Milwaukee, WI
Now 91, Willie Nelson shows he’s as strong as ever at BMO Pavilion concert in Milwaukee
Evidently, Willie Nelson really can’t wait to get on the road again.
Less than a year after bringing his Outlaw Music Festival to Alpine Valley — and less than a month after turning 91 — the country legend was back on a Milwaukee stage Saturday night at the BMO Pavilion. It was Milwaukee’s first big outdoor concert of the year.
It was clear he wasn’t playing out of habit or ego. Of the many Willie Nelson concerts I’ve seen in town over the past decade, Saturday’s was among his most engaging.
Sure, the set was short at just 62 minutes, as has been the case for a while now, and the setlist was heavy on familiar standards. Age perhaps has prompted him to sit for the entire show, and Nelson let the newest member of his Family band, Waylon Payne, take lead vocals for three songs: Merle Haggard’s “Workin’ Man Blues,” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night” and “Me and Bobby McGee.”
But even then, Nelson never coasted, singing most of the words to “Me and Bobby McGee.” He was especially animated for “Workin’ Man Blues,” peppering the performance with grooving guitar licks on his trusty and battered acoustic guitar Trigger and ending the jam with a kick of his right leg and a proud thumbs up from Payne.
It was through Trigger that Nelson’s passion shined most Saturday night.
There’s long been a roughness to his strumming that can be off-putting for the unprepared, but that’s part of the charm of a Willie Nelson show. And there remain plenty of diamonds in that rough.
He contradicted the sentiment of “Still Is Still Moving to Me” with swift and nimble Spanish guitar-style runs, and channeled Chuck Berry with ’50s rock swagger on Hank Williams’ “Move It on Over.” With tender, contemplative melodies he teed up his longest running tour mate Mickey Raphael, who offered a response via soulful harmonica solo for “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” (The band was rounded out by Paul English on drums, and Kevin Smith on bass Saturday.)
And with understated but undeniably smirking bravado, Nelson’s guitar dazzle for “I Never Cared for You” was the equivalent of dancing on a vanquished foe’s grave.
While his guitar runs would often soar, Nelson as a vocalist remains engagingly down to earth, the direct, conversational tone of his voice seasoned ever so slightly with a sprinkle of soul or a splash of sass.
That approach served Saturday’s punchlines much better than a heavy wink and nudge, drawing hollers with his cool evisceration of “Mr. Purified Country” by asking “is your head so far up that you can’t pull it out” on “Write Your Own Songs,” and drawing laughs singing about looking good in his jeans on Mac Davis’ “It’s Hard to Be Humble.”
Nelson’s gentle vocal delivery also enhanced his fleeting moments of rambunctiousness, like the growl of his voice in the repeated utterance of “Mamma” for a boisterous singalong of Ed and Patsy Bruce’s “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys.”
And it’s a safe bet that Nelson’s rendition of “Always on My Mind” Saturday will be burned into many Milwaukee fans’ memories: the humble confessions of his neglect, the lonesome guitar lines conveying the depth of his regrets.
That song, and the 20 others Nelson touched on Saturday, were received with an immense level of gratitude fitting for a goodbye. But Nelson also made it clear, through intact talent and his own appreciation, that he’s not ready to bow out just yet. So long as he’s still able to tour, there’s no doubt Nelson would be happy to see Milwaukee again after he turns 92.
5 takeaways from Willie Nelson’s Milwaukee concert, including opener Ryan Larkins
- It was a perfect night for the season’s first major outdoor concert in Milwaukee, with clear skies and a cool breeze coming off the lake.
- When the show ended, in between blowing kisses, Nelson tossed a cowboy hat into the crowd like a frisbee and threw out a few red bandanas, including one he pulled off his head.
- Two other fans also special recognition from Nelson during “Always on My Mind.” He noticed the women standing right in front of him near the song’s end, giving them a wave as he sang before he made them the subjects of his song, pointing to them and smiling as he sang. When the song ended, the women gave each other a huge hug.
- The moment Willie Nelson launched into “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die,” the smell of marijuana wafted through my section of the pavilion. Nelson no doubt would be proud.
- Opener Ryan Larkins confessed to being nervous on the BMO Pavilion stage Saturday playing for one of the largest crowds of his career opening for his favorite artist. But it was the only evidence of nerves across a 25-minute set marked by Larkins’ humility and smooth baritone (close your eyes when he talked and you could almost imagine Austin Butler was channeling Elvis). Larkins honored his predecessors in multiple ways, like with a bluster-free cover of “I Love This Bar” in honor of the late Toby Keith, and with original “King of Country Music” that name-drops loads of legends and honors country music craftsmanship. It’s Larkins’ first song to hit country radio, but don’t let that aw-shucks charm fool you — he’s already scored a hit as a songwriter, Cody Johnson’s “The Painter,” which he saved for last, not so much to boast of his bona fides but to honor the song’s inspiration, his wife of 15 years.
Willie Nelson’s BMO Pavilion setlist
- “Whiskey River”
- “Stay a Little Longer”
- “Still Is Still Moving to Me”
- “Bloody Mary Morning”
- “I Never Cared for You”
- “Workin’ Man Blues”
- “Mammas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”
- “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”
- “On the Road Again”
- “Always On My Mind”
- “Good Hearted Woman”
- “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
- “Move It On Over”
- “Georgia (On My Mind)”
- “I Been to Georgia on a Fast Train”
- “Me and Bobby McGee”
- “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die”
- “Write Your Own Songs”
- “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”/”I’ll Fly Away”
- “It’s Hard to Be Humble”
Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or plevy@journalsentinel.com. Follow him on X at @pietlevy or Facebook at facebook.com/PietLevyMJS.
