Brian Renkas, a longtime Logan High School band director, joins La Crosse Talk PM on Tuesday to hype up the La Crosse Confluence, a 25-student rock band, that’s playing Moon Tunes on Thursday and Ashely for the Arts later this summer.

Renkas (7:00) talks how a 25-person rock band works, their favorite songs and where this got started.  The La Crosse Confluence has a full horn section, guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, percussionists and vocalists.

The Confluence is made up of students from both Central and Logan high schools. So, we of course, talk about breaking up the band to their respective high schools, then encouraging rival schools to start their own and have a Coulee Region Battle of the Bands — which is the subplot of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. 

Before Renkas joins, we talk about a couple stories happening in the area, including a microgrid that would power city and county buildings, as well as Western Tech, and the School District of La Crosse's referendum.

Brian Renkas, a longtime Logan High School band director, joins La Crosse Talk PM on Tuesday to hype up the La Crosse Confluence, a 25-student rock band, that’s playing Moon Tunes on Thursday and Ashely for the Arts later this summer.
Renkas (7:00) talks how a 25-person rock band works, their favorite songs and where this got started.  The La Crosse Confluence has a full horn section, guitarists, bassists, keyboardists, percussionists and vocalists.
The Confluence is made up of students from both Central and Logan high schools. So, we of course, talk about breaking up the band to their respective high schools, then encouraging rival schools to start their own and have a Coulee Region Battle of the Bands — which is the subplot of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. 
Before Renkas joins, we talk about a couple stories happening in the area, including a <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2024/06/17/microgrid-for-downtown-electricity-in-la-crosse-could-be-funded-by-state-grant/">microgrid that would power</a> city and county buildings, as well as Western Tech, and the <a href="https://www.wizmnews.com/2024/06/17/la-crosse-schools-superintendent-dr-engel-on-student-band-playing-moon-tunes-53-5-million-referendum-chronic-absenteeism/">School District of La Crosse's referendum</a>.

Listener conversations about the days events in and around the La Crosse area.  Weekdays from 5-6pm on WIZM 1410AM and 92.3FM

La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

WIZM - La Crosse

Talking the 25-person rock band of La Crosse high school students ready to play Moon Tunes

A Volkswagen Beetle wrapped in fur, cruising down a central Wisconsin highway with eight giant spider legs dangling.

That was the scene in 1975 during the filming of what turned into a cult classic, The Giant Spider Invasion — a film based in central and northern Wisconsin that became one of Mystery Science Theater 3000’s most popular episodes.

Ahead of his visit to La Crosse on Friday, actor and UW-L grad Dan Davies — who plays newscaster Ted Tittman — joined to spill set secrets that coincidentally featured two distinct Wisconsin beers. One, feeding Old Styles to “The Skipper” from Gilligan’s Island, and the other, basically holding a screenwriter hostage with promises of PBR for pages, as they rewrote the movie while shooting.

Davies and 89-year-old director Bill Rebane will be at the Rivoli Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday night to party with moviegoers for the 50th-anniversary screening and do a Q&A.

Episode Highlights:
Volkswagen Terror: How Wisconsin filmmakers slapped fur and giant legs onto a VW Beetle chassis to build a 50-foot spider—and sent it blindly driving toward terrified extras.
Beer On Set: Why Hollywood stars like "The Skipper" from Gilligan's Island (Alan Hale) fell in love with northern Wisconsin culture and cold cans of Old Style.
Writing for PBR: Dan breaks down the chaotic mid-shoot panic after Hollywood demanded a giant spider to rival Jaws—leaving producers no choice but to lock a writer in a room with a daily sandwich and a beer quota.
MST3K Roasting: Dan breaks down how director Bill Rebane actually reacted when Mystery Science Theater 3000 poked fun at his film—and the surprise honor MST3K gave him years later.
Ted Tittman's Debut: How the team created a new campy Rhinelander news anchor character to seamlessly stitch the reboot's plot holes together.
UWL Nostalgia: Davies shares memories of his 40-plus family members attending UW-La Crosse and classic 1980s 3rd Street happy hours.

