EPK, Promo, & Booking

Contact: Jesse Steinberg (for booking, press, etc.)

Facebook: facebook.com/madtownmannishboys/

Band Bio: The Madtown Mannish Boys are a Madison-based Blues band who are steeped in Chicago-style Blues, including artists like Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Otis Spann, Paul Butterfield, and Little Walter. They perform with raw exuberance and driving rhythms that make you want to boogie. Some of their tunes are harmonica-driven, played with gritty fervor and intense energy. Others are soulful ballads, heavily influenced by the likes of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. This mix of styles and genres makes for an entertaining and dynamic show that you won’t want to miss.

Andy Smith has a powerful and soulful voice, reminiscent of some of the greats from Blues and R&B. Paul Schwoerer wields his harmonica with a chip on his shoulder and his vocals are gripping and yet smooth. Jesse “Honey Boy” Steinberg injects melodic flurries of guitar riffs into the lively grooves laid down by Tim Payne (bass) and John Payne (drums). Todd Phipps is one of the most sought-after Blues keyboardists in the Midwest. He is a sponsored artist by Hammond Organ and plays with various other bands in the Midwest.

Video: Here are some videos from the Madison Blues Festival at the Majestic Theater. Additional media can be found here.

Awards, Recognition & Reviews:

Madison Magazine’s “Best of Madison” award for being one of the best Blues bands in the Madison area in 2020.
Finalists for Madison Area Music Awards (MAMA) – Best Blues Band in 2020.
Finalists for the 2019 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) award for best Blues band in the state of Wisconsin.
“Mad Faves” award in 2019 for being one of the top three Blues bands in the Madison area by The Isthmus.
Finalists for Madison Magazine’s “Best of Madison” award for being one of the best Blues bands in Madison in 2019.

We’ve been getting fantastic comments about our shows. Chris Kalmbach, the owner of the Knuckle Down Saloon in Madison, gave us a glowing review:

The next big thing in Blues coming out of the Capital City!! Always a HUGE CROWD and always a great show!!… It is a very rare thing, and more rare as the years go by, to have a new Blues Band come on the scene with such energy, purpose and talent. I haven’t seen such a thing in many, many years. All of these guys have have very involved lives outside the band, but still throw everything they’ve got into every show. These days we always seem to be looking for new champions to take up the torch for our precious brand of music. These guys wear that mantle like it was made for them. Madison’s Blues scene owes these guys a debt of gratitude. Please support them wherever they play.

Blues Matters Magazine (excerpt from a review of our “Live at the Knuckle Down Saloon” album):

…Big Boss Man is given the right, royal treatment. A particular favorite of mine, it has such a good feel to it. Great guitar from Jesse Steinberg and gravelly blues vocals from Paul Schwoerer make this simply wonderful! Old Dog… is more of a Blues rocker with a hint of rockabilly thrown in for good measure. Add to that sax, trombone, and harmonica, and you have a joyful dancing feeling clearly coming through from the audience… Love Her With A Feeling is possibly my favorite on the album. Guitar and vocals are stunning. But the whole band are on fire to make this a really good version of an absolute classic. To finish the set, they go with Hound Dog. But surprisingly, and very much appreciated by this reviewer, they opt for the Big Mama Thornton version. This is how this song should be done. It’s as simple as that. We can’t wait for another album.

Blues Blast Magazine (excerpt from a review of our “Live at the Knuckle Down Saloon” album):

This is a great Summer listen for the Blues fiend and perfect for background at a BBQ. These guys play all over Madtown and, as is illustrated on Live at the Knuckle Down, are a killer band to catch at fine Wisconsin watering holes.

Music Review Roulette (Radio Program out of Milwaukee) had strong praise too.

Immediately toe-tapping and makes you want to get up out of your chair… You guys are keeping the blues tradition alive and taking those influences and making it your own.

We’ve had some positive attention in local papers and magazines as well.

One of the most exciting blues acts in the Midwest, The Madtown Mannish Boys have spent the last few years building a formidable reputation around their highly-energetic and entertaining live shows. (Max Ink Magazine)

Celebrate the release of Live at the Knuckle Down Saloon with this bluesy Madison sextet. Helmed by the vocals of Andy Smith and Paul Schwoerer, who also plays the harmonica, MMB recalls the style of greats like Muddy Waters, injecting it with fresh vitality. Their 2017 LP, Old Dog, contains forlorn ballads such as “Love Her With A Feeling,” alongside brusque send-offs like “Get Out Of My Life Woman” (The Isthmus)

Borrowing their name from a Muddy Waters’ song title, this local ensemble has become favorites across generations through a busy performance schedule, solid musicianship, and a variety of material with origins in the Blues… (Max Ink Magazine).

…the Madtown Mannish Boys represent the new generation of blues musicians, delivering a passionate, respectful reflection of their forebearers… motivating dancers with music rooted in 1960’s and ’70’s Chicago acts such as Junior Wells, Paul Butterfield, and Otis Rush (Capital Times).

Here’s an article in Max Ink Magazine about us from 2017 and another from 2019.

Places We’ve Played: The Mannish Boys have played at a variety of joints and festivals, including Atwood Fest, B Bar, Bacon, Beer, & BBQ Festival, BB’s Jazz, Blues, & Soups, Bos Meadery, Blooze Krooze: Classic Car & Blues Festival, Brink Lounge, Brix340, Breese Stevens Field, Capital Brewery, Chain O’Lakes Blues Fest, Cheel, Chief’s Tavern, Club Tavern, Come Back In, Concerts at the Portage, Covered Bridge Days Festival, Crystal Corner Bar, East Side Club, Edgewater Hotel, Evangeline’s Bistro and Music House, Fisher King Winery, Fiery Foods Festival, Flatted Fifth, Frequency, Full Mile Brewing Company, Gazebo Musikk Concert Series, Gibson Music Hall, Harmony Bar, High Noon Saloon, Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall, Knuckle Down Saloon, Lancaster’s Brews and Blues Festival, Liliana’s, Live In the Park Concert Series in Waunakee, Lone Girl Brewery, Lyran Society Concert Series, Me & Julio, Majestic Theater, Midway Tavern, Monroe Balloon and Blues Festival, Mr. Roberts, Nakoma Golf Club, New Glarus Food Truck Festival, Nomad World Pub, North Street Cabaret, Oasis Cafe, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Orchard Lawn, Prairie Lakes Blues Fest, Red, White, and Blues Festival, Riverfront Rondezvous Festival, Rockin’ Marathon, Schwoeglers’ Bowling for Blues, Sun Prairie Blues Festival, Thirsty Badger, Tofflers, Tyranena Brewing Company, Up North Bar, Venue On Winnebago, Verona Concerts in the Park, Vintage Brewing Company, Wisconsin Brewing Company, Woodshed Ale House, Wood BBQ, WORT Festival, Yahara Bay Distillery.

Booking: The easiest way to book our band is by emailing us: madtownmannish@gmail.com. Include the relevant info and any questions you might have and we’ll get back to you ASAP. You can alternatively fill out this online form.

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