Bootleggers, located at 1023 N. Old World 3rd St, is the latest entrant to the up and coming Old World 3rd Street scene. Long a staple for destinations such as Buck Bradley’s, Have a Nice Day Cafe, Buckhead Saloon and Cafe Vecchio Mondo; the recent addition of Bootleggers and its neighbor Tutto are sure to continue to add to the excitement of the street.

Two floors of indoor entertainment in addition to a third rooftop floor make for a great space to tip a few beers or throw massive weekend parties. Amongst the vast amount of party space and flat screen TV’s Bottleggers features a DJ Booth, a stage for live acts, pool tables, dart boards and sofa lounges - all certain to provide a wide array of entertainment possibilities.

Without much fan fare Bootleggers showcased its capabilities on the weekend of Riversplash 2008 treating customers to a friendly and social staff that seemed willing to socialize and accommodate our requests for tall drinks, information and photographs.

A beautifully designed space, Bootleggers is sure to please a wide audience so be sure to stop by and hang out.

Bootleggers
1023 N. Old World 3rd St
http://bootleggersmke.com/
http://www.myspace.com/bootleggersmke

With the smell of paint still fresh in the air Apartment 720 became the latest nightlife destination to add itself to Milwaukee’s lineup. Deep black walls with paisley white accents provide the backdrop for the high contrast club. One part night club, one part underground cellar, the multipurpose venue seems to be positioned to invite a wide variety of nightlife entertainment. If the acts lined up to christen the venue are any indication I’m sure that is exactly what is ahead.

DJ Delicious opened the night followed by guests of honor Dave Navarro and DJ Scribble. Exciting, high energy sets provided an intense focal point for the evening.

Staff wore traditional black outfits along with face paint. It wasnt clear (to me) what the costumes and makeup were supposed to represent but it certainly added to the special event feeling of the night.

Its difficult to tell from the pictures but one thing that really struck me besides the wall design was the excellent lighting. Very design oriented and creative - it added a great deal to the ambiance for me. It’s an element I think is overlooked at many venues.

Short (but strong) drinks were around $7.00 for top shelf mixers.

Be sure to check out this latest Milwaukee hot spot.

Apartment 720 is located at 720 N. Milwaukee Street between Wisconsin Avenue and Mason Street.

by Jack Roman

In the weeks since the last Empress Envy Night and the end of the electronic Kamasutra there has been a tight-lipped group working on delivering the second coming to North Avenue. With the close of Mantra, an electronic music Mecca, this diverse group of people have fully revamped the location and brought a slick new concept.

With construction under a fair bit of secrecy, the rumors about what’s next for the underground spot have bounded from a “Water Street ” sports bar concept, to strip club, to talk about some new “clubby” place coming to the underground spot. To dispel some rumors and get a sneak peak, The Milwaukee Scene was invited for unprecedented access to a club still under construction.

From the designers computer generated renderings the first impression is that the space is huge, sleek and stylized. Designer and project manager Scott Genke, who’s work can be experienced at Yaffa Lounge, Redroom, and Mantra has really pushed the envelope on what you can expect in a club environment. “It’s nice to start work in a gutted space,” says Scott as he shows us the renderings of a space with three bars, two DJ booths, two entrances and two distinct layouts.

What you can expect from the staff and management is superior service. “This is a completely VIP club,” says D. Bowie entrepreneur and partner in the new hot spot. “We have really expanded the ideas about what a club experience should be.” Partners in the venture include the afore mentioned D. Bowie, Drew Deuster and JJ Kovacovich all 3 established night life regulars. Drew brings club knowledge and experience that stretches from his young day’s bartending in Florida to the present as VIP and Event Manager at CO2 Ultralounge. JJ Kovacovich has been a staple in the industry and is best known for his work at Hi Hat as well as soft-core inspired Sunday nights at Redlight.

When guests enter through the North Avenue doorway they will be greeted by a hotel concierge inspired desk area. Then as they move into the club, the left side will be known as DeepBar and will offer a warm feel to its customers. Complete with plasma screens, a billiards table and its own DJ booth, DeepBar is designed to deliver atmospheric effects as well as multi media providing the place with versatility and comfort. As Bowie describes how we were standing at the dividing line of two different spaces, he says, “So often you have a place that is a club, or a place that is a bar. This place will be both and will pull it off with exceptional confidence.” The vibe on this side will be all about being a bar seven days a week.

