Milwaukee is chock full of things to do, but only a handful of Milwaukee events are worthy of the lofty honor of “Record Recommended” (patent pending). Here are our recommendations—brought to you by Lilliput Records—for April 29 – May 5, 2024.
MONDAY, APRIL 29
Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers + Miles Nielsen @ Shank Hall
“‘Here’s to life!’ Fans around the world can be found singing the chorus of the Roger Clyne-penned fan favorite ‘Mekong’ and toasting their glasses in unison to celebrate life through rock-n-roll. But the inspiration for the song dates back to the time Roger went to Taipei, Taiwan, as a college student to teach English during the day and busk with his guitar at night for money. Today, as Clyne prepares to record his 11th studio album, he continues to transform his life experiences, inspirations, observations and his own muses into timeless music. And whether he’s wearing his Converse high tops, boots or sandals, Clyne’s blend of punk rock, country-western and mariachi influences have made him, drummer PH Naffah, guitarist Jim Dalton and bassist Nick Scropos—collectively known as Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers—one of America’s best live rock-n-roll bands.
Celebrate Vel Phillips: Documentary Screening And Discussion @ Milwaukee Public Library
1207xDel + Shontrail, Ataraxia, TBE Will, Monnie Rockin, Mutinous Sin, MMB @ Cactus Club
TUESDAY, APRIL 30
Nick Shoulders And The Okay Crawdad + Nat Myers @ Vivarium
“All Bad, the latest album from Nick Shoulders, ultimately encapsulates everything that makes Shoulders’ inimitable form of country music so vital: a heady balance of dazzling musicianship and punk defiance, coupled with gritty eccentricity and a generational connection to the roots of the genre. With a singing style inherited from his family’s vocal lineage, Nick’s songs achieve the rare feat of imparting difficult truths while inciting a certain joyful abandon, balancing a sound forged by years of hard travel with a heartfelt reverence for the origins of country music. In the spirit of Hazel Dickens and Jimmy Driftwood, the incisive yet wildly jubilant All Bad vocally objects to the reckless destruction of the natural landscape and development run rampant, while still offering plenty of joy and dance-ready rhythms. Spanning a variety of early country styles, the album’s infectious harmonies shine alongside everything from jangling cajun waltzes to surf-rock infused bluesy ballads—all tied together by a voice seemingly out of place in this century, yet ever ready to speak up about its problems.”
Jim Breuer + Joe Sib @ The Pabst Theater
“Welcome to the Breuniverse! Former Saturday Night Live cast member (remember Goat Boy?!) and star of the cult film Half Baked, Jim Breuer brings his hilarious stand up the Pabst Theater. His comedy tackles everything from marriage to love and loss with one goal in mind—to leave people with a little more hope than they arrived!”
Beth Hetland In Conversation With Cris Siqueira @ Lion’s Tooth
“This is a HUGE deal! Come meet Beth Hetland, author of one of our favorite new comics, in conversation with Lion’s Tooth co-owner Cris Siqueira. Hetland’s graphic novel debut Tender is a hypnotic psychological body horror thriller and a visceral critique of traditional gender roles. Don’t miss this one!”
Out There 2023 Season Performance Showcase @ Cactus Club
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1
Sawyer Hill + Red Leather @ Shank Hall
“Sawyer Hill’s soaring baritone voice halts you in your tracks and will one day shake the rafters of the most iconic venues. The diamond-in-the-rough rocker hailing from Fayetteville, Arkansas is cutting through with Gen Z listeners on Instagram and TikTok where he’s amassed an audience of nearly 400k followers thanks to an unexpected sound influenced by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. The clever lyrical hook and refreshingly contemporary take on ’90s rock guitar riffs in his song ‘Look At The Time’ (‘when you say that I’m the only one, did you mean that I’m the closest one around?’) propelled it to the top of the Spotify US Viral Chart.”
MPS 50th Biennial Music Festival @ UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
THURSDAY, MAY 2
Riotnine (farewell show) + World I Hate, Overhand, The World In Broken Glass, Courtesy @ Cactus Club
There are times for asking questions and taking a measured stance, and times for simply picking a side. In the ongoing cultural and political war against the LGBTQIA community, Milwaukee screamo/post-hardcore group Riotnine makes its position crystal fucking clear. A band bio reads “transgender milwaukee skramz.” The trio’s fantastic debut EP is titled Death Before Detransition. There’s no “both sides have a point, actually” bullshit here. Experience it live one last time at this all-too-soon farewell show.