A Volkswagen Beetle wrapped in fur, cruising down a central Wisconsin highway with eight giant spider legs dangling.
That was the scene in 1975 during the filming of what turned into a cult classic, The Giant Spider Invasion &mdash; a film based in central and northern Wisconsin that became one of Mystery Science Theater 3000&rsquo;s most popular episodes.
Ahead of his visit to La Crosse on Friday, actor and UW-L grad Dan Davies &mdash; who plays newscaster Ted Tittman &mdash; joined to spill set secrets that coincidentally featured two distinct Wisconsin beers. One, feeding Old Styles to &ldquo;The Skipper&rdquo; from Gilligan&rsquo;s Island, and the other, basically holding a screenwriter hostage with promises of PBR for pages, as they rewrote the movie while shooting.
Davies and 89-year-old director Bill Rebane will be at the Rivoli Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday night to party with moviegoers for the 50th-anniversary screening and do a Q&amp;A.
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Volkswagen Terror: How Wisconsin filmmakers slapped fur and giant legs onto a VW Beetle chassis to build a 50-foot spider&mdash;and sent it blindly driving toward terrified extras.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Beer On Set: Why Hollywood stars like "The Skipper" from Gilligan's Island (Alan Hale) fell in love with northern Wisconsin culture and cold cans of Old Style.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Writing for PBR: Dan breaks down the chaotic mid-shoot panic after Hollywood demanded a giant spider to rival Jaws&mdash;leaving producers no choice but to lock a writer in a room with a daily sandwich and a beer quota.</li>
<li aria-level="1">MST3K Roasting: Dan breaks down how director Bill Rebane actually reacted when Mystery Science Theater 3000 poked fun at his film&mdash;and the surprise honor MST3K gave him years later.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ted Tittman's Debut: How the team created a new campy Rhinelander news anchor character to seamlessly stitch the reboot's plot holes together.</li>
<li aria-level="1">UWL Nostalgia: Davies shares memories of his 40-plus family members attending UW-La Crosse and classic 1980s 3rd Street happy hours.</li>
</ul>

Ahead of Rivoli visit, actor Dan Davies previews 'The Giant Spider Invasion' — movie lore fueled by PBR and Old Style

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Tara Johnson in studio breaking down the controversy over the 200-foot MariBell power lines and what a Democratic legislative majority would look like in Madison.

Johnson (D-Shelby) helps explain the environmental risks in the Driftless region over those power lines, how the state’s Public Service Commission works in deciding what happens, and where this all wraps into the AI data center conversation — one in which she believes an 18-month moratorium is needed. 

We also discuss the top priorities that Democrats are outlining if David Crowley wins the governorship and her party flips both the Assembly and Senate. Johnson pointed out that under current Republican control, only 19 of the 500 bills Democrats authored in the last session even got a committee hearing, and what her party’s priorities are if they win the trifecta.

Episode Highlights:
MariBell Lines Backlash: Proposed towers threaten legacy farms and fragile karst aquifers across the Driftless region.
Data Center Pause: Johnson advocates for an 18-month moratorium and a long-term plan around energy usage while studying the local impacts of massive data centers.
Underground Priority: Johnson details legislation to force power companies onto existing rights-of-way and mandate underground lines over giant towers.
How the PSC Works: A quick civics lesson on how the Public Service Commission operates and how local residents can actually influence their final rulings.
Intervener Funding Stripped: GOP budget cuts on the Joint Finance Committee eliminated extra legal and expert assistance meant to help everyday property owners fight utility applications.
Predatory Park Hikes: Mobile home residents face sudden double-digit lot fee increases and steep pet surcharges with no practical way to move their homes.
Democratic Trifecta Hit List: What a unified Democratic government in Madison would prioritize on day one — and the massive legislative roadblock currently standing in their way.
Brewers Magic but Not "The Big Mozzarella": We open with Milwaukee's historic 103-win season and a failed attempt at coining a pitching nickname for Jacob Misiorowski.

Wisconsin state Assembly Rep. Tara Johnson in studio breaking down the controversy over the 200-foot MariBell power lines and what a Democratic legislative majority would look like in Madison.
Johnson (D-Shelby) helps explain the environmental risks in the Driftless region over those power lines, how the state&rsquo;s Public Service Commission works in deciding what happens, and where this all wraps into the AI data center conversation &mdash; one in which she believes an 18-month moratorium is needed.&nbsp;
We also discuss the top priorities that Democrats are outlining if David Crowley wins the governorship and her party flips both the Assembly and Senate. Johnson pointed out that under current Republican control, only 19 of the 500 bills Democrats authored in the last session even got a committee hearing, and what her party&rsquo;s priorities are if they win the trifecta.
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">MariBell Lines Backlash: Proposed towers threaten legacy farms and fragile karst aquifers across the Driftless region.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Data Center Pause: Johnson advocates for an 18-month moratorium and a long-term plan around energy usage while studying the local impacts of massive data centers.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Underground Priority: Johnson details legislation to force power companies onto existing rights-of-way and mandate underground lines over giant towers.</li>
<li aria-level="1">How the PSC Works: A quick civics lesson on how the Public Service Commission operates and how local residents can actually influence their final rulings.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Intervener Funding Stripped: GOP budget cuts on the Joint Finance Committee eliminated extra legal and expert assistance meant to help everyday property owners fight utility applications.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Predatory Park Hikes: Mobile home residents face sudden double-digit lot fee increases and steep pet surcharges with no practical way to move their homes.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Democratic Trifecta Hit List: What a unified Democratic government in Madison would prioritize on day one &mdash; and the massive legislative roadblock currently standing in their way.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Brewers Magic but Not "The Big Mozzarella": We open with Milwaukee's historic 103-win season and a failed attempt at coining a pitching nickname for Jacob Misiorowski.</li>
</ul>

