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| Foals. Photo courtesy foals.co.uk. |
Monday, April 25: Foals at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($14)
Imagine the angular guitar work of Minus The Bear and the raucous dance-punk overtones of The Rapture came together and had a baby. Then, when the baby was born it was raised in the UK by an inexplicably reunited Q And Not U. Foals would be that baby. The English band will get Turner Hall bouncing — giving purpose to those protective nets hanging from the ceiling — while making you, for at least an instant, consider growing weird bangs. Freelance Whales opens. (1032 N. Fourth St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: The Sensationalists at Y-Not III, 9 p.m. – (1854 E. Kenilworth Pl.)
MUSIC NOTES SHOW OF THE WEEK
Tuesday, April 26: The National at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. ($29.50)
Making its second sweep through Milwaukee since releasing the masterpiece High Violet last May, The National seeks to add to its building reputation one amazing show at a time. As one of the multitude in attendance when the band blew through town last spring, this show is not to be missed. Added bonus: Last year’s coma-inducing opener, Antlers, was swapped out for much-improved The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Wednesday, April 27: Ember Schrag at The Borg Ward, 8 p.m. ($6)
For being so tiny, Nebraska songstress Ember Schrag is a formidable folk force when she takes the stage. However, the real draw of this cheap midweek show arrives in the form of local openers Conrad Plymouth. (823 W. National Ave., TheBorgWard.org)
Thursday, April 28: Behemoth and Leviathan at Mad Planet, 8 p.m. ($7)
Hailing from “the greater Fond du Lac area” — an oxymoron, by the way — bass and drums duo Behemouth and Leviathan meld elements of classic rock and blues to forge a unique sound worth investigating. Bears Climb Mountains, The Appalachians and (the hilariously named) Mortgage Freeman open. (533 E. Center St, Mad-Planet.net)
Also: Busybodies, Oro, Heaving Mass, Sonic J at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($7) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Friday, April 29: Deftones at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($27.50)
Deftones is the kind of band that even if you don’t like them, you recognize is great. People tattoo themselves with Deftones-related images, and you can’t help but understand their logic. Much of the fanfare and genre-crossing respect comes by way of the innovative No-Cal metal band’s legendary 2000 album White Pony. A few stinkers later, Deftones is back in familiar form with the lauded Diamond Eyes. The Dillinger Escape Plan and Funeral Party open. (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound, Herman Astro, The Delta Routine at Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($10) – (1032 N. Fourth St., PabstTheater.org)
Saturday, April 30: (hed)p.e. and Mushroomhead at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($19.50)
Showing that it can and will book almost any band no matter how good or bad, The Rave chases the Deftones and The Dillinger Escape Plan by trotting out (hed)p.e. and Mushroomhead for a stop on “The Hed2Head Tour” fewer than 24 hours later. Oh, I get it; it’s a take on a common turn of phrase because both bands have a variation of the word “head” in their name. Anyway, don’t go to this. (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Hunx and His Punx, Shannon & The Clams, Holy Shit! At Cactus Club, 9 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Sunday, May 1: Bowling For Soup at Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($16)
Face it, the best days for Bowling For Soup have elapsed. Radios once playing “Girl All The Bad Guys Want” and “1985” on repeat have buried the band in their rotation. Even 102.1 FM considers the pop-punk stylings of the 2003 Grammy nominee too outdated to spin. Yet this Texas-based band quietly forges on — hoping to reclaim their international notoriety and gold record appeal. Or at least be confused for Fountains of Wayne or something. (1434 N. Farwell Ave., shankhall.com)
Also: Jayme Darwicki at The Pabst Theater, 3 p.m. ($15) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
