Read an excerpt from new book centered on Milwaukee musician Klassik
Ahead of his Summer Solstice performance and Juneteenth, travel back to the summer of 2020 and the creation of his song “Black Holiday.”
Jun 15th, 2022
Barrett, Democrats Must Address Racism
George Floyd’s killing should be wakeup call to city, state, nation to embrace reforms.
Jun 2nd, 2020
Milwaukee Jazz Book Crowdfunding Campaign
The history of jazz music in Milwaukee and the contemporary revival will serve as an entry point to consider issues of race, class, culture, hip-hop, and identity in America.
Dec 15th, 2016
Sabbatic Offers 99 Cent Drinks
Every day from 7:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. Plus a regular Happy Hour, and lots of attitude.
Aug 18th, 2016
Thai-Namite Is a Spicy Treat
The food’s great. And the reduced-price beers help cool off the heat.
Aug 11th, 2016
La Masa Is Empanada Heaven
During Happy Hour some are just $2 -- and damn tasty -- with $2 off tap drinks.
Jul 29th, 2016
They’ve Got the Goods at Palomino
A killer happy hour deal, scrumptious food and a great patio.
Jul 22nd, 2016
All Lives Matter? Yes and No.
Criticism of Black Lives Matter ignores the history behind the protests.
Jul 18th, 2016
Harbor House Is a Waterfront Wonder
Great views, elegant atmosphere and 89-cent clams and oysters are hard to beat.
Jul 13th, 2016
The Crowd Rules At MobCraft Brewery
Many beer recipes are crowd-sourced by new microbrewery. The results: very tasty
Jul 7th, 2016
Finally, a Summerfest Happy Hour
The Big Gig offers small prices on entry fee, drinks and food tomorrow.
Jun 29th, 2016
Riverfront Pizzeria is Great for Summerfest
It’s a great hangout before or after the Big Gig, with a better beer selection than on the festival grounds.
Jun 23rd, 2016
Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Was a Winner
Peanut butter beer? Bubblegum flavored? Wild variety offered by 100 brewers.
Jun 13th, 2016
This is It! Has Daily Discounts
City’s longest running gay bar has great drink specials seven days a week.
Jun 9th, 2016
Salas Has Cheap Drinks, Good Burgers
There’s no official Happy Hour, but Salas Burgers has cheap drinks all the time.
Jun 2nd, 2016
Triskele’s is Quietly Cozy
A culinary destination with a comfortably priced happy hour.
May 27th, 2016
Who’s on Third Great for Sports Fans
With good happy hour deals and the Jameson Black Barrel Club.
May 18th, 2016
Karma Has Two Happy Hour Shifts
Early and late happy hours, five days a week. Plus some great comedy shows.
May 12th, 2016
Comedy Festival Showcases Midwest Performers
70 performers at 11 shows in four neighborhoods. And all free.
May 12th, 2016
Bosley on Brady Lives Up To Hype
With great seafood, Key West ambiance and low happy hour prices.
May 5th, 2016
Last Word in Cheesehead Culture
Drink Wisconsinbly lays on the local drinks, food and kitsch, with great Happy Hour deals.
Apr 29th, 2016
Best Friendz Klubhouse Is All About Cocktails
It’s also one of 25 venues that host an Arte Para Todos show this weekend.
Apr 21st, 2016
Fire on Water Is Great for Music
And the happy hour runs four hours, and all night on Tuesday.
Apr 15th, 2016
Art Bar Has 60 Craft Beers
And a great wine selection. All two-for-one, Monday through Saturday, 3 p.m.-7 p.m.
Apr 8th, 2016
42 Lounge Is Shrine to Nerd Culture
Downtown bar has lots of video and tabletop games, along with good happy hour prices.
Mar 31st, 2016
BB’s Has Become a Downtown Mainstay
Offering breakfast, burgers and beer on Wisconsin Ave. with happy hours every weekday.
Mar 24th, 2016
O’Lydia’s Offers Plenty of Irish Cheer
And plenty of drink and food specials.
Mar 21st, 2016
Pizza Man Is The Place for Wine
The selection is endless and glasses are $5 at its weekday happy hours.
Mar 11th, 2016
Camino Offers Polish Happy Hour
Hey, it’s the South Side. And the prices (and food) are a treat.
Mar 3rd, 2016
Stubby’s Has Huge Beer Selection
53 beers on tap from all over the world, happy hour deals 3-6 pm Tuesday-Friday.
