O'Cayz Corral

O'Cayz Corral was a bar and music venue in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, that primarily featured local and national punk, rock, and grunge musical acts.

History

Located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, O'Cayz Corral was originally named Don's Shell (Owned by Don & Cay Millard) and later renamed Millard's Bar. Catherine "Cay" Millard became sole owner of the tavern in 1980 and changed the name to O'Cayz Corral, a country-western themed bar with a legal capacity of 150. Sometime in the early 80's Cay began to ask local musicians such as Pat MacDonald (who later formed Timbuk 3) if they would like to play at the venue, but it was not until The Replacements were booked for two back-to-back shows that the venue became well known for live music. It was operated by "Cay" until her death in 1990.

Four of the children (Mike, Mary, Pat, Don) formed a corporation "Cayz Corp" and continued the business. They then leased the club to Cathy Dethmers from 1994 until 2001. Referred to in the press as "iconic" and the "CBGB's of the Midwest," O'Cayz featured many underground punk, grunge, and rock bands that later became major contributors to pop culture.

Indeed, at one time many touring bands had O'Cayz Corral on their bucket list of places to play. Some famous bands such as Nirvana, Soul Asylum and Living Colour only played there once. Other famous bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins only played there a couple of times or so, while bands like L7 graced the venue twice a year for several years—even after they were selling out stadiums elsewhere.

People best remember two events at O'Cayz, aside from the many fine performances there. A drunk truck driver smashed into and destroyed the front facade of the building, also killing a 22-year-old University of Wisconsin student and destroying the band Surgery's ambulance filled with their equipment. On another occasion, the floor caved in on the dance floor during a Royal Crescent Mob performance.

O'Cayz was destroyed by a fire that began in the 'Cay's Comic-Strip', a neighborhood bar at 502 East Wilson St., also owned by the family of Cay Millard, on January 1, 2001. Dethmers reopened nearby in 2004 as the High Noon Saloon.

Location

O'Cayz Corral was located on the isthmus of Madison's near east side, a short walk from the state capitol, marking a transitional space between the capitol and the fashionable Jenifer-Spaight historic district. Despite the many up-and-coming, on the cusp of breaking-through musicians who played at O'Cayz before—and sometimes after—finding success, the physical plant was very small. The primary section of the L-shaped space spanned only about 20 feet in width and 70 feet in depth, and accommodated a bar and several tables.

Featured artists

Some of the bands that played at O'Cayz Corral between 1985 and 2001 (listed alphabetically with reference to any live recordings released of the show):

