The beauty of live music in Milwaukee is that there is such a diversity of bands and venues that you can listen to some great tunes in your own neighborhood on any given night of the week. One example was last Wednesday night when Roxie Beane and Joe Wray performed individual sets at Hi Hat Lounge on Brady Street. Roxie performs weekly (or so it seems) at different venues around Milwaukee and I’d never had the chance to catch her entire set. Hi Hat has a fun, chill crowd and Wednesday was no exception.

We got there right at the start of Roxie’s set and the bar was already packed with her usual base of friends and fans alike. She played from the upper corner balcony, her voice floating down to the bar. Roxie plays acoustic guitar well but her voice is what really stands out, with a unique tone and great range. She covers a wide range of artists, from Amy Winehouse to Lauryn Hill to Britney Spears to Sheryl Crow and many more. Her low, soulful voice lends an emotional, sultry tone to her set and you very well can get lost in the music. Roxie’s style fit in well with Hi Hat’s cozy, laid-back atmosphere and it was obvious that everyone there enjoyed themselves.

We missed Joe Wray’s set but luckily he played a few more songs after Roxie was finished so we did get a little taste of what he has to offer. He blended together with her perfectly, with a soul-filled, bluesy sound of his own, making his guitar sing. I look forward to seeing Joe perform again, next time I’ll make sure to be there early to catch the whole show. All in all, it was a wonderful night filled with music, friends and fancy libations.