UWM’s Campus Activities Board hosted the first-ever Panther Palooza concert showcase in collaboration with Prowl Radio on Thursday, April 6. The event replaced the long-standing Pantherfest concert series, putting more of an emphasis on performances from independent and local musicians. Taking place in the UWM Student Union’s Wisconsin Room, a passionate crowd of concertgoers were treated to engaging sets from Chase Ceglie, Chapped Lips and Tlalok.
The night kicked off with a performance by vocalist and guitarist Tlalok. Weaving between soulful originals and covers of King Krule, Arctic Monkeys and Kendrick Lamar, his acoustic set provided an intimate and homespun feel to start the night. Showcasing a unique genre fusion of Latin, rock and soul throughout his setlist, he started the event off with a memorable and feel-good performance that primed everyone for a night of great music and communal spirit.
Milwaukee-based alternative rock group Chapped Lips followed with a high-energy set, humorously performing in front of projected scenes from The Godfather. The group brought a vibrant level of chemistry to the stage, playing off of the energy in the room and keeping the audience in the palms of their hands. Burning through passionate renditions of tracks from their debut album “Sorry I’m Late”, the group was a crowd favorite of the event and kept the collective energy up throughout their performance. As they ended their set with an explosive, impromptu cover of “Buddy Holly” by Weezer, I knew that this wouldn’t be my last time seeing Chapped Lips live.
Headliner Chase Ceglie took the stage following a 16-hour drive to Milwaukee from his home state of Rhode Island, but his performance made every minute worth it. Playing with a full backing band, he alternated between vocals and saxophone while running through his catalog of charming and quirky art-pop tracks. Performing in front of music videos from his 2022 visual album “Chaseland,” Ceglie brought a natural charisma to the stage that made for a remarkable set to close out the night. The crowd’s favorite tracks of his included the poignant ballad “Something (Between Us)” and the disco-infused groove of “Off My Mind.” He remarked that Thursday night’s gig was one of his only times performing for an audience thus far, but you absolutely would not be able to tell if not told so – considering how he flawlessly commanded the stage and kept the crowd engaged throughout the night. Here’s to hoping that Chase returns to Milwaukee sometime in the near future, because his performance cemented him as a must-see live act.
The inaugural installment of Panther Palooza was a massive success, casting a well-deserved spotlight onto both local and independent artists while also providing the dedicated concertgoers of UWM with a unique, intimate live experience. The only people who are as passionate and driven as the music-makers of Milwaukee are the music listeners of Milwaukee, and bringing both of these groups together led to a glorious celebration of our community’s shared love of live music. It was truly a night to remember, and one that will hopefully lead to more overlap between UWM and the city’s prosperous music scene.