Events

Established within the pandemic era - and during a January 2021 blizzard - Chicago's James Dean Joint delivers a potent mix of garage, soul, punk, and more through original material and obscure covers.

A little bit old, a little bit new, a little bit country, and a little bit rock 'n roll - Dr. Jim Carlson and Rob, the Junkyard Dawg Junceau, delight audiences with acoustic renditions of popular music! Rob plays upright acoustic bass and Jim tickles the keys.

Oshkosh-based pop/rock songwriter/guitarist Cody James has a growing library of material full of catchy riffs and lyrics. He's also got a growing set of fans in music media (see below)! "See the Sights" and "Tear the Sky" are his two most recent releases. “It’s clear that Cody James is a rising star in the music… Read More »Cody James w/ Educational Davis

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!

Comparisons with the Pretenders aptly position Bing Bong as heavily influenced by the power pop of the early MTV years. However, the group's individuality and creativity shines in lyrics, instrumentation, and even video production - as witnessed in this stop motion "Jurassic Lego" accompaniment to their song "Bouncing Ball." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gG9NdAyocUw&t=169s

Joe Stamm's voice grabs you from the first note - a sound tailor-made for truck drivin' and sawdust-floored honky tonks. His songwriting turns phrasing with an honesty seldom heard from the derivative brigades of Nashville factory songwriters. The group labels its sound as "Black Dirt Country Rock," plowed and seeded with more than a decade… Read More »Joe Stamm Band w/ Harlow

Since its inception in 2019 by then 10 year old identical twins Isaac and Lucas Deitz, Candy Cigarette has been bringing a unique blend of blues and straight-up rock n' roll to audiences across their home state of Wisconsin and beyond - playing shows at the the Genesse Theatre, Turner Hall Ballroom, the High Noon… Read More »Candy Cigarette

Janes Travis is one of the anchors of the Monthly Country Jams at the Rooster - and the Americana/roots band Dogtown Hollow. His Wednesday evening performance will feature his multi-stringed talents along with vocals - and even some harmonica

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!

It's been almost a year since Madison's favorite roadhouse blues trio graced the Red Rooster stage - and we're excited to have Aaron, Eric, and Z back in OUR roadhouse! Musical scion Aaron Williams composed most of the group's material; it ventures from deep and edgy to explosively energetic (especially when the cigar box slide… Read More »Aaron Williams & The Hoodoo

The Hungry Williams is, pure and simple, a band for dancers. The group, all veteran Milwaukee musicians, raids the raucous R&B of 1950's/60's New Orleans with a set list of deep cuts from the Imperial, Specialty, and Minit catalogues. Even if you're not a dancer, you're sure to feel the joyful rhythm and pulse of… Read More »The Hungry Williams

If there's something that could be called "Midwest Alternative Rock," the Fox Valley's Kyle Megna & the Monsoons embody it perfectly. With a full sound - comprised of keys, horns, harmonies, and warm lead vocals, the group is a two-time winner of the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Alternative Rock/Rock Artist of the Year Award; Megna… Read More »Kyle Megna & the Monsoons

Update - show moved to 3/5! Through nimble fingerwork and warm, flowing vocals, the country blues of the pre-WWII era literally resonates from Lou Shields. His vintage steel resonator guitar and banjo serve as platforms for Shields' original songs, which are as much inspired by his rural homestead near Viroqua as by Reverend Gary Davis,… Read More »Lou Shields

Grand National Champs vs The Also-Rans @ Red Rooster One night only! A showdown for supremacy! The Grand National Champs make their debut in Madison. While they are a collective of Madison music scene veterans, will they live up to their name? The aptly named The Also-Rans are another new group of music veterans, who… Read More »Also-Rans w/ Grand National Champs

NOTE - NO BLUES JAM THIS WEEK. The Distractors playlist reads like a comprehensive album collection from the late '60s to the early 2000s - you're bound to hear songs you recognize (and songs you enjoy)!

AS OF JANUARY - NUMBER ONE ON THE LIVING BLUES RADIO CHART!! With no-nonsense grit and stamina, Chris O'Leary has built a following both in his home area of New York's Hudson River Valley and here in Southern Wisconsin. O'Leary's incisive lyrics and solid harmonica instrumentation landed the attention of Alligator Records in 2023 -… Read More »Chris O’Leary Band – CD Release Party

Six-Thirty Sharp represents the best of local community spirit and talent. They're McFarland's musical team - including teachers, administrators, and residents - sharing joy playing danceable soul, R&B, and funk hits of yesterday and today, powered by a healthy blast of horns. There won't be many wallflowers left at the end of the night!

It's an afternoon of outlaw country and high-energy honky-tonk as Railhopper  returns to the Red Rooster on Sunday, March 10th, beginning at 3:30 pm. Here's a clip of the guys - filmed in the room's previous incarnation, the Knuckledown Saloon! https://youtu.be/DbR8feuVBeA

The monthly Red Rooster All-Star Country Jam returns on March 12 - once again, with hosts Eric Salisbury (Also-Rans, Ramble, Nate Gibson & the Stardazers), Jacob Vance (RailHopper), James T. Spartz (Dogtown Hollow), Dan Kennedy (Also-Rans, Mark Croft, After August), and James Grenier (Ramble, Spine Stealers). Bring you own band to share three or four… Read More »All-Star Local Country Jam

GOVE is a band that exists in the crossroads of psychedelia, rock, punk and country.  Some have said it is a mix of the Pixies with Built to Spill and a splash of The Replacements. Tom, Bruce and Joel take a workman approach to writing songs, inspired by life events and a wealth of experience… Read More »GOVE w/ Brian Liston feat. Joey Banks