This Week in MKE Music: May 14-20, 2026

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

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This Week in MKE Music

Triumph and April Wine, Phil Mazanera, a world record with Nordista Freeze, Luke Callens’ album release, Wisconsin Blues Hall of Fame Spring Induction Ceremony honors Kurt Koenig and Matt Liban, Satchel Paige and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, May 14

Triumph: The Rock & Roll Machine Reloaded Tour w/ April Wine @ Miller High Life Theatre, 8 p.m.

Here’s an evening with one-time staples of FM radio and arena rock. Canadian hard-rock power trio Triumph gained notoriety for virtuoso musicianship, soaring melodies and songs with a positive perspective. Live, vocalist-guitarist Rik Emmett, bassist-keyboardist Mike Levine and vocalist-drummer Gil Moore defined arena rock. Individually, Emmett, Levine, and Moore received countless accolades for their instrumental abilities.

Fellow Canadians April Wine formed in 1969 and peaked in the early ‘80s with hits “I Like to Rock,” “Sign of the Gypsy Queen” and “Just Between You and Me.”

Martini Jazz Lounge: Sweet Sheiks @ Transfer Pizzeria Café, 6:30 p.m.

Sweet Sheiks bring their swingin’sounds, presenting New Orleans jazz and popular music of the 1920’s and ‘30s. Their music fits beautifully in this space, which, in that era, was known as Transfer Pharmacy. Sweet Sheiks is Jen Lauren on vocals, guitar and musical saw, Aaron Johnson on tuba, Patrick Brenner on banjo and Jay Allison on trombone.

Artemis @ Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 7:30 p.m.

Artemis is the all-female ensemble of instrumental jazz virtuosos, founded by renowned pianist and composer Renee Rosnes. Named for the Greek goddess of the hunt, the multinational, multigenerational group features Renee Rosnes (piano), Ingrid Jensen (trumpet), Nicole Glover (tenor saxophone), Noriko Ueda (bass) and Allison Miller (drums). 

Their latest album, Arboresque (Blue Note), showcases the group’s evolving artistry; they were honored as #1 Group of the Year in the DownBeat Readers Poll two years in a row.

Friday, May 15

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Ossuary / Dead Void / Diabolic Oath / Cryptual @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Spring has sprung; flower gardens have begun bearing swatches of color after another long winter. Here’s a chance to celebrate the season with a quartet of acts. Madison’s Ossuary brings dense, dark death metal; Denmark’s (as in Copenhagen) Dead Void brings intense death/doom metal; Diabolic Oath travels from the Pacific Northwest bearing gifts of black/death metal and Milwaukee’s own Cryptual serves up local death metal.

Luke Callen Album Release w/ Dandy Freling @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 8 p.m.

Luke Callen latest album Fool’s Spring was recorded in a small cabin in Northern Wisconsin by Milwaukee’s Will Hansen (Old Pup). It features three improvised instrumental pieces, field recordings of birds in Arkansas, Missouri and Wisconsin, and topical, personal and tongue in cheek songwriting. Musically the record incorporates ethereal fingerstyle and Travis style fingerpicking, accompanied by pedal steel.

Armed with a brand-new used van, troubadour Dandy Freling channels the raw spirit of traditional American folk and country, weaving it together with her own down-home storytelling and rough-hewn charm.

Saturday, May 16

Wisconsin Blues Hall of Fame Spring Induction Ceremony and Fundraiser @ Club Garibaldi's, 7 p.m.

Here is an evening celebrating the power, passion and soul of the blues harmonica, featuring all-star lineup of harmonica masters: Big Al Dorn, Benny Rickun, Jay Edwards and “Blue” Rick Gerek—backed one of Wisconsin’s most respected blues guitarists, Paul Stilin, known for his smooth, expressive tone and deep command of traditional and modern blues styles.

The evening will also include the induction of 2026 Hall of Fame honorees, bassist Kurt Koenig and drummer Matt Liban, recognizing their outstanding contributions to blues music.

In addition to the music, guests can participate in a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle, with proceeds supporting the mission of the Wisconsin Blues Music Hall of Fame.

Hyperbolic w/ Bowvee @ Anodyne Coffee Roastery, 7:30 p.m.

