Earth, Wind & Fire, Yung Gravy and the best and worst of Day 5 of Milwaukee's Summerfest 2023

On Summerfest's fifth day of 2023, a popular R&B favorite that finally made it back to Milwaukee made the long wait worthwhile. Thumbs up, too, to the return of the first band from India to rock the festival.

Earth, Wind & Fire

Finally appearing at the Summerfest grounds nearly three years after its previously scheduled opening slot for Santana (that tour was postponed twice and ultimately canceled), Earth, Wind & Fire took to the BMO Pavilion on Friday night and Milwaukee showed up; it was elbow-to elbow anywhere within earshot of the band at showtime.

Summer had arrived; this was the muggiest (and buggiest) set of the fest thus far and might've even been suitable for the amphitheater. The crowd was rather sluggish early, even though the sound was noticeably better than usual for this stage. The grooves were intoxicating.

The core of the group consists of lead singer Philip Bailey Sr., vocalist/percussionist Ralph Johnson, and bassist Verdine White, the latter an absolute force of nature at age 71. His energy and musicianship alone could've carried the show.

Prior to "Sing a Song," White ripped a formidable bass solo. The group followed this up with a cover of "Got to Get You Into My Life," and then the meditative jam "Kalimba Story," entrancing and all too brief.

There were of course ballads to squeeze in, and more crucial bangers, but credit EWF for its deep catalog despite a lack of household hooks compared to its flashier '70s contemporaries. This was every bit the feel-good dance party Milwaukee was overdue for.

— Cal Roach, Special to the Journal Sentinel

Yung Gravy

Once again, DJ Mando and crew got it lit before Yung Gravy got loose on the Generac Power Stage Friday. (I really hope people are still saying “lit.”)

The UW-Madison grad turned SoundCloud rapper turned international trap-rap sensation practically had women and men alike fainting in the aisles. They chanted “GRAVY” with overwhelming authority throughout the evening. He displayed the same energy as many trap rappers who jump across the stage riotously while rapping over their own vocals. At some points, Gravy didn’t need to rap because the audience did it for him.

With a mixture of over-the-top misogyny and adept ad libs Gravy had the Gen Z’ers full attention. “Mr. Clean,” his first big hit, slapped especially hard. It samples “Mr. Sandman” by the Chordettes which many of his fans probably wouldn’t recognize otherwise. They were equally as geeked by "Betty (Get Money)", which samples Rick Astley's “Never Gonna Gove You Up.”

Overall, Gravy gave his minions what they wanted. It’s wasn’t especially extraordinary, but his base definitely lifts him to a higher level. The deafening screams from his fans are unmatched.

The real MVP of the show was DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, Gravy’s DJ, who hilariously handed out snacks before the show including Gravy’s turkey sandwich. It was as all a ruse to announce Gravy was late, but it worked.

— Damon Joy, Special to the Journal Sentinel

38 Special

Southern rockers 38 Special played a mix of FM-radio and jukebox-friendly hits for a mostly Boomer and Gen-X crowd Friday night at the Uline Warehouse stage.

The band's lineup has undergone a few changes since it formed in the mid-1970s; guitarist-vocalist Don Barnes is the band's only original member. He was joined on stage by guitarist Jerry Riggs, bassist Barry Dunaway, drummer Gary Moffat and keyboardist Barry Capps.

38 Special launched its set with the swaggering "Rockin' Into the Night," followed by the bluesy "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" and other hits such as "Back Where You Belong," "Teacher, Teacher," and the cheesy "Back to Paradise" which segued into "Honky Tonk Dancer."

The band sounded incredibly polished — the members could probably play these tunes in their sleep — and Barnes' vocals were strong and stage friendly. But the show lacked spontaneity and seemed a bit too rehearsed — probably a sign of years of touring and recording.

The crowd's response was somewhat lackluster as well, with a lot of fans sitting still in their seats and talking to their friends.

Enthusiasm picked up, however, when Barnes asked fans in the front if they "had an open bar" and remarked that they were "ready to throw down."

He also mentioned that the band was credited on a number of movie soundtracks, including the 2001 comedy "Joe Dirt," which was met with loud cheers.

— Catherine Jozwik, Special to the Journal Sentinel

Nate Smith

Nate Smith’s performance of “Wreckage” came to a screeching halt.

“There’s a lot of love in Wisconsin baby,” he screamed from the UScellular Connection Stage early Friday evening, clearly moved by the crowd’s enthusiasm, almost to the point of tears, and moved to rip his ball cap off his head and toss it into the audience.

This year’s Summerfest loaded up multiple afternoon slots with fast-rising country stars, with Larry Fleet and Breland coming through already, and Hailey Whitters on the way.

But Smith might have been the most anticipated, because he’s already one of the most successful: his single “Whiskey on You” topped Billboard’s Country AirPlay chart this year.

