Bruce Springsteen, Future, Lainey Wilson and more: 15 best Milwaukee concerts this March

14. Peter Mulvey and SistaStrings: SistaStrings — the Nashville duo of Milwaukee-born sisters Chauntee and Monique Ross — is about to get really busy again touring with Brandi Carlile. So Milwaukee is blessed to have them back home two months after they opened an Ani DiFranco show with fellow Milwaukee native Peter Mulvey. Mulvey and SistaStrings joint album "Love Is the Only Thing" was our favorite local release of 2022, and they'll have more time to delve into its riches with this intimate headlining show. 8 p.m. March 23, the Back Room at Colectivo Coffee, 2211 N. Prospect Ave. $25 at the door, the Pabst Theater box office (144 E. Wells St.) and pabsttheater.org.

13. Kelsea Ballerini: The country pop artist is technically touring behind last year's album "Subject to Change," but upon release, its subject matter seemed detached from Ballerini's personal life; she was going through a messy, public divorce with country artist Morgan Evans. But then in February, Ballerini dropped the revealing surprise EP and short film "Rolling Up the Welcome Mat" about the end of her marriage, which may find its way into her Milwaukee show. It's one of just eight headlining dates for her this spring. 8 p.m. March 11, Eagles Ballroom, the Rave, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave. $45 to $79.50 at the box office and therave.com.

12. MIKE:The New York rapper suggests on the opening track of his latest album "Beware of the Monkey" that this is his only chance to make the case that he's the best rapper alive. And he brings that potent urgency to the 12 tracks that follow — frequently empowering, occassionally gut-twisting tunes, all clearly very personal, all soulfully produced by MIKE himself. Perhaps he's not the greatest rapper alive, but "Monkey" was one of last year's greatest rap albums. 8 p.m. March 17, Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. $20 in advance at cactusclubmilwaukee.com. $22 day of show.

11. Carlie Hanson: The Onalaska native, whose early confessional and catchy alternative-pop songs were endorsed by Taylor Swift and Troye Sivan, found inspiration from her homeland on her sophomore album "Wisconsin," featuring tracks like "608" and "LSE to LAX."  The album drops March 10, the day before she plays Milwaukee as part of her first headlining tour. 8 p.m. March 11, Back Room at Colectivo Coffee, 2211 N. Prospect Ave. $18 to $20 at the door, the Pabst Theater box office (144 E. Wells St.) and pabsttheater.org.

10. Snarky Puppy:Co-founded by Milwaukee native and trumpet player Mike "Maz" Maher, the Denton, Texas-established Puppy repeatedly pushes the boundaries of what jazz funk can be, becoming a Grammy darling in the process. In less than a decade, the band has been nominated for five Grammys, and has won every time, including this year for "Empire Central," winner of best contemporary instrumental album. 8 p.m. March 30, Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. $39.50 to $59.50 at the box office and pabsttheater.org.

9. Dropkick Murphys:Let's all agree that Dropkick Murphys' heart-pumping Celtic punk bangers would be a killer soundtrack for a hockey fight scene in a movie. But here's hoping we don't see an actual hockey fight when the Admirals play the Tuscon Roadrunners March 11, although Dropkick Murphys will indeed be there to celebrate St. Patrick's Day a week early with a post-game concert. March 11, UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, 400 W. Kilbourn Ave. Concert follows 6 p.m. Milwaukee Admirals game against the Tuscon Roadrunners. Free with game ticket ($25 to $47) at the box office and milwaukeeadmirals.com.  On-ice passes for the concert available for an additional $25 through the Admirals.

8. Drive-By Truckers:Rare is the band that continues to release vital new music 14 albums and a quarter-century into its existence. But that's what songwriting pair Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley have accomplished with Drive-By Truckers' "Welcome 2 Club XIII," which continues a prolific and powerful streak of albums that started with the politically charged "American Band" in 2016. 8 p.m. March 11, Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. $35 to $45 at the box office and pabsttheater.org.

7. Weyes Blood:It's no wonder Blood's dazzling opus "And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow" — with its radiant retro chamber-pop orchestrations dancing around her vibrant vibrato — was placed 20th on review aggregator Metacritic's best reviewed albums of 2022 list. Some may be baffled that the album, the second in an already astonishing trilogy, didn't rank higher. 8 p.m. March 13, Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. $18 to $20 at the box office and pabsttheater.org.

6. Reba McEntire:The country legend's catalogue is so vast, with more than 100 songs on the Billboard Hot Country songs chart since the '70s, there's no way she'll be able to cover all the hits in a single night. But you can expect a whole lot of them, plus some surprising covers and plenty of good stories, if her last winning Milwaukee show, at the Wisconsin State Fair in 2018, is any indication. 6:30 p.m. March 17, Fiserv Forum, 1111 N. Phillips Ave. $44.75 to $744.75 at the box office and fiservforum.com.

5. Yo La Tengo: The year is young, but the New Jersey trio's 17th studio album "This Stupid World" is already one of the most acclaimed albums of 2023, continuing a quietly assured indie-rock discography that remains both lo-fi and highly ambitious and engrossing. 8 p.m. March 25, Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. Phillips Ave. $29.50 to $35 at the door, the Pabst Theater box office (144 E. Wells St.) and pabsttheater.org.

4. Lainey Wilson:Wilson's upbringing is practically the stuff of a country song — grew up in a Louisiana town of 250 people, father was a farmer, her mom a schoolteacher. So country music fans and institutions are labeling her the real deal, making big hits of heartfelt and smart story songs like "I Know a Few Things a Man Oughta Know," and stuffing her trophy case with awards including female vocalist of the year and new artist of the year at the CMA Awards in November. 8 p.m. March 30, Eagles Ballroom, the Rave, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave. Sold out. Resale tickets start at $40 at vividseats.com.

3. Future:The leader of hip-hop's leading city, Atlanta, Future has been one of the most successful and influential rappers of the past decade, bringing melodic hooks and mumbled verses to what's become the genre's dominating sound, trap and scoring No. 1 debuts on the Billboard 200 chart for his last seven albums. But he continues to reach new peaks, scoring not one but two top placements on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the first time last year. Future has been bringing out several guests at other shows this year, and that should be the case again in Milwaukee, although they have yet to be named. 7 p.m. March 26, Fiserv Forum, 1111 N. Phillips Ave. $80 to $449 at the box office and fiservforum.com.

2. Os Mutantes:This one is sold out, with no resale tickets on the market, so if you don't have one you're out of luck. Nevertheless, this jawdropping booking coup, a testament to the long-running Cactus Club's growing ambitions and diversification under new owner Kelsey Kaufmann, deserves a shout-out. Boldly merging psychedelic pop with sounds of their native Brazil like tropicalia and bossa nova, Os Mutantes has a legacy that has lasted decades, inspiring accomplished supporters like Kurt Cobain, Flea and David Byrne, the latter's support in particular leading to renewed appreciation and the band's resurrection as a touring and recording act in the 21st century. 7 p.m. March 13, Cactus Club, 2496 S. Wentworth Ave. Sold out; resale tickets not currently available.