Author Matt Wild

Sign a petition, help save Wisconsin music venues

August 25, 2020

We said it before, we said it again, and we'll say it again: independent music venues in Wisconsin are in trouble. These businesses were among the first to close in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and ...

Gov. Evers declares State of Emergency to “provide safety and protection to the people of Kenosha”

Matt Wild

August 25, 2020

Little more than 24 hours after releasing a statement decrying the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Gov. Tony Evers has declared a State of Emergency in Wisconsin. The move comes after two nights of f...

WMSE’s “BBQ In Your Backyard” will feature past performances from Alejandro Escovedo, Old 97’s, more

Matt Wild

August 24, 2020

One of the 8,000 Milwaukee events to be canceled in 2020 is the WMSE Backyard BBQ. Sadly, the station won't be throwing its annual free concert in Humboldt Park this summer; happily, they will be throwing a vir...

Desi awakens childlike wonder with animated “Stay Up” video

Matt Wild

August 22, 2020

To listen to the music of Desi is to close your eyes and drift off into a different world—if only for a few minutes at a time. That ethereal alternate universe is more than apparent on "Focus" and "Don't Trip,"...

Well, at least there’s a DNC bobblehead

Matt Wild

August 20, 2020

It's something! Here are the highlights of the release, courtesy of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum: • The officially licensed bobbleheads will be available exclusively in the National Bobblehe...

Black Cat Alley is seeking three artists (or artist teams) to create three new murals

Matt Wild

August 20, 2020

In a Mandatory Milwaukee piece from earlier this year, we had this to say about Black Cat Alley: The site may now shy away from any overt social or political statements, but the natural alley-ness of the alley...

18 pictures (and 0 videos) from Day 4 of the Milwaukee-based Democratic National Convention

Matt Wild

August 20, 2020

The 2020 Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee: What a loss. What a waste. What more can you say?Here are 18 pictures and one video from Day 1. Here are 18 pictures and one video from Day 2. Here are ...

18 pictures (and 1 video) from Day 3 of the Milwaukee-based Democratic National Convention

Matt Wild

August 19, 2020

You know the drill: The 2020 Democratic National Convention was once set to take over Milwaukee and attract both 50,000 people and the world's attention. Now, thanks to COVID-19, it has been reduced to a nearly...

Vinz Clortho sets sail (again) with ‘Fool’s Paradise II’ EP

Matt Wild

August 18, 2020

The last time we heard from Vinz Clortho, the Milwaukee band (not the Ghostbusters character) had just released an unlikely/wonderful shoegaze cover of Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy." (For real: if you h...

18 pictures (and 1 video) from Day 2 of the Milwaukee-based Democratic National Convention

Matt Wild

August 18, 2020

Watch Stephen Colbert take a dump on our city with a lame “Virtual Milwaukee” tour

Matt Wild

August 18, 2020

Isn't it hilarious that Milwaukee is out tens of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars thanks to the 2020 Democratic National Convention moving to an almost-all virtual event? Nope! Wouldn't it be hilar...

#DNC2020: Milwaukee was supposed to tell its story—but what story was that supposed to be?

Matt Wild

August 17, 2020

Let's face it: there's something so typical, so on-brand, so Milwaukee of Milwaukee landing a once-in-a-lifetime event like the 2020 Democratic National Convention and then losing it to a global pandemic. Alway...

18 pictures (and 1 video) from Day 1 of the Milwaukee-based Democratic National Convention

Matt Wild

August 17, 2020

It's been called the "ghost convention," the "convention that never was," and "the most Milwaukee thing imaginable." The 2020 Democratic National Convention, once set to take over Milwaukee and attract both 50,...

WebsterX talks amplification, Sunday’s “Black Is Beautiful: Volume II” ride

Matt Wild

August 13, 2020

"I'm just an amplifier. I want to do my part by supporting things behind the scenes."That's Milwaukee rapper WebsterX, a.k.a. Sam Ahmed, speaking about his role in the ongoing Black Lives Matter movement. P...

2020 Milwaukee Film Festival goes virtual, will be preceded by virtual Minority Health Film Festival

Matt Wild

August 12, 2020

The 2020 Milwaukee Film Festival will be an entirely virtual festival, Milwaukee Film revealed on Wednesday. The festival, set for its previously announced dates of October 15-29, will be preceded by another vi...

For what it’s worth, here are the road closures for the 2020 Democratic National Convention

Matt Wild

August 12, 2020

At the dawn of the new year, the 2020 Democratic National Convention was expected to draw 50,000 people to Milwaukee. Everyone was going to cash in. Everyone was going to get rich. Now, months into a global pan...

All 19 Sculpture Milwaukee 2020 sculptures, ranked

Matt Wild

August 11, 2020

One of our favorite things is Sculpture Milwaukee, the "outdoor museum" of world-class art that has spruced up Downton Milwaukee every summer since 2017. And hey, despite the ongoing pandemic and everything els...

Marquette poll: 69 percent of Wisconsin voters support mask mandate. Nice.

Matt Wild

August 11, 2020

The vast majority of Wisconsinites support the state's mask mandate—a.k.a. the mandate that requires everyone over the age of 4 to wear a mask whenever they're in public and indoors (except while they're eating...

State Fair’s 2020 Sporkies invite you to “vote for the finalist you think would taste the best”

Matt Wild

August 10, 2020

It's an age-old thought experiment: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? In the harsh reality of Wisconsin circa 2020, however, the thought experiment could be upda...

County Executive Crowley: “We face two pandemics: COVID-19 and racism”

Matt Wild

August 10, 2020

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley delivered a virtual "Vision Address" on Monday afternoon. The 40-minute speech touched on racial equity (it's long overdue), COVID-19 (it's devastating), the Milwaukee C...