Supported live by a sharp band, the performance of “Whiskey” Friday validated Smith’s sudden ascent, his biting lyrics about leaving a bad relationship behind him delivered with a tornado-force tenor, his vocals slightly singed, like burning embers. There was plenty more striking storytelling and robust singing where that came from. Smith dedicated a sweet (but never sappy) performance of “I Found You” to the song’s Wisconsin-raised co-writer Kyle Schlienger, who was in the crowd Friday. And Smith and the band quickened the pulse of broken-hearted ballad “Sleeve,” surging with Smith’s anguished hollers, before the band and frontman receded, absorbing the pain, then unleashing it with a roaring, heart-palpitating finish.

“They’re telling me this is the biggest crowd they’ve had over here,” Smith said near the end of his 70-minute set. One Noah Kahan would beg to differ, but it was definitely a large turnout for a Friday afternoon — and Smith’s crowds are destined to get bigger.

— Piet Levy, plevy@journalsentinel.com

Mitchell Tenpenny

Country pop/R&B crooner Mitchell Tenpenny exuded a likeable, open and unpretentious demeanor at his UScellular Connection Stage show Friday night.

Backed by a band, the Nashville-born singer/guitarist, dressed ultra-casually in a T-shirt, Milwaukee Bucks basketball shorts, and baseball cap, treated fans to painfully honest songs about breakups and relationship troubles like "Sleeping Alone" and "Happy and I Hate It."

Tenpenny's warm, sincere vocals especially shone through on a cover medley of Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" and Puff Daddy's "I'll Be Missing You," where he displayed hip-hop skills, and the soul-searching "At the End of a Bar."

"The energy is beautiful out there!" Tenpenny said appreciatively to the chill young crowd, mentioning a previous Milwaukee appearance at the Miller High Life Theatre. "I love this city, man." I'm guessing the city will be welcoming Tenpenny back in the near future.

— Catherine Jozwik

Joe Russo's Almost Dead

Deadheads’ day of reckoning draws near: With only eight shows remaining of Dead & Company’s “The Final Tour,” and maverick founding bassist Phil Lesh unlikely to mount any further large-scale tours, where will fans turn for their fix of sprawling live jams out of Grateful Dead songs?

Right now, the clear front-runner is Joe Russo's Almost Dead, which headlined the Miller Lite Oasis Friday night. The quintet has been putting its own spin on the Dead canon for over a decade now, surpassing predecessors like Dark Star Orchestra simply by mimicking the Dead less blatantly.

Also, the band has undeniable chops. The jam that led into "New Minglewood Blues," for instance, and the pure space excursion inside "Playing in the Band." A heartfelt "He's Gone" was equally effective, a remarkably tasteful nostalgia trip. An explosive "Cumberland Blues." Only the stodgiest of Jerry Garcia purists could have scoffed. After all, these songs will always mean so much to so many. Someone's got to play them.

— Cal Roach

Nicky Youre

The young ladies swayed back and forth to the mellow voice of Nicky Youre as boyfriends looked away in disgust. The TikTok/pop sensation played to an impressively full Generac Power Stage this Friday night.

While Nicky’s stage presence could use a polish, his vocal abilities were a smidget above average. He showed some range on his hit single “Sunroof,” which has also been in over 9.5 million TikTok videos.

His catalog is by no means long, so the show came in around 30 minutes. That said, the girlfriends had a fantastic time singing along with Nicky’s few hits. This kid has a bright future as long as he gets a little less awkward onstage and cuts off that mustache.

— Damon Joy

Thaikkudam Bridge

The closest I’ve ever come to experiencing pure magic at Summerfest was watching Thaikkudam Bridge in 2019.

The first Indian band to ever play Summerfest, Bridge brilliantly merged the sounds of folk music from its native country with thunderous, face-melting metal and prog rock. The elation from a diverse crowd, many clearly discovering the band in real time, was overwhelming. Before it was over, I saw tears of joy being shed.

This was the kind of musical transcendence you might experience once in a lifetime. Friday, some very lucky fans at Summerfest — myself included — experienced it again.

I approached the Uline Warehouse Friday fully expecting the band’s Big Gig encore wouldn’t match my glowing memories from four years prior. But this was just as special.

School of Rock music students from around the country, in town to play their own Summerfest sets, joyously banged their heads in the pit to the pummeling wallop of Anish T N on drums, sweetened by Govind P. Menon’s heavenly violin. Then bassist Vian Fernandes teased the breakout track “Fish Rock” next, prompting explosive cheers from a Milwaukee fan base that’s clearly grown since the band's last time in town. Bridge expanded on the epic recording with synchronized dancing, some guitar neck shredding, and Fernandes wildly whipping his braids. If the School of Rock kids had sprained their necks by then, they still couldn’t stop themselves.

May Summerfest continue to be blessed with Thaikkudam Bridge sets for years to come. And may the talent buyers for one of the world’s largest music festivals book more bands from one of the world’s most populous nations.

— Piet Levy

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Earth, Wind & Fire, Yung Gravy and best, worst of Summerfest's Day 5