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| Photo courtesy Chris Rosenau. |
Tuesday, Jan. 25: All Tiny Creatures with Adopt A Highway, Pressboard, The Demix and Stagediver at Mad Planet, 9 p.m.
The latest installment of the MELT: Electronic Music Moving Forward series features All Tiny Creatures, an ambient instrumental group led by ex-Collections of Colonies of Bees member Thomas Wincek. Much like CCB, this group excels at patiently building airy dreamscapes through impeccable musicianship. But All Tiny Creatures’ delivery is ultimately edgier and darker than its predecessor. (533 E. Center St., mad-planet.net)
Thursday, Jan. 27: Sound Pass Sessions, Volume 2, featuring Evan Christian with The Rusty P’s at Alterra Coffee on Prospect Ave., 7 p.m. (FREE)
The unique mash-up of the throwback party hip-hop of the Rusty Ps with the smooth flamenco guitar artistry of Evan Christian is the fiery brainchild of upstart label Made In Milwaukee Records.
Don’t miss this opportunity to catch a sneak preview of the collaborative album that will undoubtedly turn some heads when it drops this summer. (2211 N. Prospect Ave., alterracoffee.com/InCafes/ProspectAvenue.aspx)
Also: Plain White T’s at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($18/$20)
The creators of the catchy (in much the same way that syphilis is catchy) drunk high school kids sing-along anthem “Hey There Delilah,” Plain White T’s are indeed still a band.
And they’re playing a show. (1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
Also: Prestige Atlantic Impulse at Sugar Maple, 8 p.m.
(441 E. Lincoln Ave., mysugarmaple.com)
Friday, Jan. 28: Disappears, Call Me Lightning and Death Dream at Cactus Club, 10 p.m.
Chicago-based rock group Disappears lost its drummer to relocation in October of last year. The solution: Just get Steve Shelly of Sonic Youth to fill in for a while. Huh, why don’t all bands think of that? (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
Also: Ben Folds at The Riverside, 8:30 p.m. ($32.50)
Ben Folds’ indie cred as an immensely talented pianist and uber-ironic songwriter doesn’t appear to have been totally destroyed by his inexplicable decision to become a judge on NBC’s “American Idol + Glee = Ratings Gold” debacle, “The Sing Off.”
Or maybe him hanging out with the likes of Nicole Sherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men is the ultimate irony? You win this round, Mr. Folds. (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., pabsttheater.org)
Also: Cheap Trick at Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 8 p.m. ($85/$75/$65)
In what I can only assume is repayment for accumulating massive, unpayable debts at a Potawatomi craps table, rock “guys who have been around for a long time” Cheap Trick will be continuing their 12-date, month-and-a-half long Indentured Servitude Tour at the casino.
If you missed it last weekend, be sure to get your tickets soon. After this show, and the show tomorrow night, and the two shows next weekend, and the two shows the weekend after that, you will only have four more opportunities to catch the song “Dream Police” live. You’ve been warned. (1721 W. Canal St., paysbig.com)
Also: Martin Sexton at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($20/$22.25)
(1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
MUSIC NOTES SHOW OF THE WEEK
Saturday, Jan. 29: Pablove Benefit Concert featuring Brian Aubert & Nikki Monninger from Silversun Pickups, Fitz & The Tantrums, Maritime, Goran from The Gufs, Cory Chisel, Rusty Ps and Prophetic with DJ Madhatter, Jaill, Juniper Tar and Bascom Hill at Turner Hall, 5:30 p.m. ($25)
Jeff Castelaz made his name in the late-’90s Milwaukee music scene as manager for such seminal bands as The Gufs, Promise Ring and Citizen King. Castelaz’s son, Pablo, was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood cancer in 2008, which took his life little more than a year later. As a tribute to his son, the annual Pablove Benefit Concert was created to raise money for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, where Pablo was treated.
This bill is a veritable Milwaukee music all-star team, including close Castelaz connections Goran of the Gufs and Maritime (ex-Promise Ring). Headlining the evening is an acoustic set by Brian Aubert and Nikki Monninger of Silversun Pickups, yet another Castelaz find. Great bands, a great cause and a great venue: What more do you want? (1032 N. Fourth St., pabsttheater.org)
Also: Little Blue Crunchy Things at Shank Hall, 9 p.m. ($12)
The band that made a career out of playing “farewell shows” is “getting the band back together” for one more crack at it. (1434 N. Farwell Ave., shankhall.com)
Also: The Magnolias with Ian Olvera & The Sleepwalkers and Tim Schweiger & The Middlemen at Mad Planet, 9 p.m. ($5)
The under appreciated little brother to cult icons The Replacements and Husker Du, The Magnolias spawned from the same late-’80s Minneapolis punk scene. The band members have changed quite a bit through the years, but expect the same in-your-face attitude and intense delivery from these punk vets. (533 E. Center St., mad-planet.net)
Also: Tyevk with Terrible Twos and The Get Drunk DJs at Frank’s Power Plant, 9:30 p.m. ($6)
(2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., frankspowerplant.net)
Sunday, Jan. 30: Cave with Hush Arbors and Cyborg Fortress at Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Chicago-based Cave’s drawn-out electronic dreamscapes can be intoxicating if you are in the right mood for them, repetitive and long-winded if you are not. This one might be worth it to show up to in your Packers jersey just to rub it in a bit. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
