BIG TOURING & MAJOR VENUE SHOWS
Wind Walkers w/ IF Not For Me + True North
X-Ray Arcade, Cudahy — Monday, September 21 — 6:30 PM
Kick off the week with Wind Walkers, who blend modern metalcore, post-hardcore and atmospheric alternative metal into a mix of soaring melodies and crushing breakdowns. If Not For Me bring their melodic, emotionally charged metalcore, while True North add another dose of modern heavy rock. If you like bands that can go from massive choruses to absolutely punishing breakdowns, this one’s for you.
Polyphia w/ Ladrones + RJ Pasin
Landmark Credit Union Live, Milwaukee — Monday, September 21 — 7:00 PM
You don’t need vocals to absolutely shred. Polyphia combine progressive rock and metal with hip-hop, electronic production, jazz-influenced playing and some seriously ridiculous guitar work. Their technical style is as much about groove and experimentation as it is about showing off. Ladrones and RJ Pasin round out a night built for guitar freaks and anyone who appreciates musicians pushing what a rock show can sound like.
Stabbing Westward w/ Acumen Nation + 16 VOLT
Majestic Theatre, Madison — Saturday, September 26 — 7:00 PM
If you like your rock dark, distorted and drenched in industrial noise, this is your night. Stabbing Westward bring their signature combination of alternative rock, industrial electronics, aggressive guitars and darker atmosphere back to Madison. Acumen Nation add their industrial-metal attack, while 16VOLT bring another dose of electronic-infused heavy rock. Expect pounding beats, distorted riffs, synths and plenty of industrial darkness.
Dying Fetus & Sanguisugabogg w/ Crowbar + Left to Suffer + Deterioration
The Rave / Eagles Club, Milwaukee — Saturday, September 26 — 6:30 PM
This is where the Saturday night volume goes completely off the rails. Dying Fetus deliver technical death metal packed with precision, speed and absolutely massive riffs, while Sanguisugabogg bring grimy, old-school death-metal brutality. Legendary sludge-metal heaviness comes courtesy of Crowbar, with Left To Suffer adding modern deathcore and Deterioration pushing things even further into extreme territory. Translation: fast, filthy, ridiculously heavy. Bring earplugs..
EMERGING & LOCAL BANDS
Tribute Night: Land Of Linkin (Linkin Park) + Ride The Lightning (Metallica) + My Own Prison (Creed)
The Annex, Madison — Saturday, September 26 — 7:00 PM
Three bands. Three huge rock catalogs. Land Of Linkin bring the biggest Linkin Park hits, Ride The Lightning tackle Metallica’s legendary metal catalog, and My Own Prison deliver the post-grunge/alternative-rock sound of Creed. It’s a night built for singing along, throwing up the horns and reliving some seriously influential rock from the ’90s and 2000s.
OTHER EVENTS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Harley Fall Festival
Harley Davidson of Madison, Madison — Saturday, September 26 — 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Start Saturday with motorcycles, fall weather and plenty of Harley-Davidson culture. The Harley Fall Festival is a daytime stop that gives you plenty of time to check out the bikes, hang out and soak up the atmosphere before the evening’s concerts take over. Basically, a warm-up lap before the real Saturday-night trouble begins.
Monona’s 43rd Chili Cook-Off
Ahuska Park, Monona — Saturday, September 26 — 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Bring your appetite to Monona’s 43rd Chili Cook-Off and prepare to judge your favorite bowl of spicy, savory goodness. It’s a classic fall Saturday afternoon built around chili, competition and community — and the perfect way to get some food in you before a night of very loud music. Johnny & Dee will be there LIVE from 11:00AM – 1:00PM.
Dane County Humane Society’s Bark & Wine
Dane County Humane Society, Madison — Saturday, September 26 — 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Need something a little less metal before the evening gets loud? Bark & Wine brings together food, wine and plenty of adorable four-legged company while supporting the Dane County Humane Society. It’s the civilized portion of your Saturday — enjoy it before the guitars get turned up to 11.
