Monday, May 16: Catacombz with Shamanic Vacation and Jerusalem & The Starbaskets @ Quarters, 9 p.m. ($3)
Frantic, heavy, danceable and tight as s##t, the band Catacombz has somehow continued to fly under the radar as one of Milwaukee’s most underrated bands. Live, the psychedelic dance-metal outfit provides a wall of tripped out sound and frenetic energy that few area bands can match. (900 E. Center St.)
Tuesday, May 17: Joe Purdy & The Milk Carton Kids @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($15)
Emotive folk artist Joe Purdy is a study in contrast. The bearded Arkansas native has made a career out of writing honest, simplistic music and releasing independent albums with little to no help from the music industry. Yet his level of success has exploded in recent years due to his songs being included in shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost along with multiple commercials. These typical “sell out” moves are further complicated by the fact that Purdy has yet to succumb to major label temptation. Fight on, brother. (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Wednesday, May 18: Rick Springfield @ Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Bingo Casino, 8 p.m. ($50-$65)
A true renaissance man, Rick Springfield played the dreamy Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital, wrote “Jessie’s Girl,” one of the most helplessly catchy songs in human history, and, of course, made one of the most inspired cameos ever by playing his sexually gifted self in Californication. Now he can finally add “play four consecutive sweaty, sleeveless nights at Potawatomi Bingo Casino” to his resume. (1721 W. Canal St., PaysBig.com)
Also: Neon Indian with Oberhofer @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($10) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Thursday, May 19: Tommy Stinson with Loose Cannons, Dave Hause and The Etiquette @ Club Garibaldi, 8:30 p.m. (2501 S. Superior St., myspace.com/clubgaribaldis)
Also: The Sea and Cake @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($10) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Friday, May 20: Northless with The United Sons of Toil, Lord Brain and Gas Chamber @ Cactus Club, 10 p.m.
We’ve written extensively here about our fondness for Milwaukee’s sludge metal trailblazers Northless. So if you haven’t had the pleasure of having your eardrums liquefied and drained from your head yet (and I mean that in a completely complimentary way!), it’s not our fault. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., cactusclubmilwaukee.com)
Also: Get Rad with This Is My Fist, Tension Generation and Tenement @ Frank’s Power Plant, 9:30 p.m. (2800 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., frankspowerplant.net)
Also: Mississippi Cactus @ Club Garibaldi, 9 p.m. (2501 S. Superior St., myspace.com/clubgaribaldis)
Saturday, May 21: Disturbed with Nonpoint and Art Of Dying @ The Rave, 8 p.m. ($35-$41)
The veritable void that was metal throughout the early ‘00s had a few standout acts that rose above the cliché nu metal strains to produce some timeless classics. Unfortunately, Disturbed was not one of these bands. Nonpoint actually kind of kicks ass, though. (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Bon Jovi @ Bradley Center, 7:30 p.m. ($17.50-$127.50)
Wow, I didn’t think even Bon Jovi could have gotten away with charging people $127 for a ticket back in the ‘80s when they were a bit more relevant and releasing slightly less cringe-inducing hits. (1001 N. 4th St., bradleycenter.com)
MUSIC NOTES SHOW OF THE WEEK
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| Hot Water Music. |
Sunday, May 22: Hot Water Music with Make Do & Mend, Hostage Calm and Fireworks @ Turner Hall, 8 p.m. ($18)
Hardcore pioneers Hot Water Music have always been bigger in mythology than in actual album sales, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of substance behind the band’s reputation. Although the years since the band’s inception have been filled with ups, downs, break-ups and albums of varying levels of quality, Hot Water Music’s role in the evolution of hardcore cannot be questioned. And it should really be seen live to be fully appreciated. (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Danzig with DevilRider and 2Cents @ The Rave, 8 p.m. ($23.50-$28.50) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Robin Trower @ Pabst Theater, 8 p.m. ($29.50) – (144 E. Wells St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Jonathan Burks with Ben Cervenka @ Circle-A Café, 8 p.m. – (932 E. Chambers St., circle-a-cafe.org)
