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, sponsored by Urban Ecology Center.
After a couple relatively lighter weeks for Milwaukee’s concert calendar — largely due to Labor Day and the general bummer-ness of summer almost being over — the live-music lineup roars back to life with almost too much to mention.
An overflow of options is why we have that full list at the bottom of the page, so please make sure to give that a runthrough so you don’t miss excellent local options like (deep breath) Fellow Travelers, Maximiano and Waterspouts (all at Cactus Club); Paul Cebar (Vivarium); and Marielle Allschwang & The Visitations, Exitstatements and Body Futures (The Cooperage), PLUS the return of Riverwest Jazz Fest and the Bean Plant Block Party at Anodyne.
Whew. OK, we wanted to make sure we hit the Milwaukee artists/events first because the week ahead brings us a heavy dose of national touring acts we really love, starting with a double helping of They Might Be Giants at the Pabst Theater this Thursday and Friday.
It’s both unnecessary and foolhardy to sell you on these icons of alternative music, who recently expanded to eight full-time members, including a three-piece horn section that will help fill the Pabst Theater stage across the two nights. They Might Be Giants are touring behind new album The World Is to Dig and will bring some of those sounds to our very own Studio A for a slimmed-down Studio Milwaukee Session live on 88Nine at 4 p.m. Friday.
Jumping to the tail end of your weekend, Landmark Credit Union has a killer double bill set for Sunday night, as Bleachers headline a show that kicks off with opener This Is Lorelei. Both acts are longstanding residents of the 88Nine playlist, most recently focused on their respective new albums: everyone for ten minutes from Bleachers and The Singer in My Band from This is Lorelei.
The latter feels like a shoo-in for pretty much every year-end record list, while the former lived up to the promise that Jack Antonoff made in advance of its release — “I’m heading somewhere where people are my people.” He also told our Carolann Grzybowski that playing live is “our church.” Appropriately, Bleachers’ show in Milwaukee falls on a Sunday, and service begins at 7:30 p.m.
Our final pick takes us to next Tuesday and a Turner Hall visit from The Linda Lindas, the stars of a Radio Milwaukee pre-drive VIP giveaway that wraps up tonight at the stroke of midnight (donate any amount for your chance to win!).
The L.A.-based quartet shared new album GOTTA GET OUT a few weeks ago, so we’ve all had ample time to memorize lyrics we can shout very loudly at the historic venue. With similarly punk-minded bands VIAL and Scorched Waves opening the night, shouting will be the preferred form of communication, so get those vocal chords warmed up.
Best concerts in Milwaukee this week
- Sept. 23: Patti Smith @ Riverside Theater, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 23: Croz Boyce (Avey Tare & Geologist of Animal Collective), Powers / Rolin Duo @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 23: Alewives, Spencer Thomas @ Anodyne, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 23: AJ Lee & Blue Summit w/Valley Fox @ Falcon Hall, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 24: Joshua Being @ Jackalope Lounj, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 24-25: They Might Be Giants @ Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 25: Fellow Travelers, Maximiano, Waterspouts @ Cactus Club, 6:30 p.m.
- Sept. 25: MT Jones, *aya @ Anodyne, 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 25: Cassini Echoes w/Lightninging, Shrinestone, Tarek Sabbar @ Linneman’s, 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 25: Riverwest Jazz Fest @ Various locations, 6 p.m.
- Sept. 26: Paul Cebar @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 26: Big Richard @ The Argo, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 26: Hungry Hearts, A Bruce Springsteen Tribute for the American Heart Association @ Linneman’s, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 27: Bleachers w/This Is Lorelei @ Landmark Credit Union Live, 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 27: Marielle Allschwang & The Visitations, Exitstatements, Body Futures @ The Cooperage, 7 p.m.
- Sept. 27: My Melody w/Forktail, Teenage Ice Age @ Falcon Hall, 6:30 p.m.
- Sept. 27: Bean Plant Block Party @ Anodyne, noon-5 p.m.
- Sept. 27: Paul Amitai presents Trope Variations @ Lynden Sculpture Garden, 3 p.m.
- Sept. 29: The Linda Lindas w/VIAL, Scorched Waves @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m.
- Sept. 29: Foster the People w/Goth Babe @ Landmark Credit Union Live, 8 p.m.