For the weekend scene, guests will enter on North Avenue and walk through a glass door on the right and into a space called Decibel that is comfortable, yet high energy. With a booming state-of-the-art sound system, a sophisticated lighting and visual display system, a DJ booth, two bars and a dedicated VIP lounge Decibel is where a lot of action will be. VIP’s get a raised and spacious area nestled behind the DJ booth; a great location to watch the night life from. There is also a bar, the third in the club, dedicated to VIP patrons. The second entrance on Kenilworth will continue to be VIP access and leads directly into Decibel’s VIP lounge.

Other interesting features of the club will be a few new bathrooms that will service the DeepBar area as well as the elegant geometry of the bars, DJ booths and dance floor. The original capacity of the space was in the vicinity of 320 but with the restructuring of the space and addition of more bathrooms the capacity is expected to be greater than that of Mantra. LCDs, projectors, vivid colors and fabrics selection and media art will be a big part of the environment. According to the team, guests can expect to experience a fully multimedia capable lounge and club where anything is possible.

So what about Mantra Lounge? Who gets the neon sign outside? The group is not sure yet. Perhaps a party will decide its fate. What about the artifacts and details that delivered much of Mantra’s charm? Some those mementos will be used to decorate the back office. Decibel won’t remind you of anything else in the city we’re assured. Everyone involved has taken great care to provide a unique identity to the new project. Will any of the familiar employees be returning to staff Decibel? Drew recognizes that part of Mantras success was due to an excellent staff and will be the first to be considered for opportunities when the doors open.

Oh ya – when will the doors open? In April, Deuster says will a smile.

The team says they want to lead the next generation of nightlife in Milwaukee and we agree they can from the glimpse we’ve seen of Decibel. Best Wishes.

Stay up to date and find out more at The Milwaukee Scene and at:

http://www.decibelmke.com
http://myspace.com/decibelmke

It was a freezing cold night on December 2^nd as my wife and I walked into the Mad Planet in Milwaukee. The headliner was Marcella, a group we’d seen before and enjoyed greatly. I hadn’t checked on the openers to find out what to expect, but I’m glad I didn’t, because my expectations were completely blown away.

The night started with an incredible band from Appleton called Sunday Flood. This band is heavy, passionate, and intense. Sunday Flood has the rhythmic complexity of Tool, with odd time signatures and intricate drumming, but with a melodic sound all their own. From the very first song, I was hooked. My foot was tapping, my head was bopping, and my lips were smiling. Each member brought incredible talent and voice to the band. The singer part sang and part screamed, giving emotional intensity to the already physically intense riffs. The bass player had the gain cranked, while still retaining both melodic and rhythmic importance in the band. The guitars drove the songs forward in a roller-coaster ride of dynamic hard rock.

Find out More About Sunday Flood and Listen to Tracks at:

http://myspace.com/sundayflood

The second band was another one for complex musical tastes. Self-Evident, from Minneapolis, was as intense and rhythmically complicated as Sunday Flood, but in a different way. As a jazz enthusiast, I can always spot a metal band that has dabbled in the genre, and Self-Evident definitely has a jazz flair to their music. They use intricate rhythms and staccato riffs filled with full jazz chords and dissonance that would get Thelonious Monk bopping his head and spinning, while still retaining a rock and roll edge to the music, making the band completely unique and original.

Find out More about Self Evident and Listen to Tracks at:

http://myspace.com/selfevident
http://www.self-evident.net

The final band was Marcella, which rounded out the evening very nicely, giving us a laid back sound that felt calming at the end of the night. Marcella is a female fronted rock group with dynamic tunes and tight musicianship. The singer/pianist gives the music a sultry, playful edge that commands the attention of the audience, while the guitarist on the other side of the stage dabbles in different effects and ways of playing that gives the music more atmosphere and modernity. The rhythm section creates a swinging bluesy feel that lures in everyone else who hasn’t already succumbed to the music.

This was one of the best local concerts I’ve been to in quite a while. It was one of those rare nights where each band left me wanting more. You can check out all three bands on their Myspace pages.

Find out More About Marcella and Listen to Tracks at:

http://www.myspace.com/marcellamusic
http://www.marcellamusic.com

Written by Andy Zupke
http://www.myspace.com/bigandybassplayer

Welcome to the Reviews section of The Milwaukee Scene where we eat, drink, listen, enjoy and tell you all about it.