If Automatic Lover is a concept band, the concept is simple: bring together a lifetime of inspiration to make music that moves.

It’s a sound that can change on a dime. Like pulling from a wall full of vinyl, the band slides from deep groove to backbeat, from driving rock to soca, to find music that revels in surprises.

Page through their influences and you’ll hear strands of the Budos Band and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, Khruangbin and Deep Sea Diver. They can be as electric as early Police, as funked out as the Brand New Heavies, and as joyful as Manu Chao.  

Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door

Christo Ruppenthal is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist whose professional music career started in 2003.  He presents a unique mixture of Jazz / Vaudeville era novelty infused hot steel guitar and ukulele playing from the 1920s and 30s "Hawaiian Craze" as well as the swinging sounds of Django Reinhardt’s 1930s and 40s guitar-driven Hot Club jazz. Think “Hot Hawaiian guitar meets Jazz à la Django!” Christo is an avid recording artist and performer with thousands of gigs both across the U.S. and internationally to his credit.

Much of his Novelty Combo's repertoire comes from Christo's “Antique Aloha” series of solo recordings and his all original "Café Alongé" release. They also showcase a wide variety of exciting guitar and steel guitar centered jazz standards. They present that repertoire in high-energy eclectic shows. 

Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door

Join us as Violet Palms celebrates the release of their newest album!

Violet Palms combines early 2000s nostalgia and modern influences to create tight, direct rock music that is honest, occasionally goofy, and - because they can't help themselves - funky.

Birthed from late night songwriting sessions between two longtime friends, the power of the dimly-lit kitchen table inspired Marcus Truschinski and Ben Feiner to share their music with friends, who were naturally added to complement the sound. Long time local music maker and engineer, Michael Mertens hopped back on the kit after years of playing guitar and Tim Gittings, actor and advocate, brought the funk on bass. Craig Benzine, Driftless Pony Club singer/guitarist, YouTube star and Marcus’s best friend from elementary school completed the band by playing off of Ben’s chugging guitar work to create a synchronized and dueling attack.

Pay what you choose. Suggested $10 at the door.

Slapdash Bluegrass is an old time, country, and bluegrass band that weaves melodic picking with tight vocal harmony. The band plays original music, traditional old time and bluegrass tunes, and folk and country covers. From festival stages to dive bars to fellowship halls, Slapdash Bluegrass draws a crowd with foot-stomping, finger-blazing barn burners, and keeps a crowd with nuanced writing and charm.

$12 in advance / $15 at the door

Featuring Brenda Cardenas, the current Wisconsin Poet Laureate and James Roberts, celebrated poet and member of the leadership team for the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets. The program will showcase banned poetry through time.  They will be joined by American Players Theatre actors Alys Dickerson, David Daniel and Rasell Holt. Together they will take you through a history of poems that have faced banning attempts, including Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem in 2021 and the poetry of today.

This event is the first in a series as part of the Community Read during the month of October that is sponsored by the Spring Green Literary Festival.  This year’s theme is Banned Books.  Doors and the bar open at 6:00 PM. The event is free.

The Community Read is made possible by funds provided by River Valley Arts and the Wisconsin Arts Board.

Drag Bingo Event to Benefit River Valley ARTS

Have fun and raise money for one of River Valley's most impactful organizations, River Valley ARTS. Over the years River Valley ARTS has granted well over $200,000 to local organizations, schools, and artists, providing funding for countless concerts, art exhibitions, classes, and other performances throughout our community.

On October 10th, there will be a Drag Bingo Fundraiser for River Valley ARTS at the Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret in Spring Green. The event, hosted by Cynthia Mooseknuckle, will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy an evening with your friends and neighbors while raising money for arts and culture programs in the River Valley area.

Details: The evening begins at 7pm and will feature five rounds of bingo and a drag performance by Cynthia Mooseknuckle. The price is $20 per person and includes one bingo card. Additional bingo cards can be purchased for $5 each. Drag Bingo tickets can be purchased at www.RiverValleyARTS.org.

In addition, there will also be a raffle with prizes generously donated from local businesses and artists. Tickets for the raffle are $5 each or 5/$20 and will be available day of event.

Proceeds from Drag Bingo and the raffle will go directly to River Valley ARTS.

For more information email contact@rivervalleyarts.org.

The Honey Pies is an exciting collaboration of Madison-based music veterans. Jodi Jean Amble made a major splash in the Chicago scene fronting her eponymous band—nominally jazz, but equally at home with, pop, country, and more—and as a member of the highly eclectic ensemble Jenny Dragon. Tom Waselchuk leads the MAMA Award-winning Americana band The Dang-Its and has performed for more than twenty years in a free-swinging guitar duo with multi-instrumentalist Doug Brown. Doug has long been among the most in-demand freelance sidemen on the Madison music scene in a variety of genres, as well as being a band-leader, composer, and arranger. Matt Rodgers is among southern Wisconsin’s busiest bass players, equally at home in most any style of music. 

Tickets $12 in advance, $15 at the door

Jambidextrous is a 5 piece jazz group of recent vintage, but comprised of 5 veteran musicians from the Spring Green area.  A history of jazz is presented from the original masters of Count Basie, Miles, Monk, Coltrane... through the progressive jazz, funk, and rock  era of Herbie Hancock, Traffic and Santana.  The group is led by keyboardist, Ted Frank, a 45 year jazz-rock performer and alumnus of the 1978 UW Madison jazz ensemble led by Richard Davis, with Rob Steffen-drums, Aaron Simays-tenor sax, Dave Saperstein-Bass, and Patrick Michels - percussion.   

