Venue notes: The Palms, Milwaukee WIPunk-oriented rock club from 1979-1986 at 2612 and/or 2616 State Street (sources are inconsistent; perhaps there were multiple entrances), between 26th and 27th streets. The facility was originally built as a movie house in 1915 and operated as the State Theater for 40 years before being converted into a series of nightclubs starting in the mid-1950s. Following its seven-year lifespan as The Palms, it became a strip club, which survived until 1991, when the city pulled its licenses. The building was subsequently boarded up and sat unoccupied for decades. In February 2017 it was gutted by fire, but as of 2019 the shell of the structure was still standing. There has been talk of restoring the State Theater, but as of 2021 it's not clear if there's been any significant progress.Many more details and anecdotes can be found in couple of excellent online articles, one published by The Clearview Group and another published by OnMilwaukee. Pretty solid evidence has emerged that The Palms was the venue for the 11 Jan 1986 Hüsker Dü show in Milwaukee. For a time that gig had been tentatively listed as having been at Papagaio, a similar club, based on the recollections of correspondent Qris Jones, who attended the show. Another attendee, Russ Jensen, has contributed an image of his ticket stub from the show, however, and it clearly identifies club as The Palms. He recalls that Soul Asylum opened (as they did for many of the Hüsker dates on that tour). His memory is corroborated by setlist.fm, which, although it does not mention Hüsker Dü, lists Soul Asylum as having played The Palms on the date in question. [Do you have more information about this venue? Please email me.] Return to Hüsker Dü dates page |
