Marc Solheim is a low-key Milwaukee music legend. Though he rarely takes the stage himself these days (except when he fronts his Morrissey and The Smiths cover band, Salford Lads Club), Solheim has been a noted figure in Wisconsin music for close to 30 years. The Pabst Theater Group booker has been instrumental in bringing some notable — and once-unthinkable — acts to Milwaukee and, along the way, he's also helped Turner Hall Ballroom delve into wrestling events.
Well before he was making shows happen at a cluster of downtown venues, Solheim was living in Walworth County and fronting a high school band. After moving an hour north after graduation, he saw potential in many Milwaukee bands and found his way into management. From there, he also booked shows at The Globe, The Unicorn and Mad Planet, where he brought bands like No Doubt, Alkaline Trio and Arcade Fire to the city for the first time. He has a treasure trove of great stories, and he was gracious enough to talk about his lengthy and incredibly interesting career in music, artist management, concert booking and much more when he met up with My First Band host Tyler Maas at Milwaukee Record headquarters.
My First Band is sponsored by Mystery Room Mastering. The show is edited by Jared Blohm. You can listen to My First Band on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify and wherever else you get podcasts. Music used in this show comes courtesy of Devils Teeth (“The Junction Street Eight Tigers”) and Subside ("Strike Three").
