Shakey Graves returns to Milwaukee to pair new tour with charity donation

Shakey Graves, the stage name of Austin native Alejandro Rose-Garcia, will headline a show at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee on Thursday at 8 p.m. The performance serves as the anchor for a week of local music events that runs through November 4. Rose-Garcia is known for crafting unique listening experiences for his audience, a practice that includes hand-decorated CD bags and complex scavenger hunts for rare tapes.

The musician describes his creative process as driven by chance. "I've always been on this quest to make people feel like my own music is a choose your own adventure," Rose-Garcia said. He emphasized that the connections he makes with fans often stem from randomness and chaos rather than structured marketing.

For this specific tour, Graves has aligned with PLUS1 to support the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. The organization provides emergency financial assistance to career musicians and road crew. Under the current agreement, one dollar from each ticket sold will go directly to the fund to aid those who earn their primary income in the music industry.

The week’s schedule features a variety of genres and venues. Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country will perform at The Pabst Theater on Friday and Saturday. The Nashville-based group blends organic rock with country twang, a style Donato compares to the balance of yin and yang. Present Music, the city’s neo-classical ensemble, will mark its 45th season with a concert at the Zelazo Center’s Bader Concert Hall on Friday. The program includes works by Donnacha Dennehy, Nico Muhly, and Aviya Kopelman, followed by a live afterparty with the Extra Crispy Brass Band.

Voot Warnings will return to The Uptowner for a Halloween set on Saturday. The Milwaukee songwriter is known for a chaotic stage show that previously included costumed performers, painters, and a pit bull. His music ranges from garage rock to soul, often accompanied by lyrics that mock former presidents or rewrite history. On Sunday, ACME Records will host The Bridge at ACME Records, featuring a lineup of Chicago and French musicians including Angel Bat Dawid and Magic Malik.

The week continues with a horror-themed event on Monday at The Rave. Composer Claudio Simonetti’s Goblin will perform live scores from Dario Argento’s 1982 film Tenebre, followed by a second set of classic tracks. Lowheaven, a Toronto post-metal band, will headline a four-band show at MKE Ultra on Tuesday. The week concludes on Wednesday at Shank Hall with a performance by Steve Forbert and Jim Hoehn. Forbert, who does not follow a fixed set list, typically opens his autumn shows with the song "Autumn This Year" and closes with "Romeo's Tune."