This Week in MKE Music: Sept. 12-18, 2024

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

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Rise & Thrive Benefit Concert Featuring Chris Porterfield, legends Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Melissa Carper aka “HillBillie Holiday,” Thiensville sings the blues, Buena Vista revisited, Sound and Vision at Mount Mary and more—This Week in Milwaukee Music!

Thursday, Sept. 12

Rise & Thrive Benefit Concert Featuring Chris Porterfield w/ Darren Garvey @ The Cooperage, 6 p.m.

LOTUS Legal Clinic teams up with Chris Porterfield for this benefit that features the new album Trust in Movements Made. Porterfield collaborated with five survivor-writers who created poems that explore their experiences of joy, resilience, and renewal in the aftermath of sexual trauma. From intimate conversations and close readings, Porterfield created original music in response to and inspired by their poetry, implementing their words as lyrics, and composing melodies and arrangements that best hold and honor those words and voices.

Dave Alvin & Jimmie Dale Gilmore with The Guilty Ones w/ Dead Rock West @ Vivarium, 8 p.m.

With The Blasters and The Flatlanders, Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore made their marks before Americana was coined a genre. The writers both offer distinct voices and perspectives in cinematic lyrics and short stories masquerading as songs. As a guitar player, Alvin moves easily from Otis Rush-inspired conflagrations to fingerpicking. As a vocalist Gilmore’s yearning has been described as a “voice that would even make Hank Williams cry.” The duo recently released their second album as collaborators. Texicali is stacked with co-writes, tributes and select cover tunes. 

As for the Milwaukee show, “We’re going to be doing a lot of the new album and a good chunk of the first album we did,” Alvin said (shepherdexpress.com/music/music-feature/dave-alvin-and-jimmie-dale-gilmores-musical-mutual-admirati).

“And then (we’ll do) a couple of Flatlanders songs, a couple of Blasters songs and a couple of songs from here and there. They can also expect the unexpected. We hope they’re capable of following either Jimmie or I down some strange dark alleys.”

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Friday, Sept. 13

4th Annual Best Dam Blues Festival @ Thiensville Village Park, also Saturday

Two days of music food and beverages, this fest benefits Thiensville Village Park Re-Imagined, Thiensville Volunteer Fire Department, Wisconsin Blues Hall of Fame & Downtown Thiensville Business Association.  The musical lineup includes Mud Morganfield (son of Muddy), The Jay Stulo Band, Matthew Skoller and The Chicago Wind featuring Precious Taylor, Aaron Williams, The Hoodoo and The Hungry Williams and more. Info here: facebook.com/events/1041657553574363.

Saturday, Sept. 14

Sound and Vision @ Stiemke Hall - Mount Mary University, 6 p.m.

Mount Mary Art Therapy Department presents a program of ambient and drone music. Rooted in minimalist approaches to musical composition, using repetition and space to create sonic landscapes and dream like spaces, Lorna Dune, Nicholas Elert, Wandering Nerve, and Wavefiler will perform live sets of electronic, experimental, sound collage, and minimalist music in the Harry Potter-like Steimke Hall.

Attendees will be able to learn more about art therapy and expressive therapies, experience the magic of community art-making, and listen to live ambient music.  No artistic skill is required; attendees can create whatever they feel or want. Take in the creative vibes! The MMU art therapy program will provide basic art materials (paper, oil pastels, colored pencils, and watercolor paints). Attendees may also bring additional materials of their own. Please note that all materials must be non-toxic and relatively odorless and that oil paint is prohibited. All attendees are responsible for storing and maintaining their artwork. 

RSVP here: Sound and Vision.

Buena Vista Social Orchestra @ Pabst Theater, 7 p.m.

The Buena Vista Social Club project spawned an album, a documentary and a tour for a collection of Cuban master musicians. The legacy continues with the Buena Vista Social Club. Jesus “Aguaje” Ramos is a Cuban trombonist, composer, arranger and musical director. He is best known as the original orchestra leader, composer and trombonist of The Buena Vista Social Club. He has also served long stints in world class ensembles Estrellas de Areito and Afro-Cuban Allstars

The Buena Vista Social Orchestra, under the direction of Ramos and featuring key players from throughout the history of The Buena Vista Social Club, continues the legacy of the legendary group. Ramos is joined on this inaugural tour by an all-star ensemble including original BVSC members “Betun” Luis Mariano Valiente Marin (congas, bongo), Emilio Senon Morales Ruiz (piano) and Fabían Garcia (bass).

