• Home
  • Archive
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • May 8, 2025

The Madison Times

The Paper That's More Than Black and White

  • News
    • Local News
    • National News
    • International News
    • Sports News
    • Education News
  • Columns
    • Columnists
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Life Lessons with Alex Gee
  • Events
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Lifestyle
  • Classifieds
  • Community
    • Middle Spread
  • Milwaukee

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Bandsketball – MKE Brings Together Local Artists and Community Members for Second Year

July 24, 2015

By Eelisa Jones
July 24, 2015
 
Milwaukee bands Rio Turbo and New Age Narcissism (NAN) play against each other in one game of basketball.
Milwaukee bands Rio Turbo and New Age Narcissism (NAN) play against each other in one game of basketball.
 
 
During what could be called a time of national turmoil and divide – when those of different backgrounds and races may feel forced to regard one another with suspicion – there are yet groups of individuals who aim to heal our societies by supporting and celebrating our common human experiences.
 
About a year and a half ago, Milwaukee’s Johanna Rose and Alex Heaton crafted their own attempt to support positive, meaningful aspects of the human experience while emphasizing the importance of shared festivity.
 
They named this attempt “Bandsketball–MKE (BMKE).” The concept behind Bandsketball is simple: invite different musicians together to play in a halfcourt basketball tournament.
 
Since its inception, B-MKE’s impact in the Milwaukee community has been powerful.
 
Through this annual multi-week event, Rose and Heaton have melded the realms of music and sports to integrate sound artists of all genres throughout the Milwaukee area.
 
They have given to Milwaukee the opportunity for artistic and communal collaboration, celebration, and unity.
 
B-MKE is a public basketball tournament between thirty-two Milwaukee bands and artists’ groups.
 
This year’s tournament began last Saturday, July 11 and will take place every Saturday until August 1.
 
While social media suggests the existence of a few other bandsketball events in the U.S., B-MKE has accomplished the most visibly solid online presence.
 
Last year, B-MKE awarded its championship title to the old school, hip-hop inspired musical group, SAFS Crew. SAFS Crew consists of several Milwaukee musical artists including RTystic and Vincent VanGREAT.
 
DJ Annalog selects from her Hip-Hop, EDM, and Trap musical catalog to provide the soundtrack for the first day of B-MKE’s Bandsketball 2015 Tournament.
 
The group’s online profile states that SAFS Crew seeks to “take Hip-Hop back into the streets and the stars [by…] exploring sounds and creating timeless music with a purpose and meaning.” “When we were asked to defend our title this year, we couldn’t say ‘no,’” said VanGREAT.
 
Members of SAFS Crew learned about B-MKE after co-founder Heaton had approached them last year. SAFS Crew was just one of many musical groups that have been personally invited to participate in B-MKE.
 
“We always approached people in person instead of Facebooking and getting lost in that,” said Rose. “We would go to shows and try to talk to bands after that.”
 
DJ Annalog selects from her Hip-Hop, EDM, and Trap musical catalog to provide the soundtrack for the first day of B-MKE’s Bandsketball 2015 Tournament.
DJ Annalog selects from her Hip-Hop, EDM, and Trap musical catalog to provide the soundtrack for the first day of B-MKE’s Bandsketball 2015 Tournament.
 
Both Rose and Heaton are active participants in Milwaukee’s music scene. Rose performs as a standup bassist and vocalist for New Boyz Club and Airo Kwil, while Heaton plays bass, drums, and other instruments for bands like Ugly Brothers and Brunch Palace.
 
“We were really careful to ask bands from all sorts of different genres,” said Rose.
 
“So all these different genres could get together and meet each other and get to know each other… [D]ifferent types of music could influence each other.”
 
In an interview last Saturday, RTystic confirmed the impact B-MKE has had on mixing up the Milwaukee music scene.
 
He said that B-MKE has already facilitated a number of musical collaborations and mixed-genre shows.
 
To others who interested in establishing their own means of promoting positive change in their communities, Heaton suggests taking the initiative.
 
“Don’t wait for other people to tell you can do something or give you the authority to do it,” said Heaton.
 
“If you can figure out a way to do it on your own, just make it happen.”

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Popular Interests In This Article: Alex Heaton, B-MKE, Bandsketball, Bandsketball–MKE BMKE, Basketball, Basketball Tournament, Johanna Rose, JULY 24 2015, Music, VOL. 25 NO. 28

Read More - Related Articles

  • Will Giannis Demand a Trade?
  • Round one of the NBA playoffs Due to Start This Weekend
  • NBA Midseason 2024-2025 Awards
  • Marquette is Ready to Make Deep Run in NCAA Tournament
  • NBA Playoffs Begin Today


Connect With Us

Become Our Fan On Facebook
Find Us On Facebook


Follow Us On Twitter
Follow Us On Twitter

Editorials

Karma Chavez
Amanda Zhang
Julianne Malveaux
Benjamin Chavis
George Curry

Journalists

Jacklin Bolduan
Brianna Rae
Aarushi Agni
Rob Franklin
Claire Miller

Topics

Brown Girl Green $
Young Gifted & Black
Universally Speaking
Ask Progress
Civil Rights

Topics

Police Shooting
Police Brutality
Black Lives Matter
NAACP
Racism

Politicians

Barack Obama
Hillary Clinton
Gwen Moore
Paul Soglin
Scott Walker

Contact Us

Phone:
414-449-4860

Copyright © 2025 Courier Communications. All Rights Reserved.
We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.