Josh Joplin Group with special guest Cat Ridgeway

Name: Josh Joplin Group with special guest Cat Ridgeway
Start: 2025-11-17T20:00:00-06:00
Location: 2262 Winnebago St, Madison, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53704

Schedule

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025 at 08:00 pm

UTC-06:00

Location

2262 Winnebago St, Madison, WI, United States, Wisconsin 53704 | Madison, WI

Doors 7PM / Show 8PM
$15ADV / $18DOS
Legendary artist manager Russell Carter (Matthew Sweet, Indigo Girls) says of Josh Joplin, “I am willing to bet Josh has written a bad song, but I can tell you I have never heard one—and he has never recorded one.”
Joplin’s latest full-length release, GpYr—produced by Josh Joplin and Grammy-winning producer Lorenzo Wolff (known for his work on Taylor Swift’s Midnights and Folklore)—lands somewhere between a concept album and a sonic scrapbook. It’s a story of four friends who, over one unforgettable summer and autumn, came together for a mission: to rescue Seely from a therapeutic boarding facility in remote New England. In saving her, they saved each other.
Spin Magazine says GpYr is "a collection of pop-infused gems that captures the raw energy of Joplin’s earlier works...but with the musical and lyrical layers of the older, wiser musician Joplin has become."
There’s little doubt Joplin’s latest album marks a new chapter in his career while reflecting the personal and creative evolution. His advancing artistic boundaries may have begun with Figure Drawing–praised by The Washington Post’s Geoffrey Himes as “the broadest, deepest, and most balanced of his career”–but GpYr shows “JJG still has that same warm, winning and welcome slice of indie-rock,” according to Indy Review.
Josh Joplin isn’t one to dwell on past glories, but there was a time when he was chasing songs worldwide. In 2001, His breakout single "Camera One" (produced by Jerry Harrison (Talking Heads, Modern Lovers) became the first independently released song to hit #1 on Triple A radio—the first independently released song to do so—landing the group on Artemis Records which boasted acts as varied as J. Mascis, Warren Zevon, The Pretenders, and, yes, the "Who Let the Dogs Out" hitmakers, The Baha Men. ("Camera One" may not have unleashed any canines, but it did land a spot on the cult classic tv show Scrubs.)
Joplin followed with The Future That Was (2002), produced by Rob Gal (Magnapop, Rock-a-Teens), and earned critical praise from Time Out NY/London, America Songwriter, Paste, Magnet, Vanity Fair, NPR, and others for his records Jaywalker, Among the Oak & Ash, and Devil Ship. His song “Blue Skies Again,” recorded by Jessica Lea Mayfield, has been downloaded over a million times on Apple Music, and “Camera One” has surpassed two million streams on Spotify.
While the Josh Joplin Group will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Useful Music—the album some say started it all—it’s Joplin’s “new album that reminds us all of how far we’ve come.” (–Spin Magazine)
You can’t help but be excited when talking about Orlando singer songwriter Cat Ridgeway. Her infectious energy and contagious enthusiasm in everything she creates is electric while her passion and commitment to her music radiates through her fiery blend of indie-rock and punk with hints of dream pop and folk. A skilled lyricist and melodist, Ridgeway is also a self-taught multi-instrumentalist who can play guitar, harmonica, trumpet, trombone, drums, piano, mandolin, and bass, sometimes playing two instruments at once! Ridgeway, along with the revolving members of her touring band The Tourists, create a sweaty, energetic, exciting party with each live show, where it’s not uncommon to see them play musical chairs on stage as they switch places and instruments on stage. Expect the unexpected. With Sprinter, Ridgeway’s upcoming 2025 album release, she draws the listener in as she strives to understand life’s trials and emerge with a better sense of perspective and self. Ridgeway along with Mike Savino (Kishi Bashi, Tall Tall Trees) play multiple instruments on the album. It was mastered by Joe LaPorta (David Bowie, Foo Fighters), mixed by Dan Molad of the Lucius and Coco (JD McPherson, Here We Go Magic). All-star players include Claude Coleman, Jr. of Ween and Josiah Wolf of WHY? on drums and Adam Schatz of Sylvan Esso and Japanese Breakfast on sax, among others. Her first single “Epilogue,” is a stomp and holler-esque punk rock explosion and a nod to the Avett Brothers’ “Talk On Indolence.” After Orlando Weekly thrice named Ridgeway Orlando’s “Best Singer-Songwriter” and sharing the stage with artists such as Leon Bridges, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, and Arcade Fire, and playing many notable stages and festivals such as 30A Songwriters Festival, Okeechobee Music and Arts Fest, and House of Blues Orlando already, Ridgeway is poised to catapult herself onto the national stage with Sprinter.