Performing Artists
Simply click on one of the performing artists names directly below and quickly jump to more information about that performing artist.
Contact Us if You're Interested in Performing at the MDAF!
 Milwaukee Metropolitan Voices honors, celebrates and promotes vocal music by providing a performance and educational environment which fosters the personal and social growth of soloists and chorus members; by attaining the highest level of excellence possible in public and recorded performances; by increasing the quality of singing in the area; and by creating programs which will contribute to the cultural life of the metropolitan Milwaukee area, southeastern Wisconsin and beyond. Visit Milwaukee Metropolitan Voices  |
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 I’m Not A PilotIndie rock band I’m Not A Pilot is based in Milwaukee, WI and is comprised of Mark Glatzel on vocals and keys, Peter Thomas on cello, Steve Vorass on drums, and Adrian Esguerra on bass and backing vocals. Winner of the Shepherd Express Best of Milwaukee awards for Best Rock Band in 2010 and 2011, I’m Not A Pilot has been entertaining audiophiles of all ages since they released their self-titled debut EP in 2009. Known to many as Milwaukee’s “guitar-less” indie rock band, I’m Not A Pilot has performed in venues all over the Midwest and at music festivals ranging from Summerfest to SXSW. INAP released their first full length album Need Money For Rocket Fuel in November 2010, and it is available on iTunes, Pandora, RDIO, Spotify, Amazon, and CD Baby. INAP can be heard on 88.9 Radio Milwaukee, 91.7 WMSE, 89.7 WUWM, and can be followed on Facebook and Twitter. I’m Not A Pilot’s success as one of Milwaukee’s major bands results from their unique instrumentation. The music can best be described as a cross between Chamber Pop and Rock N’ Roll mixed with symphonic sounds and structure. All songs are written and constructed around front man Mark Glatzel's vocal melodies and intricate piano work. Peter Thomas, also a cellist in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, adds bursts of energy through his guitar simulated electric cello playing. Adrian Esguerra anchors the harmonic framework on bass guitar with cleverly picked rhythms, and textures. On drums the sound is elevated by Steve Vorass whose talent adds the dynamic quality in the band’s music. According Bobby Tanzillo of OnMilwaukee.com I’m Not A Pilot “conjures both Queen and Keane, thanks to an almost baroque arrangement that recalls Freddie Mercury and Tom Chaplin.” “I'm Not A Pilot is four musicians coalescing to reach a state of gestalt by exploring new sonic territories,” writes Charles Nevsimal of INFO* Magazine, “and in doing so, they're charting a course to the stars." For more info please visit www.imnotapilot.com |
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PolarcodeOnly a band as unconventional as Polarcode could succeed at playing a style of music typically dominated by guitar without using one. Polarcode is a Chicago based rock band started by keyboardist/singer/songwriter Eric Stang. Eric's diverse musical background includes having starred as the 1950's rock icon Jerry Lee Lewis in the Tony-Award winning Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet. In that show, Eric played an upright piano to recreate some of the greatest performances from the birth of rock and roll. With Polarcode, Eric plays three keyboards at once to create rock for the 21st Century. Polarcode began as a jam between Eric and friend/studio drummer Mario Cerutti in the practice rooms of DePaul University in Chicago. After Eric and Mario played together for years, honing their craft, they recruited singer Rob Knapik to contribute powerful tenor vocals and a wild stage personality to the band. Bassist/composer Geoff Shell, a graduate of Boston's Berkely School of Jazz and a veteran of the Chicago jam scene, later joined and Polarcode was complete. Finally the right musicians had come together to record Polarcode's first self-titled album. This album is available for download on iTunes. The members of Polarcode draw upon their collective experience of playing Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, Electronica and Hip Hop music. They are inspired by bands like Radiohead, Coldplay and Muse for their lush melodies, crunchy grooves and catchy hooks. Polarcode is creating a truly original and modern sound. For more info please visit www.polarcodemusic.com |
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Anything Goes. Music for your wedding, cocktails, dinners, meetings, parties or any special event. |