• 7 Seconds
• 7 Year Bitch
• 24-7 Spyz
• 60 Cycle Hum
• 311
• The Afghan Wigs
• Agent Orange
• Alex Chilton
• Adrenalin O.D.
• American Music Club
• Animated Violence
• Appliances-SFB
• Archers of Loaf
• Arson Garden
• Art Paul Schlosser
• Asphalt Ballet
• At The Drive-In
• The Atomic Bitchwax
• Aunt Beaph Video on YouTube of 11/13/98 show
• Babes in Toyland
• Bad Brains
• Bash & Pop
• Bazooka
• The BellRays
• Better Off Airport
• Beyond Possession
• Big Black
• Big Hat
• Blanche Mobile
• The Blue Meanies
• Bongzilla Gestation, recorded February 7, 1998, was included on the Twin Threat To Your Sanity compilation released on 7", 7", and All Media by Bad People Records, Riotous Assembly, and Selfish Fucker Records in 2001. Trinity and Witch Weed were included on the He's No Good To Me Dead compilation released on Game Two Records in 1999
• Booty Fruit
• Boss Hog
• The Bottles
• Brian Ritchie
• Buffalo Tom
• Bugatti Type 35
• Bullet Head
• The Burning Ernies
• Buttress Available on YouTube: 1992
• Calexico with Neko Case
• Cattleprod
• Camper Van Beethoven
• Camper Van Chadbourne
• The Celibate Rifles
• Cherubs
• Charlie Pickett
• Chemlab
• The Chesterfieldu Kings
• Chokebore
• Citizen King
• Clip The Daisies
• Clutch
• Clyde Stubblefield
• Coat of Arms
• Cop Shoot Cop Available on YouTube: 10/19/93
• Cosmic Psychos
• Couch Flambeau
• Coven Of Thieves
• Corpuscle
• The Cows
• The Crossbones
• Cradle of Thorns
• Cruel
• Cub
• Dazzling Killmen
• D.O.A.
• Damn The Machine
• Danger Prone Daphne Betty Page, recorded in January 1995, was included on Postpunkprelowfiposthifi, self-released in 1999 on CD
• Dash Rip Rock
• The dB's
• The Dead Milkmen
• Deerhoof
• Descendents
• Dick Dale
• The Didjits
• Die Kreuzen
• Dinosaur Jr
• Doctors' Mob
• D.R.I. aka Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
• Drug Induced Nightmare #4
• Dumptruck
• Droids Attack
• The Dwarves
• E*I*E*I*O
• Ed Hall
• Electric Hellfire Club
• Elephant Lips
• El Duce
• Elliott Smith
• Ethyl Meatplow
• Eugene Chadbourne
• Ex-Action Figures The 18 minute-long live recording of The Mirror, Marina appears on the band's self-titled album, released on Mafia Money in 1996
• Exene Cervenka
• The Exotics
• Fat Tuesday
• Facing Mecca
• Festering Rinyanyons Swimmin' Hole 7" on Train Wreck Entertainment, 1993 included the live track It's Awlright!
• Fetchin' Bones
• Fear
• The Feelies
• Flat Duo Jets
• Flywheel
• Fire Town
• Firehose
• The Flaming Lips
• The Fleshtones
• For Christ's Sake
• Foreskin 500
• Fred Pepper
• Frightwig
• The Frogs Tour De Gay '88 was self-released on cassette in 1989
• Fu Manchu
• Fudge
• The Funeral Party
• Funland
• Fuzzdolly
• Gel-tones
• Geraldine Fibbers
• GG Allin The first three songs on Insult & Injury Volume 2: The Bloody Years were recorded at O'Cayz Corral 8/7/86; however these songs were later attributed by GG Allin in another release as being 11/14/86. Teacher's Pet was released again on YouTube in 2023
• Glass Eye
• God and Texas
• God Bullies
• The Gomers
• Government Issue
• Green
• Green Day (Note: There are many media citations but no actual evidence of any show or even a date)
• Guzzard
• Half Japanese
• Hammerhead
• Hand Over Head
• Helios Creed
• Helmet
• Hole
• Homo Erectus
• The Honeymoon Killers The Honeymoon Killers Live! was recorded at O'Cayz and CBGB's. It was released in 1991 as a 7" on Munster Records
• Horny Genius
• House of Large Sizes
• Hum Machine
• Hüsker Dü
• Idaho
• Imminent Attack
• Impaler
• The Infants
• Inspector 12
• Iowa Beef Experience
• Ivory Library
• The Jayhawks
• The Jazz Butcher
• Jeffrey Lee Pierce
• The Jesus Lizard
• Joan Wildman Trio Under The Silver Globe cassette was self released in 1989
• Johnny Thunders of New York Dolls
• Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
• Jonathan Fire*Eater
• Jonathan Richman
• Killbilly
• Killdozer Available on YouTube: 10/6/89
• The Kissers On a Monday Night live CD released in 2001 on the Skeptic Rock label after the club burned down.
• Kyuss
• Ladybeard
• L.A. Guns
• Lemon Debby
• L7 The She Devils CD on Bullseye Records was a bootleg of the July 1, 1992 show; released the same year. L7's Suzi Gardner brought her red mid '50s Fender Stratocaster with gold hardware to Smart Studios to record their breakout album Bricks Are Heavy, and then brought it to their O'Cayz show afterwards in December 1991. It floated around the club unclaimed for weeks. By the time the band realized the guitar had been left behind it had disappeared. It was never recovered.
• Last Crack
• Laughing Hyenas
• Legendary Pink Dots
• Less Than Jake 'The "Less Than Jake / Boris The Sprinkler / Sonic Dolls / Mulligan Stu compilation of the same bands were all recorded 10/6/96 and released on 8" flexi-disc the same year by Rhetoric Records and Fueled By Ramen
• Letters to Cleo
• Libido Boyz
• Life Sentence
• Little Blue Crunchy Things
• Live Skull
• Living Colour
