W♥M

The Baseball Project

Tour Dates 07/24 Madison, WI - Warner Park 07/24 Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon 07/25 St Louis, MO - Wood House Concert 07/26 Rock Island, IL - Rock Island Brewing 07/27 Minneapolis, MN - 400 Bar 07/28 Chicago, IL - Wick Park Fest Read More R.E.M. Like many of you from my generation, I wasn't hip to R.E.M. until they had their big hit crossover song, "Losing My Religion"….

I've previously written about the cancellation of the SoundTown Music & Camping Festival. Their loss is your gain! Get a chance to see some of these fine bands at smaller venues:

Friday, July 27
• Dr. Dog at First Avenue
• The Baseball Project at 400 Bar

Saturday, July 28
• The Temper Trap at First Avenue
• Best Coast+Those Darlins at Cedar Cultural Center
• White Denim at 400 Bar
• Black Box Revelation at Triple Rock Social Club

We've basically covered most of these the bands before - the only one I didn't know about is called The Baseball Project.

Apparently this is a sort of "supergroup". Members includes Peter Buck (REM), Scott McCaughey (singer of The Young Fresh Fellows* and The Minus 5**), Steve Wynn (Dream Syndicate), Linda Pitmon (Hazel Motes), and sometime Mike Mills (REM).

If you were wondering, yes, these guys are hardcore baseball fans.

* who got a mention in a They Might Be Giants' song.

** who got a mention in a Momus song… technically they commissioned Momus to write a song about them.

 

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Black Box Revelation at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (06/03/12)

Tour Dates 06/10/12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo 06/11/12 New York, NY - Double 7 Club 06/12/12 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl 07/04/12 Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest 07/28/12 Minneapolis, MN - Soundtown Fest Read More Black Box Revelation My Perception, will be out June 12th, via Merovee Records. Expect to see the duo at Bonnaroo (June 10th), followed by David Letterman (June 11th). Black Box Revelation played to a sold-out show at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night, June 3rd. For those not familiar with BBR, let's take a trip down on memory lane: they are two friends (Jan Paternoster and Dries Van Dijck) from Belgium, started playing together when they were 12 and 14. They've been around the block in their home country, but it was only in the past few years did they really concentrate on the USA. They've been paying their dues, opening up for a ton of established bands (Raveonettes, Eagles of Death Metal, Iggy Pop, just to name a few). I saw them with Beady Eye in 2011), followed by Jane's Addiction a year later. So, whoever is behind their success is doing an awesome job. Oh, I guess it also helps if you actually sound good: and people like their sound. They've been compared to the Beatles and the Kinks… and oddly enough, The Black Keys. Last night was the first time I've seen the band as the headliner. What this means is that they have to have enough material to play at least an hour, unlike the brief 30 minute or less opener's set. Black Box Revelation delivered… plus some more. Despite having sold-out, because it was a Sunday, only the truly dedicated fans stuck around until midnight when they ended their set. For those brave enough, they were rewarded with a string of hits: "I Think I Like You", "Crazy White Man" (their brand new song, not on any album), "My Perception" (went over well with the crowd), and "Sealed With Thorns" (their loudest song). Encore was an oldie, "Set Your Head On Fire", which had a lot of people super excited and fist-pumping. Black Box Revelation is wrapping up their headlining tour for their forthcoming album, My Perception, to be released June 12th via Merovee Records. Look for them on The Late Show with David Letterman the day before (June 11th).

vu () ♥ blackboxrevelation.com

BONUS: Vanity Theft at the 400 Bar, Minneapolis (06/03/12)

Vanity Theft

I caught a little bit of Vanity Theft as they played last night at the 400 Bar.

I wish I could've have stayed longer, but I was in transition between Jonathan Richman and on my way to see Black Box Revelation. They actually had a lot of new songs, and I'm assuming they've permanently replaced Lalaine (Lizzie McGuire's BBF) with this new guy-bassist. Is he just with the tour or is this now a three-girl and one-dude band? Otherwise known as the luckiest guy in the world.

One of their new songs will be come out in a zombie video, set to debut this week. I'm sorry, I didn't catch the name. One thing is for sure, they did their big song, "Anatomy"… they are still gorgeous and yes, that song is all about S.E.X.X.X.

