1 of 2
Comethazine
2 of 2
The Wailers
Break out the hand warmers because Mitten Fest is back—and with one of its best music lineups yet.
Thursday, Jan. 31
The Wailers
The Wailers @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.
The Wailers complemented Bob Marley’s reggae sound the same way that the J.B.s laid down the funk for James Brown, augmenting his voice with just the right groove and helping reggae’s most famous singer sell more than 250 million albums. After Marley’s death in 1981, the band carried on, releasing several studio albums, a slew of live albums and touring the world behind the hits that Marley made famous, including those collected in Marley’s hit posthumous compilation Legend. The band’s lineup has changed multiple times throughout the decades, but it’s always been anchored by original bassist Aston Barrett, who is currently joined by original guitarists Julian Junior Marvin and Donald Kinsey. They’re billing this show as Bob Marley’s birthday bash, ahead of what would have been the singer’s 74th birthday on Feb. 6.
Friday, Feb. 1
Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents the Dan Nimmer Trio @ Marcus Center, 7:30 p.m.
It didn’t take jazz pianist/composer Dan Nimmer long to make a name for himself. The Milwaukee native had barely finished studying music at Northern Illinois University before he was hired in 2005 by Wynton Marsalis to join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Wynton Marsalis Quintet. He continues to perform with both, but he’s also become a sought-after solo performer, releasing five albums on the Japanese label Venus. Over the years, he’s performed with artists as diverse as Willie Nelson, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Chick Corea, Tom Jones and Eric Clapton.
Chris D’Elia @ The Riverside Theater, 7 p.m.
Los Angeles comic Chris D’Elia has been seen on a variety of modestly watched or little-remembered sitcoms like “Whitney” and “Undateable,” but he’s clearly doing something right with his career. It’s a sign of how devoted his following is that his show originally scheduled for the Pabst Theater was relocated to the Riverside Theater due to demand. Some of that following could stem from D’Elia’s reoccurring role on ABC’s popular drama “The Good Doctor” during its first season, but most of it likely comes from the Internet, where videos of D’Elia’s stand-up sets and Comedy Central performances are widely shared.
|
|
Peeper & Le Play w/ Stormchaser and Stacian @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Milwaukee’s electronic music scene is a far bigger, weirder beast than most people realize. This bill spotlights one of the scene’s more eccentric acts. On their new cassette/album Club Frills Vol. 1, the duo Peeper & Le Play created a demented hodge-podge built around dance, children’s music, boogie and synthesizers. It’s a trip. They’re joined by Stormchaser, a Milwaukee/San Francisco act with an ear for blissful digital tones, and darkwave/minimalist synth composer Stacian, a Milwaukee native currently based out of Nashville.
Saturday, Feb. 2
Mitten Fest @ Burnhearts, noon
Winter may have come in like a lamb this year, but it’s revealed itself to be a very angry lion. That’s all the more reason to be thankful for Burnhearts’ annual Mitten Fest, the rare Milwaukee festival that invites us to make the most of a season that many of us dread. This year’s celebration of all things winter will feature an art and maker fair curated by Cortney Heimerl, a variety of drinks to warm up with (including Irish coffees, barrel old fashioneds, ginger brandy hot toddies and a variety of rare beers from Central Waters and Founders), and one of the event’s best music lineups yet. Headliners include Abby Jeanne, Vincent VanGREAT, Surgeons in Heat, Cashfire Sunset and Nickel&Rose. The event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishables, cash donations and new or gently used winter clothing for the Hunger Task Force (and hand warmers for themselves—you can never have enough hand warmers this time of year).
Ronnie Nyles w/ That’s What She Said @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
Milwaukee folk-rocker Ronnie Nyles has performed at festival stages all around the Midwest. She writes hard-fought songs about overcoming, but her secret weapon is her voice: a tough, smoky croon that’s earned her comparisons to belters like Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt and Melissa Etheridge. In November, Nyles released her most recent single, an Indigo Girls-esque inspirational ballad called “Fly.” Nyles is joined on this bill by That’s What She Said, a quartet of outspoken Milwaukee singer/songwriters, most of them staples at Milwaukee coffeeshops and open mics.
Monday, Feb. 4
Dancing with the Stars: Live! @ The Riverside Theater, 7:30 p.m.
The ongoing joke about ABC’s reliably popular reality series “Dancing with the Stars” is that it doesn’t feature any actual stars (most of the names of the series’ most recent 27th season would have been familiar only to the most addicted TV obsessive). Still, given the show’s name, it’s ironic that this live tour quite literally does away with the stars altogether. Instead, it features a cast of troupe dancers from the show, performing the kind of variety of ballroom and jazz dances that the show features. It’s a tacit admission that nobody’s really watching the show for the stars anyway.
Wednesday, Feb. 6
Comethazine
Comethazine w/ Matt Ox and TNT Tez @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.
20-year-old St. Louis rapper Comethazine began his career making lyrically minded rap in the vaguely throwback style of Joey Bada$$, only to find that it wasn’t gaining much traction. So he pivoted, turning instead to a wilder, more party-minded style of rap modeled after SoundCloud rappers like Lil Pump and Playboi Carti, while celebrating his love of lean. Since signing to Alamo Records in 2017, he’s scored viral singles, including “Deathwish” and “Piped Up.” He released his latest full-length BAW$KEE 2 in January.
