This Week in MKE Music: June 5-11, 2025

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

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Pridefest, Pride Parade and Pride Metal Fest, Return of the Turf skatepark, Obscure Birds CD release, Robyn Hitchcock, Puerto Rican jazz with Charlie Sepúlveda, Vinnie Appice and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, June 5

PrideFest Milwaukee @ Henry W. Maier Festival Park (Summerfest Grounds), through Sunday

PrideFest 2025; thanks to loyal corporate sponsors and a dedicated production team, the show goes on. Milwaukee's PrideFest returns in 2025 as nationwide Pride events are falling short on funding goals as major sponsors fall in line with Trump's anti-DEI policy.

Wes Shaver, president and CEO of Milwaukee Pride Inc., producer of PrideFest, spoke about the event here.

Friday, June 6

Wear Orange Weekend 2025 @ Safe & Sound (4422 W. Leon Terrace), also Saturday

In 2013, teenagers in Chicago asked classmates to honor their murdered friend, Hadiya Pendleton, by wearing orange. That simple action has grown into National Gun Violence Awareness Day. This year Milwaukee will host two days of events. Friday’s schedule includes: End Gun Violence Banner & Say Their Names Flag Display (4 p.m.), Enough Play (6 p.m.) and Art Heals Workshop (Free for youth ages 12–18, 6 p.m.) Saturday’s schedule includes: Youth-led press conference with Mayor Cavalier Johnson (9 a.m.), Gun Violence Prevention Resource Fair (9 a.m.) and Survivors Healing Workshop - Free well-being activities for adults—yoga, sound bath, breathwork (1 p.m.).

Robyn Hitchcock @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.

In 1976 the Soft Boys skewed sound was informed by Captain Beefheart, and like certain bands born unto obscurity, they left an influential mark. Post-Soft Boys, British songwriter Robyn Hitchcock was certainly marked by Syd Barrett, but over the years his albums, both solo and with The Egyptians, dug into college and alternative music scenes in America. His cult following has allowed a career of imaginative songwriting to flower again and again.

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Hitchcock talked with Shepherd Express about his book 1967: How I Got There and Why I Never Left. “The book is simply about me turning 14 in a sort of esoteric British boarding school,” Hitchcock says, “and all the various characters that surround me, a lot of whom are very much what Americans think Brits are, you know, sort of eccentric perverts and lonely old maids and sort of mad colonels and all the rest of it, coupled up with some very bright kids who run into and befriend a young Brian Eno, who is a student at the local art school. So, we experience the sort of Eno, the Eno mindset before the rest of the world does. And this all happened in ‘67.”

Saturday, June 7

Rebirth of the Turf – Re-dedication of the Turf Skatepark (4267 W. Loomis Rd.), 11:15 a.m.

What began as an idea and a petition has turned into the phoenix-like rebirth of the Turf Skatepark. The Turf website has the back story. Entrepreneurs were quick to capitalize on the skateboarding craze by building private skateparks all over the country. Jerry Steuernagel opened The Turf in Greenfield in 1979. Originally named the Surf-N-Turf, it was designed by California architect Art Kent. It was unique in that it was one of the few places in which the swimming pool-like bowls were enclosed inside a building. This allowed for year-round skating. In 1987, the park was rebranded simply as the Turf; in 1996, the building was eventually demolished, and the bowls were filled with gravel and covered with soil.

In 2010, while digging to construct the off ramp, contractors exposed a corner of one of the bowls. News of the discovery quickly spread through the skateboarding community. People who had spent years of their youth skating the Turf rushed to the site. Using hand shovels and buckets they dug out tons of gravel from the bowls.

Charlie Sepúlveda & The Turnaround with guest Grammy winner Brian Lynch @ Saint Kate Hotel, 8 p.m.

The Milwaukee Jazz Institute presents a rare and unique celebration of the Puerto Rican roots of Latin jazz by one of the music’s celebrated figures, Charlie Sepúlveda and his sextet, The Turnaround, with special guests. Sepúlveda has collaborated with Eddie Palmieri, Dizzy Gillespie and Tito Puente.

Currently serving as the musical director for Jazz at Lincoln Center in Puerto Rico and professor at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, Sepúlveda’s appearance in Milwaukee represents a special cultural moment that should not be missed. His latest recordings on HighNote Records showcase his unique ability to bridge traditional Latin rhythms with cutting-edge jazz innovation.

