Tone Madison

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Wisconsin's elected officials need to put themselves on the line Get disruptive, get arrested, get creative, but don't play along with fascism.

"...Start by taking cues from your constituents, from people who already have experience organizing on the front lines of social movements, from people who need help right now."

@scottgordonwi.bsky.social has an urgent message for Wisconsin's elected officials in this week's Microtones.

The dogs of Science Hall – Tone Madison World War I-era poison gas testing at UW-Madison leaves a legacy at once extensive and obscure.

If Veregin's name looks familiar, its because we previously published his pieces "The dogs of Science Hall" and "The secrets of Science Hall."

tonemadison.com/articles/the...

tonemadison.com/articles/sec...

Oddsconsin: Dane County Asylum and Home Cemetery Between two strip malls lies a cemetery for the Dane County Poor Home and Asylum for the Chronic Insane

In celebration of spooky season we are republishing articles from Howard Veregin’s blog, “Oddsconsin.”

tonemadison.com/articles/odd...

Terror at the edge of the earth Quan Barry's horror novel, "The Unveiling," mines a deadly South-Pole expedition to explore America's ongoing racial haunting.

@hamsandwichmel.bsky.social reviews Quan Barry's hypnotic horror novel, THE UNVEILING, which explores "America's ongoing racial haunting." Its commentary is one that Madison readers will likely recognize in their own city.

The book launches Tues, Oct 14, with @groveatlantic.bsky.social.

Juliana Bennett announces run for Francesca Hong's Assembly seat Bennett promises to be "a real agitator in a space that tries to constrict innovation."

Earlier this morning, former City of Madison Common Council Alder Juliana Bennett announced she's running for the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 76th District. @stinadale.bsky.social talked with Bennett about her decision to run, her policies, and what she's learned from @francescahong.bsky.social.

Jan Levine Thal's inner and outer theatrical lives Ahead of the October 10 Broom Street premiere of her latest play, "Head On A Silver Platter: In Defense Of Salome," the playwright shares her creative process and storied career.

"...It's more at the meta level about the way women appear in history."

@mminkoff.bsky.social interviews local dramatist and director Jan Levine Thal ahead of the @broomstreettheater.bsky.social premiere of HEAD ON A SILVER PLATTER: IN DEFENSE OF SALOME, which runs Oct 10 thru 26.

Neighborhood noisemaker Assessing the local political and social climate through a community dispute.

"As calls for community involvement grow in the current climate, we need to be wary of actors who find opportunities to capitalize on that energy."

News and Politics Editor Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez examines the scope of the recent dispute between MBC taproom and Oak Street residents in Madison.

Jane Hobson's new single exudes an empathetic warmth "Walking In Circles" is an understated indie-rock gem.

"Few people writing songs in Madison are as adept at authoring tracks that convey both damage and optimistic romanticism in equal measure."

Music Editor @stevenmps.bsky.social highlights "Walking In Circles," a new single from indie-rock songwriter Jane Hobson.

tonemadison.com/articles/jan...

Blake Barit's versatile experimental films value raw technique as much as conceptual ambition The locally based educator and filmmaker presents a program of his recent short-film works at Arts + Literature Laboratory as part of Mills Folly Microcinema on September 24.

"They're gorgeous reminders of the value of raw technique in experimental work, which Blake Barit has in spades."

Maxwell Courtright previews the versatile local artist's Mills Folly Microcinema short-film program, "Digitalog." It screens at @artlitlab.bsky.social on Wed, Sept 24, at 7 p.m.

A home base for a tactile, human art form Textile Arts Center weaves together Madison's buzzing fiber-arts scene.

"You can't really ignore the humanness of it, and then everything that it holds."

@rmbanting.bsky.social delves into the details and creative partnerships of Madison incubator space-turned-community center, Textile Arts Center, which has recently reopened at 1702 South Park Street.

Small Bites: Cooking while disabled Rebuilding kitchen habits for good days and bad days alike.

"Either way, good day or bad, I can probably make it through if I have falafel in the freezer."

In this month's "Small Bites," @jesseraub.bsky.social shares how he approaches cooking while managing his MS.

Defending immigrant rights in the fight against fascism Local activists deploy a renewed emphasis on legal strategy and grassroots organizing.

News and Politics Editor Juan Carlos Garcia Martinez talks with local activists, like attorney Aissa Olivarez and professor Armando Ibarra, who are putting a renewed emphasis on legal strategy and grassroots movements to defend immigrant rights during a time of relentless fascist threats.

It's a thin line between men and their cocks in "No Fear, No Die" Claire Denis' knife-sharp portrait of masculinity from 1990 screens in a new restoration at the Chazen on September 21.

"Watching NO FEAR, NO DIE (1990) with several decades of Claire Denis' films as context, it's striking to realize how the director emerged on the scene almost fully formed."

Sara Batkie previews the new 4K restoration, screening at the @chazenartuw.bsky.social this Sun, Sept 21, at 2 p.m.

I'll be moderating a Wisconsin Book Fest event tomorrow evening at the university, to talk with author David Levithan and songwriter Jens Lekman about their collaborative novel, 'Songs For Other People's Weddings.' We'll talk. Jens will play a few tunes.

Come out!

www.facebook.com/events/40773...

