DISQ
with GRAHAM HUNT
and CELEBRITY SIGHTING
ATWOOD MUSIC HALL
MADISON, WI
JUNE 27, 2025
It's beautiful.
It felt like being in a nightclub housed somewhere in a foreign city. But it was right here...in Madison, WI...on the East side of the city.
On Friday, June 27th, I took my first trip to the new concert venue, the Atwood Music Hall, which opened earlier in the month. The arrival of this venue at this specific location as well as at this specific time is notable for the richness contained in the history of the building itself.
Originally built in 1931 as the Madison Gospel Tabernacle, and designed with what is known as a Zolllinger roof (named after German architect Friedreich Zollinger, and whose design is an example of a Lamella structure-a vaulted roof made up of overlapping structural members across a curved surface creating diamond patterns), the space has also served the area over the years as an alternative school known as The Freedom House as well as Operation Fresh Start, a non-profit focused on youth education and job training. In 2023, the space was purchased by Toffer Christensen and Jake DeHaven, owners of the local event venue The Bur Oak, with hopes to create a larger independently owned venue in a city where many of our concert spaces have been overtaken by the Live Nation corporation.
What brought me to the venue this evening was to see my friends in action once again. The Madison based quintet Disq, featuring Raina Bock (bass, guitar, vocals), Shannon Connor (guitar, vocals) Isaac De Broux-Slone (guitar, vocals), Stu Manley (drums) and Logan Severson (guitar, bass, vocals) has been fairly quiet as a unit as of late with five years since their excellent debut album "Collector" (released March 6, 2020) and nearly three years since their sensation sophomore album "Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet" (released October 7, 2022). This evening would find the band headlining and showcasing new material during a complete local artists night also featuring Madison music community veteran Graham Hunt-himself utilizing the evening as an album release event celebrating his latest project "Timeless World Forever" (released June 13, 2025)-and newcomers, the blazing punk rock quintet Celebrity Sighting as led by Tyler Fassnacht and Danielle Tucci.
For those of you who have frequented this site over the years, you would know that I have found myself fully amazed with the collective of musicians that populate this deeply rich music community over the past decade or so, befriending several along the way, including the members of Disq and their contemporaries in the now Chicago based, Slow Pulp. For me, Disq and Slow Pulp have existed as two sides of a coin, both bands with distinctive identities and varied musical aesthetics, yet having essentially grown up together as friends and collaborators, and also gaining a certain public momentum at the same times, they are linked together in my mind.
The arrival and timing of Covid-19 pandemic could not have been worse for Disq as "Collector," arrived just before the social distancing lockdown immediately stalling their momentum whereas Slow Pulp had evaded that plight by having had built up their presence just before the pandemic. I am passionately rooting equally for both bands and have been over the moon to observe the larger scaled media and public attention of Slow Pulp's.
When I last saw them perform in Madison at the Majestic Theater, it was a wonderment to observe how far they had travelled just due to who was in the audience for it was no longer, family, friends and locals. This time, I was in a roomful of legitimate fans, people who had otherwise no connection at all to the band aside from their songs and albums. As I stood at the lip of the stage watching Slow Pulp perform, I was acutely aware of the audience being riveted by the natural stage presence of lead singer/guitarist Emily Massey, reciting lyrics back to her earnestly, while to my immediate right, there was a young woman holding a handmade sign with hands literally shaking which read, "I Love Slow Pulp." or Slow Pulp, it was happening for them and I could not have been prouder, for I just knew they had a musical vision that could translate outwardly. And moreso, it made me happy to see good things happen to genuinely good people.
With Disq, they are a bit of a moving target as they are more difficult to classify as their vast influences are made up and filtered through a team of five multi-instrumentalist and four songwriters/singers. To me, that makes Disq so tremendously exciting as a band existing during a time when so much is not only being homogenized but the releasing of new music can feel overwhelming due to the sheer amount. It is difficult to keep up with all of the major and independent releases, either through labels or via self releasing strategies. Disq is a band that if I had a magic wand, I would wave it vigorously for them, allowing them to gain a greater foothold so that they can feel freer to create in the ways that are most beneficial to them and also, in ways where they could survive and thrive upon their art.
And furthermore, they are a formidable live attraction who, I believe, could go toe to toe with anyone. Within the multiple times I have seen them perform over the years, their level of intensity has never wavered, there has never been a lackluster show, there has never been a phoned in moment. Disq is a band that plays for keeps and like Slow Pulp, they are genuinely good people for whom good things should happen.
Yet, something is happening here...
As I waited outside the venue for the doors to open, and after greeting the band members on the street, I found myself in conversation with the first person in line, a young man I mistakenly thought was one of the venue's staff members stationed outside. Just as with the fans I saw around Slow Pulp, this person was a Disq Superfan, one who gushingly admitted to me that "Collector" was his "Spring album" in 2020 upon discovering it, but soon, it became his "Summer, Fall and Winter album of 2020." Even further, he had driven from Detroit just for this evening's show, proclaiming that this was the band he would travel this distance for as he sees them as "the Pixies of my generation," a group that will undoubtedly strike gold and new fans will hit themselves for not seeing them sooner when they were on the rise.
I sincerely hope so. And hearing his feelings validated mine. That everything I was hearing was also what he was hearing...and one would imagine, even more fans.
