Quartet of concerts planned for Jensen Center
Left to right: Copper Box, Hiroyo Tsukamoto, Brett Newski, and Kat and the Hurricane will perform at the Jensen Center in the coming months.
By Brent Frankenhoff
In addition to the theatrical productions planned for 2026-2027 (see the separate article), the Jensen Community Center has four concerts booked for its 2026-2027 season. All shows are in the Dallas and Edith Pankowski Theater at the Jensen Center, and tickets for the later concerts in the series will go on sale approximately two months before the concert date. Tickets must be purchased for each performance individually as season tickets are not an option at this time. All shows begin at 7 p.m. and are preceded by a social hour beginning at 6 p.m.
The series begins with a return engagement by Copper Box on November 28. The regionally popular group was scheduled to play on the International Bank of Amherst Terrace at the Jensen Center June 19 but were relocated to the Center’s Community Room due to inclement weather. When frontman Danny Jerabek’s wife, Michelle, who sings and plays saxophone with the band, saw the Center’s theater, she requested the chance to perform on the stage and, with enthusiastic local response, it was an easy decision to schedule a fall show. Copper Box plays a variety of familiar songs in a multitude of formats, including rock, blues, polka, and jazz. As it’s the start of the holiday season, the high-energy music for this show will include several seasonal favorites. For more information on the group, visit their website at copperboxband.com. Tickets are now available at jensencommunitycenter.ticketspice.com/copper-box.
Musician Hiroyo Tsukamoto brings his finger-style guitar playing and storytelling to the Jensen Center January 30, just a few weeks after the release of his sixth solo album, “Rainshadow.” From Kyoto, Japan, the singer/songwriter took up the five-string banjo at the age of 13 and learned the guitar soon after. Performing for the past few decades including in the U.S. and his native Japan, he took second place twice in the International Fingerstyle Guitar Championships. Prior to the evening’s concert, there will be an opportunity for those interested to attend an Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar Masterclass, and more details on that are coming soon. For more information, visit hiroyatsukamoto.com.
May kicks off with a performance by Wisconsin-based musician Brett Newski on May 1. In addition to his alternative rock style, Newski brings satirical humor and contrarian ethos to his show. He has played alongside such well-known bands as Violent Femmes, Better Than Ezra, Barenaked Ladies, and Gin Blossoms. He’s also a published author with a book about his shows in southeast Asia when he lived in Saigon, Vietnam, for two years. For more information, visit brettnewski.com.
The concert series wraps up June 4 with a show from Kat and the Hurricane, a synth rock indie trio from the Madison area. Formed in 2017, the group has released four albums and earned praise from Madison’s Isthmus newspaper. Atwood Magazine described the band as “one of the boldest, brashest, breathtaking bands, and an undeniable artist to watch.” For more information, visit their website at katandthehurricane.com.
For more information on each show, visit jensencenter.org/jcc-events or visit the individual websites. As noted earlier, tickets will go on sale approximately two months before each concert.