The Black Keys return to Milwaukee for a headlining stint at the Marcus Amphitheater during Summerfest on Wednesday, July 6th. Florence and The Machine and Cage The Elephant support the show. Tickets are are $17.50/$30 (plus service fees). and go on sale March 5th at noon.

After swearing I would never return to Summerfest grounds after Saturday night, I found myself awaiting Devo’s set the following night. I have some very convincing friends and for that I’m fortunate because Devo at Summerfest was one hell of a good time. Dan got a bunch of great sounding videos from the show, but I couldn’t resist sharing the amazing “Beautiful World” featuring guest vocals by Booji Boy! Stick it out till the end and you’ll be rewarded with a Michael Jackson story at the end. Not that Michael Jackson story though.

Also, it’s worth noting that Devo’s new album, Something for Everybody, though front-loaded, is a pretty great summer listen.

Buy: Devo – Something for Everybody

By Alex Schaaf

Jeanna Salzer is a budding singer/songwriter from Milwaukee who has been gaining in praise from around the city, including being voted Milwaukee’s Best Acoustic Musician and Female Vocalist of 2009 by Shepherd Express. Her song “Take It All” was also listed as the #41 best song of 2009 by 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. That song can be found on the group’s newest EP, which was released late last year, entitled “Breaking Point.”

The EP is quite solid, consisting of six songs that showcase the band’s wide range of styles, from waltzing romanticism (“Breaking Point”) to fist-pumping rock (“Love Me”). Salzer’s vocals take center stage throughout, singing in a style that could be compared to such present-day divas as Annie Clark (St. Vincent) or Regina Spektor, but with enough unique power to stand alone from those comparisons. Each track is injected with a large dose of pop sensibility, as each song could find a comfortable home on the radio; but aside from that, there is also a high degree of musicianship present in the band’s playing, which sets it apart from the more conventional fare sometimes found on the airwaves. The second half of “Penny Heaven,” with its fierce vocal build-up, is worth the price of the EP alone.

I previously saw the Jeanna Salzer Band live when they headlined Linneman’s earlier this year, and that performance really convinced me that Salzer and her band are something to keep an eye on in the upcoming months. Utilizing a mix of originals and well-selected covers (St. Vincent’s “Marry Me” and Bon Iver’s “Lump Sum”), the band expertly played to the packed room, converting many listeners to dancers by the end of the night. The Bon Iver cover elicited a big response from the crowd, as the delicate vocals were preserved while adding a bigger rhythm component underneath, getting the crowd out of their seats. But even bigger than that was original track “Love Me,” which got the biggest response of the night, an impressive feat for an up-and-coming band.

Salzer recently collaborated with Nicholas Sanborn from Made of Oak for a recent Unlooped session. The Jeanna Salzer Band plays at Summerfest tonight on the Cascio Interstate Music Stage at 7:30PM.

Myspace: The Jeanna Salzer Band
MP3: The Jeanna Salzer Band – “Breaking Point”

If you’ve been around Milwaukee, the name John The Savage should not be a stranger to your eyes and ears. I first saw the band opening for William Elliott Whitmore at Stonefly last year, and have since missed many connections with the group.

Tonight, I’m seeing the band out at Summerfest, where they headline the Cascio Interstate Music Stage at 9:00 PM. The band has a new EP out called Still Stuck In The Cyborg Fortress, which is currently available at their shows. I’m hoping to score one for myself tonight.

Below, check out a few from their last full-length, Kitchen Voodoo. Recommended for fans of Tom Waits, Menomena, and Beirut.

Myspace: John The Savage
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MP3: John The Savage – “Bathroom Stalls”
MP3: John The Savage – “Death Of A Salesman”

The Hold Steady will play Milwaukee’s Summerfest on Thursday, July 1st (which just happens to be my 30th birthday). Fans will want to mark April 17th on their calendars as the band “will release under 700 vinyl copies of their new album ‘Heaven Is Whenever’ (Vagrant Records) on April as part of Record Store Day.” Pretty awesome, right? “The extremely limited run of the album will only be available in independent record stores participating in Record Store Day.”

Our Summerfest announcements haven’t been as frequent as previous years. Thankfully, we’ve got a show to get excited about. Spoon will play the last set of the day (10pm) at the Harley-Davidson Stage on Monday, June 29th.

Discuss: Who are you looking forward to seeing at Summerfest this year?

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