This Week in Milwaukee: February 2-8, 2023

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

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February is Black History Month. Join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. 

Milwaukee Film’s feature presentations; Correcting the Narrative: Realities and Reform in Our Prison System; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis; Hue Revue BIPOC Cabaret; Buffalo Nichols w/Stephen Hull and more—This Week in Milwaukee!

Thursday, Feb. 2

The Big Payback @ Oriental Theatre, 7 p.m.

Milwaukee Film’s fifth annual Black History Month https://mkefilm.org/MKEFilm celebration kicks off with the documentary The Big Payback. A rookie alderwoman from Evanston, Illinois, led the passage of the first tax-funded reparations for slavery bill in U.S. history for Black Americans. While she and her community struggle with the burden to make restitution for its citizens, a national racial crisis engulfs the country. Will the debt ever be addressed, or is it too late for this reparations movement to finally get the big payback? Also, Afrofuturism on Friday and The Last Dragonon Saturday. More info on Milwaukee Film’s screenings, conversations and events curated by Black Lens program, celebrating Black History Month here: mkefilm.org/black-history-month-2022-milwaukee-film.

“Correcting the Narrative: Realities and Reform in Our Prison System” @ Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, 7 p.m.

In Wisconsin about 40,000 individuals are in adult correctional institutions and more than 60,000 adults are under community supervision at any one time. Our state incarcerates more Blacks proportionate to their percentage of the population than does any other state in the nation. 

In conjunction with the “Art Against the Odds” exhibit presented by The Portrait Society Gallery of Contemporary Art shepherdexpress.com/news/issue-of-the-month/art-against-the-odds-shows-the-humanity-of-wisconsins-pri/, this discussion will focus on such issues as rehabilitation, reentry, restorative justice and possible prison reforms. Free with registration: eventbrite.com/e/panel-discussion-tickets-524583592647.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis @  Marcus Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.

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Led by Wynton Marsalis, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra is joined by Iraqi oud virtuoso Naseer Shamma for a program titled “Middle East Meditations.” Marsalis offered this, “He comes from a whole world of music of which he is a master. As a virtuoso and teacher, he has transformed the presence of the oud. Playing with Naseer is what makes being a musician—all the hours and years spent practicing and trying to be serious –worth it. We look forward to coming together to interpret his music.”

Friday, Feb. 3

Anime Milwaukee @ Hilton Milwaukee City Center and Wisconsin Convention Center, 9 a.m.

This three-day anime convention celebrates and educates fans about anime, manga, Asian culture, music and gaming. It is also connected to Entertainment and Culture Promotion Society (ECPS), a non-profit organization dedicated to educating the Milwaukee area about cultures. ECPS conducts multiple events throughout the year to promote cultural diversity and education, and partners with other educational organizations in the greater Milwaukee area, including the Japanese language department of UW-Milwaukee and the consulate general of Japan at Chicago.

Anime Milwaukee offers cosplay, a masquerade contest, video and tabletop gaming, children’s programming and K-pop creative dance contests. Through Sunday. More info here: animemilwaukee.org/about-amke.

Hue Revue BIPOC Cabaret @ The Cooperage, 7 p.m.

Hue Revue is place for BIPOC artists to shine and showcase their talent. The Burlesque and drag showcase will also include a BIPOC vendor market.

“Toward The Sea—Water Festival,”  Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra @ Bradley Symphony Center, 7:30 p.m.

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s three-week Water Festival concludes with waves of beautiful sound showcased by MSO principal musicians. Toward the Sea II (Umi e II), Takemitsu’s homage to the sea, features alto flute, harp and strings to evoke the “spiritual domain” of water and nature, while David Ludwig’s concerto for bassoon, Pictures from the Floating World, captures the poetic fluidity of water as it relates to life. Debussy’s La mer, inspired by the rich and shifting moods of the Mediterranean Sea, closes the program.

Also Saturday. More info here: mso.org/concerts/toward-the-sea/52999.

Saturday, Feb. 4

Mitten Fest 2023 @ Burnhearts, 1 p.m.

