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Music

Deeper perspectives on Madison-area music: shows, new releases, and big-picture issues facing the music community.

Kate Ruland (Left) and Emma O'Shea (Right) of The Spine Stealers are shown in their Madison studio. Both are wearing cream-colored sweaters with wintry designs. O'Shea has one arm around Ruland's shoulders and another on her hip, and is smiling at the camera. Ruland wears a stoic expression, and has her arms crossed around her chest. Both are wearing pendant necklaces. The sun shines through the window behind them, casting a subtle light on their hair and shoulders.

The Spine Stealers aim to author a bold new chapter

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Music
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October 6, 2025

Songwriters Emma O'Shea and Kate Ruland open up about their burgeoning career.

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Latest in Music
Jane Hobson performs live at the Crystal Corner Bar in 2023. The photograph is faded. In it, Hobson is centerstage, playing guitar. To her left is a bassist, to her right a guitarist. The band's drummer is not clearly visible, hidden in part by a large stage monitor on the image's bottom left corner.
Jane Hobson’s new single exudes an empathetic warmth
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Music
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September 24, 2025

"Walking In Circles" is an understated indie-rock gem.

Damsel Trash performs at Harmony Bar & Grill in 2024. Emily Mills is playing a red-shell drum kit and smiling to the image's left. To their right, Meghan Rose is playing a white Telecaster and scrunching up her face in concentration. In the center of the image, behind the duo, a trans flag hangs on the venue's wall. Mills is wearing a chunky necklace and a white zip-up jacket. Rose is wearing a colorfully patterned jumpsuit. Mills, Rose, and the flag are illuminated, the rest of the image is nearly black, with only some stray stage equipment visible.
A hot slate of Madison music demands extra attention
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Music
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September 3, 2025

New releases from July and August reflect a defiant determination.

Slick pose with their arms around each other in front of a vehicle being serviced at an auto repair shop. From Left to Right: Calvin Childress, Nate Opperman, Hance Throckmorton, and Morgen Nicodemus. Each band member is holding a small repair tool. They're all smiling, apart from Opperman, whose lips are pursed.
Slick swings for the fences
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Music
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August 20, 2025

The emergent indie-punk quartet prizes the power of impact.

Photo of a performance venue with elaborate stage lighting. Taken at a long shot from a second level, the five-piece band performs on a stage in the background below on the first floor. A rather large crowd of several dozen people fill out the first floor space in front of the stage.
Atwood Music Hall is putting century-old silent film on its grand new stage
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Film
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August 6, 2025

The east-side venue launches a free trio of Silent Movie Nights featuring live DJ accompaniment, starting with "Metropolis" on August 8.

Dan Walkner appears smiling, holding a fishing rod in front of a body of water. He's wearing a plaid shirt and black jeans. His hair is long, he's got a full beard, his sunglasses are perched on top of his head, and he's smiling.
Dan Walkner’s “Easy Going” balances subtle pathos with nostalgic warmth
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Music
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August 4, 2025

The Americana-indebted songwriter's latest album is an intoxicating concoction.

Hottt Probs perform at High Noon Saloon. Their vocalist is shown mid-strut in a black fishnet bodysuit that's worn under a black miniskirt and a gray bra with ornate designs. She takes up the middle of the image. The band's drummer is shown in soft focus in the lower left. Part of a banner cuts into the backdrop, reading "AN ERROR" behind the band.
Hottt Probs headline the next entry of a great new live concert series
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Music
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July 23, 2025

Atwood Music Hall's Locals Only emphasizes Madison's musical talent.

Graham Hunt performs live at the High Noon Saloon. He's wearing a red button-up long sleeve shirt and gripping a microphone with his left hand and singing with his head down. His right hand grips the mic cable. Behind him is a cascade of blue and purple stage lighting. The stage lighting provides a soft, halo illumination effect that surrounds Hunt's head. Dusk bassist Ridley Tankersley can be seen in soft focus several yards behind Hunt, playing tambourine.
Local artists ratchet up the heat
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Music
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June 25, 2025

May and June's new music releases teem with scorching confidence.

The members of Cribshitter crouch and rest for support on a small wooden table outdoors. Trees are visible in the background.
Cribshitter celebrates a chaotic history
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Music
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June 9, 2025

The legendary Madison band is back with a mini-documentary and greatest hits compilation.

Isaiah Collier is shown in the center of the image, smiling at the camera. He's wearing a white turtleneck and an eccentric white hat. The background is gray.
Madison Jazz Festival returns with emphasis
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Music
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June 4, 2025

Isaiah Collier is one of many highlights in a sprawling, generous program.