Ashley Cooke, a country music singer/songwriter, stopped in Milwaukee at the Rave Penthouse as part of her “the cities that made me” tour. This mini tour was an acoustic pop-up concert experience meant to celebrate the release of her newest album in an intimate setting with family, friends and fans.
A meet-and-greet experience with Cooke followed the performances. She engaged with Milwaukee fans by answering questions from the crowd.
Many songs from her sophomore self-titled album were performed live for the first time, according to Cooke.
Concert Experience
Fans arrived at the Rave Eagles Club in Milwaukee on August 15, just one day after Cooke’s album “ashley cooke” was released. They wore the usual country music-inspired fashion and casual western attire.
Tickets for the evening concert had to be picked up at the box office after telling security at the gate who you were at the venue to see. The whole experience felt special and VIP, including the concert being set in the outside Penthouse area of the Rave.
This was my first time in the Rave Penthouse. After surviving all the stairs to get up there, the quaint and airy balcony didn’t disappoint.
Previously, I wondered what was on top of the Rave, but I never realized it was a performance space. Cooke came out and commented on her excitement for performing in an intimate space with a small audience of fans.
Credit: Ethan Ainley 
Ashley Cooke hugging a young fan at the meet & greet before taking a picture with them and signing their jean jacket. Credit: Ethan Ainley 
An Ashley Cooke tall koozie made for Surfside drinks. Credit: Ethan Ainley 
The Ashley Cooke merch table from her sponsor Surfside. It also was giving out free samples. Credit: Ethan Ainley
The whole experience felt surreal, and I was grateful to be there experiencing much of the album’s music for the first time live. The audience was invested throughout the short performance and asked several questions. Cooke took her time and gave undivided attention to the appreciative fans.
One memorable moment was when Cooke picked out somebody from the crowd with blue eyes to sing the song “baby blues” to. Overall, she had great interaction with the crowd and graciously took photos with everyone at the end of the show.
Ashley Cooke Milwaukee Connection
Each city included in “the cities that made me” tour is significant to Cooke’s life in some way. When talking about the tour and new album, she said, “This album was built on the memories and moments that shaped me into who I am, and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend release week than taking a trip down memory lane with you. Each of these cities have impacted my life growing up in different eras and are truly the fabric of my tapestry so far – I want you guys to become part of it.”
For Milwaukee, she was born in the city at St. Joseph Hospital and lived in Pewaukee up until around age seven.
Other cities included in this tour:
- Nashville, TN
- Pleasanton, CA
- Studio City, CA
- Parkland, FL
- Sarasota, FL
- West Lafayette, IN
There was a childhood friend of Cooke at the concert who grew up across the street from her family. “I’m just really proud of her. It’s really cool that she made it so far. I heard a song on the radio a few years ago for the first time. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh. I know her, how cool.’”
The friend from Cooke’s childhood also shared that the country artist’s grandma taught them how to ride a unicycle. One day Cooke’s grandma told the childhood friend that she knew how to ride a unicycle and could show her how to.
Fan Questions
In Cooke’s performance and Q&A, she answered questions from the audience about the new album and the meanings behind some songs.
One story was about the song, “the girl who cried wolf,” which was written and added after initially having the album complete. Cooke came into the studio and started sharing a story about her recent experience with an on-and-off-again relationship.
“The relationship ended, and I was pissed for a lot of reasons. I won’t get into it right now, but we’re not exactly on good terms,” Cooke said. “I got into the room with some of my favorite co-writers, and I just told the story exactly as it happened.”
That track became the 15th song on the record, and it marked the incredibly personal sophomore album officially complete.
Cooke told fans in the audience that the song “xs” was the toughest one to write because it’s a clever song. The lyric “crossing lines makes X’s” was brought up by her co-writer Emily Weisband during a writing session for a different song.
One fan asked Cooke for the best story behind a song on the album. She replied, “So, most of the album, as you can infer, is about a man.”
However, Cooke decided to share a story about the song “high school sweetheart.” It’s about a girl from high school. “Basically, it’s a creative way to tell somebody to grow the hell up and stop being immature.”
Another song, “if I’m being honest,” was written about an experience of getting hammered on wine and starting to word-vomit facts about herself. This turned into Cooke saying, “While I’m telling you all this stuff about me, if I’m being honest, I love you.”
Album Review
The album “ashley cooke” features the singles “famous to frances” and “johnny ‘n june,” both produced by Dann Huff, who has worked with Dolly Parton and Taylor Swift. Cooke’s style and songwriting align and pair well with Parton and Swift’s catalogue of music. Its biggest hit has been the country radio hit “baby blues.”
A song like “baby blues” is an undeniable hit with flirty lyrics and an upbeat melody. When I first saw the title “johnny ‘n june,” I was worried. References to Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash’s love story have been overplayed at this point.
However, I loved the relatable situations injected into this song. Cooke gets both detailed and general enough to leave the listener connecting with the stories and relationships in the song. It felt real and natural to tie her personal experiences to the hope of one day finding a Johnny and June relationship for herself.
Other songs I would highlight are “xs,” “when we’re 30,” “the hell you are” and “dance around it.” I appreciate the vulnerability of this record. I find this mini tour of Cooke’s towns that made her to be appropriate for this album.
The lyric “crossing lines makes X’s” is my favorite on the album and I love fun and clever songs like this. It’s a playful song that fits narratively quite well between “between the lines” and “when we’re 30.”
Cooke’s choice of cover perfectly emulates a 2000s country/pop album. I like its focus on simplicity and prioritizing a stripped-down coastal feel. It reminds me of the art direction of albums like “I Hope You Dance” by Lee Ann Womack and Taylor Swift’s debut.
One of my favorite aspects of “ashley cooke” is the length of the album. It’s perfectly paced at a precise length that feels both satisfying and not too long or short.
In this sophomore album, Ashley Cooke is finding her voice within the country/pop, singer/songwriter music space that continues to increase in popularity. The album positions her nicely alongside contemporaries like Ella Langley, Kaitlin Butts and Megan Moroney.
Ashley Cooke in Milwaukee… Again!
Ashley Cooke will bring her “baby blues world tour” to Milwaukee on Saturday, October 3. She is once again returning to play at the Rave-Eagles Club.
Cooke will be supported by artist McCoy Moore, and the “baby blues world tour” is presented by Surfside.
Tickets for Cooke’s next performance in Milwaukee can be bought from the Rave’s website.