If this weekend’s wet blanket of snow didn’t provide enough of a winter warning, the holiday season is upon us. For some, this week marks the traditional holiday of giving thanks and doing kindly deeds for the less fortunate while for others it simply means an abbreviated three-day work week and permanent stomach-widening amounts of eating. But whatever your intentions, here are a few different ways to celebrate Thanksgiving week.
There’s always an extra bonus to attending benefit shows intrinsically built into the event—the added satisfaction that your cover is going to support the needs of the local community. There are many opportunities this week to help out local organizations while also checking out a great lineup. On Tuesday at Turner Hall Ballroom, Colors & Chords, a benefit for Milwaukee non-profit Islands of Brilliance (No. 46 in the magazine’s 50 Reasons to Love Milwaukee), brings together some of the local music scene’s heaviest hitters (Nineteen Thirteen, Argopelter, Testa Rosa, Jon Mueller and Chris Roseneau of Volcano Choir, Light Music, Marielle Allschwang and Panalure) and pairs them with a local artist who simultaneously captures their work on canvas. Tickets are $25 and doors open at 6 p.m.
On Wednesday, Linneman’s Riverwest Inn plays host to the annual “Nod to Bob” showcase, in which musicians play tribute to the greatest singer-songwriter of all-time, Bob Dylan. The 17th edition features a whopping 20 different takes on Dylan, which includes local performers like Ladders, Ugly Brothers, Caley Conway, Heidi Spencer, Semi Twang, The Thriftones and Chris Demay. For the full schedule of bands and songs, go here. Proceeds benefit Hunger Task Force. The show starts promptly at 7 p.m. and the cover is $10 or $5 with five cans of non-perishable food.
Sunday afternoon offers a chance to catch the swing music stylings of Louis Prima Jr. & The Witnesses at Turner Hall Ballroom while at the same time supporting the diverse programming of 91.7 WMSE, which enables those big band sounds to be heard over the airwaves. The second annual Big Band Grandstand with Dewey Gill doubles as a silent fundraiser for the station. Prizes, among others, include an iron works class from the Milwaukee Blacksmith and a Bittercube and Twisted Path Distillery package. Rhumba, the jazz band for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, opens the night. Tickets are $40 and doors open at 3 p.m.
It’s always key to remember that the bands working those benefits are oftentimes donating their time to the events. Make sure to pick up a copy of their record or buy a t-shirt at the show, or throw them a few bucks when downloading their pay-what-you-want album on Bandcamp.
Stream of the Week
Tapebenders (the artists formerly known as Elusive Parallelograms) celebrated brand new full-length, Set Your Life on Fire, with a release party at Cactus Club last Saturday night. Now you can listen to the incendiary album below:
This Week in Live Music
Monday, November 23: Hibou at Club Garibaldi, 8 p.m. ($8) – (2501 S. Superior St., ClubGaribaldis.com)
Wednesday, November 25: Simply Saucer with Aluminum Knot Eye and Hugh Blanc’s Joyless Ones at Cactus Club, 9:30 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Also: Rusty Pelicans 20-Year Anniversary Reunion with Klassik, Sounds of Time (Kid Millions & Sage Schwarm) at Mad Planet, 9 p.m. ($8 advance; $10 door) – (533 E. Center St, Mad-Planet.net)
Friday, November 27: Lupe Fiasco with Yo-Dot at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($25-$144) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Also: Deadset with Volunteer, Heat Death and Importer/Exporter at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Saturday, November 28: The Prince Experience with Gabriel Sanchez at Turner Hall Ballroom, 8:30 p.m. ($17-$60) – (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Klassik with New Boyz Club and Siren at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($7) – (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)
And: Towers with Dirty Dancing and Bad Wig at Cactus Club, 9:30 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
