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 October 13-19, 2025.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13
Grumble And The Ghost + Sad Boy Union, Fangerlis @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
“Grumble And The Ghost is a five-piece indie folk punk(ish) band based out of Portland, OR. Singing foul mouthed fairytales with a flair for the outlandish.”
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
Saxsquatch + DJ Teach @ Shank Hall
When it comes to projects that consist of a Bigfoot costume-wearing musician playing saxophone-based covers of songs you know and love, Saxsquatch might be the best in the biz. Between the sheer spectacle and the legitimate display of musical prowess (which many raved about after witnessing it at this year’s Summerfest), you won’t want to miss your opportunity to see this viral sensation at Shank Hall.
Adam Blackwood + Peter Lindsey, VLNTYN @ Cactus Club
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15
Milwaukee Record Presents: Death Becomes Her @ Avalon Atmospheric Theater
The spooky season is upon us, which means oodles and oodles of spooky movies! Or, in the case of our screening of Death Becomes Her, darkly funny and charmingly grotesque spooky movies! Yes, this is the 1992 cult classic with Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as bitter rivals, Isabella Rossellini as the mysterious enchantress who offers them eternal youth, and Bruce Willis as the man caught in the middle. Do things go awry? Yes they do! Robert Zemeckis directed this surreal and pitch-black comedy, which means there are plenty of (wonderful early-’90s) special effects, too! Don’t believe us? Watch the trailer! See you at the Avalon!
Midweek Music: Ladybird (solo) @ Crafty Cow Tosa
Every fall since 2021, Milwaukee Record has brought live music to Crafty Cow Tosa with Midweek Music. The series is back in October and November 2025, so stop by and enjoy some free music! Once again, there is NO COVER for these all-ages shows, which run 7 -8:30 p.m. The series continues this week with a solo set from Pete Freeman. Freeman’s alt-country group Ladybird just released a fantastic new record, Clementine. Find the full Midweek Music lineup HERE.
Pumpkin Pavilion @ Humboldt Park (through October 18)
“This four-day, family-friendly event brings over 2,000 Bay View residents and Milwaukee neighbors to Humboldt Park Pavilion. Guests come to carve pumpkins, admire the display of 1,000 lit pumpkins, enjoy live music, eat local food, and embrace the fun that is Halloween.”
Alien Ant Farm + Violenta @ Shank Hall
“Alien Ant Farm’s genre is nu metal, a blend of alternative rock and post-grunge with heavy metal influences, but also incorporating elements of pop-punk, alternative metal, and funk-metal. Their sound is characterized by a fusion of heavy riffs, catchy melodies, and frontman Dryden Mitchell’s versatile vocals, which range from powerful belts to higher-pitched affectations.”
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16
Strange/Found: Coven @ Times Cinema
As we all know, Mark Borchardt’s 1997 film Coven is a 35-minute direct-market thriller film shot on 16mm black and white reversal. It’s about an alcoholic, man, compelled to go to this group meeting by his one and only friend left. But they’re not that helpful, the group, you know? You know about the group thing? Borchardt’s harrowing short film (the making of which was documented in 1999’s award-winning American Movie) premiered at Milwaukee’s Times Cinema on June 12, 1997. Now, nearly 30 years later, Borchardt returns to the Times to introduce a special screening of the film. It will be presented by Joe Pickett (Found Footage Festival) and Scott Miller (Strange Tapes Zine) under their Strange/Found banner. (Also, Coven is pronounced “COE-ven,” because “CUH-ven” sounds like “oven.”)
Craig Finn & The Band Of Forgiveness + James Felice @ Vivarium
“Craig Finn is a Minnesota-bred singer/songwriter based in New York City, best known as the singer of The Hold Steady. Finn spent the ’90s leading Minneapolis indie band Lifter Puller, which released three albums and an EP. After relocating to New York, he joined with Lifter Puller member Tad Kubler to form The Hold Steady in 2003. The Hold Steady quickly achieved critical acclaim and a worldwide fanbase with their unique pairing of dense lyrical narratives with big rock guitars. The Hold Steady’s ninth album, The Price Of Progress, was released in March 2023, commemorating the band’s 20th anniversary. Craig Finn released his sixth solo album Always Been on April 4. Produced by Adam Granduciel (The War On Drugs), the album features musical performances by Granduciel and members of The War on Drugs, Kathleen Edwards, Sam Fender, and more.”
