This Week in Milwaukee: Sept. 16-22, 2021

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This Week in Milwaukee: Sept. 16-22, 2021

Outdoor events continue with Rainbow Summer, Summerfest, and Harbor Fest. The debut of Sweet Baby Sweet and the vintage New Orleans sound of Tuba Skinny are all waiting for you this week in Milwaukee.

Thursday, Sept. 16

Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience @ Rainbow   Summer – Peck Pavilion, 7 p.m.

For 38 years, two-time GRAMMY award winning artist Terrance Simien and eighth generation Louisiana Creole has been shattering the myths about what his indigenous Zydeco roots music is and is not. Leading his Zydeco Experience, Simien has become one of the most respected and accomplished artists in American roots music today. He and his band mates have performed over 9000 concerts, toured millions of miles to over 45 countries during their eventful career.

Friday, Sept. 17

Thriftones @ Summerfest - Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard, noon

In July, Thriftones Matthew Davies released a four-song EP, Get Ready to Run that finds him mining a comfortable Basement Tapes feel. Solid songwriting, pointed observations and timeless playing, highlighted by “The Grid,” a tune that eventually wobbles off the rails.

The Thriftones early gig should be a fine way to ease into what looks another full schedule of music at the Big Gig. With any luck Davies and guitarist-extraordinaire Andrew Koenig will tackle “Addict’s Lament” or songs from Davies hard-to-find cracked, homemade gem of an album Wish Peak.

Tuba Skinny @ Colectivo Back Room, 8 p.m.

Formed in in 2009, Tuba Skinny has steadily evolved from a loose collection of street musicians into a solid ensemble dedicated to bringing the traditional New Orleans sound to audiences around the world.

With seven albums to their credit and drawing on a wide range of musical influences—from spirituals to Depression-era blues, from ragtime to traditional jazz—their sound evokes the rich musical heritage of their New Orleans home. The band has gained a loyal following through their distinctive sound, their commitment to reviving long-lost songs, and their barnstorming live performances.

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Sweet Baby Sweet, The Coolhand Band and The Mighty Deerlick @ Linnemans, 8 p.m.

Originally this night of music included Tim Buckley and Alex Ballard, both of whom had to cancel. So, consider this the maiden voyage for Sweet Baby Sweet. The Milwaukee music scene has been characterized as incestuous and promiscuous, either way, the cross-pollicization of names Michael de Vogel, John Daniels, George Mireles and Charles Jordan will jog the memory of anyone who recalls Wobble Test, Soda, The Nerve Twins, DECK, The Mercurys or most recently Bicentennial Drug Lord. Expect melodic pop sounds that moves into edgy rock and roll.

The Mighty Deerlick have eased into a status somewhere between a legacy band and an ongoing manic-thrill experience. Some things never change, fortunately. The Coolhand Band were no strangers to Milwaukee clubs two decades ago, having connections to Waukesha and Madison. Tonight’s performance is something of a warmup for a Madison memorial show for former Coolhand Band drummer Travis Nelsen, the charismatic drummer who passed away in April of 2020. (A move to Austin, TX, found Travis playing with Okkervil River from 2003-10.) The welcome return of their rollicking power pop will be fitting nod to their fallen brother.

Saturday, Sept. 18

Turkuaz Ft Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew @ Summerfest - US Cellular Connection Stage, 9:30 p.m.

Four decades down the line, Talking Heads 1980 album Remain in Light still sounds ahead of its time. Inspired by and mixing elements from hypnotic Afro-pop, looped riffs and sermons delivered by fervent preachers, the music was fresh, vital and challenging.

Brooklyn-based nonet Turkuaz are joined by Talking Heads multi-instrumentalist (and Shorewood native) Jerry Harrison and Talking Heads sideman (and onetime Lake Geneva resident) Adrian Below to revisit Remain in Light. Turkuaz balances male-female harmonies, strutting guitars, wild horn arrangements and interminable grooves for the band’s Turkuaz via larger-than-life performances.

Sunday, Sept. 19

Harbor Fest @ The Harbor District (600 block of East Greenfield Ave.), 11 a.m.

This year, the Harbor District’s annual street festival expands, combining the celebration of Milwaukee’s port with the Milwaukee Riverkeeper Boat Parade and Sturgeon Fest by Riveredge Nature Center.

The vision of Harbor Fest is to reintroduce Milwaukee to its harbor, and the festival offers a wide variety of free, family-friendly activities related to boats, fish, rivers, science and all the things that make our waterfront great. Activities include: touring the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences, the Milwaukee RiverKeeper MKE Boat Parade and taking a free pontoon boat ride in the harbor. Hands-on experiences include releasing a baby sturgeon with Riveredge Nature Center, learn how to filet a fish with WDNR or climb a rock wall.

Trash Mountain Trio/Ramblin' Deano @ Charles E. Fromage (5811 W. Vliet. St.), 4 p.m.

True to his name Dean Schlabowske and his wife Jo Walston (two thirds of Trash Mountain Trio along with Maggie Dahlberg) are moving on. Milwaukee’s loss will be Lafayette, Louisiana’s gain. This going away show will feature a Deano solo set of protest punk country, followed by a trio set of honky-tonk and bluegrass inspired numbers.