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 September 14-20, 2026.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
Homestyle Dinner Rolls + HummusVacuum @ Cactus Club
“From their name to their music to their beautiful hair, Homestyle Dinner Rolls is bound to turn heads. Crashing onto the underground Utah scene in 2020, HDR has made a name for themselves opening for artists such as Jeremy Jordan, Dexter and the Moonrocks, and Winona Fighter. Called ‘a Provo favorite’ by Provo Music Magazine, each show they put on is a spectacle; ‘And boy do Homestyle Dinner Rolls know how to loosen an atmosphere and encourage interaction.'”
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
Chill On The Hill: American Legion Band @ Humboldt Park
This is it! The final Chill On The Hill of 2026! “This concert has become a summertime favorite for both our musicians and our loyal audience. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, relax under the evening sky, and enjoy a program featuring everything from patriotic classics and Broadway favorites to marches, movie music, and other beloved tunes!”
Roger Daltrey + Jeffrey Gaines @ The Riverside Theater
“Roger Daltrey returns to the stage in 2026! A deeply personal show that blends The Who classics, rare gems, and solo favorites from his extraordinary career. Backed by a semi-acoustic, rock-driven band, the performance offers a fresh, intimate take on iconic songs, alongside candid stories that give you an inside look into rock history. Exciting stories, setlist surprises, and the same unmistakable voice, this is a rare opportunity to experience one of rock’s most legendary performers in an up-close and personal setting.”
Powerplant + Genau, BLOOD @ X-Ray Arcade
The Barbarians Of California + Armed For Apocalypse, Squint @ Cactus Club
Starly Kind + Tiny Vamp, The Precipitators, Candlewax @ MKeUltra
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
Milwaukee Record Presents: Being John Malkovich @ Avalon Atmospheric Theater
Welcome to the 7 1/2 floor of the Mertin-Flemmer building! As you will now be spending your workday here, it is important that you learn a bit about the history of this famous floor…Or you could learn a bit about that history—as well as ponder themes of identity, agency, fame, sexual jealously, magic portals leading into the brains of famous actors, and world-class puppetry—in a theater full of people! Yep, we’re screening Being John Malkovich!
Milwaukee Night Market @ Wisconsin Avenue, between 2nd and Vel R. Phillips
“It’s back-to-school season, and thousands of college students have returned to Milwaukee’s local campuses. Westown Association invites local students to visit the Milwaukee Night Market on September 16 to experience the best of the city they’ll call home for the upcoming school year! College Night is presented by Educators Credit Union, and supported by Marquette University, MATC and UW-Milwaukee.”
Violet Grohl + Suzy Clue @ The Rave / Eagles Club
Jim E. Brown + Holy Pinto, Andy @ Falcon Hall
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Ladybird + David Miner @ Club Garibaldi
There’s a warmth that radiates from Clementine, the 2025 full-length album from Milwaukee alt-country band Ladybird. It’s there in the good-times songs about rock star dreams and barstool camaraderie. It’s there in the images of blue lapis belt buckles and blue Midwestern skies. And it’s there in the album’s gorgeous production (from the band and Ian Olvera), open, airy, and inviting. “I don’t know where I’ll go lookin’ to / But I wouldn’t mind going there with you,” Pete McDermott sings on the album’s title track. How friendly is that?
Caley Conway + Ellie Jackson @ Jackalope Lounj / The Wicked Hop
There are moments in Caley Conway’s 2024 album Partner when the ever-busy Milwaukee singer-songwriter finds herself caught in the humdrum duties of daily life. There are things to do—or not—people to see—or not—and the ones and zeros of technology to attend to. And then, suddenly, she’s off and dreaming, belly laughing with a distant friend or considering taking up “the work of birds.” When she comes back down to Earth, more often than not, she finds bliss in a comforting middle ground. “There aren’t enough hours in the day, I’ve counted,” Conway sings early in the record, before slyly adding, “For loving you.”
Lion’s Tooth + Milwaukee Record Music Book Club: Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History Of Punk by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain @ 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!
Bleach + The Fresh Bears @ Turner Hall Ballroom
WMSE Nine One Seven Day 45 Spin @ Wiggle Room
Matthew Carlson + Lack Of Reason @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Eliot Lipp + Lorna Dune, Scatterbrainmane, CARSEN @ Cactus Club
Casual Sex + Cat Positive, Night Again @ MKeUltra
The Barred Owl Stringband @ Ope! Brewing Co.
Thursday Bike Nights: Soul Patrol @ Harley-Davidson Museum Campus
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
The Fatty Acids + Dogs In Ecstasy, Josh Evert (record release), Mol Sullivan @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
Buckle up for not one, but two nights of the resurrected Fatty Acids! “The Fatty Acids are a Milwaukee-based rock band known for their energetic, genre-bending ‘scramble-pop.’ Formed in 2008 in Riverwest, a block away from Linneman’s, the group built a dedicated following with their self-produced albums and dynamic live shows. Their September 2026 shows will be the first time playing live in a decade.”
CreativeMornings: Believing In Human Creativity In The Age Of AI @ Hubbard Park
What’s the deal with AI? It’s pretty awful, yes? Of course it is. Want to go beyond that answer and hear what four media professionals have to say about it? Of course you do. Then start your Friday morning off right and attend “Current Affairs: Believing in Human Creativity in the Age of AI.” “Current Affairs” is the latest FREE talk from the Milwaukee chapter of CreativeMornings. This month’s installment will feature four speakers: Carole Nicksin, editor and publisher of Milwaukee Magazine; James Groh, reporter for TMJ4 News; Lainey Seyler, deputy editor at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; and, in a booking that stretches the definition of “media professional,” Matt Wild of Milwaukee Record.
