Gig roundup: Pato and OnMilwaukee.com a go talk

British reggae rapper Pato Banton first came to wide acclaim when he dueted with Ranking Roger on The English Beat's "Pato and Roger A Go Talk" on The Beat's 1982 disc, "Special Beat Service."

Banton also guested on UB40's "Baggariddim" disc three years later and soon released his solo debut, "Never Give In." A string of other records -- notable for their positive outlook -- followed and thanks to heavy touring, Banton grew into a fan favorite.

Banton released "Positive Vibrations: A Collection of Pato Banton Classics" in 2007 and his latest disc is "Destination Paradise," which continues his tradition of combining party music and positive lyrics.

As he returns to Milwaukee for a gig at Shank Hall on Tuesday, April 28 at 8 p.m. with The Socialites and Amerlock, we hit Banton with a few questions via e-mail from the road.

OnMilwaukee.com: The new record is your first disc of new reggae music in nearly a decade; how come it took so long?

Pato Banton: Basically, after two of my sons were shot in a drive-by-shooting incident, I decided to actively contribute to a change in my community. I set up two community organizations and got in involved in many other progressive projects that brought about major changes in the gun/gang culture.

OMC: Can you tell us a little about making the new disc? Did it happen all in one go, or was it recorded slowly over a longer period?

PB: The album was recorded in Southern California over an eight-month period. We worked with some of the best local musicians / singers and I'm very happy with how it sounds.

OMC: You recently played at Club Garibaldi in Milwaukee and I hear it was a great show. Do you have fond memories of gigs here in Milwaukee?

PB: The reggae fans in Milwaukee have always been good to me and I'm looking forward to playing there again.

OMC: What will the show be like here? Lots of new material or more like a greatest hits from your entire career?

PB: The show will be very unique as I have a new band called The Now Generation. We will of course be playing the old classics with some of the newer material too.

People who come out can expect a great show with high energy and nuff positive vibrations. One love always.

Some other shows on tap this week include:

Brooklyn's Chairlift joins Sweden's Peter, Bjorn and John at The Pabst on Wednesday, April 22 at 8 p.m. Spin named Chairlift's disc one of the top 40 of 2008, raving that it is, "besotted with reverb drenched synthetic lushness ... nodding deeply to David Lynch's Angelo Badalamenti-scored oeuvre."

Over at The Rave, you can catch Alkaline Trio with Saves the Day and Death in the Park at 7:30 p.m.

The following night, The Pabst hosts the Indigo Girls along with opener Jennifer O'Connor, who is fresh off a brief tour with Robyn Hitchcock as she continues to tout her Matador Records disc, "Here With Me."

In February, I said that Azita's Drag City CD, "How Will You?" is "a hard-to-peg collection of pop songs that while anything but mainstream are easily absorbed. With a voice that is part Tracey Thorn, part Cerys Matthews and part Eddi Reader, Azita creates something like modern, indie torch songs that simmer and stomp ... The record is warm, breathy and melodic." Now you can see her in person at Sugar Maple in Bay View on Thursday, April 23.

Also on the bill is Wreckmeister Harmonies, the brainchild of JR Robinson, who performs with Mark Shippy (US Maple) and cellist Fred Lonberg-Hom (Wilco, Jim O'Rourke). The group's latest is "Recordings Made in Public Spaces," released earlier this month on Atavistic.

The Watson Twins, who recently released the "Live at Fingerprints" EP on Vanguard, open for M. Ward at The Pabst Theater on Friday, April 24 at 8 p.m. The new record features acoustic versions of tracks from the duo's fine "Fire Songs" disc along with the previously unreleased "Rebel Soldier."

On the same night, at 7:45 p.m., over at the Irish Fest Center in Wauwatosa, Scots singer Julie Fowlis performs music from her disc, "Cuilidh." Radiohead drummer Phil Selway is a big fan and he says, "you'd need a cold heart indeed not to be touched by her music." Brush up on your Gaelic so you'll know what she's singing about. Or just sit back and enjoy the stark beauty of the music of the Hebrides.

For a considerably louder and more raucous time, choose The Rave instead on Friday as New Found Glory, which hits the road in support of its new discs, "Not Without a Fight." Also on the 7 p.m. show are Bayside, Set Your Goals and Shai Hulud.

On Saturday night, The Rave hosts Dragonforce with Cynic and Daath at 7:30 p.m.

John Reis -- who has worked with Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Jike Jehu and Hot Snakes -- brings his new band The Night Marchers to Club Garibaldi on Sunday, April 26. Reis and company are on tour for the new Swami Records disc, "See You in Magic."

Meanwhile, down in Cudahy, Wayne "The Train" Hancock returns to Milwaukee with his hillbilly juke joint swing for a gig at Vnuk's on April 26.