WaunaFest, July 25-28, Centennial Park, Waunakee: Did you miss the 4th of July festivities because you could not manage to drag yourself out of your bed/dwelling? You have another chance, if you wauna go for it. WaunaFest has much cheer: a carnival midway and softball tournament (daily); fun run, cornhole tournament and arts and crafts fair (Saturday); and parade (11 a.m. Sunday). Bands are The RetroSpecz (7 p.m.) and Boogie & the Yo-Yoz (9 p.m., both Friday night); Best Practice (7 p.m.) and Road Trip (9 p.m., both Saturday night); and the Dave Austin Band (1 p.m. Sunday). And there’s not one but two beer tents…if that’s where you waunabe. Find the full schedule at waunafest.org.
Melissa Kieler, Thursday, July 25, Harmony Bar, 6:30 p.m.: Melissa Kieler has a big set of pipes. She plays piano (and more), frequently writes her own songs, and is a staple of live music in her hometown of Monroe, Wisconsin. Why not check out this no-cover show?
Paa Kow, Thursday, July 25, North Street Cabaret, 7 p.m.: A native of Ghana, Paa Kow began playing at a very young age with a professional band led by his uncle and including his mother. While still a teen his drumming was noticed by pop star Amakye Dede, leading to tours with Dede and others in Africa and Europe; a chance meeting with a student from the U.S. led to friendship and a guest artist/teaching invitation at the University of Colorado Boulder. It was there that Paa Kow began developing the fusion of Ghanian highlife with jazz and other styles that is his trademark sound today. It’s a joyous and highly danceable blend of cultures. Tickets at eventbrite.com.
Angels in America, part 1: Millennium Approaches, July 25-Aug. 4, Vilas Hall-Mitchell Theatre: Possibly the definitive American play of the early 1990s, Tony Kushner’s Angels in America has won just about every award given. Set in the early days of the AIDS epidemic in New York City and elsewhere, the plot weaves real people with fictional figures; eight actors double up on roles. Characters include the real life lawyer Roy Cohn, a Mormon housewife, gay men with AIDS and their families, even Ethel Rosenberg. Although three decades have passed since it was penned, the political and social themes in the play are still relevant and even newly re-invigorated. The play will be remounted in September, along with a staged reading of Angels in America part 2: Perestroika. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; tickets at artsticketing.wisc.edu.
Yotuma, Thursday, July 25, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: Three Madison bands and one visitor team up for a night of brutal metal and punk. From Minnesota, Nekrotisk is a solo artist who specializes in Midwest blackened death metal, an extreme subgenre. Yotuma is a groove-induced death metal band focused on topics of violence and inner strength. Nihilism, a newer hardcore punk band from Sun Prairie (with members involved in the Devotion Booking collective), has quickly gained a big following this past year. Headwar is a very active three-piece band who has been playing their grunge punk music all around the Midwest. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
Willy Street Chamber Players, Fridays, through July 26, various venues, 6 p.m.: If the Willy Street Chamber Players are playing, it must be summer. The neighborhood group, founded by graduate students, puts on an entertaining and ambitious program of classical music aimed at the Williamson/Marquette neighborhood. The final concert of the series is July 26 at WYSO Center for Music, with Joseph Williams, piano. See the full programs and find tickets at willystreetchamberplayers.org.
Isthmus Vocal Ensemble, Friday, July 26, Bethel Lutheran Church, 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 28, Christ Presbyterian Church, 3 p.m.: A summer concert tradition for more than two decades, the Isthmus Vocal Ensemble returns with a program titled “Wild Forces.” Following a couple weeks of intense rehearsals, the group will sing choral music by 21st century composers such as Elaine Hagenberg and Jake Runestad, 20th century master Randall Thompson, and even Bob Dylan. Advance tickets at isthmusvocalensemble.org.
