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 October 12-18, 2026.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 12
12th House In Twilight: An Immersive Celebration With Bob Reitman @ The Pabst Theater
Bob Reitman’s 12th House begins with death. “Death waits like a frozen pillow / Death hides in the corner of a circle,” the Milwaukee radio legend says. “Death sits on a wall too high to see, and whistles in Latin tunes we forgot to hear.” Beyond death itself, “says” is the most important word in the previous sentence. 12th House is Reitman’s new album of spoken word poetry—a legacy-sequel follow-up to his 1972 spoken word record The Eleventh House. Tonight’s release show will “take attendees through the twelve houses of the astrological wheel through local performers who will highlight the theme of one astrological house.” Proceeds from the show will go toward the creation of WUWM’s Reitman Radio Camp.
Armand Hammer + Quelle Chris @ X-Ray Arcade
When New York-based rappers Elucid and Billy Woods join forces, they become Armand Hammer. A few years removed from performing at Cactus Club, the acclaimed, influential, experimental, and incomparable hip-hip duo returns to the region to head up a Monday show at X-Ray Arcade.
Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE + Harrison [Surf Gang], Cletus Strap @ The Rave/Eagles Club
Yes, tonight’s Earl Sweatshirt & MIKE show is the same one that was rescheduled from June 22. And yes, The Rave assures everyone that “we will have the playoff game on TVs in the building.”
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13
Milwaukee Record Club: Weird Al Vinyl Spin @ Wiggle Room (6-9 p.m.)
Our Weird Al Week kicks off with an Al-themed record spin at Bay View’s Wiggle Room! Buckle up for a night of Weird Al parodies, the original songs he’s parodying, Weird Al style parodies, and more! Bring your own Al (or Al-adjacent) vinyl and we’ll spin that, too! Free! Fun!
Acid Mothers Temple + Magick Potion, Shadeseeker @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
“Formed in 1995 by Makoto Kawabata at the same time as the Acid Mothers Temple Soul Collective, Acid Mothers Temple released their debut album in 1997 on PSF Records (Japan), and it was selected as one of the year’s best albums in the The Wire magazine (UK). In 1998 the group played their first tours of the US and Europe. Since then the group has released a huge number of albums on labels from many different countries. As of 2017, the group has released around 80 albums. Every year since 1998, they have toured extensively in the US and Europe, and more recently have started performing around Asia and in Japan too.”
Robin Trower + Katy Guillen & The Drive @ The Pabst Theater
North Mississippi Allstars @ Vivarium
Suki Waterhouse + Rochelle Jordan, EMMMA @ Landmark Credit Union Live
StorySlam: Signs (with ASL Interpreting) @ Dandy
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14
Milwaukee Record Presents: UHF @ Avalon Atmospheric Theater (7 p.m.)
Weird Al Week continues with a screening of 1989’s UHF! A film that originally tested well with audiences but flopped upon release (it was up against little flicks like Batman, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, and Ghostbusters II), UHF has since gone on to become a bona fide cult classic. And now you’ll be able to experience its zany brilliance on the big screen! Watch as George Newman (Yankovic) struggles to save a fly-by-night UHF station! Thrill as janitor Stanley Spadowski (Michael Richards) takes the world by storm with his firehose-happy Stanley Spadowski’s Clubhouse! Jeer as diabolical Channel 8 owner R.J. Fletcher (Kevin McCarthy) schemes to put George and friends out of business! Recite every single word of the Gandhi II, Conan The Librarian, and Spatula City commercials! Hope you enJOY it!
Weird Al Artist’s Reception @ Sugar Maple (4:30-6:30 p.m.)
Get an early look at Weird Al-related art and be among the first to make a purchase!
UHF Afterparty @ Sugar Maple (9 p.m.)
Weird Al costume contest, winner announced at 10 p.m. Best costume gets a pair of tickets to the October 17 show at Fiserv Forum!
Midweek Music: Ladybird (solo) @ Crafty Cow Tosa
Make your way to Crafty Cow Tosa on select Wednesdays in October, November, and December for a total of eight more Milwaukee Record-presented Midweek Music performances. There will be NO COVER for these all-ages shows, which will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. If a free weeknight show isn’t already great enough on its own, Crafty Cow Tosa will offer $4 pints of Lakefront Brewery’s Dive Beer and $5 Jack Daniel’s Cranberry Mule cocktails during all Midweek Music concerts. There will also be “Sandwich Night” specials offered during each show. This week’s performer is Pete Freeman of Ladybird.
Mike Dawes @ Vivarium
“Mike Dawes is an English guitarist known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single guitar. He is regarded as one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists, with a repertoire spanning original viral videos and popular arrangements, alongside mainstream chart success performing with Justin Hayward of The Moody Blues.”
