The Wisconsin State Fair got off to a rough start last week, as a thunderstorm caused the fair to lose power for a few minutes on Thursday night, prompting Shawn Mendes to cut his set short. Things look much brighter for the second week. The Main Stage features an eclectic mix of the past and present. Here’s how the week shakes up:
Monday, August 8
If you missed church on Sunday, you can probably count seeing Australian-based Christian pop-rock group Newsboys deliver their faith-based message at the State Fair on Monday night as your weekly mass. The band has undergone numerous line-up changes during its run, including three different lead vocalists, but has still managed to remain a prolific entity for more than 30 years, releasing 18 studio albums. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. with opener Francesca Battistelli.
Tuesday, August 9
The 1986 action film Top Gun had enough jet-fueled machismo to fill a fleet of Blue Angels but would have likely lacked heart without Berlin’s indelible (and Giorgio Moroder produced) hit “Take My Breath Away.” The movie ended up as one of the year’s highest grossing movies and Berlin earned a No. 1 hit but, unfortunately, the band was unable to follow-up on the song’s success due to royalty disputes. They broke up shortly thereafter. Lead singer Terri Nunn reformed Berlin in 1997 with new members. A Flock of Seagulls opens the show at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, August 11
Fiery singer Pat Benatar scorched the ‘80s with her incendiary pop radio hits, including “Heartbreaker,” “Love Is a Battlefield” and “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.” Benatar and husband Neil Giraldo, who’s been her lead guitarist throughout her career, have toured together for more than 37 years. Singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge kicks things off at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, August 12
While cassette tapes are now de rigueur for up-and-coming indie bands, a common sight at any clearance rack today are the groups coming to the State Fair for the nostalgia-drenched “I Love the ‘90s Tour.” (In all fairness, the rise of Salt-N-Pepa, Color Me Badd, Coolio and Rob Base directly coincided with the emergence of compact discs and subsequent decline of magnetic tape.) Those artists seek to relive their heydays as Top-40 radio superstars this Friday, but don’t get sucked into buying their music at the merch tent, just scan local bargain bins later. The ‘90s showcase starts at 7 p.m.
Saturday August 13
It’s clear that the highly rated karaoke television show, “American Idol,” was simply a vehicle to create pop stars. The early seasons made the process seem easy, with singers who went onto successful careers like Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Carrie Underwood and Jordin Sparks. But as time wore on, it was harder and harder to make singers. Season 11 winner Phillip Phillips is one of those exceptions, as his 2012 debut The World from the Side of the Moon went platinum. This performance will be the final stop on his 39-show tour with Matt Nathanson. The show gets underway at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 14
Closing out the fair is the seminal Californian group the Beach Boys. While the band is currently without three original members – Brian Wilson, Al Jardine and David Marks – Mike Love (who reportedly kicked them out of the band in 2012) and Bruce Johnston continue to ride the groovy wave of ‘60s pop songs. The performance features an early start time of 6 p.m.
Atomic Records Pop-up
Milwaukee lost its hippest institution back in 2009, when legendary brick-and-mortar music store Atomic Records shuttered its doors. But for one day only, on Sunday, August 14 the record store is officially back in business, selling albums, LPs, 45s DVDs and (naturally) those iconic t-shirts at The Vanguard, 2659 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. The sale goes from noon to 4 p.m.
This Week in Live Music
Monday, August 8: KISS with Caleb Johnson at BMO Harris Bradley Center, 7:30 p.m. ($36.50-$122) – (1001 N. 4th St., BradleyCenter.com)
Tuesday, August 9: Naked Lights with Gauss and Absolutely at Company Brewing, 10 p.m. – (735 E. Center St., CompanyBrewing.com)
Also: Caustic Casanova with Heat Death and Assata at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
And: Chill on the Hill featuring Thriftones, Cactus Brothers and Caley Conway at Humboldt Park, 6 p.m. (FREE) – (3000 S. Howell Ave., http://www.bayviewneighborhood.org/chill_on_the_hill)
Wednesday, August 10: The Fixx with Mike Benign Compulsion at Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($30) – (1434 N. Farwell Ave., ShankHall.com)
Also: Rhyton with Moss Folk and Moon Rats at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($7) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
And: Zakk Wylde with Tyler Bryant and The Shakedown and Jared James Nichols at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($25-$30) – (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Thursday, August 11: Adia Victoria with New Boyz Club and D’Amato and The Valentine at Club Garibaldi, 9 p.m. – (2501 S. Superior St., ClubGaribaldis.com)
Friday, August 12: Strange Fruit featuring New Age Narcissism, ZED KENZO, D’Amato,Chakara Blu, Dasha Kelly, Gervis Myles, Cree Myles, Deborah Ross and Noh Life at Hotel Foster, 6 p.m. ($10) – (2028 E. North Ave., TheHotelFoster.com)
Also: Ugly Brothers (album release) with Ladders and Fivy at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($5) – (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)
And: Bright Black (EP release) with Faux Fiction and Ion at Landmark Lanes, 9 p.m. ($5) – (2220 N Farwell Ave., LandmarkLanes.com)
And: The Blue Mooners with Rupert Angeleyes, The Rockbirds from Rockford and DJ Star Sara at Company Brewing, 10 p.m. – (735 E. Center St., CompanyBrewing.com)
And: Michael Rault with Heaven’s Gateway Drugs, Sisters of Your Sunshine Vapor, Calliope at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Saturday, August 13: Soul Low (album release) with milo, The Pukes and Wax Addicts at The Miramar Theatre, 9 p.m. ($8-$10) – (2844 N. Oakland Ave.,TheMiramarTheatre.com)
Also: Strange Fruit featuring Bo Triplex and His Beautiful Band, Jamie Breiwick and Mitch Shiner, Mike Mangione, John Sieger, Kavon Cortez Jones, Lilo Allen, MRS. FUN, Venice Williams and Mike Regal at Company Brewing, 9 p.m. ($10) – (735 E. Center St., CompanyBrewing.com)
And: MKE Punk Fest 6 Before Party featuring Billy Dreamer, Ratbatspider, Crappy Dracula 2, Dresden Wolves, Northside Creeps and Faux Fiction at Quarters Rock ‘n Roll Palace, 7 p.m. ($5) – (900 E. Center St.)
Sunday, August 14: Strange Fruit featuring milo, SistaStrings, Stomata with Jordan Lee, Foreign Goods, New Boyz Club, Brit Nicole, Soul Serious and Tarik Moody at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($10) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Also: Protomartyr with Midwives and The Rashita Joneses at Mad Planet, 9 p.m. ($10 advance; $12 door) – (533 E. Center St, Mad-Planet.ne
