Your quick guide to Milwaukee concerts in spring 2026
Here’s a look at some of the top acts coming to the Milwaukee area from March through May 2026.
You can hear country, experimental and several genres in between in these top 15 new releases from Milwaukee musicians to check out this April.
Our favorite new albums, EPs and singles are listed in alphabetical order.
The country rock band is known for raising a hell of a racket, but they’ve got their cowboy hats in their hands and are speaking from the heart on this tender and catchy single.
The highs are mighty high – and the lows will have you feeling high, too – on the fiddle-and-harmonica-seasoned country band’s eight-song album, where even a down-in-the-dumps tune like “Drinkin’ Buddies” turns into a darn good time, and “Ode to a Neighbor” has hearty backing group harmonies and mighty sweet whistlin’.
“It Is What It Is – Prevail,” Zeti
Longtime followers of Milwaukee’s music scene may not be familiar with Zeti, but they’re likely to remember Pezzettino, the accordion-favoring project from Margaret Stutt. After heading to Brooklyn and dealing with health issues in 2012, Stutt (now based in Oakland, California) has returned with her first new music in six years, edgier than Pezzettino fans may recall but just as engrossing, in time for Stutt’s first Milwaukee performance in 14 years at The Estate April 9.
Talents converge on the five-piece roots rock band’s five-song EP, with a sound spanning from mellow stoner grooves on opening track “New Beginnings” to funky licks on closer “Ole K Mines.”
The electronic producer immediately creates a trance with the hypnotic ’80s-heavy synths on the opening title track of this four-song EP. She switches gears completely on the simmering follow-up “Alverno” with its ambient bird chirps, then offers several other sonic switch-ups on the two subsequent tracks.
After producing what was arguably Milwaukee’s song of the summer last year, “There It Is” with rapper 414BigFrank, producer Sunny Lou merges his snapping lowend sound with the dreamy hyperpop sensibilities of rapper-to-watch Lightris on this strings-seasoned single. It also confirms that the virality Lightris achieved early in the year with the single “Kwik Trip” had nothing to do with its head-turning title.
“Tales of the Hard Way,” God’s Outlaw
Fourteen years after outlaw country band God’s Outlaw released their debut EP, they’re back with a full-length follow-up album that superbly carries on the rough-and-tumble ways of country legends like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
The latest single from the heartland rock trio ends with the epiphany, “I’m beginning to feel the thaw.” It’s a sentiment that’s not just said, but truly felt through the nourishing music.
Still centered around cellist Janet Schiff, Nineteen Thirteen has taken on new dimensions, and new members, with Violent Femmes co-founder Victor DeLorenzo stepping aside, and drummer Renee Luna Bebeau and singer Jen Janviere now in the fold. The newest members bring tension and drama that bode well for the band’s future releases.
Longtime friends Chris Rosenau and Nick Sanborn are two of Milwaukee’s most accomplished musicians, the former leading the increasingly cinematic Collections of Colonies of Bees; the latter in North Carolina and one-half of electronic dance band Sylvan Esso. Collaborating once again for their second joint release, the appropriately titled “Two” sees them return to their electric and challenging experimental tendencies, with anything-can-happen results. They’re doing a rare tour behind the EP, which includes a Milwaukee stop at Vivarium April 2.
“I feel like I haven’t accomplished much,” Gucco declares in the first moments of opening track “Jumbotron.” But the catchy, emo-influenced tracks on “Sophomore Forever*” suggest the opposite.
Guitar and drum duo Seth Kaplan and Aidan Hoppens make a mighty first impression with their dense and dynamic debut EP, the five-track “Spirit Hound,” becoming another excellent addition to an emo rock scene blessed with creativity and versatility.
“Triple Threat,” Bowvee
A blast of feedback is the starting sound of the three-track “Triple Threat,” a nod to Bowvee’s garage rock inclination. But very quickly, it transforms into a swift showcase for catchy songwriting that sometimes recalls the bouncy whimsy of Vampire Weekend.
Lords of Apricity, led by songwriter and guitarist David Koenig, has taken its time with this follow-up single to their debut 2022 EP. But it’s so well structured, and so full of feeling – especially Susan Renee Thiede’s astounding vocals, and some heart-lifting percussion by Bon Iver’s S. Carey – it sounds like an unearthed ’70s rock classic.
The passing in 2024 of Antoine Mack, who made waves in Milwaukee and beyond as rapper Twan Mack, was a tremendous loss. His friend John Kocher, working with The Gufs’ Goran Kralj, penned this heartfelt tribute that honors a giving spirit and tremendous talent who continues to make an impact.
“Must-Hear Milwaukee Music” runs on or around the first of every month in the Journal Sentinel and at jsonline.com. If you have a new album, EP or song coming out, contact Piet Levy at [email protected] for review consideration. Follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.jsonline.com ’
