Photo: Harrison Dilts (Pabst Theatre Group) The Pabst Theater Group’s Vivarium Venue in Milwaukee offered a charming and engaging presentation of music, creating a fun and inviting atmosphere for concert-goers. The venue was easy to find, but the primary parking is street parking, which can get crowded and be tricky, especially for more popular shows. Security at the door did bag checks, making the venue feel safer, though there were no intense security measures, as the venue serves smaller artists. Box office and security workers were friendly, helpful, and accommodating in answering questions and helping attendees. Also, the location was quite spacious for a small venue, with a bar and merchandise stand towards the front door, a long area for crowds, and a small stage at the far end. It was decorated with plants and projections on ceilings and walls to create an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere for the show. The design specifically stands out for being nature-inspired because of its wood walls, greenery, and natural light including a skylight, which creates a serene yet vibrant atmosphere. This combination of cream brick and lush foliage gives the space a warm and inviting vibe.
Concert-goers might notice the absence of a barrier between the crowd and the stage. This can sometimes feel unsafe or risky as a performer, and as an audience member, it felt awkward standing right up against the stage without a barrier. Overall, though, there was not too much rush and stress involved in this audience experience. The venue gradually filled up to about 75% capacity, and it was not difficult to see the band and get good spots. Plus, the visibility was decent from everywhere in the venue, offering good options for every kind of audience member. For instance, there was an option for seating in chairs along the venue’s side with a bar for drinks and bags. This is good for people who do not necessarily want to be front and center, people with drinks, chaperones, and more. Due to how spacious the venue was, the crowd was not pressed tightly together, and audience members could comfortably move and dance. The stage set-up was standard for a small space, featuring drums in the back, guitars along the sides, and microphones toward the front of the stage. Artists entered from backstage via a side
entrance on either side of the stage which was inaccessible to audience members. Hanging speakers were present facing the crowd on either side of the performers, with a sound setup and speakers on stage facing them to ensure audio quality. While this is not necessarily a detriment, the audio proved to be incredibly loud, especially close to the stage, so audience members can be recommended to bring earplugs for maximum comfort. Ultimately, Vivarium offers a relaxed yet dynamic atmosphere that serves as the perfect stepping stone for small artists and proving to be an important contributor to the local music scene.
Recently, Illuminati Hotties brought their Power tour to the venue, lighting up the stage and bringing a bit of fun to a Wednesday night. The concert started with their opener, Daffo, at around 8:30 pm. The band featured lead singer Gabi Gamberg, a bass, drummer, and guitarist. Except for a few loyal fans, many were exposed to the band for the first time, and, while unaware of the lyrics and songs, found it easy to dance along and keep their energy high. Daffo plays primarily indie-folk music with rock undertones, particularly in the guitar parts. Dancing, crowd interaction, props, and even a harmonica also made their way into the performance, creating unexpected bits of spontaneous, light-hearted fun.
After Daffo properly hyped the crowd up, the main event, Illuminati Hotties, took the stage to play around 15 songs, both from their newest album as well as some older songs. The band is led by singer Sarah Tudzin, who created the band back in 2018, making them a newer and smaller band that was well suited for this venue. From the setlist, the best-known hits included Pool Hopping, Frequent Letdown, Truck, and more. The music was full of fun, clever lyrics, upbeat instrumentals, guitar solos, and more, creating a unique blend of sounds best characterized as a mix of pop-punk and indie-rock. Aesthetically, the band members wore a cohesive “uniform” of colors, which matched their latest album. These colors also tied into the drum face, the lights, the instrument colors, and more, making the band appear unified and creating a visually pleasant image.
Overall, the performers and venue worked to make this a magical night for everyone in the audience. Pabst Theatre Group events are a fantastic, fun way to experience live events.
For more Pabst Theatre Group events, visit https://www.pabsttheatergroup.com/events.
—Aimee is a student writer and social media coordinator for The Beacon. She is a sophomore pursuing a major in Mass Communication and Theatre.