Mile of Music
Dan Rodriguez
Clip: Special | 28m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
Minneapolis-based Dan Rodriguez plays live Americana music at the Mile of Music festival.
Long-time Mile of Music musician Dan Rodriguez rocks out in a live performance at Jones Park with his four-piece band. Hailing from Minneapolis, the Americana group's set at the 2024 festival in Appleton, Wisconsin includes "Troubadour Family Man," "Fire," "Wander," "Storm," "I Quit Drinking For Good" and "25 Years."
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Mile of Music is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Mile of Music
Dan Rodriguez
Clip: Special | 28m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
Long-time Mile of Music musician Dan Rodriguez rocks out in a live performance at Jones Park with his four-piece band. Hailing from Minneapolis, the Americana group's set at the 2024 festival in Appleton, Wisconsin includes "Troubadour Family Man," "Fire," "Wander," "Storm," "I Quit Drinking For Good" and "25 Years."
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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- Dan Rodriguez: Appleton, I love your faces.
It's so good to see you.
How are ya?
[audience cheering] ["Troubadour Family Man" by Dan Rodriguez] ♪ Well, I'm one more shot in a hotel bar ♪ [upbeat acoustic guitar music] ♪ And I'm a melted crayon in the seat of the car ♪ ♪ I'm an ashtray on a balcony ♪ ♪ And a Band-Aid on a skinned red knee ♪ ♪ I'm a downtown stage singing out a tune ♪ ♪ And a blanket fort in the living room ♪ ♪ I'm another thousand-mile marks ♪ ♪ And a bedtime story in the dark ♪ ♪ Well, sometimes I'm a sinner ♪ ♪ And sometimes I'm a saint ♪ ♪ Another highway song about coming home ♪ ♪ After every town I paint ♪ ♪ I got one foot in the ocean ♪ ♪ The other one in the sand ♪ ♪ Ooh, troubadour family man ♪ Come on, let me hear you out there!
♪ Well, raise 'em up and set 'em free ♪ ♪ And show 'em how to follow dreams ♪ ♪ It's that easy far as I can tell ♪ ♪ To build a life and live it well ♪ ♪ Well, sometimes I'm a sinner ♪ ♪ And sometimes I'm a saint ♪ ♪ Another highway song about coming home ♪ ♪ After every town I paint ♪ ♪ I got one foot in the ocean ♪ ♪ The other one in the sand ♪ ♪ Ooh, troubadour family man ♪ Make some noise out there, Appleton!
[audience cheering] [upbeat folk music] ♪ Well, sometimes I'm a sinner ♪ ♪ And sometimes I'm a saint ♪ ♪ Another highway song about coming home ♪ ♪ After every town I paint ♪ ♪ I got one foot in the ocean ♪ ♪ The other one in the sand ♪ ♪ Ooh, troubadour family man ♪ ♪ I'm a troubadour family man ♪ ♪ Yeah-eah-eah ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] I think this is my ninth year playing Mile of Music.
My favorite thing about coming here is seeing everybody.
Everybody in the group is really excited to be here because it just feels like family everywhere we go.
And, honestly, we're famous.
We're famous here in Appleton.
I'm not famous in other cities.
I'm famous in Appleton, though!
[steady rock music] Appleton, come on now, for this one, I need you singing along a little bit, now.
When we say, "Your love," you say, "Your love is a fire."
If you're with me, say, "Oh, yeah."
- Audience: Oh, yeah.
All right, here we go.
One, two, one, two, three!
["Fire" by Dan Rodriguez] ♪ I don't think I've been here before ♪ ♪ I see the smoke coming up right through the floor ♪ ♪ The heat is rising, your touch igniting ♪ ♪ There's no going back, and we're not even trying ♪ ♪ Can you feel it?
♪ ♪ Can you feel it?
♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire, yeah ♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ And I am burning up ♪ ♪ I'm going down in this open flame ♪ ♪ The sparks are flying now, I know they can't be tamed ♪ ♪ There's no escape, no evacuate ♪ ♪ But I am giving in, so come set me ablaze ♪ ♪ Can you feel it?
♪ ♪ Can you feel it?
♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ 'Cause your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ And I am burning up ♪ ♪ Oh, the embers glow so bright ♪ ♪ In this inferno inside ♪ ♪ Come and light me up again ♪ ♪ Come and light me up ♪ ♪ 'Cause your love, yeah ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ Your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ 'Cause your love ♪ ♪ Your love is a fire ♪ ♪ And I am burning up ♪ [steady rock music] [drum roll] [guitar ending note] [audience applauding and cheering] Whoo!
Oh, all right, I'm gonna do this.
I can see you better, hi.
[audience cheering] I recently fired my inner critic.
