Every morning throughout Summerfest 2026, we’ll deliver a guide that covers the day’s entertainment and how you can get in the gate free of charge. This is where you’ll find info about the AmFam Amp headliners, eclectic picks from our knowledgeable staff and the music lineup for the day (see the full 2026 Summerfest lineup here).
Today at the AmFam Amp + Radio Milwaukee staff pick #1
Muse w/Julia Wolf, Temper City, 7 p.m.
Were you a sentient being in the early 2000s? Did you like alternative music and/or Twilight? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you know Muse.
The bombastic, theatrical English band established a firm foothold at the turn of the millenium by making music that was impossible to ignore. It was big. It was bold. It blended rock, pop, electronic and even a smattering of classical influence into albums that inevitably grabbed hold of the top spot on the U.K. charts.
More than 25 years into their career, they're about to rule that ranking again, having released new record The Wow! Signal just last Friday. Those songs will be in the mix at tonight's show, along with the ones that have lodged themselves in your brain, either through repeated CD spins or viewings of vampire-related YA content. Toss in some pyrotechnics and other visual flourishes, and you've got a multisensory experience worth catching at the Amp.
— Brett Krzykowski
Radio Milwaukee staff pick #2
The Beths @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard, 10 p.m.
Led by the sincere-yet-steely Liz Stokes on vocals and guitar, this New Zealand indie-rock band has become known for their wildly energetic power-pop-esque songs. But even when the lyrics are introspective, the sound that The Beths create — starting with 2018 classic Future Me Hates Me all the way through last year’s Straight Line Was a Lie — is 100% guitar rock.
Fun fact: Stokes said she named the band using her own name after being inspired by Gilmore Girls character Lorelai Gilmore naming her daughter after herself. As a Gilmore Girls fan, that has endeared them to me even more. But, ultimately, The Beths hooked me with their classic indie-rock sounds and by transmitting the joy of seeing a live show, even when you’re listening to their studio selves.
I’ve never heard a song (or seen a show) by The Beths that I haven’t liked. They’re notorious for fun live sets, so you’ll be in for a treat.
RIYL: Courtney Barnett, Alvvays, Rilo Kiley, Bully.
— Erin Wolf
Radio Milwaukee staff pick #3
Blondshell @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard, 8 p.m.
The first time I heard Blondshell was during their live performance at Non-Comm, a public-radio conference in Philly. From the moment they took the World Cafe stage at WXPN, I couldn’t take my eyes off lead singer/songwriter Sabrina May Teitelbaum. Her quiet confidence was mesmerizing. But I guess when you start singing and performing at the age of 7, you get pretty comfortable up there.
That wasn’t always the case for Sabrina. Her extreme social anxiety and stage fright led her down a path of using drugs and alcohol to cope. Most of Blondshell’s debut record in 2023 was influenced by her journey to sobriety, which makes these songs deeply personal and very intimate.
Sonically, the band straight-up rocks. Sabrina fell in love with rock ‘n’ roll when her dad took her to see her first live show: The Rolling Stones. Combine that with other formative musical experiences of seeing Jersey Boys on Broadway and learning piano to Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and 19 from Adele, you can get an idea of the sonic journey you’ll experience at Summerfest tonight.
— Dori Zori
Radio Milwaukee staff pick #4
El Sebas @ Miller Lite Oasis, 6:30 p.m.
Blend hip-hop and Cumbia, and you get El Sebas. A rapper, cultural organizer and advocate, this Milwaukee artist brings community to every stage — literally, as in he invites friends and family to partake in music videos while he shares messages of personal struggles, resiliency and a love for life.
You can hear all of that in his 2024 EP, Milwacumbia.
Joining him at the Miller Lite Oasis is rising Chicana musician and singer Ixchelita, who will perform her own original music alongside someone who has been a mentor to her. This is an opportunity to witness the vibrant and culturally conscious scene happening in Milwaukee, embodied by these two local artists as they open for Anees and Sean Paul.
— Paula Lovo
Radio Milwaukee staff pick #5
The Ocean Blue @ Uline Warehouse, 3:30 p.m.
