The New State is a hidden gem in the making. I learned about this through our partnership with Imagine MKE.
The New State’s plan is to transform the historic old State Theater into a music hub. The State Theater opened its doors in December 1915. It showed silent movies of the era before transitioning to talkies in the late 1920s. This iconic venue enjoyed a rich and colorful history, evolving from a cinema to a dance club, a concert hall, and finally, a strip club.
In 1975, it became the Electric Ballroom,featuring artists such as AC/DC, Elvis Costello, The Runaways, The Ramones, Eddie Money, Judas Priest, and Cheap Trick. Four years later and under new ownership, it was renamed The Palms, which was the first venue in Milwaukee to host the groups U2 and The Police. Other well-known bands such as Megadeth, Duran Duran, Talking Heads, The Replacements, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Stray Cats, Joan Jett, and Meatloaf graced The Palms stage until it closed in 1986…