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 for November 2-8, 2026.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin: Set To A screening of Dario Argento’s Tenebre @ The Rave / Eagles Club
“Composer Claudio Simonetti has written and recorded some of the most influential scores and soundtracks in horror, including Suspiria, Dawn Of The Dead, Deep Red / Profondo Rosso, Demons, and many others, with his seminal work still informing the genre to this day. This year, Simonetti’s Goblin celebrates Dario Argento’s 1982 critically acclaimed classic, Tenebre, with a live performance of the score set to a screening of the film. Following the finale of the movie, the collective will return after a brief intermission to deliver an additional performance of quintessential Goblin material and ‘best of’ songs and scores set to their cinematic counterparts.”
Lowheaven + Orange Colored Sky, 9 Eyes @MKeUltra
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3
2026 General Election @ various locations
It’s the 2026 General Election! It’s the day Wisconsin chooses a new governor: either Republican candidate Tom Tiffany or Democratic candidate David Crowley! Your ballot will be filled with plenty of down-ballot elections, too, as well as the usual collection of purposefully misleading referendum questions that, on first glance, seem like common sense issues everyone can agree on, but upon further review are actually ways to lard up the state constitution with some anti-DEI shit or whatever. Find out everything you need to know about voting HERE.
WMSE’s Local/Live: Tigernite @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
“On Tuesday, November 3 at 6 p.m., WMSE brings you another free, all-ages Local/Live show from Anodyne with Tigernite, hosted by Sid and Matt Wild. Tigernite is a hard hitting four piece rock-and-roll creature hailing from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With swaggering riffs, powerful vocals and eccentric performances, Tigernite has been haunting basements, clubs, arenas and festival stages for over a decade. The group draws inspiration from rock opera, classic rock, glam and the occult to create their own brand of theatrical guitar driven rock. We can’t wait to see you for another amazing local performance!”
Sombr + The Last Dinner Party, Hannah Jadagu @ Fiserv Forum
Authority Zero + The Raging Nathans, Avenues, Geoff Palmer @ Cactus Club
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
Milwaukee Record Club: Made In Milwaukee (All Local Music) @ Wiggle Room
We’re taking over the Wiggle Room decks for another Wednesday night collaborative vinyl spin we call Milwaukee Record Club! From 6-9 p.m., we’ll drop the needle on vinyl releases that adhere to the month’s specific theme. Though we’ll bring enough music to cover a full set, we’re asking—no, we’re strongly encouraging—people to bring in their own vinyl that fits our chosen theme. If we think it’s a fit, we’ll play it! This month: Milwaukee music! Bring in those local records!
Strange And Found: A Bountiful VHS Harvest @ Times Cinema
What do you get when members from Found Footage Festival and Strange Tapes Zine combine hand-picked selections from their VHS collections into one 85-minute program? Why, you get the Strange And Found: A Bountiful VHS Harvest show! Join Joe Pickett and Scott Miller at Times Cinema to enjoy clips from strangers’ home movies, amateur UFO investigations, forgotten TV oddities, and maybe even an exercise video hosted by Joe Diffie.
Waterparks @ The Rave / Eagles Club (through November 6)
“Waterparks writes anthems that define artistic eras, emotionally precise, sonically distinct, and color-coded. Awsten Knight, Geoff Wigington, and Otto Wood have built one of modern rock’s most vibrant, shapeshifting catalogs, reaching 1 billion streams and a No. 1 Alternative Album in the U.S. But numbers were never the point. Waterparks measure success in less tangible ways. It’s in the connection between artist and audience, whether headlining theaters or festivals or supporting My Chemical Romance on a sold-out arena run. And it’s in the ambition of the art itself. Does what they’re making matter? Is this art, this music, consistently exciting, challenging, and overwhelmingly alive?”
Charlie Parr + Ross Thorn @ Vivarium
Blitzkid + The Grovelers, Ratbatspider @ X-Ray Arcade
Oldtimer + Rightwards, Oh Well Okay, Rainbow Cobra @ Cactus Club
Oxbow + G. Ananchev, J.R. Wesley @ MKeUltra
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
Brigitte Calls Me Baby + Common People @ Vivarium (also November 6)
“Since their widely lauded debut album, The Future Is Our Way Out, Chicago-based five-piece Brigitte Calls Me Baby have brought a greater intensity of vision to their lavish breed of alt-rock, arriving at a boldly singular sound that is both thrillingly new and immediately essential to the modern rock landscape. In a major leap forward for the band, Brigitte Calls Me Baby’s sophomore album Irreversible captures the energy, intrigue and grandeur of their live show, all while pushing further into the exquisite pathos of their songwriting.”
Blind Boys Of Alabama Present: Songs In The Key Of Life @ South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
Blind Boys Of Alabama are six-time Grammy winners, Gospel Music Hall Of Famers, and voices that have both inspired and endured for generations. Tonight, those legends come to South Milwaukee’s Performing Arts Center to pay tribute to another legend when they perform Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life, among other celebrated selections.
Orville Peck + Abbie Callahan @ Landmark Credit Union Live
Just over a month after the release of his new album Mule, masked country crooner Orville Peck—face-obstructing wardrobe and all—takes the stage at Landmark Credit Union Live as part of his ongoing Man Turned Mule tour. Yeehaw!
Sleep + Zombi, The Schizophrenics @ The Pabst Theater
Lee Bains III + Dusk, Resurrectionists @ Quarters Rock ‘n’ Roll Palace
Dent May + Moonglow @ Cactus Club
Heroes, Interlopers + Tontine Ensemble @ Jazz Gallery Center For The Arts
Joe Richter @ Ope! Brewing Co.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
Goose @ Miller High Life Theatre (through November 8)
Goose—the extremely popular jam band, not to be confused with the extremely popular rock band Geese—is coming to Milwaukee’s massive Miller High Life Theatre for three nights of shows in support of this year’s Big Modern! Nights one and two are already sold out, so get those November 8 tickets while you still can!
