WHAT: An Evening with Your Mother, Grandkids, Thistle and the Thorn, Dastardly, Zach May and the Maps
WHERE: IMC ($5)
WHEN: Friday, April 22nd at 7:00 p.m.
This one is an Earth Day Benefit thrown by SECS (that’d be Students for Environmental Concerns), and features an excellent lineup with Dastardly (returning after a successful show at Indigo back in April), Milwaukee’s Thistle and the Thorn, and locals Grandkids, Zach May and An Evening with Your Mother.
WHAT: The War on Drugs, Cheaper Hits, Stellar Days
WHERE: Mike & Molly’s
WHEN: Friday, April 22nd at 9:00 p.m.
The War on Drugs opened for (and possibly eclipsed) the Hold Steady at Courtyard last time they were in town. We can only imagine their droning, ultra-loud, Suicide-ish psychedelia will sound better at Mike & Molly’s.
WHAT: Talib Kweli, Fred the Godson, Jay Moses x Gr8Thinkaz, DJ Solo
WHERE: Canopy Club ($17 adv)
WHEN: Friday, April 22nd at 9:30 p.m.
Talib Kweli is required viewing if you have any interest in hip-hop (mainstream or underground), bridging the gap between backpack and mainstream. Plus, remember when you paid $35 for that terrible Wu-Tang show back in 2008? This is half as cheap and probably going to be at least twice as good.
WHAT: Folk Off! with Generifus, Real Live Tigers, Jack Kilroy, Isaac Arms, Golden Ghost, Tiger Saw, Megan Johns and Morgan Orion
WHERE: Red Herring ($6/10)
WHEN: Friday, April 22nd to Saturday, April 23rd
With shows nearly every weekend, plus this and the upcoming punk festival in July, it seems like the Red Herring is finally back into doing shows full time. This two day minifest is well done, with bigger acts like Real Live Tigers and Golden Ghost, plus a stellar local lineup. Festivities are six bucks per night, or ten for both.
WHAT: Girl Talk
WHERE: Canopy Club (sold out)
WHEN: Saturday, April 23rd at 10:00 p.m.
While many people seemed to have left the 2008 show slightly disappointed, you can’t argue that Girl Talk’s thrashing, sweaty dance-pits are the stuff of legend at this point. If you can get your hands on tickets, this is well worth it.