Video Sex Priest w/ Chrystal Gales @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 8 p.m.

Decades ago, Video Sex Priest’s Liv Mueller and Bill Backes collaborated in the Lovelies and Chrystal Gales’ Steve Ziel fronted the Blackfish and Pet Engine. How do musicians ease into middle age? Do they take the graceful route or rage against the ultimately dying light? In Mueller’s case she’s remained restless as ever with solo releases that are top shelf blends of torch/country/gothic songs. Backes’ discography reaches back to Little Blue Crunchy Things, a band that packed local clubs and more recently drummed with Testa Rosa.

Obscure Birds album release w/Kilbourn and The Night Painters @ Club Garibaldi’s, 7 p.m.

A rara avis by any name, Milwaukee’s Obscure Birds formed in 2017 to play brunchtime gigs, alternating between gospel and debauchery. Primary songwriter Paul Rickert has penned nearly 100 songs, exploring a wide range of genres. The new album Hatch is a culmination of their favorite compositions, reflecting their growth as musicians. Hatch is being released in two versions: an immersive version which includes the full recorded versions of the songs that plays seamlessly flowing from one song to the next. There will also be a “singles version” that will be available on all major streaming platforms. This show finds the band in the midst of a five-date, whirlwind June tour of Milwaukee.

Sunday, June 8

Milwaukee Pride Parade @ 2nd Street in Walker’s Point between Scott Street & Seeboth Street, 2 p.m.

The Milwaukee Pride Parade was founded in 2005 and has been in continuous operation since with the mission to provide a family fun oriented celebration of LGBT Pride for the citizens of Southeast Wisconsin and Milwaukee. 

This year’s theme is: Remember, Resist, Rejoice.

Celebrating our 21 years, he parade will convey the theme in any way that feels appropriate: celebrating a famous event in Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ history, celebrating the 21st anniversary, or showing what the future as a community can look like!

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Milwaukee Pride Metal Fest @ X-Ray Arcade, 2 p.m.

The weekend’s Pride celebration includes Cudahy with this nine band one-day festival. Still Stayer: Milwaukee’s own ambient groove metal. All heart, no brakes. Errors Of Humanity: slamming Wisconsin deathcore, Surefire: Milwaukee deathcore. Twisted Truth: Milwaukee hardcore. Solshade: Madison metalcore. Vacant Voice: Metalcore from Racine. Trash Pandas: alt rock from the Fox Valley. Mubus: post-hardcore, Midwest-emo, and metalcore. Silence In Numbers: A collective of different frequencies working cohesively.

Monday, June 9

Johnny Manchild & The Poor Bastards w/ Fake Shark and Paper Valley @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Oklahoma City’s Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards is an American multi-genre, unique conundrum of jazz idioms, grunge, alt-rock, world music and funk. Fake Shark is an eccentric indie garage rock band that seamlessly blends classic punk and new wave. Milwaukee’s Paper Valley rounds out the bill.

Tuesday, June 10

Chill on the Hill – The Haggardlys w/ The WhiskeyBelles, 6:30 p.m.

Mother Nature had other plans last week when Chill on the Hill was scheduled to open the 2025 season. Here’s a re-start. The Haggardlys include members from Lack of Reason, M545, Honkytonkitis and Doghouse Flowers. Since 2011 The WhiskeyBelles have played cruise ships, outdoor festivals and seem to be everywhere except Lambeau Field. Wait, check that…

See the full Chill on the Hill schedule here https://bayviewneighborhood.org/

Wednesday, June 11

Heart(beats) of the City – Listening Party @ Red Arrow Park, 11:30 a.m.

The Milwaukee-based band Listening Party’s folk and Americana-steeped sound expertly and reverently takes the pulse and traditions of their genre while adding their own charm. Pounding the pavement for over 120 shows a year throughout Wisconsin and the Midwest has led them to a road-tested live performance. The lunchtime concert and food truck series continues through August 27 milwaukeedowntown.com/bid-basics/community-projects/heartbeats-city

Vinny Appice's Sabbath Knights @ Shank Hall 8 p.m.

Vinny Appice's powerful drumming is marked by his musical contributions and drumming career with: Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio, Heaven & Hell, Last In Line, Rick Derringer, John Lennon, and more. Appice’s ultimate Black Sabbath /Dio show, Sabbath Knights, will perform classic hits From Black Sabbath and Dio, along with some rare fan favorites.