Bad Bad Hats Kick Off Psychic Reader Anniversary Tour in Milwaukee
Milwaukee was in for some winter freeze warnings, but despite the cold, the crowd turned up to Vivarium for a good night of music. It was the very first night of the tour, so the anticipation was high. I’m one of those people who like looking up a setlist before a concert because I want to know what specific songs will get played. Unfortunately, with it being night one, I had no idea what extra surprises the band would have up their sleeve. I discovered Bad Bad Hats in January 2024, I think, when I saw them open for Mom Jeans in Chicago. I had no clue who they were at the time, but they definitely left an impression on me, so two weeks ago, when I saw they were coming near me, I had to jump at the chance to see them perform again. It was absolutely worth it.
All Photos By: Carrie BerganTo kick off the night, a band named Smut from Minneapolis warmed up the stage. I had never heard of them prior to the show, but I definitely left as a fan. Their lead vocalist had fiery red hair and wore an outfit that was reminiscent of Wednesday Addams. Her voice was quiet, clean, yet powerful, and at first, their presence was soft. Yet as their set continued, the songs grew in tempo and sound; it was unexpected and super cool to hear. There was a grit to the lyrics and singing tone, not something you often expect from female-fronted bands. The band worked together as one unit, and I need to see more of them. I can definitely see why Bad Bad Hats bought them on tour as direct support. I am a fan of Smut, the band. Check them out.
After a quick changeover, it was time for Bad Bad Hats to take the stage. By now, the crowd was tightly packed in and huddled close to the stage. Vivarium has a shorter stage and was just roped off, allowing the audience to be super close to the performance. This tour was to celebrate ten years of one of their albums, Psychic Reader. I was anticipating an album play throughout, but they opened up songs not on that album. I’m sure the crowd was also wondering how the night would go. After three songs, lead vocalist Kerry Alexander introduced the band. She explained that they had never toured specifically for an album anniversary, and they decided that the best way to do an album play was during the overall set. So they warmed us up with a few songs from a different album before moving on to playing anything from Psychic Reader, which I think was clever and new. Most tours with album plays just kick it off with the album or ONLY play the album with nothing extra. Why wait for change when you can be it?
Throughout the night, Alexander would talk about the song they were about to play and share stories of how the track came to be. She cracked a few jokes, earning laughter throughout the room. The night was more than just the music; there was the community and thankfulness from the band that got them to be where they were. During a couple of songs, Alexander wore sunglasses on stage as the lights flickered around her, amplifying the mood. Towards the end, they broke out kazoos for the solo, and I do not remember the song it's featured in, but I think it's so fun when bands have unusual instruments featured in their music. Bad Bad Hats is still on tour, so check them out and grab a ticket if they’re coming near you!
