This Week in MKE Music: May 23-29, 2024

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Photo via Bones Owens - Facebook

Bones Owens

Bones Owens

Celebrate the unofficial start of summer on Memorial Day with Fox & Branch. Plenty of live music as Heirloom kicks off Jazz at the Vine, Caterwaul noise fest, Eric Jacobson Organ Trio, Eric Jacobson Organ Trio and the annual benefit Peace Through Music tribute to John Lennon and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, May 23

Heirloom @ Jazz at the Vine - Humboldt Park, 6 p.m.

Humboldt Park’s beer garden The Vine, kicks off the season’s live music with Heirloom. The eight-show series continues through the end of August. Here’s the lineup:

• May 31 – Bay View Jazz Fest
• June 13 – Garrett Waite Quartet
• June 27 – Paul Silbergleit Trio
• July 11 – Anne Davis Quartet (with Marquette University High School Jazz Quintet SANDWICH from 5 to 6 p.m.)
• July 25 – Neil Davis Quartet
• August 15 – Milwaukee Jazz Institute Night – Faculty and Youth Combos
• August 29 – Donna Woodall Group

Lords of Acid @ The Rave, 7:30 p.m.

Here’s everything your parents warned you about. From his first single, 1978’s “I Sit on Acid” to the present, Belgium’s Praga Khan remains one of the most innovative acid house musicians in circulation. Thanks to extensive experimentation with drugs, Crowley-ian sex magic, and esoteric paths of self-deprivation and mutilation known only to himself, this orgiastic orchestrator created the Lords of Acid to further encapsulate the seductive messages and raw sex of his ever-evolving musical vision. The group return for the “Make Acid Great Again Tour.”

Friday, May 24

Eric Jacobson Organ Trio @ Gibraltar Mke, 7 p.m.

Trumpeter Eric Jacobson teams up with Dan Chase on organ and David Bayles on drums for some jazz in the Third Ward. Perhaps Jacobson will play selections from his recently completed album Heading Home.

Caterwaul MKE @ Club Garibaldi, 6 p.m.

Seven merchants of noise headed for the Caterwaul Music Festival in Minneapolis make a stop in Milwaukee for a one-night festival of their own. Art Gray Noizz Quintet from NYC are led by Australian rock legend Stu Spasm (ex-Lubricated Goat and Beasts of Bourbon) and drummer Bloody Richard Hutchins (ex-Live Skull).  London’s Part Chimp, and Los Angeles’ CNTS bring noisy, experimental riffage.

Chicago’s Cougars provide the rock and roll sleaze, Louisville’s Isolation Tank Ensemble have been labeled “trash prog,” and Kalamazoo duo Bronson Arm are described as “your favorite post-hardcore band merged with quality noise rock.” Local troublemakers Primitive Broadcast Service can be blamed for this glorious night of caterwauling.

Saturday, May 25

North Warren — EP Release Show w/ Doubter, The Nile Club, and Okay Omen @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.

Recalling slowcore pioneers Codeine, Milwaukee’s North Warren is all about emotional lyrics and a raw, fuzzy bass sound—so it makes sense that they’ve had a number of songs produced by the late Steve Albini and take inspiration from the likes of Built to Spill and Harvey Danger.

Sunday, May 26

The Hungry Wiliams @ Ope! Brewing Co., 3 p.m.

Grab your dancing shoes, this is The Hungry Williams’ last Sunday show at Ope! until they resume in September. After this performance the greazy, groover will be moving on to summer stocked with swinging outdoor gigs.

Brainiac w/ Exit Angles and IfIHadAHiFi @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Dayton, Ohio gave the music world The Breeders and Guided By Voices, as well as 3RA1N1AC. Formed in 1992 the group was dealt a cruel blow when lead singer Tim Taylor died in a car crash five years later.

Last year the band released The Predator Nominate EP featuring never-before-heard demos. The mix of lo-fi and futurism recalls another great American group, Chrome.

The 23rd Annual “Peace Thru Music” - A John Lennon Tribute @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 7 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. Co-owner Marty Hacker organizes the event which corrals four hours of local acts including Sigmund Snopek, The Lennon Pipers, Mrs. Fun, John Sieger and more who reimagine (sorry) the songs John Lennon made famous with the Beatles and his solo career. Full lineup here https://linnemans.com/event/peace-thru-music-a-john-lennon-tribute-with-many-acts/

Monday, May 27

Fox & Branch @ Anodyne, 11 a.m.

Two decades and counting, Dave Fox and Will Branch have performed acoustic music in the Unted States, Canada and Ireland. This all-ages, family-friendly show kicks off at 11 a.m. and is a warm-up for a nearly 20-date run of concerts at public libraries that will circle back to the Bay View branch of the Milwaukee Public Library in mid-August.

Tuesday, May 28

Bones Owens @  Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

On his album Love Out of Lemons Bones Owens’ intentions are clear from the first bars of the opening title track; an irresistibly head-bobbing, outdoorsy strut that explores relationships from which love will never bloom, no matter how hard one or both parties try. “I was thinking of Eric Burdon or War as kind of the starting point for that song,” Owens recalled.

Wednesday, May 29

Convert w/ Dry Wedding and Highlonesome @ Cactus Club, 8 p.m.

Take a midweek breather with post-post-post punk juggernaut Convert. The Milwaukee band’s recent Unrestrained Remix EP reprised tracks from the band’s debut album as mixed by a corps of DJs. Nodding to record collector scum, the release included a limited edition of 25 cassette tapes, in addition to CD and digital. 

Dry Wedding has been compared to legendary outfits The Birthday Party, Swans, Wovenhand and Crime & the City Solution, while Highlonesome is described as “an almost uncategorizable sound of bluegrass/rockabilly/rock n roll & punk soaked in sorrow, loss and regret.” A quick tour of their Rock n Roll album suggest fans of Flat Duo Jets and The Gun Club might find something to gnaw on.