This Week in MKE Music: July 24-30, 2025

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

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This Week in MKE Music

ArtBlaze, Riverwest 24, The Statics, Ken Vandermark's Edition XL, Lucy Dacus, Daikaiju and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, July 24

ArtBlaze @ McKinley Beach

“We believe public art has the power to stimulate dialogue, foster healing, and inspire change.”

Here is a series of free, family-friendly events designed to be a celebration of community, creativity and connection. McKinley Beach will be transformed into a haven of artistic wonder and musical delight, shining a light on our amazing parks and local artists. Live music includes Tlalok, SHADI, The Quilz, Silent Disco—and Embody Yoga.

Families can participate in interactive art, engage with local artisans and vendors, make s’mores at the bonfires or simply relax with friends and family. and

Also, August 7 and 21. More info here https://joyengine.org/artblaze/

Bill Camplin Band @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 7:30 p.m.

“I told myself when I turned 60, I’d get a snowblower. But I hate them.”

Occasionally songwriter Bill Camplin ventures from his café/listening room Café Carpe in Fort Atkinson and usually these rare shows take place at Linneman’s. His stellar band includes Jason Klagstad, Bob Schneider and Paul Wehrley. Honing his craft since the late ‘60s, Camplin’s shows are a master class in how to do it.

Prairie Dog Blues Festival @ St. Feriole Island in Prairie du Chien, Through Saturday

How about a road trip? The 27 annual Prairie Dog Blues Festival on St. Feriole Island in Prairie du Chien features three days of blues featuring Indigenous and father-son duo McKinley James.

More info here https://www.prairiedogblues.com/

Friday, July 25

Riverwest 24 @ Riverwest, 7 p.m.

The People’s Holiday returns. Since 2008 the annual 24-hour ride has traipsed the 4.6 mile lap, over and over. The gem in the crown of keeping Riverwest weird—call it a race if you want—takes over the neighborhood in the best way possible. If you are not officially entered, no problem—feel free to participate any way. Or just hang out and cheer the riders on. Live music along the route and a kids ride at Escuela Fratney on Saturday morning. More info here: riverwest24.com/home/home-87031f31-11cb-46a8-be0f-bbfb8f198469

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German Fest @ Henry Maier Festival Park, Through Sunday

The 43rd annual German Fest takes over the Summerfest grounds with gemütlichkeit: food, steins of drink, 18th annual Dachshund Derby, lederhosen, lumberjacking, European railroad history, a collection of vintage organ grinder collections and a daily glockenspiel show. More info here https://germanfest.com/

The Statics w/ Jinskie and Chicago’s Claw Toe @ Sabbatic, 8 p.m.

Looking back at the early to mid-1990s, when the young Statics were earning enthusiasm from record labels and fans as they delivered Billy Childish-inspired primitive kicks as part of the sizzling-hot Seattle music scene, Zach Hoppenrath says he sometimes feels like the universe played a cruel trick on him.

“It’s like the first band I ever started,” he says. “I barely knew how to play the guitar, barely knew how to do anything, and I did this stuff, and everyone was really excited about it. And then eventually it faded. It faded out, and I was never able to get there again. I’ve been chasing the dragon.”

Soul Asylum w/ Brett Newski & the Bad Inventions @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.

Beginning as Loud Fast Rules on legendary Twin/Tone Records, Soul Asylum made the jump to major label A&M with 1988’s Hang Time album. Four years later the song “Runaway Train” earned them a Grammy award. With vocalist-guitarist Dave Pirner still leading the band, Soul Asylum released its 13th album, Slowly but Shirley, a year ago.

Saturday, July 26

Ken Vandermark's Edition XL @ The Estate, 7 and 9:30 p.m.

No stranger to Milwaukee, Chicago’s Ken Vandermark (a 1999 MacArthur Fellow) collaborated with the late Mars Williams in NRG Ensemble with Vandermark replacing founder Hal Russell upon his death.

Edition XL is a new ensemble built on the foundation of Vandermark’s critically acclaimed band, Edition Redux, which has toured both the United States and Europe twice, was a featured in the Festival Internacional Jazz Madrid and Music Unlimited 38 festival in Wels, Austria in 2024.

Rehearsals began in February to prepare for this concert at The Jazz Estate, the first performance by Ken Vandermark's newest band.

Vandermark has created a completely new compositional system for this ensemble—it's not only modular but also has the ability to superimpose parts. This has created the possibility for each piece to stand alone, be collaged and/or stacked, giving an extraordinary number of permutations to the written material. In addition, all the musicians involved have extensive history with each other as improvisers, working together in many different configurations through the years.

Sparrow Blue w/ 5pm to Nowhere and Sushi Cowboy @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Canada’s Sparrow Blue developed a classic sound coining the term “Real Thick Rock & Roll.” With influences such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin and Mountain, the band's hard-rock music and high-energy performances deal in big riffs and driving grooves.

Milwaukee’s 5pm to Nowhere follows in the sonic footsteps of acts like Coldplay, Death Cab For Cutie and Young the Giant.

Sunday, July 27

Lucy Dacus w/ Jay Som @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.

Touring behind her recent album Forever Is a Feeling should be enough but singer-songwriter-guitarist Lucy Dacus “has announced she’s officially ordained in the United States and is offering to marry couples live on stage during her shows.

Also acclaimed as part of the trio boygenius, Dacus posted on social media saying she’d do it for free, knowing that sometimes people want to lock in those legal rights quickly for all sorts of reasons. Marriage info here https://www.lucydac.us/weddings/#/

Monday, July 28

Daikaiju w/ Primitivs, Fight Dice and Nasty Boys @ X-Ray Arcade, 7 p.m.

Daikaiju attacks an unsuspecting Cudahy. Here’s the details: Who is the Daikaiju??? Premium action heroes deliver most high rocket attack!!! Special reverb skill combo for full impact!!! Loud sonic boom for earful pleasure!!! Beautiful radiation of hyper-dimensional springy sound making divine psychic wind for your special defense!!!

Tuesday, July 29

Grocer w/ Blue Unit, Combat Naps and So Zuppy @ Cactus Club, 7 p.m.

Philly’s Grocer is led by three distinct vocalists, each with a unique voice both on and off their respective instruments, they flicker between moments of brash chromaticism, saccharine pop sensibility and rhythmic acrobatics. Milwaukee psychsters Blue Unit, Madison’s hooky and angular Combat Nap and the bedroom pop of So Zuppy (the solo project of producer Micah Foust) fill out the bill.

Wednesday, July 30

Soul Unplugged Downtown- Summer of Soul @ Peck Pavilion, 5 p.m.

Enjoy a night of '90s R&B and hip-hop, curated by Kwabena Antoine Nixon and presented by Culture x Design. This free event brings together live music, community and the sounds that shaped a generation. More info here culturexdesign.com/events

Rudy Love & The Encore w/ Panoptics @ Anodyne, 7 p.m.

Here’s a hit of indie soul from Wichita. Rudy Love & The Encore draw from influences like Sly and The Family Stone and Marvin Gaye. Milwaukee’s Panoptics open the evening with their roots rock sound