Monday, June 15: Population Zero with Population Control and The Subverters at Quarters Rock ‘n Roll Palace, 8 p.m. ($5)
With Philadelphia-based Population Zero and Milwaukee’s Population Control, Monday night’s show at Quarters Rock ‘n Roll Palace is one for those interested in census numbers (or lack thereof). Oh, and thrash metal. (900 E. Center St.)
Tuesday, June 16: Suuns and Jerusalem In My Heart with Testa Rosa at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($10)
Both Suuns and Jerusalem In My Heart are respected in their niche music circles—the former a psychedelic kraut rock four-piece, the latter a modernists take on Arabic music. The two Montreal bands convened in 2012 for a one week session to merge those distinct sounds. The self-titled collaboration Suuns and Jerusalem In My Heart finds them settling on common, drone-heavy ground. (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Also: Chill on the Hill featuring Anna Fermin and Chrissy Dzioba at Humboldt Park, 6 p.m. (FREE) – (3000 S. Howell Ave., http://www.bayviewneighborhood.org/chill_on_the_hill)
Wednesday, June 17: Flo Rida with Dillon Francis, Natalie La Rose and Jordin Sparks at The Rave, 8 p.m. ($34-$40) (Tuesday Update: This show has been cancelled)
Shawty, make sure to wear your apple bottom jeans and boots with the fur in order to be properly prepared to get “Low” to rapper Flo Rida on Wednesday night at the Rave. That 2008 breakout hit single already sounds incredibly dated for only being 7 years old, but Flo Rida promises to have new material on the way—his fifth album, The Perfect 10, has been in the works for more than a year. Opening the show is DJ Dillon Francis, whose similarly tilted single “Get Low” you may remember from those weird Taco Bell commercials with the granny flashing. (2401 W. Wisconsin Ave., TheRave.com)
Thursday, June 18: Rob Thomas with Plain White T’s at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. ($45-$75)
Rob Thomas ruled the early 2000s as the singer of Matchbox Twenty. That band scored hits like “Push,” “3 a.m.,” “Bent,” “If You’re Gone” and “Unwell,” but Thomas’ unceasingly popular vocals came behind Santana’s guitar on “Smooth.” Thomas found some success since embarking on a solo career, 2005’s debut …Something to Be went platinum and 2009’s follow-up landed at No. 3 on the Billboard charts. A third album, The Great Unknown, is due later this summer. (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Jazz in the Park featuring Incendio and Terra Guitarra at Cathedral Square Park, 5 p.m. (FREE) – (825 N. Jefferson St., http://www.easttown.com/events/jazz-in-the-park)
And: Brett Newski (tape release) with Ugly Brothers and King Courteen at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($5) – (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)
Friday, June 19: Belle and Sebastian with Courtney Barnett at The Pabst Theater, 8 p.m. ($45.50)
While The Pabst Theater lists indie-pop mavens Belle and Sebastian as the headliner, the real draw on Friday night is up-and-coming Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett. Riding a tidal wave of buzz going into her debut record from witty, narrative-driven songs like “Avant Gardener” and “Are You Looking After Yourself,” Sometimes I Sit and Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit proved that the early praise was more than warranted. Watch out as her wry, thoughtful musings on standout track “Depreston” steal the show. (1032 N. 4th St., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Lakefront Festival of Art featuring Group of the Altos, GGOOLLDD, Nightgown, Cardinal Harbour, Ian and the Dream and Kinetic at the Milwaukee Art Museum, 1:30 p.m. (FREE) – (700 N. Art Museum Dr., lfoa.mam.org)
And: The Temptations at Potawatomi’s Northern Lights Theater, 8 p.m. ($35-$45) – (1721 W. Canal St., PaysBig.com)
Saturday, June 20: Dummerfest featuring 88 Fingers Louie, Masked Intruder, Juiceboxx, In Defence, Tenement, Pears, Get Rad, Lipstick Homicide, Midnight Reruns, Big Zit, Meat Wave and Direct Hit! at The Metal Grill, 12 p.m. ($20)
Picking what to see this Saturday might be painful since there are so many solid options across town—there are two big festivals this weekend, Summer Soulstice and Lakefront Festival of Art, plus a sold-out My Morning Jacket show at the Riverside Theater, Eletric Six and White Reaper at Mad Planet, and the return of Old Earth, who opens for Futurebirds at Club Garibaldi—but the inaugural Dummerfest should be a pretty safe bet. The festival runs all day, is all-ages and features some of the city’s best bands along with a solid crop of out-own-towners to boot. (5036 South Packard Ave., Cudahy, themetalgrill.com)
Also: My Morning Jacket with Floating Action at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. (SOLD OUT) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
And: Summer Soulstice Music Festival featuring Midwest Death Rattle, Twin Brother, Canopies, Soul Low, New Age Narcissism, Aluar Pearls, Erotic Adventures of Static Chicken and more (full lineup here), 11 a.m. (FREE) – (North Avenue between Oakland and Farewell avenues, TheEastSide.org)
And: Electric 6 with White Reaper and NO/NO at Mad Planet, 9 p.m. ($12 advance, $15 door) – (533 E. Center St, Mad-Planet.net)
And: Lakefront Festival of Art featuring Whips, Nineteen Thirteen, Blue Ribbon Band and King Comets at the Milwaukee Art Museum, 11:30 a.m. (FREE) – (700 N. Art Museum Dr., lfoa.mam.org)
And: Futurebirds with Twin Brother and Old Earth at Club Garibaldi, 9 p.m. – (2501 S. Superior St., ClubGaribaldis.com)
Sunday, June 21: My Morning Jacket with Floating Action at The Riverside Theater, 8 p.m. ($32.50)
Saturday’s My Morning Jacket show may be sold-out, but with all the other great options that day, you’ll miss out the least by checking out the southern jam-rockers on Sunday. Even as the band reaches closer and closer to its third decade, Jim James and company are showing no signs of losing their edge. My Morning Jacket’s seventh record, The Waterfall, might just be their best yet. (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Lakefront Festival of Art featuring Stubby Chubbz Brass Band, Dead Horses and The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra at the Milwaukee Art Museum, 11:30 a.m. (FREE) – (700 N. Art Museum Dr., lfoa.mam.org)