Jer + Insignificant Other, Pinksqueeze, Rat Bath @ X-Ray Arcade
Marty O’Reilly (solo) + Hanna Simone @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
MPS 50th Biennial Music Festival @ UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
FRIDAY, MAY 3
Cindy Lee + Freak Heat Waves @ Cactus Club
“Cindy Lee is a Durham, North Carolina-based songwriter, performer, and recording artist known worldwide as one of the last great torch singers and as a living guitar legend. A transient drag queen and dangerous drifter hellbent on corrupting the youth of America. They have sold out of every album they’ve ever made, each record a bold landmark in the history of pop music. After 4 releases with the Superior Viaduct label (Suicide, DEVO, Alice Coltrane, Ennio Morricone) they now self-release thru “Realistik Studios.” Beautiful and compelling Pop tracks and L-I-T-E torch ballads in the great tradition of Roy Orbison, Ros Sereysothea, Gloria Ann Taylor, and Patsy Cline. A blurring of fiction and reality is a theme, apparent in the contrast between grandiose pop ambitions and amateur recording techniques.”
Los Straitjackets featuring Daddy-O Grande! + Wasted Major @ Shank Hall
“Los Straitjackets are the leading practitioners of the lost art of the guitar instrumental. Using the music of the Ventures, The Shadows, and with Link Wray and Dick Dale as a jumping off point, the band has taken their unique, high energy brand of original rock & roll around the world. Clad in their trademark Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling masks, the ‘Jackets’ have delivered their trademark guitar licks across 30 years, 16 albums, thousands of concerts and dozens of films and TV shows. Viva Los Straitjackets!”
HOG Fest: Staind + I Prevail, Asking Alexandria, Dayseeker, Tim Montana @ Fiserv Forum
Wire & Nail (record release) + Modern Joey, Bomber And Red @ The Cooperage
Innuendo (record release) + Useless Info, Big Laugh, Necron 9 @ Cactus Club
City Slang + Combustor @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Friday Night Retro Dance Party @ Mad Planet
SATURDAY, MAY 4
John R. Miller + The Local Honeys @ Cactus Club
If you’re a fan of country or bluegrass music, there’s a chance you’ve seen John R. Miller perform without even realizing it. The singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has spent most of his adult life as a touring musician, both in his own bands and as the live bassist or guitarist in other projects. After years spent assisting the artistic efforts of others as a hired hand, Miller is now making a name for himself. He’ll swing through Cactus Club tonight in belated support of last year’s album Heat Comes Down.
State Of Sound: Jacob Slade + Blacktop, Micah Emrich, Klan 414 @ Radio Milwaukee
Abigail Williams + Vale Of Pnath, Choke, Outer Graves @ X-Ray Arcade
The Swivels + Steve Cohen @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Riverwest Pub Crawl @ Riverwest
Amorphic Day Drinkin’ Riverwest Pub Crawl Rock Show @ Amorphic Beer
Cinco de Mayo Festival @ 2701 S. Chase Ave.
Brew City Boogie Bash Disco Night @ Mad Planet
SUNDAY, MAY 5
The Complete History Of Space/Time (Destination Milwaukee) @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
If you’ve been around the Milwaukee music scene for a while—and/or have ever attended a Locust Street Fest—you know Sigmund Snopek III. The tireless musician and WAMI Hall of Famer has been beating his own drum (or would that be blowing his own horn?) since the late ’60s. He’s released oodles of inspired and idiosyncratic solo material. He’s toured the world with the Violent Femmes. He’s played Summerfest for 52 years. He’s rocked the hell out of that alpenhorn. And now Snopek is the subject of a new documentary titled The Complete History Of Space/Time (Destination Milwaukee). But it’s not just any documentary—it’s a documentary that weighs in at a whopping six-and-a-half hours. Eat your heart out, Christopher Nolan.
An Evening With Alan Ruck And Screening Of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off @ The Pabst Theater
“Pardon our French but if you don’t go see a screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Q&A with the amazing Alan Ruck (aka best friend Cameron), well….we’ll go berserk. Get ready for an unforgettable evening watching, quoting and laughing along with your favorite cult classic.”
Trophy Eyes + Rarity, House & Home @ X-Ray Arcade
Rager De Mayo: Zonk Rolan + Eli $tones, Jose Yellow, Police Create Hippies, DJ Breezy @ Cactus Club
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