CONCERT REVIEW: Lupe Fiasco, Yo-Dot & Pharaoh Mac and DMT (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Hard-touring, typically reliable rapper Lupe Fiasco returns to Milwaukee once again, but an unusual lack of focus leaves his performance feeling stilted and unsatisfying.

Read my full review here.

CONCERT REVIEW: Skinny Puppy & Youth Code (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Canadian industrial stalwarts Skinny Puppy bring their darkly humorous, blood-soaked spectacle of a stage show to the Rave, much to the delight of their many loyal fans.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Shabazz Palaces & Eaters (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Genre-bending psych rap duo Shabazz Palaces, still riding high after their latest Sub Pop release Lese Majesty, make a criminally under-attended appearance at the Rave.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Ministry & Hemlock (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Always unpredictable Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen pays one last visit to his many Milwaukee fans before retiring the long-running, groundbreaking project permanently.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Riff Raff, Chanel West Coast & WebsterX (The Rave, Milwaukee)

On the road in support of last year's Neon Icon album, flamboyant Houston-bred rapper Riff Raff brings his signature brand of brightly colored ridiculousness to the Rave.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Wiz Khalifa, Meghan Trainor, Jacob Latimore & Eden xo (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Wiz Khalifa brings some much-needed energy to an overstuffed, KISS FM-sponsored show, while the venue futilely does their best to keep his fans from smoking weed.

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CONCERT REVIEW: The Buzzcocks (The Rave, Milwaukee)

The iconic pop punk band pays a visit to Milwaukee in support of The Way, their first new studio album in eight years, but their many classics end up taking center stage.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Jack White (The Rave, Milwaukee)

After selling out the enormous Eagles Ballroom in practically no time at all, Jack White's long-awaited appearance handily lives up to the crowd's lofty expectations.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies & Exodus (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Legendary southern California thrash metal icons Slayer invade the Eagles Ballroom, bringing the ear-splitting peers Suicidal Tendencies and Exodus all for the ride.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Schoolboy Q (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Schoolboy Q manages to impress during a (supposedly) sold-out show at the Rave, despite a baffling stage setup that robbed his performance of much of its punch.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Childish Gambino (The Rave, Milwaukee)

A hotly anticipated appearance by actor-turned-rapper Childish Gambino draws a sold-out crowd to the massive Eagles Ballroom, but largely fails to live up to the hype.

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CONCERT REVIEW: 2 Chainz, Pusha T & August Alsina (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Red-hot Atlanta MC 2 Chainz draws a sell-out crowd to the massive Eagles Ballroom, with a little help from his 2 Good to Be T.R.U. tourmates Pusha T and August Alsina.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Best Coast (The Rave, Milwaukee)

California duo Best Coast encounter some of the drawbacks of 21 and up shows during an underattended, Bud Light-sponsored stop at the Rave.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Big Boi & Killer Mike (The Rave, Milwaukee)

It's been seven years since the last Outkast record, Idlewild, a companion piece to their film of the same name, and between doubts that the Georgia duo will ever make another record and André 3000's relative musical inactivity, it's really been up to Big Boi to keep Outkast's eccentric southern spirit alive. He hasn't done a bad job of it either, releasing the energetic, purposeful Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty in 2010 and following it up late last year with Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors, an effort he's currently supporting with the current "Shoes for Running" world tour, which pulled into Milwaukee tonight.

In the support slot was longtime Dungeon Family collaborator Killer Mike, whose set didn't get things off on the best foot. It's not that Killer Mike isn't a talented MC, he proved the opposite on the mic here, it was just that it seemed plain and poorly produced. Of course, he's not the headliner, but there were also things within his control that stole some of his momentum, like an extended speech on behalf of wanted Black activist Assata Shakur. It's an important issue, sure, but in this context it'd be more effective to impart a few carefully chosen words and let the music say the rest.

In a perhaps not unintentional contrast, Big Boi's set was a colorful, kinetic affair, with video projections, lights and a gaggle of backup dancers. Assisted by a live drummer, bass player and singer (as well as the obligatory hype-man), he sounded appropriately big and booming throughout a set fairly well balanced between newer material and Outkast classics. That fullness at times got the best of the Rave's sound guy, but, unfortunately, that's something those familiar with the venue should have come to expect by now. Still, that was a minor annoyance, which couldn't derail his high-spirited performance, especially on standouts like "B.O.B." and the new "Mama Told Me".

For how towering a figure he is in rap, and for how good the show turned out to be, it was a little surprising to see the Rave just half-full. Vicious Lies and Dangerous Rumors may not be performing as well as its predecessor, but whatever you think of the new material, that doesn't quite explain why he failed to pack the place (I mean, it's Daddy Fat Sax!). Perhaps it was that the 2013 Miltown Beat Down finals, featuring DJ Shadow and taking place at the same time downtown, lured away some of the local heads. In any case, it turned out to be their loss.

FEATURE: Wavves Matures, Slowly

Afraid of Heights, the fourth full-length from Wavves, suggests a band in transition, but what exactly the noisy California outfit is transitioning into isn't abundantly clear.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Soundgarden (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Resurrecting a long defunct band can be a tricky proposition; play it right and you open up your music to a whole new generation of fans, play it wrong and even the most diehard listeners might turn against you. But sometimes, as in the case of recently reunited grunge staples Soundgarden, the second time around isn't as dramatic as all that.

Read my full review here.

CONCERT REVIEW: Gwar (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Everyone's favorite band of intergalactic barbarians invades the Rave for a night of decapitations and degradation.

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CONCERT REVIEW: A$AP Rocky & A$AP Mob (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Fast-rising MC A$AP Rocky takes over the Rave, and brings the whole A$AP Mob along for the ride. 

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CONCERT REVIEW: Toots and the Maytals (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Legendary reggae pioneer Frederick "Toots" Hibbert once again takes to the stage at The Rave and proves that, though he's going on 67 years of age, he's still got that fire.

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CONCERT REVIEW: Wu-Tang Clan (The Rave, Milwaukee)

Does Wu-Tang Clan require an introduction? I should think not, I mean, it's the goddamn Wu-Tang Clan, right? Anyway, they played The Rave over the weekend and the show was pretty sweet! That shouldn't be a surprise, right? Right?

Read the full review here.