Satan
Blades of Steel, Aug. 28-30, Crucible: Mad With Power brought a slew of metal bands to Madison for a two-day festival at The Sylvee earlier this year; now Blades of Steel Metal Fest takes the heavy to 11 with three days of “skull-fracturing metal” from many bands that rarely or never play Wisconsin. The headliners will be California thrashers Warbringer (Thursday), Satan from the original New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement (Friday), and Pennsylvania death metal stalwarts Incantation (Saturday). More than 15 other bands — including Labyrinth, Breakker, Atrophy and Madison’s own Ruin Dweller — will fill out the three-day bill. Tickets at ticketleap.events.
Tim O’Brien Band, Thursday, Aug. 28, Atwood Music Hall, 8 p.m.: Tim O’Brien’s June release, Paper Flowers, is a 15 original song salute to his marriage to Jan Fabricius, who happens to be the mandolin player in his band. O’Brien’s bluegrass credentials are indisputable, from his days playing in his Colorado-based band Hot Rize to backing artists like Garth Brooks; The Dixie Chicks and Nickel Creek covering his songs; and contemporary collaborations with Steve Martin and Sturgill Simpson. In addition to Fabricius, his current band is a bluegrasser’s dream: Wisconsin native Shad Cobb (Steve Earle, Willie Nelson) on fiddle, and the toast of the Nashville bluegrass scene, Mike Bub (Del McCoury), on bass. Tickets at theatwoodmusichall.com.
Camp Randall Stadium on a past football game day.…