This Week in MKE Music: May 21-27, 2026

MSO Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling @ Milwaukee Central Library, ‘Under the Overpass’ Concert – D.R.I. w/ Deathwish and Primitives @ National DIY Skatepark, Fellow Kinsman – Break Room Album Release @ Cactus Club, the annual “Peace Thru Music—A John Lennon Tribute” @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, Graham Parker @ Shank Hall and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

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Thursday, May 21

The Power of Music An Evening with MSO Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling @ Centennial Hall - Milwaukee Central Library, 7 p.m.

Known for his warmth, artistry, and dynamic performances, MSO Principal Pops Conductor Byron Stripling will share stories from his career as a conductor, trumpet virtuoso, singer and actor in this free special event. More info here https://mpl.libnet.info/event/16312739

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Wire & Nail @ Jackalope Lounj 7 p.m.

Live music returns to the heart of the Third Ward with the Thursday series Lounj Acts at Jackalope Lounj, adjacent to The Wicked Hop. Milwaukee honky tonk, rock and roll Wire & Nail play the evening as a duo, before the full band begins a schedule that has them booked solid into September.

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Friday, May 22

‘Under the Overpass’ Concert – D.R.I. w/ Deathwish and Primitives @ National DIY Skatepark (801 W national Ave.), 6:30 p.m.

Recently Beer City Skateboards and Records turned 33 1/3 years old. That is no small feat for a small business dealing in a pair of underground niche markets. But it also goes to underscore the tenacity of the punk and skate scenes. This three-band bill kickstarts outdoor music in Milwaukee. “Under The Overpass” headliners D.R.I. alerted the world of their speed metal and thrash punk sound in 1982. They have released a handful of albums and singles on the Beer City label. Labelmates Deathwish brings motor-charged rock and roll and Primitivs round out the lineup.

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Brit Floyd: The Moon, The Wall & Beyond @ The Riverside Theater, also Saturday

Whatever your favorite era—vintage Syd, space jams, classic rock albums or Roger Waters’ biography- influenced projects—if you didn’t catch Pink Floyd in the flesh, Brit Floyd will get you as close as possible to the groundbreaking English group that emerged in the early daze of psychedelia and evolved into one of the biggest selling acts of the album era.

This show celebrates two of group’s albums: a full performance of The Dark Side of the Moon and cuts from The Wall including “Hey You,” “Comfortably Numb,” and “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2,” as well as songs from Wish You Were Here, The Division Bell and more.

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Saturday, May 23

Holey Mackerel Summer Kick-Off Music Festival @ 

Holey Mackerel Miniature Golf Course (5401 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield), 1 p.m.

Outdoor music season ramps up in Greenfield. Here’s a full day that is loud, sunny, and a little bit electric. DJ’s kick things off at 1 p.m. followed by Genau, Faded Places, TNGNT, Shrinestone, Cassini Echoes and closing with Hallelujah Ward. More info here facebook.com/photo?fbid=881496844964029&set=a.102624546184600

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Fellow Kinsman – Break Room Album Release @ Cactus Club, 5 p.m. w/ Ellie Jackson and 8:30 p.m. w/ Josh Evert

Celebrating the release of Break Room, Fellow Kinsman—led by Milwaukee’s Nate Kinsman, blends psych, surf, indie and alternative rock to create a genre of its own: “Land-Locked-Surf-Rock.” Opening the early show, Ellie Jackson, “delivers determined vulnerability and emotional exploration through guitars, stories, amplification and a careful balance of harmony and dissonance…[and] blurs the lines between poetry, literature, activism, music, comedy, conversation…”

Josh Evert has been part of The Fatty Acids, Jaill and Dinner Set Gang and worked as a music engineer at Silver City Studios. His 2025 release good infinite, was written, recorded, mixed, and mastered for the School of Songwriting course instructed by Brian Eno.

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John Sieger Combo @ The Asylum, 7 p.m.

This rescheduled house concert serves as an art show for John Sieger’s work and previews songs from The Combo’s upcoming album Swearing in Cursive.

More info here theasylummke.org/john-sieger-combo-the-rescheduled-show

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Sunday, May 24

“Peace Thru Music—A John Lennon Tribute” @  Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 2 p.m.

Since opening in 1993, Linneman’s Riverwest Inn has hosted many benefit performances. The annual “Peace Thru Music,” a John Lennon tribute, helps raise awareness for sensible gun laws. Proceeds go to Wisconsin Anti Violence Effort (WAVE) and the national Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

John Lennon was shot and killed in 1980. In 1981 a gunman attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan. In the attack White House Press Secretary Jim Brady suffered a bullet to the head and was left partially paralyzed. After the shooting Brady and his wife, Sarah focused on protecting others from gun violence.

Linneman’s co-owner Marty Hacker organizes the event which corrals four hours of local acts including Elephonic, Mrs. Fun, Mike Fredrickson, The Swivels, The Fainting Room and more who reimagine (sorry) the songs John Lennon made famous with the Beatles and his solo career. Full lineup here linnemans.com/event/peace-thru-music-a-john-lennon-tribute-w-many-acts-may-24-2026

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Paul Filipowicz Blues Band @ The Uptowner, 3:30 p.m.

Paul Filipowicz can recall when lightning struck: One night while cruising the dial Filipowicz pulled in a radio station out of Tulsa, OK. They played Wolf, Sonny Boy (II) and Muddy Waters back-to-back. That was his first exposure to blues. He first witnessed live blues in 1964 or ‘65, while waiting outside a club on Chicago’s South Side “It was boiling hot about 2 p.m. and these people were all dressed up and going into this air-conditioned club.” Otis Rush and his band were tearing it up right there in broad daylight.

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Graham Parker @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

If you have any interest in how music moved from songwriters of the 1960s through the punk revolution look no further than Graham Parker. Just don’t expect to slot him neatly into any of those categories. Since his 1976 debut album Howlin Wind, the English songwriter has been wearing his heart on his sleeve, deftly releasing music that spotlights both his songs and the talents of his collaborators.

Along with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson, Parker was lumped into the New Wave Class of 1977’s “angry young men.” Like his peers, Parker’s work was far deeper than any shorthand description. His acerbic songwriting was steeped in Van Morrison and Bob Dylan. Parker’s backing band, The Rumour, was an all-star lineup of U.K. pub rock veterans from such groups as Brinsley Schwarz and Ducks Deluxe, who could be heard as an energetic update on The Band.

Songs like “Howlin’ Wind” and “(Hey Lord) Don’t Ask Me Questions,” set Parker up as a performer to be reckoned with. His 1979 album Squeezing Out Sparks is a desert island-worthy listening experience. Parting ways with The Rumour, Parker took the solo route as well as collaborating with musical progeny, The Figgs, in a long and winding career that found his songwriting as engaging as ever. Unexpectedly, in 2012, Parker and The Rumour found themselves as characters in the film This Is 40 portraying themselves.

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Wednesday, May 27

Restraining Order w/ World I Hate, No Guard and Sex Scenes @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Here’s a midweek break with four hi-energy acts, Restraining Order travels from Western Massachusetts/Connecticut, No Guard treks from Springfield, Il. and Milwaukee’s World Hate and Sex Scenes all bring hardcore sounds.