This Week in Milwaukee: Jan 15-21, 2015

Thursday, Jan. 15

Klassik w/ El-Shareef, Damir Balo and Blizz McFly @ Hotel Foster, 9 p.m.

If Milwaukee’s prodigal singer/rapper/producer Klassik seemed to fly a little bit under the radar in 2014, at least by his usual busy standards, it was only because he was gearing up to release an avalanche of new material in 2015. This week Klassik will release Winter, the first in a planned series of four seasonally themed EPs that will serve as a drum roll of sorts for a new full-length album. He plays a release show for that EP tonight (the first, presumably, of many release shows he’ll be playing this year) and it will double as a video shoot for one of the album’s songs, “STAGESlayers.”

Steven Wright @ Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 8 p.m.

An innovator of the ’80s stand-up scene who inspired many comedy upstarts in the ’90s, Steven Wright delivers lethargic jokes in a droll, deadpan voice that downplays how absurd his one-liners can be. His unmistakable cadence has earned him a handful of memorable roles in films like Reservoir Dogs as an unseen radio DJ and Half Baked as a stranger who crashes on Dave Chappelle’s couch, but unlike many of the comedians who rose to prominence during the Reagan years, he never chased celebrity or filmed a TV pilot. Instead, he has stayed true to stand-up, working at the unhurried pace suggested by his voice.

Friday, Jan. 16

Phox w/ Dolores @ The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m.

The Madison-area band Phox has recently garnered attention beyond the confines of the state, appearing in the likes of Nylon magazine and earning heaps of glowing praise from NPR. It’s easy to see why: The band has an invitingly unpretentious sound that finds a midpoint between the stylized folk of Bon Iver and the uplifting soul of Fitz and the Tantrums. It’s a compelling combination and it’s perfectly packaged by singer Monica Martin, whose soft, smoky voice soars above the banjo and the triumphant percussion. The group’s self-titled album featured some of the smartest arrangements of any 2014 folk-pop release.

Local Coverage @ Club Garibaldi, 8 p.m.

The Milwaukee music scene has long prided itself on its open-minded spirit, but it’s never attempted anything quite as ambitious as this boundary-breaking Local Coverage concert. The concept: Eight bands and rappers selected by Milwaukee Record were assigned to play a short set covering another Milwaukee act. Needless to say, that should make for some interesting interpretations. Temple will cover Maritime; The Fatty Acids will cover WC Tank; Maritime will cover Whips; Whips will cover The Fatty Acids; Bright Kind will cover Ugly Brothers; The Olives will cover Bright Kind; WC Tank will cover The Olives and Ugly Brothers will cover Temple. The $5 cover will go straight to a deserving cause, the youth music camp Girls Rock Milwaukee.

Saturday, Jan. 17

Pablove 6 @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 6 p.m.

After the death of his son Pablo, Milwaukee native Jeff Castelaz made it his life mission to increase awareness about pediatric cancer with his Pablove Foundation. Every winter that organization hosts a grand benefit concert in Milwaukee called Pablove, which has included a litany of big names from both within and outside of the Milwaukee music scene. This year’s concert features some star power in the form of Garbage singer Shirley Manson, who will headline the night with her David Bowie tribute project Sons of The Silent Age, which also features Ministry’s Chris Connelly and Matt Walker, who’s played with Morrissey and the Smashing Pumpkins. The rest of the bill includes the rising local electro-pop group GGOOLLDD, The Replacements tribute band Pleased to Meet Me, the Smiths/Morrissey tribute band Salford Lads Club and songwriter Rebecca Hron, who starts the night at 7 p.m. DJ Old Man Malcolm will provide the music before the show and between sets.

Brewcity Bruisers Season Opener @ UW-Panther Arena, 7 p.m.

It’s hard to believe that Milwaukee’s Brewcity Bruisers are less than a decade old, because in their short time together these roller derby girls have become a fixture of the community, not only drawing big crowds with their matches at the UW-Panther Arena (formerly the U.S. Cellular Arena), but also appearing at festivals and cultural and charity events of all stripes. This weekend the league opens its season with a bout featuring two big matchups, including a rematch of last season’s championship matchup against Maiden Milwaukee and the Crazy Eights. Recently the Brewcity Bruisers partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation as part of a campaign to end drunk-driving deaths in Wisconsin, and as part of that partnership a Wisconsin State Patrol trooper will blow the opening whistle and a State Patrol Honor Guard will present the colors during the National Anthem.

Black Belt Theatre w/ Simple Simon and Avenues @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.

Here’s a pedigree that should perk the ears of fans of Milwaukee’s ’90s punk and alternative scenes. The new Milwaukee group Black Belt Theatre features Tim Cook and Steve Adams from the fondly remembered rock band Bender, John Kucera of the influential punk group Alligator Gun, and Brian Janssen of the rock bands Skiptracer and The Pills. The group’s first album together, Hibernation Termination, shouldn’t surprise anybody given the lineup. It’s a hard-edged rock album steeped in the power-pop spirit of Cheap Trick. Black Belt Theatre shares this release show with openers Simple Simon, from Chicago, and Milwaukee’s Avenues.

Poland Under Glass @ The Domes, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

For those who have ever wanted to learn how to make their own pierogis or kielbasa, the Mitchell Park Domes are hosting Poland Under Glass, a celebration of all things Polish presented by the Polish women’s club Polanski. This kid-friendly event will feature folk art and dances from the Syrena Polish Folk Dance Ensemble and Syrena Children’s Polish Folk Dance Ensemble, as well as hand-crafted gifts and a variety of food and drink, including Polish beer and paczkis donuts. This event coincides with the opening of the Domes’ latest garden show, “2015: A Space Odyssey,” which runs through March 15.

Sunday, Jan. 18

Ladies Rock Milwaukee Showcase @ Riverwest Public House, 8 p.m.

Milwaukee’s nonprofit youth music camp Girls Rock Milwaukee, which trains young girls in the ins-and-outs of playing in a band, has proven so popular that it’s spawned a spin-off: Ladies Rock Milwaukee, a similar camp for women ages 21 and up. The camp will take place this weekend and will culminate in this showcase show at the Riverwest Public House, where each of the new bands created at the camp will premiere an original song.

Railroad Earth w/ Horseshoes & Hand Grenades @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.

Taking their name from a Jack Kerouac short story, Railroad Earth fuses bluegrass, rock ’n’ roll and occasional hints of jazz into their Grateful Dead-style vision of Americana. Formed in Stillwater, N.J., Railroad Earth is more studio-minded than some of their jam-scene peers, having recorded seven albums since their 2001 beginnings (including two for the String Cheese Incident’s SCI Fidelity label), but they’re also known for their improvisation-heavy live performances. They’re currently touring behind last year’s album, Last of the Outlaws.

Monday, Jan. 19

Jukebox The Ghost w/ Twin Forks and Secret Someones @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.

Like Ben Folds Five before them, the Philadelphia trio Jukebox The Ghost plays a mix of irreverent, quirky piano-pop and sincere ballads, with ample nods to Billy Joel and The Beatles. That’s not to say that they’re bound by those influences, though. On their hyperactive, hook-a-minute sophomore album,  Everything Under the Sun, the trio began to shake those Ben Folds comparisons, dialing up the energy for a peppy set that often plays more like The Dismemberment Plan’s Emergency & I than Folds’ Rockin’ the Suburbs, and that same gleeful energy carries through their latest album, a self-titled effort that aims to dazzle. Dashboard Confessional fans should take note of the opener Twin Forks, an Americana-leaning band fronted by Dashboard Confessional’s Chris Carrabba.