Roxi Copland“Jazz/pop musician Roxi Copland is a petite powerhouse. Even when hidden behind a Baby Grand, her presence is huge thanks to a voluptuous voice and fierce piano skills.” -Seattle’s Crosscut.com
Roxi Copland performs throughout the US, entertaining with an engaging combination of original songs and innovative jazz/pop arrangements of everything from Ella to the Offspring. Copland’s unique genre is probably best summed up in the words of one particularly eloquent reviewer as “a possibly schizophrenic but absolutely brilliant concoction of jazz, pop and soul.” She’s recently been described as “Norah Jones with bite”. Beautifully blurring the boundaries of blues, jazz & pop, this talented singer/songwriter/pianist won’t disappoint. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Copland lived in Des Moines, IA for several years and built a following touring the Midwest – she was twice voted Des Moines’ Best Local Musician, in 2009 and 2011. Copland is new to the Milwaukee scene, having moved to the area in July of 2012. In addition to her own tours, Copland has opened for a number of prominent national and international acts, including most recently pop sensation Vanessa Carlton, jazz virtuoso Jason Lindner, the Mingus Dynasty Band, and the acapella powerhouse the Manhattan Transfer. Her live performances have over 150,000 views on YouTube, and her latest release, a stripped-down solo acoustic effort entitled ‘Pretty Lies’ is garnering impressive reviews from critics: Cityview Magazine raves “Roxi Copland has got a gorgeous set of pipes – her voice is big, sultry and rich...if you’re going to pump out an album that’s just you and a baby grand, you’re counting on your voice to do all the heavy lifting. And Copland’s is clearly up to the task.” Copland has released two EPs, a single, a collaborative live album, and a solo acoustic LP to date: Streetwise (2008), Black Out the Blue (2010), Youthful Indiscretion (2010), Max & Roxi: Live at the Temple Theater (2011) and Pretty Lies (2012). All are available for purchase at Copland’s website, as well as at Itunes, Amazon, Spotify & a number of other online distributors. For more information and her current tour schedule, head to roxicopland.com. |
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Kiara DuPreeKiara DuPree is a young, talented r&b singer/songwriter from Milwaukee, WI. She's been singing for a very long time, conducting her first recorded song at the age of just 14. She loves to inspire others, in hopes of one day becoming one of the best. Watch out, because she's just getting started!
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Ordinary FictionWhen you hear the name Ordinary Fiction, what comes to mind? If you said a staggering amount of indie alternative rock chased with pure originality, then you, sir, are indeed correct. Born in the sweet spot of the Milwaukee music scene, Ordinary Fiction has one sole purpose... rock the masses. Combining age-old techniques like masterful vocal harmonies, gut busting drum beats, face melting guitar riffs, and seat rumbling bass lines, Ordinary Fiction takes the Indie Rock scene to a whole new level. Do not let the name fool you, their music is anything but ordinary, brandishing influence from the likes of Jack White, The Strokes, The Foo Fighters, Cage the Elephant, The Black Keys, and many other iconic rockers. You can find them wreaking musical havoc and creating musical fusion all over Milwaukee. From venues like The Rave, to UW-Milwaukee campus and Summerfest, an Ordinary Fiction show is one not to be missed, or forgotten. www.facebook.com/ordinaryfiction |
Remember WhenWe are a duo-2 piece band,Male and Female lead vocals with live keyboards and sequenced tracks. Our music is mainly from the 60's-70's rock n roll also vintage country,We are available for most any kind of venue. Lisa is a great front show entertainer/vocalist,she always has a big smile and with the great vocals she has and always working with the audiance. Lisa is a pro entertainer,dancer,teacher and theater/chorepgrapher,Lisa also sings in 5 languages and sings opera. Mr. 88 Fingers always wishes he had more then 10 fingers to slide on his keyboards. We also do tributes to...Neil Diamond,Patsy Cline,Abba,Merle Haggard,Johnny Cash,June Carter,Brian Setzer. |
