Blues Cafe Weekend | Wausome Weekend Guide
Wausau Area Events for the weekend of March 11-17, 2026
This weekend sees the Blues Cafe return to the Rothschild Pavilion. Plus an amazing drum act from Japan, a night of heavy Celtic music and much more in Your Wausome Weekend Guide.
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Blues Cafe
Fri-Sat, March 13-14: Wauau’s biggest indoor blues festival is hitting the Rothschild Pavilion this weekend. If you’ve ever attended the Blues Cafe you know this is an impressive show in a huge venue set up well for this kind of music. This year includes headliner D.K. Harrell. Harrell has been singing the blues since he first heard B.B. King at the age of two, and in 2022, Harrell won the B.B. King Of The Blues Award for Preserving Traditional Blues Heritage, according to his bio. The full lineup: Friday: 6:30 pm — Birddog Blues Band; 8:30 pm — The Blue Notes featuring Jay Stulo; Saturday: 2 pm — Al Dorn and the Blues Howlers; 4 pm — Leilani Kilgore; 6 pm — The Stephen Hull Experience; 8 pm — D.K. Harrell. $10 Friday only, $45 weekend in advance, $55 weekend at the door. Check out the event page for more.
The Marshall Tucker Band
Thursday, March 12: The Marshall Tucker Band has a curious origin story. The name of this southern rock outfit comes from the name of a blind piano tuner whose name was inscribed in the key to their first rehearsal space. And if you can’t immediately identify them by name, the song “Can’t You See” oughta bring it into focus. The Marshall Tucker Band has minted 20 albums and acheived numerous multi-platinum album sales in its decades of touring and recording. 7:30 pm. $54-$91. See the event page for more.
Drum Tao
Sunday, March 15: Imagine if you combined the athleticism and zaniness of Stomp with the precision and tradition of the Yamamoto Drummers. If you imagined correctly, you would get Drum Tao, which combines heart-stopping action, vibrant costumes and movement with a variety of traditional Japanese instruments. This group has been selling out shows in 26 different countries and is going to be one of the Grand Theater’s most energetic shows of the year. 7 pm. $13-$74. See the event page for more.
Celtic Night
Friday, March 13: Alright, so it’s a little early for St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, but Nevermore on Third has a pretty wicked slate of bands lined up from the Celtic rock/punk genre. Whiskey of the Damned from Milwaukee will be joined by Brave the Sea and Wausau’s own The Chad O’Kennedy for a night of loud and proud Celtic rock and mosh pits (do kids still do that anymore?). Whiskey of the Damned played on JSOnline’s Tap program and if you’ve ever wondered what heavily distorted guitar played with a fiddle over the top sounds like, these guys have you covered. $8. 9:30 pm. Check out the event page for more.
Judy Collins
Tuesday, March 17: This show was delayed - but now it’s back on the books with tickets still available! Judy Collins was pretty much already a legend when I first heard her songs on the radio as a child in the 80s. Many of her most famous songs are those of other artists she popularized — probably the most-known is her version of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” released on her sixth studio album. Collins now has a remarkable 55 albums to her name, part of an absolutely incredible career. This show was moved from a last month so if you didn’t already get tickets, you’ve got another chance! 7:30 pm. $44-$84. See the event page for more.
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In Brief
Gaelic Storm, 7 pm Wednesday, March 11 at the Grand Theater
Still Reckless, 7 pm Friday, March 13 at The Garage
The Foxfire Affair, 6 pm Friday, March 13 at Mosinee Brewing Co.
Blindside, 7 pm Friday, March 13 at El Tequila Salsa
Hyde, 8 pm Saturday, March 14 at Arrow Sports Club
Mindful Practices for Well Being, 4 pm Saturday, March 14 at Shelves of Aeaea
Holistic Wellness Fair, 11 am Saturday, March 14 at Sconni’s Alehouse and Eatery
Gallery Talk with Thomas Moberg, 2 pm Saturday, March 14 at the Center for the Visual Arts
Allen Brothers, 9 pm Saturday, March 14 at Malarkey’s Pub
Dig Deep Duo, 1 pm Sunday, March 15 at Sawmill Brewing Co.
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