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With more than 100 million albums sold, Lionel Richie, the night’s headliner at the Amphitheater, needs no introduction. But there’s plenty of other sounds to catch, including the flawless pop of Milwaukee’s Reyna at the Miller Lite Oasis, rap from A Boogie wit da Hoodie at US Cellular and the sensational voice of Chaka Khan at BMO Harris Pavilion.
Lionel Richie w/Michael McDonald @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater, 7:30 p.m.
“American Idol” was created to launch careers, but the singing competition also has relaunched Lionel Richie. As a judge on the rebooted show the past two seasons, Richie—who turned 70 on June 20—has conducted himself as the grandfather we all wish we had.
He is the witty and seasoned voice of reason among the gibberish that sometimes comes from the mouths of fellow judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan; he loads his performance critiques with insight and casually shares stories of his glory days as a pop superstar; and he is not afraid to cry on camera or leave his seat behind the judges table to embrace contestants when he senses they need a hug.
Sure, Richie has sold more than 100 million albums and won more than an armful of awards, but on the current “Hello Tour,” he also is playing to a generation that may have heard their parents listening to “All Night Long,” “Stuck on You” or “Dancing on the Ceiling” but otherwise have sense of the man’s legacy.
This performance should right that wrong, as Richie’s solo work remains an integral soundtrack of the ’80s. Don’t worry, though: Recent set lists indicate Richie still includes plenty of Commodores material in his shows, including “Easy,” “Still,” “Sail On,” “Three Times a Lady” and the all-time classic, “Brick House.”
Former Doobie Brother Michael McDonald also is enjoying a career resurgence — although one not quite as glamorous as that of Richie. Nevertheless, his 10th studio album, 2017’s Wide Open, boasts some of his strongest material in years and features guest appearances by Warren Haynes and Branford Marsalis. Expect to hear such classics as “It Keeps You Runnin’,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Yah Mo B There” and “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” (Michael Popke)
Reyna @ Miller Lite Oasis, 7 p.m.
Milwaukee pop-duo Reyna have had a killer year so far. On top of dropping an absolutely stunning video for their single “Heartbeat,” a gleaming ’80s-inspired gem that’s sure to get you dancing in no time, and being announced as one of the winners of a generous grant provided by Backline, a local initiative that aims to help local artists achieve their goals through grants, mentorship and an intensive 12-week program, the Banuelos sisters (once known as Vic & Gab) have remained busy traveling back and forth from Los Angeles, recording and putting the final touches on some much anticipated new material.
Reyna has received nods of approval from some of the folks over at Billboard Pride for tracks like “Spill Your Colors,” which sheds some light on the power behind living your truth and owning your uniqueness: “I've got colors in my mind / Say it loud, let it out / I’ve been waiting all my life / To feel like I feel now.” There’s no doubt that Gab and Vic have perfected the art of crafting a flawless pop song (see “Baby Forget It” and “Cool With It” as just a couple of examples)—the synths soar, the basslines are mesmerizing and the jangly guitars keep ringing in your head long after the moment is over.
But what makes the music of Reyna stand out above the rest is their ability to make their songs so personal and deeply relatable. The sisters have opened for an impressive list of artists throughout the last few years, including fellow Mexicana pop-rock artists such as Natalia Lafourcade and longtime aficionado of all things glitter, Kesha. (Nayeli Portillo)
A Boogie wit da Hoodie @ US Cellular Connection Stage, 10 p.m.
Bronx-based rapper A Boogie wit da Hoodie (born Artist Dubose) took the hip-hop world by storm in 2016 when his debut mixtape, Artist, came seemingly out of nowhere. Such songs as “Still Think About You” arrived fully formed, as the then 21-year-old rapper had the confidence to explore love and heartbreak, two topics difficult for even the most seasoned performer to honestly address.
“You got me feeling stupid,” Boogie admits on “Still Think About You.” “You got me singing all these love songs.” By the time his debut L.P., The Bigger Artist, dropped in 2017, Boogie had gone platinum and played Madison Square Garden three times. Perhaps not surprisingly, such events coincided with Boogie celebrating his newfound success and wealth. Yet even as he rapped about such standard hip-hop topics as cars and jewelry, Boogie did it in a way that allowed his quirky personality to shine through. “I just bought a Cuban ring and dipped it in a fountain,” Boogie brags on “Drowning.” “Chain so heavy I feel like I’m holding up a mountain.”
