W♥M

At Sasquatch: Lumineers, Edward Sharpe, Atlas Genius, and Holy Ghost!

photo credit Christopher Nelson Read More Sasquatch! Music Festival Hey, did you get your tickets to see Sasquatch! Music Festival this May 24-27, 2013? Well too bad, it's all sold out - in less than 90 minutes after going on sale. .…

SASQUATCH! MUSIC FESTIVAL
sasquatchfestival.com

Sasquatch Music Festival is taking place this weekend.

The event creator Adam Zacks and Live Nation Northwest president Jeff Trisler have both received the Governor's Recognition Award for their outstanding accomplishments and innovative leadership in music!

Zacks and Trisler were on stage at the festival during a set by Pacific NW natives Built to Spill to receive the award with this message from Governor Jay Inslee:

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Adam Zacks and Jeff Trisler, who started the Sasquatch! Music Festival 12 years ago. Today, Sasquatch! attracts more than 80,000 people each year from around the globe, providing a significant boost to the regional economy. This festival helps support the development of alternative independent music and embodies the independent spirit of music that our communities have long been known for.

Please join me in thanking Adam & Jeff for their dedicated work. The Sasquatch! Music Festival will continue to inspire patrons and artists alike for generations to come.

The popular festival sold out in record time (90 minutes after going on sale) and it's easy to see why: they booked the best bands. Below are some of those bands at Sasquatch this weekend:

Read More The Lumineers The Lumineers only have one record, a self titled LP, released back on April 3rd 2012, so they basically played almost the entire album. The band threw in a Bob Dylan cover, a Taking Heads cover .…

THE LUMINEERS
thelumineers.com

One of the hottest bands this year is The Lumineers. You might recall that we covered the band last year in New Orleans. For a relatively 'new' band, I cannot believe they are playing the Target Center here in Minneapolis. This is a stadium-sized venue; very little bands that I cover can manage to pull off playing such a spacious arena.

Anyway, the Denver-based band is currently in the middle of their tour for their self-titled debut album.

05/25-05/27 Sasquatch Music Festival
05/30 Lancaster, NE @ Pinewood Bowl Amph*%
05/31 Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center*%
06/01 Kansas City, MO @ Cricket Wireless Amph*%
06/04 Cincinnati, OH @ Riverbend Music Center*
06/06 Clarkston, MI @ DTE Energy *%
06/07 Canandaugia, NY @ CMAC*%
06/06-06/09 Mountain Jam Fest
06/07-06/09 New York, NY @ Governor's Ball
06/12 Portsmouth, VA @ nTelos Wireless*%
06/13 Cary, NC @ Koka Booth Amphitheater*%
06/14 Charleston, SC @ Family Circle Pavilion*
06/13-06/16 Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo

*with Cold War Kids
%with J Roddy Walston

PS, If you were wondering, yes, Cold War Kids was just here in Minneapolis on last month .

Read More Edward Sharpe Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros were just on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (6/5/12). You can view the performance on Hulu or ABC's website today. .…

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com

Here is another super popular group: Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.

I previously covered them when they played here last year at the Cabooze. The band is returning to the Cabooze this June 26th. Expect the show to sell out, as it did last year.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros just kicked off their North American tour last night to support their new self-titled album, coming out July 23, 2013, via Community Music. Singer Alex Ebert said that this new album is so special to him: "These songs mean everything to me. It's the rawest, most liberated, most rambunctious stuff we've done."

Check out "Better Days":



Dates with * indicates SOLD OUT.

05/25 - Portland, OR - The Rose Festival 05/26 - Sasquatch Music Festival* 05/28 - Billings, MT - Babcock Theatre 05/29 - Jackson, WY - Pink Garter Theatre* 05/30 - Salt Lake City, UT - Red Butte Garden* 06/02 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheater* 06/04 - Council Bluffs, IA - Stir Cove 06/05 - Des Moines, IA - Simon Estes Riverfront 06/07 - Pittsburgh, PA - Three Rivers Arts Fest 06/08 Governors Ball Music Festival 06/09 - Portland, ME - State Theatre* 06/11 - Shelburne, VT - The Green 06/12 - Montreal, QC - Metropolis* 06/15 - Atlanta, GA - Candler Park (FREE) 06/13 - 06/16 - Bonnaroo Music Festival 06/18 - Chattanooga, TN - Track 29 06/19 - Knoxville, TN - Bijour Theatre 06/21 - Norfolk VA - The Norva