And he's, that inner critic, I've held myself back from sharing lots of songs over the years because I thought either they weren't worthy of sharing or I was afraid.
But lately, since I fired my voice of critic, my inner critic and that voice of doubt, nobody's around anymore to tell me it's a bad idea to share new songs.
[audience cheering] So I want to share one with you guys.
♪♪ This is a song I shelved many years ago 'cause I didn't think it was worthy of seeing the light of day.
I wrote this song eight years ago.
Really didn't start playing it out until recently.
But, uh... it's gonna be my very next single that comes out.
I already recorded it.
[audience applauding and cheering] [folksy acoustic guitar music] ♪ Whoo, hmm hmm ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm ♪ You let me know what you guys think after this.
If you're excited about another record coming out.
[audience cheering] If this is a song that you wanna hear.
All right, we only have a 50-minute set here.
And I usually come in and play for a couple of hours when I come into town, and so I'll say this.
We got a little bit of time, and I'm gonna let, I'm gonna let go of everything that I've been holding onto, all the stress leading up to this moment, all the making sure, all the coordinating and all the things.
And I just wanna stop, step out of it, and into this moment with you.
Will you step into this moment with us?
[audience applauding and cheering] ["Wander" by Dan Rodriguez] ♪ Nothing feels quite like 72 ♪ ♪ With the windows down ♪ ♪ And all you can do ♪ ♪ Is keep on rolling ♪ ♪ And keep on pressing through ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm ♪ ♪ Seen the valley ♪ ♪ And the mountains high ♪ ♪ The winter haze ♪ ♪ And the summer sky ♪ ♪ This place is changing ♪ ♪ And I'm changing, too ♪ ♪ I wanna wander ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ I know you wonder what it feels like to be free ♪ ♪ Come on, let go of all the things you think you need ♪ ♪ The world is a wonder ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm ♪ ♪ It might be easy ♪ ♪ To stay in one place ♪ ♪ And always follow ♪ ♪ The road that's paved ♪ ♪ But your heart is asking ♪ ♪ For a different view ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm ♪ ♪ 'Cause all of the mystery ♪ ♪ That this life holds ♪ ♪ Like staying young ♪ ♪ When you're growing old ♪ ♪ You can find it ♪ ♪ It's waiting out here for you ♪ ♪ I wanna wander ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ And I know you wonder what it feels like to be free ♪ ♪ Come on, let go of all the things you think you need ♪ ♪ The world is a wonder ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ Well, you can pack your bags ♪ ♪ And leave 'em behind ♪ ♪ 'Cause there's a wide world out there ♪ ♪ For you to find ♪ ♪ I wanna wander ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ And I know you wonder what it feels like to be free ♪ ♪ Come on, let go of all the things you think you need ♪ ♪ The world is a wonder ♪ ♪ Ohh ohh ohh ohh ♪ ♪ I wanna wander ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ I know you wonder what it feels like to be free ♪ ♪ Come on, let go of all the things you think you need ♪ ♪ The world is a wonder ♪ ♪ Do you wanna wander with me?
♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm ♪ ♪ Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] What Mile of Music has done is it's given a stage and an opportunity and an audience to artists who would otherwise not have that.
I started here playing at one of the smallest venues you can play.
And my first year I came, I was stuck in the corner.
There's a handful of people listening.
And here, several years later now, we're playing at the largest stage.
They say 7,000, 8,000 people show up to Jones Park for these sets.
I don't know anywhere else like that, that you can, in just a few years, make a name for yourself.
There's nothing like this that exists anywhere else.
It's just different.
People have to come here to experience it.
This one goes out to my mama, Jackie.
["Storm" by Dan Rodriguez] [bluesy electric guitar music] ♪ I don't mind ♪ ♪ Wasting time ♪ ♪ As long as I'm with you ♪ ♪ And I don't need ♪ ♪ Many things ♪ ♪ As long as I've got you ♪ ♪ There's a storm that's headed for us ♪ ♪ With the howling winds of change ♪ ♪ I need the gravity ♪ ♪ Of your love ♪ ♪ So that I won't ♪ ♪ Blow away ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪ ♪ I know waves ♪ ♪ They come crashing in ♪ ♪ And try to tear us down ♪ ♪ Oh, my dear ♪ ♪ We'll rise above ♪ ♪ Until the sun comes out ♪ ♪ There's a storm that's heading for us ♪ ♪ Through the howling winds of change ♪ ♪ I need the gravity ♪ ♪ Of your love ♪ ♪ So that I won't ♪ ♪ Blow away ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪ [bluesy electric guitar music] [bluesy electric guitar music] ♪ Yeah, there's a storm that's heading for us ♪ ♪ With the howling winds of change ♪ ♪ I need the gravity ♪ ♪ The gravity of your love ♪ ♪ So that I won't blow away ♪ ♪ Ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ♪ ♪ I need your love ♪ ♪ Need your love ♪ ♪ I need your love ♪ ♪ You know I need your love, Appleton ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] ♪ I need your love ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh ooh ♪ [audience applauding and cheering] All right, y'all, we need you to get rowdy with us.