Harvest Fest Block Party & Pumpkin Spirit Release @ Great Lakes Distillery
“The annual event brings together Milwaukee music, food, makers and craft spirits for one spirited night celebrating the arrival of fall. Guests can enjoy live music from The First Wave, with acoustic duo Alex & Jenn opening the evening, along with specialty cocktails, GLD spirit samples, Lakefront Brewery beers, food vendors, and a Mini Makers Market featuring local artists and makers. The highlight of the evening will be the return of Great Lakes Distillery’s Pumpkin Seasonal Spirit, an annual limited release created in collaboration with Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery.”
Opetoberfest @ Ope! Brewing Co. (through September 20)
“Get your steins and stretchy pants ready—OPETOBERFEST is taking over the taproom for a full weekend this year! We’re going full polka with The Val Sigal Polka Band (two sets! – Saturday only), plus stein hoisting comps (also Saturday only) to separate the lightweights from the legends. Dust off your lederhosen, grab an OPETOBERFEST Märzen, and get loud.”
Mondo Lucha! @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Since starting in 2008, Mondo Lucha has brought high-flying wrestling action, burlesque dancers, and live music to its annual Turner Hall showcase. Along the way, the variety show has managed to work with renowned pro wrestlers, sell out numerous shows, and become a must-attend Milwaukee event. The beloved local variety show returns to its familiar ballroom haunt this Friday.
Steve Aoki + Frank Walker, Monic, Nate Derus @ The Rave / Eagles Club
The Moth: Nine To Five @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Music On The Beerline: De La Buena @ Beerline Trail
Friday Night Retro Dance Party: DJ Don Black @ Mad Planet
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Bay View Bash @ Bay View (Kinnickinnic Ave. between Potter and Clement)
While many of Milwaukee’s summer festivals, block parties, and other large scale happenings have already come and gone, one of the city’s best fests of the season is this week. Bay View Bash returns to Kinnickinnic Avenue on Saturday to fill the eponymous neighborhood with 11 hours worth of live entertainment, family fun, retail vendors, food, drinks, and more. You can check out the full lineup, a drink list, and the extensive vendor list HERE.
Freshwater Food & Wine Festival @ Henry Maier Festival Park (also September 20)
“Designed as a celebration of food, wine, hospitality, and pop culture, Freshwater Food & Wine Festival will bring together nationally recognized culinary talent, award-winning restaurants, global wine experiences, live entertainment, and one-of-a-kind activations along Milwaukee’s lakefront. Freshwater Food & Wine Festival will be September 19-20, 2026, at Milwaukee’s iconic Henry Maier Festival Park.”
The Fatty Acids + Sat. Nite Duets, Mortgage Freeman (record release), Josh Evert @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn
“The Fatty Acids are a Milwaukee-based rock band known for their energetic, genre-bending ‘scramble-pop.’ Formed in 2008 in Riverwest, a block away from Linneman’s, the group built a dedicated following with their self-produced albums and dynamic live shows. Their September 2026 shows will be the first time playing live in a decade.”
Driveways + Rematch @ The Argo
Bullshit Nonsense + ONLYGODFORGIVES, Mazoku, Backstabber, Chiron @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Weeze + Matchbox 90s, American Idiots @ Shank Hall
Live: The Police vs. The Beatles @ Mad Planet
South Shore Farmers’ Market: E.B. Albeit @ South Shore Park
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Milwaukee Record Halftime Show: M545 + DJ Mitch DeSantis @ Cactus Club
The Pack is back…and so is the Milwaukee Record Halftime Show concert series at Cactus Club! This season, 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).
The Bouncing Souls + The Suicide Machines @ The Argo
Punk legends The Bouncing Souls are still at it after all these years. Not only is the seminal band—which has been active since 1989—still touring, they’re continuing to write and release new music. On Sunday, they’ll help Milwaukee (and nearby Whitefish Bay) say farewell to summer in memorable fashion when they come to The Argo in support of their months-old Born To Be album. Michigan ska-punk vets The Suicide Machines will open.
Graham Hunt + Innuendo, Apollo Vermouth @ Cactus Club
“Graham Hunt can’t stop making records. Since 2019, the Madison-based songwriter has been amassing a dense catalog of singular music at a pace rivaled only by the quality of the output itself. Now already on his sixth album, American Pyramid, Hunt pushed himself out of his comfort zones, eschewing the homespun, computer-oriented explorations of his previous work and instead entering Minnesota’s legendary Pachyderm Studio with an eight-piece band to try and capture a different side of his boundless creativity. The result is an album that stretches out musically and lyrically, with Hunt using his surrealist spin to dissect both the traditions of American indie rock as well as the unnerving detachment of the American experience itself.”
Tom Morello + The Ike Reilly Assassination @ The Rave / Eagles Club
“Grammy-winning, Harvard-educated, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame–inducted artist, songwriter, and activist Tom Morello is living proof of the transformative power of rock ‘n’ roll. Known for his innovative guitar solos and thunderous chords, Morello is a groundbreaking artist both in his solo career and as an original member of Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave, two acts responsible for multiple Grammy Awards and a combined 30 million albums sold worldwide.”
Tom Jones @ Miller High Life Theatre
Your Arms Are My Cocoon + septemberistheonlytimeidontthinkofyou, snag., Frantic Repair @ Falcon Hall
Walker’s Point Makers Market And Bar Hop @ Walker’s Point
Milwaukee Makers Market @ American Family Field
Sunday Sessions: Nzinga + Will Phrang, DJ Anthony Foster @ Third Ward Beer Garden (Catalano Square)
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