Anatomy

See our previous Vanity Theft coverage.

vu () ♥ www.vanitytheft.com

Black Box Revelation on Xbox's Bing Lounge (or Black Xbox Revelation)

Tour Dates 05/30/12 Chicago, IL - Double Door 05/31/12 Detroit, MI - Shelter 06/01/12 Grand Rapids, MI - Intersection 06/03/12 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry 06/10/12 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo 06/11/12 New York, NY - Double 7 Club 06/12/12 Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Bowl 07/04/12 Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest 07/28/12 Minneapolis, MN - Soundtown Fest Read More Black Box Revelation As for the opening band, Black Box Revelation, I ran into a mutual friend who was rather impressed with BBR. I'm not surprise, seeing as this duo is described …

I'm not a fan of the Xbox, because, if you didn't know, you have to pay this $80 a year "Xbox tax" so you can get online content. I personally do not understand why Xbox fanboys would happily pay that amount (that's the same amount that you can pay Amazon Prime for free movies). Plus, the machine isn't capable of playing Bluray discs, so the Xbox sits in the corner gathering dust.

Once in a while, I like to turn the old Xbox on to see what I'm missing. Not much.

They got rid of their original Major Nelson Xbox videos, which is kind of sad. There are some nice additions though: Amazon Prime finally made its way to the Xbox. Unfortunately, you still need to pay Xbox $80 a year, plus another $80 to Amazon, so the total of $160 a year is not such a good deal.

Anyway, hidden under the "Free TV" for the Zune, I noticed that Xbox is now letting people download music videos under the "Bing Lounge" and the first video I saw was Black Box Revelation's "My Perception" (which was recorded live in 2011). I downloaded the HD video (303mb) and went online to find out more about this Bing Lounge.

"Bing Lounge" is a partnership between Microsoft and KINK FM, most of their recordings are available on bing.com. The actual venue is located in Portland, Oregon and is billed as "the most intimate venue for live shows".

Anyway, since I'm seeing BBR this Sunday (June 3rd), I was glad to see that they are featured on Xbox. A quick note that their album, My Perception, will be out June 12th, via Merovee Records. Expect to see the duo at Bonnaroo (June 10th), followed by David Letterman (June 11th).

vu () ♥ blackboxrevelation.com

Jane's Addiction at The Brick, Minneapolis (03/19/12)

Tour Dates 03/21/12 Grand Rapids, MI at Devos Music Hall+ 03/23/12 Louisville, KY at Louisville Palace+ 03/24/12 Milwaukee, WI at Eagles Ballroom 04/07/12 Sao Paulo, BR at Lollapalooza Brazil 04/08/12 Sao Paulo, BR at Lollapalooza Brazil 04/10/12 Buenos Aires, Argentina* 04/13/12 Monterrey, Mexico 04/15/12 Mexico City, Mexico 05/04/12 Birmingham, AL Shaeffer 05/05/12 Memphis, TN at Beale Street Fest 05/25/12 Chillicothe, IL at Summer Camp Fest 05/26/12 Chillicothe, IL at Summer Camp Fest 05/27/12 Chillicothe, IL at Summer Camp Fest 05/07/12 San Antonio, TX at Lila C Cockrell 05/09/12 Houston, TX at Verizon WIreless 05/10/12 Dallas, TX at McFarlin Memorial* 05/12/12 Austin, TX at Bass Concert Hall 05/15/12 Lake Buena Vista, FL at HOB* 05/16/12 Jacksonville, FL at Florida Theatre 05/18/12 Miami Beach, FL at Fillmore 05/19/12 Clearwater, FL at Ruth Eckerd Hall* 05/22/12 Raleigh, NC at Memorial Auditorium 05/23/12 Charlotte, NC at Ovens Auditorium 05/25/12 Knoxville, TN at Tennessee Theatre 05/29/12 Denver, CO at Fillmore Auditorium 05/30/12 Albuquerque, NM at Kiva Auditorium 05/31/12 Tucson, AZ at Tucson Music Hall 07/13/12 Cincinnati, OH at Bunbury Festival *Set list for these shows is the same; however, show presentation may be slightly different due to logistical reasons with these venues, as these shows are not in theatres. + with Black Box Revelation Read More Jane's Addiction I will report back on how the Brick "stacks" up to its other competitors like the Epic and First Avenue when I see Jane's Addiction and BBR.

Last night was the grand opening for Minneapolis' new concert venue, The Brick. Who better to cut the ribbon than Jane's Addiction, as they played to a sold-out show?