Feb 26th, 2016
Comet Still Rocks the House
A fun happy hour, good food, and a rock vibe: they promote and love WMSE.
Feb 19th, 2016
Try Maxie’s for Mardi Gras
Celebration starts today, peaks tomorrow. On other days, the happy hour is always fun.
Feb 8th, 2016
It’s All Local at Braise
The food, beer, even some of the spirits and wine. It’s a tasty happy hour.
Feb 4th, 2016
Juniper 61 Offers 17 Small Plates
And all $1 off, as are taps, wine and rail drinks, at Happy Hour six days a week.
Jan 29th, 2016
Three Cheers for Merriment Social
$2 off taps and wines, plus dim sum food carts (usually) with great snacks. Sweet.
Jan 21st, 2016
Black Sheep Is For Wine Lovers
They specialize in boutique, small production wines. Plus beers, ciders, mixed drinks.
Jan 14th, 2016
Brenner Brewing Launches Happy Hour
Micro-brewer offers nine of its beers, six guest beers and a “magic” way to lower prices.
Jan 8th, 2016
Safe House Does Do Deals
Even if you’re not a spy, you get cut-rate wine and beer on week nights, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Dec 30th, 2015
Best 15 Local Music Shows of 2015
Milwaukee’s music scene keeps getting better, as this list suggests.
Dec 29th, 2015
Highbury Has Morning Happy Hours
Plus lots of soccer. And cider. And the best DJ night in town.
Dec 23rd, 2015
Foundation Bar Becomes Cheap Tropical Isle
Tiki Bar has $3 draft beers and rail drinks but you might prefer splurging on tropical cocktails.
Dec 18th, 2015
Zaffiro’s Has $2 Microbeers, Great Pizza
City’s original thin-crust pie place has 2-for-1 rail mixers and great $2 micro-beers.
Dec 11th, 2015
La Fuente Warms Up Winter
Happy hour prices on spicy Mexican food and beer or Margaritas six days a week.
Dec 3rd, 2015
Applebee’s For Cocktails?
Our intrepid reporter actually tries the happy hour at six different Applebee's.
Nov 27th, 2015
EL VY Shoots for the Moon
Side project of The National’s lead singer Matt Berninger will play at Turner Hall.
Nov 19th, 2015
Black Souls Matter
Can challenging shows like ‘The Ballad of Emmett Till’ change how we think about race?
Nov 17th, 2015
The Final Miltown Beat Down
Annual Hip-Hop event ends decade-long run Saturday with battle between past winners.
Nov 6th, 2015
The Salad Days of Mac DeMarco
The Canadian’s jangly alt pop has made him a rising star, performing at the Riverside.
Nov 5th, 2015
Cactus Club Brings the Bands
Happy hour includes discounted Bloody Marys, rail cocktails and tall boys.
Oct 30th, 2015
Rock Out for Halloween
Great concerts -- and one book reading -- happening this Saturday.
Oct 27th, 2015
High Dive, Riverwest’s New Hangout
Modeled on Bremen Cafe, High Dive offers lots of live music and low prices.
Oct 23rd, 2015
$1 Beers Every Weekday at McKiernan’s
A classic South Side bar with cheap macro-brews, yet with Guinness and Smithwick’s.
Oct 16th, 2015
Landmark Lanes Is Fun With Films
It’s a great hangout before or after the Milwaukee Film Fest, with a raft of good drink choices.
Oct 7th, 2015
The Rise of Three.Stacks.Eliot
Sam Lewis talks about the Milwaukee jazz and hip hop band, which plays at Garibaldi’s tonight.
Oct 3rd, 2015
BKC Offers Unique Drinks, Snacks
And it’s the perfect place for a drink before Milwaukee Film Fest screenings at the Times.
Oct 2nd, 2015
Hotel Foster (The Sequel)
East Side bar has a special happy hour for Milwaukee Film Festival goers, plus film/drink pairings.
Sep 24th, 2015
Bryant’s Old Fashioned Charm
Venerated south side cocktail lounge will be open early for the 5th Annual Doors Open Milwaukee.
Sep 18th, 2015
Horny Goat’s Year-Round Outdoor Fun
Their riverside Hideaway has an enclosed and heated bar that stays open through the winter.
Sep 11th, 2015
Jen Kirkman Delights Turner Hall Crowd
The former comedy writer has become a stand-up champ.
Sep 10th, 2015
Vista King Offers Great Lake Cruises
And on certain nights, the cruise has a happy hour. It’s my favorite bar.
