Bradley Symphony Center
EST. 1930
Now the sophisticated home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, this venue started out as a movie palace. The Warner Theater screened “first-run” films along with several other cinemas on Wisconsin Avenue. Marcus Theatres renamed it twice before closing its doors in 1995. The theater stood dormant for decades until MSO raised enough funds to purchase and renovate the space for orchestral concerts. It reopened in 2021 – complete with a replica blade sign of the original Warner. Enjoy the great acoustics during MSO’s second annual Bach Celebration (March 21-23).
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
Turner Hall Ballroom
EST. 1882
Part concert hall and part athletic club, this building still serves its original purpose as the headquarters for the Milwaukee Turners, a historic social and cultural organization with German roots. It’s the upstairs that has the Ballroom, which once hosted dances and gymnastic competitions and now holds concerts and weddings. The War and Treaty (March 27), Mount Eerie & Alan Sparhawk (April 11) and Dehd (April 23) are among this spring’s lineup.
The Pabst Theater
EST. 1895
After flames engulfed the city’s German theater, the Pabst family and architect Otto Strack set out to make its replacement as fireproof as it was ornate. It must’ve worked, because through 130 years of renovations and changing hands, the Pabst Theater remains one of Milwaukee’s most storied stages for concerts and local productions. Catch the Magnetic Fields playing the entirety of their masterwork album 69 Love Songs across two nights (May 6-7).
The Rave/Eagles Club
EST. 1927
You just need to tour this venue’s supposedly haunted underground pool to get a sense of its star power. Ariana Grande, T-Pain, Olivia Rodrigo, Brandon Flowers of The Killers and the late Mac Miller are some of many performers who’ve etched their name into the walls. The pool is a remnant from the building’s early days as the hub for Milwaukee’s Eagles Club chapter. Now, it’s a six-stage complex for all kinds of music, from country (Warren Zeiders, April 3) to rap (Destroy Lonely, Feb. 8) to indie rock (WALLOWS, Feb. 10).
The Riverside Theater
EST. 1928
Vaudeville dominated the Riverside early on before the theater switched to mostly showing films in the 1950s. After nearly shuttering, live performances returned to the theater in 1984 with acts like Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles. Another close call with closure came in 2005 before the Pabst Theater Group took over operations. Since then, a flashy sign and now fully digital marquee have given the venue the shine it deserves. See Faye Webster (March 10), Emmylou Harris (April 5), and Remi Wolf (April 14).
