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Black Milk
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Esmé Patterson
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Photo credit: Shawn Brackbill
The War on Drugs
Friday, July 20
Festa Italiana @ Summerfest Grounds
One of the first of Milwaukee’s major ethnic festivals, Festa Italiana originated to reunite an Italian community separated by urban development projects. Now the largest Italian festival in the country, it unites many communities in the celebration of Italian culture. Performers this year include comedians Carmen Vallone and Vince Carone, Anita’s Dance Company, Italian Dance Group of Milwaukee, the Tom Sorce Band and the Festa Italian Marching Band. That’s in addition to parades, fireworks (some of the largest of any Milwaukee festival) and the annual “Italian Idol” singing competition. (Through Sunday, July 22.)
Esmé Patterson
Esmé Patterson w/ Abby Jeanne @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Esmé Patterson is the kind of performer who makes it feel like every other country singer is doing it wrong. A veteran of the indie-folk ensemble Paper Bird, the Colorado singer specializes in particularly ebullient style of Americana—all rollicking electric riffs, forward hooks and cheery, jumpy vocals. Even the weepy numbers on her memorable 2016 solo effort, We Were Wild, have an uplifting energy to them. In 2016, she also released a 7-inch split with fellow troubadour William Elliott Whitmore.
Saturday, July 21
Sylvan Esso w/ Collections of Colonies of Bees @ The Pabst Theater, 7 p.m.
For much of the ’00s, Nick Sanborn was one of the more prolific contributors to the Milwaukee music scene, playing in bands like Decibully and Collections of Colonies of Bees while producing electronic music under the moniker Made of Oak. But it wasn’t until Sanborn left Milwaukee for North Carolina that he found success on the national level with Sylvan Esso, his collaboration with Amelia Meath, formerly of the folk trio Mountain Man. Together the two make wily, vibrant electronic pop that zigs and zags in continually creative new ways. More politically charged than the band’s 2014 self-titled debut but every bit as fun, the duo’s 2017 sophomore album, What Now, was nominated for a Best Dance/Electronic Album Grammy. The duo shares a pair of sold-out shows at the Pabst Theater this weekend with Sanborn’s former band Collections of Colonies of Bees, which has a new lineup and a wonderful new album, HAWAII, which they just released this month on Polyvinyl. (Also Sunday, July 22.)
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Black Milk
Black Milk and Nat Turner Band w/ CRASHprez and Zed Kenzo @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Consider this bill a celebration of Midwest hip-hop: Three masterful artists from three different cities with three very distinct visions. Black Milk, who will be performing with the Nat Turner Band, is a Detroit veteran who’s collaborated with neighbors like Jack White, Slum Village and Danny Brown, but he saves his best for his own albums, which are soulful, political and unapologetically exploratory, often drawing inspiration from electronic music. Milwaukee Zed Kenzo’s take on hip-hop is weirder and wilder, a witchy hip-hop/trap hybrid with a pitch-black sense of humor. Minneapolis’s magnificent CRASHprez, meanwhile, channels political rage into bombastic, flame-throwing, fascist-punching poetry. Milwaukee’s Dope Folk DJs will spin between sets at this show.
Milwaukee Air & Water Show, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
If they insist on doing this thing every year they should at least pass out complementary paper bags for Downtown workers to breathe into as weapons of war scream through the sky. Milwaukee’s loudest, most stressful summer tradition returns for another two days of zipping, zooming, roaring military and competitive aircraft displays that will give dogs panic attacks and force East Siders to close their windows despite the summer heat. For those who somehow enjoy this noise pollution, free viewing is available at Bradford Beach; reserved seating is available at McKinley Park.
Sunday, July 22
Drop The Needle Fundraiser @ Radio Milwaukee, 1-5 p.m.
Once again a huge cast of area DJs, musicians and artists will assemble for the second annual Drop The Needle fundraiser to promote awareness and understanding of drug and alcohol addiction and combat the opioid epidemic. The $10 donation includes catered food and beverages for our guests and live music. There will also be information tables and a raffle with prizes including Bucks tickets, Admirals tickets and gift baskets from Milwaukee businesses. All proceeds will be donated directly to Stop Heroin Now and The Guest House of Milwaukee.
AlleyWayz: Nickel & Rose @ Black Cat Alley, 8 p.m.
In conjunction with some vibrant new pieces, the East Side’s only alley-turned-street-art-gallery has introduced a new biweekly concert series this summer. Black Cat Alley’s AlleyWayz series kicks off with a performance from the Milwaukee folk duo Nickel & Rose, who imagine a more musically and culturally inclusive version of classic Americana, then continues with Lorde Fredd33 (Aug. 5), Lex Allen (Aug. 19), Amanda Huff (Sept. 2) and “The Voice” contestant Hannah Mrozak (Sept. 16).
Photo credit: Shawn Brackbill
The War on Drugs
The War on Drugs w/ James Elkington @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.
What does indie-rock even mean anymore? Over the years the genre’s umbrella has widened to include not just noisy guitar acts and punk-leaning underground bands, but folk songwriters, chamber-pop ensembles, electronic producers and everything in between. But more so than most acts, Philadelphia’s War on Drugs tests the boundaries of the term. The band’s breakthrough 2014 album, Lost in the Dream, and its similarly lauded 2017 sequel, A Deeper Understanding, play like oddball period pieces, drawing deeply from the expensive, commercial production of ’80s releases from Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen and other crossover boomer icons. In other words, they’re created from the very sounds that indie-rock once positioned itself against. Coming from a lesser songwriter, this throwback production could easily play like a shtick, but The War on Drugs principal Adam Grandueciel uses them in service of unforgettable mood pieces.
Monday, July 23
Vans Warped Tour @ American Family Insurance Amphitheater, 11 a.m.
How will the Vans Warped Tour be remembered? For nearly 25 years, the tour has been one of punk’s most influential institutions, helping break dozens of bands while giving fans direct access to musicians. It’s possible the tour gave too much access: Over the years there have been multiple allegations of sexual abuse of misconduct against artists on the tour, and concerns that the event puts predatory musicians too close to underage fans. With ticket sales falling in recent years, promoter Kevin Lyman has announced that this year would be the Warped Tour’s final cross-country run (though he hasn’t ruled out possible 25th anniversary events for next year). Less Than Jake, The Main, Simple Plan, We The Kings, Twiztid, Every Time I Die, Senses Fail, Trash Boat, Farewell Winters, Reel Big Fish, Asking Alexa and 3OH!3 are among the dozens of bands performing at what may be the festival’s final Milwaukee stop ever.
