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 27 – November 2, 2025.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 27
The Dollop @ Turner Hall Ballroom
In case you’re not among the show’s millions of listeners: The Dollop is a popular podcast wherein comedian Dave Anthony reads a story from American history to his friend, Gareth Reynolds, who doesn’t know what the topic is about. Only time will tell what locally focused topic they discuss during their Turner Hall return, but it’s sure to be informative, entertaining, and likely to draw parallels between how bad things were throughout history and how absolutely terrible the world continues to be today. The show is also a homecoming of sorts for Reynolds, a devout Packer Backer who originally hails from Brown Deer and got his start at ComedySportz.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28
Chicks In The Office: The Best Show On Earth Tour @ Turner Hall Ballroom
“The Best Show on Earth is hitting the road! We’re making pit stops in DC, Chicago, Milwaukee, Cincinnati & ending with our Holiday Spectacular show in Philly! Join us for a night of laughs, pop culture, exclusive merch, drinks, games, and some VERY special guests! The Best Show on Earth Tour for the best fans on Earth. We can’t wait to see you there!”
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29
Midweek Music: Roxie Beane @ 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 Milwaukee music stalwart Roxie Beane.
Festival City Symphony: Haunted Harmonies @ Bradley Pavilion, Marcus Performing Arts Center
“Festival City Symphony (FCS) invites families to kick off the 2025–26 Pajama Jamboree season with ‘Haunted Harmonies,’ a free Halloween concert on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, from 7:00–8:00 p.m. at the Bradley Pavilion of the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 929 N Water Street in Milwaukee. Designed especially for children in K4 through fifth grade but open to audiences of all ages, Pajama Jamborees are lively, one-hour pops concerts that make classical music fun, accessible, and interactive. With playful narration, colorful orchestral selections, and plenty of opportunities for audience engagement, these concerts have become a beloved Milwaukee tradition for families. At ‘Haunted Harmonies,’ young concertgoers (and their families) are encouraged to come in costume or pajamas, bring along teddy bears or blankets, and settle in for a magical evening. The program will feature spooky favorites and cinematic classics, including Danse Macabre, Night on Bald Mountain, music from Coco, Harry Potter, and more—guaranteed to cast a spell on both first-time listeners and seasoned concert fans.”
Stomach Book + Blind Equation, I H8 It Here, Bimbo, Bullshit Nonsense @ Cactus Club
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
WMSE’s Radio Dead Time @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
“We’re throwing a Halloween dance bash for the WMSE Fall Membership Drive live from Anodyne in Walker’s Point! It’s a free, all-ages, ghoulish night of fun featuring Seances, El Sebas and Red Quean! Doors are at 6PM music starts at 6:45PM, costumes are encouraged. This event will also be broadcast on the air and on the WMSE 91.7 mobile app as well as streamable online, thanks to our friends at Kneeverland Productions.”
Happy Birthday Fonzie @ The Bronze Fonz
“It’s time to celebrate the man, the myth, the Bronze Fonz! Join us on Thursday, October 30th at 2 p.m. CDT as we honor Henry Winkler’s 80th birthday at The Bronze Fonz on Milwaukee’s Riverwalk at the Wells St. intersection! It’s a party you can’t miss, featuring: special giveaways for the first 100 attendees; free cake (while supplies last); a crowd-wide sing along of ‘Happy Birthday’; creative photo ops with The Bronze Fonz; a chance to win a Milwaukee Bronze Fonz vacation getaway; and more!”
Patrick Wolf + Holy Pinto (solo) @ X-Ray Arcade
DIY Fest: Off Season + In Shining Armour, Charlie Boy, Tiny Vamp @ Falcon Hall
Mrs. Fun + Russ Johnson, post-show record spin with DJ Caleb Westphal @ The Estate
Tommy Odetto @ Ope! Brewing Co.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31
Gold Steps (split set) @ Ope! Brewing Co.
Milwaukee pop-punk outfit Gold Steps contains multitudes. They’re not only one of the city’s most entertaining and all-around best original acts going right now, they also occasionally moonlight as Crush Crush Crush, one of the best Paramore tribute acts out there. You can get the best of both worlds at Ope! Brewing on Halloween when the band treats the West Allis taproom to a full set of Gold Steps tunes and a full set of Paramore hits on the same night.
Brew City Bombshells Present: Strip Or Treat @ X-Ray Arcade
“THE HALLOWEEN EVENT OF THE YEAR IS HERE…and it’s anything but basic. Get ready for ‘STRIP OR TREAT’—the Brew City Bombshells’ legendary annual Halloween extravaganza! With dazzling performers, fierce looks, sultry tricks, and tantalizing treats, this is the must-attend Halloween experience in the Midwest. Come early, scream loud, and leave bewitched.”
