The Milwaukee summer music festival circuit has all but run its course, leaving behind plenty of crushed beer cups, greasy bratwurst wrappers floating in the breeze and an exhausted power grid. But fear not, post-Labor Day outdoor music buffs (and environmentalists alike), the first annual Rock the Green is set to rock your wool socks off at Veterans Park Sept. 18 with The Fray, Ben Folds, and Fitz and the Tantrums, among others.
The brainchild of founder and executive director Lindsay Stevens Gardner, Rock the Green is Milwaukee’s first attempt at a sustainable near-zero-waste music festival. Gardner is no stranger to the music festival circuit, having spent the past 17 years promoting and marketing bands and events throughout the country. It was this experience dealing firsthand with festivals (and the huge amounts of waste they produce) that inspired Gardner to produce an event that not only showcased popular bands but also promoted sustainable lifestyle habits to concertgoers.
The concept is unique for Milwaukee to say the least. As anyone who has been to Summerfest and seen the overflowing garbage cans or overblown main stage performances can attest, our summer music festival season can’t necessarily be described as “eco-friendly,” or “heart-friendly” for that matter. But Rock the Green is trying to change all of that.
Everything about the festival is built around the concept of sustainability. When you walk in the front gates, you will be given a BPA-free water bottle that you can fill up at any of the free fresh water stations throughout the grounds, eliminating the need for plastic bottles. Collectible shirts and bags sold at the event will be made from old sail cloth, LED lighting will be used throughout the show, and it will all be powered by a combination of biodiesel, solar and bicycle power.
Speaking of bicycles, make sure to ride yours down to Veterans Park to receive free valet parking. If you want some company along the way, the festival is organizing “Ride, Rock and Roll to the Gate” pre-event caravans from the Urban Ecology Center and Stone Creek Coffee in Bay View.
Even the festival food has been given an overhaul. You won’t find deep-fried Oreos here. Local vendors created organic, locally sourced options to sell at reasonable prices for the event. Check out the Bartolotta Group’s gourmet grilled cheese and tomato soup, Whole Foods Market’s falafel plate or Shakthi’s tofu with spinach and dhal. Not a cream puff in sight.
Oh, and by the way, the music lineup is actually pretty solid, comprised of artists selected for their commercial appeal and because they identify strongly with the ideals of the festival. Milwaukee’s sultan of soulful guitar Evan Christian kicks it off at 11 a.m. followed immediately by Parachute, who will give listeners a bit of a preview of The Fray’s sensitive headlining performance. Michelle Branch is up next, bringing her acoustic-driven pop, which has somehow managed to toe the line and stay relevant without succumbing to the slick overproduction that dooms most modern pop.
Fitz and the Tantrums take the stage at 1:30 p.m. and offer the most tantalizingly enjoyable set of the day. With a big, vintage soul sound, Fitz should provide a nice jolt of energy to the midday lineup. Beloved nerdy piano-based rocker turned beloved nerdy reality TV host turned beloved nerdy piano-based rocker Ben Folds follows at 2:45 p.m. If all is right with the world, Folds will be playing some of his earlier Five hits such as “Song for the Dumped.” The Fray closes out an early evening at 4:30 p.m., giving festival-goers the opportunity to ride their bikes home in the light of day, satisfied that they have enjoyed a good show without leaving behind a big mess.
Ben Folds photo courtesy of benfolds.com.
