The New State

The New State is looking for creatives for our 2026 season! Please fill out our sign up form with the link in our bio If you have any questions you can email [email protected]

Do you have photos, stories, or memorabilia from the Palms, the State Theater or the Electric Ballroom? We wanna see it! ⭐️ We’re building up our archive collection and want what you got DMs are open for submissions! #thepalms #nearwestside #milwaukee #oldmilwaukee #electricballroom

It's the start of the holiday giving season! To kick off the month we are celebrating #givingtuesday. In the spirit of #givingtuesday we want to share our work as a non-profit and ask for your continued support. The New State is a nonprofit focused on rebuilding The Palms on 26th & State St. The New State provides unique creative opportunities. We provide free music education & paid internships in music production. The New State is looking for your donations to continue providing and expanding our opportunities to the Milwaukee community. Please consider donating at the link in bio

We’re super excited to be hosting another art market this summer! Any kind of art is accepted— if you’re an artist and you have pieces to sell, this is for you! 🌼 Vendor applications are linked in our bio, apply by May 25th, first come first serve, no fee to vend. DM with any questions. Should be a sweet sunny June Saturday :) We’re also looking for an acoustic set or two & some food vendors— DM us if interested!

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT— We caught @publicmaximiano partway through their album release tour to learn more about their new project. On April 1st, Maximiano released their incredibly poignant yet endearingly playful second album, ‘Rokeby.’ In our interview, we got insight into Maximiano’s songwriting process, and discussed how very fluid, personal emotions, like love and grief, can be grounded in specific places. Maximiano will be performing at @washingtonparkweds on August 26th! We will see you there ⭐️ Read more at /maximiano-interview Listen to ‘Rokeby’ at /album/rokeby

This month, we’re supporting our neighbor The New State Theater, 2616 W. State St.  The State Theater opened as a movie house in 1915, a role it served for 40 years. Later it was home to a social club and then a series of music clubs that hosted the likes of U2, The Police, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Talking Heads, Elvis Costello, Dire Straits, The Pretenders, Huey Lewis & The News, Megadeth, The Replacements, Duran Duran, The Stray Cats, Joan Jett, The Ramones and many others. Now, a nonprofit is working to bring the theater back to life as a community music hub for all ages with an all-ages music venue, rentable recording studios, classes and workshops in music and performance, and a storefront where aspiring musicians and artists can sell their wares. We’re proud to support this effort right in our neighborhood focused not only on music, which is dear to our heart, but also on uplifting the community through the arts. Make your reservations and help us help The New State complete its exciting plan: (414) 342-3553. For more on The New State, visit  #thenewstate #nearwestside #nonprofit #community #musicvenue @nearwestsidepartners

Thank you to everyone that has supported The New State. This image isn't even close to a full list of supporters, but we wanted to thank these groups for their outstanding support! These partnerships have allowed us to provide opportunities for our community Thank you: @grmkefdn , @nearwestsidepartners , @washingtonparkweds , @fcpotawatomi Nonprofit Management Fund, @girlsrockmke , @wiartsboard , @hal_leonard , @samilwaukee , @neaarts , @notesfornotesmas , @imagine_mke , Milwaukee Arts Board, @walkerspointyouth , @tymeless_studios , @washingtonparkmediacenter , @bgcmilwaukee , @mas_novas , @pathwayshighmke , @mkerotary , @hcnitour , and so many more!! You all have helped so much.

January 18th, 1981, marked a historic night for both the heavy-metal leaning punk band, the Plasmatics, and the former Palms nightclub in Milwaukee. Debuting in 1978 at CBGB, the Plasmatics and their fearless frontwoman, Wendy Williams, steadily grew in notoriety for onstage theatrics, including explosions, firing guns, chainsawing instruments, and partial nudity. Following prior punks’ traditions of shattering expectations, the Plasmatics had a clear intention: they wanted your open-mouthed shock and nothing less.  Personal accounts, photos, and news stories from the night retell of a group of erratic, highly entertaining musicians firing on all cylinders for a full-capacity audience as an energetic mirror. Providing the same feeling as having something chase after you, Williams’ powerful and purely guttural vocal performances likely commanded the packed theater. In the early hours of January 19th, a struggle between Williams, the Plasmatics’ band manager, and law enforcement erupted. Williams was arrested for “lewd” behavior onstage and resisting arrest.  No stranger to chaos, this was not rock bottom for Williams nor her supporters. In defense of her band manager, the singer, her bandmates, audience members, and photo evidence testified, resulting that the accused were subject to excessive force and wrongful arrest. All charges accrued from the night were dropped. Rather than detract from the Plasmatics’ growing fame, this scrutiny instead legitimized the band. Williams went on to earn a Grammy nomination in 1985 for Best Female Rock Performance and helped pave the way for other daring vocalists. This failed attempt at censorship can only verify one conclusion. In the end, punk always wins. Especially in Milwaukee.  Listen to the Plasmatics’ 1987 album Maggot: The Record on our Palms/Electric Ballroom playlist: /playlist/14wBKkVAZg8nPC9kshK4Zf?si=19e3d2cd6a6841f7 #punk #milwaukee #oldmilwaukee #80spunk #palms

Happy #414Day also know as #MilwaukeeDay 🎉🎉 The New State is proud to be ran by your neighbors in Milwaukee! Our goal is to make the lives of everyone better in our community. We are building The New State for Milwaukee and the Near West Side Neighborhood. From leadership to the next generation of artists, this work is about creating real opportunities in Milwaukee. It takes a community to build something that lasts. Built by Milwaukee. #414Day #milwaukee #TheNewState #communitysupport

Some of our favorite archives from the Electric Ballroom/Palms days ⭐️ #oldmilwaukee #joanjett #metallica #ramones #milwaukee

Ever wondered what is inside the New State? Step inside. We just launched a completely redesigned website that explains all of our recent workmand for the first time, you can explore the space through a full 360° tour. Visit our new site Thank you to Scott Witte and Tour de Force 360 VR Virtual Tour Photography

A historic stage. A new generation. The New State. Featured on @tmj4news #TheNewState #Milwaukee #HistoricPreservation #MusicCommunity #milwaukeemusic