Listen At Your Own Risk: 8 Can Miss Bands This Summer

At the beginning of the week I posted my “Summer Music Preview”. As a companion to that piece, here is a list of unbelievably terrible bands that will be performing this summer throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. I am in no way recommending that anyone actually go see these bands, unless it is to heckle or mock them and their fans.

May 16
-Blue Oyster Cult; Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Milwaukee
What better opportunity to wear your “More Cowbell” t-shirt than at a Blue Oyster Cult concert? Don’t expect any surprise appearances by Will Ferrell or Christopher Walken though.

June 5
-Bret Michaels; Taste of Summerfest, Waukesha
-Davy Jones; Waukesha Expo Center
Younger readers may recognize Bret Michaels as the official skank magnet for VH1, but according to his Wikipedia page, Michaels is also considered to be a musician.
Younger readers may recognize…well, actually, they won’t recognize Davy Jones at all.

June 7
-Barry Williams aka “Greg Brady” ; Taste of Summerfest, Waukesha
Remember that episode of The Brady Bunch, when Greg daydreams about his future life, touring as a musician to exotic locations like Waukesha, WI?

July 20
-Hootie & the Blowfish; Waukesha Expo Center
Remember back in the fifth grade when all of your friends were rocking out to Cracked Rear View? Yeah, unfortunately so do I.

July 31
-REO Speedwagon; Wisconsin State Fair
This band has been around since 1967 (what?!), and counting the current lineup, there have been 19 Speedwagoners. The only explanation can be that they are going for some sort of Guinness World Record for most uninspired concert performances.

August 6
-Gin Blossoms; Wisconsin State Fair
This is one of two bands on this list that I’ve actually seen (for free of course). It was actually more sad than funny to watch a band that once appeared on Saturday Night Live, struggling through their old songs like a group of mediocre high schoolers.



August 9
-Charlie Daniels Band; Wisconsin State Fair
I went to go see this band for free a few years ago with some friends, and we were planning on spending the entire night making fun of rednecks. Instead we were treated to the musical experience equivalent to viewing the Sistine Chapel for the first time. Just kidding – we mercilessly mocked the band and the hundreds of fans, until we couldn’t stand the smell any longer and left.