Milwaukee’s concert scene has a lot going on, so we look at the shows coming up to find the ones you’ll look back on and be glad you went. Then we add them to our weekly Milwaukee Concert Picks.
For every year it’s taken place, Flannel Fest at The Cooperage has gotten bigger and better. The annual fall-centric festival invites locals to don flannel of any pattern and color, enjoy a seasonal beverage or snack near a bonfire, and take a peek at various crafts and creations from local vendors.
But it’s the music that’s undeniably the biggest draw, with a highly anticipated Saturday slate featuring indie-rock faves Sunflower Bean as the headliner of a pretty stacked lineup. The Brooklyn-based band released their latest full-length, Headful of Sugar, last year to many well-deserved accolades, including The Line of Best Fit calling it “cinematic soundscapes of art-rock.”
The trio turns every song into a cool-but-relatable, empowering statement on how overcoming the emotional rollercoaster of life can feel triumphant and exhilarating in and of itself. They’re sure to put on an exciting set.
If you’re in it for the long haul Saturday (the event’s 12-hour, rotating schedule kicks off at noon), you’ll find plenty of opportunities to both relax and wind up, satisfying your musical palate with not one, but two stages. The Folk Stage will host The Hallelujah Ward, Ben Mulwana, Arum Rae and Next Paperback Hero, while The Main Stage will offer sets from Sunflower Bean, REYNA, NilexNile, Shoobie, Twan Mack and Swadetracks.
More shows worth a go
- Oct. 18: Nation of Language w/Miss Grit @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 19: Mudhoney w/Hooveriii @ X-Ray Arcade, 6:30 p.m.
- Oct. 19: Nineteen Thirteen w/The Quilz @ Anodyne on Bruce, 8 p.m.
- Oct. 19: Jackie Venson w/The Midnight Purchase @ Shank Hall, 7 p.m.
- Oct. 20: Flannel Fest Pre-Party w/The Keystones, Alley Eyes, Social Cig, Tigera @ The Cooperage, 6 p.m.
- Oct. 20: Beats, Bars and Brews featuring Twan Mack w Kia Rap Princess, Spaidez, Swadetrackz, GetMoses @ Company Brewing, 9:30 p.m.
- Oct. 21: Mike Viola w/Dusk @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
