Milwaukee Mishaps & Muddy Boots
okay, so, like, i’m pretty sure i’m running on fumes and lukewarm coffee. i landed in milwaukee yesterday, and honestly, it’s… a thing. a weird, wonderful, slightly unsettling thing. the humidity is clinging to everything - it’s like the city’s perpetually damp, you know? i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure’s at 1017, which is…fine. i guess.
my mission? find some decent beer and maybe stumble upon a decent blues jam. i’m a touring session drummer, so, you know, the usual. my gear list is a disaster, as always. let’s see… sticks (obviously), a battered snare that’s seen better days, a cymbal that’s slightly out of tune, a half-empty bottle of rosin, and a whole lot of anxiety. i also brought my lucky bandana - it’s seen more gigs than i have. seriously, it’s a veteran.
found a surprisingly good brewery down by the river. the name was ‘copper kettle’ - ironic, i guess. the beer was decent, but the guy behind the bar, he just stared at me like i was a particularly interesting insect. i swear he was judging my drumsticks.
Someone told me that the best place to hear live music is in the basement of the ‘black swan’ - apparently, it’s a dive bar with a surprisingly good sound system. They also said to watch out for the pigeons. Seriously. Pigeons.
seriously, the pigeons are a problem. they’re everywhere. like, aggressively everywhere. i almost tripped over one while trying to take a photo of a ridiculously ornate water tower. it was painted bright orange. why? i don’t ask questions. i just observe.
i wandered around the third ward, which is…well, it’s trying. lots of converted warehouses, trendy shops, and overpriced coffee. i checked out TripAdvisor for recommendations, but most of the reviews were just variations on ‘cool’ and ‘artsy.’ yawn.
heard a rumor - a really drunk rumor - that there’s a secret underground speakeasy hidden beneath a laundromat. apparently, it’s called ‘the spin cycle.’ i’m not sure i believe it, but i’m definitely going to check it out.
I heard that the best way to get around is to rent a bike - but be prepared for hills. Seriously, Milwaukee is built on hills. Like, legit, actual hills. And the potholes…don’t even get me started on the potholes.
if you get bored, madison is just a short drive away. it’s got a better vibe, i think. and way fewer pigeons. i’m staying at a hostel - ‘the rusty sprocket’ - which is…rustic. let’s leave it at that. the wifi is patchy, and the guy who runs it keeps trying to sell me essential oils.
checked out a street art mural near the lakefront. it was…interesting. a giant octopus covered in glitter. i don’t even know.
seriously considering just buying a bus and driving across the country. or maybe just moving here. the rain is starting again - it’s a persistent drizzle, like the city’s perpetually shedding a little bit of itself.
found a decent taco place on lincoln avenue. the carne asada was pretty solid. definitely worth a stop. i’ll be posting more updates (if i can remember to) soon. wish me luck. and maybe send coffee.
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