A freaking street festival in early February with temperatures forecast to peak at 34-degrees? No problem, that’s kind of a heat wave. It is an age-old question we all eventually ask: What the hell were my ancestors thinking settling in Wisconsin? As if answering a challenge, Mitten Fest delivers to prove we come from hearty stock. 

A variety of bands take it to the streets to remind us that the first day of summer is a little over four months away. The Steph Lippert Project warms things up followed by math rock proponents Credentials. Emmy nominated rap artist Genesis Renji is followed by headliners Convert—who could have easily been named Flame Thrower. As always, Burnhearts will also accept cash and non-perishables for Hunger Task Force, along with clothing donations.

10th Annual Guitar Festival Concert featuring Leonela Alejandro and Gohar Vardanyan @ Latino Arts, Inc., 7 p.m.

Latino Arts and the Latino Arts Strings Program presents the 10th annual Guitar Festival Concert which concludes the annual Guitar Festival and Competition. Featuring a youth guitar competition, master classes with internationally renowned talent, workshops focusing on classical guitar technique, construction, and maintenance, the evening concert will highlight the winners of the youth competition and will feature solo performances by Internationally renowned guitarists, Puerto Rico-born Leonela Alejandro and Armenia-born Gohar Vardanyan. More info here: latinoartsinc.org.

Lady Cannon w/The Namby Pamby and Julia Blair @ The Tonic Tavern, 8:30

Fort Wayne, Indiana trio The Namby Pamby’s debut LP Marketplace features one-on-one lyrics paired with an intimate performances ranging from folk to rock. Lady Cannon exhibits a kind of fervid intensity as it delves deep into tales of yearning and heartache while the band’s lineup adds exciting layers to its style of Midwestern Americana. 

A key part of Appleton’s Crutch of Memory Enterprises (recording studio, music label and book publisher), sonic consigliere Julia Blair stepped out with her album Better Out Than In, a collection that hints at both Americana and the Carole King. She demonstrates her aptitude for dynamics: from the explosive nature of a pop hook to the firm, comforting grip of a lullaby.

Sunday, Feb. 5

Buffalo Nichols w/Stephen Hull @ Cactus Club, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

A homecoming of sorts, Milwaukeean Carl Nichols has pulled up his stakes before. As part of the duo Nickel & Rose, he played jazz and blues clubs across Europe before settling in his current homebase of Austin, Texas. With his 2021 album, on the venerable Fat Possum Records, Nichols was the first blues act that label signed in almost 20 years. At times it hinted at deep Hill country sounds of giants like RL Burnside and Junior Kimbrough shepherdexpress.com/music/album-reviews/lost-lonesome-by-buffalo-nichols-fat-possum

Of that record he said, “Part of my intent, making myself more comfortable with this release, is putting more Black stories into the genres of folk and blues. Listening to this record, I want more Black people to hear themselves in this music that is truly theirs.”

Monday, Feb. 6 

Almost Monday w/ DOUBLECAMP at The Back Room @ Colectivo Back Room, 8 p.m.

After countless garage jams, D.I.Y. gigs in the back of a surf shop, and innumerable hours writing together, Almost Monday bottle California sunshine in their funky basslines, ecstatic choruses, and danceable grooves. The band, first emerging in 2020, has racked up more than 100 million overall streams, uplifting audiences everywhere in the process.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

Talisk @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Genre-bending Scottish trio Talisk use concertina, guitar and fiddle to produce a multi-layered signature sound. Awards and festival appearances in Chile, Denmark, Borneo, Canada and Milwaukee Irish Fest find the group putting a fresh spin on traditional folk music.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

“The Harlem Renaissance” @ Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, Marcus Performing Arts Center, 11 a.m.

Black Arts MKE presents “Harlem Renaissance” throughout Black History Month for Milwaukee students. The Savoy's Ballroom explores a pinnacle moment in Black history. Highlighting four towering figures of the era: Ella Fitzgerald, Jacob Lawrence, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes, young audiences will experience swing, jazz, scatting and most importantly one of the most monumental artistic revolutions in America. Please note this production is only open to schools and youth organizations, not the general public. Through Feb. 24, dates and info here: blackartsmke.org/season//harlem-renaissance.php.