BAR-HEAVY LATE-NIGHT ROUTES
- Milwaukee Monday double-header: Both Wind Walkers at X-Ray Arcade and Polyphia at Landmark Credit Union Live are Milwaukee-area plays, so pick your room and keep the night focused rather than bouncing all over the metro.
- Downtown Madison industrial night: Stabbing Westward takes over the Majestic Saturday. Keep the night centered around the King Street/Capitol area so you can grab food or drinks nearby without turning the evening into a parking adventure.
- X-Ray Arcade run: If you’re heading to Cudahy for Wind Walkers, make X-Ray Arcade the destination. This is more of a committed Milwaukee-area road trip than a Madison bar crawl, so build around the show and enjoy the night.
- Rave/Eagles Club metal mission: Dying Fetus, Sanguisugabogg, Crowbar, Left To Suffer and Deterioration is not exactly a casual Saturday stop. Make the Rave/Eagles Club the anchor, get there for the 6:30 PM start and let the extreme-metal marathon dictate the rest of the night.
- Annex tribute-night route: If you’re staying in Madison Saturday, Land Of Linkin, Ride The Lightning and My Own Prison gives you a much more familiar sing-along rock night at The Annex. Make the east-side/downtown area your playground before and after the show.
ROCK LIFESTYLE THINGS TO DO
- Monday is guitar-nerd night. Choose between Polyphia’s wildly technical progressive sound at Landmark Credit Union Live or the heavier Wind Walkers bill at X-Ray Arcade.
- Use the middle of the week for a record-store run, burgers and a jukebox before Saturday’s stacked schedule hits.
- Saturday is the marathon. Harley Fall Festival and Monona Chili get the day started, Bark & Wine gives you an afternoon option, and then you’ve got multiple very different rock shows after dark.
- If industrial rock is your thing, make Stabbing Westward at the Majestic the centerpiece of your Saturday night and keep your pre/post-show stops close to downtown.
- If you want maximum heaviness, head to Milwaukee for Dying Fetus and Sanguisugabogg. This is the night to commit to the metal and let the breakdowns dictate your schedule.
- If you want something more familiar and sing-along friendly, The Annex has the Linkin Park, Metallica and Creed tribute lineup. Three catalogs, three tribute bands, one very nostalgic Saturday night.
WHERE TO GO BY NIGHT
MON: SEPT 21
Milwaukee Double-Header. Start the week on the road with Wind Walkers at X-Ray Arcade in Cudahy or Polyphia at Landmark Credit Union Live. Wind Walkers bring the metalcore/post-hardcore heaviness, while Polyphia delivers ridiculous progressive guitar work. Pick your flavor and commit to the drive.
TUE: SEPT 22
Keep It Low-Key. No major verified event from this week’s featured schedule is anchoring Tuesday, so this is your chance to hit the record store, grab some food and save your energy for Saturday’s ridiculous lineup.
WED: SEPT 23
Midweek Reset. No featured event is anchoring Wednesday’s schedule, which makes this a perfect night for a jukebox, a couple drinks and absolutely zero concern about set times.
THU: SEPT 24
Save It for Saturday. There’s no featured event from this week’s main schedule taking over Thursday, so don’t force it. Find a good bar, throw some money into the jukebox and enjoy the quiet before the weekend hits.
FRI: SEPT 25
The Calm Before the Storm. Friday is another lighter night on the featured schedule. Get your weekend strategy together, because Saturday is absolutely stacked from morning through late night.
SAT: SEPT 26
This Is the Night. Start your Saturday with the Harley Fall Festival or Monona Chili, hit Bark & Wine in the afternoon, then choose your evening weapon. Stabbing Westward brings industrial rock to the Majestic, Land Of Linkin / Ride The Lightning / My Own Prison bring Linkin Park, Metallica and Creed to The Annex, or make the Milwaukee run for the extreme-metal assault of Dying Fetus, Sanguisugabogg, Crowbar, Left To Suffer and Deterioration at The Rave/Eagles Club. Pick a lane — Saturday has plenty of them.
SUN: SEPT 27
Sunday Wind-Down. After Saturday’s chaos, keep Sunday civilized. Grab some food, find a good jukebox and let your ears recover before another week of Madison noise begins.
Sources
Related Posts
Nothing found.