Dance Commandr

Tired of the $130 event passes, the flash downpours, the mile-long lines for lukewarm water, and corporate festival overcrowding? Skip the sunburn and get under the neon lights, because we have your cure. BUMMERFEST, a two-night independent, alternative anti-festival taking over Mad Planet for a massive double-header video dance party weekend. No never-ending lines, no $45 rain ponchos, just pure dancefloor energy.

Night 1 (Friday, June 26th), Goth Barge presents Dead Stars
Dance Commandr, XDOMINIONX, and DJ Falken team up to bring you a heavy dose of futurepop, industrial, EBM, darkwave, and goth. They'll be spinning tracks featuring music videos by VNV Nation, Covenant, Assemblage 23, Seabound, Wolfsheim, Beborn Beton, Icon of Coil, Apoptygma Berzerk, KMFDM, Rotersand, Nine Inch Nails, Front Line Assembly, and more.

Night 2 (Saturday, June 27th), the energy shifts to Post Modern Sleaze
Dance Commandr and DJ FernGully bring you a night of indie sleaze, electroclash, blog house, and dance-punk, dropping the ultimate nostalgic soundtrack featuring LCD Soundsystem, Justice, The Rapture, Klaxons, Digitalism, Simian Mobile Disco, Mstrkrft, Boys Noize, Cut Copy, MGMT, Daft Punk, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Bloc Party, Hot Chip, CSS, and Ladytron.

Both nights kick off at 9:00 PM and run until 2:30 AM at Mad Planet. Entry is just a $7 cover at the door each night, and these are 21+ events. Ditch the mega-fests, support local nightlife, and heal your festival fatigue on the dancefloor.

DJ Synthia, DJ Paul H, and Dance Commandr present an audio-visual tribute to the legendary label that weaponized the underground: WAX TRAX! RECORDS. Expect a ruthless barrage of heavy beats and chaotic videos from Ministry, Front 242, Thrill Kill Kult, and KMFDM blasting across screens. Break out the leather and prepare to sweat.

FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH, 2026
8:00PM-1:00AM
X-RAY ARCADE
18+ EVENT
$5 COVER

Poster design:

Introducing our events wonderful DJs! Dance Commandr ( ), Synthia ( ), and Ferngully ( )will be spinning haunting tunes throughout our spooktastic event! Thank you so much to our wonderful DJs. We cannot wait to be dancing with you.

Come dance the day away as you shop this Saturday, May 16, at Spooky Frog Horrifying Book Fair!

The Luv Unlimited DJ Team is taking over X-Ray Arcade Friday, April 3rd, 2026, with a massive local lineup. Join us for a night of Darkwave, Goth, and Industrial anthems visualized on the big screen.

Featuring a heavy-hitting rotation:
💥 MOSH WAH
💥 SAGE SCHWARM
💥 PAUL H
💥 ASHER GRAY
💥 DJ SYNTHIA
💥 DANCE COMMANDR

Six DJs. Six hours of gloom-tinged dance floor heat.

Join us at as we celebrate the birthday of the one and only ! Get ready to vogue, strike a pose, and dance the night away to a curated videography, retrospective by the himself, featuring her most groundbreaking and unforgettable music videos and live performances. Don't miss this tribute to the Material Girl herself! 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14TH, 2025
DOORS 8P, MUSIC 9P-12A
RED MAPLE
21+ EVENT
$5 COVER

A night to celebrate the legendary voice of Depeche Mode. A deep dive into the haunting vocals, iconic stage presence, and timeless influence of Dave Gahan. From the early days of Speak & Spell to the anthemic highs of Violator, and beyond into his solo work.

This retrospective will be a journey through the sounds that defined generations, brought to life through a full videography showcase featuring every Depeche Mode and Dave Gahan solo music video on the big screen.

THURSDAY, MAY 8TH, 2025
RED MAPLE
$5 COVER
21+ ONLY

You know the hits, but do you know what’s lurking on the B-side?

Join Dance Commandr & DJ Synthia for a night of deep-cut ‘80s, '90s, and '00s gems. The tracks we should have been dancing to all along. It's heavy on the synth and new wave, and full of underplayed dancefloor killers.

If you’ve ever asked ‘What’s this song?!’ this night is for you.

FRIDAY, APRIL 11TH, 2025
MAD PLANET
21+ ONLY
$7 COVER

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Y’all know we love a little chaos… and this time, it’s covered in marinara. 🍝💥

That’s right—our very own merch queen, Betty Theft, is stepping into the spaghetti wrestling ring! You’ve seen her slingin’ shirts, holdin’ down the fort, and lookin' effortlessly cool at every event—but now, she’s takin’ on a new challenge: absolute pasta domination.

This all goes down at Flat Out Friday’s official after-party, where ZigZag S*x Mag is bringing the heat, and the noodles are flying. Expect wild energy, dirty riffs, and some of the best damn entertainment this side of the Mississippi.

What’s on the menu?

🍝 Two matches with three rounds each of rootin' tootin' spaghetti wrasslin', featuring Betty Theft vs. Terra Heartout in Match 1, Round 3—who will win? (Spoiler: it’s all of us.)

🔥 ZigZag S*x Mag turning up the heat!

🎶 Live music from killer acts

🖤 Tattoo Flash by Iron Fist aka Shock Treatment Tattoos

💰 50/50 raffle

🏁 Races, surprises & more!

🎟️ $10 presale | $15 at the door—so don’t sleep on it!

Oh, and bring some non-perishables for Food Not Bombs Milwaukee—we can party AND help people eat.

This after-party is about to be legendary. You won’t wanna miss it. See you in the splash zone, cowpokes. 🤠💀

On Friday, February 7, 2025, we’re transforming Mad Planet into a celebration of the music and legacy of icons past and present.

🎶 THE LINEUP:

The Salford Lads Club: The most heartfelt tribute to The Smiths and Morrissey, capturing the melancholy and magic of their timeless music.

Substance 101: A sonic journey through the sounds of New Order and Depeche Mode, the cornerstone of electronic and synth-pop brilliance.

Dance Commandr of Goth Barge spinning the tracks that will keep you dancing all night long.

This night is extra special as we honor Ian McCain, who would have celebrated his 55th birthday this evening. Let’s raise a glass, hit the dance floor, and celebrate the incredible legacy he left behind.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7TH, 2025
DOORS AT 8PM
MAD PLANET
$15 COVER
21+ ONLY

Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of music, memories, and celebration. Let’s pack the dance floor and make it a night Ian would have loved.