Much like the now defunct Smart Studios, located upon East Washington venue, the Atwood Music Hall on the outside does not announce itself as being anything resembling a nightclub. In fact, as a friend who lives mere blocks from the venue announced to me after the show, "I walk past this building all of the time!! I had no idea that this was here!" Indeed, who would know as currently there is no signage and honestly, if they decided to never house any signage, I certainly wouldn't mind. t almost makes it feel like a neighborhood exclusive!
Upon entering, the vibe was immediate and superbly inviting as I took in an awe filled look at the largely empty space with the aforementioned Zollinger roof, which was filled with the cavernous and BASS HEAVY sounds from one of the night's two DJs, effectively creating an atmosphere which felt decidedly urban, or cosmopolitan. I took my time looking around, going upstairs to the balcony and catching what I am feeling would be a comfortable view should I not wish to stand in the crowd on the main floor-except I knew, that for tonight, I would be right up front for Disq!
Shortly after 8 pm, Celebrity Sighting hit the stage and launched into a whirlwind of a set that only got better and better with each song. Launched with superb punk rock energy that inspired vigorously constant motion, I was fully taken by their force, and the clear enjoyment they exuded, which made me think of a particularly aggressive B-52s fueled by an accelerated Ramones pacing.
A little after 9 pm, it was time for Graham Hunt, who did indeed perform the entirety of his new album, augmented by Isaac De Broux-Slone, Stu Manley and Logan Severson of Disq (all of whom--and Shannon Connor--contributed to Hunt's album in instrumental, mixing and production duties) as his backing band along with
keyboardist Emili Earhart, whom I have never met but have seen many times performing over the years.
To that end, Graham Hunt has existed upon the periphery of my attention of this music scene, even as I have seen him a few times in years past. First, was through his former band Midnight Reruns, as they opened for Post Social (featuring both Connor and Manley in their pre-Disq days). I saw him again as he opened for Disq while promoting his album "Try Not To Laugh" (released December 15, 2023). This evening, everything connected terrifically as his entire set was an powerfully exquisite cycle of power pop heroically sung and richly performed, including a surprising and faithful cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Darkness On The Edge Of Town."
By 10 pm, it was time for the main event as Disq hit the stage for a blistering 16 song set, covering material from both "Collector," "Desperately Imagining Someplace Quiet," and the return of one of the earliest Disq tracks,
"Neglect (Wondering)" from
"Disq 1" (released July 11, 2016), the band's stellar calling card, recorded during their high school (!) days,
when it was solely the duo of De Broux-Slone and Bock.
What continues to amaze me about this band, and especially as many times that I have seen them, they perform their music with feverish commitment, professionalism, enthusiasm and expert timing. "Daily Routine," for instance, a song that knocked me backwards when I first heard them perform it long before the release of "Collector" has lost absolutely non of its power after years of performing it. Sections where the song sounds as if it will unravel irrevocably snap instantly back into place with almost telepathic alacrity and I am blown away every time by its fury at the song's roaring climax.
As for the new material, of which 5 or 6 new songs were performed (based upon a peek at the setlist stationed on the stage floor, I was tremendously excited as all of it was muscular, spiky, sometimes intense, melodically rich and other times defiantly straying towards a bit of weirdness in the arrangements, riffs, and time signatures, a weirdness that grabbed me for I just want to see how far this band can go as they are clearly not resting on past successes. One song in particular, featuring Logan Severson anxiously pacing the stage with microphone in hand, augmented by a darkly insistent rhythm from Bock and Manley, and joined by Graham Hunt guesting on guitar, made me wonder if he was readying himself to drop some rhymes! (He didn't.) Yet, what dd result was an explosive display, filled with monstrous guitars, pummeling drums and a spent Severson laying on his back at one point, losing his glasses in a frenzy during another portion.
Disq took it to the stage and left it there just as the always have, making my anticipation hungrier for Album #3 when it arrives. To that end, Disq showed up on this night as hungry as ever (even with several members performing double duty working alongside Graham Hunt), especially upon this night at this new venue in their hometown, and I cannot imagine that anyone could have been disappointed.
The Atwood Music Hall served itself harmoniously as the full atmosphere of the establishment was warm in its overall welcoming, the expert lighting, sound design and every member of the staff that I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with...a crucial element to have especially as the world hangs in a greater precariousness by the day.
On this night, in addition to speaking with the Disq band members, some family members and partners, I was so happy to see Calem Pocernich (formerly of Modern Mod, currently of The Mail Manipulators), Alivia Kleinfeldt (formerly of Modern Mod and Dash Hounds with Manley, currently of Please!), as well as Post Social's Sam Galligan and Mitch Deitz (a budding filmmaker now based in Chicago, soon to be married) and his brother, Wilder Deitz. composer, musician and co-founder of the Wilder Deitz School For Creative Music.
Atwood Music Hall provided a healthy communal space for the gift of community to to be shared by everyone in attendance. There was nothing about the venue that felt cold or impersonal. It was a meeting place to savor, which only enhanced all of the music performed and experienced.
As I left, I re-entered Winnebago Street with the odd sensation that I had indeed spent my night somewhere away from Madison but I was indeed here the entire time. I just found myself remarking to myself over and again, "It's beautiful. Just beautiful."
I am so thankful that we have Atwood Music Hall and I cannot wait to get back there. And as for Disq, you can do anything!
