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For long-lasting O'Bros, 150 is the new 90

Katjusa Cisar  —  8/27/2008 3:34 pm

Not recognizing him as one of the founding members, somebody asked Jay Moran a few years ago whatever happened to the O'Bros, that Madison '70s-style pop band that played a lot around the area about 20 years ago.

"That's us," Moran told him. "We just got older."

Moran and two of his musician friends, Michael Massey and Mike Ripp, are celebrating that bygone era and throwing a joint 50th birthday party this Friday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. at the Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Ave. They're calling it "150 Years of Rock" (Get it? 50 + 50 + 50) and it will feature performances by the O'Bros, Chaser, the John Masino Band and Stickdog. All proceeds from the $10 cover go to the Madison Area Music Awards, which is raising money to help put musical instruments in the hands of local kids.

You might recognize Moran and Massey from the Slingbacks, the Mad Cabaret's house band. Ripp has been playing around Madison for 35 years and currently plays in Stickdog and the John Masino Band.

Count on there being lots of reminiscing about the music venues of yore, like the Nar Bar (now A Room of One's Own) and the Shuffle Inn (located first on Park Street, then off the Beltline and since burned down). A style showdown might even break out between Chaser and the O'Bros -- Moran said the bands have long ribbed each other about their very different fashion choices: Chaser members wore David Bowie-like eyeliner and were known for their theatrics on stage; the O'Bros, on the other hand, were "organic and theatrically challenged."

Also on Friday evening, Portland native Brittany Powell is hosting an opening reception at the Project Lodge, 817 E. Johnson St., for her art show "Pony Up: Horse-Related Work." It's a mix of installation pieces and delicately detailed contact paper cut-outs, all horse-related, and runs through Sept. 11.

Michael Parich, also of Portland, will be playing post-punk ukulele songs ("completely not Hawaiian") at the reception (7 to 9 p.m., $3 to $5 suggested donation).

On Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 30 and 31, the Taste of Madison takes over the Capitol Square with more than 60 restaurants and 200 dishes to sample. Take a break from stuffing yourself to check out the free music at all four stages, from country to hard rock. JAMZ 106.7 FM is hosting local hip-hop acts all afternoon on Saturday, including Bodaiga, Profound and the Fall Guys. The JJO Solid Rock stage has 13 bands spanning both days, including

Midnight to 12, Opiate For The Masses and Earshot on Saturday, and Rev Theory, Copper and Caroline's Spine on Sunday.

On The Lake (93.1 FM) stage, a group of 13- to 15-year-old guys called 2nd Thought will be performing a set of classic rock on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Wait 'til you hear these kids roll out a cover of "Freebird." The band hails from Whitefish Bay and recently got featured on the Cartoon Network's "Props!" and recorded a song with Avril Lavigne's guitarist as a result.

Jason Michael Carroll headlines the Q106 stage on Saturday at 7 p.m. He sings pure country rock in a deep baritone voice and is known for having a high-energy stage presence. He recently ended a 12-city tour with Carrie Underwood, who will be in Madison in December. To get the full Taste of Madison music schedule, visit www.madisonfestivals.com/taste.

Phish bassist Mike Gordon brings his solo funk jam to the Majestic Theatre, 115 King St., on Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 8:30 p.m. He's touring in support of his upcoming album, "The Green Sparrow," which he took all of 2007 off to create. Special guests on the album include Trey Anastasio of Phish, Bill Kreutzmann of the Grateful Dead and Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the Allman Brothers and the Rolling Stones. Brooklynites DeLeon opens with a clangy set of clap-happy indie pop. Advance tickets are $20 and available at www.majesticmadison.com.

Katjusa Cisar  —  8/27/2008 3:34 pm