Cate Le Bon Takes The Stage In Milwaukee On A Below Freezing Friday Night
January 23, 2026 - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
With temperatures plunging to nearly –30 degrees Fahrenheit in Milwaukee last Friday, the city felt suspended in a collective hibernation. Despite the deep freezing temperatures, Cate Le Bon took to the stage at the Vivarium. It was a rare moment of warmth and intimacy in an otherwise frozen night.
Cate Le Bon released her seventh album, Michelangelo Dying, in September 2025 to critical acclaim. The album examines her breakup with her partner. In an interview with The Guardian, Le Bon states that the album is about “photographing a wound but picking at it at the same time.”
Her vocals and excellent soundscapes sound as if they are burrowing into your ear throughout the entire album. She joins the canon of artists like Kate Bush and Björk who have mastered their craft to a similar caliber. Le Bon commands their production like a captain steering through treacherous waters - each synth hit and guitar pluck meticulously placed to create a lush and vibrant sound.
Before Cate Le Bon stepped onstage, her team encouraged the crowd to remain present and experience the performance without the distraction of their phones. The request landed. With no screens in sight, the music was truly felt and heard.
The night began with a spoken poem echoing through the full room: “Women of the world, take over, because if you don’t, the world will come to an end and we haven’t got long. Women of the world, take over, because if you don’t, the world will come to an end and we haven’t got long.” The line repeated settling over the crowd before slowly fading. As the words dissolved, Cate Le Bon entered the stage accompanied by a five-piece band that included a synthesizer, saxophone, drums, bass, keyboards, and guitar making it truly a night full of music and artistic sounds.
Le Bon opened the set with “Jerome” , a track from her most recent album, Michelangelo Dying. The audience was quickly drawn into her uniquely crafted soundscape, setting the tone for a magical performance.
White silk ribbon draped throughout the stage, glowing beneath dreamy lighting that softened the edges of the room. Dressed entirely in white, the band appeared almost weightless. The combination of sounds and visuals created a feeling that was dreamy and airy - almost as if the entire room itself were floating on a cloud.
As the set came to a close, Le Bon briefly exited the stage before returning for an encore of “Harbour”. The song fell into a relaxed groove, with a steady bass line carrying the track while synths gently filled the space and the saxophone drifted in and out. In the opening verse, Le Bon sang the line, “Where do you run when you’re like a child?” The crowd swayed together as the song lingered on questions of uncertainty and vulnerability.
Le Bon’s tour for Michelangelo Dying started on January 13th and ends with her final show in Los Angeles on January 31st. You can purchase tickets to her tour on her website here.