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Joey HalburJoey is a member of the National Songwriters Association with a pending songwriter's contract with a well known label. Nominated for three WAMIs in 2010 and winning one with his band SBG in 2010 and 2011, Joey is no stranger to the Wisconsin music industry. Playing, composing and singing in countless bands for more years than most musicians would ever dream of, Joey has been an active member of the "local scene" both on stage and off. Joe plays many solo gigs, as well as shows with his rock band Saved by Grace, he is also the owner and engineer at his WAMI nominated, Limelight studio in Burlington, WI. For his acoustic set, Joey will draw upon storytelling and a balanced mix of cover and original music from a broad selection of genres. He'll keep even the most eclectic audience captivated throughout the show! |
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Teeny-Teeny BandMeet your new favorite band! The Teeny-Teeny Band is Jesus Villa (guitar, vocals), Paula Treacy (vocals) and Jim Richards (percussion) -- three friends who love making music. Their acoustic covers of your favorite songs from the 50s through today get you smiling and tapping. Chances are you'll be singing along before long! Enjoy their smooth harmonies and jangling rhythms and feel good about things again. |
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Jerry & Nora with Dante's BopIn 2005, my wife, Donna and I, went to Memphis to visit Graceland and see the sites. Donna is first grade teacher so she makes a great tour guide (the name tag was a little embarrassing). As part of our tour she insisted we visit Sun Studio. Sun is the small studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and many others got their start. During the tour I found out that Sun is still a working studio. I immediately called Nora to plan a trip for the band to record there. We made the pilgrimage with our band, Dante's Bop, to Memphis, Tennessee, in July of 2005. There, we recorded an entire album at the legendary Sun Studio. For this album, we wrote songs that would fit the style of the early Sun artists. Since that time, Nora and I have gone back to record at Sun 3 more times, resulting in two complete albums and a few singles. As we continued our writing and song development, I began to realize just how many of the classic music performers, were based in Memphis. In the 50's Sam Phillips, Sun Studio, launched the careers of some of the great Country and Rockabilly artists. Then in the early 60's, classic Soul artists, like Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Booker T and the MG's and Isaac Hayes, all came out of Stax Studio on McClemore in Memphis. Then the late 60's Dusty Springfield, The Boxtops, Neil Diamond and Elvis all had classic hits recorded at American Studios, another small store front studio in Memphis. Later in the 60's and early 70's, Hi Records in West Memphis, launched the careers of Al Green, Ann Peebles, and Otis Clay, all outstanding southern soul singers. As I mentioned earlier, we have recorded 4 different projects at Sun Studio. We make the pilgrimage to Memphis every other year. (The in between years we travel to Nashville to participate in a variety of Singer/Songwriter venues there). We hope that you will come to one of our shows and listen to the music we perform. I am sure that some of it will strike a chord with you. |
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Danny Crivello GroupDanny Crivello has long been a part of the Milwaukee music scene. From his years of playing with one of Milwaukee’s beloved bands (‘Those Good Intentions’), to his current sought-after performances, he delivers foot tapping, hand clapping ‘oldies’, as well as crooning the ‘classics’ that just might bring a tear to your eyes. Danny’s vocal and guitar talent earned him the distinction of being named Milwaukee’s first ‘Golden Idol’ Contest winner in 2008. He is a ‘regular’ at the Wisconsin State Fair as well as having performed at the ICC, Festa Italiana and countless other venues. Danny’s versatility allows for his crafting performances to the event, performing with either his talented musical group-including his son Dale (guitar/vocals) , Mary(keyboards), Doug(bass) and Marty(drums), or as a solo act. |
Potts & Pans Steelband
Potts & Pans Steelband is based out of Woodstock and comprised of experienced and classically trained musicians from around the Chicagoland area. The repertoire of the steelband is extensive, from jazz and calypso to popular tunes and original works. Throughout the concert, their music will show off the diversity of the instrument while educating the audience about the steelpan. The inspiration for this band is rooted in Matt Potts experiences in the steelbands both in Trinidad and in New York |
Milwaukee Domes Plein Air Paint-Out
2012 Best of Plein Air
Copyright © Milwaukee Domes Art Festival 2013
