What to do in Madison this weekend: May 28-31, 2026

Marisa Anderson, The Flavor that Kills album release and more Isthmus Picks

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Arts

  • Refuge & Resistance, May 27-June 13, Imaginary Factory; reception June 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m.: It makes sense that a distillery and craft cocktail hangout called Imaginary Factory would support the artistic community. This exhibit from four Madison-area artists celebrates both realism and abstraction in a way that foregrounds art’s ability to engage an audience with issues as well as soothe a troubled mind. Ciel Skål, Issis Macias, R-Lo and Bob Hemauer embrace a number of varied techniques, from Skål’s adventures in pigment making to R-Lo’s experiments in charcoal, erasers and rags. A portion of sales will go to support Voces de la Frontera. The reception from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on June 4 will feature a Q&A session with the artists at 6:30 p.m.
  • LunART Festival, May 27-31, ALL + WYSO Center for Music: The annual LunART Festival spotlights the contributions of women to the arts, with four events featuring the LunART Choir, more than 40 performing artists, and work by more than 20 composers. This year’s theme is “Resonance.” The events kick off at 7:30 p.m. May 27 with a panel discussion at Arts + Literature Laboratory on “The Power of Collective Creative Practice.” May 29-30 brings gala concerts at the WYSO Center for Music (both at 7:30 p.m.) and things wrap up May 31 with the free Composers' Hub Spotlight Concert, also at WYSO, at 2:30 p.m. Find more info and tickets at lunartfestival.org.
  • Marisa Anderson, Thursday, May 28, Arts + Literature Lab, 7 p.m.: Marisa Anderson is acclaimed by outlets ranging from Pitchfork to the BBC as a modern wizard of solo guitar. Her most recent album, The Anthology of UnAmerican Folk Music Volume 1, draws on Anderson’s study of Harry Smith’s record collection; as the title points to, it focuses on music from countries who were/are at odds with the U.S. Anderson’s restless sense of curiosity establishes a dialogue with the songs — including alternate tunings, hovering drones, and melodies that don’t quite go where you expect — creating a world that’s quiet, patient, and a little disorienting. The Madison show is part of the Auricle New Music Series; tickets at artlitlab.org.
  • Marta Hansen album release, Thursday, May 28, Glass Nickel-Sun Prairie, 7 p.m.: At The Piano Gal Shop, Marta Hansen offers piano tuning and repair, as well as creative re-use ideas for instruments at the end of their lives. Hansen is also a singer-songwriter and performer with an emotive vocal style and confident command of the piano keys. On the new album Stripped Hansen offers a selection of (mostly) solo reimaginings of ‘90s-’00s classics by Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Tori Amos and others.
  • Alfred Robles, May 28-30, Comedy on State: As highlighted by many videos posted on YouTube (including a segment from his last Madison tour stop in 2024) Alfred Robles goes all-in on crowd work, bringing audience members on stage for extended back-and-forth sessions. It can be a one-of-a-kind mixture of therapy and Jerry Springer Show style drama, kept in the vicinity of on the rails by his quick comedic wit. Shows at 7 p.m. May 28 and 7 and 9:30 p.m. May 29-30; tickets at madisoncomedy.com.
  • Peter Mulvey & Jenna Nicholls, Thursday, May 28, Bur Oak, 8 p.m.: Wisconsin singer-songwriter Peter Mulvey has a knack for finding creative collaborators; the latest is Jenna Nicholls, a fellow singer-songwriter based on the East Coast. The duo, along with guitarist Ross Bellenoit, spent a few days in 2025 recording the album Floyd Mercantile, set for release in June via Righteous Babe Records and including songs by both writers and a few standards. The lead single, “Some People,” is a jazzy duet rearrangement of the gently sassy Mulvey song originally released on the 2009 album Letters From a Flying Machine. Tickets at theburoakmadison.com.