Since this is the first real show for The Brick, I'm going to talk about the venue, as much as the bands. There were a few hiccups in how the venue operated. First of all, there was a lot of staff, most of them knew as much as you did when it comes to venue questions (like where is the bathroom). Second, they patted everyone at the door and took too long to let people in. I was standing in line that went around the block, and we started moving at 8:30 (when Black Box Revelation started their set!).

I later found out when I entered that there was really only one way to get in the venue, a stair that lead to the main dancefloor. There is also a bottom bar room (which you cannot view the concert) and an upstairs area that is impossible to view the show unless you're right against the railing.

The venue, itself, wasn't as large as I thought. They said it can house 3200+ (* see update), but I figure less than half of that can view the stage with comfort. It is a long rectangle stretch that reminds me of The Fine Line Café's layout, but similar to the old Quest (now named Epic). Although it was advertised as sold-out, I felt that it really wasn't, considering that you can stand around without being crushed.

Black Box Revelation

Opening up for them is Black Box Revelation, a band that we like. Because of the tight security and standing in line, I had missed the first three BBR songs. I did remember them playing "I Think I Like You" and "My Perception" near the end of their set. It kind of made me mad that there were still people standing in line outside, because they couldn't let people in fast enough, while BBR was playing.

I didn't really think BBR's music mesh well with Jane's Addiction, and talking to the fans around me, they would agree. They also didn't know the duo on stage, so I suggest bringing along a big banner with the band's name on it next time? I would later spot the two (Jan and Dries) standing by the side of the stage, watching Perry Farrell worked the audience.

The audience for Jane's Addiction was older, as you would expect for a band that's been around since 1985. As you can see from the setlist, they did the hit songs, and only a couple of new ones from 2011's The Great Escape Artist ("Twisted Tales", "Words Right Out of My Mouth", etc). Not shown on the setlist is their first song, "Underground".

Dave Navarro and Perry Farrell both look in great shape. Farrell often jumps into the audience and Navarro lit up a few cigarettes. I got the impression that Farrell really love his fans, he kept trying to defend his fans, "let them enjoy the show" when the staff was asking them to leave a certain area upstairs* (see update).

Although I knew their big hit songs, "Been Caught Stealing" and "Stop!", and knew about Perry Farrell's character (especially as the man behind Lollapalooza and Porno for Pyros), I just wasn't prepared for this weird burlesque show. I was at a viewing angle that I could only watch the dancers or the band, but not watch both at the same time. This made it hard to choose, because both were entertaining to watch.

For the dancers/backup singers: best part is the ninja birdman, weirdest part was the baby doll-head-bashing thing (what was that about?)

For Jane's Addiction: Best part was their encore, "Jane Says". They did not do a double-song encore, just the one.

Leaving the Brick took just as long as getting in, as we slowly walk through a narrow hallway. The guy next to me said it was like boarding an airplane, only much slower. I would later find out that you can also exit where we entered, which had a wider front door.

Anyway, since this is not normally the type of concerts I attend, I would have to say that it's an experience. I think if you're already familiar with Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro's various work, you'll feel right at home. Jane's Addiction broke up a few time, but they are back now, and currently on a world tour. Their new album, The Great Escape Artist, is out now.

Jane's Addiction at The Brick, Minneapolis (03/19/12)

UPDATE 03/21/2012: Since this review was written, there has been a huge backlash on the concert venue. No one was happy about the venue. According to Fox news (see video), officially the venue can hold 2,001 and the count of people at Jane's Addiction's show was 1,400. The reason why Farrell was upset was that people were trying to view the concert by lifting the curtains, via youtube.com: "Don't listen to him, don't worry about it! Don't f**** listen to him. Hey! Hey! Mister with the flashlight, hold that f***** thing open. Take that thing down, be careful you might have a riot on your hands. Open up that s***, let them watch the show, what the f***. Just twist it off, however that f***** thing comes off. Twist it off".


PS, I wasn't exactly sure where to put this in, but before Jane's Addiction came on stage, the male dancer with the fake mustache and hat came to the front and put chains on young girls to take back stage. I thought it some naughty things happening, but when the girls came back, one of the girl, Meg, tells me that they played a private two-song concert for them backstage. Not acoustic or anything, but fully plugged in.

vu () ♥ janesaddiction.com ♥ blackboxrevelation.com

March Madness: Minneapolis Shows

I'm officially coming out of hibernation in March!

