» Joining forces:
Established local musicians found events for youngsters to hone craft
FAMS Week, a series of free, all-ages events offering stages for area teen musicians to hone their craft, starts Monday.
Enzo DeMay has opened for hip-hop superstar Travis Scott, but he can’t get a gig at the Cactus Club, Shank Hall or several other venues in Milwaukee.
That’s because he’s 14, a freshman at the Milwaukee High School of the Arts. Most of the bars and clubs where local musicians play prohibit patrons who are 21 and younger.
“When you see these guys performing, doing what they want, my instant reaction is, ‘Oh, I definitely want to do that,’” DeMay said. “It’s definitely frustrating for it to be inaccessible because of my age.”
This week at least, DeMay won’t have that problem. He’s got three gigs lined up for FAMS Week, a series of free, all-ages events offering stages for area teens to hone their craft.
It’s a coordinated effort among established Milwaukee artists — including scene veteran (and Journal Sentinel blogger) DJ Bizzon, local hiphop breakout WebsterX, and singer-songwriter Grace Weber — who each created recurring events to nurture teen artists.
WebsterX — with teen rapper Kane, high school teacher Vince Gaa and graphic designer Janice Vogt — established Freespace in August 2015, where seasoned area artists and beginners share a bill once a month at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts in Riverwest.
The Jazz Gallery is also where Bizzon has hosted the Scratch Sessions DJ tutorials every Monday since last September.
Milwaukee-born, New Yorkbased Weber is behind the Music Lab, a monthly open mic for teens that started this past March at the Radio Milwaukee Studios. The Lab also features Q&As and mini-concerts with special guests; acclaimed Chicago R&B artist Jamila Woods was at the inaugural event.
“We complain about the negative things that young people do, but there are not that many creative outlets for them that they care about,” Bizzon said.
The events emerged following the demise of a couple key DIY all-ages venues: the Cocoon Room in Riverwest in July 2015, and the Borg Ward in Walker’s Point seven months later.
Most of the small Milwaukee clubs where local musicians play operate with a tavern’s license, said Shank Hall owner Peter Jest. They’re permitted to host all-ages shows with special permits and their liquor stored away, but “it doesn’t make sense for us, because we only make money at the bar,” Jest said. Cover charges for small shows alone aren’t enough to fund staffing and other expenses, he said.
“That’s why all-ages clubs on a smaller level are impossible to maintain,” Jest said. “It would be impossible for us to make any money if we can’t serve alcohol. We would be out of business in two weeks.”
Teen music lovers can see shows at larger area venues like the Rave, the Miramar Theatre and the Pabst Theater that fit the criteria for entertainment licenses. Summer festivals and street parties are generally accessible to all ages.
The problem is, those venues are too big for young, local beginners to get in the door. DeMay got lucky with that Travis Scott gig at the Rave in May; Scratch Sessions mentor Bizzon was his in. But at venues like the Rave, “there are thousands of people,” DeMay said, while at (smaller clubs), “you’re definitely able to have a conversation with artists. Having those experiences, for younger artists like me, means a lot.”
FAMS — an acronym drawing from Freespace, the Music Lab and Scratch Sessions — marks the first time the three events are taking place in the same week. Weber will perform at Freespace, and WebsterX will return the favor as the Music Lab’s special guest.
The “a” in the acronym stands for the After Gallery in Riverwest, the site of a FAMS Week final party Saturday that will also feature underage artists.
Through a coordinated approach, Bizzon wants FAMS Week to “spread the word for these different events, so more people will show up and we’ll get packed houses.”
“I want to see more support and passion for all ages events,” WebsterX said. “These kids are the future.”
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