Bad Ass Music Festival @  Kochanski's Concertina Beer Hall, noon

Hopefully, BAM Fest becomes an annual event. For now, settle in—this is gonna go on for a while. Thick Needles open the day and Kilbourn finishes up. In between six other bands, including Cat Call Killers and Night Sugar, will take the stage for a one-day festival, complete with food trucks. 

Sarah Morris, Molly Maher, Dandy L. Freling and Derek Pritzl: In the Round @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn

An evening of songwriters battling for the border? Critically acclaimed Minnesotans Sarah Morris and Molly Maher will trade songs with a pair of locals. Dandy L. Freling traffics in freewheeling, foot stomping character-driven songs. With his group The Gamble and solo, Derek Pritzl’s songs are built on his rolling, fingerpicked guitar and lyrics that need only a few lines to set a scene.

Hello, Face w/ Redshift Headlights @ Club Garibaldi, 7 p.m.

Time was, the map from Fond du Lac to Green Bay was nearly a wasteland for original music. Thankfully times have changed, and the Fox River Valley is lousy with bands of all scope plying their trade.

Redshift Headlights (who thoughtfully titled their 2018 album Oshkosh) recently released If You Are Around Still, a nine-song album that was recorded in March of 2024. The band worked with Steve Albini, who would pass away in early May.

Here in early September the timing of the release couldn’t be more perfect, with mood-music “Summertime” magically synched with these waning days of the season. “This Feeling All the Time” might offer refracted a hint of the of the Beatles before the raging RH kicks in. The title cut, with all its muted ebullience carries a bit of the DNA that moved from Gang of Four through Mission of Burma.

And let’s raise a toast to Steve Albini, whose sonic fingerprints are all over If You Are Around Still. And by sonic fingerprints we mean his lack of presence; his long-stated m.o. was to simply capture and document a band as best as his gear would allow. This album is a prime example.

Hello, Face recently returned after a decade break with the new album Why the Long Phase: shepherdexpress.com/music/local-music/hello-face-returns-with-a-new-album.

Sunday, Sept. 15

Argren Faire @ Black Husky Brewing, 11:30 a.m.

Riverwest Ren Faire is based on Spirit Song Saga from the mythical World of Argren. Fantasy authors, cos-players, performers and all manner of quizzical folks are welcome. Events include a medieval drag parade, Deeplight LARP combat ring, Feats of Strength, a beer brewed for the event, food vendors and more.

Melissa Carper w/Meg and the Wheelers @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

Melissa Carper aka “HillBillie Holiday,” deep, old-timey music roots were firmly planted as a child, playing upright bass and singing in her family's traveling country band in rural Nebraska. Her love of country classics was cultivated as she laid beneath the console listening to her parents' record collection.

Like much of her writing, the song “Borned in Ya” applies a homespun sensibility—and a bit of humor—to questions about life’s journeys. “I was turning over in my mind what it means to have something ‘borned in ya’,” she said. “The song evolved as I was writing it to be more about having your soul “borned it ya,” and the more life experience you have, you hopefully grow to embody the highest version of yourself that you can be.”

Monday, Sept. 16

Public Opinion w/ No Guard, Demo Division, Jagged, Drive Like I Do @ Cactus Club, 6 p.m.

The Basement Collective & X-Ray Arcade present an evening of punk and hardcore music. This all-ages show offers five bands from Denver, Springfield (as in Illinoise), Chicago, Madison and Milwaukee.

Tuesday, Sept. 17

esperanza spalding @ Marcus Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.

Emphasizing simplicity and intimacy of her voice, bass and songs, in this special configuration of two musicians and two dancers, esperanza spalding performs songs from all eight of her previous albums, songs from current releases, plus a special preview of her forthcoming project.

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Dulce w/ Bad Roommate, Bowvee, Phasing @ X-Ray Arcade, 6 p.m.

Here is a midweek bill of indie-pop-emo sounds; Chicago’s Dulce leads the charge with a trio of Milwaukee acts.