Russell Dickerson entertained, Hank Azaria did the Boss and Little Feat made a long absence worth the wait on June 27, the sixth night of Summerfest 2026.
Russell Dickerson
I can’t remember the last time I saw the BMO Pavilion this full, both inside and out. Russell Dickerson had the audience in the palm of his hand from the start. Racing across his high-tech, digitally enhanced stage, he never let the energy dip. Looking around, it was obvious the crowd—especially the women, but plenty of men too—were completely captivated. He’s tall, beefy, rocks the Garth Brooks headset mic, and even mixed in a few Usher-inspired dance moves. He was getting a little freaky up there.
The showmanship would’ve meant nothing without the vocals but Dickerson backed it up. His range is impressive, hitting notes you don’t usually hear from country artists. Songs like “Blue Tacoma,” “Yours,” and “Love You Like I Used To” sounded fantastic, with fans singing every word and dancing in the aisles. His in-the-pocket band matched his energy all night.
All in all, it was a surprisingly great show. Dickerson is clearly still on the rise, and performances like this explain why. With his wife Kailey being from Cedarburg, we may seem him here often.
– Damon Joy
Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band
Johnny Depp, Shaquille O’Neal, Paris Hilton, Jackson Rathbone (aka Jasper from the “Twilight” movies). Over the years celebs like these have taken a break from their primary gigs to perform shows at Summerfest. And now you can add actor Hank Azaria to that list, who played the Uline Warehouse late afternoon June 27 with his Bruce Springsteen tribute act the EZ Street Band.
Azaria joked the eight backing musicians decades his junior were between the ages of 12 and 17, but they did a fine job nailing the late Clarence Clemons’ sax bluster, Max Weinberg’s drum pops and Roy Bittan’s piano sparkle. The reason the place was packed though was of course to see Azaria take on the Boss. Given the versatility of voices he’s most famously supplied for “The Simpsons” (including Moe Szyslak, Chief Wiggum, Professor Frink and Snake), it’s no surprise that Azaria’s Springsteen impression was spot on, from belting out classics like “Born to Run” and “Atlantic City,” to his between-song speaking voice which expertly mimicked Springsteen’s tone and cadence.
Despite this and his affable stage presence, Azaria still couldn’t quite capture Springsteen’s magnetic gravitas – although, honestly, who can – and so a good number of people in the crowd took in this novelty act with passive amusement. But Azaria to his credit also wasn’t trying to be all that serious. Case in point: when he sang “Out In the Street,” his “Simpsons” character Duffman made a random cameo.
– Piet Levy
Little Feat
Perennial Summerfest visitors throughout the ‘90s, Little Feat hadn’t played Milwaukee’s lakefront in over two decades. —and Saturday night’s headlining set at the Uline Stage was part of what they’re calling their Last Farewell Tour.
Remaining from the group’s ‘70s heyday are Bill Payne (keyboards/vocals), Sam Clayton (percussion/vocals) and Kenny Gradney (bass). After a few warmup tunes everything gelled during the playful intro section of “Time Loves A Hero.”
Guitarist Scott Sharrard, who joined the band in 2019, was especially stoked to be back in the Brew City; his musical career began at Milwaukee High School of the Arts. He gave a special shout-out to the Up & Under Pub (R.I.P.) as well, prior to a lovely rendition of “Willin.’”
Aside from a couple of recent tunes, it was a slew of beloved classics, the band often jamming one seamlessly into the next, showing off moves so many next-generation bands have borrowed from them.
Among many highlights, the sequence of “That’s Her, She’s Mine” and “Fat Man In The Bathtub” stood out, twin guitars leading the full ensemble to great heights in the transition. There were no real lulls, though; it was a festive crowd, maybe half capacity but ready to party the night away.
– Cal Roach
Audrey Nuna
Fresh off a year defined by the record-breaking success of “KPop Demon Hunters,” Audrey Nuna brought a performance to Milwaukee worthy of healing the Honmoon.
During Nuna’s first festival visit to Milwaukee, she performed a collection of songs from her first two albums, “a liquid breakfast” and “TRENCH,” as well as new songs from an upcoming project.
Her energy was infectious. Every hair flip and pop-and-lock felt euphoric and explosive.
Nuna is best known for her lightning-fast rapping, but she didn’t run away from intricate vocal runs and belts on Saturday night.
Though most of her crowd was adults and teenagers, in the pit, little kids gripped the barricade eagerly, waving, jumping up and down, or dancing alongside their parents. With Nuna, they screamed the lyrics to the “KPop Demon Hunters” song “How It’s Done.”
Reflecting on the past year, Nuna told the audience that performing songs she wrote as a teenager felt incredibly emotional, given how much she’s evolved.
Nuna said the show, crafted alongside a diverse group of artists, was a love letter to her younger self and all the kids watching in the audience.
She promised that when she returns to Milwaukee, she’s “gonna try all the cheese.”