No cover, but tips for the performers are welcome and encouraged

Wisconsin Space Program is a three-piece psych-rock band from Milwaukee, exploring sounds ranging from sun soaked ‘60s psych pop to heavy, fuzzed-out stoner metal. Formed in the winter of 2024, the group consists of members from regional stalwarts like NEWSKI and The Delta Routine. Known for their electrifying live performances, fans can expect lush harmonies, unpredictable grooves, and a relentless energy that evokes rock bands from a bygone era. 

$12 in advance / $15 at the door

Join us for a night of Halloween fun with live music, costume contest, and more!

Playing a mix of funk, soul and rock 'n roll, Sugar Mama and the Rent Check are a Spring Green-based band featuring Laura Burbaugh on vocals, Ellie Barta-Moran on vocals, killer tambourine and guitar, Todd Miller on lead guitar, John Christensen on vocals and keyboard, Tim Gittings on bass and harmonica, and Rob Steffen on drums.

Suggested donation $5-10 at the door

Acoustic adventurers Stillhouse Junkies explore the worlds between roots, bluegrass, Texas swing, blues, and rock. Their free-flowing musical interplay and improvisation make every show unique as the trio weave through high-energy, intricately composed original songs, never taking the same path twice. Formed in 2017, the band consists of Fred Kosak (guitar, mandolin), Alissa Wolf (fiddle), and Jeanette Adams (bass).

Fareed Haque is a modern guitar virtuoso. Steeped in classical and jazz traditions, his unique command of the guitar and different musical styles inspire his musical ventures with tradition and fearless innovation.

Haque has toured and recorded with Joe Zawinul, Billy Cobham, Dave Holland, Paquito D’Rivera, Sting, Zakir Hussain, Bob James, Joe Henderson and many others, in addition to co-leading groups with Tony Monaco, Paul Wertico, Goran Ivanovic, Garaj Mahal, and The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra. Haque has released numerous albums as a leader, in jazz, classical, world music and fusion styles, and is the recipient of numerous accolades and awards including  Best World Guitarist, Guitar Player Magazine 2009, 2004 Acoustic Album of the Year, 2007 Independent Music Award, and Best New World Music Group in Chicago Reader Poll 2020.

Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door

LAAMAR is the latest project led by Minneapolis-based singer, songwriter, saxophonist, and composer Geoffrey Lamar Wilson. Former frontman of Brooklyn-based Jus Post Bellum, Wilson is also known for his multilayered looped saxophone performances and catchy podcast ditties (Terrible, Thanks for Asking). On the band’s debut EP, Flowers, Wilson blends his idiomatic inspirations bridging folk, soul, R&B, and country with a constant ear toward racial and social justice issues and the shared human experience.

Recent acclaim for LAAMAR includes debut single “Home to My Baby” being named KAXE’s “Best Song” of 2023 and a nod as one of First Avenue’s Best New Bands.

“With Flowers,” writes Malachy Koons of KAXE, "LAAMAR has crafted a stunning debut that does not shy away from difficult topics. The new EP features four instantly catchy songs, with each taking a different approach to issues of racial and social justice.”

The band is working with Nat Harvie (Low, Cole Pulice) on their debut full length, tentatively planned for release this Fall.

Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door

The Commercialists are a Milwaukee-based jazz trio whose goal in life is to spread holiday cheer through the music of A Charlie Brown Christmas, Vince Guaraldi, badly timed humor, and epic holiday poetry.

The Commercialists are: 
Anthony Deutsch (piano and voice), Clay Schaub (bass), and Patrick Morrow (drums).

Tickets $25 in advance/$30 at the door

Americana flavored Gypsy Jazz on full tilt! Harmonious Wail combines the searing wit, humor and mandolin virtuosity of vintage Jethro Burns performances, the Continental panache of Django and charm of Edith Piath inspired vocals to create a unique musical journey.

“In the gypsy jazz field, no one does it any better than the Madison, Wisconsin based group Harmonious Wail.” -Jazz Review

”Intense playing & sense of purpose that never wavers… a mind altering experience.” -The Washington Examiner

Harmonious Wail is Sims and Maggie Delany-Potthoff joined by Aden Stier on Bass and Scott Hlavenka on Guitar.

Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at the door

The Empty Pockets craft a soulful blend of rootsy blues, classic rock, andMidwestern folk, anchored by powerful vocals and sharp songwriting. Theirmusical chops have been honed backing legends like Al Stewart, GaryWright, Simon Kirke, and Kenny Loggins, and their own work has earnedtwo #1 spots on the Billboard Blues Albums chart. Known affectionately asthe “baseball band,” you might find them singing the national anthem or 7thinning stretch at MLB and MiLB stadiums across the country, building a loyal fanbase one city at a time.

The Empty Pockets Holiday Tour 2025 Snow Day: Blues Rock for the HolidaysThe Empty Pockets infuse holiday classics like “Let It Snow” and “Run RunRudolph” with fresh blues-rock energy, while showcasing their own fun andfestive originals like “Snow Day” and “Party at the North Pole.” Blendingholiday cheer with songs from their #1 Billboard Blues albums, the band ishitting the road this season for a dozen exhilarating shows. They’re callingit theSnow DayHoliday Tour.

Tickets $15 in advance/$20 at the door

Feestet (pronounced “Feest-tet”) is a Madison-based jazz ensemble fronted by vocalist Helen Feest. Formed in 2021, their blend of arranged jazz classics and originals pay tribute to the sounds and stories that withstand the test of time.

Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door