Veteran looming LARGER celebrates debut CD at Summerfest

Published June 25, 2009 at 3:07 p.m.

looming LARGER rockin' the crowd at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 2008.

By Bobby Tanzilo
Photography by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
More articles by Bobby Tanzilo

Published June 25, 2009 at 10:07 a.m.

You might not recognize looming LARGER frontman Todd Ciske, but as Commander Todd, he played a large role in local music in Milwaukee thanks to his years running pirate radio stations WTPS on the East Side and the legal WFAQ-LP in Muskego.

Later, Ciske formed looming LARGER as a duo with guitarist Rich Majeski and played gigs at the dawn of the 1990s. Two decades on, looming LARGER -- now a quartet with dummer Tom Sweinberg and bassist Bob Von Der Linn -- has played at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as part of the Battle of Corporate Bands in 2008.

The long-overdue debut CD -- laced with classic, song-based rock and roll with echoes of early '80s power pop and new wave -- is now out and collects six songs recorded with Bill Stace at Walls Have Ears studio, above the Miramar, and some live material.

The band celebrates the release of "Too Happy" with a Summerfest gig.

You can hear Ciske and company play tunes from the nine-song disc - released on Stronger Than Dirt Records -- Saturday, July 27 at 1:30 p.m. on the Cascio Groove Garage at the Big Gig.

You'll likely hear Milwaukee-centric originals like "Dick Bacon" and "Dave Schultz," alongside covers of tunes like Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" and The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind?"