(gentle music) - Milwaukee PBS presents Live at the Lakefront, a dynamic summer concert series from the Rotary Amphitheater at Discovery World in downtown Milwaukee.

With an undeniably powerful voice and tasty blues guitar, storyteller and blues traveler, Kathy Greer, has been a musical fixture for over 25 years.

From Door County, Wisconsin, Kathy Greer ♪ I ran into some trouble sometime back ♪ ♪ Me and my old man and God, we fell off a track ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ And my world started tumbling down ♪ ♪ But we just didn't see eye to eye ♪ ♪ I couldn't deal with all your lies ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ And then I caught you running around ♪ ♪ You took my house, you took my money ♪ ♪ She took the job, now that ain't funny ♪ ♪ You put diapers in a garbage bag ♪ ♪ And drove off in my brand new Cadillac ♪ ♪ I miss that house, I miss that car ♪ ♪ I miss that hot dog most of all ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I've got to find a way to get that back ♪ ♪ You cost me so much, Harley, three ♪ ♪ A million silver isn't what we need ♪ ♪ I'm not the one at Duke and Jack ♪ ♪ You said I didn't play so much conviction ♪ ♪ But your conviction was a contradiction ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ What was I doing with a girl like you ♪ ♪ I took the house, yeah, took the money ♪ ♪ I kept the dog, hey, that was my dog, honey ♪ ♪ Your clothes were funky, your pads were fat ♪ ♪ And now she'll do your job in your Cadillac ♪ ♪ I don't care what the neighbors say ♪ ♪ This is a game that you can play ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I've got to ride ahead to get that back ♪ (upbeat jazz music) ♪ I took the house, yeah, took the money ♪ ♪ I called the dog and he came running ♪ ♪ You take the lock, I'll knock the door ♪ ♪ And I'll show you more driving than a brand new car ♪ ♪ I don't care what the neighbors say ♪ ♪ This is a game that you can play ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I've got to ride ahead to get that back ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I've got to ride ahead to get that back ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ Did I mention ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I didn't get none of that mention ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ Well, I took the blender ♪ ♪ Still a little dent in your fender ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ And you know your favorite chair ♪ ♪ It's not there ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ I've got to ride ahead to get that back ♪ (audience cheering) - Remaining true to the Chicago electric blues era of the '50s and '60s, the Blues Disciples have forged a sound that has risen to the top of the Milwaukee blues scene.

the Blues Disciples.

("Punkin' D") From right here in the Milwaukee area, ♪ Well, they call her ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her Punkin' D ♪ ♪ Well, they call her ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her Punkin' D ♪ ♪ I met her out here on a Friday night ♪ ♪ In a web of mystery ♪ ♪ That girl had picked me sailin' up so high ♪ ♪ Once I was blind, now I can see ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her ♪ ♪ Well, they call her Punkin' D ♪ ♪ Said they call her ♪ ♪ Well, they call her Punkin' D ♪ ♪ Be with her was like another world ♪ ♪ Time itself would move real slow ♪ ♪ Just when I thought that I was doin' so good, baby ♪ ♪ Then she was gone, I felt so low ♪ ♪ Oh, look out ♪ (harmonica solo) (saxaphone solo) ♪ Well, I wanted to get with that girl ♪ ♪ And I didn't know just what to do ♪ ♪ Just when I thought all day was gone ♪ ♪ Well, that girl came bustin' on through ♪ ♪ Well, they call her ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her Punky D ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her ♪ ♪ Yes, they call her Punky D ♪ Take it, Lord.

(upbeat music) - Combining charanga and bombo rhythms from the Caribbean, the band delivers their unique salsa dura sound, keeping the rich traditions of salsa alive.

(speaking in foreign language) (upbeat music) (singing in foreign language) (speaking in foreign language) Make some noise.

Come on down, we're running out of time.

(singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) Make some noise.

Milwaukee.

(singing in foreign language) Come on down.

We gotta dance tonight, come on down.

(singing in foreign language) (upbeat music) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (upbeat music) (speaking in foreign language) Make some noise.

- One of the freshest young voices to explode on the tropical salsa scene, Landy adapts a style that blends both traditional salsa with a new age edge.

From Puerto Rico and now Milwaukee, Landy Cabrera.

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From Chicago, it's The Empty Pockets.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) You've heard the truth, but you're not sure about it, so you tell yourself this I'm safe inside my digital cocoon It's when it's time to let it go Like a fish in a river, I go with the flow I've got voices in my head Keep me up late at night in bed You know I've got voices Television lies infect us like a virus, now we're sick and weak I know it's all been said before, but now you've turned the other cheek (upbeat music) Isolated in your bubble It's when you finally realize, all of your screams are your disguise Spend up all your money getting hypnotized That's when it's time to let it go Throw up your hands, say I don't know Like a fish in a river, I go with the flow ♪ Oh oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪Ooooo♪ Weakness always ends in lonely cliches (guitar solo) Fighting only for survival (upbeat music) That's when it's time we realize, all of your screams are your disguise Spend all your money getting hypnotized That's when its time to let it go, throw up your hands and say I don't know Like a fish in the river, I go with the flow ♪Oh♪ ♪Oooo♪ Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Help us weakness always happens, lonely cliches Lonely cliches (upbeat music) (guitar solo) Ok, hit me on two That's it, hit me on two (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (Guitar solo) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Lighting up audiences with their energetic bluegrass, Americana, and folk-inspired songs since 2014, they've wasted little time establishing themselves in the regional music scene.

