This Week in Milwaukee: June 8-14, 2023

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An eclectic night of music in Bay View; the return of Locust Street Festival; a conversation with author ßMark Guarino and Paul Cebar; Big Beat MKE semifinals; Polish Fest; the world premiere of Mandalas and Mirrors; Rap J; Brewtown Rumble and more—This Week in Milwaukee!

Thursday, June 8

The Cedarburg Art Museum’s (CAM) Beer Garden, 5:30 p.m.

Follow the museum gate to the Outdoor Courtyard and Sculpture Garden featuring the Lakefront Brewery Tap House.  The Beer Garden will be open on Thursday evenings, 5:30-9 p.m. and Saturday afternoons, noon-4 p.m. through September 14.

Bay View

It seems you can’t swing a microphone in Bay View without hitting a musician tonight. Dick Satan Trio w/ The Gnasdells @ Café Centraal, 6 p.m. offers Instrumental Playboy Rock and the sound of PT Barnum’s organ trio, sent to space aboard Sputnik II. Derek Monypeny w/ Ak'chamel @ ACME Records, 7:30 p.m. This show could be the pick of the week. Derek Monypeny sees his musical mission as adding to and expanding on what he calls the “desert continuum”—the psychedelic sirocco swirl of desert-based stringed instruments played with utter abandon by musicians the world over. Glenn Asch and John Parrott w/ Still No Tomatoes, The Tonic Tavern, 7:30 p.m. Stellar violinist Glenn Asch and guitarist John Parrott are joined by the duo Still No Tomatoes who pair trombone with songwriting supported by guitar, keyboards or ukulele.

Mark Guarino, author of Country & Midwestern: Chicago in the History of Country Music and the Folk Revival in conversation with Paul Cebar @ Boswell Books, 6:30 p.m.

In Country and Midwestern, veteran journalist Mark Guarino tells the epic century-long story of Chicago’s influence on sounds typically associated with regions further south. Drawing on hundreds of interviews and deep archival research, Guarino tells a forgotten story of music, migration, and the ways that rural culture infiltrated urban communities through the radio, the automobile, and the railroad. Musicologist Paul Cebar will guide the proceedings.

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CNJ Latin Jazz @ Transfer Pizzeria, 6:30 p.m.

Cecilio Negrón Jr. coined the title of this summer music series, Latin Sessions. As always, he was scheduled throughout this coming summer before his untimely passing (shepherdexpress.com/music/local-music/milwaukee-music-loses-black-wolf-cecilio-negron-jr-and-georg). He dedicated his life to presenting and passing on to generations of people Afro-Caribbean music, rhythm and culture. Alberto Rivera, CeeLoe’s uncle, will be sitting in for him, and will be accompanied by Joey Sanchez on bass and Neil Davis on guitar. Latin Sessions continues every Thursday, June through September.

Big Beat MKE @ The Wicked Hop, 9 p.m.

In late April, 16 producers entered into head-to-head competition in Milwaukee’s premier beat battle tournament. Now it is down to semifinalists: Gucco vs. Yoshii and Kaskit vs. Domes1 are the battles. Also featuring performances from Puerto Wiccan and Gego y Nony. Music starts at 9 p.m., battles start at 10.

Friday, June 9

Polish Fest @ Henry Maier Festival Park

Polish Fest is America’s largest Polish festival, a living educational showcase of the arts, culture and tradition that is uniquely Polish. Polka music, check. A cultural village highlighting Nicolaus Copernicus, check. A presentation on Tadeusz Kosciuszko: Washington's engineer, Jefferson's confidant and Poland's National Hero, check. Polish cuisine, check. Brett Newski and “The Big Boomski Fireworks Show” on Saturday, check. Polish Tatra Sheepdog Club of America, check. More info at polishfest.org.

Mandalas and Mirrors @ Sunstone Studios, 7:30 p.m.

In the world premier of Mandalas and Mirrors, a conservative Christian American family confronts their own ideas of who they are and what they need when Tibetan Buddhist monks determine one of their children is the next reincarnation of the Dalai Lama. What does it take for a parent to release their own ideas of who their children should be and to listen, love and accept the child they have been given?

Through June 30. More info at sunstonestudiosmke.com.

Saturday, June 10

Horseshoes & Hand Grenades w/Chicken Wire Empire, Great Lakes Distillery, 6 p.m.