06/21 - 6/23 Firefly Music Festival 06/24 - Kalamazoo, MI - Kalamazoo State 06/25 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze 06/26 - Milwaukee, WI - Summerfest 06/28 - Old St. Pat's Church Block Party 06/29 - Kansas City, KS - Kanrocksas 07/27 - Floyd, VA - Floydfest 08/01 - Las Vegas, NV - Cosmopolitan 08/04 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Bowl 08/17 - Sterling Heights, MI - Mo Pop Festival 08/23 - Simcoe, ON - Gentleman of the Road* 08/29 - Kennett Square, PA - Longwood 08/30 - Troy, OH - Troy Memorial* 09/01 - Aspen, CO - Snowmass 09/06 - Guthrie, OK - Cottonwood Flats * 09/07-09/08 - St. Louis, MO - Loufest 09/13 - St. Augustine, FL - Francis Field* 09/27 - 9/28 - Southern Ground Music Festival

Read More Atlas Genius As you can see from Atlas Genius' setlist, they tried to play all their songs off their recently released album, When It Was Now. Because of the limited thirty minute opener set, they had to drop off/cross off "Through The Glass". .…

ATLAS GENIUS
atlasgenius.com

Atlas Genius is on its way back to Minneapolis for the third time on June 4, this time playing a sold out show at the Fine Line. The Australian brothers Keith and Michael Jeffery are rounding up a series of U.S. tours before heading back to Australia for just-announced tour dates in July. With impossibly catchy songs like “Trojan” and “If So” they’re the type of band you’ve heard even if you haven’t heard of them just yet. Their second album “When it was Now” released early this year and is available on iTunes.

05/25 - Sasquatch! Music Festival
05/26 - Vancouver, BC @ Venue
05/29 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
05/31 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater SOLD OUT
06/01 - Colorado Springs, CO @ The Black Sheep
06/04 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line SOLD OUT
06/06 - Indianapolis, IN @ Deluxe
06/07 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
06/09 - Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Lindley
06/11 - Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
06/12 - Richmond, VA @ The Canal Club
06/14 - Albany, NY @ Bayou Café
06/15 - Cambridge, MA @ Sinclair SOLD OUT
06/17 - Pawtucket, RI @ The Met Café
06/18 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom SOLD OUT
06/19 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom SOLD OUT
06/20 - Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Casino
06/21 - Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
06/23 - Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
06/24 - Detroit, MI @ Shelter
06/27 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
07/06 - Vancouver, BC @Kelowna's Waterfront Park
07/10 - Ottawa, ON @ Ottawa Blues Festival
07/13 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Music Fest
08/02 - Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/04 - Montreal, QC @ Osheaga Music and Arts Festival
08/08 - Bakersfield, CA @ B Ryders
08/10 - San Francisco, CA @ Outside Lands
09/20 - San Diego, CA @ 91X Fest

Read More Holy Ghost! Just in time for Halloween, Holy Ghost! kick off their first national headline tour to a solid sold-out show at the Bowery Ballroom in New York. .…

HOLY GHOST!
myspace.com/holyghostnyc

How luck are Holy Ghost!???? The Brooklyn-based synthpop duo will be the special guests of New Order when they tour the U.S. this summer.

While the band is getting ready for their upcoming sophomore album, Dynamics, you can still get their 2011 "classic pop" self-titled album, which is out now.

On tour:

05-25 Quincy, WA - Sasquatch Music Festival
05-26 Vancouver, British Columbia - Fortune
06-07 Governors Ball Music Festival
06-08 Hunter, NY - Mountain Jam Festival
06-16 Manchester, TN - Bonnaroo Festival
06-28 Rothbury, MI - Electric Forest
07-19 Austin, TX - Austin Music Hall *
07-21 Atlanta, GA - Chastain Park Amphitheater *
07-24 Brooklyn, NY - Williamsburg Park, Brooklyn *
07-26 Philadelphia, PA - Mann Center *
07-28 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
07-31 Boston, MA - Bank of America Pavilion *

* with New Order

jamie + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Refreshing Sounds for 2013

2013 is expected to be a big year for music. Music lovers have high expectations from top musical artists and bands. However, you may not be terribly familiar with the ones that have recently burst onto the music scene and have made a name for themselves with their unique and meaningful sounds.

Here’s a list of the unique sounding artists to watch out for in 2013:

1. Foster the People Foster the People made a name for themselves with the release of the super catchy Pumped Up Kicks. They’ve created their own ‘Foster the People’ sound, something that you can listen to for hours while relaxing on the sofa. The best part about the music is that it makes you want to dance at the same time. The lead singer Mark Foster has a unique voice, a mixture of high pitch chorus and lower note verses. His voice blends with the other two members, making them a pleasure to listen to. The Indie band has plans to release a new album this year.  Their engrossing sound will attract new listeners.