Wargasm + Hot Mess @ X-Ray Arcade
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15
Steven Hyden: Is This It: The Never-Ending Rise And Fall Of The Strokes (And Rock ‘n’ Roll) @ Boswell Book Company
Were you at The Strokes show at American Family Insurance Amphitheater this past July? Pretty incredible, right? Want to keep the Strokes vibes going into the fall? The stop by Boswell Book Company, where prolific author and music critic Steven Hyden will be discussing his excellent new book Is This It: The Never-Ending Rise And Fall Of The Strokes (And Rock ‘n’ Roll). Hyden, an Appleton native and a former Milwaukeean, will be joined in conversation by Milwaukee Record‘s Matt Wild. The 6:30 p.m. event is free to attend, though spots are limited. Reserve your spot NOW.
Weird Al Trivia @ Sugar Maple, 7-8:30 p.m.
Weird Al Week continues! Weird Al Trivia will be hosted by Mitch DeSantis. Winner will get a pair of tickets to the October 17 show at Fiserv Forum!
Casu”Al” Karaoke @ Sugar Maple, 9 p.m.
Also hosted by Mitch DeSantis!
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club: The Upcycled Self: A Memoir On The Art Of Becoming Who We Are by Tariq Black Thought Trotter @ Lion’s Tooth
Do you like books? Do you like music? Do you like books about music? Then you’re in luck, because we’ve partnered with beloved Bay View bookstore Lion’s Tooth for the Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club! How does it work? Just stop by Lion’s Tooth on the third Thursday of the month, from 6-8 p.m., and discuss a new music-related book. That’s it!
Maximiano + Liv LaFluv, Moldy Tates @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Alicia Rytlewski @ Milwaukee Art Museum
Hiss Golden Messenger + Sam Amidon @ The Argo
Jeffrey Foucault + Whitney Mann @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Tedworth + Shontrail, Hungu, Wavefiler @ MKeUltra
Lounj Acts: Nate Jenkins @ Jackalope Lounj / Wicked Hop
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16
Wheel Of Fish Happy Hour @ Sugar Maple, 5-7 p.m.
Weird Al Week continues! Come out to the Sugar Maple and spin the Wheel Of Fish! Fish-related prizes, including goodies from Lakefront brewery, Kegel’s Inn, and The Packing House! $2 per spin, benefiting Milwaukee Record.
Gallery Night MKE @ various locations (also October 17)
Calling itself “Milwaukee’s original gallery hop event,” Gallery Night MKE returns this fall with two days of art and entertainment scattered throughout a wide range of galleries. While you’re out and about, make sure to work in some shopping, dining, and drinks at some of the nearby haunts.
Ben Schwartz & Friends @ The Riverside Theater
Ben Schwartz—an accomplished actor, improvisor, and the voice of a certain speedy blue hedgehog—comes to Milwaukee with some of his improv-inclined pals for what’s sure to be a side-splitting night of improv during the “Ben Schwartz & Friends” show.
Brian Posehn + JT Habersaat, Kristin Lytie @ Falcon Hall
Brian Posehn has been busy for a while. As a writer/actor/stand-up comic, he doesn’t have a ton of downtime. You’ve seen Brian on the popular Disney Plus show The Mandalorian, the acclaimed Netflix show Lady Dynamite, FX’s You’re The Worst and in his recurring roles on The Big Bang Theory and New Girl. He was one of the stars of Comedy Central’s popular show The Sarah Silverman Program. He has also appeared on such seminal sitcoms as Seinfeld, NewsRadio, Everybody Loves Raymond, Friends, The Neighborhood, and a recurring role on Just Shoot Me.”
Hunting Moon Pow Wow @ Baird Center (through October 18)
“Hunting Moon Pow Wow is three days of excitement, bringing together a host of Native American cultures for a celebration of singing, drumming and dancing in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Long a part of Native culture, the pow wow is an important social gathering; it’s a chance for Native people to connect with one another, connect with their vibrant history and traditions, and to connect with non-Native people through the power, beauty and pageantry of the event.”
Boo At The Zoo @ Milwaukee County Zoo (also October 17)
This “merry not scary” event brings after hours fun to Milwaukee County Zoo. Enjoy a “trick-or-treat trail,” pumpkin carving demonstrations, light shows, and (of course) lots of animals. All who attend are encouraged to come wearing a costume.
W.A.S.P. + KK’s PRIEST @ The Pabst Theater
AFI + Choir Boy @ The Rave/Eagles Club
Cassini Echoes + Porcupine, Beaumont, Lady Cannon @ MKeUltra
Will Dempsey + Gavin Hughes @ Shank Hall
Andrew Gelles Band @ Ope! Brewing Co.
The Moth: Magic @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Friday Night Retro Dance Party: DJ Don Black @ Mad Planet
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
“Weird Al” Yankovic + Puddles Pity Party @ Fiserv Forum
It’s been more than three years since Alfred Matthew “Weird Al” Yankovic graced a Milwaukee stage and delighted fans with his beloved parody (and original!) songs about food, the internet, Star Wars, and the benefits of sticking your head in the microwave and getting yourself a tan. But all that changes tonight when Weird Al brings his Bigger & Weirder tour to Fiserv Forum. And yes, this is the culmination of our beloved Weird Al Week! Well, sort of: Stop by the Sugar Maple after the show for an afterparty!
