It will be February before you know it. A farmer friend recently said, “Make hay while the sun shines.” So, be sure to catch some outdoor drama with Ghost Bike by Milwaukee Rep's Teen Acting Ensemble or music in the park with HOME Music Day, the Homegrown Music Festival and Chill on the Hill.
Thursday, July 8
Ghost Bike by Milwaukee Rep's Teen Acting Ensemble, Kadish Park, (701 E Garfield Ave.), 6 p.m.
Milwaukee Rep's Teen Acting Ensemble (PTI) presents a free production of Ghost Bike, performed outdoors at beautiful Kadish Park. What would you do for someone who means the world to you? Recent high school grads Ora and her best friend Eddie are cycling fanatics. When Eddie dies tragically in a bike accident, Ora struggles to let him go. She is drawn into an underworld filled with mythological inhabitants and cycling enthusiasts with the hope having one last conversation with her friend. While journeying through that strange world she learns about acceptance, forgiveness and healing from the seat of fixies, BMXs and ten-speeds.
Watch and support 15 students from 13 different high schools in greater Milwaukee in this 75-minute production which culminates their year-long-acting training with Milwaukee Rep.
Also Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Friday, July 9
Boy Dirt Car and Vocokesh @ Bremen Café, 9 p.m.
Boy Dirt Car formed in 1981 and the group performed a soundtrack inspired by the rustbelt cities of the Midwest. Found objects, metal percussion and sheer noise were part of the recipe founding members Darren Brown and Eric Lunde assaulted audiences with. Die Kreuzen, Impact Test and Fuckface would all figure into the BDC family tree. The group (Brown, Julie Unruly Brown, Josh Mead, Dylan Ritchie and friends) celebrated a 40th anniversary by recording ten new songs.
Vocokesh is led by multi-instrumentalist Richard Franecki, a legend in DIY circles. Franecki’s previous band, F/i, released albums on the RRRecords label, also home to Boy Dirt Car. Vocokesh’s sound draws from psychedelic music and German space rock with plenty of room for real improvisation. Earplugs are suggested.
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Saturday, July 10
HOME Music Day @ The Lynden Sculpture Garden (2145 W. Brown Deer Road), Noon
HOME 2021 is a series of dispersed events spanning the summer. These events will be small, in order to conform with public health guidelines, and will take place outdoors on Lynden’s grounds. Saturday’s musical feast offers five acts performing music from around the world: Congo Gospel Music Band (Congolese), Karen Milwaukee Music Band (Burmese), Golden Melody Music Band U.S.A, with Burmese Traditional Umbrella Dance by Mother's Love (Burmese), Spring Star Music Band (Burmese) and Samba Da Vida (Afro-Brazilian percussion).
Punk Rock Rummage Sale @ The Backyard (2155 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.), 4 p.m.
Everything you need and even some things you don’t know you need.—Over a dozen vendors will have what you’ve been jonesing for. Cool stuff, ephemera, junk, crud and collectibles including rock’n’roll paraphernalia, records, buttons, shirts, CDs, patches, posters, clothes, comics, art, free stuff, housewares, toys, vintage, kitsch, books, zines, musical instruments, memorabilia, crafty handmade items, hard to find items, novelties, skateboard stuff, hi fi consoles, rabbit’s feet and maybe a thermos.
Rhett Miller @ Back Room @ Colectivo (2211 N. Prospect Ave.), 8 p.m.
Live music returns to the Back Room and who better to mark the occasion than Old 97s’ front man Rhett Miller? In 2020 the band released their 12th studio album, Twelfth and Miller released his latest solo album The Messenger in 2018. No stranger to Milwaukee stages, it is hard to believe Miller has been at it since the band’s debut in 1994 but his sheath of songs offers plenty to choose from. Homeboy and fellow Gibson J200 strummer Trapper Schoepp opens. In October Miller will host a songwriting retreat in Chicago.
Sunday, July 11
Homegrown Music Festival @ Regner Park (800 Main St., West Bend), Noon
A year ago, an all-day free concert in the park was unthinkable. All the more reason to enjoy the 6th annual Homegrown free music festival. Bands include Sapsuckers, Sun Silo, Loud Library, Christopher Gold and TNOT, DUSK, Belle Weather and The Nile Club.
Sunny Sweeney @ Shank Hall, 5 p.m.
Photo via Sunny Sweeney
Sunny Sweeney’s performance at Shank Hall has been moved up to 5 p.m. to accommodate Bucks fans. Sweeney’s smart country music takes cues from rock and honky tonk. Her album Live At The Machine Shop was release in November and she is currently working on her next album.
Tuesday, July 13
Chill on the Hill – Litmus Vinyl and The Hungry Williams, Humboldt Park Band Chalet, 6:30 p.m.
The announcement that Chill on the Hill was resuming was a dollop of normalcy to a city that runs on outdoor music. If Litmus Vinyl’s up-tempo performance sets the stage, then The Hungry Williams primal goodtime R&B will declare Summer is in full swing. The Tuesday series continues through September 13, with hook-filled sounds from Cabin Essence, the breezy tropical pop of L’Resorts, roots rock of The Midnight Purchase, jazz by Donna Woodall and the finale of Testa Rosa and The Mike Benign Compulsion.