Milwaukee alt-rock trio Hyperbolic is long-time friends Luke Murray (guitar and vocals) with Solomon Koppa (bass) and Teddy Keppler (drums). All about good vibes and catchy riffs, with a sound that’s equal parts playful and impactful, they blend punchy guitars and infectious rhythms.

Colombian American indie pop outfit Bowvee is the creation of 20-year-old Nick Bove. The 2025 album Pumpkin Pie was a pivot towards a more raw and honest sound. The EP Triple Threat jangles with “Diamonds,” wobbles with “Weighted” and looks inward with “Satellite.”

Satchel Paige w/ Ruthie McQuinn & Nick Lang @ Café Carpe, 8:30 p.m.

Satchel Paige has been playing at Café Carpe for 41 years. Catalyzed into songwriting by Kurt Cobain’s spirit after a decade within the walls of this folk haven, Satchel’s influences are many and eclectic. Satchel has lived among performing songwriters for over 40 years. Ruthie Mcquinn (Krause Family Band, the Ramblin’ Kind, Slipjig, the Pretenders) on vocals and violin and Nick Lang (Long Mama) on drums will be picking up what he’s putting down. 

Sunday, May 17

Nordista Freeze @ Sugar Maple, 2 p.m.

Frogwater, 4 p.m.

Ever want to be part of a world record? Nashville indie artist Nordista Freeze has taken to the road and is aiming to play all 50 states in 30 days. If all goes according to plan, this show will be Day 15 and Show #22, with #23 scheduled for Illinois later in the day.

Stick around for the acoustic sounds of Frogwater. The long-running duo dash from Celtic to Delta blues, from classical to pop, with a healthy dose of unique original material. Weather permitting, they’ll be playing outside in the beer garden.

Celebrating Life Through Death Final North American Tour 2026 - Sepultura w/ Cradle Of Filth, Exodus, Biohazard, Suffocation, Ghost Bath, Cultus Black and Tribal Gaze @ The Rave, 2:35 p.m.

After four decades Sepultura has become one of the most influential metal bands of our time, serving as Brazil's emissary to the rest of the world. The band hailing from Belo Horizonte has once again spread the colors and rhythms of Brazil worldwide. However, in late 2023, they announced their plan to unite their forces for one final, powerful farewell tour, bidding adieu to a forty-year career.

For this final journey, Sepultura has enlisted the prodigious 23-year-old American virtuoso, Greyson Nekrutman, as their new drummer. Their journey has not reached its final end, and their Farewell Tour will see them celebrate their legacy on several continents until 2026.

WNBA Watch Party: Indiana vs. Seattle - Ellie Jackson Halftime Show @ Cactus Club, 5 p.m.

The 2026 WNBA season is underway. And to take a page from the Green Bay Packers halftime shows at Cactus Club, Ellie Jackson take the stage when the screen goes up.

Monday, May 18

Searows w/ Jordan Patterson @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.

The album Death in the Business of Whaling by Alec Duckart, a.k.a. Searows, is an evolution from the indie-folk of Duckart's earlier releases. Whaling steers toward the megalithic expanses of shoegaze, drone and Undersea-era Antlers, folding an array of new sounds into Searows’ organic palette. It has been described as “an arresting document of a young artist coming into his own, and a probing meditation on life, death, embodiment, and the tangled threads that connect all three.”

The title of the album comes from Herman Mellville’s Moby-Dick. “I started letting myself write about whatever I was interested in without worrying about whether it conveyed something personal in an obvious way,” he says. His songs found their anchors in recurring images: the unknowable vastness of the ocean, the biblical Leviathan, Jonah lost in the belly of the whale.

Tuesday, May 19

An Evening with Roxy Music’s Phil Manzanera: In Conversation with Steve Palec @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Phil Manzanera joined Roxy Music in 1971. That may be how most listeners know the British guitarist but his wide-ranging discography includes work with 801, Steve Winwood, David Gilmour, John Cale, Godley & Creme, Nico, John Wetton, Brian Eno, Tim Finn and Robert Wyatt.

Wednesday, May 20

Songburg Writers’ Circle @ Cedarburg Cultural Center, 7 p.m.

Come learn, share and grow as a songwriter in a safe and supportive environment. Guidelines for the Songburg Writers’ Circle: Bring your ideas and be prepared to share with the group. Respect each other, respect songs, genre and type of writing. Offer constructive observations, opinions and thoughts. Participate in a way that allows the group to be a safe zone for others to develop as creative people.