Minimalist indie folk-rock, meet heavy, experimental punk-rock. The odd twin-billing of Wisconsin Built and Madison/Milwaukee band Temple made for a unique, albeit somewhat dichotomized atmosphere (it turns out the bands are friends). Kudos to the UAC folks at The Cabin for the orchestration, opting to situate Wisconsin Built in front of the stage, and doing an excellent job with the lighting.
This is the first time I’ve seen Wisconsin Built perform as a two-piece instead of a trio. Their live show hasn’t suffered from the loss of man power, there’s been an equitable trade: less abrasion for more quirk and nuance. One of the highlights of the set was their cover of Elliott Smith’s “Whatever (Folk Song in C).”
Eric Christenson’s voice is a lot deeper than Smith’s, but the tune’s unimposing character fits well with the smaller set up. Madison’s Temple came out next and things got a little crazier and a lot louder. They sounded kind of like a dark, prog-rock version of At the Drive-In. All considered, Temple was technically precise and had the energy to back it up.
-Caleb Price, October 2011
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Photographs and Video by
Zachary Oliphant
