Milwaukee Artist of the Week 6/28/13 – The Invaders
Are you a Milwaukee musician/band? You can submit your music to be the Milwaukee Artist of the Week by emailing links to info@BreakingAndEntering.net. We’ll check out every submission we get!
With over 25 years of playing music in Milwaukee, calling The Invaders our Milwaukee Artist of the Week is long overdue. The band formed in 1987, and has been relentlessly playing shows in the Milwaukee area and beyond ever since. They’re Milwaukee’s longest running ska band, and even after a quarter century of music, The Invaders haven’t lost any of their energy live. Part of that is due to the band’s lineup, which has changed significantly over two decades, including the band’s six year hiatus in 2000. Although the current lineup is different from it’s original members, it keeps the band young, and both the band and their fans don’t seem to mind.
The heart of The Invaders, though, is their live show. The band formed in 1987 as a party band, but switched up their sound to ska-only in 1989, and haven’t looked back since. Seeing The Invaders live at least once is almost mandatory for any Milwaukeean, and it isn’t hard to do, either. The band plays a ton of shows throughout the course of the year, including a regular stop at Summerfest. This year, they are headlining the K-Nation/Cascio Interstate Music Stage at 9:00 on Tuesday. Their live set is a collection spanning from their early days to new material, and some covers of ska classics with their own unique flavor to them. In recent years, though, the band has started to emphasize putting out new albums as well. Over 25 years, the band has put out six CDs, and two vinyl EPs. The latest addition to their catalog will feature production from Rob Hingley, of ska legends The Toasters. The new album, recorded at The Walls Have Ears above The Miramar Theatre, will be out in the near future. With a long standing tradition, and no sense of quit in them, The Invaders will continue to bring their brand of Brewtown Ska for years to come, making their mark on Milwaukee music history along the way.
“Brewtown Ska (We’ve Come For Your Beer)” Album (1994) via MKEPunk.
“Rise Up” at Summerfest (2011)
For more from The Invaders, check out their Facebook and Reverbnation.
