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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.
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
By
●
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
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.
An old black-and-white photograph from the mid-late 1960s of a young man sitting at a desk in a room. He turns his gaze towards the camera and stares with a neutral expression. The photo is altered with black digital debris that litters the image and emulates mental noise.
Three video artists tap into personal histories in the 150 Artists x 150 Years exhibition
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Film
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February 16, 2026
Chele Isaac, Toby Kaufmann-Buhler, and Aaron Granat reveal the creative depths of their works, which are on display through February 28 at Central Library.
Medium close-up video still of two people sitting at a table in a conference room. They are turned towards one another and engaged in conversation. The person on the left wears a dark blue polo shirt and makes a gesture with his left hand while he speaks. The person on the right smiles slightly, wearing a black Lychgate band shirt and black Kangol cap. He listens with his eyes angled down.
Video: Sizing up local screening events and prominent performances of 2025
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Film
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February 11, 2026
A chat with Josiah Wampfler at OCA Media about our favorite movie-going experiences and acting roles of last year.