I know you want to have fun, but not in a pre-meditated un-spontaneous way; don't think about it, just read this and let the fun sweep you in its fold...
1. Lotus
Idiosyncratic, is perhaps the best word to describe Philly-based dance band Lotus who'll be in town for two shows of who knows this weekend at the Turner Hall. A band that inspires a lot of love for their ability to keep their vibe consistent and yet unpredictable in a way that allows them to capture listeners from the rock and elctronic music scenes. I love that they've sorta cut their teeth by relentlessly touring and in that sense remind me of a jam band and if you're a fan of bands like Phish, you'll be happy you went to either of their shows this weekend. I'd wager that that their shows play like many a jam band in the sense that it's better live than on disc. That, and the fact that their light show game is on point, is just another part of why this one is my can't miss pick for the weekend.
Thursday & Friday at 7pm
Turner Hall
1040 N. 4th St. Milwaukee
2. G + Love
I remember being eighteen, in college and seeing a cat cooler than a winter hat that was mixing hip hop up with some sort of blues music and loving it... that was G. Love circa 1997. Though my tastes have moved on, there is a sense of nostalgia crossed with respect to see that some twenty years on, G. Love is still scrapping out songs in the style he pioneered. Potowatomi has made a niche for themselves by bring past classics around for shows and this one could be a lovely surprise...
Friday at 8pm
Northern Lights Theater at Potowatomi
1721 W Canal St, Milwaukee
3. Beatallica
Ever wonder what the Beatles would sound like covered by Metallica? Well you'll have a couple of opportunities to check out the (better than you'd think it'd be) Beatallica this weekend at Club G's as they'll be holding it down for a pair of shows. The Friday night joint has Milwaukee's own genre-optional Lova Nova on the undercard and is my under the radar pick for most fun show of the weekend (just going with my gut!) If you can't make (or get into) the Friday show there'll be a second on Saturday.
Friday and Saturday at 9pm
Club Garibaldi's
2501 S. Superior St. Bay View
4. Bloody is best
And by bloody, I mean Mary. Milwaukee finds out whose sauce is is better this Sunday at Serb Hall when the area's biggest Bloody Mary showdown is set to go down in support of the Great Lakes Hemophilia Foundation. There'll be n/a versions of the Bloody Mary's for non-drinkers and appetizers in case the Bloody Mary condiments get overshadowed by the actual drink itself. The MKE's Best Bloody event might be the perfect end to the weekend...
Sunday 11:30-3pm
American Serb Hall
5101 W Oklahoma Ave, Milwaukee
5. Waco Brothers + The Subcontinentals
You may be more familiar with the Waco Brothers than you think; especially if you are a fan of the Mekons as Jon Langford is the lead in this new side project. Apparently the Waco Brothers were born out of a seemingly conflicting desire of Langford to play some music more on the alt-country side than the punk slide he was riding. What was intended to be a Chicago-centered experience has gotten too much love to keep in town so they head North for a small-venue show with Milwaukee's own recently re-united alt-country lovers (and good ones at that), The Subcontinentals at Milwaukee's only, and iconic concertina bar, Kochanski'sthis Saturday. We just started playing the Waco Brothers on 88nine so call me crazy if I think this might be worth checking out this weekend.
Saturday at 9pm
Kochansky's Concertina Bar
1920 S 37th St, Milwaukee
