The Wausome Weekend Guide: Ben Folds, Marty Stuart, a birding hike and more

Your guide to Wausau nightlife for the weekend of April 30-May 7

Apr 30, 2025

Welcome to a brand new feature of The Wausonian: The Wausome Weekend event guide. We happen to think there are a lot of cool things to do in the Wausau area on any given weekend, and so every week we put together this guide for you. Use it as your guide to weekend fun and Wausau nightlife, and share it with your friends!

Ben Folds

Sunday, May 4: This show was delayed due to illness last October, and was postponed to this Sunday. Many in the late 90s/early 2000s will remember Ben from Ben Folds Five, since it was the rare pop/rock band that was piano-driven, and combined with Folds’ irreverent lyrics, made for a unique act. His holiday-themed sad ballad “Brick” was probably his most popular “She’s a brick and I’m drowning slowly, off the coast and I’m getting nowhere.” Ticket holders from the previous show are honored and new tickets are still available. 7:30 pm.

An Evening with Marty Stuart

Friday, May 2: We had this one on our long-range calendar because it was selling out fast, but there are still a few tickets left as of this pressing. Marty Stuart is a country music legend, and so it’s perhaps no surprise that this show is already really getting close to selling out. Stuart got his start at an early age with some of the biggest country music stars. At age 13, he joined bluegrass legend Lester Flatts’ band and toured with big names such as Johnny Cash. But Stuart was too good to not be recognized as a star in his own right, and his 40 years performing and recording on his own has yielded five Grammys, a spot in the Country Hall of Fame and an AMA Lifetime Achievement. 7:30 pm. $36-$63. Check out the event page for tickets.

Invincible: A Glorious Tribute to Michael Jackson

Saturday, May 3: This Michael Jackson tribute act got so popular that the showrunners did something that doesn’t happen too often at the Grand - they added another show. It’s on the same day but at 3 pm, and you’ve got another chance to pick up some tickets to this show which celebrates the pop powerhouse that was Michael Jackson. And by the way, the evening show last we checked does have a handful of tickets, most of them single seats. 3 pm. $35-$65. See the event page for details.

Spring Migration Bird Hike with NCCT

Saturday, May 3: Calling all birders! Take a bice birding hike with Wausau area bird expert Dan Belter through the Mumford Preserve in Aniwa. Belter will guide you through this hike while helping you observe migratory birds as they make their way through Central Wisconsin. The hike is free but limited to 30 people, and you must register online beforehand (includes event details as well). 7:30 am.

The Gentlemen Grifters

Saturday, May 3: First off, I love the name of this band: The Gentlemen Grifters. It kind of reminds me of the phrase “I am another gentleman loser” from Steely Dan. The Gentlemen Grifters are a pretty solid bluegrass band that plays shows all over Wisconsin and Michigan. They’ve hit the stage at Mile of Music, Booney Bash, Wedges Creek Bluegrass Festival and more. Their show includes plenty of originals plus bluegrass mashups of a wide range of genres (even Metallica) and they tend to add in other musicians making each show unique. 9 pm. See the event page for more.

Derek Ramnarace

Friday, May 2: The first thing you notice about Derek Ramnarace is the quality of his voice - it has a soulful depth to it, as if possessed by someone much older and wiser. And the second thing is his stage presence: it’s a tough quality for musicians to learn, but Ramnarace looks perfectly comfortable on stage, like he owns it. Come check him out at Malarkey’s this weekend. 8 pm. See the venue page for more.

Brad Emanuel (with Hodag lineup)

Friday, May 2: Brad Emanuel has been a local favorite for some time - he’s been voted best local musician in City Pages’ annual reader survey for several years now. For this show, he’s joined by his award-winning Hodag lineup, including Brandon Allen from the Allen Brothers, Harold Melo from the former band Substyle and from The Short-Pay Riders, and Charlie Strong. That’s a musical powerhouse of a lineup that you won’t want to miss. 8 pm. See the event page for more.

The Wausonian