DJ Ghoul spinning the music of Ghost @ Irving Place Records
“We wish to inform you that you are invited to an afternoon of Satanic Panic at Irving Place Records on Halloween from 4PM – 6PM. DJ Ghoul will be spinning the music of Ghost! Candy!! Snacks!! Receive 15% off your purchase if you come in costume. Are you on the square? Are you on the level?”
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebration @ Mitchell Park Domes
“In honor of Día de los Muertos, students from the surrounding community will be creating traditional ofrendas (offerings made in honor of loved ones) in the Desert Dome. The entire Desert Dome will be decorated in celebration of the holiday. In addition, the event will feature a Mariachi band, Día de los Muertos dancers, local food and art vendors, as well as an opportunity for attendees to create crafts to celebrate the holiday at home. The annual ‘Caminata de los Recuerdos’ (Walk of Memories) will take place immediately preceding the event. This will offer an opportunity for community members to participate in a candlelight walk from the Urban Ecology Center of Menomonee Valley to the Mitchell Park Domes.”
Friday Night Blood Bath: A Killer Halloween Bash @ The Final Girl (Kenosha)
“This Halloween, The Final Girl is turning up the fright factor with a night of music, mayhem, and monstrous fun. On Friday, October 31, the horror-themed bar will host its annual Halloween Party, Carrie Prom Theme, featuring five live bands, a killer Goth Barge set, and a spine-chilling Blood Drop at the stroke of midnight. Just like in Carrie! Guests are encouraged to come dressed in their most terrifying (or hilarious) 1970s costumes for a chance to win prizes. Cash Prize for the best king & queen! Between live performances and Goth Barge, attendees can sip themed cocktails, play pinball, and soak up the immersive haunted atmosphere only The Final Girl can deliver.”
Girls Rock MKE Benefit Halloween Tribute Show @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
“Girls Rock MKE Halloween Benefit & Tribute show featuring Pabst Benatar, Chappell Hoan, Bobby Portishead, and more! A $10 to $20 donation helps Girls Rock MKE make a difference!!”
Halloween Flight Night @ Indeed Brewing Co.
“Try four candy-inspired infusions at the taproom: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Loretta’s Dark Lager; Skittles Hello Milwaukee; Sour Apple Apple Crips Ale; Lemonhead Brightside.”
Mad Planet’s Legendary Annual Halloween Costume Bash, Night 1 @ Mad Planet
“It’s the most magical time of the year…Mad Planet’s Legendary Annual spooky-ooky-kooky-creepy Halloween Costume Bash Extravaganza! As always, Mad Planet will be covered top to bottom in various Halloween decor: skeletons, spiders, ghosts, and ghouls. If it’s creepy or crawly, best believe we will find a way to hang it up! Decorating has been Rosemary’s pride and joy throughout the decades, and she NEVER disappoints! TWO NIGHTS OF SPOOKTACULAR FUN AND SHENANIGANS! NIGHT 1, Friday, Oct 31: Retro Dance Party w/ DJ Paul H. DRESS UP!!!!! Thrift it, make it, or get creative! We want to see your best sexy/scary/corny/cute costumes!”
Milwaukee Hardcore Presents: Halloween Cover Show @ Cactus Club
Thrills and chills await at Milwaukee Hardcore’s Halloween Cover Show at Cactus Club. Garden Home will play the music of Title Fight, Nightmare Unit will become The Rival Mob, and At The Bottom Of The Great Lakes will cover Poison The Well. There’ll be bands covering Hatebreed and the Descendants, too!
Present Music’s All Souls Eve @ Milwaukee Art Museum
“Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive as early as 5:30 for the Día de los Muertos festivities: Mexican and Vietnamese food trucks, access to the museum exhibits (free admission) as well as an ofrenda by artist Francisco X Mora that everyone can add to, so bring photos or items that represent deceased loved ones. There will be a pre-concert conversation with composer Viet Cuong and guest conductor Deanna Tham at 6:30 before a concert of music that moves between the sacred and the surreal. At the heart of the evening will be the world premiere of Viet Cuong’s Music on a While, a commission for Present Music that takes inspiration from Henry Purcell but bursts with Cuong’s signature imagination and adventurous textures.”
No-Cover Hawaiian Halloween Party: The Honolulu Millionaires @ The Estate
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country Presents Udder Invasion: A Barn Burner @ Turner Hall Ballroom
The 5 Card Studs Halloween Party @ Shank Hall
Dive Of The Dead: DJ Asher Gray @ High Dive
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1
Ladybird (record release) + Long Line Riders @ Cactus Club (early show)
Ladybird (record release) + Bitch Creek, Capped Lips @ Cactus Club (late show)
“The saying goes that on every block in the Midwest, there’s one bar and one church. If you tie one on too tight, you don’t have far to go to find a place that’s supposed to forgive you for all your sinning. The songs of Milwaukee-based Ladybird live somewhere on that block—on the long, cold walk between the high times at the tavern with your friends and the shadow of the steeple that reminds you of tomorrow’s responsibilities and yesterday’s mistakes. The band’s second full length album, Clementine, is out now.”
