LOCAL/LIVE COMBUSTER – 7/1/25
POSTED:: June 25, 2025
FILED UNDER:: In-Studio Performances, Local/Live
Join Music Director Sid and Milwaukee Record’s Matt Wild for another Local/Live with Combuster.
Combustor brings together a heady mix of old skool rock, melodic punk, powerful pop, and funk with an emphasis on strong songwriting and energy. These three veteran indie/punk/alternative/rock musicians, Clancy Carroll (guitars, vocals), Bobby Mitchell (bass, vocals) and Marc Graves (drums, percussion) have a long history in the Milwaukee music scene. Past works include The Haskels (Taking the City By Storm” EP), The Ones (“Tightrope” 45), Dominoes (“Lies” EP), Clancy Carroll Band (“Honesty” EP) and a long list of others.
ABOUT THE BAND Combustor draws influence from sources as varied as the Ramones, The Stooges, Buzzcocks, Prince, James Brown, Miles Davis, and Jimi Hendrix. Formed in 2022, Combustor released its self-titled album on CD and vinyl in 2023. Their second release was 2024’s “Bent and Snapped” a full-on remix mashup from Tron Jovi of edgy hip-hop duo Guerrilla Ghost. The band’s interpretation of “Everything Looks Better In The Dark” was included in the “Let’s Go Dancing- The Songs of Kevn Kinney” compilation in 2024. These releases have enjoyed airplay on 91.7 WMSE, WLUM 102.1, and other radio and online stations.
PRESS “Rocking out about living life rebelliously, being on the run, spiraling out of control and coming across curious characters are part of the picture here, bringing all the gritty riffs and party-ready attitude you could want in an old school rock record. Combustor ignite the night with their self-titled debut.”- Breaking and Entering
“One of the reasons I like Combustor is they’re my age and have NOT mellowed the fuck out. Combustor is well named. It’s like they grabbed all their influences, tossed in a pit with some gasoline and lit a match.” V Ron- The Sixth Station
“Combustor includes folks who played in bands back when underground music shifted seismically and still shake some action. Combustor’s 2023 debut album was a high energy blast. The band followed it up last year with an imaginative remix project with producer Tron Jovi, demonstrating a band with one foot in tradition and an ear looking to the future.” Blaine Schultz- Shepherd Express
“Combustor’s version of “Everything Looks Better In The Dark “is tightly compressed, charged-up by a pair of short, sustained hard rock guitar solos and delivered with vocal urgency. “Everything Looks Better in the Dark” is proof than in rock, a lot can be said within three tight-packed minutes.” Dave Luhrssen- Shepherd Express
“A new old-school punk-leaning group made up of old-school punk-leaning Milwaukee music veterans” Matt Wild- Milwaukee Record
LIVE SHOWS The band has brought their live show to Bay View’s Chill on the Hill, Bay View Bash street party, Shank Hall, Puddler’s Hall Block Party, Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Falcon Bowl/Riverwest 24 street party, Summerfest WAMI Stage, Strummerfest 2024 at Club Garibaldi, Bremen Cafe, Manitowoc Metro Jam, Sabbatic, and Lilliput Records/Black Friday Record Store Day.
Combustor is currently writing and rehearsing new material for their second long-player, including live favorites “Meds!”, “Too Many Guns” and “She’s My Bot.”
Tune into 91.7FM or stream at WMSE.ORG on Tuesday, July 1 at 6 p.m. to catch Combuster.
Local/Live is engineered by Nick Elert.
Local/Live is presented by Outpost Co-op “We believe good food brings us together.” and Cedar Teeth Pizza.
