Since 1977, Madison has hosted an annual spring event called WisCon, a convention that aims to highlight the role of women and other marginalized groups in science fiction. It proudly calls itself the world’s first feminist science-fiction convention. The 41st annual WisCon takes place May 26–29 at the Madison Concourse Hotel. Ahead of the event, […]
Martha Glowacki’s cabinet of curiosities
Martha Glowacki is a Wisconsin- based artist who focuses mainly on the natural world and the history of science in her work. She currently has a show of installations and sculptures at the Chazen Museum of Art, Martha Glowacki’s Natural History, Observations and Reflections, which is on view until May 14. The works in this […]
The quiet boom in Madison-recorded stand-up albums
Madison, and in particular the Comedy Club On State, has quietly become something of a destination for standup comedians looking to record their latest album. This month saw both the release of John Roy’s album Everything’s Burning on A Special Thing Records, and the recording of Josh Johnson’s upcoming album for Comedy Central, so we […]
A backyard full of sculptures
If you’ve ever walked down Atwood Avenue on Madison’s east side, you have likely encountered the work of Sid Boyum, namely his sometimes abstract and sometimes playful concrete sculptures. Boyum was a prolific artist and a well-known neighborhood eccentric on the east side until his death in 1991. He was involved in other important works […]
Tubal Cain’s bare-bones black metal
Madison duo Tubal Cain formed from the remains of a much-missed local metal band, The Antiprism. While their former band had a healthy tendency to mix in elements of prog-rock and stately Maiden-like melodies, drummer/vocalist Kristine Drake and guitarist/vocalist Alex Drake take a more stripped down approach in Tubal Cain, drawing on their love of […]
Pedal pubs are capital-B Bad
So now that it’s officially spring, we’re waiting for the weather to turn, and maybe thinking about all the nice outdoor things we enjoy in Madison in the spring and summer. Sidewalk cafes, bike rides, free outdoor concerts. But in Madison and many other cities, there is a dark side to the outdoors becoming hospitable […]