So… the problem with really successful bands like Atmosphere (who consistently sells out shows at First Avenue) is that they're not quite a Papa Bear-sized stadium band (Xcel or Target Center which can house about 10,000+). They've certainly outgrown mid-sized venues like First Avenue (1,500) or the Baby Bear (7th Street Entry of 250 capacity).

Your alternative might be the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, which I have to confess is just too massive because of its stadium-esque seating arrangement on top and a dance floor. Its capacity is around 4,000, and even well-known bands have had a hard time coming close to selling out.

Enter The Brick, a bigger-sized venue of 2,000+, for the "just perfect" Bear sized. The venue hasn't officially opened, but I'm glad to be one of the first to see a live show there, this March 19th for Jane's Addiction and Black Box Revelation.

You should already know BBR from my previous articles and, unless you've been living under a rock, you should also know Jane's Addiction. For youngsters who aren't familiar with Paul McCarthy, you should youtube "Been Caught Stealing", everyone will be singing along to this classic.

From The Brick's press release, here are some upcoming bands:

• JANE’S ADDICTION: Monday, March 19 (18 & over show)
• BRIT FLOYD: Wednesday, March 28 (18 & over show)
• FEED ME: Friday, March 30 (18 & over show)
• BEATS ANTIQUE: Saturday, April 14 (16 & over show)
• HUNTER HAYES: Thursday, April 19 (All ages show)
• INCUBUS: Wednesday, May 9 (18 & over show)
• SLASH: Monday, May 14 (18 & over show)
• THE SHINS: Friday, June 1 (18 & over show)
**Additional shows will be announced in the coming weeks.

I will report back on how the Brick "stacks" up to its other competitors like the Epic and First Avenue when I see Jane's Addiction and BBR.

If the weather keeps up, here are my March shows:

MARCH 1: Young Prisms at 7th Street Entry
facebook.com/Youngprisms

I've already written about Young Prisms, since then I've gotten the chance to listen to their album, In Between. It's good if you enjoy shoegazey-ish music, which I happen to like. I can't wait to see them.

Feb 22 - Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA $
Feb 24 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR
Feb 25 - Comet Tavern - Seattle, WA ^
Feb 26 - The Shakedown - Bellingham, WA^
Feb 29 - The Aquarium - Dempsey’s - Fargo, ND#
Mar 1 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN #
Mar 2 - Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
Mar 3 - Cafe Bourbon Street - Columbus, OH #
Mar 4 - DC9 - Washington, DC #
Mar 5 - Glasslands - Brooklyn, NY #
Mar 6 - Kung Fu Necktie - Philadelphia, PA#
Mar 7 - Great Scott - Allston, MA #
Mar 8 - The Red Door - Portsmouth, NH #
Mar 9 - Le Cagibi - Montreal, QC #
Mar 10 - Drake Hotel - Toronto, ON #
Mar 11 - Paperhouse - Detroit. MI #
Mar 21 - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA *

$ w/ Melted Toys
^ w/ Grave Babies
# w/ Boy Friend
* w/ The Black Ryder

MARCH 3: Twilight Sad at 7th Street Entry
thetwilightsad.com

Scotland's Twilight Sad was recently in the news because they had to cancel a few shows due to Visa complications. They are indeed "sad" at this, even issuing a press release regretting the cancellation of the Washington D.C. and Philadelphia tour dates.

The tour is to promote No One Can Ever Know, available now (February 7th) via Fat Cat Records… but I'm sure the real reason for them to be here is to watch Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2.

The rest of their tour dates will still go on as scheduled:

Feb 25 Brooklyn NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
Feb 26 Allston MA – Brighton Music Hall
Feb 28 Montreal QC – Il Motore
Feb 29 Toronto ON – Lee’s Palace
Mar 01 Grand Rapids MI – Pyramid Scheme
Mar 02 Chicago IL – Empty Bottle
Mar 03 Minneapolis MN – 7th Street Entry
Mar 05 San Diego CA – Casbah
Mar 06 Los Angeles CA – The Echo
Mar 07 San Jose CA – The Blank Club
Mar 08 San Francisco CA – The Independent
Mar 10 Seattle WA – Tractor Tavern
Mar 11 Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge
Mar 14 – Mar 18 Austin TX – SXSW

MARCH 7: IAMDYNAMITE at 7th Street Entry
iamdynamite.com

The space and lowercase hater band IAMDYNAMITE will be releasing their debut LP called SUPERMEGAFANTASTIC in June. You can preview and download their free track, "Stereo" at Soundcloud.