Are you ready?
[audience cheering] [upbeat rockabilly music] Y'all about to get wild with us?
Come on, now!
We need you rowdy!
One, two, one, two, three!
["I Quit Drinking for Good" by Dan Rodriguez] ♪ Used to have a good time Friday nights ♪ ♪ Case of cold cans and a bottle of wine ♪ ♪ An old Hank song and a moonlit sky ♪ ♪ Now you're off drinking in another town ♪ ♪ On the dance floor, and he's spinning you 'round ♪ ♪ But I know I'll be all right ♪ ♪ 'Cause I quit drinking for good ♪ ♪ And now I'm drinking for bad ♪ ♪ I don't wanna remember ♪ ♪ No, I just wanna forget ♪ ♪ Give me all of your whiskey ♪ ♪ And all the beer you have ♪ ♪ I quit drinking for good ♪ ♪ But now I'm drinking for bad, bad, bad, bad, bad ♪ ♪ I don't know how I will recover from you ♪ ♪ But I got friends who can help me get through ♪ ♪ Jack and Johnnie and Jimmy Beam, yeah ♪ ♪ It's a sobering thought, what you did to me ♪ ♪ And to help erase it from my memory ♪ ♪ Pour me a river and take me downstream ♪ ♪ I quit drinking for good ♪ ♪ And now I'm drinking for bad ♪ ♪ I don't wanna remember ♪ ♪ No, I just wanna forget ♪ ♪ So give me all of your whiskey ♪ ♪ And all the beer you have ♪ ♪ I quit drinking for good ♪ ♪ Now I'm drinking for bad, bad, bad, bad, bad ♪ [upbeat rockabilly music] ♪ I quit drinking for good ♪ Come on!
♪ Now I'm drinking for bad ♪ ♪ I don't wanna remember ♪ ♪ No, I just wanna forget ♪ ♪ Give me all of your whiskey ♪ ♪ And all the beer you have ♪ ♪ I quit drinking for good ♪ ♪ Now I'm drinking for bad, bad, bad, bad, bad ♪ ♪ Said I'm drinking for bad, bad, bad, bad, bad ♪ ♪ I'm drinking for bad ♪ [rapid guitar strumming] [audience applauding and cheering] [guitar and drum jamming] [audience applauding and cheering] If I could say one thing to Appleton, it is, "Thank you."
My heart is filled with gratitude when I think about all the things that have come from this festival, from being here.
And that's it, it's just, "Thank you."
[audience applauding and cheering] [gentle electric guitar music] Will you sing along with this one?
[audience applauding and cheering] ["25 Years" by Dan Rodriguez] ♪ Dancing in the kitchen ♪ ♪ Louie playing trumpet on the radio ♪ ♪ You're spinning in that white dress ♪ ♪ That you wore so long ago ♪ Come on, now.
♪ Now I've been trying to slow down ♪ ♪ But time keeps moving faster ♪ ♪ Dragging me along ♪ ♪ But, darling, this is right now ♪ ♪ And it's where we belong ♪ ♪ In 25 years ♪ ♪ I'll be looking at you ♪ ♪ Wondering, what did I do ♪ ♪ To find someone like this?
♪ ♪ And in 25 more ♪ ♪ We'll be looking older ♪ ♪ Our story won't be over ♪ ♪ All we'll need is ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ Yeah!
♪ ♪ Ooh, you leave me breathless ♪ ♪ Audrey Hepburn timeless in everything you do ♪ ♪ And if we live to be 100 ♪ ♪ I'd still need more time with you ♪ ♪ In 25 years, I'll be looking at you ♪ ♪ Wondering, what did I do ♪ ♪ To find someone like this?
♪ ♪ And in 25 more ♪ ♪ We'll be looking older ♪ ♪ Our story won't be over ♪ ♪ All we'll need is ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ When we are old and wrinkled ♪ ♪ We'll still be interlocking fingers, yeah ♪ ♪ Stealing a kiss, feeling like we're kids again ♪ ♪ 'Cause whatever comes tomorrow ♪ ♪ We're on time that is borrowed ♪ ♪ Living it like it's never gonna end ♪ Sing it, now.