– Tamia Fowlkes
Wolfmother
There are songs that are bangers, and Wolfmother certainly has its fair share. But on June 27 at the Generac Power Stage, they posed a different question: Can an entire band be a banger?
Let’s assess.
Frontman Andrew Stockdale didn’t switch guitars once, which is an absolute miracle considering the instrument somehow stayed in tune after the 90-minute beating he gave it. The rhythm section was equally unhinged. Following an extended jam on “White Unicorn,” a frantic drum tech had to rush onstage to repair the bass drum. Anyone standing in the front rows likely needed double-layer ear protection just to survive the sonic assault. Wearing black T-shirts, the band played with little to no effects because they simply didn’t need them.
The answer to the banger question was a resounding yes.
The Australian power trio was playing just the second show of its 20th Anniversary Tour, a run that spent the last month battling U.S. visa issues and forcing a string of cancellations. They sounded no worse for wear, kicking things off with a hard-charging rendition of “Dimension.”
In a bold move, they whipped the crowd into an early frenzy by tearing through their two biggest anthems, “Woman” and “Joker & the Thief,” in the first half of the set. Bold, because where do you go from there?
The answer was a trip back in time.
The rest of the performance mirrored the setlist they brought to Summerfest two decades ago, with a few extra wrinkles thrown in. Covering Led Zeppelin’s “Rock and Roll” is usually a one-way ticket to karaoke hell, but Wolfmother actually pulled it off. Fans who stuck around after the hits were rewarded with a performance that proved the band had plenty left in the tank.
– Tedd Lookatch
The Movement
Philadelphia-based reggae/rock/dubstep band The Movement brought party vibes to the Miller Lite Oasis. To no one’s surprise, there was plenty of tie-dye, long hair and beards among members of the the mostly Millennial and Gen Z audience.
Singer Joshua Swain’s higher-register vocals sounded clear and tuneful, but he seemed a bit too stiff and rehearsed at times. He did invite the audience to sing along during a few tunes such as “Orange Sky” and warmly thanked the audience for supporting The Movement.
The rest of the band, including multi-instrumentalist Jason Schmidt, a bass player, and a drummer sounded crisp, playing effortlessly.
The Movement smoothly rolled through their feel-good hits, including “Take Me To The Ocean” and “Make it Through.”
The crowd, many of whom appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or herbal refreshments, were loving the show, swaying on top of the bleachers, dancing wherever they could, and belting out the band’s lyrics.
“Oh (expletive), it’s gonna be a good night tonight,” Swain proclaimed. “It’s officially summertime now.” The mellow fans certainly agreed with that.
– Catherine Jozwik
Soulidified
Reminiscent of their boyband predecessors of the 1990s, Soulidified appeared on Summerfest’s T-Mobile stage June 27 with sharp choreography, coordinated outfits and a heap of heartthrob charisma that had fans and passersby stopping in their tracks.
The group formed on Netflix’s “Building The Band” only has five songs available on streaming, but deftly tackled a number of R&B and pop covers that had teenage fans swooning every time one of the vocalists came to their side of the stage.
The group performed their debut singles, “One & Only” and “What’s Your Name” in addition to songs like “Sure Thing” and “Can We Talk” from the series.
Dazzling fans with flirty commentary about falling in love, all four members seem committed to making every show a memorable experience for their audience.
By mid-show, fans were dancing, singing and screaming to new tracks and covers.
Malik Heard, a Dallas-born singer and the group’s eldest member, consistently delivered powerful riffs and belts, leading the group through a cover of Kehlani’s “Folded.” Together, the group’s harmonies were tight and sugary-sweet.
Even though they are only 10 months into their journey to superstardom, they’ve got the grit, energy and passion to carry the momentum forward. I look forward to watching the ascent.
– Tamia Fowlkes
Local Beat: Orquesta Ayala
Oh, you feel sad because of Giannis? Can’t stop crying over Olivia Rodrigo’s latest LP? Too shy at 4:30 in the afternoon (broad daylight) to salsa?It’s OK. Orquesta Ayala has the cure.This Milwaukee-based band brought the Aurora Pavilion to life- after requesting the benches be removed so people could dance – on a most perfect Summerfest Saturday, June 27.With one of the singers of this 11-piece powerhouse wearing a No. 11 Jackson Chourio jersey and Brewers hat, Orquesta Ayala delivered one big, bright song after another.
With the two lead singers trading notes and stories, the percussion and brass filled the stage to spill out to the Mid Gate, drawing people in immediately.Didn’t matter if you didn’t recognize the classic hits (a lot did). Orquesta Ayala, led by Tony Ayala, said it was their first time back to the ‘Fest in 10 years. People put down their bundles and their burdens for a 50-minute respite of Latin music and dance.Please come back next year for more.
– Lori Nickel
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Russell Dickerson and the best and worst of Summerfest 2026 June 27
Reporting by Journal Sentinel staff, Special to the Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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By Journal Sentinel staff, Special to the Journal Sentinel, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
