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 March 14-20, 2022.
MONDAY, MARCH 14
Tig Notaro @ The Pabst Theater
Where to begin with comedian Tig Notaro? Her instantly legendary 2012 set dealing with her cancer diagnosis? Her roles in Star Trek: Discovery and Army Of The Dead? Her Taylor Dayne joke? No matter where you begin, it’s great to see Notaro back on the road for her “Hello Again” tour. “For the past 10 years, I’ve felt like I’ve been crawling out of a hole of different health issues and trying to stabilize my life and get to a place with some element of security,” she recently said. “I feel like, with this hour, it just feels very straightforward, without bringing along this aspect of needing to really proclaim anything or establish anything in terms of where I am.”
Everything Is Terrible! @ The Back Room @ Colectivo
TUESDAY, MARCH 15
Mitski + Michelle @ Miller High Life Theatre
The narrative surrounding indie-pop phenom Mitski—Does she want to be a superstar or not? Is she really going to quit music?—often obscures just how great she really is. Her new Laurel Hell is a glittery followup to previous instant-classic records like Bury Me At Makeout Creek and Puberty 2, brimming with terrific tracks like “Working For The Knife” and “The Only Heartbreaker.” After being moved from the Riverside Theater to the higher-capacity High Life Theatre, this show sold out immediately. So hopefully you got your ticket.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16
Milwaukee Mayoral Candidates Forum @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Milwaukee will elect a new mayor on April 5, and there are two choices: Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson, or former alderman Bob Donovan. If triumphant, Johnson would become Milwaukee’s first elected Black mayor. (Marvin Pratt served as the city’s first Black acting mayor in 2004, but lost to Tom Barrett in the general election.) Donovan, meanwhile, ran for mayor against Barrett in 2016, but lost 70% to 30%. The two candidates will duke it out at this Turner Hall debate, which will also be livestreamed on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Facebook page.
PROBLEMS + Hot Science, The Demix @ Cactus Club
THURSDAY, MARCH 17
Car Seat Headrest + Bartees Strange @ The Pabst Theater
Prolific indie-rock band Carseat Headrest makes its way to The Pabst Theater in belated support of the May 2020 album Making A Door Less Open. Adding to the already compelling concert is opener Bartees Strange, an artist on the verge of breakout whose album Live Forever was among the best records of 2020.
Nyx (EP release) + Social Cig, Diet Lite @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
Movie Night: ‘Leprechaun’ (1993) @ Lakefront Brewery
FRIDAY, MARCH 18
The Tallest Man On Earth + Uwade @ The Pabst Theater
There’s no mistaking the voice of Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson—a.k.a. The Tallest Man On Earth. Nasally, scratchy, and Dylan-esque, it’s a voice perfectly suited to Matsson’s intimate acoustic folk music. The most recent Tallest Man record is 2019’s gorgeous I Love You. It’s a Fever Dream.
Coma Twins + Holy Shit!, Head On Electric, DJ Sahan @ Cactus Club
Nyx (EP release) + LO/ST, The Nile Club @ Company Brewing
SATURDAY, MARCH 19
Fox Face + The LOL @ Circle-A Cafe
Two of Milwaukee’s best projects—Fox Face and The LOL—cram into Riverwest’s Circle-A Cafe for what’s sure to be one heck of a show. Fox Face released its blistering End Of Man record in early 2021, while The LOL released the infectious disco/dance single “6 Feet Under The Dance Floor” last fall.
SUNDAY, MARCH 20
One Trick Pony @ The Cooperage
Founded and organized by Ashley Smith of Alive And Fine and Hover Craft notoriety, One Trick Pony is a quarterly pop-up flea market that brings out some of the best in Milwaukee vintage and handmade items. The event returns to The Cooperage today for the first of four 2022 events.