Our Home States, July 26-Aug. 17, Broom Street Theater, 8 p.m.: Broom Street Theater is sending it back to the states with its ongoing short play festival Our Home States, now in its second year. Last year BST covered 12 Midwestern states. This year BST’s piling in the car and heading east to the New England and Atlantic states. The nine short plays cover the eastern seaboard from Maine (On the Beach by Arthur Boatin) to Pennsylvania (Hellbender: Live by Valerie Work). They also visit New York (Über by Ron G. Rosenfeld), New Jersey (The Jersey Who? by Andrew R. Heinze), New Hampshire (Swimming to Tuftonboro by Mitchell P. Ganem), Rhode Island (Same Jokes by Mark Sawtelle), Massachusetts (The Other Side of the Street by Laura Neill), Vermont (Like a Kite by Ron Fromstein), and Connecticut (Feeder by Julie Linden). Shows are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
William Villalongo, through Aug. 11, Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: Based in Brooklyn, New York, William Villalongo paints, collages and cuts paper to achieve his intricate images which draw on the history of and myths around Black Americans and “invite the viewer to engage with the complexities and precarity of Black existence” — hence the show’s title, “Myths and Migrations.” In conjunction with the exhibit, a free screening of Space is the Place, the 1974 Afrofuturist film starring Sun Ra & the Arkestra, will take place at 8:15 p.m. on July 26.
Blooming Butterflies, through Aug. 11, Olbrich Gardens, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: While the outdoor gardens are the place to be in the summer, there’s good reason to head into the Bolz Conservancy as well. It is magical to see butterflies — up to 19 species — inhabiting the tropical dome. Sharp-eyed visitors may even witness a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. The theme continues in the outdoor gardens with a kids pollinator scavenger hunt. Butterfly Action Day (10 a.m.-2 p.m., Aug. 2) will present booths highlighting ways to help threatened butterfly populations. More info at olbrich.org.
St. Dennis Parish Festival, July 27-28, 413 Dempsey Road: A classic parish festival. There are games for the kiddos with a “treasure chest” of prizes, a beer tent for the grownups, and lots and lots of bingo. And there’s music under the big oak trees on the spacious parish grounds — interactive acoustic band The Swing Crew takes the stage Saturday at 5 p.m. followed by ’70s rock from The Hounds at 7:30 p.m. Frank Martin Busch & the Names plays on Sunday at 3 p.m. And we haven’t seen one of these for a while — a good old-fashioned cake walk is scheduled on Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Find the full schedule at stdennisparish.org.
AtwoodFest, July 27-28, 2000 block of Atwood Avenue: You got your VO5 (8 p.m., July 27), you got your Steely Dane (noon, July 28); it must be AtwoodFest. The street fest (for a landmark, it’s by the Barrymore Theatre) always includes a cross-generational blend of Madison music and some intriguing visitors. Other sets to note: Louisville, Kentucky, singer-songwriter Dusty Bo mixes alt-rock, country and high-energy performances into a sound of his own; and Generation Jones will be joined by guests to create Generation Joey’s Song, raising awareness for the epilepsy-focused nonprofit (5:30 p.m., July 28). Note, previously announced Sia Tolno & Afro Dead will be unable to make the fest due to visa issues, but the sounds of the Grateful Dead will be ably provided by Jed & Company (1:45 p.m., July 28). To join a “convergence” parade to the fest, meet at 11 a.m. on July 27 at Circle Park, Goodman Community Center, Hawthorne Park or the Yahara River at Riverside/Winnebago. The fest is a collaboration of the Barrymore, Schenk-Atwood-Starkweather-Yahara Neighborhood Association and Sector67; find the schedule and more at atwoodfest.com.
Token Tekno, Saturday, July 27, Token Creek County Park-Shelter No. 5, noon-9 p.m.: Token Tekno is an annual event that combines several elements rarely encountered all at once: electronic dance music, the great outdoors, and an all-ages, family-friendly atmosphere. A cookout, graffiti wall, and various lawn games are joined by a music roster that provides a primer in regional DJs/producers: Dexagon, Elmo, Eman, Hypnoassassin, Hysteria, Axion, JP Blanchet, Rainbow, Softcore Mikey, Thrasher and Rapture. Visiting DJs include the techno duo of Angel Alanis and Maria Goetz, and Chicago house star Geto Mark. If you’re still upright after nine hours of dancing, an afterparty follows at Crucible featuring the Alanis + Goetz, Geto Mark, JP Blanchet, Dexagon and Eman. Find updates at facebook.com/events/282428144895497.
