I was 15 years old when I took a train, a subway and a ferry to see Local Natives for the first time. The year was 2010, the show was at the now-defunct Beach at Governor’s Island in New York City, and it was especially memorable not only for its musical content, but because it was my first concert without any parental supervision.
At that time, Local Natives was still a relative unknown in the indie music space, having released their debut EP, Gorilla Manor, in late 2009. That album — with jams like “Airplanes,” “Sun Hands” and “Stranger Things” — was foundational in my musical exploration and happened to grab a "best new album" nod from Pitchfork. The show I saw backed up the recordings.
The SoCal-based band has churned out new albums every three or four years since then, with No. 5 in the discography, Time Will Wait For No One, released just last month (you’ve probably heard “Just Before the Morning” and “NYE” on 88Nine this year). That level of consistency over a span of nearly 15 years has established the group as one of the more reliable live acts in the game and one you shouldn’t miss when they're in town.
As fate would have it, Local Natives returns to Milwaukee this Saturday, Aug. 19, for the first time since 2016 (three albums ago). So far, they’ve played Turner Hall Ballroom (in 2011) and the Riverside Theater (twice); they’ll complete what I'm calling the “Pabst Theater Group trifecta” as they play the Pabst stage for the first time with opener Annika Bennett.
More shows worth a go
- Aug. 18: Gold Steps @ The Back Room, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 18: Trapper Schoepp Band @ Zoo A La Carte, 3 p.m.
- Aug. 18: Eli Young Band @ Zoo A La Carte, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 18: Lil Baby, GloRilla, Rylo Rodriguez, Hunxho, Gloss Up @ Fiserv Forum, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 19: Listening Party @ Sahale Ale Works, 5 p.m.
- Aug. 19: The Record Company @ Zoo A La Carte, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 19: Good Vibes Only @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
- Aug. 21: Swampvilla & Friends: A Night Of Hip Hop @ Cactus Club, 5 p.m.
