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.
Most likely because of the holiday weekend, Milwaukee’s concert calendar has decided to take a breather in the days ahead. You’ll notice our list at the bottom of the page is significantly slimmer than the dozen or so options that have been there on the regular in the last few weeks, so we’re leaning into quality over quantity for this installment.
That’s a much easier task when the band at the top of our picks is in town: My Morning Jacket at the Riverside Theater this Friday, April 18.
One of the more reliably excellent live acts going today are touring behind their minimalist-titled new album, is, released just last month. It’s the first time My Morning Jacket turned over the recording controls to an outside producer — in this case, the venerable Brendan O’Brien.
As Jim James said when the record was announced, “It almost felt like an out-of-body experience to step back and give control over to someone who’s far more accomplished and made so many more records than us. But, in the end, I was able to enjoy the process maybe more than I ever have before.”
Of course, it’s simply inaccurate to focus on the most recent release when you’re talking about a My Morning Jacket show. The tour stop in Dallas just a couple days ago dedicated a quarter of the night’s playlist to is, with the other 75% pulling from the band’s vast catalog. You could almost look at each album as a chance for the group to refine and evolve its live performance — something they’ve gotten awfully good at, considering the frequent flyers in their audience.
Whether you’ve seen MMJ once or (as one concert-goer in Dallas claimed) 160 times, every show is a new experience, and your chance to experience the next one is this Friday at the Riverside.
Best Milwaukee concerts this week
- April 17: Goo Goo Dolls (Christian Yelich’s Home Plate Charity Concert) @ Pabst Theater, 7:30 p.m.
- April 17: Oh Geeez, Not Again; Wildered; Royal Mill @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
- April 17: Orlando Peña' & The Midnight Purchase (record release) w/Lost Orange Cat @ The Cooperage, 7 p.m.
- April 17: Maiden King @ Ope! Brewing, 7:30 p.m.
- April 18: My Morning Jacket w/Grace Cummings @ Riverside Theater @ 8 p.m.
- April 18: Avenues, Something to Do, Local Legends, Gold Steps, Bodyman Want (fundraiser event) @ X-Ray Arcade, 6:30 p.m.
- April 19: San Fermin w/Claire Ozmun @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.