Disability Pride Festival, Saturday, July 27, Warner Park, noon-5 p.m.: This pride festival aims to “support and celebrate disabled communities and promote disability justice,” but the emphasis will be on celebrating, with a roster of food and art vendors, including Ara’s Antojitos, Bit of Briana and Hawburns Studio. Expected performers include Natalia Armacanqui Dance and Tani Diakite & the Afrofunkstars. There will also be sports activities and an equability fashion show. See more at the Disability Pride Festival Facebook page.
The White Party Affair + Sculpture Unveiling, Saturday, July 27, Capitol, 5-10 p.m.: This year’s White Party Affair, an annual fundraiser for Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, features two parts. Kicking off the evening at 5 p.m. is the unveiling of a new sculpture of civil rights pioneer and former Wisconsin Secretary of State Vel Phillips, with speakers including her son Michael Phillips, Gov. Tony Evers, Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County CEO Michael Johnson and other guests; it’s free and open to all. The White Party follows at 6 p.m. inside the Capitol, hosted by actor Lorenz Tate, with music by Funktastic. Find tickets and more info here.
Maren Morris, Saturday, July 27, The Sylvee, 8 p.m.: Maren Morris, who has a natural lilt that stops just short of a twang, would seem a country music natural. But she’s backing away from country for political reasons. A supporter of progressive causes, Morris is reportedly disturbed by the country music industry’s refusal to deal with racism, sexism, and its overall pro-Trump stance in the culture wars — exemplified by (among other things) Jason Aldean’s “Try That in a Small Town.” (Morris’s retort is her 2023 song “The Tree”: “The rot at the roots is the root of the problem/But you wanna blame it on me.”) Expect a soulful and heartfelt show. Opener Delacey has the pop-folk vibe that Morris, escaping Nashville, may be headed toward. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
Alex Williams. Saturday, July 27, Red Rooster, 8 p.m.: The songs on Waging Peace, the most recent album by Alex Williams, are drawn from his life on the road after a major-label deal some years back eventually led to dark days. Williams’ blend of old-school country confessionals and guitar rock edge make for a potent combination. The Indiana songwriter is back on the road for a few Midwest dates with Tylor & the Train Robbers.
Killer High Life, Saturday, July 27, The Rigby, 8 p.m.: Whoever guessed a band named Killer High Life is from Milwaukee wins a cookie. The group came together at Marquette University in 2022 and quickly started playing out in Brewtown. Their singles so far are a bit punky and a bit emo; both are earworms. With Madison hardcore outfit Nihilism and Milwaukee hard rockers Mantra.
Ani Mari, Saturday, July 27, Harmony Bar, 9 p.m.: 21-year old Ann Arbor-based Ani Mari has been writing and performing music in the Midwest since she was 13. Her album, Girlfriend, is a combative take on coming of age. But she has a sense of joy and gracefulness in her music as well and rocks somewhere between the lines of Liz Phair and Ratboys. Madison’s own Dana Perry Band opens.
Celebrating Madison’s Sister Cities, through Aug. 11, Overture Center-Rotunda Gallery; reception July 28, 2 p.m.: Making this crazy world a little smaller and friendlier place are Madison’s many sister city programs. This robust program pairs Madison with not one but 10 sister cities across the globe. This exhibit features 40 images from Madisonians visiting these cities, with a few taken by residents of the cities themselves. So if you can’t hop a plane to Vilnius, Lithuania, at least make tracks to the Overture Center for the reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on July 28, with remarks at 2:30 p.m.
Molly Martin, Sunday, July 28, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Martin’s boisterous indie-rock sound has caught the attention of the music media in her new hometown of Nashville. That’s where one publication chose her for last year’s “Best Breakout Artist” dubbing her Pretenders-like attack, “flamboyant” and “edgy.” With an opening set by Maddie Batzli of LINE. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.
