Downtown Appleton’s ambitious Mile of Music event, set for this August and featuring more than 100 original music performances at more than 40 venues up-and-down College Avenue, has announced its initial brush of nearly 40 artists and bands.
Cory Chisel, the Nashville-based recording artist and Mile of Music co-founder, said today that the uniqueness of the four-day Mile of Music event has attracted a talented lineup of original music artists that boasts a wide variety of musical styles. “We’ve been thrilled with the response from the music community as we’ve reached out to bands across the country to come to Appleton for one magical weekend in August,” Chisel said. “The fact that the proceeds will go to music education and to energize our creative community here in downtown has been a huge draw for these artists, who are willing to go a bit out of their way to come to Appleton.”
VIP Tickets went on sale last week and the Festival’s single-ticket sales will begin this Thursday, June 27 at www.mileofmusic.com. Mile of Music runs Thursday, August 8 through Sunday, August 11. Headline and Feature lineups involve tickets, with all other performances during the Festival being free.
The full lineups for the Feature Stage performances at three downtown venues are the latest bands to be announced. Popular local and regional original performers have been blended with artists from other areas of the country to form the three-band Feature Stage lineups. They include:
- Brian Vander Ark (of national recording artists The Verve Pipe), Swear and Shake from Brooklyn, N.Y., and Rob Anthony from the Fox Cities, appearing Thursday night at Stansbury Theater in an all-ages show on the Lawrence campus;
- Fatbook, a Chicago band with Lawrence ties, joined by T.U.G.G. (reggae/ska from La Crosse) and local band, The Guilty Wanted, appearing at Stansbury on Friday afternoon;
- Hugh Bob & The Hustle, from Milwaukee, joined by Nashville up-and-comer Jonny Fritz, and popular Wisconsin band Trapper Schoepp and The Shades, appearing Friday evening at Luna Lounge;
- Nashville’s Communist Daughter with The Heart Pills, from Eau Claire, and opening band Redhawks, from Appleton, appearing at Anduzzi’s Outdoor Patio on Friday night;
- Milwaukee-based Field Report, Nashville’s Foreign Fields, and Adelyn Rose from Eau Claire, appearing at Stansbury on Friday night;
- The Blakes, rock and rollers from Seattle, joined by Chicago-based California Wives and Oshkosh’s own The Travelling Suitcase, featuring Nicole Rae, appearing at Anduzzi’s Outdoor Patio on Saturday afternoon;
- Nashville singer Nikki Lane with Caroline Smith from the Twin Cities, plus The Sleepwalkers from Green Bay, appearing at Anduzzi’s Outdoor Patio on Saturday evening.
- Those Darlins, a rising-star trio from Music City, joined by Right Away, Great Captain from Atlanta and Canadian singer Chase Cohl, a modern-day flower child currently based in Los Angeles – appearing at Luna Lounge on Saturday night;
- The Pines, from Minnesota, with Chicago’s Fort Frances and St. Paul’s Luke Zimmerman, a country blues storyteller whose uncle is none other than Bob Dylan, appearing at Stansbury Theater on Saturday evening.
The Headline Stage lineups were previously announced, with Cory Chisel and The Wandering Sons joined by New York-based, The Candles, on Friday night, along with Pete Remm (New York), Adriel Denae (Nashville by way of Chicago) and the Hillary Reynolds Band (Boston). Saturday’s Headline lineup includes Grammy Award-winner Rodney Crowell, Justin Townes Earle and Nicole Atkins, all based in Nashville, plus Appleton’s Christopher Gold and Brooklyn-based Mel Flannery Trucking Co. The headline shows are both at the Lawrence Memorial Chapel.
Chisel said many of the Headline and Feature Stage bands will also play other shows during the four days of the Festival, including one- or two-person shows or with full bands. They’ll also join in with other bands for impromptu performances. “That’s what makes these festivals so cool, you just never know what’s going to pop up or who’s going to play where or when,” he said.
Chisel also noted that the best way for music lovers to enjoy the festival, and support its future, is to become a VIP Ticket purchaser. “The VIP Ticket buyer really makes or breaks our ability to give back to the music education fund and the creative downtown fund,” Chisel said. “Not only do you get one Headline show and a Feature show, but these VIPs are truly supporting the existence of the Festival in a big, big way.”
A large number of bands will be announced yet this week, Chisel said, including a big name or two who will be coming to the Festival for special appearances and education presentations.
Appleton Downtown 