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.
Have you ever found yourself in the rare position of being more excited to see a concert opener than the headliner? That’s how I felt when Julia Jacklin was announced as the opener for Courtney Barnett at the Pabst Theater for a show back in January 2022.
Unfortunately, Jacklin had to cancel her entire leg of the tour for undisclosed reasons (Barnett was still great, by the way). Now, 18 months later, Jacklin is finally making her way to Milwaukee on her first headlining tour with a show this Sunday at Turner Hall Ballroom.
Jacklin is one of those artists whose music can make you scream or cry or scream-cry. That is to say her music will make you feel something. While her voice is typically soft, her writing paired with the instrumentation in her music often carries a heavy, anxiety-inducing weight.
Her aptly titled 2019 sophomore album, Crushing, tackles various topics relating to depression and unhealthy relationships. One of the most, um, crushing songs on the album is “Don’t Know How to Keep Loving You,” as Jacklin beautifully threads the feeling of falling out of love:
But you know my body now and I know yours
We put so many things between these walls
And every gift you buy me, I know what's inside
What do I do now? There’s nothing left to find
The Aussie’s 2022 release, PRE PLEASURE, continues the trend of relatable crummy feelings spun into beautiful melodies. The tone of the album, however, is notably lighter than her previous records.
Can you tell I’m excited to finally see Julia Jacklin live? Grab your tissues and tickets and join me for the show this Sunday.
More shows worth a go
- July 20: Youth Lagoon, Nina Keith @ Cactus Club, 8 p.m. (sold out)
- July 21: Militarie Gun, Okay Omen, Sex Scenes @ Cactus Club, 8 p.m.
- July 21: The Breadmen, Dak DuBois & Co. @ Linneman's, 8 p.m.
- July 24: Gogol Bordello @ The Rave/Eagles Club, 8 p.m.
- July 25: Say She She, Abby Jeanne @ The Back Room, 7:30 p.m.
