Events

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

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!

Beware of the Ides of March! Milwaukee's hottest tail-shaking troupe, Valerie B & V Funk, drops the groove on the Red Rooster on Friday, March 15, beginning at 8 PM. It'll be a steamy night of '7o's and '80's funk, soul, and R&B classics guaranteed to pack the dance floor!

Alex Wilson's stinging blues guitar and husky vocals provide the power for his trademark power trio - typically featuring other members of the Wilson family!

Enjoy a contemporary take on classic cabaret-style jazz as Combo Noir interweaves pop, blues, rock balladry, and singer-songwriter intensity to make the darkest sounds delightful. And - a special "Irish Brogue" contest has been promised - with an appropriate reward for the winner!

Get your best gingham prints ready for a night of hot bluegrass pickin'! Madison's Sortin' the Mail has become a stable of the local festival scene - and are two-time winners of the Madison Area Music Awards in the "Country and Bluegrass" Category!

Fans of the Ryan McGrath Band have long-known about the Chicago-steeped blues harmonica of Tall Paul Sabel - he developed his craft moonlighting around the Windy City between his academic studies. His original material works in strong elements of storytelling and local history.

This is the deep blues, folks. Duwayne Burnside is Grammy-nominated, a Mississippi Arts Commission featured performer, and son of legendary Hill Country musician R.L. Burnside (who taught and imparted the music and culture of the Hill Country to Duwayne).  Burnside was a member of The North Mississippi Allstars from 2001 through 2004. He has also… Read More »Duwayne Burnside w/ the Usual Suspects

Special late start time (after Duwayne Burnside's show). The Jam will not be denied! NO CHARGE after the Burnside show.

Catchy and groovy, the Twin Cities - based Jesse Anderson Band brings a danceable flow of folk/rock/jam sounds from the stage. Interested? Here's a live clip of the band from a show last November! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FV0GvDBj7oU

Advance tickets available! https://www.clover.com/online-ordering/red-rooster-madison With over 40 years of experience, Matthew Skoller is one of the unquestioned leaders of blues harmonica. He spent several formative years in Milwaukee, shaped by venerable artists such as Stokes and Jimi Schutte (the latter of whom joined him for a residency in Paris, France). Skoller credits Sonny Boy Williamson… Read More »Matthew Skoller & Chicago Wind

We seem to have a core of '90's and '00's music fans at the Red Rooster - and here's an opportunity not just to show your love for the music of the era and the musicians who play it - but to be part of it! Madison's Fringe Field has been performing together for over… Read More »LIVE ’90’s ROCK KARAOKE w/ Fringe Field

One of the area's top music scholars, Nate Gibson undertook a project that united passion and performance - tracking down the then-surviving artists from the Starday record label to join them on re-recorded versions of their historic catalog. Gibson's easygoing stage presence leans more towards vintage hillbilly boppers than rockabilly, but he and his band… Read More »Nate Gibson & the Stardazers w/ The Cock-A-Doodle Dudes

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!

Madison loves horn bands - and that hot sound is back to warm the early days of spring! 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… Read More »Rare Element

With powerhouse lead and backing vocals - and an instrumental punch that more than fills a venue - local favorites Lynda & the ZEROs are at the forefront of top area dance bands. Their upbeat repertoire covers classic Motown and funky soul to contemporary R&B and rock, bringing out the dancer in everyone. If you… Read More »Lynda & the ZEROs

Once again, the Red Rooster is honored to feature Cathy Couture in performance with her debut CD - a "bucket list" endeavor of determination. This time, her musical support will be three other women of talent, creativity, and strength - and killer vocal harmonies  - Gin, Chocolate, & Bottle Rockets - featuring Beth Kille, Jen… Read More »Gin, Chocolate, & Bottle Rockets w/ Cathy Couture

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!

Mondo Cortez and the Chicago Blues Angels stand perfectly astride the rockabilly and jump blues camps - drawing inspiration from the Paladins, Kid Ramos, and the late Nick Curran (who was a friend of Cortez's and occasionally joined him on small Chicago area shows). Last time at the Rooster, Cortez brought the '57 Guild that… Read More »Chicago Blues Angels featuring Mondo Cortez

Singer/songwriter Mark Croft projects a percussive urgency in much of his roots-rock material, akin to Willy Porter. He's a 15-time MAMAs Awards winner; other awards include Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting (for "One Mississippi") in the Great American Songwriting Contest; and a Top-10 National Finalist in the JBL EON "One Take Contest." The Madison, WI based… Read More »Mark Croft Band