If you want to see them live, here are their tour dates:

Mar 1 - Pianos - New York, NY - Early show @ 7:30pm
Mar 3 - Thunderbird Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA
Mar 7 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
Mar 8 - Elbo Room - Chicago, IL
Mar 9 - Blueberry Hill - St Louis, MO
Mar 10 - Woodruff's - Ypsilanti, MI
Apr 5 - The Viper Room - Los Angeles, CA

MARCH 10: The New Amsterdams at Triple Rock Social Club
newams.net

I read that The New Amsterdams are set to play their first performance in over four years; their last album, At the Foot of My Rival was released in 2007. What you should know about this band is that it is Get Up Kids' Matt Pryor's solo project. Since we saw the 'Kids getting back together last year, I suppose the music-bug have bitten more than normal.

Pryor has just released his sophomore solo album, May Day: "I've been wanting to do a New Ams gig with Old Canes for ages. I've been so busy with The Get Up Kids and solo stuff that we haven't had time to do it. Since it was Crici (Old Canes) and my birthdays right around there we decided to do it now. So, in a sense it's actually our birthday parties."

2/27 - New York, NY @ The Studio at Webster Hall *
2/28 - New Haven, CT @ Lily's Pad *
2/29 - Allston, MA @ Great Scott *
3/1 - Montreal, QC @ Club Lambi *
3/2 - Toronto, ON @ The Drake Hotel *
3/3 - Rochester, NY @ The Bug Jar *
3/4 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose
3/6 - Akron, OH @ Musica
3/7 - Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
3/8 - Howell, MI @ The Pike Room
3/9 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
3/10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club

* w/ The Front Bottoms

MARCH 18: Vishtèn at Cedar Cultural Center
vishten.net

Vishtèn is described sound like "Acadian, Quebecois, Irish, Scottish, and US American roots music". I have previously mentioned that any bands playing at the Cedar, I would definitely like to attend. I like the venue, although I wish the parking situation could be better around the Cedar area.

03/16/2012, Fri in Springfield, OH
03/17/2012, Sat in Ann Arbor, MI
03/18/2012, Sun in Minneapolis, MN
03/21/2012, Wed in Winona, MN
03/22/2012, Thu in Wisconsin Rapids, WI
03/23/2012, Fri in Milwaukee, WI
03/24/2012, Sat in Chicago, IL
03/27/2012, Tue in Oklahoma City, OK

MARCH 23: Cursive at 400 Bar
cursivearmy.com

I was surprised to see this band playing at such a small venue, at the 400 Bar. But perhaps it's not a shock, since according to legend and lore, the 400 Bar supported and gave Bright Eyes his chance to shine. Conor Oberst owns Saddle Creek Records (which Cursive is currently signed to), and you can see why he would book at the 400.

Cursive is currently on tour to promote their seventh album, I Am Gemini, which came out NOW via Saddle Creek Records. Below are all their 2012 tour dates. Seeing as they've been selling out their California shows, I would recommend buying your tickets in advance.

02/22/12 San Francisco, CA Noise Pop Festival+ 02/23/12 Los Angeles, CA Amoeba – Free Show! 02/24/12 LOS ANGELES, CA TROUBADOUR+ 02/25/12 Pomona, CA Glass House+ 02/26/12 San Diego, CA Casbah+ 02/27/12 TEMPE, AZ CRESCENT BALLROOM+ 02/28/12 ALBUQUERQUE, NM LAUNCHPAD+ 03/01/12 Wichita, KS Abode+ 03/02/12 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar+ 03/03/12 Omaha, NE Slowdown+ 03/22/12 Iowa City, IA The Mill* 03/23/12 Minneapolis, MN 400 Bar* 03/24/12 Madison, WI High Noon* 03/25/12 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall* 03/26/12 Champaign, IL High Dive* 03/27/12 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig* 03/28/12 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls* 03/29/12 Cleveland, OH Grog Shop* 03/30/12 Buffalo, NY Mohawk* 03/31/12 Toronto, ONT Horseshoe Tavern* 04/02/12 Boston, MA Middle East*

