Events

Join the ever-witty Bianca Lynn Breeze – Madison’s premier drag queen bingo hostess and Miss Gay Wisconsin US of A for 2023!! – as she returns to the Red Rooster for an evening of Drag Bingo! Feel free to bring your own dauber or you can purchase one from Miss Bianca. A portion of the… Read More »Drag Bingo with Bianca Lynn Breeze!

Catch Trivia Night every other Thursday, with Tricia and her skillfully crafted array of stumpers! Bring your own team, or create one with others that evening at the Rooster! The Blues Jam immediately follows Trivia.

The Red Rooster hosts a Blues Jam nearly every Thursday! Musician sign-ups begin at 7 and continue all night. This week’s host is Madison blues legend James Earl Tate, host of blues jams across five decades! The house band starts at 8 and jammers are invited up soon afterward. Professional players are encouraged!

Enjoy a double-bill with two of Wisconsin's top singer-songwriters, Chris Haise and Sam Ness! The Milwaukee based Chris Haise Band’s (pronounced Hi-zee) music is a blend of hook filled ballads and toe tappers. Mixing Folk and Rock, Haise’s vocals have been described as Dylan meets Springsteen meets Petty, while his lyrics have been described as… Read More »Chris Haise Band and Sam Ness

Come to the Red Rooster and take a 300mph ride on the front-bumper of Circus -- the greatest hard rock sideshow melting faces, making eardrums bleed, and taking you back to the high-energy shenanigans of 1987!

Milwaukee's "Big" Al Dorn may not be as big in size as he once was - but when it comes to harmonica tone and technique, he's living large. With strong influences from both Chicago and West Coast blues styles, Dorn's ensemble has a solid jump and smooth shuffle on the reeds. He's also adept at… Read More »“Big” Al Dorn & the Blues Howlers

Karaoke has been rockin' the Red Rooster this fall, courtesy of Tricia and her 50,000-song library of material – covering all genres and eras of music! For the last Karaoke show before Christmas, bring out your favorite holiday songs - and your ugliest sweaters! Join our regular "golden throats," bring your friends for a sing-along… Read More »Karaoke With Tricia – Holiday / Ugly Sweater Special!!

The Red Rooster welcomes back one of Madison's most accomplished musical units, the Bill Roberts Combo. Shaped by jazz/blues stylings in the tradition of Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrell, Roberts is a nuanced master of technique and dynamics. His veteran sidemen - many of whom have played overseas - bring experience and an ear for… Read More »Bill Roberts Combo

The Red Rooster hosts a Blues Jam nearly every Thursday! This week’s show will be hosted by the Usual Suspects. Musician sign-ups begin at 7 and continue all night. The house band starts at 8 and jammers are invited up soon afterward. All playing levels are welcome!

With a balanced complement of resonant and soulful vocals, taut guitar instrumentation, and introspective songwriting, Ivy Ford has developed into one of the brightest young performers on the Chicago blues stages. Recently, she’s been featured with a weekly artist-in-residency show on Wednesdays at Rosa’s in Chicago. From singing the blues to being sultry, she is… Read More »Ivy Ford

The Red Rooster is honored to welcome the return of John Primer to our stage. When last he played here, Primer had just been informed of his induction into the… Read More »John Primer & the Real Deal Blues Band

Thank you for your support this year! As you are able, enjoy the time with those closest to you.

What happens when the Red Rooster doorman has a few days off? He sorts records - LOTS of records. And for the So(u)lstice, that means SOUL records - original releases on 45 RPM, roughly covering the decade from 1962 to 1971. Come down to hear stacks of great obscure cuts - and to shake your… Read More »Roadmaster Dave’s Winter SOULstice 45 RPM Dance Party

The Red Rooster hosts a Blues Jam nearly every Thursday! Musician sign-ups begin at 7 and continue all night. This week’s host is Madison blues legend James Earl Tate, host of blues jams across five decades! The house band starts at 8 and jammers are invited up soon afterward. Professional players are encouraged!

One of the region's most intense guitarists returns to the Red Rooster on on December 29th, as Robert Allen Jr. delivers his explosive take on jump blues and early rock 'n roll. He's a 7-time nominee for the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Awards, and was voted Milwaukee's best blues band for two years in… Read More »Robert Allen Jr.

The hot horn sound is back to warm the end of December! With a funky punch of deep rhythm and bright instrumentation. Rare Element has secured a strong reputation for its high-intensity, live shows. The band’s highly talented 7-piece roster, including a 3-piece horn section, brings massive energy to the stage at each performance. The… Read More »Rare Element

Advance tickets available at https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/red-rooster-madison Ring in 2024 with Wisconsin's humdinger swing/blues quartet! The Rev and his ensemble have consistently been in the top tier of Midwest blues acts for decades. With personal song lyrics and an easily danceable beat, the group is a fixture at clubs and festivals. With impeccable and fluid solos and… Read More »New Year’s Eve with Reverend Raven & the Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys, Madtown Mannish Boys, and Guests

The Red Rooster heats up early January with a trio of Madison bands - each bringing a different twist!  The Apologists (pictured) came together as creative performers at the Broom Street Theater in the Joel Gersmann era; they play a wide range of cover tunes from Dolly Parton to PJ Harvey from Johnny Cash to… Read More »Apologists, Broken Boards, Blue Herons

The early 1980's saw a wellspring of emerging rock sub-genres - including the art-rock and alt-rock that characterizes Bella Brutto's creative output. The Milwaukee-based quartet has its complexities - ranging from pop standards to originals to folk to a range of eclectic sounds.  If you like the creative and unpredictable, you'll probably find a lot… Read More »Bella Brutto