This outdoor bluegrass bonanza celebrates outdoor music season with the release of Chicken Shack Rye and a pair of high energy bands. Bred in Stevens Point over a decade ago, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades’ sound ranges from high energy old timey to jaw-dropping ballads.

With half of the group rooted in bluegrass, and the other half steeped in jam-band music, a change occurred when Chicken Wire Empire performed an Old & In The Way tribute show. A new sound was found in Milwaukee, and Chicken Wire Empire joined the roster of high energy acoustic music happening across the nation.  This journey from traditional to progressive was documented by director Ross Monagle in the film All It Takes.

Rap J @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Milwaukee artist Rap J began freestyling at age 6 and discovered his passion for hip hop. Born with cerebral palsy, Rap J uses music to express himself and showcase that the condition does not define him. With influences that include Michael Jackson, Biggie and Tyler, The Creator, Rap J 's latest album Unstoppable been featured on CBS 58 and Spectrum News. His biggest goal is to give hope through music and prove that any dream is attainable with the right mindset.

Sunday, June 11

Brewtown Rumble @ Boone & Crockett, 11 a.m.

The 7th annual Brewtown Rumble is a ride-in vintage motorcycle show. It doesn’t matter the make, model or condition of the bike. It just matters that you ride it. Everyone is welcome—riders and motorcycle enthusiasts alike. Music from The Incorruptibles and The Govelers. Proceeds support the BUILD Moto Mentor Program.

Locust Street Festival of Music and Art, Locust Street from Humboldt to Holton, 11:30 a.m.

In the early ‘70s, Milwaukee planned to widen Locust Street between Humboldt and Holton. In 1976 after much discussion and debate, the neighbors in Riverwest let the authorities know they were against it. Miraculously, the authorities agreed and the neighborhood threw a party to celebrate. They called it the Locust Street Festival of Music and Art.

Starting with the beer run, the festival includes outdoor and indoor stages, scores of vendors and more. An embarrassment of musical riches includes Bluegrass All-Stars, Robot Witch, Paulette D'Amour, Mighty Ms. Erica and the Sound Production, Lovanova, The Rock-A-Dials, Bug Moment, Strangelander and De La Buena.

William Eddins Plays Granados' Goyescas @ Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 6:30 p.m.

Enrique Granados was fascinated with the stories depicted in the artworks by Francisco José de Goya y Lucientes. In Goyescas, a maja and the two majoswho adore her are the main musical characters—featuring pianist William Eddins. The opening concert will be “Songs from Spain for Clarinet and Piano” by Spanish composers Joaquín Rodrigo and Manuel De Falla. Performing will be pianist Elena Abend and clarinetist Orlando Pimentel. The program includes “Rodrigo’s De dónde venís amore?” (arranged by Martin Katz), followed by Manuel de Falla’s “Siete Canciones populares Españolas.” Abend and Piementel, born in Caracas, Venezuela, are well-known for concerts of Latin and Spanish music. More info at pianoarts.org/education/goyescas.

Monday, June 12

Rival Sons w/The Black Angels, The Record Company and Starcrawler @ The Rave, 7 p.m.

What better way to start your week? Keen listeners will notice the middle of this four-band lineup includes The Black Angels, a Texas group with DNA that points back to The 13th Floor Elevators and The Velvet Underground and The Record Company, the Los Angeles blues rock band that fronted by homeboy Chris Vos, who cut his teeth at Linneman’s open mic stage.

Tuesday, June 13

Darsombra w/Powerwagon and Spidora @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.

Darsombra, the trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock duo from Baltimore, is known internationally for walking the line between glam-prog-psych-stoner metal and site-specific installation performance art in their hallucinogenic live audio-visual shows. Long running trio Powerwagon traffics in stoner rock and rare Fender Quad Reverb amps. Spidora, the latest project from Wendy Norton and Ryan King features Brazilian influence of vocalist Cris Siqueira.

Wednesday, June 14

Wisconsin Music Ventures Presents Music Spotlight Series @ The Mayfair Collection, Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m. (through Aug. 16)

Enjoy a warm summer Wisconsin night to the soundtrack of local artists making the midweek more manageable. The series offers a wide variety of local acts kicking off with the Donna Woodall Group (Jazz/R&B). Other performances include: June 21, Ben Mulwana (Afro/Soul/Rock); and June 28, Dave Schoepke Trio (Instrumental Jazz). Full lineup here: mayfaircollection.net/mayfair-collection-summer-concert-series.