MILWAUKEE – Forecast from FOX6 Meteorologist Lisa Michaels
Partly sunny skies on Saturday with a slight chance for a few sprinkles or a shower.
Temperatures warmer on Saturday in the mid to upper 60s. Isolated 70s near the border. Breezy with winds gusting near 30mph.
Cooler temperatures in the upper 50s on Sunday (Mother’s Day) with increasing clouds. Patchy frost Saturday night into Sunday and Sunday night into Monday.
Next chance of rain and storms arrives on Tuesday.
Today: Partly sunny. A few showers possible. Breezy.
High: 67°
Wind: NW 10-25
Tonight: Partly cloudy. Patchy frost.
Low: 42°
Wind: NW 5-10
Sunday: Increasing clouds.
High: 57°
Wind: NW 5-15
Monday: Mostly sunny.
AM Low: 39° High: 59°
Wind: E 5-10
Tuesday: Warm and windy. Chance storms.
AM Low: 42° High: 68°
Wind: SW 10-25
Wednesday:Partly sunny.
AM Low: 46° High: 59°
Wind: NW 5-15
Thursday: Mostly sunny.
AM Low: 42° High: 64°
Wind: S 5-10
6-day planner
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Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
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We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
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Milwaukee, WI
Bobby Portis and his mom share the story behind his foundation while honoring Milwaukee teachers
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Bobby Portis Foundation hosted a luncheon Friday at Roosevelt Middle School to honor teachers — many of whom are also mothers — with Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week overlapping on the calendar.
Portis and his mother, Tina Edwards, spent the day celebrating educators and reflecting on the mission behind the foundation.
“We just want to make sure that we let the teachers know you are appreciated because sometimes it goes beyond being a parent at home, but sometimes teachers are parents at school,” Edwards explained.
Ariel Campos, TMJ4 Sports
For Portis, a forward for the Milwaukee Bucks, the foundation has always been rooted in one person.
“The Bobby Portis Foundation has always just been solely based upon really my mom, and that’s the inspiration behind it,” Portis said.
WATCH: Bobby Portis and his mom share the story behind his foundation
Bobby Portis and his mom share the story behind his foundation while honoring Milwaukee teachers
Growing up, Portis watched his mother raise four boys on her own.
“My mom worked tirelessly to take care of all four of us,” Portis said.
Edwards made sacrifices for her sons from the very beginning — including turning down a basketball scholarship after becoming pregnant with Bobby.
“I still was offered a scholarship after I had him, but I wanted to choose him over ball,” Edwards said.
Tina Edwards
That sacrifice brought her full circle through her son’s career.
“With Bobby becoming an NBA player, he’s living my dream, and I’m living the dream through him,” Edwards shared.
For Portis, the event was an opportunity to honor everything his mother has given him.
“I can’t just put into words what my mom has done for me, not only for my basketball career – that’s just like a small portion of my life – I’m talking about just me as a human being, as a man. I mean, I didn’t have a dad growing up, so my mom played both roles. She did a hell of a job raising not only me but my three other brothers,” Portis said.
His grandmother’s message to spread his blessings continues to drive his work.
“Being able to be in a position now to have a voice, to have a platform, to give back, to help inspire. I try to use it to the best of my abilities,” Portis said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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MILWAUKEE — Saturday is the start of the food truck curfew in downtown Milwaukee. That curfew was passed by the Common Council to address safety concerns after several violent incidents.
Alma Juarez is with Tacos Almita on Water Street in downtown Milwaukee. Juarez said since the city passed the curfew, she’s had just over two weeks to adjust.
“We’re trying to think what we’re going to do,” said Juarez. “Maybe we’re going to start in another place or move the food truck after 10 p.m., but that means we have to start over again.”
She said that means she may also have to start building up a news customer base.
“Moving the truck means that… we have to struggle,” said Juarez.
Juarez is not alone in worrying about her financial future.
Last Thursday, a group of owners took their concerns to city hall. Jennifer Martinez, who’s with the food truck known as Tacos El Pastorcito Mixe, was at that demonstration. She said the late-night hours make up roughly 75% of her revenue.
“During the day, I’ve tried opening very early in the morning — 8 a.m. 9 a.m. — it doesn’t make a difference. There’s no… we don’t have much sales throughout the day,” said Martinez.
Ald. Robert Bauman represents downtown and was the sponsor of the ordinance.
Last week he told Spectrum News that he’s aware of the economic burden the truck operators are facing. However, he said safety concerns are a bigger priority.
“And MPD (Milwaukee Police Department) has said on the record repeatedly that food trucks are a major contributing cause for the loitering and disorder that takes place on Water Street,” said Bauman, who represents District 4 in Milwaukee.
He said he’s willing to take a hit on food trucks and prioritize the concerns of larger businesses.
“If they feel that downtown is not safe anymore, they’ll either not come at all, or they’ll leave as soon as their event is over with and not spend any additional money in the downtown area,” said Bauman.
But Juarez said the city shouldn’t have to do that. She said she believes food trucks aren’t the cause of the problem.
“You can see it in any places, but not here,” said Juarez. “It can happen here, but not in front of the food trucks cause they are saying that a lot of violence, a lot of the things that are going on is in front of the food truck. You can see that all the shooting happens after 1 a.m. or 3 a.m. Last shooting, it was after 1 a.m.”
Food truck owners said they hope to continue to turn a profit after the ordinance starts, but they said they face a potentially tough financial future.
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