Sep 3rd, 2015
Public Beer Gardens Are Great Fun
County now boasts four permanent and two traveling beer gardens.
Aug 28th, 2015
Ale House Offers a Great List of Beers
And the vintage building and riverside setting adds charm.
Aug 20th, 2015
Company Brewing is Top Brass
New Riverwest microbrewery offers discounted pints, cocktails and wine seven days a week.
Aug 14th, 2015
The Exclusive Charms of MAC Deck Bar
NEWaukee Lunar series gives you access to Milwaukee Athletic Club’s 13th floor bar and stunning city views.
Aug 6th, 2015
The Musical Journey of Jay Anderson
The leader of Foreign Goods, just 23, is a deep thinker and musician.
Jul 30th, 2015
The Maniac Named Juiceboxxx
MIlwaukee's rising star, the subject of a new book, was as crazed as ever at Riverwest show.
Jul 29th, 2015
Hi Hat Garage Is Quite a Scene
One of the best deals in town: half-off taps, rail mixers and wine.
Jul 27th, 2015
Why I Loved the Eaux Claires Festival
Justin Vernon’s inaugural festival boasted great music, dramatic weather and a collaborative ethos.
Jul 22nd, 2015
Nessun Dorma Is Great For $2 Beer
Riverwest Stein and a Czech pilsner are $2 seven evenings a week. Good food, too.
Jul 17th, 2015
From Their Basement to You
Rising bands Lady Lamb and Soul Low perform at Turner Hall.
Jul 15th, 2015
Von Trier Is Great for Dark Beers
Try Monday’s $4 German beer night; it goes down great with the many German sausages.
Jul 10th, 2015
A Week (Nearly) of Summerfest
The music, the crowd, the politicians, the beer. But mostly it was about the music.
Jun 30th, 2015
Charlies is Perfect Pre-Fest
Club Charlies is great for grabbing a bite or having a few drinks before visiting the Summerfest grounds.
Jun 29th, 2015
An Idiosyncratic Guide to Summerfest
More than 800 bands will play. Here’s my admittedly subjective pick of the best shows.
Jun 24th, 2015
Summer Soulstice Was a Huge Success
My weekend of music also took in the Lakefront Festival of Art, which was pretty cool, too.
Jun 22nd, 2015
The Best City View in Town?
Iron Horse has great happy hour, with spectacular view of Milwaukee skyline.
Jun 15th, 2015
Riverwest Pizza Has $3 Slices, $3 Tall Rails
With 12 different kinds of tasty pizza and 12 different tap beers, there’s plenty to make you happy.
Jun 2nd, 2015
John Mulaney Is A Rising Star
He performs tonight at the Pabst and absolutely killed the audience his last time in town.
May 29th, 2015
The Rise of Soul Low
The Milwaukee band’s three members are in their early 20s, but they’re winning fans with their assured sound.
May 26th, 2015
Wicked Hop Is A Third Ward Staple
Happy hour extends far beyond the seventh inning stretch.
May 21st, 2015
Tangled Up in Dylan
Memories of Bob Dylan and how the legend performed at the Riverside last night.
May 14th, 2015
Hooligan’s, Your Place for Canned Beer
Seriously, the selection is huge and the benefits of beer in cans are many, the bar menu proudly notes.
May 13th, 2015
King of the Nerds
Chris Hardwick, the foremost nerd comedian, performs at the Pabst tonight.
May 8th, 2015
Boone & Crockett Is Rustic Yet Sophisticated
Half-off unique cocktails and offbeat microbrews and soon a patio where they’ll serve “Gypsy Tacos”
May 1st, 2015
Tonic Connects Bay View and Riverwest
Its South-by-Riverwest live music series is great fun, with good drink deals.
Apr 22nd, 2015
McBob’s Has Good Deals, Great Corned Beef
Classic west side bar has a diverse clientele and morning and afternoon happy hours.
Apr 16th, 2015
Can Bo Triplex Make His Mark?
One of Milwaukee's best bassists talks about his new band and life after Kane Place Record Club.
Apr 15th, 2015
Milwaukee Day Will Have Great Music
April 14 (414) will feature good food and beer and a line-up of great bands.
Apr 13th, 2015
Vanguard Pairs Great Sausages and Drinks
Yet it has no official happy hour. But they do have drink specials so you can create your own good time.
Apr 9th, 2015
Steny’s Has Milwaukee’s Longest Happy Hour
It can’t be beat for sports events, but it’s always got energy and reasonable prices.