Video: Did we discover an oasis during the summer movie drought? A second collaborative sit-down with Josiah Wampfler at OCA Media to recap a strained but not irredeemable viewing season.

As the summer movie season began to wind down, our film section editor @nothingunfinished.bsky.social and contributor @drboffa.bsky.social joined OCA Media's Josiah Wampfler—host of "Two Tickets Please!"—for a collaborative discussion (to confer and commiserate).

Propaganda hoedown: How the Dane County Sheriff tried to sell the Smart Communications contract Mail-scanning systems are spreading, not for safety purposes, but to strengthen punishment bureaucrats' surveillance powers and corporate extraction.

In his ongoing Dane County Jail coverage, Dan Fitch examines the proliferation of mail-scanning systems and breaks down Sheriff Kalvin Barrett's skewed commentary on the issue.

A few months back I stepped down as publisher of @tonemadison.bsky.social, grateful and relieved to leave it in the hands of three wonderful colleagues. They’ve kept on putting out journalism that no one else in Madison is even trying to do. They need your help, because reader support is everything

Any amount you could give would be deeply appreciated. And most of it will go towards paying the Madison-area writers, artists and editors who make Tone what it is.

our publication is the only one in town still devoting substantial space to film analysis (and not primarily offering cursory, compartmentalized arts listicles). help us continue to do so, and support a terrific team of freelancers. 🙏

tonemadison.com/donate/

Finding a refuge for the unhoused With regressing attitudes towards unhoused people and winter looming, the City and County need to embrace imperfect solutions.

"Homelessness can't be addressed if the City and County aren't on the same page and mutually committed to making good solutions even better."

@stinadale.bsky.social assesses Madison's regressing attitudes towards unhoused people in this week's Microtones.

Graphic has an abstract illustration in the background. At the top, the Tone Madison logo in black. In a read square, the words, "Fundraising Update / We have only raised $1,336 towards our $5,000 goal." Below shows a thermometer graphic updated September 11 to illustrate where $1,336 is in relation to $5,000. Below in another square is a "Donate" button, tonemadison.com/donate.

TWO DAYS LEFT before our fundraising deadline, and we have only raised $1,336 out of $5,000. We need to reach this goal to pay our staff and freelancers so they can continue the arts, music, film, and politics coverage you only find at Tone Madison.

DONATE TODAY! ✨ tonemadison.com/donate/

"Eat My Words" offers much-needed time to reckon with environmental impact Take a quiet hour, and explore the mixed-media exhibition in the James Watrous Gallery at Overture Center through October 12.

Liz Bachhuber and Jill Sebastian's EAT MY WORDS art exhibition in the Overture Center's James Watrous Gallery creates a stunning cycle of decay and recreation. "It is best consumed slowly," writes Sam Harrington.

Ever-expanding AI continues to invade higher education Trump and Big Tech promise "human flourishing" in the UW System.

"The current AI-obsessed education sector is yet another chapter in a decades-old tech supremacy narrative vis-à-vis education..."

Neil Kraus details how corporate-backed AI has recently sucked up all the oxygen in the UW System and beyond.

To Grow A Garden, by Tone Madison 44 track album

It's #bandcampfriday! Our industrious Music Editor @stevenmps.bsky.social is planning a fourth compilation of local music for the fall. In the meantime, you can pick up our three prior comps—a total of 104 tracks by local artists—for just $40!

TO GROW A GARDEN from 2022:

A secluded summer Climate change is directly making our quality of life worse.

"In addition to being an existential threat to our future, climate change is preventing us from enjoying the simple pleasures of the present. We're seeing the impact on our ecosystem, physical and mental health."

In this week's Microtones, @stinadale.bsky.social reflects on the confined summer.

Check out former Tone Madison Publisher Scott Gordon's thread and reporting on this important issue. The Dane County Board will vote on this proposal at its 7 pm meeting tonight.

Graphic has an abstract illustration in the background. At the top, the Tone Madison logo in black. In a read square, the words, "Fundraising Update / We have only raised $985 towards our $5,000 goal." Below shows a thermometer graphic updated September 4 to illustrate where $985 is in relation to $5,000. Below in another square is a "Donate" button, tonemadison.com/donate.

We need your help. Tone Madison needs to raise $5,000 by September 12 so we can continue to publish the arts, culture, and politics reporting and commentary you value.

Go to tonemadison.com/donate to support local, independent media.

A hot slate of Madison music demands extra attention New releases from July and August reflect a defiant determination.

Music Editor @stevenmps.bsky.social keys in on six new releases from Madison artists worth celebrating.

Corridoré, LINE, Baby Tyler Band, Kat And The Hurricane, Solshade, Drive-A-Tron, and Damsel Trash all factor in.

Read/listen here:

tonemadison.com/articles/a-h...

Balancing acts in the multifaceted mystery of "Weapons" Edwanike Harbour and Jason Fuhrman swap responses to Zach Cregger's late-summer hit, an adaptable network narrative of psychological horror and black comedy.

Our latest "Cinemails" column features a written exchange between Edwanike Harbour and Jason Fuhrman on the late-summer hit, WEAPONS.

Director @zcregger.bsky.social's adaptable network narrative of psychological horror and black comedy feels "fresh, innovative, and carefully crafted."