An Evening With David Sedaris @ The Pabst Theater
“Spend the evening with David Sedaris, one of America’s pre-eminent humorists and satirical writers. Beloved for his essays and short stories, Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever, Holidays On Ice, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family In Corduroy And Denim, and more!”
Avatar The Last Airbender In Concert @ Miller High Life Theatre
Cassini Echoes + Bunk Bed, HOSTS, Dave Purcell @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Touchdown Jesus + Snag, Chapped Lips, Old Timer @ Cactus Club
Carlos Adames Group’s October Latin Jazz & Open Jam @ The Estate
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
Brandy & Monica + Kelly Rowland, Muni Long, Jamal Roberts @ Fiserv Forum
Individually, Brandy and Monica have been responsible for a steady stream of chart-climbing hits and have enjoyed careers that have endured for decades. Together, the stars combined for one of the biggest songs of the late 1900s, which won both of them a Grammy. For the first time ever, this pair of R&B powerhouses will join forces on a co-headlining tour. The second stop on their “The Boy Is Mine Tour” will take place right here in Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum. Brandy and Monica will be joined by Kelly Rowland (of Destiny’s Child fame), Muni Long, and 2025 American Idol winner Jamal Roberts.
Elvis Costello & The Imposters with Charlie Sexton @ The Pabst Theater
“The show will feature numbers drawn from record releases from My Aim Is True in 1977 to Blood & Chocolate in 1986, along with other surprises. Those nine years saw the first appearance of some of Elvis Costello’s most renowned compositions from ‘Watching The Detectives’ to ‘I Want You,’ along with songs that have remained in The Imposters’ live repertoire over the last 20 or more years, including ‘Alison,’ ‘Man Out Of Time’ and ‘Brilliant Mistake.'”
Talib Kweli @ Miramar Theatre
Last year, hip-hop icon, activist, and Blackstar member Talib Kweli performed a concert outside Marcus Performing Arts Center. This year, he’ll take things indoors to the intimate setting of Miramar Theatre. Don’t miss this opportunity to see this rap legend in the company of, like, 400 other people.
Hunting Moon Pow Wow @ Baird Center (through October 19)
“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.”
Jeffery Epstein: Bad Pedophile @ X-Ray Arcade
Satirical warhorse The Onion made news last month when it unveiled the existence of Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile, a 20-minute “yes, this is real” doc/mockumentary created by The Onion. “Forget everything you already know about America’s most notorious dead person,” reads the film’s description. “Featuring never-before-seen interviews and footage, Jeffrey Epstein: Bad Pedophile succeeds where hundreds of previous documentaries have failed, finally uncovering the truth behind one of America’s most notorious sex perverts. […] It’s an unforgettable, thought-provoking night of films at the movies that is sure to be enjoyed by both hardcore cinephiles and theater masturbators alike.” The film will screen at Cudahy’s X-Ray Arcade on Friday, October 17, and will be joined by a screening of The Onion‘s “highly influential reality series” Sex House.
Fall Gallery Night & Day @ various locations (also October 18)
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 throughout the city. While you’re out and about, make sure to work in some shopping, dining, and drinks!
Boo At The Zoo @ Milwaukee County Zoo (through October 19)
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.
WMSE’s Friday Night Freak Show: Candyman (1992) @ Oriental Theatre
Pierce The Veil + HEALTH, Ecca Vandal, Like Roses @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater
Armchair Boogie + Chicken Wire Empire @ Vivarium
Delicate Steve + Dolly Creamer @ Cactus Club
Vosh + Blood, Insula Iscariot, Goth Barge DJs @ Club Garibaldi
Astrachan + Jacob Slade, Blacktop @ Falcon Hall
Paul Silbergleit Trio @ The Estate (early and late shows)
The Moth: Masks @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Friday Night Retro Mixtape: DJ Sage “Champagne” Schwarm + Mosh Wah, DJ Jairoc @ Mad Planet
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18
Violent Femmes @ The Riverside Theater (also October 19)
One of the most unassailable facts in all of music is that the Violent Femmes’ eponymous 1983 debut absolutely rules. “Blister In The Sun”! “Add It Up”! “Gone Daddy Gone”! There’s not a bad tune in the 10-song bunch! Hell, even casual fans are likely familiar with at least 70% of the album. But there’s more to the Violent Femmes than that first record. A lot more. Even the band itself is digging deeper into its back catalog these days. Past tours have featured the 1983 debut played in full, but the Femmes’ current tour features full performances of that record and its 1984 follow-up Hallowed Ground. The tour culminates this weekend in Milwaukee, with not one, but TWO shows at Riverside Theater. (The first show, on Saturday, October 18, is sold out.)
