The War On Drugs @ Pabst Theater, Sept. 21
Friday, Sept. 19
Ghostbusters @ Discovery World, 5 p.m.
An instant commercial and critical hit, the 1984 science-fiction comedy Ghostbusters more than made good on its then-record $30 million budget, going on to become the most successful comedy of the 1980s. Three decades later, the film remains a cultural touchstone, and although plenty of successors have attempted to copy the movie’s basic “special effects plus comedy” formula, none have come close to capturing the visual spark of this Ivan Reitman film, or the effortless comic chemistry of Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. In conjunction with Ghostbusters’ 30th anniversary, Discovery World screens the film for free outdoors tonight as part of its Fish Fry and a Flick movie series. Food and drinks start at 5 p.m.; the film begins at dusk.
The Roots Trio @ Jazz Estate, 9:30 p.m.
Don’t let The Roots Trio’s name deceive you: Though the New York-based ensemble has a firm footing in jazz’s past, they’re far from traditionalists. With a unique, bass-less lineup featuring flugelhornist John Raymond, guitarist Gilad Hekselman and drummer Colin Stranahan, the trio cycles through not only reinvented jazz standards but also classic American folk songs and hymns and the occasional indie-rock cover. Even when their source material is traditional, their approach is decidedly fresh.
Summer’s Last BBQ @ The ARTery, 4:30-8:30 p.m.
All summer long NEWaukee has hosted arts events on a reclaimed stretch of the Beerline Trail it has deemed the ARTery. Now that summer weather is coming to an end, so is the ARTery’s 2014 lineup, but before it signs off for the fall it’ll host this last BBQ blowout. In addition to a pig roast and barbecue dinner, the event will feature a “bandsketball” tournament between The Fatty Acids and Sat. Nite Duets as part of a basketball installation, a Milwaukee music trivia game show and a preview of the upcoming documentary Hoop Dreams: Re(creation).
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Saturday, Sept. 20
Milwaukee River Challenge @ Schlitz Park and Milwaukee RiverWalk, 9 a.m.
Several bridges on the Milwaukee and Menomonee rivers will provide spectators with fantastic views of the 14th annual Milwaukee River Challenge, as dozens of collegiate and club rowing teams compete to be the first to complete the three-mile challenge. Spectators are invited to enjoy outdoor seating at the many riverside restaurants, as well as at Schlitz Park, Pere Marquette Park, the Milwaukee RiverWalk and the Harley-Davidson Museum.
Comedy Show Comedy Show with Jake Kornely and Friends @ Landmark Lanes, 8:30 p.m.
Milwaukee’s stand-up comedy scene is more visible and organized than it’s been in decades, with a new generation of young comedians working overtime to make a name for themselves by playing whenever and wherever they can. The local showcase Comedy Show Comedy Show with Jake Kornely and Friends captures that “any venue that’ll have us” mindset, bringing host Kornely (also of the late-night talk sendup The Goodnight Milwaukee Show) and a rotating crew of comics to various non-traditional venues around the city. This installment at Landmark Lanes’ side bar will feature sets from Dave Losso, Jason Melton, Allison Dunne, Christopher Schmidt and Charles Ericson.
Doors Open Milwaukee @ multiple locations, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
One of Historic Milwaukee Inc.’s most ambitious initiatives, Doors Open Milwaukee is a free two-day event that invites participants to take a peek inside more than a hundred buildings of historical or architectural significance, including many that are usually off-limits to the general public. City Hall, All Saints’ Cathedral, the Clock Shadow Building, the Federal Courthouse, the Marine Terminal Building, the Marcus Center, the Milwaukee Public Museum and National Ace Hardware are among the many locations offering guided or self-guided tours during this weekend’s fourth installment of the event. For a complete list, visit doorsopenmilwaukee.org. (Also Sunday, Sept. 21.)
Really Funny Horny Goat International Short Film Festival @ Horny Goat Hideaway, 6 p.m.
It’s no secret that alcohol just makes things seem funnier. With its abundant beer, then, the Horny Goat Hideaway is a logical venue for this comedy film festival, which compiles outrageous shorts from Australia, Canada, America, Germany, Argentina and beyond. The festival is divided into two screenings, one on Saturday, Sept. 20 and another on Saturday, Sept. 27. Tickets for each night are $15, or $25 for the screening and a pig-roast dinner.
Sunday, Sept. 21
The War on Drugs w/ Califone @ The Pabst 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 it’s Lost in the Dream, the widely acclaimed third release from Philadelphia’s The War on Drugs, that most tests the boundaries of the term. The record plays like a period piece, drawing voraciously from the expensive, commercial production of ’80s releases from Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac, Bruce Springsteen and other crossover boomer icons. In other words, it’s created from the very sounds that indie-rock once positioned itself against. Coming from a lesser songwriter, Lost in the Dream’s throwback production could easily play like a shtick, but The War on Drugs principal Adam Granduciel, who spent more than two years writing, recording and refining the album, uses them in service of an unforgettable mood piece.
Tuesday, Sept. 23
Bryan Ferry w/ Dawn Landes @ The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m.
As the leader of the ’70s British art-rock institution Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry helped lay the groundwork for both punk and new wave music, but he’s never let the legacy prevent him from exploring new territory. In the decades since he’s dabbled in pop, electronic and jazz music, bringing the same standard of craftsmanship to whichever genre happens to catch his fancy at the moment. His most recent album is one of his most audacious: 2012’s The Jazz Age features big-band instrumental arrangements of some of his best-known songs. Ferry himself sits out the album, which is credited instead to The Bryan Ferry Orchestra. Last year that project found an even wider audience when Ferry and his orchestra contributed covers of Roxy Music’s classic “Love Is the Drug” and Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” to the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s busy Great Gatsby update.
Wednesday, Sept. 24
Author Reading @ Studio Lounge, 7:30 p.m.
Four Milwaukee authors from widely different backgrounds will take turns reading from their recent works at this event at Bay View’s Studio Lounge. Robert Vaughan, Tom Biel and Doug Rose will share selections from their latest publications of fiction and poetry. Ken Walker, meanwhile, will read from his forthcoming novel, Mercer, which depicts Milwaukee in the transitional 1960s.
