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 September 16-22, 2019.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
Jonas Brothers + Bebe Rexha, Jordan McGraw @ Fiserv Forum
Is it weird and terrifying that two of the Jonas Brothers are in their 30s? Yes. Is it weird and terrifying that we’ve been enjoying the new Jonas Brothers album, Happiness Begins? No. There’s no such thing as a guilty pleasure.
A Vulture Wake + Avenues @ Cactus Club
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
Brittany Howard + MonoNeon @ Pabst Theater
“It was like, ‘I’m going to do this record by myself.’ I knew that I needed to be in control of everything: the music, the arrangements, all that stuff. And when am I going to do it if not now?” That’s Brittany Howard talking to Rolling Stone about her decision to put Alabama Shakes on hold and record her debut solo album. But while the future of Howard’s beloved band may be unknown, the bracing, personal sting of the ambitious new Jaime is undeniable. The full album will be released two days after this Pabst Theater show.
My Turn JUNK: Last Blast! @ Sugar Maple
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
Negative/Positive + LUXI @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery
For artists with a unique backstory, there comes a point when that backstory takes a backseat to the music itself. For Milwaukee’s Negative/Positive, that point is now. Yes, Negative/Positive is the guitar-bass-drums trio that formed at the first annual Girls Rock Milwaukee camp in the summer of 2013. Yes, the members of Negative/Positive—Ava Antonie, Ava Gessner, and Lola Flores—were 8, 9, and 10 years old at the time. Yes, Negative/Positive has been playing out ever since, gracing the stages of Summerfest, Pridefest, and just about every other Milwaukee summer festival known to humankind. But Negative/Positive is also the band that recently released the excellent Kick Me In Both Of My Shins At The Same Time, a six-song blast of twisty and nimble indie-punk that stands with the work of any of the city’s non-teenaged groups. Last week, the group followed it up with a new single, “Space Smells Like Lilacs.”
Twin Peaks + Slow Pulp, Dehd @ Turner Hall Ballroom
Leslie Stevens + Zach Pietrini @ The Back Room @ Colectivo
Jeff Beam + Lady Cannon, Long Mama, Michael Sodnik @ Bremen Cafe
Tunic + Sex Scenes @ Cactus Club
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Strand Of Oaks + Frankie Lee @ The Back Room @ Colectivo
Though he was born in Indiana and he now calls Philadelphia home, Timothy Showalter has a special place in his heart for Milwaukee. Recalling basement shows and memorable gigs in town early in Strand Of Oaks’ existence, the bandleader wanted to recreate to intimate vibe in Milwaukee with a stop at the quaint-ish Back Room @ Colectivo roughly 15 months removed from his 2018 Cactus Club doubleheader.
Nasty Boys + Something To Do, Size 5’s @ Company Brewing
Rupert Angeleyes + L’Resorts, Anthony Jr. @ Cactus Club
Ethers + Bad Wig @ Circle-A Cafe
MAM After Dark: Birthday Bash @ Milwaukee Art Museum
Cinema Hooligante: The Nightingale @ Oriental Theatre
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
NO/NO (record release, last show) + Dirty Dancing, Holy Shit!, Stormchaser @ Mad Planet
Bands come and go, but there’s something different about the end of NO/NO. It’s more than the end of a band; it’s the end of an era in Milwaukee music. The Milwaukee new wave-y synth-rock outfit recently released its new full-length record, Diagnostic, which also happens to be its last. It’s a thrilling, ambitious, and effortlessly cool album. It’s classic NO/NO, and it’s s a hell of a goodbye.
Precession Of A Day: The World Of Mary Nohl @ Oriental Theatre
Mary Nohl casts a long shadow over Milwaukee art. Her (in)famous “Witch’s House” in Fox Point—and its yard decorated with the artist’s idiosyncratic concrete sculptures—is both a local curiosity and an “art environment” listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Mary L. Nohl Fund, meanwhile, has invested more than $8.5 million in Milwaukee art since Nohl’s death in 2001. Now, Milwaukee Film and Milwaukee musician (and Milwaukee Film Education Manager) Marielle Allschwang will celebrate Nohl’s life and vision with “Precession Of A Day: The World of Mary Nohl.” The event will feature Marielle Allschwang & The Visitations performing an original song cycle inspired by Nohl, coupled with film footage of Nohl’s house. An accompanying deluxe double LP and a hardcover book will be available at the show.
Bay View Bash @ Kinnickinnic Avenue
Bay View Bash is a bittersweet affair. The bitterness is brought by the stinging realization that festival season is almost over and yet another awful winter is on the way. We’re all going to die and there’s nothing anybody can do about it. But whatever: Bay View Bash is amazing, and Milwaukee Record is booking another stage this year. We can’t wait!
Fromm Petfest @ Henry Maier Festival Park
Want to see the Summerfest grounds go to the dogs? Perhaps you want to check out a fest that’s most decidedly the cat’s meow? Whatever the case, the obviously pet-friendly Petfest is for you. Doggie obstacle courses, dock diving, groom rooms, and adoption services highlight this furry function, which finds itself once again closing Henry Maier Festival Park for the season. Woof!
Horse Jumper Of Love + Slow Mass, Vanity Plates, DJ Apollo Vermouth @ Cactus Club
Dead Feathers + Genau, CRLSS @ Company Brewing
False + Tvaer, Northless, Cavernlight @ Walker’s Point Music Hall
Cinema Hooligante: The Nightingale @ Oriental Theatre
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Milwaukee Record Halftime Show: Neidhoefer @ Cactus Club
The Milwaukee Record Halftime Show concert series at Cactus Club is back! Once again, we’ve assembled a stacked roster of 16 projects to provide FREE (21+) halftime entertainment. And, once again, our friends at Miller High Life are sponsoring our football-focused festivities, meaning fans can enjoy “The Champagne of Beers” for $2.50 a bottle, or $10 for a bucket of five beers all game long. And, yes, there will be touchdown shots.
Brian Wilson + The Zombies @ Riverside Theater
Is there a better way to say farewell to summer than an unforgettable show by Beach Boys mastermind Brian Wilson and The Zombies (touring with both their original and current lineups)? Hint: No, there is not.
Cherry Punch + Negative/Positive, Repeat The Process @ Anodyne Walker’s Point Roastery