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The Toasters
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Andrew McMahon
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Jon Lovette
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Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein
KISS
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Spamalot
KISS returns for one last Milwaukee show and Pavement’s Bob Nastanovich DJs at High Dive.
Friday, March 1
Photo credit: Jen Rosenstein
KISS
KISS @ Fiserv Forum, 7:30 p.m.
With their face paint, flamboyant outfits and flaming guitars, KISS branded themselves as the most theatrical rockers of the 1970s. Following a string of moderately successful records, the risky double-live album Alive! brought the band the massive commercial breakthrough they had been seeking all along, and the KISS franchise has been running strong ever since (though many fans prefer to forget the period in the ’80s when the band abandoned their signature makeup). Founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss left the band early last decade, but Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons carried their own on the group’s newest records, 2009’s Sonic Boom and 2012’s Monster, both of which sounded like music they could have recorded during the group’s ’70s heyday. They bill their current “One Last Kiss: End of the Road” tour as their final goodbye, though given that they launched their first “farewell” tour nearly 20 years ago, fans could be forgiven for wondering whether this is truly the end.
Palm Tree Island Pop Up Shop @ Snack Boys, 9 p.m.
Milwaukee clothing designer Lou Cabana will showcase his latest collection at this pop-up shop at the Walker’s Point bar Snack Boys. Cabana’s Palm Tree Island line draws from the bright, tropical aesthetic of Miami, and that festive, tropical vibe will be underscored by the night’s DJs, Mikey Fa$t Life and Miguel Corazon, who will be spinning from 9 to close. Examples of Cabana’s designs can be found at instagram.com/loucabana.
DJ Pauly D @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio wasn’t the breakout star of MTV’s “Jersey Shore”—that honor went to his girl-chasing housemate The Situation—but he was the first cast member to receive his own spinoff. “The Pauly D Project” followed his attempts to launch a career as a DJ. While Pauly D might not be the most respected DJ of his time, his celebrity has helped ensure he draws respectable crowds at his shows. He’s done an impressive job stretching out his 15 minutes of fame: He’s appeared on a variety of E! network reality shows, and last year reunited with the “Jersey Shore” gang for the spinoff “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation.”
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Saturday, March 2
Spamalot
Spamalot @ Miller High Life Theatre, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Though it features many of the most memorable set pieces from the film—violent rabbits and rude French stereotypes among them—Eric Idle’s musical adaptation of the cult classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail has a zany energy that’s all its own, with a variety of musical numbers that satirize Broadway conventions. A touring production of this Tony Award-winning musical stops in Milwaukee for two performances at the Miller High Life Theatre.
Spin Down on Bourbon Street DJ Battle and Dance Party @ The Cooperage, 7:30 p.m.
Every summer PrideFest hosts one of the city’s biggest dance parties at its enormous dance pavilion. At this event, female and non-binary artists will compete for a chance to perform at that coveted stage. Ricky Royale hosts this DJ battle and dance party, which will feature a performance from the Extra Crispy Brass Band and a set from last year’s champion DJ Dripsweat. Tickets are $15 or $25 per couple.
Celtic Nights: Oceans of Hope @ South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, 7:30 p.m.
“Celtic Nights: Oceans of Hope” tells the story of the Irish immigrant experience through a combination of music, dance and narration, with six dancers and six singers. “There will be moments of joy, sadness, happiness and laughter as patrons embark on a memorable journey of past, present and future,” a press release promises. Tickets are $35-$50, with discounts available for seniors and students.
Sunday, March 3
Jon Lovette
Lovett or Leave It @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
After the sting of Donald Trump’s 2016 electoral victory, plenty of left-leaning political junkies found solace in the Crooked Media podcast Pod Save America, a good-humored voice of the resistance. One of that podcast’s hosts is Jon Lovett, a former speech writer for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton who also hosts his own, even less formal show, Lovett or Leave It, a panel discussion about politics featuring a variety of guest journalists and comedians. Like all great comedy podcasts, it’s highly tangential, featuring a mix of games, music and serious discussion.
Tuesday, March 5
DJ Need a Stack w/ Lucy Arnell, Odd Pets and Andi Action @ High Dive, 9 p.m.
Los Angeles indie rocker Lucy Arnell, Des Moines garage-rockers Odd Pets and Milwaukee oddity Andi Action are all reason enough to check out this free bill on their own, but it’s a safe bet much of the crowd will be on hand for the night’s DJ: DJ Need A Stack, the alias of Bob Nastanovich from Pavement and the Silver Jews. Nastanovich might not have been the driving creative force behind Pavement, but he was the band’s most outgoing, approachable member—the guy who always seemed happiest to be on stage, and the one who always seemed most into new music, so it’ll be interesting to hear what’s been catching his ear lately.
Andrew McMahon
Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness w/ Grizfolk and Flor @ The Pabst Theater, 7 p.m.
Andrew McMahon built up a large fanbase as the leader of the California pop-punk band Something Corporate, and he carried most of them over with him when he explored a softer sound with his piano-pop project Jack’s Mannequin. And then, in 2014, his career entered its third stage when he released the self-titled debut of his current project, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, an outlet for his exploratory indie pop. In November the group released its third album, Upside Down Flowers, which was recorded with Weezer and Panic! at the Disco producer Butch Walker.
Wednesday, March 6
The Toasters
The Toasters @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
No band has charted the history of American ska music quite as cleanly as The Toasters. Founded in New York in 1981, shortly after two-tone ska made its way to America from the U.K., the band helped pave the way for the third-wave ska boom of the ’90s, founding one of the most prolific American ska labels, Moon Ska, which released records by The Pietasters, The Slackers, Hepcat and countless other major ska acts of the era. After the ska bubble burst in the late ’90s that label went bankrupt, but The Toasters survived. Dozens of members have come and gone over the years, but the group is still led by founding member Robert “Bucket” Hingley.
