‘Banned’ from the Union Decades Ago, Back for a Night of Ska
International Jet Set will be returning to play on the Terrace, nearly 30 years after a rowdy show in der Rathskellar. Photo courtesy of the band’s Facebook page.
Twenty-six years ago, the band members of International Jet Set were psyched to be playing a show at the Memorial Union. There was no doubt it would get rowdy–after all, their ’80s ska and reggae had nearly gotten house parties in Madison shut down by police. But they weren’t quite ready for the chaos that would ensue in der Rathskellar that winter night.
Dan Fernández, the band’s vocalist, remembers that a few individuals in the audience jumped on top of the wooden tables and began swinging from the chandeliers. The Wisconsin Union team then asked the band to stop playing.
“But we went ahead and played another song or two,” Fernández said.
“So the sound man was told to cut our power, which got people riled up–one guy got on stage before the mic got cut off and warned there would be a riot if we didn’t play one more song!”
Union management informed the band members that they would never be allowed to play at the Wisconsin Union’s locations again, which Fernández said the band took “as a badge of honor.”
“Ever since then, we have joked that we‘ve been ‘banned for life’ from the Union,” Fernández said.
International Jet Set will return for a reunion show on the Terrace Friday evening. Originally from Milwaukee, the band will be joined by Los Chechos, who play a mix of danceable music.
Fernández is looking forward to what the band calls their “unbanned for life” show, and he’s hopeful this one will have a better ending.
Come see International Jet Set for free on Friday, August 19, from 9 p.m. to 11:55 p.m. on the Terrace.