Apr 3rd, 2015
“I’m Not Thinking At All About Suicide”
Comedian Maria Bamford is slaying audiences with painfully honest jokes. She performs Wednesday night at Turner Hall.
Mar 31st, 2015
Have a Party, Take Your Clothes Off
Rio Turbo really likes to rile up the audience. The party reconvenes Saturday night at Linneman’s.
Mar 27th, 2015
Getting High on Brit Floyd
No they’re not quite Pink Floyd, but they still left me somewhere on the dark side of the moon.
Mar 27th, 2015
O’Brien’s Pairs Perfectly With Brewers
The bar on 50th and Vliet offers free shuttle bus to games, along with Happy Hour deals.
Mar 26th, 2015
TV on the Radio Lives Up to Hype
Sell-out crowd at Pabst gets to hear a great mix of its old and new songs.
Mar 25th, 2015
Fink’s Brings the High Life
High quality micro-brews and spirits are half-off for two hours every weekday.
Mar 20th, 2015
Alabama Shakes Rocks Milwaukee
Lead singer Brittany Howard has been compared to Janis Joplin, but the band proved uniquely powerful in its own right.
Mar 16th, 2015
Don’t Overlook The Irish Pub
The city’s quieter Irish bar has plenty of charm, and lower prices than other Third Ward spots.
Mar 12th, 2015
414 Music Live With Cheap Beer
Every Thursday Radio Milwaukee features live local music and $1 off Milwaukee beers at adjoining Stone Creek cafe.
Mar 5th, 2015
My Whirlwind Weekend at Arte Para Todos
Inaugural Milwaukee music festival was three days of great music, cool clubs and fun crowds.
Mar 3rd, 2015
Weekend Music Fest Boasts 70 Bands
70 local bands and 15 visual artists at 15 venues over three days in a benefit for school arts programs.
Feb 27th, 2015
It’s Dirt Cheap at Frank’s Power Plant
The biker-friendly bar offers $2 beers and apple pie shots for four hours Monday through Friday.
Feb 26th, 2015
The Rise of Twin Brother
The Milwaukee band, which opens tonight for Current Swell at Turner Hall, learned a lot from an East Coast tour.
Feb 23rd, 2015
Meraki Offers Snacks And a Show
The new Walker’s Point restaurant/bar offers unique snacks and the chance to watch the chefs at work.
Feb 19th, 2015
Miller Time Pub is Great Fun
Filled with Miller memorabilia, it also boosts $2.50 half-liter boots of domestic beer.
Feb 12th, 2015
Public Market’s Plentiful Bargains
Nehring’s has great food and beer and Thief has great wines, all at marked-down prices.
Feb 5th, 2015
Transfer Pizzeria’s Healthy Happy Hour
Great atmosphere, gluten-free pizza and drinks and bargain prices. What’s not to like?
Jan 29th, 2015
Chris Tucker Toasts the Taxman
Comedian’s Riverside show was a hoot, even if he’s making all that money for the IRS.
Jan 26th, 2015
Red Lion is a Brit Hit
For British beer and pub food fans, every Monday through Friday offers two hours of bargains.
Jan 22nd, 2015
Bremen Cafe Loves Happy Hour
The bar’s happy hour runs 5 hours a day, 7 days a week. And there’s lots of live music and comedy.
Jan 15th, 2015
Pfister Hotel’s Blu Lounge Is Swank Yet Cheap
Its happy hour offers elegance, great views and three hours of cheap drinks.
Jan 8th, 2015
Jim Gaffigan Kills the Crowd — Again
Gaffigan’s annual holiday run at the Pabst showed him sharpening his anti-Chicago barbs.
Dec 31st, 2014
My Office and Swinging Door
Two venerable downtown bars keep the beer flowing at very low prices.
Dec 23rd, 2014
Dutchman Offers Powerful, Intimate Show
The racial confrontation in Amira Baraka’s 1964 is still thrilling and relevant.
Dec 18th, 2014
Balzac
When you want a more elegant happy hour, Balzac offers deals on great wine, beer and food.
Dec 10th, 2014
Riverwest Public House
Cheap drinks and hip-hop music on a Friday night for city workers and educators. With free condoms, too.
Dec 3rd, 2014
Blackbird
Milwaukee’s got something going on. And Blackbird is one of those places where it’s happening.
Nov 26th, 2014
Nomad World Pub
The deals here are many, including, of course, the city’s shortest happy hour.
Nov 20th, 2014
Five Great Bands & Many Designers
The FUTURA EXTRA BOLD show featured great music, images of design and lots of futuristic thoughts.
