Bluegrass
Paladino Embrace Their Alt-Country Leanings on 'Friend a Dinosaur'
Milwaukee’s Paladino began with ambitions of being a bluegrass act. Their lush latest album, though, is the work of a very different band. Read more
Joseph Huber: The Suffering Stage
The sorrow most associated with country and bluegrass is more often derived from romantic heartbreak and sentimentality than the sadness Joseph Huber proffers on The Suffering Stage. Read more
Peter Wolf @ Potawatomi Hotel & Casino
The former J. Geils Band singer’s new songs may be sad, but he was in good humor Saturday night at the Northern Lights Theatre. Read more
This Week in Milwaukee: Oct. 20-26
A busy week brings Bryan Cranston, Brand New, Widespread Panic and Tegan and Sara through town. Read more
The Cactus Blossoms w/ The Whiskeybelles @ Shank Hall
The sibling country duo The Cactus Blossoms looked to the past, while the The Whiskeybelles brought joy to some unlikely covers. Read more
Punch Brothers w/ Gabriel Kahane @ The Pabst Theater
Chris Thile’s Punch Brothers positioned themselves as “the people’s bluegrass” band during a lighthearted concert. Read more
Stream Paladino's Bluegrassy EP "Bellows"
Though it’s never been known for the genre,Milwaukee has always hosted bluegrass in all of its many forms, from purist,string-band bluegrass, to rowdy, punked-out bluegrass and jammy,Deadhead-minded bluegrass. It shows how versatile the genre.. Read more
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades w/ Dead Man Winter and Old Man Luedecke @ Turner Hall Ballroom
The jammy Stevens Point string band Horseshoes & Hand Grenades blended originals, covers, drinking tunes and holiday oddities during Saturday night’s marathon set. Read more
It's TIMsmas Time Again
There is no snow. There is rain expected between now and the 25th. It’s actually kind of warm. Doesn’t feel like Christmas. But it can still feel like TIMsmas as The Improvised Musical hosts its 5th annual holiday show this Thursday. Join .. Read more
Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn @ The Pabst Theater
Two of the great banjo players of their time happen to be married to each other, and their domesticity was on full display Wednesday night. Read more
Ry Cooder, Ricky Skaggs and Sharon White @ The Pabst Theater
Ry Cooder may not be best known for bluegrass music, but he couldn’t have looked more at home on stage with Ricky Skaggs Friday night. Read more
The New Seven Balance Rock and Bluegrass on ‘Look Closer’
The four members of Milwaukee’s folky rock group The New Seven all share a common training. Read more
Split Lip Rayfield Will Play WMSE's 13th Annual Rockabilly Chili Fundraiser
For its 13th year, WMSE's Rockabilly Chili Fundraiser is going a little bit less rockabilly, a little more bluegrass. In addition to the event's usual rockabilly spin, this year's chili cookoff will feature a performance from the Kansas trio Split.. Read more
Yonder Mountain String Band w/ The Larry Keel Experience
Turner Hall Ballroom numbers among Milwaukee’s better venues for supporting Americana, alt country and other rootsy, string-based musics. But the city still doesn’t seem to be quite the hub for bluegrass that Madison is. So, for Colorado’s ... Read more
Trampled By Turtles Will Spend Another New Year's Eve at the Riverside Theater
One of the flashiest and most technically adroit of the modern crop of string bands, Minneapolis's Trampled By Turtles have finalized their New Year's Eve plans. They'll be returning to the Riverside Theater for their second Dec. 31 show there in .. Read more
Calamity Janes and the Fratney Street Band End Their Fantastic First Act
A crowded upper flat in Riverwest is piled with empty instrument cases. A teapot simmers on the oven and an ensemble of musicians is gathered around a drum set Read more
Joseph Huber’s One-Man Show
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Huber spent much of his time between 2004 and 2012 contributing to the bluegrass attack of Milwaukee’s .357 String Band. That group found success across the globe with its multi-songwrite... Read more
A Return Trip to Nickel Creek
When Nickel Creek went on hiatus seven years ago, mandolin player Chris Thile said the decision was simply a product of feeling they couldn’t make a better album than Read more
The Whiskeybelles Celebrate the Season with Covers and Liquor
Holiday music seems to get played earlier each year. These days, yuletide standards seem to hit department store speakers and regular terrestrial radio rotation the morning after Halloween. Christmas came extra early this year for The Whisk... Read more