• Loomis Available on YouTube: (Date Unknown)
• Love Battery
• Lunachicks
• Lyres
• Magic Slim and the Teardrops
• Man Clam Chow
• M.I.A.
• Mad Trucker Gone Mad
• Madder Rose
• The Magnolias
• Man or Astro-man?
• Martini Gunmen
• Material Issue
• Meat Puppets
• Mecht Mense
• Megaloden
• The Mekons
• Melt Banana
• The Melvins
• The Mentors
• Mickey Finn
• Mike Watt
• Moe Tucker
• Mojo Nixon
• Mondo Generator
• Monks of Doom One of their O'Cayz Corral shows was released on cassette by Static Attack Records in 1993.
• Mount Shasta
• Moving Targets
• Mudhoney
• Mud Wimin
• Muscle Car
• Naked Aggression The You Can't Get Me Down/Keep Your Eyes Open 1992 CD on Broken Rekids included four songs recorded live at O'Cayz Corral in May 1992 by Ken Udell. The multitrack recordings were never remixed because the band lost Udell's contact information. Instead they used a live cassette mix down and dubbed it to digital. The CD was re-issued as a cassette on Pop Noise in 1996. In 1998 the band released the Naked Regression CD on Broken Rekids including the same four songs as well as other songs recorded live between 1991 and 1994.
• Naked Prey
• Naked Raygun
• Nashville Pussy
• Natural Cause
• Nautical Almanac
• Nebula
• Negative Trend
• Neurosis
• New Bomb Turks
• New Duncan Imperials
• Nimrod 1992 video of Nimrod with Queen of Noise/erotic actress Mayuko Hino released on YouTube: Part One, Part Two, Part Three
• Nine Pound Hammer
• Nirvana
• Nitro
• Nomeansno
• Nova Mob
• Old Skull
• The Other Kids Video available on YouTube: 1987
• Overkill
• Pachinko When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Dirty was recorded at O'Cayz Corral with producer Ken Udell and became the band's debut release on Bovine Records as a 7" EP in 1992. However, the recording was made in the venue during the day, not during an evening show.
• Pansy Division
• Phantom Tollbooth
• Phil Gnarley and the Tough Guys
• Plasticland
• Playhouse
• Poi Dog Pondering
• Poopshovel
• Pop Defect
• Possum Dixon
• Poster Children
• Pound WI
• Powerwagon
• Primus
• Psychedelicasi
• Queens of The Stone Age Available on YouTube: Video of You Can't Quit Me Baby 2/5/99 Audio of entire show 2/6/99
• Rapeman
• Railroad Jerk
• Rain Parade
• The Reivers
• The Replacements
• Resin
• The Reverend Horton Heat
• Richmond Fontaine Whiskey, Painkillers & Speed (Live On The Road) included the songs Madison and Made To Be Broken (a Soul Asylum cover), recorded 10/23/99 and released in 2001
• Rifle Sport
• Ritual Device
• Rockadiles, The
• Rollins Band
• The Rousers
• Roger Miller (from Mission of Burma)
• Royal Crescent Mob
• Ruins
• Run Westy Run
• Rusty Crayfish
• Salem 66
• Savage Republic
• Sevendust
• Scissor Girls
• Scratch Acid
• Scream
• Screaming Trees
• Screwtractor
• Season to Risk
• Seaweed
• The Sequentials
• Severin
• Shiv
• Shockabilly
• Shorty
• Silkworm
• Silverfish
• Skatenigs
• Skeleton Key
• Skin Yard
• Skrew
• Sleater-Kinney
• Slint Available on YouTube: 8/8/89
• The Slow Pedestrians
• Sludgeplow
• The Smashing Pumpkins The Rubano Tapes Vol. 1 and The Rubano Tapes Vol. 2 included a total of 5 songs reportedly recorded 1/5/90, 1/30/90 and 3/30/90. In any case, they were released in 2022 on Martha's Music as two sets of double vinyl LPs. More songs are available on YouTube: 3/30/90
• Snakefinger
• Sometime Sweet Susan
• Son Volt
• Soul Asylum
• Soundgarden
• Southern Culture On The Skids
• Space Streakings
• Sparklehorse
• Spooner
• Steel Pole Bath Tub Recorded by Ken Udell and released on his Static Attack label. A couple songs are also found on the NOISIA-VISION label that were then bootlegged onto a cd that played at High Noon Saloon.
• Sugar Shock
• Superchunk
• The Super Suckers
• Surgery
• Swamp Thing Available on YouTube: Video Rubber Bands 6/29/92
• Tad
• Tate's Blues Jam Available on YouTube: Heartstruck Blues
• Tar
• Tar Babies
• Tav Falco
• The Three Amigos
• Thelonious Monster
• The Tragically Hip
• Thee Hypnotics
• Thin White Rope
• Thinking Fellers Union Local 282
• Thug
• Timbuk3
• Tiny Lights
• Today is the Day Blue Bloods was recorded at O'Cayz in 1998 and released on the Rage of Achilles label in 2002 on CD and LP
• Tool and Die
• Tortoise
• Tribe 8
• True Believers
• Turbonegro
• U.K. Subs
• U.S. Maple
• U-Men
• Unsane
• Urban Myth
• Urge Overkill
• Vampire Lezbos
• The Veldt
• Venison
• Violent Femmes
• Voivod
• The Vulgar Boatmen
• Walt Mink
• The Waterdogs
• The Weeds (WI)
• Ween
• Wesley Willis
• White Available on YouTube: King Fat Sept 1993
• The White Sisters
• The White Stripes Video available on YouTube: Dec 2000
• White Zombie
• Wild Kingdom
• The Willies
• Willie Wisely The song Go was recorded and is available on YouTube
• The Windbreakers
• The Woggles
• The Young Fresh Fellows
• Xerobot
• XXX
• Yo La Tengo
• Zeni Geva Three songs digitally recorded 8/9/92 were included on Live In Amerika, a 1993 CD/LP on Nux Organization.