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 this batch of live-music recommendations, it’s tempting to not even bother leaving the confines of Sunday in Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood. But before we go there, a quick word for Wednesday night at the Riverside Theater.
A little more than a year ago, you would’ve been forgiven for thinking we’d never see Rilo Kiley together on stage again. The legendary group fronted by Jenny Lewis hadn’t performed live since 2008 — a lengthy absence that ended last May, when they played the Fremont Theater in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
After a run through North America in 2025, Rilo Kiley sprinkled a few more shows onto their schedule, including this Wednesday at the Riverside Theater. It might be a good idea to catch them while they’re in town, just in case it’s another 18 years before we get another chance. Jean-Luc Eldenwood opens the show, with doors at 7 p.m. and music starting an hour later.
A few days later, Riverwest will turn into the live-music epicenter of Milwaukee, with two pretty huge events happening simultaneously: the 2026 Locust Street Festival and Linneman’s 33rd Anniversary.
This is the 47th edition of the Locust Street Festival, which started as an impromptu party in 1976 after “the authorities” agreed to not widen the thoroughfare between Humboldt and Holton. That’s where you’ll find this year’s celebration, which again starts at 11:30 a.m. with the Locust Street Beer Run and continues with an avalanche of music across five stages.
We’ll have a separate post later in the week that includes the full schedule and more info about the festival. For now, chew on these music options: Diet Lite, Lost Orange Cat, Wire & Nail, dak duBois, Emmitt James, Social Cig, Wave Chapelle, Fellow Kinsman, Ladybird and much more. The tunes get going at 11:45 a.m. and don’t stop until 8 p.m.
The party at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn goes even longer to celebrate its 33 years as a neighborhood (and Milwaukee) institution. From noon to 11 p.m., the venue will bring five separate bands to their stage:
- 12:30 p.m. — Shell Bells
- 2:30 p.m. — Natalie Sue & the Steed
- 4:30 p.m. — If I Knew the Way plays Dylan & the Dead (Garrett Waite)
- 6:30 p.m. — De La Buena
- 8:30 p.m. — The Erotic Adventures of the Static Chicken
The anniversary party will double as a fundraiser for Music6s, the New Berlin-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting the mental health of veterans, first responders, healthcare workers and their families. There’s no cover, so you’ll have a little more to donate while you enjoy the full day of live music.
Best concerts in Milwaukee this week
- May 27: Rilo Kiley w/Jean-Luc Eldenwood @ Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.
- May 27: Jaguar Sun, Jacob Slade @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
- May 28: Christian Porter @ The Argo, 6:30 p.m.
- May 29: Kyle Feerick, Lost Orange Cat (double album release) @ Falcon Hall, 8 p.m.
- May 29: People Brothers Band w/Hot Like Mars @ The Cooperage, 7 p.m.
- May 29: Peter Mulvey & Jenna Nicholls present Floyd Mercantile @ Anodyne, 7:30 p.m.
- May 29: Dan Tyminski Band @ The Argo, 8 p.m.
- May 30: Sapsucker w/Breakup Tour, Socially Suspect @ Linneman’s, 8 p.m.
- May 31: Locust Street Festival @ Locust Street, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- May 31: Linneman’s 33rd Anniversary @ Linneman’s, Noon to 11 p.m.
- June 1: Kevin Morby @ The Argo, 8 p.m.
- June 2: MV Wells, Speedy Muffler, Vanity Plates @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
