Taste of Egypt, WMSE’s Bayard BBQ, an Impromptu String Quartet, two opportunities to see Juli Wood and Nick Schubert, Fresh Coast Jazz Festival, Music on the Porch everywhere, and more—This Week in Milwaukee!
Thursday, August 25
Impromptu String Quartet @ Charles E. Fromage, 6:30 p.m.
Think about this for a moment. Here is a top shelf string quartet, performing classics and more at an intimate rooftop venue. You could call it a happy hour. If you do, musicians Laurie and Glenn Asch, Dave Rasmussen, Shep Crumrine will make it happen.
Jack Klatt w/Long Mama @ Linnemans Riverwest Inn, 7 p.m.
"Any Way the Wind is Blowin’” by Jack Klatt
Songwriter Jack Klatt dropped out of high school and spent six years hitchhiking across the country before drifting across Europe. He has mastered a deft finger-picking technique and used that sturdy approach to bring his material an authenticity reminiscent of the most revered musicians and storytellers. Opener Long Mama leader Kat Wodtke shares her love affair with classic country, folk, Americana, R&B, and punk music. Musicians Andrew Koenig and Nick Lang (Ryan Necci & the Buffalo Gospel), along with Samual Odin (Horseshoes & Hand Grenades) comprise a local band second to none.
Friday, August 26
Taste of Egypt @ St. Mary & St. Antonious Coptic Orthodox Church of Milwaukee (1521 W. Drexel Ave., Oak Creek), 11 a.m.
In a city of festivals, this one stands out. Enjoy Egyptian foods, coffee and desserts, camel rides, cooking demos, church tours and Coptic iconography. Through Sunday. More info here facebook.com/events/822826675384521
Juli Wood Jazz Trio @ Riverwest Pizza, 5 p.m.
Photo: Juli Wood - juliwoodsax.com
Juli Wood
Juli Wood
Riverwest Pizza is quietly becoming a music venue of note. Juli Wood may be best known as an R&B Cadet and Milwaukeean. For the past 20 years—with four albums as a leader, several studio projects as a side musician, and countless worldwide performances—the saxophonist, vocalist and composer has established herself as a solid, swinging, lyrical and entertaining performer. Now based in Chicago, Wood makes a weekend of it. In Riverwest on Friday and joining The Hungry Williams on Saturday afternoon at Humboldt Park and later that day at Blu at the Pfister.
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Fresh Coast Jazz Festival @ Pabst Theater, 5 p.m.
“Angela – Theme from Taxi” by Bob James
This two-day festival includes concerts at the Pabst and a Saturday afternoon cruise on The Edelweiss. Friday’s lineup includes Marcus Adams and Friends featuring: Vandell Andrew, James “PJ” Spraggins and Merlon Devine; Adam Hawley and the Bob James Trio. Saturday’s lineup includes the Gabriela Anders Band; Alex Bugnon and Najee. Through Saturday. More info here: pabsttheatergroup.com/events/detail/freshcoastjazzfestival2020.
BLOOD @ Canni-MKE, 6 p.m.
Canni’s new venue hosts the goth rock/dark synth musings of Nicholas George Schubert. Best known as 1/3rd of GGOOLLDD, Nick explores his supernatural side in this mesmerizing side project with spell-bounding melodies, stabby synth percussion and dark futuristic vocals.
Saturday. August 27
WMSE’s 12th Backyard BBQ @ Humboldt Park, Noon
“Power” by Seratones
Left of the dial, Milwaukee boasts some fine radio. Next time you travel take a listen and see if other cities compare. Here is the annual bash thrown by WMSE 91.7, a thank you gift from the station to loyal listeners and anyone else who stops by. Headliners, from Shreveport, Louisiana, Seratones have become the darlings of college radio and promise an evening of soul sounds. Performances by The Hungry Williams, Paper Holland, Guerrilla Ghost and GGOOLLDD will fill out the rest of the daylong celebration. DJ Alien Andre beams down to spin tunes before and in between sets.
More info here: wmse.org/12th-annual-backyard-bbq.
Play Music on the Porch Day @ The World, All day
Photo credit: Chris Rosenau
Testa Rosa
It started as an idea ... What if for one day everything stopped? And we all just listened to the music. Began in 2013 by Milwaukee-rooted Brian Mallman, by 2018 thousands of musicians from at least 70 countries and thousands of cities participated and the movement continues to grow every day. Musicians from across the globe, regardless of their differences, find common ground through music. Here’s our take on the event two years ago: shepherdexpress.com/music/local-music/play-music-on-the-porch-day-2020.
Play Music on the Porch Day knows that music is powerful and universal. It doesn’t matter if you play an oud, a guitarrón, a nyckelharpa or a guitar. When you pick up your instrument and start to play the world disappears and you get lost in the sounds.
Register here: playmusicontheporchday.com.
Oak w/Rick Donner - Gigs4Good @ Tonic Tavern, 4 p.m.
“Goodland” by as Oak
Combining the talents of local musicians and patrons to help local non-profits with their mission, Tonic’s Gigs4Good partners with non-profit partners Bay View Community Center, Milwaukee Center for Children & Youth, and The Women’s Center. Rick Donner of Bicentennial Drug Lord and Punchdrunk fame splits the bill with as Oak for a late afternoon of music
Iron County @ The gardens south of 2562 N. Buffum Street - Riverwest, 6:30 p.m.
Gaetano Marangelli’s play Iron County asks the question: Are we in this together or is it us against nature, us against them? The drama unfolds in 1975 at a liminal moment in American history, in between Nixon and Carter, as the counterculture fades and the Me Decade had only just begun, as Dave Luhrssen wrote here: shepherdexpress.com/culture/theater/iron-county-asks-who-owns-america.
Sunday, August 28
Chris' Slow Roll @ War Memorial Center, 9 a.m.
When word got out that Chris Kegel was terminally sick, his inner circle got together immediately. How could they quickly rally the forces to honor him and show him how much of a positive impact his life’s work had made on the community? The only thing that made sense, was to bring everyone together for Chris’ favorite thing—a bike ride. The slogan the first year was, “The More the Merrier.”
Within a week of planning and getting the word out, a thousand people got together for the first annual Chris’ Slow Roll in 2016. Although he wasn’t able to ride, the party at Kegel’s Inn was an opportunity for Chris to see how many people he had touched. Every year since then, we have come together at the end of August to celebrate and commemorate how bikes can be the common thread in our lives.
From its inception, the Slow Roll was designed to be easily accessible, free, and a family friendly ride for all kinds of riders. All people are welcome.
More info here: chriskegelfoundation.org/chris-slow-roll.
Rise of Pirate Radio in the ’90s @ Mukwonago's Red Brick Museum (103 Main St, Mukwonago), 1 p.m.
Todd Ciske aka Commander Todd talks about the rise of civil disobedience resulting from the 1996 Telecommunications Act that allowed industry consolidation and conglomerates to squeeze out smaller radio operators. Fortunately, Congress heard the protests and passed the Local Community Radio Act. The FCC created a low power class of non-commercial radio stations and later increased the allowable number of low power stations. President of the non-profit Kettle-Moraine Community Radio and general manager of WFAQ-FM,which owns WFAQ, Ciske’s radio history includes WMSE and WTPS aka The Pirate Station.