04/03/12 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom* 04/04/12 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom* 04/05/12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer* 04/06/12 Washington, DC Black Cat* 04/07/12 Raleigh, NC Kings Barcade* 04/08/12 Atlanta, GA The Earl* 04/09/12 St. Augustine, FL Cafe Eleven* 04/10/12 Orlando, FL The Social* 04/11/12 Tallahassee, FL Club Downunder* 04/13/12 Houston, TX Fitzgeralds* 04/14/12 Austin, TX Mohawk* 04/15/12 Dallas, TX Trees* 04/16/12 Little Rock, AR Revolution Music* 04/17/12 Memphis, TN Hi Tone * 04/18/12 Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlies* 04/19/12 Covington, KY Bangarangs* 04/20/12 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway* 04/21/12 Columbia, MO Mojos + with UME and Virgin Islands * with Cymbals Eat Guitars and Conduits

MARCH 24: Chastity Brown at Cedar Cultural Center
chastitybrownmusic.com

Chastity Brown is to release Back-Road Highways on the Nashville-based C & D Music Network, the CD release party will be held on Saturday, March 24th at the Cedar. Playing with her will be Romantica and Black Audience

MN Back-Road Highways Tour Dates
3/1/2012 - Duluth - Amazing Grace - 7pm, $10
3/9/2012 - Grand Marais - Gunflint Tavern - 9pm
3/10/2012 - Grand Marais - Gunflint Tavern- 9pm
3/12/2012 - Lutsen - Papa Charlies - 8pm
3/16/2012 - Mankato - The Coffee Hag - 8pm
3/24-2012 - Minneapolis - Cedar Cultural Center - 8pm, $10

MARCH 28: The Wedding Present at 400 Bar
scopitones.co.uk

Apparently, the Wedding Present are on tour for the 21st Anniversary of Seamonsters. Has it really been that long? Throughout 2012, the band will be playing their third album, in its entirety…. "plus 40 minutes of other music."

One thing I should mention, since I saw them in 2010, their strongest track on that show was from Seamonsters: "Corduroy".

March – April : North America

20/03 : Washington, DC, USA – Rock And Roll Hotel with The Jet Age
21/03 : Brooklyn, NY, USA – Bell House with The Jet Age
22/03 : New York, NY, USA – Le Poisson Rouge with The Jet Age
23/03 : Allston, MA, USA – Brighton Music Hall with The Jet Age
25/03 : Toronto, ON, Canada – Horseshoe Tavern with The Jet Age
26/03 : Pontiac, MI, USA – Crofoot with The Jet Age
27/03 : Chicago, IL, USA – Double Door with The Jet Age
28/03 : Minneapolis, MN, USA – 400 Bar with The Jet Age
30/03 : San Diego, CA, USA – Casbah
31/03 : Los Angeles, CA, USA – Troubadour
01/04 : San Francisco, CA, USA – Independent
05/04 : Vancouver, BC, Canada – Biltmore Cabaret
06/04 : Seattle, WA, USA – Crocodile
07/04 : Portland, OR, USA – Mississippi Studios

MARCH 31: Fanfarlo at The Varsity Theater
fanfarlo.com

We've written about Fanfarlo's a couple of times. Kate G wrote about their show in New York: "they had a man suspended upside down from the rafters and escape from a straitjacket," which sounds pretty amazing.

Well, their new record is called Rooms Filled With Light, available on February 28th, but you can stream it right now at NPR.

NPR is smitten by the album, asking "Is "charming" a genre?"

03/05 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA 03/06 Webster Hall New York, NY 03/07 U Street Music Hall Washington, DC 03/09 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC 03/10 Vinyl Atlanta, GA 03/13 Fitzgerald's Houston, TX 03/14 The Loft Dallas, TX 03/19 Blueberry Hill's Duck Room St. Louis, MO 03/20 Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN 03/22 Zanzabar Louisville, KY 03/23 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI 03/24 Mod Club Toronto, ON 03/25 Mr. Small's Theater Pittsburgh, PA

03/27 Skully's Music Diner Colmbus, OH 03/28 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL 03/29 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI 03/31 The Varsity Theater Minneapolis, MN 04/01 Record Bar Kansas City, MO 04/03 Bluebird Theater Denver, CO 04/05 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT 04/06 Neurolux Boise, ID 04/07 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR 04/09 The Biltmore Vancouver, BC 04/10 The Crocodile Seattle, WA 04/15 Coachella Indio, CA 04/17 Slim's San Francisco, CA 04/22 Coachella Indio, CA

Did I miss any bands? Are you playing in town? Let me know!

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Touring through Minneapolis

Here are a few bands that Lara and I are covering live (pending weather and good fortune, of course).

GABE DIXON
gabedixon.com

The last time I heard about Gabe Dixon, it was for his 2008 album, and as "The Gabe Dixon Band". I guess he dropped the "band" title and his latest, One Spark was released is as a solo artist last August.

