Shakey Graves is not a name Milwaukee has heard before. Alejandro Rose-Garcia aka Shakey Graves performed his first show in Milwaukee on Dec. 4 at Turner Hall. Graves, from Austin, Texas, promoted his second album, “And the War Came.” His music, a combination of folk and blues, provided sage advice. He told the audience, “If you wanna do it, you should just do it,” which could relate to anything in life.
Rose-Garcia actually started his career as an actor and had a role on the TV show “Friday Night Lights.” He transitioned over to music and has been a musician ever since. Shakey Graves started as a one-man band, and at the concert, he started just like that. As the show went on, he added more players including a drummer and bassist.
The musicians seemed to have fun together and one could see that translated in the crowd. The all-guy performers appeared to be part of a bromance. They wore matching orange hats and drank beer on stage.
Shakey Graves also partnered with Esme Patterson, a solo artist and former member of the band Paper Bird. Patterson performed an earlier set to promote her album “Woman to Woman.” Patterson and Shakey Graves played their hit song, “Dearly Departed,” which they performed on “Conan” earlier this year.
At one point, Shakey Graves involved the crowd in making a trumpet sound with their mouths. He said, “You’re the first city to unabashed mouth trumpet.” He then tipped his bun (his hair) to the audience. He also toasted the audience with beer.