Summerfest invites John Mayer, Again.

John Mayer, along with new-by Colbie Calliat of Bubbly Toes fame is going to play the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest this year. He was here last year in support of his most recent album Continuum with the Grammy nominated, Waiting on the World to Change. It was a good show. Some concertgoers were disappointed as most of the set list consisted of new tunes, vs the first hits he had which brought him fame and fortune.

The John Mayer concert is Wednesday, July 2. With your John Mayer tickets, you have access to the rest of the Summerfest grounds.

Ticketmaster is selling tickets starting this Saturday for $40 and up. I think little Colbie Calliat, ironically, will help this show along. Nothing against you John, but guy; you weere just here.

Happy Summer Concert Season!