As Christmas falls on Sunday this year, the music calendar loses the weekend to the holiday. But, alas, there are still plenty of weekday shows worth your attention, including a faded post-grunge group playing a small club, a seminal Long Beach rapper and a couple end-of-the-year benefits.
Tuesday night welcomes a ghost of post-grunge past, as Trapt comes to Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. The band coasted off the success from its self-titled debut in 2002 and its lead single/massive radio hit “Headstrong,” but achieved diminishing returns of its following five records. Still, any fan of early-2000s of alt-rock radio will find some exhilaration in seeing such a once-popular band in a club setting. The show starts at 8 p.m.
On Thursday night, legendary So-Cal rapper (and soon to be Martha Stewart cooking counterpart) Snoop Dogg headlines the Riverside Theater, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave., for the Puff Puff Pass Tour with an impressive bill of opening acts, including Bone Thugs -N- Harmony, Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, DJ Quik, Pomona City Movement and LBC Movement. So even if “Gin and Juice” isn’t your thing, this nostalgic hip hop showcase offers other classics like Warren G’s “Regulate” and Bone Thugs -N- Harmony’s “Crossroads.” The event kicks off at 7:30 p.m.
Since this is the season of giving and all, there are two holiday fundraisers on Friday night that support local organizations. The Freespace Holiday Fundraiser at the Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, 926 E. Center St., raises money for the youth-based arts collective, one of the few all-ages spots for teenagers to perform. The showcase features some of these emerging artists, like iQo the menace, Jxst Dame, Dread Sxott, A.D.H.D., Young Epic and D.J. The Jenius. The show starts at 5:30 p.m.
Later Friday at Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave., the 6th annual Holiday Hip Hop Show seeks to raise funds for the massive, four-day festival in April, Arte Para Todos—which itself raises tens of thousands of dollars towards Milwaukee Public Schools. The showcase features riQo the menace, Jxst Dame, Dread Sxott, A.D.H.D., Young Epic, D.J. The Jenius and Genesis Renji. Doors open at 9 p.m.
Stream of the Week
At just less than three minutes, the new two-song release from dream-pop duo Eric & Magill (née Ryan Weber and Eric Osterman) captures the feeling of a warm, welcoming Christmas card. Tranquility and hope permeate throughout the ambling, sweet “As You Drive Home For Christmas” and the soothing, ukulele-backed The New Year Is So Near.”
This Week In Live Music
Monday, December 19: Argopelter at Boone & Crockett, 9 p.m. (FREE) – (2151 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., BooneAndCrockettMKE.com)
Tuesday, December 20: Trapt at Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($20) – (1434 N. Farwell Ave., ShankHall.com)
Wednesday, December 21: George Winston at the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 7:30 p.m. ($35) – (929 N. Water St., MarcusCenter.org)
Thursday, December 22: Snoop Dogg with Bone Thugs -N- Harmony, Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, DJ Quik, Pomona City Movement and LBC Movement at The Riverside Theater, 7:30 p.m. ($69-$79) – (116 W. Wisconsin Ave., PabstTheater.org)
Also: Gift Raps Holiday Concert featuring AR Wesley, Joe Quinto, Miguel Diaz, TruthCity, Shle Berry and DJ Markus X at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($5) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
And: The Greg Koch Band with Malford Milligan at Walker’s Point Anodyne Coffee, 8 p.m. ($15) – (224 W. Bruce St., AnodyneCoffee.com)
Friday, December 23: Holiday Hip Hop Benefit featuring Queen Tut, SoloSam, Taj Raiden and Dad at Cactus Club, 9 p.m. ($5) – (2496 S. Wentworth Ave., CactusClubMilwaukee.com)
Also: Freespace Holiday Fundraiser featuring riQo the menace, Jxst Dame, Dread Sxott, A.D.H.D., Young Epic, D.J. The Jenius and Genesis Renji at Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts, 5:30 p.m. ($5) – (926 E Center St.)
And: De La Buena with D’Amato and SistaStrings at Shank Hall, 8 p.m. ($12) – (1434 N. Farwell Ave., ShankHall.com)
And: Five Card Studs with Radio Radio at Walker’s Point Anodyne Coffee, 8 p.m. ($10) – (224 W. Bruce St., AnodyneCoffee.com)
And: Antler House at Landmark Lanes, 9 p.m. – (2220 N Farwell Ave., LandmarkLanes.com)
And: The Ball Turret Gunners with Trolley at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn, 9 p.m. ($6) – (1001 E. Locust St., Linnemans.com)
