There has the summer gone? Okay, okay, so there’s still a ton of summer left, but the bleakness of autumn will be upon us before you know it. Thus, it’s important to use your limited summer entertainment allotment right. Not even counting the last three days of Summerfest, there are lots of concerts, comedy shows, and film screenings vying for your time. And we’re not even factoring in outdoor activities, if you’re into that type of thing. July can be tough to navigate, but hopefully these standout shows can help clear up any overlapping items on your social calendar.
Thursday, July 2
Direct Hit! + Elway, Tired Radio (solo) @ MKeUltra
Elway, the Colorado-based punk project that shares its name with a certain Hall of Fame quarterback who bested the Packers in Super Bowl XXXII (we still don’t want to talk about it!), is embarking on a summer tour that will begin right here in Milwaukee. “The Morale Is High” tour will kick off with a show at MKeUltra on Thursday, July 2. The veteran Red Scare Industries band will be preceded with a solo set by New York-based Tired Radio and followed by a rare performance by Direct Hit!, a Milwaukee outfit that’s worth the price of admission on its own.
Saturday, July 4
Sparta + War On Women @ Cactus Club
Just over a month removed from releasing its sixth studio album, Cut A Silhouette, veteran rockers Sparta will swing by Milwaukee for an intimate Independence Day outing at the cozy confines of the Cactus Club. War On Women opens.
Friday, July 10
Jeff Rosenstock + Good Luck @ Falcon Hall
Sold out! Sorry, folks.
Saturday, July 11
Death Cab For Cutie + Jay Som @ Miller High Life Theatre
In 2024, indie rock royalty Death Cab For Cutie joined forces with The Postal Service—another Ben Gibbard aural endeavor, of course—for a memorable performance at Miller High Life Theatre. On July 11, 2026, Death Cab will return to the massive Milwaukee venue in support of the band’s just-released album, I Built You A Tower. Jay Som opens.
Monday, July 13
WNBA Watch Party (Los Angeles vs. Atlanta): Dana Ehrmann @ Cactus Club
We’ve partnered with Cactus Club and WYNK to bring you multi-faceted monthly WNBA watch parties. Once a month, we’re highlighting a specific game that will be shown (with sound on) at Cactus Club, both on the bar’s televisions and on a projector in the back room. There will be specials on WYNK and Pacifico (and you’ll get a ticket when purchasing either brand for a raffle that will be held after the third quarter). DJs will play music during commercial breaks. We’ve also lined up some halftime entertainment for you. Yep! Local musicians and comedians will treat hoopsters to a FREE performance that will take place between the second and third quarters of that month’s chosen game.
Wednesday, July 15
Milwaukee Record Presents ‘The Foot Fist Way’ @ Avalon Theater
Before he was Kenny Powers, Neil Gamby, Jesse Gemstone, or part of the Alien cinematic universe, Danny McBride first made his mark as Fred Simmons—a small town Taekwondo instructor with an inflated ego and a destructive marriage—in The Foot Fist Way. The daaaaark and raunchy comedy is both McBride’s first starring role in a feature film and the directorial debut of his longtime collaborator Jody Hill.
The 85-minute flick has it all: action, a flawed-yet-identifiable underdog quite literally fighting adversity and overcoming the odds, and hilarious dialogue delivered in a distinctly Danny McBride-y cadence. BUT THERE’S MORE!!! Immediately after the movie, we’ll be heading to Blackbird Bar for a “Post Credit” event from 9-11 p.m., which will feature “Danny McBridal Shower” activities and a pinball tournament with prizes for top performers.
Friday, July 17
The Strokes + Cage The Elephant, Thundercat @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Let’s keep this real simple: The Strokes will play Milwaukee’s American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Friday, July 17. They’ll be joined by Cage The Elephant and Thundercat. There you go. The Strokes rule. They have a new album coming out soon called Reality Awaits.
Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18
Raegan Niemela + Luisa Noé @ The Laughing Tap (two shows!)
The bad news: Two of Milwaukee’s best and busiest comedians, Raegan Niemela and Luisa Noé, are moving to Chicago this summer to take the next steps on their stand up journeys. The good news: They’re saying goodbye with a pair of co-headlining performances at The Laughing Tap. While we’re sure they won’t be complete strangers to our city going forward—at least we hope they won’t!—you shouldn’t miss this if you want to catch them before they depart and send them off in style.
Friday, July 17 through Sunday, July 19
Godfrey @ Milwaukee Improv (five shows!)
Beyond being an actor, TV talking head, and former 7-Up pitchman, Godfrey has been performing stand up comedy for decades. The tireless, accomplished, and pretty damn funny comedian will heat up The Improv in nearby Brookfield with a total of five performances spread over three mid-July nights.
Friday, July 17
Wavves + Bass Drum Of Death, Worlds Worst @ The Argo
Make your way to Whitefish Bay and soak up the psych-tinged indie rock sounds of Wavves, who are coming to the region a few months removed from releasing its king size deluxe album Spun. They’ll be joined at The Argo by Bass Drum Of Death and Worlds Worst.
Saturday, July 18
Death Valley Girls @ Anodyne’s Walker’s Point Roastery
So-called “L.A. mystic-rock mainstay” Death Valley Girls are no strangers to our fair city. They’ll return on Saturday, July 18 for a headlining performance at Anodyne Coffee’s Walker’s Point Roastery.
Saturday, July 18
Midwest Mudfest: Triple Threat @ The Cooperage
Adding to the allure of mud wrestling taking place on the Boone & Crockett Patio and inside the Cooperage, Midwest Mudfest will also feature live music from Chicago’s Bussy Queen Power Trip and a potent trio of Milwaukee acts including Sex Scenes, Chapped Lips, and The Cult Of Nasty.
Sunday, July 19
Dillinger Four + The Slow Death, Constant Insult, Hellcat @ X-Ray Arcade
When you’re presented with an opportunity to see Minneapolis punk greats Dillinger Four in the greater Milwaukee area, you take it! Don’t miss your chance to see D4 head up an X-Ray Arcade bill that also features The Slow Death, Constant Insult, and Hellcat.
Monday, July 27
Aimee Mann + Kimon Kirk @ Pabst Theater
The Monday immediately following her appearance at Eaux Claires festival, Aimee Mann will head east from Eau Claire to take the stage at Milwaukee’s historic Pabst Theater as part of the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter’s “Bachelor No. 2 Album Tour.” Kimon Kirk opens.