  • Verona Hometown Days, May 29-31, Hometown USA Community Park, Verona: May in Wisconsin brings not only spring flowers but also the return of community festivals, an early entrant being Verona Hometown Days. This one’s got plenty of fun for the kiddos, with all three days featuring Havens Petting Farm and pony rides, a carnival, balloon creations and face painting, and entertainment including David Landau and Mr. Magic. Music headliners feature rock from the ‘90s by Foo Foo Dolls (8:30 p.m. Friday) and '80s hard rock specialists Cherry Pie (8:30 p.m. Saturday); there’s also fireworks Friday night and a parade at noon on Sunday. Find the full schedule at veronahometowndays.com.
  • Feed the Dog, Friday, May 29, Edgewater Plaza, 6 p.m.: Wisconsin quartet Feed the Dog has remained a favorite on festival lineups all around the Midwest and beyond for the last decade for a good reason. Their fiddle-forward folk/jam sound and easygoing focus on the beat of the music slips the listener right into a summer groove. They’re a perfect fit for the Edgewater’s beautiful plaza overlooking Lake Mendota as part of the Brewgrass Fridays series.
  • The Door Anniversary Show, Friday, May 29, Crucible, 6:30 p.m.: By now, most local fans of heavy metal and punk music know about The Door, a store that began six years ago as not much more than a hole in the wall at the back of a strip mall on Monona Drive and then expanded a few years later. (Fun fact: It also sells more than metal and punk music.) To celebrate its birthday, The Door is throwing itself a loud party with six Midwest metal bands: The Faith Hills Have Eyes from Madison; Thundergoat from Tomah; Karma Bloody Karma from Bevent; The End Times from Champaign, Ill.; Voidgazer from St. Louis; and Hamarr from Indianapolis. "Metal Pete" Angelo is emceeing (and also headlining a Cheshire Cat Comedy showcase May 30).
  • Real Life, May 29-June 7, Martin Street Theater: Madison is fortunate enough to be home to Encore Studio, one of the few performing arts troupes in the United States devoted to actors with disabilities. There are a number of reasons to check out this production — the group is celebrating its 25th anniversary; it has a new performance space; and this production is a rare remount of Real Life, an original play by KelsyAnne Schoenhaar, the group’s executive director. And Schoenhaar will also appear in the play, which follows four individuals on the autism spectrum. Shows at 8 p.m. Fridays and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; tickets at encorestudio.org.
  • The Flavor That Kills album release, Friday, May 29, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: If there’s one thing listeners have learned about The Flavor That Kills since the original iteration of the band came together back in the 2010s, it’s to expect anything. The band is back with a new five-piece lineup and new album, Thunderbird Lodge, the second installment of a planned trilogy. It follows up on the crazed rock of the first volume (Book of Secrits, from 2024) with an even denser soundscape (just about everybody contributes some synth) that tells a trippy tale of a cyborg, AI failure and memory resets. A Bandcamp commenter aptly says, “I don't know what any of this shit is, and I'm fucking scared.” The album release party will double as a second anniversary celebration for Gamma Ray, with opening sets by The Scratch-Offs and Peacemaker.
  • Urban Sketchers Madison, through May 31, Goodman Community Center-Ironworks Ballweg Gallery: The group Urban Sketchers Madison is hosting its first public group exhibit, “Here, There, and Everywhere.” These non-professional sketch enthusiasts capture something vital and organic about scenes in our city, with a wide range of styles and perspectives.
  • Clay Street Unit, Friday, May 29, High Noon Saloon, 8 p.m.: What happens when you blur mountain music from the Rockies and the Appalachians? You get Clay Street Unit — a refreshing roots band from Denver that released its debut album, Sin & Squalor, in February (on Friday the 13th, no less). Chris Pandolfi, banjo player for The Infamous Stringdusters, produced the album, which blends folk, country and Americana with earnestness and warmth. Madison’s award-winning Americana rockers Driveway Thriftdwellers, who released a new album of their own late last year (High Top Van), will open the show. Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
  • Wild Kratts Live 2.0!, Saturday, May 30, Overture Center-Overture Hall, 1 p.m.: The Kratt brothers have a pretty good racket: teach kids animal facts, wrap them in cartoon adventure, and somehow make zoology feel like a superpower. Wild Kratts Live! brings Martin and Chris Kratt to the stage in person, with the rest of the animated team appearing from Tortuga HQ on screen. Expect creature powers, big “WOW!” facts and the kind of high-energy science lesson that works because it doesn’t act like a lesson. Parents may recognize the PBS Kids universe. Kids will probably just want to know what animal they get to be next. Ticket info here.