♪ In 25 years ♪ - Audience: ♪ I'll be looking at you ♪ ♪ Wondering, what did I do ♪ - Dan: ♪ To find someone like, oh, yeah ♪ ♪ And in 25 more ♪ ♪ We'll be looking older ♪ ♪ Our story won't be over ♪ ♪ All we'll need is ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh, ooh ohh, ooh ♪ ♪ Ooh ooh, ooh ooh, ooh ooh ♪ ♪ Yeah ♪ ♪ Another 25 years ♪ [audience applauding and cheering]
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Clip: Special | 12m 49s | Americana musician Abby Posner performs three songs at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (12m 49s)
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Clip: Special | 3m 33s | "Love in the Underground" by Bandits on the Run at the Mile of Music festival in Appleton. (3m 33s)
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Clip: Special | 8m 1s | Barnaby Bright performs alt-Americana live at Appleton's Mile of Music festival. (8m 1s)
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Clip: Special | 12m 39s | Bella's Bartok performs live theatrical indie rock at Appleton's Mile of Music festival. (12m 39s)
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Clip: Special | 5m 6s | Ben Mulwana and The Village perform Afro-soul rock, "Levitate," at Mile of Music 2024. (5m 6s)
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Clip: Special | 18m 43s | Mile of Music festival performance by six-piece modern folk/Americana band Buffalo Rose. (18m 43s)
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Clip: Special | 7m 43s | Milwaukee native and folk artist Cassie Boettcher makes her Mile of Music festival debut. (7m 43s)
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Clip: Special | 12m 55s | Folk singer-songwriter Christopher Gold shares two songs at Mile of Music 2024. (12m 55s)
Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons
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Clip: Special | 3m 38s | Grammy-nominated Cory Chisel brings Americana roots to Mile of Music 2024. (3m 38s)
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Clip: Special | 3m 51s | David Robert King plays "Cold-Hearted Woman" during a live acoustic set at Mile of Music. (3m 51s)
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Clip: Special | 6m 32s | Garage-style rock band Diet Lite from Milwaukee performs at the Mile of Music festival. (6m 32s)
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Clip: Special | 26m 35s | NYC supergroup Fantastic Cat performs live pop/rock at Appleton's Mile of Music festival. (26m 35s)
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Clip: Special | 20m 31s | Grammy-nominated Appleton native Hillary Reynolds performs live at Mile of Music 2024. (20m 31s)
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Clip: Special | 11m 1s | Illiterate Light, an indie rock duo, performs live at Appleton's Mile of Music festival. (11m 1s)
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Clip: Special | 14m 29s | Jeremie Albino and The Rosehall Band blend Americana and blues at Mile of Music 2024. (14m 29s)
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Clip: Special | 21m 56s | Americana singer-songwriter Joy Clark performs live at Appleton's Mile of Music festival. (21m 56s)
Leon Timbo and The Family Band
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Clip: Special | 9m 4s | Atlanta's Leon Timbo and The Family Band perform live country-soul at Mile of Music 2024. (9m 4s)
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Clip: Special | 28m 14s | Chicago's indie rock band Marina City performs at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (28m 14s)
Mile of Music performers share 'A Song Before We Go'
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Clip: Special | 21m 37s | Mile of Music artists perform closing songs at the 2024 festival finale. (21m 37s)
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Clip: Special | 12m 55s | Australian folk duo Minor Gold performs live at Mile of Music 2024. (12m 55s)
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Clip: Special | 27m 44s | Chicago's Nathan Graham blends blues and Americana at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (27m 44s)
Preview: Special | 1m | This concert documentary offers a front row seat to Appleton's community music festival. (1m)
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Clip: Special | 21m 59s | California’s Rainbow Girls blend folk and rock at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (21m 59s)
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Clip: Special | 25m 45s | Blues artist Sarah Potenza brings bold vocals to the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (25m 45s)
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Clip: Special | 7m 57s | Scott H. Biram merges blues, country and punk at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (7m 57s)
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Clip: Special | 11m 22s | Banjo innovator Tall Tall Trees plays psychedelic rock at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (11m 22s)
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Clip: Special | 26m 59s | Singer-songwriter Tommy Prine performs live to a packed house during Mile of Music 2024. (26m 59s)
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Clip: Special | 9m 48s | The Oshkosh band rocks Houdini Plaza at the 2024 Mile of Music festival. (9m 48s)
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Clip: Special | 3m 18s | Milwaukee hip-hop artist Twan Mack performs one of his final sets at Mile of Music 2024. (3m 18s)
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Clip: Special | 15m 49s | Folk trio Valley Fox plays live at Mile of Music 2024 with mandolin, bass and guitar. (15m 49s)
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Clip: Special | 15m 47s | Folk singer Willi Carlisle plays banjo, fiddle and guitar at the Mile of Music festival. (15m 47s)
Writer's Round: High Tea, Jamie Kent and South for Winter
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Clip: Special | 49m 49s | Folk rock and Americana songwriters perform in-the-round live at Mile of Music 2024. (49m 49s)
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