Nov 14th, 2014
Hotel Foster
It’s way cheap, drinks for just $1, but only for 23 minutes.
Nov 12th, 2014
Yield Bar
It’s a great location with good music and five hours of discounted drinks daily.
Nov 5th, 2014
Bob Odenkirk Isn’t a Load of Hooey
The author and comedian best known for his role in ‘Breaking Bad” reinvented -- hilariously -- the traditional author reading.
Nov 5th, 2014
How Jeff Gendelman Created The Surface
Hollywood producer’s 19-year journey leads to film set and shot in Milwaukee, now getting released nationally.
Oct 31st, 2014
The Lighter Side of Tig Notaro
The breast cancer survivor known for her utter frankness was simply funny at Turner Hall.
Oct 24th, 2014
John Hodgman, Humor for White Elites
The longtime “Daily Show” humorist offered a Turner Hall show, most of which might have played better at a Yale reunion.
Oct 21st, 2014
Bastille Storms the Milwaukee Theatre
British electro-rockers bring big sound to the Pabst Group’s first production at the old Auditorium.
Oct 20th, 2014
Lewis Black Still Loves His Fans
66-year-old comic's Pabst show proves he hasn’t mellowed a bit.
Oct 13th, 2014
The Sequel
A week’s worth of fabulous film-going, told more or less movie-style.
Oct 10th, 2014
Hamlet A.D.D. Is a Hoot
Green-screen sendup of Shakespeare by local filmmakers was ten years in the making.
Oct 7th, 2014
The Remarkable Story of Finding Fela!
The African icon’s life is now a movie built on success of the Broadway musical. The back story of how it happened.
Oct 3rd, 2014
Milwaukee Film Festival (The Movie)
How did I get in this movie? A review of the first week and look ahead at the festival’s second week.
Oct 2nd, 2014
Revenge of the Mekons
An interview with Joe Angio, Marquette grad and director of a new film about the British cult band The Mekons.
Sep 30th, 2014
Lorde Reigns
The pop sensation closes out Milwaukee’s outdoor music season in style.
Sep 29th, 2014
PURGATORIO – A Journey into the Heart of the Border
An interview with Rodrigo Reyes, director of a dream-like mosaic examining life at our southern border.
Sep 26th, 2014
2014 Milwaukee Film Festival (The Prequel)
The city will be blitzed by 275 films. Which ones should you see?
Sep 25th, 2014
Swardson Brings Laughter and Peace to the Middle West
Far from Hollywood, the comedian delivers a set worthy of his Midwestern roots.
Sep 16th, 2014
Are Dave & Carole Arts Haters?
And should we care about their comments? Reconsidering the value of Milwaukee’s arts scene.
Jul 25th, 2014
Could Milwaukee Support a Pro Soccer Team?
How I came to embrace soccer and what it could mean for America and Milwaukee.
Jul 16th, 2014
Vampire Weekend Draws Blood
Alt rock group wows the crowd despite chilly weather, as our photos show.
Jun 5th, 2014
Love, Hate, and Skittles
Comedian Aziz Ansari’s “Modern Romance Tour” tickles fans at the Riverside.
May 20th, 2014
The Wisdom of Rodriguez
The rediscovered rock star’s Riverside concert was a love fest with philosophical asides.
May 19th, 2014
The Sound of Baltimore?
Wye Oak is one of several hot indie bands from Charm City. They play tomorrow at Turner Hall.
May 13th, 2014
Crowd Says Yes to Uh Huh Her
Electropop duo gets the audience dancing at Turner Hall.
May 7th, 2014
Ira Glass Can Dance!
Sort of. The public radio star mixed stories and dance in his touring show, and it somehow worked.
Apr 29th, 2014
We Played for Clay Matthews
Phantogram’s catchy music has been used in ads, but musical hipsters like it, too.
Apr 9th, 2014
Summoning the Spirit of Jimi
Experience Hendrix 2014 Tour offered over a dozen musicians and lots of sizzling solos.
Apr 7th, 2014
The Salvation of the Symphony
Last weekend’s Beethoven Festival saved my soul. This weekend’s concert could so the same for you.
Apr 3rd, 2014
“I’m So Good I May Never Come Back Here.”
Comedian Anthony Jeselnik's show here was rude, honest and darkly funny. Here's hoping he does come back.
Mar 18th, 2014
Miley Madness in Milwaukee
One man's meditation on Bangerz, the Bucks, blacks and whites at the Bradley Center.
Mar 12th, 2014