  • Festa Italia, May 30-31, McKee Farms Park: Festa Italia brings it — Greenbush history and a full weekend menu of activities. Presented by the Italian Workmen’s Club of Madison, the annual festival features Italian food and desserts including a pasta dinner both days, live music and dance, bocce, cooking demos (from chef Giovanni Novella on Saturday and chef Dan Bonanno on Sunday), a pasta-eating contest, kids’ activities and a parade. Proceeds support scholarships for local students, including UW–Madison students in Italian studies and those planning to study in Italy. It runs Saturday 11a.m.–10:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Find the schedule at iwcmadison.com.
  • Voces de la Frontera benefit, Saturday, May 30, Elvehjem Park, 4:30-7:30 p.m.: Sometimes the best concerts don’t need a stage so much as a shelter, a few neighbors and a good reason to pass the hat. This benefit brings together the Jon Hoel Group, Dan Collins, Jared Marker and Dwight Stripes for an outdoor evening of local music supporting immigrant aid through Voces de la Frontera. Bring the family, a picnic, and something to sit on. The suggested donation is $10, but the larger ask is simpler: show up, listen a while, and let people in a neighborhood do what they’re supposed to do — love thy neighbor. 
  • Taste of Broadway, Saturday, May 30, The Sylvee, 7 p.m.: Taste of Broadway is one of those events that knows exactly what it is: big songs, big feelings and just enough dinner-theater glow to make the whole room feel like it’s in on the number. CTM’s annual revue brings youth performers and professional talent to The Sylvee for a cabaret-style night of Broadway favorites, directed by Brian Cowing. Dinner tickets include a buffet and reserved table seating; balcony tickets keep things simple with show-only access and a good view of the stage. It’s a family-friendly fundraiser built for anyone who likes their show tunes with a side of community spirit. Ticket info here.
  • Ossuary, Saturday, May 30, Gamma Ray, 8 p.m.: Madison’s Ossuary, a relentless death-metal band with a global fan base, headlines this showcase of Midwestern wretchedness and brutality that also features Fister, a sinister doom-death band from St. Louis. Ruin Dweller and Zipper, both from Madison, are on the bill, too. Ossuary released its first full-length album, Abhorrent Worship, last year, and Fister’s latest is Graceless. If you want to swing into spring with something funereal and blackened, this is the show for you. Tickets at gammaray.bar.
  • Kenny Reichert residency, Saturday, May 30, North Street Cabaret, 8 p.m.: Guitarist-composer Kenny Reichert is a prolific and inventive collaborator, whose breadth will be on display each Saturday in May during a residency hosted by BlueStem Jazz. The Wisconsin native will play electric guitar with five quite different ensembles. The final week features Twin Cities Quartet, an ensemble that blends composed material with plenty of space for improvisation. Find more info and tickets at northstreetcabaret.com.
  • Kontras Quartet, Sunday, May 31, Token Creek Concert Barn, DeForest, 2:30 p.m.: The Chicago-based Kontras Quartet brings its adventurous approach to the rustic Token Creek Concert Barn for a Sunday afternoon program that ranges from Schumann and Janáček to Glass, Garrop and beyond. The group’s name means “contrasts,” and they take the assignment seriously. This concert also marks violinist Eleanor Bartsch’s final appearance after eight years with the ensemble, adding a farewell note to a program already built on tension, color and change. Ticket info here.

Find the individual Picks collected here, and as part of the full calendar of events.