WNBA Finals Watch Party: Shle Berry @ Cactus Club
Join us at Cactus Club for the sixth and final watch party of the season as we tune in to Game 1 of the Finals. It’s Atlanta vs. Golden State, baby! Tip off is at 2:30 p.m. As always, Cactus Club will be offering specials on Pacifico and WYNK for the duration of the game and each purchase of either brand will give you a chance to win prizes in a raffle after the third quarter. Classic Slice will once again provide free pizza (while supplies last). A DJ will play music during commercial breaks. The game will be shown—with sound on!—on both of the bar’s TVs and on a projector above the stage. Speaking of the stage, Milwaukee rapper Shle Berry will take the stage and treat attendees to a performance at halftime.
Inside A Dream: The Music Of David Lynch @ The Argo
It is happening again. Perhaps for the final time. Tonight, The Argo in Whitefish Bay will be transformed into the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks for Inside A Dream: The Music Of David Lynch. A 10-piece band will pay tribute to the legendary film director and artist by performing songs and scores from some of his most iconic creations: Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive, and more. Inside A Dream is the brainchild of by barber-by-day, Lynch-inspired-musician-and-filmmaker-by-night Aidan White. White and company have mounted Inside A Dream five times since 2022—twice at The Cooperage, twice at Madison’s High Noon Saloon, and once at Turner Hall Ballroom. The Argo show is being billed as the final installment.
Tigernite (record release) + Resurrectionists, Video Sex Priest @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
It’s been many (blood) moons since we were lucky enough to write the words “new Tigernite record.” Seriously, it’s been eight years since the witchy Milwaukee glam-rock group released its last album, Sublunary, and a full seven since it released a video for Sublunary track “Oracle.” That changes tonight, thankfully, when Tigernite celebrates the release of a new EP, DATURA. Lead single “New Devil” finds powerhouse singer Molly Roberts belting the fuck out of lines like “I am the Old Mother / King Breaker / Hunt me down, never cast me out.” Meanwhile, Maxwell Emmet (guitar), Bill Reuter (bass), and Alex Becker (drums) thrash away and give everything a classic hard rock edge.
Milwaukee Paracon @ Kochanski’s Beer Garden (also October 18)
Milwaukee Paranormal Conference is back! This year’s “celebration of the ghost stories of Milwaukee, urban legends, Milwaukee UFO sightings, Wisconsin folklore, all kinds of paranormal and all centered on phenomena that happened in the Brew City” will be followed by a Witches Market at Kochanski’s the following afternoon.
New Wave Fest @ The Cooperage
“New Wave Fest 2026 returns with more fun and more excitement than ever! Join the largest new wave dance party in the area. 10 p.m. The First Wave – Your favorite new wave hits. 9 p.m. Xposed 4Heads – Original new wave fun. 8 p.m. Mixtape performs The B-52’s. 7 p.m. Doors open.”
Leanne Morgan @ Miller High Life Theatre (early and late shows)
Skillet + Escape The Fate, Autumn Kings @ Landmark Credit Union Live
Hot Mess (record release) + Alley Eyes, Minnesota Fatts, Nick Karcher, Fakeout @ Cactus Club
Anita Velveeta + Saoirse Dream, I H8 It Here, ICUP @ MKeUltra
Mojo Thunder @ Ope! Brewing Co.
Depeche Mode vs. New Order vs. Duran Duran @ Mad Planet
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
Big Head Todd And The Monsters @ The Pabst Theater
“In this life, very few friendships withstand the test of time. Naturally, people go their separate ways and chase their own dreams. As rare as it may be for friendships to last a lifetime, it might be even rarer for a band to stick together for the long haul. For close to four decades, the members of Big Head Todd and The Monsters—Todd Park Mohr (vocals, guitar, keys, sax, harmonica), Brian Nevin (drums), Rob Squires (bass, vocals), and Jeremy Lawton (keyboards, lap pedal/steel guitar, vocals)—have continued to both throw down in the studio and light up stages worldwide. Rallying around a core vision, the platinum-selling Colorado quartet kick out the kind of blues-drenched rock ‘n’ roll bangers that make you want to rev the engine a little louder, sing along like no one’s looking, and live a little freer.”
Radish + Shontrail, Dialogues @ Bremen Cafe
Ghouls 2 The Front: Mala-Mala + Milby, ICUP, Tiny Vamp, Outside Comfort @ Falcon Hall
Spectra + Genau, The Secrecy, New Age Healers @ MKeUltra
Drunkard’s Dream: A Tribute To The Band @ Linneman’s Riverwest
DAMAG3 + Film & Gender, Connor Cristi, *+* be3e *+* @ Cactus Club
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