2. The Head and the Heart Seattle’s the Head and the Heart brings a twist to the usual indie-folk music. The band has 6 members that play Americana, indie-rock, pop and a variety of other sounds. Sometimes, they play all the music within a single song. It was a surprise when 10,000 copies sold of their debut album Sub Pop, mostly on word of mouth. They stick to the old block harmonies playing the same chords, but they have hundred different ways to do so.

3. Imagine Dragons The Indie Alternative Rock band from Las Vegas topped iTunes chart with ‘Night Visions’ in 2012, beating all the pop sensations that people are familiar with seeing on the top of the list. Their dubstep pop music captures attention from a variety of genres. The magical, pulsating pop beat will make you want to press the repeat button again. They also have formulaic ingredients to make a radio friendly tune. Imagine Dragons tickets are high in demand for their upcoming concerts in U.S and U.K. Imagine Dragons' tour schedule:

02/08/13 Tempe, AZ The Marquee 02/09/13 Las Vegas, NV The Joint 02/11/13 Dallas, TX House Of Blues 02/12/13 Houston, TX House Of Blues 02/14/13 Atlanta, GA The Tabernacle 02/15/13 Lake Buena Vista, FL House Of Blues 02/16/13 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel 02/18/13 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory 02/22/13 Silver Spring, MD Fillmore Silver 02/23/13 Portland, OR Roseland Theater 02/25/13 Boston, MA House Of Blues 02/27/13 Toronto, ON Sound Academy 02/28/13 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room 03/01/13 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit 03/02/13 Milwaukee, WI The Rave 03/04/13 Chicago, IL House Of Blues 03/05/13 Chicago, IL House Of Blues 03/06/13 St. Louis, MO The Pageant 03/09/13 Winnipeg, MB Garrick Centre 03/11/13 Edmonton, AB Starlite Room 03/12/13 Calgary, AB MacEwan Conference 03/14/13 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom 03/15/13 Portland, OR Roseland Theater 03/16/13 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre

03/18/13 San Diego, CA House Of Blues 03/19/13 Anaheim, CA House Of Blues 03/20/13 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern 03/22/13 Salt Lake City, UT Complex 03/23/13 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium 04/02/13 Bristol, UK O2 Academy Bristol 04/04/13 Liverpool, UK O2 Academy 04/06/13 Glasgow, UK Garage 04/08/13 Manchester, UK Club Academy 04/09/13 Birmingham, UK Library Theatre 04/11/13 London, UK HMV Forum 04/13/13 Amsterdam, Netherlands Melkweg 04/15/13 Stockholm, Sweden Debaser Slussen 04/16/13 Oslo, Norway BLA 04/18/13 Copenhagen, Denmark VEGA 04/19/13 Hamburg, Germany Grosse Freiheit 36 04/20/13 Cologne, Germany Live Music Hall 04/22/13 Berlin, Germany Astra 04/24/13 Prague, Czech Republic The Roxy 04/26/13 Vienna, Austria FLEX 04/29/13 Frankfurt, Germany Gibson Club 04/30/13 Munich, Germany Muffathalle 05/02/13 Brussels, Belgium Ancienne Belgique 05/03/13 Paris, France Le Bataclan

4. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros The band gets inspiration from Southern Californian communities of the 60’s and 70’s. Their first album sold over 315,000 copies and was on number 1 for 69 straight weeks on iTunes. Their high-pitched synths and driving bass line adds an extra charm to their music. A focal point of their music is the soulful vocals, with a touch of southern rock guitar and piano. They’re planning to release their third album this year.

5. Mumford and Sons The quarter has developed their own genre with their own sound transcends. The band brings fervent energy, blistering banjo and acoustic guitar tunes. The real-life Begbies ask for more drinks whenever the band plays live, evoking melancholy but still inspiring hope. The band is currently leading BRIT award nominations and has an upcoming tour in February. USA dates: 02/05/13 Boston, MA TD Garden 02/06/13 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center 02/08/13 Los Angeles, CA Los Angeles Convention Center 02/12/13 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center 02/13/13 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center 02/14/13 Fairfax, VA Patriot Center 02/16/13 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center 02/17/13 Camden, NJ Susquehanna Bank Center

Watch out for these bands in 2013, you’ll be in for a surprise.

rebecca ♥ weheartmusic.com

Something's on Fire

Brown Shoe-I'm On Fire

If you haven't guessed, there's a theme here.

