Friday Music Overload

Tuesday, June 5: Rock, Rap & Recall! featuring IfIHadAHiFi with Logic & Raze and Liar’s Trial @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Music and politics often find themselves undeniably intertwined in America, from Woody Guthrie’s political anthem “This Land Is Your Land” to the popular Rock The Vote campaign. And on the most heated day in recent state political memory, it should come as no surprise to see a show touting the importance of the democratic process. And it should come as even less of a surprise to see IfIHadAHiFi, one of the city’s most boisterous and outspoken bands, at the heart of it. Just don’t expect to see a ton of Scott Walker signs. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)

Also: Mewithoutyou with Buried Beds and Imaginary Cities @ Turner Hall, 6:30 p.m. ($13/$15) (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)

Also: Stacian with Claps, The Funeral & The Twilight and Brief Candles @ Quarter’s Rock ‘N Roll Palace, 9 p.m. (900 E. Center St.)

Wednesday, June 6: O’Death with Charlie Parr and Adam Hewlin @ Cactus Club, 9 p.m.
Hailing from the backwoods bluegrass mecca of Brooklyn, NY, O’Death is yet another example of the growing movement of bearded alt-country folk minimalists sweeping the hipster nation (think Okkervil River or Cave Singers). Fortunately for us, these road warriors are pretty damn good at it. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)

Also: The Melismatics @ Miller Park, 5 p.m.

Thursday, June 7: Jazz In The Park with Reverand Raven and The Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys @ Cathedral Square Park, 5 p.m. (FREE)
Ah, summer in Milwaukee: Brewers baseball, Summerfest, Bradford Beach. What do they all have in common? Why, getting drunk outside, of course! And there may not be a classier place to get drunk outside during a hot Milwaukee summer than the quintessential Jazz In The Park. Now in its third decade of providing free mid-week entertainment for the masses, the landmark event’s 2012 lineup promises a lot of the same mix of blues, jazz, reggae and everything in between that has made it such an institution. Did I mention you get to drink outside? (520 E. Wells St., easttown.com/events/jazz-in-the-park)

Also: Dude X 2 with Harrison, Colby and Lucas Riddle @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($5) (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)

Also: Walter Trout & The Radicals @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($20) (1434 N. Farwell Ave., ShankHall.com)

Also: I’m Not A Pilot with Ikarus Down, Klassik and Daniel Beres @ Miramar Theatre, 8 p.m. (2844 N. Oakland Ave., TheMiramarTheatre.com)

Friday, June 8: The Celebrated Workingman @ Milwaukee Boat Line, 9 p.m. ($19)
I truly wish you the best of luck with the unenviable task of choosing which amazing local show to attend tonight. You can get your jazz on with the first night of Okka Fest, folk it up with Heidi Spencer at Linneman’s, explode your ear drums at Quarter’s with sludge metal kings Northless, hit up the Cactus for some solid rock jams, or let your freak flag fly with Belinda Carlisle at PrideFest. Another safe bet (if you have your sea legs, that is) would be to hop aboard the Milwaukee Boat Line’s Concert Cruise featuring indie folksters The Celebrated Workingman and drift the night away. (101 W. Michigan St., MKEBoat.com)

Also: Okka Fest @ Sugar Maple, 9 p.m. (441 E. Lincoln Ave., MySugarMaple.com)

Also: Heidi Spencer & The Rare Birds with Jonathan Burks @ Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($5) (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)

Also: Northless with Whitehorse and Batillus @ Quarter’s Rock ‘N Roll Palace, 8 p.m. (900 E. Center St.)

Also: Certain Stars with 1956 and Red Giant @ Cactus Club, 10 p.m. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)

Also: PrideFest Milwaukee featuring Belinda Carlisle, 3:30 p.m. ($12) (200 N. Harbor Dr., PrideFest.com)

Also: Boy Dirt Car with Eric Lunde, Peter J. Woods and Nummy @ Borg Ward Collective, 8 p.m. (823 W. National Ave.)

Saturday, June 9: PrideFest Milwaukee featuring Taylor Dayne, Noon ($12)
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Milwaukee’s PrideFest has not only served as a source of, well, pride for the city’s LGBT community and become the nation’s largest LGBT music showcase, but it also has turned into the official kick-off to the summer festival season. Big names reign supreme again this year with headliners Belinda Carlisle, Taylor Dayne and Berlin gracing the main stage. (200 N. Harbor Dr., PrideFest.com)

Also: Okka Fest @ Palm Tavern, 4 p.m. (2989 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.)

Also: Okka Fest @ Sugar Maple, 9 p.m. (441 E. Lincoln Ave., MySugarMaple.com)

Also: Burning Sons with Maidens, Sivini and Millions @ Cactus Club, 10 p.m. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)

Also: Fahri with Brief Candles, Lucky Bone and Scrimshaw @ Riverwest Public House, 9 p.m. ($5) (815 E. Locust St., riverwestpublichouse.wordpress.com)

MUSIC NOTES SHOW OF THE WEEK
Sunday, June 10: Locust Street Festival @ Locust Street between Humblodt and Holton, Noon (FREE)
Though Bay View has laid claim to the title of Milwaukee’s hippest neighborhood in recent years, there is no denying that Riverwest continues to be an artistic and creative hub to be reckoned with in the city. All of this will be on full display during the 36th annual Locust Street Festival, which also includes a 1.8 mile Beer Run, Scrabble tournament and a litany of some of the city’s biggest and best bands. Check out our guide to the fest here.

Also: Catacombz with Man Forever and Battlesnake @ Quarter’s Rock ‘N Roll Palace, 9 p.m. (900 E. Center St.)

Also: PrideFest Milwaukee featuring Berlin, Noon ($12) (200 N. Harbor Dr., PrideFest.com)

Also: Okka Fest @ Sugar Maple, 9 p.m. (441 E. Lincoln Ave., MySugarMaple.com)