Summerfest kicked off last weekend and the second week of the festival begins Thursday.
To help you plan for this Summerfest weekend, our friends at Radio Milwaukee are here to share their recommendations. Element Everest-Blanks and Jon Adler join Lake Effect's Audrey Nowakowski to talk about the music and what sets Summerfest apart from other music festivals.
Element's Picks
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
- Robert Randolph & The Family Band: 4:30 p.m. @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard: "He is one of those artists that is so universally loved, because he's a great musician and a perfect example of an artist that blends genres. He's gospel. He's blues. He's funk. He's worked with so many different artists like Dave Matthews, all the way through Beyonce.
- Big Daddy Kane: 5:30 p.m. @ BMO Pavillion: "We both understand the level of Big Daddy Kane's lift when hip hop was founded. So all of these grandchildren of his are running around making hip hop music — and now you get to see the source."
- Common (Fill-in after The Roots canceled): 7:00 p.m. @ BMO Pavillion: "Common is one of those artists that we used to see quite a bit at Summerfest, so it's nice to have him back and kind of show these young hip-hop artists the shoulders they're standing on."
- LOCAL: DJ Gemini Gilly: 9 p.m. @ Aurora Pavillion: "Milwaukee's own Gemini Gilly, who we get to work with every day ... she is one of those DJs that we are lucky to have that we don't realize is a real gift to the Midwest. ... she's gonna set a party off.
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
- LOCAL: DJay Mando: 12 p.m. & 6 p.m. @ American Family Insurance House Stage
- Sudan Archives: 7 p.m. @ Aurora Pavillion: "Sudan Archives is an artist that never likes to stay on stage. She's infamous for jumping out into the audience, you know, playing her violin upside down while doing the splits in the middle of the crowd and dancing with them. She is a fun artist to watch."
- DJ Mr. New York: 9 p.m. @ Aurora Pavillion: "You'll never be bored whenever you see his name on the bill."
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
- LOCAL: King Solomon: 2:45 p.m. @ Miller Lite Oasis: "This group is so legendary that they were one of the groups I looked up to when I was growing up as an artist in the city. And they're still making incredible music after all these years."
- Jean Dawson: 5:30 p.m. @ Generac Power Stage: "He is one of those universal artists as well that blends genres. His mother Mexican-American, his father African-American. So he's always lived between these two worlds. ... They just make the music they make and their audience will continue to follow."
- PawPaw Rod: 8 p.m. @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard
Jon's Picks
THURSDAY, JUNE 25
- Old 97s: 5:15 p.m. @ T-Mobile Stage
- The Mountain Goats: 7 p.m. Aurora Pavillion
- Sincere Engineer: 8 p.m. @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard: "A Chicago band called Sincere Engineer — a beautiful, hardworking DIY band. Kind of a punk, kind of rock."
- Kim Gordon: 10 p.m. @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyward: "She, obviously, was part of Sonic Youth and has been at it at a high level for a long time. ... She's a fashion icon. She is musically incredible."
- Kaleo: 10 p.m. @ Miller Lite Oasis: "An Icelandic band, gonna be playing Miller Lite Oasis. Just years and years of hits and hits. No dip in their career. They've been to Milwaukee several times."
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
- Big Wild: 7:30 p.m. @ Generac Power Stage: "This is going to be a blast, simply put. No more adjectives."
- Goldfinger: 10:30 p.m. @ Miller Lite Oasis: "Friday night, it's 'get all your friends from the late '90s and 2000s together and go see Goldfinger' night. ... There'll be two or three sing-alongs. You'll see your old high school locker mate, possibly."
- The Revivalists: 9:30 p.m. @ Uline Warehouse: "Wonderful band. Lead singer does his solo stuff, but as a band they are huge. I think there's seven or eight pieces all together, and it is a very New Orleans feel to it. ... It's a party. It's what you want a festival to be."
SATURDAY, JUNE 27
- LOCAL: Fuzzysurf: 2:30 p.m. @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard: "They're a fun, almost 'nerd rock' band. They make some of the most creative videos, and I realize you're not going there to see videos. But they know the stage presence. It's more than just music.
- LOCAL: Vincent Van Great: 2:30 p.m. @ T-Mobile Stage: "I'm so glad he's at the T-Mobile Stage — a big stage for a guy with even bigger talent."
- Jean Dawson: 5:30 p.m. Generac Power Stage
- Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band: 5:30 p.m. @ Uline Warehouse
You can check out the full Summerfest lineup here.
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