Farewell Milwaukee

Mainstays of the Minneapolis music scene since 2008, Farewell Milwaukee embraces the role that their Midwestern roots have played in shaping them artistically, garnering them fans through their authentic lyrics, lush vocal harmonies, and an honest sincerity at live shows. It is because of this, they have gathered accolades from local and national press, landed a song placement on major-network TV, opened for the Lumineers (among others), and are featured on compilations alongside Mumford & Sons, Adele and Amos Lee.

Farewell Milwaukee released their fourth full-length album, FM, on September 9, 2016. FM is the product of successfully achieving the balance of furthering their artistic careers with a family life. “[The album] has the first song ever written about my daughter, called ‘Hurt No More,’” says front man Ben Lubeck. "I texted my wife a few weeks ago after revisiting the album saying that this was the record I wanted my daughter to remember me by. Musically and lyrically.”

The band’s success has given them perspective and an appreciation for their roots, which continuously comes across in FM. The album, filled with a thematic sense of grounding, was shaped by the stage-of-life lens of being husbands and fathers, and it is this concept of home base that made a concrete impression on FM's overall flowing sound.

Produced by Minneapolis’ Jason Orris and recorded in Terrarium Music Studios, FM is the first album the band has recorded in town since their debut album, Autumn Rest Easy (2009). Farewell Milwaukee has previously shied away from recording close to home in order to keep the flow of the process as smooth as possible; however, for this album, being close to home had a positive and productive effect on the record. “We’ve tried to avoid that [recording in town] in the past with the fear of it being a distraction and taking away from the process. But it seemed to make things very comfortable this time around in the best possible way. It seemed like the easiest record we've ever made. The logistics were simplified, we slept in our own beds at night,” says Lubeck.

Through the ease of the recording process, the band was able to take time to experiment with new sounds; this creativity and adventurousness brings FM to life through the addition of strings, steel guitar, and other sonic touches that the six-piece group perfected in the studio. “One of our greatest strengths is that we are all sympathetic to each other’s playing,” added Lubeck. “We give each other space to play the others’ instruments and take turns letting certain instruments take the spotlight.” The unique sounds of the album make it difficult to fit FM into a particular genre (call it folk rock with a head and a tail, as described in an earlier album review from the Netherlands); however, genre tags are less important when projects like FM have beautifully crafted instrumentation accompanied by powerful lyrics and melodies.

“We're making the best music of our lives while experiencing some of life's most precious moments with our children. We're truly living out our personal dreams and couldn't be happier. My three-year-old runs around the house with a bedazzled pink guitar playing harmonica as loud as she can, trying to be like her daddy, and I don't have to experience that through the screen of an iPhone,” says Lubeck.

Upcoming Shows


Jan
9
th
Turf Club
Jan
9
th
Turf Club

Farewell Milwaukee

★ Local Show ★
with A Piano In Every Home and Big Lake

Past Shows


Jan
31
st
2020
Turf Club
Mar
9
th
2018
Mainroom
Mar
9
th
2018
Mainroom
Nov
8
th
2017
Turf Club
Nov
8
th
2017
Turf Club

A NIGHT FOR NAGEL

Benefit Concert for Jason Nagel
with ADAM LEVY AND FRENEMIES, JOHN MUNSON AND CHAN POLING, John Swardson and more!
Jun
8
th
2017
Turf Club
Jun
8
th
2017
Turf Club

Actual Wolf

with Farewell Milwaukee
Nov
18
th
2016
Turf Club
Nov
18
th
2016
Turf Club

Farewell Milwaukee

with Sam Cassidy and The Heavy Set
Apr
19
th
2014
Mainroom
Jan
2
nd
2014
Turf Club
Dec
18
th
2013
Turf Club
Dec
18
th
2013
Turf Club

Crow Moses

with Farewell Milwaukee and RACHEL KLINE
Nov
29
th
2012
Mainroom
Nov
29
th
2012
Mainroom

JD McPherson

with Farewell Milwaukee
Nov
9
th
2012
Mainroom
Nov
9
th
2012
Mainroom

Pert Near Sandstone

with Holy Ghost Tent Revival and Farewell Milwaukee
Jun
28
th
2012
Turf Club
Jun
28
th
2012
Turf Club

Cory Chisel

with Farewell Milwaukee
Mar
10
th
2012
Mainroom
Mar
10
th
2012
Mainroom

The Honeydogs

with Farewell Milwaukee and Rogue Valley
Nov
15
th
2011
Mainroom
Nov
15
th
2011
Mainroom

CITIES 97 SAMPLER RELEASE SHOW

with O.A.R., Farewell Milwaukee and Graffiti6
Aug
5
th
2011
7th St Entry
Aug
5
th
2011
7th St Entry

THE SOUNDTOWN PRE-PARTY

with Farewell Milwaukee, Apollo Cobra and More Than Lights

More Shows

Jan
10
th
7th St Entry

Sean Anonymous Birthday Show

Mar
1
st
Turf Club

Pert Near Sandstone

with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Feeding Leroy
Feb
28
th
Turf Club

Pert Near Sandstone

with Dig Deep and Katey Bellville
Jan
4
th
Turf Club

Gramma's Boyfriend

with Oyster World and Ghosting Merit