From their political beginnings as the 80-piece group the All-American Anti-War Marching Band, Mucca Pazza has evolved into the biggest party act in the Midwest, playing sets that unfold as full-fledged halftime shows. The ensemble, now pruned to a still-impressive nearly 30 members, dresses in marching-band...

On Sage Francis’ new album Li(f)e, the former slam poet’s fire-andbrimstone raps are virtually unchanged from past records, but the music couldn’t be much different. Francis eschewed his usual hip-hop beats for the record, and instead solicited musical contributions from Modest Mouse/Iron and Wine producer Brian Deck and members of Califone, Calexico and Death Cab for Cutie...

With hopes of better weather than last year, when rain put a good-sized dent in attendance, Alverno College released the lineup for its 2009 Global Union festival, a two-day world-music concert in Bay View's Humboldt Park. With just six headliners, the lineup is smaller than in recent years, but it's typically varied: � Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009 Mucca Pazza:  1 p.m....

Thursday, May 14, Keyshia Cole w/ The-Dream, Keri Hilson and Bobby Valentino @ The Milwaukee Theatre, 8 p.m. This remarkable concert brings more major contemporary R&B singers to Milwaukee than the city usually hosts in an entire season. At the top of the bill is Keyshia Cole, who offsets her urbane...