Napoleon Dynamite Live! 20th Anniversary Celebration @ The Pabst Theater
Has it really been more than 20 years since the release of Napoleon Dynamite? GOSH, it really has. Does the film still retain its awkward, ridiculous, and endlessly quotable power? Do Alaskan wolverines keep trying to attack our nation’s cousins? (In other words: yes.) The original stars of the endearing cult classic—Jon Heder (Napoleon), Efren Ramirez (Pedro), and Jon Gries (Uncle Rico)—are coming to The Pabst Theater. SWEET. The event will feature a full screening of Napoleon Dynamite followed by a “lively, freewheeling, moderated discussion” with the cast. Also, the event is being billed as BYOT (Bring Your Own Tots).
Devils Teeth + The Leg Hounds, Fret Rattlers, Cone Earth @ X-Ray Arcade
What’s better than rowdy Milwaukee surf-punk outfit Devils Teeth celebrating their 10-year anniversary? Celebrating their 10-year anniversary and celebrating the release of a new four-song instrumental EP, of course. Here’s to 10 more, Devils Teeth!
An Exclusive Evening With The Miz @ Central Standard Craft Distillery
Sex, Fear + Primitive Broadcast Service, Key Of Evil, Anti-Everything @ MKeUltra
Tsuchi + Keylime, *Aya, Ripley @ Cactus Club
The 1150 Band @ Ope! Brewing Co.
Friday Night Retro Dance Party: DJ Paul H @ Mad Planet
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7
Better Than Ezra + Brett Newski @ The Pabst Theater
“Songs, albums, live performances—some are simply timeless. From their early roots, circa 1988, playing house parties at Louisiana State University, Better Than Ezra have made their mark on the music world in a major way. Yes, the New Orleans quartet, founded by Kevin Griffin (lead vocals, guitar, piano) and Tom Drummond (bass, backing vocals), who unleash hummable melodies, unshakable guitar riffs, and confessional lyrics, have stood the test of time.”
Trainfest 2026 @ Baird Center (also November 8)
All aboard! Trainfest 2026 is chugging into Baird Center for two days of miniature railroading fun for the whole family. Modelers, collectors, and anyone else with a passing interest in the hobby are invited to check out booths from manufacturers and retailers, see exhibits, and partake in activities and seminars centered around model trains.
Milwaukee Anime-Fest @ Royle Hotel Milwaukee Airport
“Welcome to Milwaukee Anime-Fest! Get ready for a weekend filled with all things anime at the Royle Hotel Milwaukee Airport. Join us for cosplay contests, panel discussions, artist alley, and more! Whether you’re a seasoned otaku or just dipping your toes into the world of anime, there’s something for everyone at Milwaukee Anime-Fest. Don’t miss out on this epic event—mark your calendars now!”
The Maine + In Color @ The Rave / Eagles Club
Alex Koi/Kirin McElwain + Lorna Dune @ Jazz Gallery Center For The Arts
JT And The Congregants + Kitty Soft Paw, Lost Brave @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Emo Ever After: An Emo, Punk, Indie & Alt Dance Party @ Mad Planet
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8
Milwaukee Record Halftime Show + 5 O’Clock Charlie + Vinny & KK @ Cactus Club
The Pack is back…and so is the Milwaukee Record Halftime Show concert series! We’ve assembled a stacked roster of 13 acts that will provide FREE all-ages entertainment at Cactus Club during halftime of Green Bay’s games. Get ready to see approximately 15-minute shows from the likes of Dialogues, They Want Blood, Wisconsin Space Program, Resurrectionists, 5 O’Clock Charlie, and many more. Our pals at Miller High Life have returned as a sponsor, meaning fans can enjoy bucket and single bottle specials on both “The Champagne Of Beers” and Miller Lite all game long. Last and certainly not least, Transfer Pizzeria Cafe will once again be coming by most games to drop off some complementary pizza (while supplies last).
Kurt Vile And The Violators + Twisted Teens @ Turner Hall Ballroom
“Released in God’s year of 2026, the 250th anniversary of the founding of America in Kurt Vile’s fine city of Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s Been Good To Me finds one of our nation’s greatest songwriters staking a claim on his hometown. ‘This is my “bringing it all back home to Philly” record,’ Vile says. ‘I’m treating it like my last one. I put everything into it. It’s my best vocal record. It’s my best electric guitar record. It’s my most organic record, made in the comfort of my own zone.'”
Bill Callahan + Rick Maguire (Pile) @ The Argo
“Join the legendary frontman of Smog, Bill Callahan, and Rick Maguire of Pile at The Argo for a must see double bill of solo performances. My Days Of 58 is the eighth Bill Callahan album, his first since 2022. The 12 tunes here open uncanny depths of expression as Bill continues to blaze one of the most original songwriting-and-performance trails out there. With My Days Of 58, he applies the living, breathing energies of his live shows to the studio process, sharpening his slice-of-life portraiture to cut deeper than ever before.”
Larry Penn Tribute @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Handcrafted: Lakefront Makers Market @ Lakefront Brewery
Totally Cashed + Dyslexicon, Socially Suspect @ Cactus Club
Oh My God + Anura, Billy Dreamer @ MKeUltra
Emergent ft. Barry Paul Clark @ Jazz Gallery Center For The Arts
Ethan Marc Band + Sheebie, Jesse Garwood, Adam Blackwood @ Falcon Nest
The Hungry Williams @ Ope! Brewing Co.
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