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.
This week in Milwaukee music is spearheaded by legendary artists taking a victory tour around the 414 — artists known for their hiatuses and ostentatious comebacks into the music world.
LCD Soundsystem get it started with a two-day residency at the Rave this Friday and Saturday for a couple nights of dance-punk excellence. The band is an eclectic mix of indie hipsters fronted by the most jaded of them all, James Murphy, whose tongue-in-cheek cynicism permeates every record. This group pushes the limits of a turntable, bridging the gap between New York dance music and indie pop, and is masterfully singular in its production.
LCD Soundsystem haven’t released a full-length record since American Dream in 2017, so this show is likely to be full of songs from their entire discography. Songs like “Dance Yrself Clean” and “All My Friends” will be real crowd pleasers, but keep an ear open for deep cuts because this band only brings the hits. Both shows start at 8 p.m., and general admission tickets are still available.
The next big returner is hip-hop duo Clipse, who will be in town for a Sunday gig, also at the Rave. Pusha T and his brother Malice have built a storied history on their rapid verses since their debut more than 15 years ago in the midst of the diversifying hip-hop scene of the 2000s.
Pharrell Williams guided the duo into a maximized version of their soundscape, but the duo went on hiatus to pursue solo careers in 2010. They enlisted Williams’ help for their return on this year’s album release, Let God Sort ’Em Out, a dystopian but realistic perspective of the world.
With features from contemporaries like Kendrick Lamar and Tyler, the Creator, their new record is an exemplary piece of music that demonstrates how much Pusha T and Malice have grown as artists. It’s likely to be a big part of the set for Sunday night’s show, which starts at 8 p.m. with EARTHGANG opening.
To bring it locally, the Cooperage will host MKE Music Night 100 this Friday, with more than a dozen performers taking the stage. Tlalok opens things at 5:30 p.m., and an avalanche of musicians from the Milwaukee scene will follow, including Mike Yellick, Whitney Rose and Shell Bells.
On top of the music, there will also be several featured Milwaukee artists at the event with their own stands offering an assortment of handmade pieces. This is a “get there early” situation, because the Cooperage has a special promotion where admission is just $5 from 5 to 7 p.m., making it extra affordable to dive into the Milwaukee arts scene.
Best Milwaukee concerts this week
- Aug. 13: Joey Turbo, James Marlon Magas, Aluminum Knot Eye @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 14: Pretend Friend + Joe Wais & Jordan Kroeger @ Anodyne, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 15: MKE Music Night 100 @ The Cooperage, 5 p.m.
- Aug. 15: Sunday Cruise, Scam Likely, Pleaser (Ten Buck Show) @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 15: LCD Soundsystem @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 15: Nathan Graham, Dovekeeper @ Anodyne, 7:30 p.m.
- Aug. 15: Known Moons, Shontrail, Heavy Bend, Online Blunt @ Cactus Club, 6:30 p.m.
- Aug. 15: The Panoptics, Orange Menace, Living the Dream @ Linneman’s, 6:30 p.m.
- Aug. 16: LCD Soundsystem @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 16: I H8 It Here, Star Student, Anita Velveeta, Ellee Grim @ Cactus Club, 6:30 p.m.
- Aug. 16: Mas Verde w/Varsity Mac, Gabriel Harris @ Linneman’s, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 17: Clipse w/EARTHGANG @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
- Aug. 17: Modern Tigers (album release) w/Faded Places, Offtide, Rare Visions @ X-Ray Arcade, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 18: Ultra Deluxe, Killer High Life, Courtesy, Disposable Thumbs @ X-Ray Arcade, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 19: Indigo Girls, Melissa Etheridge @ BMO Pavilion, 7 p.m.
- Aug. 19: MX Lonely, Okay Omen, Frantic Repair, Shrinestone @ Sugar Maple, 7 p.m.