Photo by Brantley Gutierrez
Alabama Shakes, March 15 at Riverside Theater.
Friday, March 13
Sofar Milwaukee | TBA
Every music fan knows the frustration of trying to watch an artist struggle while chatty crowds talk over their set. That’s why some dedicated music fans started the Sofar (Songs From a Room) music series in London, and why it’s since spread to more than 90 cities. The series invites guests to RSVP to see surprise lineups at an intimate venue that’s only announced the day before the show. The goal is not only to create an inviting climate for live music, but to introduce audiences to artists that they might not normally see. Past installments of Milwaukee’s Sofar series have hosted local acts like Hugh Bob and the Hustle, Calamity Janes and the Fratney Street Band and The Cavewives, though we can only guess who might play this latest date. For more details as they become available, follow Sofar Milwaukee on Facebook.
Grupo Rebolú at Latino Arts | 7:30 p.m.
Ronald Polo and Morris Cañate bring a rich sense of tradition to their musical project Grupo Rebolú, which honors the music of Africa and Colombia. The group will bring Latino Arts’ 2015 spring season to a close with a performance to accompany the opening reception for Vivian Vivas’ new exhibition of photographs, “Visiones Tomando Vuelo (Visions Taking Flight).” Containing pictures of birds from the Horicon Marsh Wildlife Refuge, it’s “a study of culture, nature and wildlife,” according to Vivas. The reception runs from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., when Grupo Rebolú performs.
A Nightmare with Nennig at The Best Place | 7 p.m.
Milwaukee writer/director Tim Nennig hosts a night of locally made horror films at the Historic Pabst Brewery’s Best Place. The evening will include three shorts—Pat Beck’s Devils Day Out, Joshua Hall’s New Purpose and Nennig’s musical odyssey Pantry Todd—followed by the premiere of Nennig’s feature-length film Dysphoria. The cover is $5, and DVDs of the films will be on sale. To get in the spirit, attendees are encouraged to dress in “nightmarish, bizarre, horrific and outlandish” costumes for the chance to win a prize bucket filled with macabre goodies.
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Saturday, March 14
Of Montreal with Deefhoof at Turner Hall Ballroom | 8 p.m.
Of Montreal were never afraid of risks—even their early releases were some of the most ambitious, daring indie-pop records of their time—but since their 2007 zenith Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?, the band has only grown bolder and busier, pushing their music into ever more psychedelic, off-kilter directions. They threw even loyal fans for a loop with 2010’s False Priest, and 2012’s Paralytic Stalks was even more inscrutable. Even for those who understandably gave up on the band, though, the group’s latest effort Aureate Gloom is worth a listen. It’s arguably frontman Kevin Barnes’ most personal record since Hissing Fauna, detailing the dissolution of his marriage, and while it’s by no means easy listening, it’s grounded in the fairly straightforward rock ’n’ roll of New York’s ’70s glam and proto-punk scenes. After years marked by fantastical whims, it seems the band has finally come back down to Earth.
Jim Jefferies at The Pabst Theater | 8 p.m.
Angry and brash, but with a genuine sense of humility, Australian stand-up Jim Jefferies made a name for himself in England, where he was dubbed “Britain’s most offensive stand-up comic” by Q Magazine. Obscenities spew from the Aussie’s mouth as he uses virtually any controversial topic as ammunition against social decency, chivalry and any other moral philosophy he can line up in the crosshairs of his vulgarity. Jefferies’ 2009 HBO special I Swear to God proved to be his breakout; he’s since followed it up with a pair of comedy specials and a the FX series “Legit,” a loosely autobiographical show that finds the comedian living with his alcoholic roommate Steve and Steve’s younger brother, Billy, who suffers from advanced muscular dystrophy. The show, which ran for two seasons, won praise for its considerate, if unflinching depiction of disability.
Sunday, March 15
Alabama Shakes with Songhoy Blues at The Riverside Theater | 8 p.m.
Alabama Shakes are a testament to the power of a great live show. The Athens, Ala., rock band enjoyed a breakout year in 2012 when they released their debut LP for Dave Matthews’ ATO Records, Boys & Girls, and promoted it with a round of knock-out appearances on programs like “Conan” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” By the end of the year they were sought-after headliners. Boys & Girls is a passionate homage to Southern blues and soul, but the band really comes to life on stage, where singer/guitarist Brittany Howard’s mighty wail is given endless room to soar. The group return to the Riverside Theater in advance of their sophomore album Soul & Color, which is set for an April 21 release.
Torche with Nothing and Wrong at Cactus Club | 9 p.m.
Metal isn’t the most accessible music genre by any stretch. Whether by accident or design, the genre has a way of scaring off newcomers who either can’t acclimate to the heaviness, or have difficulty appreciating the songcraft underneath the sludge. The Miami power quartet Torche proves that it doesn’t have to be that way, though. The group has covered a lot of ground since their 2005 self-titled debut, but lately they’ve taken to writing concise, hooky metal songs that ring with big melodies, a sound they nailed down to a science on 2012’s Harmonicraft and even further improved upon on their latest record, Restarter, their catchiest yet. This is metal that everybody can get behind.
Tuesday, March 17
Gaelic Storm at The Pabst Theater | 8 p.m.
The sprightly sounds of Gaelic Storm have been a St. Patrick’s Day tradition in Milwaukee for years. Every March the band packs the Pabst Theater with their worldly brand of Celtic rock, and each year they bring new songs to the table. For their 2012 album Chicken Boxer, half the band headed to Ireland to collect local stories and melodies to incorporate into their new material. In 2013 the band released another album, The Boathouse, this time focusing on old Irish traditionals. The band’s discography bursts with narrative stories that are just as good to dance to as they are to drink to—and in concert, the band encourages crowds to do plenty of both.
