TCD’s Predictions for 2013

ThirdCoast Digest staffers ponder what will happen in 2013, in Milwaukee and beyond.

For TCD’s 2012 predictions, click here.

Tom Strini, Senior Editor and Partner (@TCDStrini)

The Harmony Initiative

1. The Harmony Initiative, the Milwaukee Ballet’s effort to create a revolutionary new Downtown home for the dance company, UWM Peck School of the Arts dance program, and Medical College of Wisconsin/Froedert sports medicine and wellness clinics, will gain momentum. Dennis Buehler has been working on this for three years, mostly below the threshold of public attention. Harmony will break out in a big way in 2013.

2. The Milwaukee Symphony will continue to play brilliantly but struggle financially in 2013. We will always have an MSO, but it costs a lot of money in its present form. We might have an idea, by the end of 2013, of whether or not that present form can be sustained.

3. Most of Milwaukee’s arts groups will have very good years at the box office but will have a hard time on the grants and donations side.

4. A prediction of the end of the world will get a lot of attention — and then, suddenly, zero attention.

5. The Milwaukee Brewers will finish just above .500, in third place behind the Reds and Cardinals, who will take the NL Central race down to the wire.

Dan Shafer, Managing Editor (@danshaferMKE)

Arrested Development

1. The Milwaukee Bucks will make the NBA playoffs, but lose decisively in the first round. Bucks brass will erroneously view this as a success and subsequently overpay to re-sign point guard Brandon Jennings, an exciting, talented player who is always fun to watch and gives a ton of effort on both ends of the floor, but someone will never make an All-Star team. This decision ultimately dooms the Bucks to perpetual middle class no man’s land in the NBA, a league of have’s and have-not’s where only the elite ultimately matter. And if saying that makes me a roundball Republican, so be it.

2. The first high profile professional athlete actively participating in one of America’s three major sports “comes out” publicly, becoming an LGBT and cultural icon in the process. The time is right.

3. Use of GIFs, cinemagraphs and HTML5 exploded in 2012, even making the word GIF the newest addition to the dictionary. From a visual standpoint, the Internet will begin to look very different in 2013, as more and more of this new technology is utilized in different forms of online media.

4. The return of much-loved sitcom Arrested Development on Netflix will be a massive success. Taste the happy.

5. (SATIRE ALERT) BMO Harris Bank purchases the naming rights to damn near everything in Milwaukee, including every last road sign, public park, trash can, bus bench, tailgate spot and talking walk light in the city. I can hear it now…”BMO Harris Bank Walk Light is on…BMO Harris Bank Walk Light is on…”

Matthew Reddin, Assistant Culture Editor (@matthewreddin)

Boy Meets World | Girl Meets World

1. Despite the hopes of basically the whole Internet, the premiere of Girl Meets World will grievously disappoint the collection of 20-somethings who erroneously thought the show would be a direct sequel to Boy Meets World focusing again on Cory and Topanga. The actual target demo, children, will love it.

2. I hate to make predictions about an individual theater since there’s so many I want to do well in 2013 (seriously guys, they’re all awesome; I wouldn’t do this gig if they weren’t), but if anyone’s going to knock it out of the park this year it’s Viswa Subbaraman, the new AD over at Skylight. Yes, there’s potential growing pains, and yes, I still don’t know what’s slated for its 2013-14 season, but never underestimate the power of a fresh new perspective – look what Mark Clements has done with the Rep in just three years. Expect at least one blockbuster we’ll all be raving about before the end of the year, if not more.

3. Summerfest will continue its now-annual tradition of signing only overpriced and/or “classic” artists for the Marcus Amphitheater while putting much more talented acts on the main stages and making it astoundingly easy to score free tickets. The people will rejoice until they realize beer will still start at $5 a cup. Verge will continue its now-annual tradition of not existing.

4. Apocalypse predictions will remain in fashion, because that’s just how our crazy world works now. New dates for our universe to self-destruct include March 31, yet another day of cosmic Mayan significance; Aug. 30, premiere date of a One Direction 3-D movie; and Dec. 21, when the Internet will collapse under the weight of too many “Remember when the Mayans were wrong?” memes and GIFs.

Carly Rubach, TCDIY Columnist (@JunkBoxDIY)

The Noble, Milwaukee

1. Google+ will finally make its way into the mainstream after revealing new updates in 2013 including the authorship tag. No longer will we +1 articles and wonder if anyone is listening, if anyone cares. We will begrudgingly welcome the platform into relevancy.

2. With the success of the new and hip restaurants like c1880, Braise and The Noble, Walker’s Point will continue its business development with a handful of new restaurants and shops in 2013. The area will become more of a destination with a growing number of young professionals moving into the affordable warehouse spaces.

3. The second go at The Hobbit will be better the the first. I hope.

Angela Morgan, Photo Editor / Staff Photographer (@angelinephotog)

Brewcity Bruisers Flat Track Roller Derby

1. Vinyl records have slowly pushed their way back onto merch tables at concert venues everywhere and we will see even more in 2013. I will finally find the Meet the Beatles album from my Uncle’s record shop I’m sure is somewhere is my parent’s basement.

2. Apple will continue to take over the technology world and one out of every two households will own an iPad. I’m going to get one for my Grandma next week.

3. A sport that is on the tipping point of stardom, roller derby, will take over Milwaukee and the world; it is well on its way of doing so. The Brewcity Bruisers will host the 2013 WFTDA (world!) Championships Nov. 8-10, attracting new fans to the sport and recruiting many new hopeful skaters.

4. I will win the lottery and purchase an island in the Caribbean. You’re all invited.

Danielle McClune, Arts & Culture Intern 

Milwaukee "Best City for _______"

1. Milwaukee will work its way to the top of every “Best City for _______” list, because seriously, we have the best everything and maybe 2013 is when everyone takes notice.

2. Drake and Yeezy will put out a collaborative album in 2013 a la Watch the Throne, making it the greatest release since Watch the Throne.

3. This whole social-isolation thing the Internet hath wrought upon us will continue to get worse, making people forget the basic importance of eye contact and hugs. Prove me wrong, world!

For TCD’s 2012 predictions, click here.