What started as a random conversation at Chipotle turned into one of Milwaukee’s most memorable shows of the year. On September 3, Run Along Forever and Sunny Lou brought hundreds of fans to the Milwaukee Public Library for a free concert featuring some of the city’s most exciting local artists, including 414BigFrank, AyooLii, Sabbath, and Lightris & Sero.
The idea came together when Sunny casually suggested throwing an event inside the library. “We were sitting in Chipotle and Sunny was just like what if we did a show in the library,” Nolan of Run Along Forever told ForTheYouth. Despite how unconventional the idea sounded, Nolan was optimistic about making it happen. “I consider myself an optimist when it comes to crazy ideas working out,” he explained, adding that the library was even more enthusiastic than he expected.
The turnout exceeded expectations, with the venue reaching capacity and a line stretching around the block. Nolan recalled realizing just how big the event had become when he stepped outside to bring someone in. “I walked outside to bring Tommy in and saw the line wrapped all the way around the block and the news was there. We locked in pretty fast after that.”
One of the most important aspects of the show was keeping the lineup entirely Milwaukee-based. Rather than relying on a bigger out-of-town artist to draw a crowd, Nolan wanted to showcase the talent already coming out of the city. “Bringing in a big out of town act would’ve almost been cheating,” he explained. “The idea was to celebrate Milwaukee so the lineup had to be all artists from the city.”
Beyond the music, the event encouraged attendees to sign up for library cards, giving the night a purpose outside of simply putting on a show. Nolan hopes other organizers take something away from that approach. “I think you can throw a show anywhere, but I think it’s more important to highlight that the show was thrown in the library for a reason,” he said. “I hope people see that you can make a genuine impact through throwing shows and events.”
For Run Along Forever, the night was another example of how the collective continues to operate beyond the boundaries of a traditional record label. Nolan described RAF as something that has always been fluid, adding that the show represented both what they’re capable of and what they hope to continue doing.
As for where they might take Milwaukee’s music scene next, Nolan already has another unconventional location in mind: the Milwaukee Art Museum. The Library Show showed what’s possible when local artists, organizers, and public spaces come together.