I always believed my first trip to Wisconsin would consist of watching a Green Bay Packers game, instead I performed at Interstate Music.
As a band, we had to fly out of Charlotte, North Carolina to get to Milwaukee, Wisconsin because there was no way we would drive 12 hours to get there. (Also, I know Lambeau Field is not in Milwaukee, but it was cool knowing the stadium was only two hours away from us). For those who do not know, the Charlotte Douglas Airport is always busy. If you ever find yourself flying out of Charlotte, make sure you arrive early since it is always packed. People also drive like maniacs over there so that makes it worse (it’s true, please be careful). Just like when I was in Nashville a couple months back, I was stopped by TSA again and for the same reason too. If you are not sure what the reason is, then you have to read my previous blog which I will attach down below. Other than being held by airport security again, everything else went by smoothly. Remember, it was my first time stepping foot on Wisconsin soil so I was not sure if it was as cold as people made it seem to be. (Flying over Lake Michigan made it clear to me. There was ice floating in the water and I started freaking out because knowing my luck, our plane would fall in the water and we would have another Flight 1549 situation). That being said, people were absolutely right about how cold Wisconsin is (it’s no joke). After we landed in Milwaukee, we went to the Interstate Music venue so we could have a sound check.
Sound check consisted of adjusting our in-ear monitors to the appropriate level of our liking, testing the instruments the venue provided for us, and running through a couple songs. The drum gear that Interstate Music provided me was a Sonor SQ1 kit, Sabian AAX cymbals, and a DW 9000 foot pedal. Sound check took about four hours and after we finished, we finally had the opportunity to eat some dinner. Wisconsin being America’s Dairyland, we made sure to eat some pizza, and it did not disappoint. (Next time I am in Wisconsin, I am going to have to purchase a cheesehead to complement my stay).
The following day, we had a good amount of down time until we had to be at the venue. Most of us laid low and chilled at the hotel. Like I have said in my previous blogs, I am not the best sleeper when I am on the road so I was up at the crack of dawn when everyone else was asleep. To keep my mind off a few things, I went to the gym to workout. I even walked around the town of Wauwatosa (Yes, it was cold. It was 4°F with 12 MPH winds). Afterwards, I had breakfast and watched the World Cup (Greatest tournament ever, hail Messi). When we arrived at the venue, we had to do one last sound check to finalize the quality of sound for our performance. Near the end of it, we talked to the CEO of Interstate Music about our future endeavors, Dustin and Ryleigh had to record a podcast, and before the doors finally opened, we had to play an acoustic set.
When the venue opened its doors to the public, we all migrated to the green room. We ended up making a TikTok too (which served as a perfect warm-up). We played “Whole Lotta Little” by Emily Ann Roberts. If you are unfamiliar with Emily Ann's music, you should definitely check her music out! Also, let me know your thoughts of our TikTok when you listen to it!
Similar to when I performed in Nashville, this Interstate Music show went by relatively quick. This gig has been one of my favorites thus far. Until that day, we have never performed in the upper Midwest region, so it was a neat experience seeing a different group of people enjoy our songs for the first time. My favorite part about performing in Wisconsin that evening was seeing the different reactions from people. Overall, my trip to Wisconsin was a great time and I look forward to going back. (Maybe my next visit to Wisconsin will be to watch a Packers game and perform)! Also, when we get footage from Interstate Music, I will make sure to link the videos and photos to my website. Like always, I appreciate you taking time out of your day to read my posts and being up to date with what I am doing.
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