Boogie’s more recent material has seen him drawing from the worlds of Afrobeat, reggaeton, and Latin pop to create an expansive sound that documents an artist-in-evolution. Yet despite the presence of such worldly influences, the main attraction on such albums as International Artist (2018) and Hoodie SZN (2019) remains Boogie’s voice and his ability to sell his sprawling Bronx tales. On “4 Min Convo,” for example, Boogie goes from waking up “to like 99 missed calls” and paying tribute to Trayvon Martin, to ending up under “House arrest in Florida, they always checked up on me / So when I was in the studio I said I was in Publix [drug store].” As the song draws to a close, Boogie softly repeats “It’s alright.” It’s hard to tell if he really means it, but you want to believe he’s telling the truth. (Michael Carriere)
Chaka Khan @ BMO Harris Pavilion, 9:45 p.m.
The Chicago band Rufus introduced the world to Chaka Khan in 1974 with the hit song “Tell Me Something Good.” Since that time, the singer formerly known as Yvette Marie Stevens has become a funk and R&B sensation. In a career peppered with songs and collaborations with friends Stevie Wonder, Ashford and Simpson, Prince, Melle Mel, Steve Winwood, Robert Palmer and Dizzy Gillespie, Khan has the innate ability to simply take over a performance. Four decades and 22 albums into a career, her voice is still a force of nature.
While “Ain’t Nobody,” “I’m Every Woman” and “I Feel For You” are classics, Khan is not resting on her laurels, releasing the new album Hello Happiness earlier this year. Offstage, she remains busy, venturing into theater and forming the Chaka Khan Foundation in 1999, initially focused primarily on public awareness campaigns around the diagnosis, intervention, available family resources and search for a cure for autism, she later expanded the mission of the foundation to focus more broadly on women and children at risk. As an entrepreneur, her line of gourmet chocolates, Chakalates, was sold in Neiman Marcus stores and she currently is introducing a signature fragrance, Khana Sutra.
But it all comes back to her voice. “She sings like my horn,” Miles Davis said. Here is a vintage clip from 1974. (Blaine Schultz)
The Allman Betts Band @ Johnson Controls World Sound Stage, 10 p.m.
What happens when the sons of Gregg Allman and Dickey Betts, two of the founding members of The Allman Brothers Band, get together and form their own musical group? A fresh take on a classic sound that still endures after 50 years.
While their dads might have created the template for Southern rock, Devon Allman and Duane Betts are carrying on the legacy by performing songs from the Allman Brothers catalog, as well as material from their own solo careers and Down to the River, a new album slated for release a few days prior to their Summerfest gig.
Down to the River was recorded at the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and was produced by Matt Ross-Spang, best known for his work with John Prine, Jason Isbell and Margo Price. Chuck Leavell (former Allman Brothers Band keyboardist and current Rolling Stones keyboardist) and Hammond B3 player Peter Levin (formerly in the Gregg Allman Band) both appear on the album.
The Allman Betts Band also boasts another Allman Brothers connection in bassist Berry Oakley Jr., son of original Allman Brothers Band bassist Berry Oakley.
The Allman Betts Band sold out 12 of its first 18 performances on the group’s current world tour, and the performances are enhanced by the Brotherhood of Light—founders of the Original San Francisco Psychedelic Light Show—a company that has worked with (you guessed it) The Allman Brothers Band plus the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin.
The entire evening promises to serve as a reminder that Southern rock remains alive and well in the North. (Michael Popke)
Leroy Airmaster with Junior Brantley @ Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, 4 p.m.
This year marks the start of Leroy Airmaster’s fourth decade as a Milwaukee blues band. For their Summerfest show, they will be joined by a musician with an even longer track record, keyboardist Junior Brantley. Brantley is already into his sixth decade of music, starting in local venues as the star of Junior and The Classics in the early 1960s.
Here in town, Brantley is best remembered from the ’70s for his long-running role in Milwaukee’s most acclaimed blues band from that era, Short Stuff. In the ’80s he found national acclaim as a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Roomful of Blues and a sideman for guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan. Recent decades have found him in Las Vegas, still on call for keyboards and teaching piano to new generations.
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For Summerfest, Leroy Airmaster and Junior Brantley will focus on the blues. (David Luhrssen)
Grovelers
Local Pick
The Grovelers @ Uline Warehouse Stage, 3 p.m.
Today's Promotion: Children's Fest Day
It's Sentry Foods Children's Fest Day with Today's TMJ4. Anyone arriving between noon-3 p.m. will be admitted for free.
Here's Today's Complete Lineup
Downloadable one page PDF | Visit Summerfest.com for full lineup
Note: First Aid Kit will not be playing Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard at 9:45 p.m. Their tour was cancelled in May. They have been replaced by Liz Phair.
Read more of our Summerfest coverage, including editor picks, concert previews, daily promotions and opinions here.