From Milwaukee, Chicken Wire Empire.

(upbeat music) ♪ Well the last black coffee Friday ♪ ♪ Was getting ready to get to take ♪ ♪ He likes a red dress and a pearl white tee ♪ ♪ From a class of pretty brown eyes ♪ ♪ Back in the '30s you know he a really♪ ♪ had it made♪ ♪ He's an engineer working on the Ohio river♪ ♪ He's just a feather up some of the ♪ ♪ Calls Black Bob Madeline ♪ ♪ You say he's old fashioned ♪ ♪ And ain't no fair ♪ ♪ He ain't too fit to navigate ♪ ♪ And if you can fly ♪ ♪ Let him go on my way ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for me ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ At the inspection office in Newville ♪ ♪ And he passed on a very short time ♪ ♪ He played in bands on two different floors ♪ ♪ Worked for the stretch of pass line ♪ ♪ On the coast of Lakewood ♪ ♪ And he even made home brew ♪ ♪ And with the coming up of new old things ♪ ♪ Back in the World War II ♪ ♪ He's just a feather up some of the ♪ ♪ Calls Black Bob Madeline ♪ ♪ You say he's old fashioned ♪ ♪ And ain't no fair ♪ ♪ He ain't too fit to navigate ♪ ♪ Yeah, he's a stupid clown ♪ ♪ Let him go on my own ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for now ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ He smokes an old live-up cigar ♪ ♪ Says he doesn't miss it at all ♪ ♪ Still goes out and makes sweet trips ♪ ♪ In the summer and in the fall ♪ ♪ Got buses and planes and the railroad trains ♪ ♪ I'm taking up the slack ♪ ♪ He's watching all those river towns ♪ ♪ Slowly turn their back ♪ ♪ He's just a battle rock song ♪ ♪ With a hot pot of battle man ♪ ♪ You say he's old-fashioned ♪ ♪ Had him no better plan ♪ ♪ He's too thick to navigate ♪ ♪ And he's too thin to fight ♪ ♪ Let him go on my own ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for now ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ He's pretty, he's ugly ♪ ♪ And he's the luckiest man alive ♪ ♪ Somehow he got a thinking ♪ ♪ And then he backed inside ♪ ♪ I see these oysters being filled in old pain ♪ ♪ Potato skins, hollering every day ♪ ♪ He's smoking me and all my pain ♪ ♪ He's just a battle rock song ♪ ♪ With a hot pot of battle man ♪ ♪ You say he's old-fashioned ♪ ♪ That ain't no big deal♪ ♪ He's too thick to navigate ♪ ♪ And he's too thin to fight ♪ ♪ Let him go on my own ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for now ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ He's just a battle rock song ♪ ♪ With a hot pot of battle man ♪ ♪ You say he's old-fashioned ♪ ♪ That ain't no big deal ♪ ♪ He's too thick to navigate ♪ ♪ And he's too thin to fight ♪ ♪ Let him go on my own ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for now ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Let him go on my own ♪ ♪ Don't put him down for now ♪ ♪ ♪ [cheers and applause] - Jay Stulow has been playing and touring the blues since the late 1980s.

Not a traditional blues artist, but versatile, high-energy guitar, and gut-bucket vocals make for a show to remember.

From Milwaukee, the Jay Stulow Band.

[playing in bright blues rhythm] ♪ ♪ - ♪ When you go get your insurance ♪ ♪ Get calamity too ♪ ♪ You keep on messing up ♪ ♪ Baby, something bad gonna happen to you ♪ ♪ When I'm gonna head down to your burial ♪ ♪ Ride down in a V8 Ford ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You think you're so smart now, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I declare I don't know ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm gonna call up my grave digger ♪ ♪ To go and make you a place ♪ ♪ Fetch me my pick and my shovel ♪ ♪ I'll throw cold dirt in your face ♪ ♪ I'm gonna head down to your burial ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ride down in a V8 Ford ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You think you're so sophisticated ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Uh-uh, baby, I don't know ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I don't know, Danimoe ♪ ♪ ♪ [piano solo] ♪ ♪ ♪blues music♪ ♪blues music♪ ♪ I get my oil check in the morning ♪ ♪ My gasoline at night ♪ ♪ Make sure everything is running smooth ♪ ♪ Make sure everything's all right ♪ ♪ So I can head on down to your burial ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ride down in a V8 Ford ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You think you're so sophisticated ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Baby, you don't even know what you don't know ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I call upon my grave digger to go and make you a place ♪ ♪ Fetch me my pick and my shovel ♪ ♪ I'll throw cold dirt in your face ♪ ♪ Now head down to your burial ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Ride down in a V8 Ford ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ You think you're so smart now, baby ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I swear, I don't know ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪guitar solo♪ ♪blues music♪ ♪guitar solo♪ (narrator) Natty Nation has been keeping their unique reggae beats reverberating since 1995.

With original reggae and dub, messages of peace, love, and positivity make every concert a dynamic experience.

From Madison, Wisconsin, Natty Nation.

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