State Rep. Tara Johnson slams powerline proposal, outlines priorities if Dems control government

A lot happening in the La Crosse art world this week and three people crashed the WIZM studio to break everything down. From the October First Friday Art Walk downtown, to multiple events at the Pump House and on to Viterbo University, we covered it all.

Joining The Rick Solem Show included Pump House Regional Arts Center director Allison Krzych along with Marlene De La Cruz-Guzman, vice president of the Thea Bowman Division of Cultural and Global Engagement at Viterbo, and Oscar Mireles, director of LOUD (Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development).

This Week's Event Lineup:
Wednesday, Sept. 30 (5–7 PM): Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Viterbo (Featuring live music from Kumbia Kachaka)
Friday, Oct. 2 (5–8 PM): First Friday Art Walk Downtown & Ekphrastic Poetry Reading with Marlene at the Pump House (5 PM)
Now through Oct. 10: Oaxacan Street Art & Print Exhibit by Lapiztola at the Pump House

Conversation Highlights:


Oaxacan Street Art in La Crosse: Hear how Mexican arts collective Lapiztola brought layered stencil work and political street art from Oaxaca to the Pump House walls.
Viterbo Heritage Party: Preview Wednesday's campus celebration featuring traditional Colombian instruments and live music from Kumbia Kachaka.
Ekphrastic Poetry: Learn how Marlene De La Cruz-Guzman turns striking visual artwork into hard-hitting verse during Friday’s gallery walk.
Historic Literary First: Oscar Mireles and Marlene detail how they teamed up to produce En el cinturón del viento, the first Spanish poetry anthology in Wisconsin history.
Creative Routines Exposed: We debate whether it's best to have routine or work on the fly when it comes to best practices in creative writing.

 

A lot happening in the La Crosse art world this week and three people crashed the WIZM studio to break everything down. From the October First Friday Art Walk downtown, to multiple events at the Pump House and on to Viterbo University, we covered it all.
Joining The Rick Solem Show included Pump House Regional Arts Center director Allison Krzych along with Marlene De La Cruz-Guzman, vice president of the Thea Bowman Division of Cultural and Global Engagement at Viterbo, and Oscar Mireles, director of LOUD (Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development).
This Week's Event Lineup:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Wednesday, Sept. 30 (5&ndash;7 PM):<a href="https://www.viterbo.edu/sr-thea-bowman-division-cultural-and-global-engagement"> Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at Viterbo</a> (Featuring live music from Kumbia Kachaka)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Friday, Oct. 2 (5&ndash;8 PM):<a href="https://www.firstfridayartwalklax.com/"> First Friday Art Walk Downtown</a> &amp; Ekphrastic Poetry Reading with Marlene at the<a href="https://www.thepumphouse.org/"> Pump House</a> (5 PM)</li>
<li aria-level="1">Now through Oct. 10:<a href="https://www.thepumphouse.org/"> Oaxacan Street Art &amp; Print Exhibit by Lapiztola</a> at the Pump House</li>
</ul>
Conversation Highlights:
<ul>
<li>
Oaxacan Street Art in La Crosse: Hear how Mexican arts collective Lapiztola brought layered stencil work and political street art from Oaxaca to the Pump House walls.
</li>
<li aria-level="1">Viterbo Heritage Party: Preview Wednesday's campus celebration featuring traditional Colombian instruments and live music from Kumbia Kachaka.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ekphrastic Poetry: Learn how Marlene De La Cruz-Guzman turns striking visual artwork into hard-hitting verse during Friday&rsquo;s gallery walk.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Historic Literary First: Oscar Mireles and Marlene detail how they teamed up to produce En el cintur&oacute;n del viento, the first Spanish poetry anthology in Wisconsin history.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Creative Routines Exposed: We debate whether it's best to have routine or work on the fly when it comes to best practices in creative writing.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;

Talking the 25-person rock band of La Crosse high school students ready to play Moon Tunes

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