Neko Case + Des Demonas @ Pabst Theater
When Neko Case sings, you listen. Also, when Neko Case graces one of Milwaukee’s finest venues, you show up. Whether alone or with The New Pornographers, Case is a monumental talent with a monumental voice. Her latest solo album, Neon Grey Midnight Green, was released in September.
Milwaukee Paracon @ Irish Cultural & Heritage Center
Milwaukee Paranormal Conference is back! This year’s celebration of the strange and unusual is described as “a 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.”
Breakup Tour (record release) + Mizzy, Known Moons, Killer High Life @ Sugar Maple
Acid Mothers Temple + The Macks, Wisconsin Space Program, Rare Visions Light Show @ X-Ray Arcade
Micah Emrich (record release) + CatchClayton @ Cactus Club
In This Moment + Dayseeker, The Funeral Portrait, DED @ The Rave / Eagles Club
Fareed Haque Group @ The Estate (early and late shows)
Leroy Airmaster @ Ope! Brewing Co.
Depeche Mode vs. Duran Duran vs. New Order @ Mad Planet
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19
Milwaukee Record Halftime Show: Allison Mahal + DJ KK @ Cactus Club
The Pack is back! And so is the Milwaukee Record Halftime Show concert series at Cactus Club! We’ve assembled a stacked roster of 15 acts that will provide FREE all-ages entertainment at Cactus Club during halftime of Green Bay’s games. Our pals at Hamm’s are sponsoring the series, meaning fans can enjoy specials on cans and buckets of the beer “from the Land of Sky Blue Waters” and Miller High Life all game long. WYNK has also come on as a sponsor and its THC seltzer is available at a discount during all games. Last and certainly not least, Transfer Pizzeria Cafe is once again coming by most games to drop off some complementary pizza. Games are shown in the bar as usual, and also shown on a projector screen in Cactus Club’s back room. And we repeat: THERE’S NO COVER CHARGE for the concerts.
Peter Mulvey + Katie Dahl, Kat Wodtke @ Anodyne Coffee’s Walker’s Point Roastery
Over the course of his 35-year music career, Peter Mulvey has released more than 20 albums, written hundreds of songs, played thousands of shows all over the world, shared bills with a wealth of notable performers, and helped to enact change though his efforts as an activist and environmentalist. Before the Massachusetts-based singer and songwriter was gathering experiences and sharing his perspective with audiences spread far and wide, he was growing up in Milwaukee. He returns to his hometown to perform at Anodyne’s Walker’s Point Roastery with Katie Dahl and Long Mama’s Kat Wodtke.
Curd Fest 2025 @ Drink Wisconsinbly Pub
While it’s always Curd Fest in Milwaukee as far as we’re concerned, the folks from Drink Wisconsinbly Pub are going the extra mile with a deliciously cheesy festival devoted to the almighty curd. Enjoy samples from a stacked cast of local vendors, watch the Packers take on the Cardinals, and have a few drinks while celebrating an iconic Wisconsin delicacy in the Deer District.
Hear Here 10 Year Anniversary Party @ The Cooperage
“Hear Here celebrates their 10 year anniversary on the Harborfront with a Disco Brunch, Packers LiveStream, and two sets from Deadelijk.”
Sarah Millican @ The Pabst Theater (sold out)
Cam Camryn + Maximiano, April Dejon @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Alien Boy + Empath, Poor Ridley @ Falcon Hall
Rugh + Heavy Bend, Courtesy, Killer High Life @ MKE Ultra
Laughing Tap Comedy @ Ope! Brewing Co.
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