This Week in Milwaukee: April 28-May 4, 2022

Here are the Milwaukee events we are looking forward to coming up this week.

The return of Big Beat MKE, The Crazy Shepherd Reunion, Good Land Records 11 Year Anniversary Party, MSO plays The Rolling Stones, the return of FemFest and more—This Week in Milwaukee!

Thursday, April 28

Big Beat MKE @ The Wicked Hop, 10 p.m.

Big Beat MKE returns for the Thursday head-to-head producer battles. A beat battle consists of three one-minute rounds, in which two producers play original beats that are either pre-recorded or performed live on stage. No vocal tracks are allowed, other than sampling music or pop culture clips.

After the three rounds, judges from the Milwaukee music scene will determine who moves on to the next round of the tournament. Producers are judged on sound quality, composition, and crowd response. Each night of the tournament features two head-to-head battles, as well as two performances from Milwaukee hip hop artists.

Through June 16.

Friday, April 29

Spoof Fest @ Club Garibaldi, 7 p.m.

Is nothing sacred? Actually, no. For 25 years Spoof Fest has slain many a sacred cow. Mixing skits, costumes, humor, and musical chops the fest has played the streets of the Bay View Bash and the stages of Summerfest. This year it returns to home base Club Garibaldi for two nights of demented performance. Friday’s lineup includes tributes to John Waite, Blondie, Bryan Adams, and KC and the Sunshine Band, while Saturday pokes The 5th Dimension, Faster Pussycat, The Cars, and Blue Öyster Cult.

Also Saturday. More info here: facebook.com/spooffest.

Midwest Gaming Classic @ Wisconsin Center, 6 p.m.

The Midwest Gaming Classic is a trade show featuring over 150,000 square feet of retro and modern home video game consoles, pinball machines, arcade video games, tabletop RPGs, computers, tabletop board games, crane games, collectible card games, air hockey and more.

Presentations include:  Retronauts: The Games That Shaped Japan; Gamers (Who Happen to Be Women); Mortal Kombat 30th Anniversary Kelebration; Atari 50th Anniversary and identical twin harpists Camille and Kennerly Kitt.

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Through Sunday, more info here midwestgamingclassic.com

Good Land Records 11 Year Anniversary Party @ The Cooperage, 7 p.m.

The 10 Year Anniversary for Milwaukee’s Good Land Records was COVID-canceled. So, the little label that could did it one better. Friday’s celebration at the Cooperage includes sets by Limbeck, The Figgs, Joseph Huber and Rx Drugs.

Since 2010, co-honchos Jon Phillip and Chris Johnson have released music by over two dozen artists many with local ties. For Friday’s show (another event takes place in Madison on Saturday) the music includes the long running trio The Figgs, who are the embodiment of rock and roll; name another band who can add as footnotes, backing Graham Parker and Tommy Stinson. Limbeck’s mix of melodic punk and alt-country is anchored by none other than drummer Jon Phillip.

Joseph Huber gained traction with bluegrass-centric .357 String Band. His 2015 album Tongues of Fire is one of the label’s most successful releases; Huber’s new album The Downtowner hits the streets in May. Fronted by Joe Crocket, Rx Drugs is stacked in talent with Scott Schoenbeck, Quinn Scharber, Justin Krol and Dustin Dobernig.

Saturday, April 30

Spring Fling Art Thing @ Puddler’s Hall, 1 p.m.

Support the creative community by checking outnpaintings, jewelry and photography from and Kimberly Geszvain, Jourdain LaFrombois, Jil Ortíz, Mandy Smith and Chris Tishler.

The Crazy Shepherd Reunion w/ The Swivels and Bristlehead @ Shank Hall, 7 p.m.

The roots of the Shepherd Express can be traced back to 1982 to a humble paper called the Crazy Shepherd. Initially a monthly publication, the core staff included James McCarter, Bill Lueders, Kurt Buss, Chris Deisinger, Peter Kotz, Karen Gerrity, Marty Genz and others. It stopped being crazy in 1986, when editor Lueders left to take a job in Madison. The definition of an iconoclastic publication—featuring news, culture and what the Milwaukee Sentinel once referred to as “harsh, long-winded social commentary”—it attracted a range of political types, artists, poets, musicians and social outcasts of all persuasions. It merged with the local music paper Express in 1987.

Staff, artists, contributors, and readers of the Crazy Shepherd and Express magazines are invited to come together for an evening of music, dance, conversation and fellowship. Music for the evening will be handled by Bristlehead, the roots-pop combo that serves a vehicle for the songs of Mike Fredrickson and features the talents of Dave Braun, Bob Jennings and Jason Klagstad—veterans of Semi Twang, Paul Cebar and The Mosleys.

Also appearing will be The Swivels, a new group lead by Carter Hunnicutt aimed for the dance floor. The funky rock and roll quartet’s recipe includes a mix of Jamaica, Jazz, and psychedelic sounds. The band also includes bassist Paul Ryan, drummer Dan Glaser and guitarist Chris Peterson. Both Hunnicutt and Fredrickson worked with the Crazy Shepherd in a number of areas.

The Music of The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards 1969 @ Bradley Symphony Center, 7:30 p.m.

Celebrating the Rolling Stones albums Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Martin Herman, performs “The Music of The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger and Keith Richards 1969.” The concert pays tribute to the era when The World Greatest Rock & Roll Band began a landmark run of albums.

Sunday, May 1

FemFest May Day @ Cactus Club, 11 a.m.

After two years of only virtual programming, FemFest returns. The 12 hour event celebrates May Day and International Workers Rights with a panel discussion on labor organizing and workers organizing with MASH (Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality) who will share about their ongoing campaigns. Brunch from Frida's Cocina, a Maker's Market and a one-day music festival with Ruth B8r Ginsberg, Sugar Ransom, Desi, Dandy L. Frehling, Rat Bath, Fox Face, Maat Mons, Steph Lippert and PuertoWiccan.

Tuesday, May 3

Julia Blair w/Graham Hunt, Crawlspace, DJ Amos Pitsch @ Cactus Club. 7 p.m.

Appleton’s Crutch of Memory Enterprises is a recording studio, music label and book publisher. Sonic consigliere Julia Blair steps out with her new album Better Out Than In, a collection that hints at both Americana and the Carole King. Amos Pitsch, her bandmate in Dusk, will be manning the decks and just might join her onstage.

More than a few jaws dropped at Brady St. Festival circa 2014, when a young Graham Hunt and Midnight Reruns invigorating set ended with updates on Thin Lizzy and Cheap Trick. Hunt hasn’t slowed down, releasing solo albums Leaving Silver City and Painting Over Mold.

Wednesday, May 4

Aimee Mann w/ Jonathan Coulton @ Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.

Aimee Mann’s Queens of the Summer Hotel, inspired by the book Girl, Interrupted, might seem a stretch for some artists but Mann has long carved out a career that balances literate pop music with art. Not to be highbrow, Mann is one of those rare artists who gives the listener credit for being able to connect the dots.