Thursday, Jan. 21
Riverwest FemFest @ Multiple locations
Woman represent many of the most talented, vital voices in the Milwaukee music scene, but too often they’re marginalized or underrepresented by a scene that can feel like a boys’ club. The annual Riverwest FemFest looks to give women a platform and encourage them to take on a bigger role in the arts community. Expanded from two days to four this year, the event begins with a potluck dinner and date-rape awareness workshop at the Riverwest Public House Thursday at 5 p.m., followed by a 9 p.m. show headlined by Tigernite and featuring SistaStrings, Ugly Brothers and others. The weekend continues with a full lineup of acts at the Jazz Gallery Friday night, including Fox Face, Static Eyes and The Candliers, who have reunited for the event, then an art sale and day of poetry and live music at Company Brewing on Saturday, with acts including Siren, Zed Kenzo, Winter Bear, New Boyz Club and Faux Fiction. Sunday features yet another full day of music and poetry at Company Brewing (with Sinbad, Ramma Lamma, NO/NO and Ruth B8r Ginsburg among the highlights). Afterward the fest heads to High Dive for a free Sunday night after party with Iron Pizza, Mortgage Freeman and Pussy Collector.
Tommy Stinson w/ Midnight Reruns and Platinum Boys @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.
It seems that, for the time being at least, The Replacements’ reunion is over. It was wonderful while it lasted. For two years the band sweated out passionate performances that did justice to their legacy as one of the greatest live acts of the ’80s, but they never seemed comfortable with nostalgia. Now that that run of festival headlining gigs is over, the band’s bassist Tommy Stinson has hit the road once again as a solo act. On the heels of a peppy, Replacements-esque new single “Breathing Room,” he’ll return to Milwaukee, joined by Midnight Reruns, the local power-pop band whose great new album Force of Nurture he produced, as well as rock ’n’ rollers Platinum Boys.
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Friday, Jan. 22
Steve Forbert w/ Terry Vittone @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
Influenced by the traditional roots rock sounds of Nashville as well as his heroes in The Band, Steve Forbert released a beloved album in 1979, Jackrabbit Slim and scored the biggest hit of his career in 1980 with “Romeo’s Tune.” He’s since become something of a cult singer-songwriter, big in Americana circles and virtually unheard of outside of them, but his recent albums have won over critics with their bitter, road-weary insights. His latest record, Compromised, includes a surprising folk rendition of Stephen Sondheim’s “Send in the Clowns.”
The Tenors @ Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.
Four telegenic men with pristine voices, the Canadian quartet The Tenors have found international acclaim with their brand of operatic pop music. They also earned the good graces of some big celebrities, including Paul McCartney, Neil Young, Justin Bieber and Celine Dion, all of whom they’ve shared stages with. They released their fourth and latest album, Under One Sky, last spring.
Saturday, Jan. 23
Protomartyr w/ Amanda X and Dorth Nakota @ Cactus Club, 9:30 p.m.
The term “post-punk” usually suggests something reductive. Most bands lumped in with that genre owe a clear debt to bands like Joy Division, Wire or The Fall. Detroit’s Protomartyr do, too, so technically they’re a post-punk band, but that term really doesn’t do justice to how inventive and original the group’s unhinged rock music is. Last year they released their third album, The Agent Intellect, on Hardly Art, and it’s their best yet; it also earned placement on plenty of critics’ best of 2015 lists. Expect a full crowd when the band returns to Milwaukee for another show at the Cactus Club.
Pablove 7 @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 7 p.m.
After the death of his son, Pablo, Milwaukee native Jeff Castelaz made it his life’s 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 usually assembles a bunch of big names from the Milwaukee music scene’s past. This year is no exception, as the lineup will feature a host of acts with ties to Milwaukee’s ’90s alternative scene, including The Lovelies, Pet Engine and The Gufs singer Goran Kralj. The show will also feature Eagle Trance, Carolina and an Oil Tasters/Haskels tribute set.
Poland Under Glass @ Mitchell Park Domes, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
For those who have ever wanted to learn how to make their own gluten-free breakfast pierogi or chicken soup with kluski dumplings, look no further than the Mitchell Park Domes’ Poland Under Glass, a celebration of all things Polish presented by the Polish women’s club Polanki. 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 pączki donuts.
Sunday, Jan. 24
Tortoise w/ Light Music @ Mad Planet, 9 p.m.
Perhaps no band from Chicago’s storied post-rock scene is more respected than Tortoise, the instrumental ensemble that’s been breaking down genre walls for more than a quarter century. Over the years the group has touched on jazz (on their 1998 high watermark TNT) and electronica (on 2001’s bold Standards) and just about everything in between. After a period of relative inactivity, the group will release their first new album in seven years, The Catastrophist, on Thrill Jockey Records this month.
