By Chris Barlow
Summer’s imminent onset may seem as if it is a fallacy this year given the weather we have had this spring. One sign of the coming warmth in Tosa will help assuage your doubts, the Tosa Tonight 2018 Concert Series.
This year Froedtert Hospital & the Medical College of Wisconsin are the presenting Sponsor for The Tosa Tonight’s Concert Series. Around since 2000 the concert series is family-friendly and provided free of charge to residents of Wauwatosa and the surrounding communities at the Rotary Performance Pavilion in Hart Park.
Marketing Chair for Tosa Tonight Erin Bauer said that the series has the goal of furthering a stronger sense of community through entertainment while also helping to raise money and awareness for Hart Park improvements, Tosa Tonight, Inc. is a non-profit organization, produced by a volunteer committee of dedicated Wauwatosa-area residents.
“We bring local, national, and international talent together to perform for and enrich our community. Delicious food and beverages are available at great prices through local Wauwatosa restaurants vending on site,” Bauer said.
As in years past opening acts will begin performing at 6:00 PM with the main act at 7:30 PM. Concerts are held rain or shine, but may be cancelled due to severe weather.
The 2018 lineup is full of local acts with a following that are certain to bring musical joy to their fans and create additional followers that will check them out on a regular basis.
Schedule highlights include:
June 13: Wauwatosa Rotary Foundation Inc. presents The Differentials, with guests Rebecca & The Grey Notes. This date will include a partnership with the Neighborhood Association Council (NAC) on the Tosa’s All City Read program, 2018-2019 book title announcement and book giveaway.
“The Differentials celebrate the classic America singer-songwriter bands of the ‘60’s and ‘70’s, and are on a mission to keep the “golden era” of rock and country rock alive,” Bauer said. “As a vocals-oriented group, the Diffs serve up their own tasty versions of top hits performed by such artists as The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Tom Petty, The Zombies, and others. You can check out their sound at thedifferentialsband.com or facebook.com/TheDifferentials.
Tosa’s All-City Read is like a giant book club for all of Wauwatosa, and their goal is to have everyone in the community read the same book and come together for discussions and fun activities. 100 free copies of the new book will be given away at the concert in the blue Tosa Tonight Info tent, courtesy of Tosa’s All-City Read.
June 20: Maxie’s, Blue’s Egg & Story Hill BKC presents Blues Genes, with guests the Koch Marshall Trio Guitarist extraordinaire Greg Koch, harmonica legend Jim Liban, Shepherd Express 2016 Best Guitarist Andrew Koenig, drummers Matt Liban and Dylan Koch, and Milwaukee Blues Bass stalwart Kurt Koenig.
Greg Koch and the Koch-Marshall Trio consist of guitarist Greg Koch, his son Dylan Koch on drums, and Hammond B3 specialist Toby Lee Marshall.
“At the heart of this organ trio is a blues sensibility – but Koch’s compositions are an amalgam of rock, funk, jazz and country served up with heavy grooves and dynamic improvisations delivered with no small dose of humor and occasional wild abandon,” Bauer said
Interested people can find more about this band at facebook.com/KochMarshallTrio.
July 11: Meijer presents Trapper Schoepp “Tom Petty Tribute”, with opening set of Trapper Schoepp’s hits from “Bay Beach” and more from his catalog. In addition Tosa Tonight will host a special night with Tosa’s NAC called “Get to know your neighbor.”
Schoepp is a Minnesota-born, Wisconsin-based musician whose recent record Bay Beach follows his critically acclaimed 2012 debut Run Engine, Run, with his band the Shades.
“That LP earned notices in Rolling Stone, American Songwriter and Paste, with the folks at Huffington Post calling him a “master storyteller” and PBS hailing his “story songs that explore and explode the conventions of rock and roll,” Bauer said. “On Rangers & Valentines, Schoepp defies the limitations of the standard-issue Americana platter, hopping genres.”
More information about Schoepp can be found at trapperschoepp.com & facebook.com/trapperschoepp.
August 29: 88Nine Radio Milwaukee presents Milwaukee-based artist Mike Mangione & The Kin, with guest Caley Conway.
Mangione has been writing and performing “orchestral folk music” (American Songwriter), utilizing lush instrumentation and harmonies, bringing listeners into a place of spiritual awakening.
“Collectively, these songs tell the beautiful story of hope through despair,” Bauer said “The style is as unique as the musicians that made it and as familiar as family. Like a reunion of sorts, it ebbs and flows with emotion while remaining honest and close to the heart.”
Head over to mikemangione.com to hear more from Mangione.
Other shows include July 4th: The Wauwatosa Civic Celebration presents Chicago Rewired, with guests The Radio Rosies; July 25: Miller Lite presents Motherfolk, with guests Well-Known Strangers; August 8: American Transmission Company presents Skylight Music Theatre’s “Broadway in the Park”, with guest Peter Mulvey and August 15: The Milwaukee Irish Fest Foundation presents Jiggy and Shreem Jiggy.
