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Still frame taken from the experimental documentary "The Phalanx" shows a person looking out the window of a historical house in Ripon, Wisconsin. They wear a long-sleeve shirt, and their back is to the camera. The camera is positioned in the door frame of an adjacent room, as if peeking in on them.

Inspiriting radical communal aspirations: an interview with Ben Balcom on “The Phalanx”

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Wisconsin Film Festival
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March 25, 2026
The Milwaukee filmmaker’s latest experimental short premieres locally at the Chazen Museum during the 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival on April 12.
About Tone Madison

Madison’s fiercely independent voice on culture and politics.

Our journalist-owned, reader-supported publication highlights the neglected corners of Madison’s cultural landscape, elevates vital viewpoints from the left, and pulls off ambitious reporting projects. We champion things we love, but we also ask annoying questions and throw the occasional brick.

Latest in Music
A custom collage graphic shows a cork bulletin board with five Polaroid-type photos pinned to it in two horizontal rows. Each Polaroid image represents a song or album cover art from a Madison band. The title of "RELEASE RADAR" appears above the board in a large, brown, outline lettering.
Madison acts rivetingly ring in 2026
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Music
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March 4, 2026
Five local bands offer new songs and projects, and capture a hopeful feeling in the new year.
The members of Crush Scene and two-thirds of Holly And The Nice Lions all stand on a vineyard path at The Vines in Sauk City, WI. From left to right: Holly Trasti, Travis Pashek, Rachael Guertin, Janet Kolterman, Tasha Spencer, and Madalyn Rowell. Guertin and Pashek have their backs turned to the camera, admiring the sweeping view. The remaining subjects are all pointing directly at the camera and smiling.
Achieving a broader focus through music photojournalism in 2025
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Microtones
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January 30, 2026
The fourth installment of our live music photo essay series centers a more personal vantage point.
A composite banner of the cover art from each of the 20 selected releases is displayed on a pale violet background.
Tone Madison’s favorite records of 2025
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Music
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January 20, 2026
A celebration of 20 local releases that defined the year.
Latest in Film
Still frame taken from the experimental documentary "The Phalanx" shows a person looking out the window of a historical house in Ripon, Wisconsin. They wear a long-sleeve shirt, and their back is to the camera. The camera is positioned in the door frame of an adjacent room, as if peeking in on them.
Inspiriting radical communal aspirations: an interview with Ben Balcom on “The Phalanx”
By
●
Wisconsin Film Festival
●
March 25, 2026
The Milwaukee filmmaker’s latest experimental short premieres locally at the Chazen Museum during the 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival on April 12.
Angled photo at a medium shot of five people seated at a table in a theater lobby. Four people sit on the far side, while one person sits closest to the camera on the other side. They are all absorbed in the news-printed 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival guides on the table. The table contains numerous beverage glasses, a couple plates of food, and a small table lamp towards the center.
Continuity and expressive experimentation in the 2026 Wisconsin Film Festival
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Wisconsin Film Festival
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March 11, 2026
Eight writers share their initial insights on the eight-day extravaganza, April 9 through 16, across UW campus and Madison.
A simple image includes two movie posters: one in the Spanish language on the left for "Hasta Cierto Punto," released in 1983, and one in English on the right for "Lucía," released in 1968. The left poster is rather minimalist in black and white with a bird flying in the center. The tagline above it reads "Si yo quisiera podria cortarle las alas pero no podria volar y lo que yo amo es el pajaro." The right poster renders the title LUCIA in a large font along with three women in pretty psychedelic-era colors like orange, green, maroon, blue, and blue on a bright yellow background. The tagline of "The Cuban epic of love & revolution" appears towards the bottom.
The Cardinal Bar’s Cuban film series invites local support for Madison sister city
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Culture
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March 2, 2026
Cine Cubano bridges interest in Cuban cinema with the cultural exchange and aid mission of the Madison-Camagüey Sister City Association.