Tone Madison

12/10/2025

Our final "Cinemails" column of 2025 spotlights Joachim Trier's new psychological family drama, SENTIMENTAL VALUE, which is now screening in Madison. It also opens at Flix Brewhouse on Friday, December 12.

Film section editor Grant Phipps and contributor Lance Li exchange largely divergent viewpoints—though, their inquiries elicit some unexpectedly intriguing dialogue on its narrative resonance.

Grant Phipps and Lance Li argue in favor of and against the artistic framework of Joachim Trier's latest psychological family drama.

12/09/2025

We can't imagine a better legacy for a media outlet than to inspire young writers to pursue ambitious, critical stories. And to tell them that they don't need to go to New York, Washington D.C., or Chicago to do so. They don't even need to work at a legacy media outlet, like the Wisconsin State Journal or the Cap Times. They can do extensive reporting on international events in Madison, Wisconsin, with the small, rag-tag team at Tone Madison supporting them.

But they can only do that if you continue to support us.

https://tonemadison.com/donate/

12/08/2025

"...Campus administrations are more comfortable with simply arresting people out of sight and mind than confronting the reminders that their system is built to fail students and marginalized people," writes new contributor Roman Fritz.

Police records from the encampment crackdown in May 2024 show enforcement inconsistency and the "obstructing or resisting" trap.

12/06/2025

"...I'm a film writer without any film tees. Who am I, and what am I doing with my life?" 🙃

In this week's Microtones, our film section editor Grant Phipps looks to Four Star Video Rental's Lewis Peterson and local shop Cosmic Cabin (on the 2nd floor of Meep Meepleton's World of Fun) for some help with buying and curating movie-related attire.

Pondering a shirt collection, and stumbling upon Cosmic Cabin, which has the goods—at least niche ones for cinephiles.

12/05/2025

Today, for Bandcamp Friday, we released RESOLUTION, a new local-music compilation that will help fund Tone Madison's future.

"Each track acts as a demonstration of the perseverance inherent to Madison musicians," writes Music Editor Steven Spoerl.

30 track album

12/02/2025

For Giving Tuesday, another anonymous local donor has offered to match the next $1,000 we raise. That means:

- New monthly donations get matched twice for its full annual amount, so $15/month gets immediately turned into $360 for us.

- And if you can only swing a one-time donation right now, that gets tripled, too.

- If you’ve never donated before, now is the time. We’re 35 brand new supporters away from getting a $1,000 bonus.

11/26/2025

UPDATE: The show will go on!

After checking in with the performers, MAMA, and Harmony, we have decided to move forward despite the weather. If you’re able to SAFELY make it out, you’ll be in for a great show!

THIS SATURDAY!

Tone Madison and Madison Area Music Association present the New Artist Listening Room, featuring:

Marigold Motel
Jonathon Millionaire
The Stoplights
Rockstar & Elise

Doors at 7 p.m., show starts at 8.
Harmony Bar and Grill

11/21/2025

On Saturday, November 29, Tone Madison and Madison Area Music Association (MAMA) will co-present a showcase of new and emerging local artists. The event—titled Tone Madison Presents: MAMA New Artist Listening Room—will be held at Harmony Bar & Grill (2201 Atwood Avenue). Doors will open at 7 p.m., the show itself will kick off an hour later. Admission is $10. 🎶

Our Music Editor Steven Spoerl puts this announcement and our commitment to the local music community in perspective in this week's Microtones.

Join us on Saturday, November 29, at Harmony Bar & Grill for a night of live music from emerging Madison artists.

11/20/2025

"What does it mean to be a co-op if the Group Health Cooperative Board is now going to disregard the unanimous votes at a well-attended and well-noticed meeting of its own membership?" ask Adam Chern and Rebecca Kemble in a joint guest column.

Instead of union-busting, the Board should see union organizing as a gift of collective problem-solving.

11/20/2025

At a time when the media and marginalized voices are all under attack, it's imperative that Tone Madison remains a beacon of publicly-supported journalism.

Right now, you have the opportunity to drop a few dollars in the bucket to keep Tone Madison's vision for critical, independent coverage afloat. Until December 31, NewsMatch will be matching up to $15,000 of any donations made to support Tone Madison.

11/19/2025

"The sequential rhythms of INERTIA FOLLIES are intermittently anxious and contemplative but persistently thrilling. Credit that to director Chelsea Gaspard's guiding belief in the show's improvised components as 'living and breathing and shifting,'" writes Grant Phipps.

INERTIA FOLLIES runs for a final weekend, from November 20 to 23, at Broom Street Theater. 🎭

The avant-garde performance-art showcase, which involves six local artists, runs for a final weekend—November 20 through 23—at Broom Street Theater.