Bobby Vanderwist - The Daily Cardinal

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Dance music shines with STS9 and Cherub performances at the Orpheum

By Bobby Vanderwist | Oct. 26, 2015

Before I dive into a detailed breakdown of this weekend’s events at The Orpheum Theater, I’ll keep it short and offer this generalization: Man, oh man, the last few days were a great time to be a fan of dance music in Madison. The city’s jam junkies turned out Friday to see their revered heroes in Sound Tribe Sector 9 melt some faces and Saturday, it seemed, everyone in Madison came out for what has become something of a tradition in our city: Cherub’s yearly visit.

Bobby Burmeister

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Ratatat lights up the Orpheum Friday night

By Bobby Vanderwist | Sep. 14, 2015

The Orpheum Theater welcomed a sold-out crowd for Ratatat Friday, kicking off what will be an impressive fall lineup at the venue for fans of electronic music.

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Contemplation and reflection dot Nick Hakim’s haunting recordings

By Bobby Vanderwist | Apr. 19, 2015

Revelers would be wise to arrive early in the day to experience all that the festival has to offer, including a myriad of local artists playing the Terrace Stage, the silent “Wisco Disco” and a variety of art installations and interactive attractions. Alongside these daytime attractions, singer-songwriter Nick Hakim will kick off festivities on the Main Stage with his 3:00 set, setting the stage for a big day of music with his haunting hybrid of R&B, jazz and folk music.

Photo courtesy of thechainsmokers.com

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The Chainsmokers ignite Revelry line-up with fresh take on EDM

By Bobby Vanderwist | Apr. 8, 2015

While Chance The Rapper’s name tops the bill for the 2015 Revelry Music and Arts Festival, that energy and excitement will peak with the next name in line, New York DJ/producer/songwriter duo The Chainsmokers. They have seen their place in the electronic music industry skyrocket over the last few years in the wake of several busy festival seasons, a slew of remixes and infectious singles like their notorious “#SELFIE.”

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Environmental visuals and well-crafted beats elevate Tycho's Majestic performance

By Bobby Vanderwist | Mar. 25, 2015

The Majestic Theater hosted an eclectic, sold-out crowd March 23 for one of the industry’s truest renaissance men, California producer/musician/visual artist Scott Hansen, better known as Tycho. While Hansen has been writing and producing albums as Tycho for over a decade, he now tours with a full band and an artistically thoughtful visual show that he designed himself. Tycho, every bit as accomplished a graphic artist as he is a musician, has been producing visual art for years under the name ISO50. Following in the wake of his 2014 album Awake, Tycho brought his unique blend of ambient post-rock and synth music on the road with a coherent vision that translated perfectly into his new live show.

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Paper Diamond sacrifices creativity for bass drops for Majestic set

By Bobby Vanderwist | Mar. 10, 2015

Last Wednesday, The Majestic Theater hosted Paper Diamond, a DJ and producer who’s made quite a name for himself in the realm of big-room electronic music. The Rain Drops Tour, named for the newly released “Rain Drops” EP, has extended across the country and beyond with all of the energy and charisma that Paper Diamond’s fans have come to expect. I’ve always maintained that while there is absolutely a time and place for heavy bass music that serves only the functional purpose of making people “rage,” there’s a disgusting lack of creativity within the sea of artists whose only goal is to follow that formula and melt their fans’ faces with heavy bass drops. That being said, if there is in fact a time and place for incessant bass-dropping, it’s a tour like the Rain Drops Tour, but it’s not the time nor the place for me, or anyone looking for anything more than that musically.

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Lotus combines instrumentation, synthesizers at electric performance

By Bobby Vanderwist | Mar. 3, 2015

I have always maintained that, on many occasions, the love and enthusiasm of a well-unified fan base is every bit as important to a band’s live experience as the live show itself. Last Friday was one of those times. When Lotus stopped in Madison to kick off the second leg of their Gilded Age Tour, perhaps their most exciting headlining tour to date, the Orpheum Theatre was lucky to host some of the most enthusiastic fans of any music scene. Of course, that’s not to say the band didn’t do their part as well. Supported on the bill by Turbo Suit, Lotus hit the stage early and played two full sets laden with incredible musicianship and the extravagant light show that most fans have come to expect from the band.

Photo courtesy of Bari Lieberman

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Paper Diamond ready for Majestic show

By Bobby Vanderwist | Mar. 1, 2015

The Majestic Theatre will host Paper Diamond this Wednesday on his most exciting headline tour yet. The Rain Drops Tour, supporting an EP of the same name set to drop this week, promises a cohesive and thoughtful experience for all those in attendance. Alex Botwin, the talented artist behind Paper Diamond, has been working in the music industry and crafting visual art for over a decade, managing his various projects through his company Elm & Oak. Over the years, Botwin gravitated from visual art and management to his new role as an electronic musician and released the first Paper Diamond EP, Levitate, in 2011.

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The Floozies' jazz-meets-EDM fusion electrifies sold-out Majestic

By Bobby Vanderwist | Feb. 24, 2015

Last Thursday and Friday, the Majestic hosted another one of their legendary two-night runs. This time around, the weekend featured The Floozies, following up on the groovy electro-instrumental vibes that performed so well last September when Cherub rocked similar back-to-back shows. In typical Majestic style, the proper social media channels were abuzz for months leading up to the shows, playing into the wave of hype that led both nights to sell out. For everyone who had the sense to grab tickets to both nights before they sold out, that anticipation skyrocketed when The Floozies announced that they'd be playing two unique sets: not a single song would be repeated.

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Lotus' Gilded Age arrives in Madison

By Bobby Vanderwist | Feb. 22, 2015

On February 27, the Orpheum will host Lotus on The Gilded Age Tour, with special guests Turbo Suit (formerly known as Cosby Sweater). Lotus’ live show, made possible by some of the most talented and dedicated musicians in the industry, will carry the momentum of the band’s most recent album, Gilded Age, released last fall. Since their formation in 1999, Lotus have refined their sound, toured relentlessly and built a loyal and enthusiastic fan base. Now, more than fifteen years later, I spoke with guitarist and keyboardist Luke Miller about Lotus, Gilded Age and what lies ahead for the band amid a very exciting time in their career.