Willy Porter (record release) @ Vivarium
“Guitarist, singer, songwriter, Willy Porter, will be joined by cellist & vocalist Mai Bloomfield, singer/percussionist Carmen Nickerson and guitarist Ryan Pearl for this show. The quartet will perform Porter’s brand new ATMOS/ Immersive live recording from Weasel Records, Humans In A Room, in its entirety as well as venturing into music from his previous catalog.”
Mercury Trio + Alicia Rytlewski @ The Estate (early and late shows)
“Milwaukee’s most haunting piano trio, Mercury Trio, is that rare chamber combination of violin, viola and piano; bringing music written throughout the past 200 years back to life (or afterlife!) Formed by Erika Guenther, Adam Sterr, and Kate Stocks, the trio centers around performances that are non-traditional and more accessible, with a fondness for music that evokes the dark, melancholy, surreal, and whimsically macabre.”
Mad Planet’s Legendary Annual Halloween Costume Bash, Night 2 @ Mad Planet
“It’s the most magical time of the year…Mad Planet’s Legendary Annual spooky-ooky-kooky-creepy Halloween Costume Bash Extravaganza! As always, Mad Planet will be covered top to bottom in various Halloween decor: skeletons, spiders, ghosts, and ghouls. If it’s creepy or crawly, best believe we will find a way to hang it up! Decorating has been Rosemary’s pride and joy throughout the decades, and she NEVER disappoints! TWO NIGHTS OF SPOOKTACULAR FUN AND SHENANIGANS! NIGHT 2, Saturday, Nov. 1: ’90s & ’00s Dance Party w/ Elechronic, The Milkman, and Andrew Optimist. DRESS UP!!!!! Thrift it, make it, or get creative! We want to see your best sexy/scary/corny/cute costumes!”
Subspace & Goth Barge Halloween Spooktacular @ X-Ray Arcade
“Celebrated event organizers GOTH BARGE and SUBSPACE are teaming up for their annual Halloween Spooktacular at X-Ray Arcade on Saturday, November 1st, 2025. The event is centered around what could turn out to be the Milwaukee area’s largest cash prize Halloween costume contest, with a crowd-funded cash prize pool that has historically reached thousands of dollars.”
Trainfest 2025 @ Baird Center (also November 2)
All aboard! Trainfest 2025 is chugging into Baird Center for two days of miniature railroading fun for the whole family. Children, modelers, collectors, and anyone else with a passing interest in this niche hobby are invited to check out booths from manufacturers and retailers, see exhibits, and partake in activities and seminars centered around model trains.
Day Of The Dead Rock Show: Certain Stars + Lack Of Reason, Cripes @ Great Lakes Distillery
Andrew Gelles Band @ Ope! Brewing Co.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2
Milwaukee Record Halftime Show: Vanity Plates + DJ Tyler Maas @ 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.
Zack Pieper: GHOST GARDEN Opening Celebration + Out There Music Performances @ Lynden Sculpture Garden
“Lynden celebrates spooky season with Zack Pieper’s site-specific GHOST GARDEN, an installation made specifically for the windows of our main entrance. Join us for A Harvest of the Ghosts and, at sundown, a Ghost Illumination. The Out There series enlivens the proceedings with three spooky outdoor performances: Julian Lynch (Madison), Barbouille Hymn (Peter Barrickman, Xavier Leplae, Didier Leplae, Andrew Kaiser – Milwaukee), and A Crushed Rose” (Alisa Rodriguez – Milwaukee). Enjoy hot cider, smores, and bonfires as the sun goes down and the GHOST GARDEN comes alive. Dress for the weather (feel free to give your Halloween costume one more outing) and consider carpooling—parking is limited and it’s better for the planet. GHOST GARDEN remains on view through November 22, 2025.”
Bartees Strange + Jacob Slade @ Vivarium
“Bartees Strange was raised on fear. His family used scary stories to teach life lessons, and at an early age, Strange started using scary movies to practice being strong. The world can be a terrifying place, and for a young, queer, black person in rural America, that terror can be visceral. Horror is an album about facing those fears and growing to become someone to be feared. Throughout the record, Strange lays down one difficult truth after another, all over a sonic pastiche of music he loved as a kid. His dad introduced him to Parliament Funkadelic, Fleetwood Mac, Teddy Pendergrass, and Neil Young. Those influences merged with Strange’s interest in hip-hop, country, indie rock, and house, culminating in a record that feels completely original.”
Patrick Warburton @ Turner Hall Ballroom
The Surfrajettes + Bethlehem Shalom @ X-Ray Arcade
Old Timer + Cassini Echoes, The Paper Flames @ Cactus Club
Third Coast Blues Collective @ Ope! Brewing Co.
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