Our fat-free, dolphin-safe Milwaukee events calendar is chock-full of things to do, but only a handful of events are worthy of the lofty honor of “Record Recommended” (patent pending). Here are our recommendations for July 8-14, 2019.
TUESDAY, JULY 9
Sarah Shook & The Disarmers + Big Eyes, Sunny War @ Cactus Club
Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s Sarah Shook and her Disarmers bring their bold blend of outlaw country and punk rock sensibilities to the Bay View bar just over a year removed from the release of Years, Shook’s latest and greatest effort on Bloodshot Records. Big Eyes and Sunny War will play in support.
Chill On The Hill: Browns Crew + Cullah & The Comrades, Paul & Margie Heinrich @ Humboldt Park
Skyline Music Series: De La Buena @ Kadish Park
WEDNESDAY, JULY 10
Newaukee Night Market @ West Wisconsin Avenue
“Placemaking” projects come and go, but Newaukee’s wildly successful Night Market series proves that good ideas are just that: good ideas. For four Wednesday’s out of the year, West Wisconsin Avenue is transformed into a party-slash-arts-and-crafts-fair, giving the city’s creative class a venue to shine.
Haybaby + Ruth B8r Ginsburg, Large Print @ Cactus Club
THURSDAY, JULY 11
Bastille Days @ Cathedral Square Park
Bastille Days has been a Milwaukee cultural mainstay since the early ’80s. The last three decades have seen the weekend-long French festival grow to feature a 5k run, solid local music, wine tasting, and delectable foodstuffs, all under the shadow of a 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica. (Through July 14.)
Movies Under The Knife: The Brain That Wouldn’t Die + Lady Frankenstein @ X-Ray Arcade
It’s a tale as old as time: You’re watching an ancient public domain horror movie and you wish the thing would just get going already. Wouldn’t it be great to lose the endless exposition and skip to the good stuff? Milwaukee filmmaker Andrew Swant feels your pain. Welcome to “Movies Under The Knife,” Swant’s monthly movie series at Cudahy’s X-Ray Arcade. Want to watch generously edited versions of classic B-movies? Now you can. It’s all killer, no filler in more ways than one.
Lakefront Brewery’s “My Turn: Junk” @ Sugar Maple
Milwaukee musician, longtime Lakefront Brewery employee, and all-around local hero Andy Junk will finally have his day in the sun this month when his “My Turn: Junk” beer gets released by Lakefront. Despite being called “Junk,” the kettle sour that’s made with fresh cherries and sakura sounds downright delicious. Holy Shit! (Junk’s band) will provide musical accompaniment, as will Nutritious And Delicious and Chinese Telephones. Doors at at 6 p.m. Music starts at 8 p.m.
Southern Culture On The Skids + The Grovelers @ The Back Room @ Colectivo
Jill Scott @ Riverside Theater
Washer + Haunter, Lifetime Achievement Award, Cream Vellum @ Quarters Rock ‘n’ Roll Palace
DANA + Jab Jugular @ High Dive
FRIDAY, JULY 12
Friday Nite Music: Nickel&Rose @ Colectivo Lakefront Cafe
For a second year, Colectivo Coffee has asked Milwaukee Record to put together a free, weekly concert series called Friday Nite Music. Every—you guessed it!—Friday night, we bring you a different Wisconsin singer-songwriter or band outside Colectivo’s Lakefront Cafe from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This week: the incomparable Nickel&Rose.
Ha Ha Tonka + Rx Drugs, Dramatic Lovers @ Pabst Milwaukee Brewery & Taproom
Veteran Bloodshot Records outfit, Ha Ha Tonka comes back to Milwaukee to headline a stacked show that also features local support from the likes of Rx Drugs and Dramatic Lovers.
Gringo Star + Surgeons In Heat @ Cactus Club
Blue Unit + FCKR JR, Haunter @ Bremen Cafe
Coyote Brother + Caley Conway @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Riverwest Food Truck Rally @ Gathering Place Brewing Company
SATURDAY, JULY 13
Conan Neutron And The Secret Friends + Lung, Fox Face @ X-Ray Arcade
Despite the decentralizing power of technology, there still exists the un-killable notion of musicians leaving whatever flyover states they grew up in and “making it” on one of the coasts. Conan Neutron has it all wrong: In 2017, the Oakland, California punk musician packed up after 22 years in the Bay Area and moved to the Midwestern climes of Milwaukee, taking the spirit of his band (if not all the members), Conan Neutron & The Secret Friends, with him. A revolving super group of sorts, Neutron and company are no strangers to Milwaukee, with the singer-songwriter’s former band, Victory And Associates, once a part of Milwaukee’s Latest Flame Records.
Hugh Masterson + RX Drugs @ Cactus Club
SUNDAY, JULY 14
The Raconteurs + Lillie Mae @ The Rave
Mere months after the release of The Raconteurs’ long-awaited third studio album, Help Us Stranger, Jack White, Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence, and Patrick Keeler will play the sure-to-be-sweaty confines of The Rave. And because White is involved, all phones will be locked in those little Yondr pouches before the show.
Ron Funches + Blair Socci & Gabe Dinger @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Roughly two years removed from throwing cookies and stealing hearts at Turner Hall and just a few months after coming to town with Conan O’Brien, Ron Funches will once again grace Milwaukee with his affable and altogether incomparable comic perspective. If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing him, change that as soon as possible. If you’ve already watched him, you’ve probably already bought your tickets.