Author

Scott Gordon

Scott Gordon co-founded Tone Madison in 2014 has covered culture and politics in Madison since 2006 for publications including The A.V. Club, Dane101, and Isthmus, and has also covered policy, environmental issues, and public health for WisContext.

Profile pic by Rachal Duggan.

Scott's Latest Articles

A photo shows Joe Biden speaking at a public event. Biden is shot from below, so that he looms over the camera at an angle, with bright stage lights behind him. The photo has been altered such that Biden is overlaid with a field of distorted static.
What will the “uninstructed” vote say about Wisconsin?
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Microtones
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March 15, 2024

A disconnect written in blood.

A graphic promoting a community vigil for Nex Benedict shows a photo of Nex and a drawing of a hand holding a lit candle, over a blue background, with the text: "Community Vigil for Nex Benedict. Location: Burrows Park, 25 Burrows Road, Madison WI. Date: March 1st, 2024. Time: 6:30 - 7:30 pm."
Madisonians will hold a vigil for Nex Benedict on Friday, March 1
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Politics
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February 29, 2024

The event in Burrows Park honors the non-binary, Indigenous 16-year-old who died after being beaten at school in Oklahoma.

An illustration shows a group of six weasels inside a trench coat that is laying down horizontally on the ground. They are positioned to resemble a human propping themself up on one arm. The weasel occupying the neck of the trench coat wears a small hat with a "press" card stuck in its band.
Pressed for time and advice
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Microtones
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February 23, 2024

Artists and media and the busted world they share.

A photo shows the three current members of the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble posing against a wall covered with ivy and colorful paintings. In the center is Kahil El'Zabar, crouched and facing the camera. To either side of him are trumpeter Corey Wilkes (left) and saxophonist Alex Harding (right). Wilkes and Harding both stand with their backs facing El'Zabar, with their respective instruments lifted up to their lips.
Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble turns 50, and its world keeps expanding
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Music
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February 13, 2024

The veteran percussionist and his ever-evolving outfit play February 18 at Café Coda.

A screenshot from the video game Fallout 4 shows four dialogue options for an interaction with an NPC: "What newspaper?" "Not my business," "Hate newspapers," "Support news." A button indicator is placed next to each dialogue options. The text and button icons are set against an image of the player character in the background, who is wearing a heavy, copper-colored set of full-body armor.
Wisconsin’s three local journalism bills are a flawed but useful starting point
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Politics
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February 8, 2024

We should publicly fund journalism, and think bigger about transforming the structure of media ownership.

Side-by side photos show the brown-gold lid of an Overture Center sippy cup shot from above, and a view from behind of the cup itself, a transparent plastic pint cup with the Overture Center logo printed on the front.
In our cups at Overture
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Microtones
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February 2, 2024

A swivel and sip down memory lane.

A 5x3 grid displays the album art for all of the releases included in this list as a banner image.
Madison’s musical odds and ends of 2023
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Music
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January 22, 2024

A look back at the year's exceptional musical misfits.

A 5x4 grid displays the album art for all of the releases included in this list as a banner image.
Tone Madison’s favorite records of 2023
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Music
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January 19, 2024

These albums and EPs helped define what 2023 meant for Madison music.

A photo shows an adult tabby cat curled up on top of a couple of blue blankets. The cat’s green eyes are open and looking at the camera over his tail, which is curled in front of his face.
Here’s to the slow times
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Microtones
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December 22, 2023

Taking breaks and making things last.

A basic four-image collage collects colorful stills from different movies mentioned in this compilation piece. At top left is "Barbie," in shades of pink, as Margot Robbie's Barbie drives her convertible and harmonizes with Ken (Ryan Gosling) in the backseat. To its right, a dark red-toned still of "Sanctuary" shows the co-leads, Margaret Qualley and Christopher Abbott, during a moment of respite. Below that, Tanya Tagaq sings into a microphone on a neon blue-lit stage during a performance scene in "Ever Deadly." On the bottom left, neighbors Lizzy (Michelle Williams) and Jo (Hong Chau) stare up towards the sky from a Portland, Oregon, sidewalk.
Getting closer to fine cinema: our year in Madison moviegoing
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Film
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December 20, 2023

In 2023, Tone Madison's film writers went to some interesting places, and unearthed some new favorites.