Thursday, May 5
Mike Krol w/ Sat. Nite Duets and Midwives @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Milwaukee native and power-pop enthusiast Mike Krol has done time in the Wisconsin band Sleeping in the Aviary, but he really came into his own as a solo artist with his 2011 album I Hate Jazz, a short set of fast, lighthearted rock ’n’ roll tunes. That album and its equally cheeky follow-up Trust Fund were enough to earn him the trust of Merge Records, the venerable indie label that released his third album, Turkey, last year. Inspired by Krol’s move to Los Angeles, it’s as concise and good spirited as the LPs that came before it, ripping through nine songs in just 18 minutes.
Friday, May 6
Milwaukee Psych Fest @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
“Pysch” is one of the broadest terms in music, a descriptor that’s equally applicable to rock, metal, electronica, punk and even folk. That gives the Milwaukee Psych Fest wide latitude with the acts it books, and in its fourth year the festival has taken full advantage of it, spotlighting more than a dozen local bands over four showcase shows this weekend. Highlights include Moss Folk and Plastic Crimewave Syndicate (with Sigmund Snopek sitting in) on Friday night; Ryley Walker, Murals, Painted Caves and Calliope on Saturday night; and a Saturday afternoon show featuring Lake of Fire, Slow Walker, Young Revelators and others. Sunday afternoon’s loaded closing bill features Nest Egg, Flavor Crystals, F/i, Cult of Lip, Tapebenders, Piles, IDPyramid and Blue Unit. Not all of these bands will fit everybody’s definition of “psych,” but that’s exactly the point. (Multiple shows through Sunday, May 8.)
Stick Men @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.
With its processed, electronic sound, the Chapman Stick is one of the most decidedly prog-rock instruments ever invented, a 10-string guitar-like gizmo that can also be played like a bass or keyboard. Stick Men is a trio that in the past has featured not one but two Chapman Stick players: Tony Levin, a prog player who has backed Pink Floyd, Yes, Alice Cooper and Peter Gabriel, and Michael Bernier, a multi-instrumentalist known in drum circles for his innovative techniques. This iteration of the trio, however, pairs Levin with instrumentalist Markus Reuter, who plays an unorthodox touch-style guitar he designed himself. The trio is rounded out by percussionist Pat Mastelotto, who, like Levin, plays in the latest incarnation of prog-rockers King Crimson.
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Wisconsin Singer/Songwriter Series Song Contest @ Unitarian Church North, Mequon, 7 p.m.
The Wisconsin Singer/Songwriter Series has chosen 10 songwriters or songwriting duos from around the region for this contest, who will perform their submissions at this showcase. A panel of music industry judges will determine which they like best, with prizes going to the top three. Following the contest, the venue will hold an open mic. The church is located at 13800 N. Port Washington Road.
Saturday, May 7
Milwaukee Veg Expo @ Hart Park, Wauwatosa, 10 a.m.
For those considering making the leap to a vegan lifestyle, there’s no better time than in the spring, when fresh, local vegetables are abundant. That plant-based lifestyle will be celebrated at Milwaukee’s inaugural Veg Expo, which will feature speakers, exhibitors, cooking demonstrations and of course food vendors and samples. Among the speakers are Robert Grillo, the president and director of Free From Harm, and Anne Temple of Moms Across America. This free event runs until 6 p.m.
Say Anything w/ MeWithoutYou, Teen Suicide and Museum Mouth @ The Rave, 8 p.m.
Like most of the pop-punk bands that rose to notoriety on the Warped Tour circuit in the mid ’00s, Say Anything were dismissed as lightweights by a lot of old guard punk fans, but the band was always more formidable than they were given credit for. The band’s lead singer, songwriter and sole constant Max Bemis writes deeply personal songs about his struggles with addiction and mental illness, and his records have grown increasingly ambitious, especially 2014’s Hebrews, a record filled with strings, synthesizers and elaborate musical suites. Their seventh and latest album, February’s I Don’t Think It Is, is relatively more reined in, returning the emphasis to buoyant pop-punk riffs. Bemis has described it as more of a group effort than the last one.
Monday, May 9
STRFKR and Com Truise w/ Fake Drugs @ Turner Hall Ballroom, 8 p.m.
Apparently, when you name your band Starfucker, you’re asking for some headaches. As a result, the Portland, Ore., electro-rock band has flirted with name changes in recent years, first rechristening themselves Pyramid, and then Pyramiddd, before finally returning to their original Starfucker (which they sometimes spell out as the more-publishable STRFKR). Their music is never as harsh or subversive as their band name, though. In fact, their 2011 record Reptilians was an accessible collection of bright, danceable pop in the spirit of Passion Pit, and 2013’s Miracle Mile was even more upbeat and dance-friendly. The group shares this bill with the ’80s-inspired electronica artist Com Truise, who has earned attention for his inventive remixes of acts like Sky Ferreira, Foster The People and Neon Indian.
Wednesday, May 11
Neil deGrasse Tyson @ The Riverside Theater, 7:30 p.m.
Few would argue that Neil deGrasse Tyson is among the smartest people in the country. An astrophysicist, the host of “StarTalk Radio” and the director of the Hayden Planetarium, Tyson has done more to introduce the general public to modern scientific ideas than just about any other figure of his generation. But is he funny? His jokey tweets have made him one of Twitter’s most popular personalities, and he’ll lean on that sense of humor at this lighthearted return appearance at the Riverside Theater, dubbed “An Astrophysicist Goes to The Movies.” He’ll explore the often dubious science that big Hollywood films fall back on, paying particular attention to Star Wars and other cult sci-fi favorites—because if nothing else, this man knows his audience.
