Madison, WI

[BeBop]

I got such useful feedback on my Iowa thread (including from someone in Madison), I thought I'd try my luck. Will just be in Madison five days, but could use some recommendations. Main interest is music/jazz, but also need to eat and have a little entertainment.

[Rooster_Ties]

Spontoonious was just there all last week. I'll mention this thread to him when I see him at lunch. I'm sure he'll have lots of suggestions.

Rooster T.

[WD45]

Go to the Gasthaus. The drummer in the polka trio is killer. He was playing all of these hot swing licks as we drank out of a glass boot of beer.

[jlhoots]

If cost is no object, the best restaurant in Madison (IMHO) is L'Etoile.

I don't know the exact address, but it's on the 2nd floor of a building right across from the capitol.

[alejo]

Here is a link to the local weekly:

Isthmus

And to one of the College Papers:

The Daily Cardinal

There are a wide variety of restaurants and cafes along State St. next to the UW Campus.

CD Shops:

Mad City Music on Williamson St.– it’s near the Convention Center. There is also an okay CD shop on Monroe St. about six blocks north of Regent. On the 700 block of E. Johnson next to the Caribou Tavern there is also another little shop where you can find a few gems. On State St. there is Bside Records, The Exclusive Company, and a few used shops.

Relaxation:

Make sure to get a hold of someone who has a student ID and can buy beer at the Memorial Union Terrace overlooking scenic Lake Mendota. I spent many nights, and some days, on that Terrace drinking Sprecher Amber while I pretended to study.

I know Roscoe Mitchell lives in the area and sometimes plays at local clubs.

It’s been awhile since I lived there, so I’m sure that our local Madison residents will chime in with some more recommendations.

Have a great time!

Alejandro

Edited April 29, 2004 by alejo

[jacknife]

I think I've lived here in Madison too long as I'm pretty bored with the town but I'll try to throw out a couple suggestions.

Live Jazz is hard to come by around here. There is the Concourse Hotel downtown which has no name jazz bands on Friday and Saturday nights. It's been a while since I've been there but is usually pretty good.

My favorite hangout is the Harmony Bar on Atwood Ave. It's mainly a blues bar but they have some decent jazz on the juke box, and the best "bar food" I've had! Great place to go on a Saturday afternoon for lunch and plug the juke box with a bunch of jazz selections. They have bands at night but mostly local blues.

Another great place for food is the Avenue Bar just off the capital on East Washington Ave. Excellent breakfast and great steak dinners for a reasonable price. This place is more of a sports bar\supper club, no music.

If you looking for the best steak in town, there's the Tornado Room right off the capital that is highly recommended but is a bit pricey.

Cd stores here suck, in my opinion. Exclusive company has gone down hill, Bside isn't bad but their jazz selection is pretty small. However, I did find a copy of Snurdy McGurdy there. Mad City Music doesn't have much for jazz cds either.

[Chuck Nessa]

Cd stores here suck, in my opinion. Exclusive company has gone down hill, Bside isn't bad but their jazz selection is pretty small. However, I did find a copy of Snurdy McGurdy there. Mad City Music doesn't have much for jazz cds either.

Thank god (or who-ever) for small favors. This is the current (last 25 years) home town of Roscoe Mitchell!

I lived there in the early '70s and liked it alot, in spite of having to replace my store's front windows every 90 days.

[GregK]

Make sure you check out the bar that has 75 cent beer happy hour and bacon (yes, cooked bacon for you to eat) all night. I wish I remembered the name