The album is described as "a powerful collection of masterful songwriting and performance" and "Dixon's voice is amazing".

Lara will be seeing Dixon at the 400 Bar in Minneapolis, I am hoping she will spot co-songwriter Dan "Semisonic" Wilson.

Here is the rest of his tour dates:

01/11/12 Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall 01/12/12 Minneapolis, MN @ 400 Bar 01/13/12 Ames, IA @ The Maintenance Shop 01/14/12 St. Louis, MO @ Plush 01/16/12 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck 01/17/12 Norman, OK @ Opolis 01/18/12 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues 01/19/12 Austin, TX @ Stubb’s 01/20/12 Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald’s Downstairs 01/21/12 Baton Rouge, LA @ Spanish Moon 01/23/12 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum

01/24/12 Orlando, FL @ Backbooth 01/25/12 Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits 01/26/12 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl 01/27/12 W Columbia, SC @ N Brookland Tavern 01/28/12 Raleigh, NC @ Pour House Music 01/29/12 Charlotte, NC @ The Evening Muse 01/30/12 Vienna, VA @ Jammin’ Java 01/31/12 Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live 02/01/12 New York, NY @ Joe’s Pub 02/02/12 Hamden, CT @ The Space 02/03/12 Cambridge, MA @ T.T. The Bear’s Place

PS, there are a few other bands on 400 Bar's calendar that should interest us: The Envy Corps / Usonia / Skypiper / Aluoma/Blackbird Darlings on January 13th, Cursive / Cymbals Eat Guitars / Conduits on March 23rd, The Wedding Present / Jet Age / Pinky Piglets (Toquiwa) on March 28th. Since I did see and had a great time with The Wedding Present in 2010, I am looking forward to seeing them again in 2012.

BLACK BOX REVELATION
blackboxrevelation.com

I last saw Black Box Revelation last December, and already they are back in town with ... JANE'S ADDICTION! What a weird coupling. The fact that Jane's Addiction is pretty popular, I probably won't get to see BBR this time around. But I liked them enough to mention their new tour dates:

Feb 22 - The Pageant - St Louis, MO
Feb 24 - The Fillmore - Detroit, MI
Feb 25 - LC Pavilion - Columbus, OH
Feb 27 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ON
Feb 29 - Auditorium Theatre - Rochester, NY
March 2 - The Palace Theater - Albany, NY
March 3 - State Theater - Portland, ME
March 4 - The Paramount - Long Island, NY
March 6 - Wellmont Theater - Wellmont, NJ
March 7 - Palace Theater - Waterbury, CT
March 13 - Tabernacle - Atlanta, GA
March 15 - Hard Rock - Tulsa, OK
March 16 - Uptown Theater - Kansas City, MO
March 17 - Adler Theater - Davenport, IA
March 19 - TBA - Minneapolis, MN
March 21- Devos - Grand Rapids, MI
March 23 - Eagles Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI

VERONICA FALLS
veronicafalls.com/

I wonder if Veronica Falls stole their name from the teen-detective Veronica Mars? Lara doesn't like their name, but she thought their music is "very Pitchfork-tastic". Which is why I volunteered her to attend their Minneapolis show at 7th Street Entry on February 17th.

Here are all of their US 2012 tour dates below:

02/08 - Black Cat - Washington, DC
02/09 - Music Hall of Williamsburg - Brooklyn, NY
02/10 - Voyeur Nightclub - Philadelphia, PA
02/11 - Radio - Somerville, MA
02/13 - Belmont - Montreal, Canada
02/14 - The Garrison - Toronto, Canada
02/16 - The Empty Bottle - Chicago, IL
02/17 - 7th St. Entry - Minneapolis, MN*
02/20 - The Media Club - Vancouver, Canada*
02/21 - Tractor Tavern - Seattle, WA*
02/22 - Doug Fir Lounge - Portland, OR*
02/25 - Bootleg Theater - Los Angeles, CA*
02/27 - Casbah - San Diego, CA*

*with Bleached

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Beady Eye and Black Box Revelation at First Avenue, Minneapolis (12/05/11)

Four Letter Word Beatles And Stones Millionaire Two Of A Kind For Anyone Three Ring Circus The Roller In The Bubble With A Bullet Bring The Light Standing On The Edge Of The Noise Kill For A Dream The Beat Goes On Man Of Misery The Morning Son Wigwam -- World Outside My Room Sons Of The Stage Setlist courtesy of stopcryingyourheartout.com

"Its fookin' cold here innit?", observation quote from Liam Gallagher. Welcome back to Minneapolis.

