MADISON: On Sunday Nov. 7, from 3-7pm, Madison's High Noon Saloon will be the location of a "Post-election Victory Party & Benefit," hosted by the Madison chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). The event, a celebration of Tuesday's landslide victory for the Dane county Medical Marijuana Advisory Referendum, will feature live music, speakers and NORML vending.

High Noon Saloon
701 E Washington Ave # 101
Madison, WI 53703-2958
(608) 268-1122

While the referendum was advisory and non-binding, it gained nearly 160,000 Yes votes in winning with 75.49% of the vote, outpolling every candidate. Support was strong across the county, no matter which candidate's voters were favoring. A sister referendum in River Falls prevailed with 68% of the vote.  

The twin referendums represented the first time ever that any Wisconsin voters had been asked their opinion on medical cannabis, and voters were glad they asked with 3 of 4 saying Yes.

The celebration begins with Madison's David Sewell leading off with a short set of acoustic music. Sewell, a fixture in front of the Willy St. Natural Foods Coop, is departing soon for warmer climes in California, and his appearance will be one of his last before he departs.

According to their MySpace page, Boo Bradley is a hot blues stompin', jelly roll jumpin', rag jazz infusin', two-man acoustic jug attack from Madtown, Wisconsin. These boys throw down a porch stomp boogie chock full of old time Delta moans from the likes of Son House and Charley Patton, the Piedmont shake of Blind Boy Fuller and the earliest Chicago Ragtime mastery of cats like Blind Blake and Big Bill Broonzy.

Utopian Rag. Roots, blues and unbridled guitar: Utopian Rag's music has been over 100 years in the making. The music of freight trains and hobo jungles, barn dances, and juke joints. Utopian Rag, the band, has been 40 years in the making. Old friends since their teens. 2 guitars, bass, and drums with heartfelt vocals and no monkey business.

Closing out the night is subatomic. "Subatomic is a jam-oriented power-trio with thunderous, funky bass grooves, powerful drumming, and heavy riff-laden guitar, with solid insightful vocals."

Tuesday's vote demonstrates that medical cannabis is something that people of all backgrounds and beliefs can join together and agree on. Sunday's celebration will bring people together too. If you care about medical cannabis, come celebrate Sunday!

Read all my Madison NORML Examiner articles here.