With every new artist I get to experience for the first time at Summerfest, there’s also a band I never thought I’d get to see again. This year, it’s The Ocean Blue.
Friends since attending high school in Hershey, Penn., this indie-pop band caught my attention in the late ’80s, when they released their dreamy self-titled debut record. The opening track, “Between Something and Nothing,” is beautiful in its simplicity, which is kinda what they do best.
Coming up around the time of The Stone Roses and Charletans UK, The Ocean Blue could be mistaken for part of that U.K. wave of post-modern music we loved so much from the late ’80s and early ’90s. While I don’t know exactly what to expect from their live shows now, I’m certainly excited to find out.
— Dori Zori
Radio Milwaukee staff pick #6
Grace Weber's Music Lab @ AmFam House, 12:30 p.m.
The folks at American Family Insurance are steadfast supporters of Grace Weber's Music Lab, and one of the ways they show that support is by inviting a few of the program's standout artists to perform at the AmFam House every year at Summerfest. The sixth annual showcase will feature:
- JJBoAllen, a 17-year-old rapper and songwriter out of Oconomowoc who brings flow, rhythm and trap to the stage.
- dessy⭐, an 18-year-old from Milwaukee who transforms ideas into stories and emotions into lyrics.
- Mala Māla, a three-piece band from Milwaukee that blends indie rock, noise, post-hardcore and rich three-part harmonies.
The amazing Ko-Thi Dance Company will join us for the showcase, making it an afternoon full of creativity, community and unforgettable performances. Don't miss this chance to celebrate the incredible young artists who have graced the Music Lab stage throughout its ninth season!
How to get in free today
Lilly Basic Needs Closet Supply Drive Supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of Kenosha
Help support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kenosha’s Basic Needs Closet, which ensures youth throughout the Kenosha area have access to life’s basic necessities, empowering them to focus on their education and future success. The first 5,000 fans who arrive from noon to 3 p.m. and donate NEW deodorant, toothbrushes, body wipes or school supplies with a total minimum value of $10 will receive one free general admission ticket, valid for the day and time of the promotion only. All proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kenosha.
Summerfest schedule for Thursday, July 2
American Family Insurance Amphitheater
- 7 p.m. — Muse w/Julia Wolf, Temper City
American Family Insurance House
- 4 p.m. — Spin Doctors
BMO Pavilion
- 9 p.m. — Ella Mai
- 7:15 p.m. — Lindsey Lomis
Miller Lite Oasis
- 10:30 p.m. — Sean Paul
- 8:30 p.m. — Anees
- 6:30 p.m. — El Sebas
- 4:30 p.m. — Breaking Cadence
- 2:45 p.m. — Superfly
- 1:15 p.m. — Jonny T-Bird & The MPS
T-Mobile Stage
- 10:15 p.m. — All Time Low
- 8:15 p.m. — KennyHoopla
- 6:15 p.m. — Girlfriends
- 4:15 p.m. — Fluorescents
- 2:30 p.m. — Gold Steps
- 12:45 p.m. — Pretty Pity
Generac Power Stage
- 9:30 p.m. — Candlebox
- 7:30 p.m. — Buckcherry
- 5:30 p.m. — Living Colour
- 3:30 p.m. — Scorched Waves
- 2 p.m. — Munroe
- 12:30 p.m. — The President Kings
Uline Warehouse
- 9:30 p.m. — Gin Blossoms
- 7:30 p.m. — Spin Doctors
- 5:30 p.m. — Sister Hazel
- 3:30 p.m. — The Ocean Blue
- 2 p.m. — Outronaut
- 12:30 p.m. — Palm Ghosts
Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard
- 10 p.m. — The Beths
- 8 p.m — Blondshell
- 6 p.m. — Sunflower Bean
- 4 p.m. — Hotel Fiction
- 2:30 p.m — Hell On Heels
- 1 p.m. — Buffchick
Aurora Pavilion
- 9 p.m. — GIRLNEXTDOOR
- 7 p.m. — Matthew Hansen
- 5:45 p.m. — Jobi Riccio
- 4:30 p.m. — Case Oats
- 3:15 p.m. — Kyle Ray
- 12:45 p.m. — Florentine Opera Company