Long time readers to W♥M should know that I love Oasis*, so I was rather excited to finally check out Beady Eye (it's basically Oasis minus Noel Gallagher) last night at First Avenue. I believe that this will be the only time that I will experience this band up close.

I won't spend too much time on them, needless to say, if you've seen Oasis live before, as I have seen them multiple times, you've basically seen Beady Eye. Of course, these are all new songs from their Different Gear, Still Speeding album, no Oasis songs were played (and none were expected).

The stood-out songs from their set was my favorite "Beatles and Stones", "Standing on the Edge of the Noise", and "Bring the Light" (this had scene of dancing girls from their video played in the background). Liam had a sweat towel, which he used constantly. He was clearly burning up on stage, sweating through his jacket but refused to take it off. You have to give him some props for maintaining his looks.

As for the opening band, Black Box Revelation, I ran into a mutual friend who was rather impressed with BBR. I'm not surprise, seeing as this duo is described by people as sounding like "Beatles-meets-Kinks British invasion pop" (all in good company, but I would also throw in The Rolling Stones in there too).

With just a drummer and guitarist, they were able to turn out a full, loud rock 'n roll style of songs. All their songs were sung in English, but with this weird Belgium accent.

I know I keep saying they sound "rock", but the seven, or so, songs that were played live, they had a good mixture of different type of songs - starting off with an energetic "High On A Wire" to get you moving, to sweet lyrics like "Did you ever stop to look while it makes you blind, I should feel the love from the skin to my bones" from "I Think I Like You". Between that song and "Shiver Of Joy", those were the only songs I recognized from their latest EP, Shiver of Joy, which I did get a chance to listen to before I saw them live.

I think my favorite song from their brief set was "My Perception". It was the first time I heard the song and I thought singer Jan Paternoster was saying "all I got is my position". Then I found out later that the word is actually "perception". But I don't feel that embarrass because apparently their song is a play off of a mis-heard lyrics of "My Obsession" by The Rolling Stones (Paternoster thought Mick Jagger was singing "my perception"). Too funny, right?

There are only a few dates left from BBR and BDI (Beady Eye) with Mil-rock-ee tonight:

Dec 6 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
Dec 8 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
Dec 9 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY
Dec 10 - House of Blues - Boston, MA

Black Box Revelation at First Avenue, Minneapolis (12/05/11)

* Interviewed Liam Gallagher nearly 20 years ago in Sacramento for KFSR 90.7 FM, played their records on my radio show, bought nearly everything they've released up to their final album, Dig Out Your Soul .

PS, No photos of Beady Eye because at least four different people told me that Beady Eye are not to be photographed and I had to check my camera at the door. It seems that they are okay with bad/blurry/crappy photos of the band from cellphone cameras.
PPS, Liam must've picked out their intro song, because it was for another Manchester band, The Stone Roses' "I Am The Resurrection" played in its entirety.

vu () ♥ www.beadyeyemusic.com ♥ blackboxrevelation.com

Black Box Revelation

I haven't heard of Belgium's Black Box Revelation before, but seeing that they've played with Girl in a Coma and currently on tour with Beady Eye (yes, that "Oasis minus Noel Gallagher" band), I can tell you that I am very keen on hearing what this band sounds like.

Luckily, I have checked out their new EP, Shiver of Joy and it is good, kind of like 'rocknrolla'-type (the title track features a cowbell and it's catchy!). The rest of the EP plays out like they were from the swagger of The Rolling Stones to fuzzy rock Raveonettes. Whatever it is, I liked what I heard.

But don't take my word for it, CMJ praised them as "foot-stomping, 60s garage rock sounding eerily reminiscent of BRMC...these dudes are extremely talented." Also, apparently Minnesota Public Radio seems to love them, check out their live performance on MPR. Songs performed: "High on a Wire," "Shiver of Joy," and "Sealed with Thorns."

Here are their remaining tour dates:

Dec 5 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN *
Dec 6 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI *
Dec 8 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC *
Dec 9 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY *
Dec 10 - House of Blues - Boston, MA *

w/ Beady Eye *

Hopefully, if things work out, I will be there to check them out tomorrow night and report back on their live performance.

vu () ♥ facebook.com/#!/theblackboxrevelation