>>>
BROWN SHOE
brownshoemusic.com

You know I'm a cover lover, so I was kind of excited to hear this Brown Shoe's cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" (incidentally Springsteen's latest album, Wrecking Ball, is his tenth #1 album, tying him with Elvis Presley).

The cover version is live, taken from Daytrotter's Session, but there's something in the mix that made it feel more of a studio quality. Also, the song is quite faithful to the original song… so nothing comedic or strange take on the classic.

Check out the full session at daytrotter.com

DIE ANTWOORD
dieantwoord.com

We've written about Die Antwoord a few time. Well, the strange/odd South African band is outdoing themselves with their latest video for their song "Baby's on Fire".

The the music found on youtube doesn't actually kick in until 2:50 and is meant for a more mature audience (so I wouldn't recommend viewing this if you're under 18 years old).

In addition to the video, they're currently on tour to promote their latest album, TEN$ION, and added a few new tour dates:

08/03/12 Chicago, IL Lollapalooza 08/04/12 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue 08/06/12 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre 08/09/12 Pomona, CA Fox Theater 08/11/12 San Francisco, CA Outside Lands 08/15/12 Philadelphia, PA Penn’s Landing # 08/17/12 Brooklyn, NY Williamsburg Park # 10/14/12 Austin, TX ACL Festival

10/15/12 Dallas, TX House of Blues 10/17/12 Lawrence, KS Liberty Hall 10/18/12 St. Louis, MO Pageant 10/19/12 Nashville, TN Marathon Music 10/20/12 Atlanta, GA Center Stage 10/22/12 Ft. Lauderdale, FL Culture Room 10/23/12 Tampa, FL RITZ Ybor 10/24/12 Orlando, FL Beacham Theater # With Jane’s Addiction

EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS
edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros were just on Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (6/5/12). You can view the performance on Hulu or ABC's website today.

The song they performed? You guess it, "Man on Fire"… which is the band's latest single.

Although I like the song, I felt that the music video (which debut May 31st), wasn't that great. Nothing against first-time music video director, Brady Corbet, but I just didn't like the whole concept of this "documentary-style" music video. You know when you go to a movie theater and you just want to watch the film, but you hear people talking in the audience? That's how I felt about this video, because all I really wanted was to hear the song, not the chatter in the urban New York background.

I'm sure I'm the only one that didn't like the video, see it for yourself on youtube.

UPDATE:

COCOROSIE
facebook.com

I've mentioned CocoRosie before, they are two real-life sisters, Coco and Rosie.

The duo is back with a new single, "We Are On Fire", which just came out June 5th, via Touch & Go.

Check out the creepy "exorcism" video below.

They are wrapping up their tour:

06/07 Santa Cruz, CA Rio Theatre *
06/08 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up *
06/09 Los Angeles, CA Luckman Fine Arts Complex *

* = w/ Sissy Nobby

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

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros at the Cabooze, Minneapolis (05/25/12)

Tour Dates 5/26/12 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre 5/30/12 Columbus, OH - The LC Pavilion 5/31/12 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 6/01/12 Ozark, AR - Wakarusa Festival Read More Edward Sharpe Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros recently appeared on David Letterman earlier this month. As you can see from the video, they are a large collective of performers… Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros played to a sold-out Cabooze Outdoor Plaza in Minneapolis last night, May 25th. He's My Brother She's My Sister Opening up was He's My Brother She's My Sister, a real-life brother (Robert Kolar) and sister (Rachel Kolar) band. They were quite good and included a tap-dancer on the bass drum (?). They are coming back to Minneapolis to play at the 400 Bar on July 5th, which we'll probably cover because we like them. They had a short set, starting with "Let's Go". Lots of dancing and they had some Magnetic Zeros on as guest players (drummer came on for a few songs, including "Coattails", and the piano player came on for "Can't See The Stars"). As for Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, they came on stage with "40 Day Dream". I thought I counted 12 band members, which is a pretty large group. They did all the hits you would expect them to do, from the new one "Man On Fire" (this one got a great response from the crowd) to an extended version of "Home" (which they ended their set with). I thought their new song, "If You Wanna" got the crowd moving, even though most of the audience have never heard it. Singer Alex Ebert explained that this is one of many songs they have written but have never recorded. Highlight for me was whenever Ebert would interact with the audience. He knows how to work a crowd, he's always trying to invade the audience and get a chance to dance with his fans… and the audience loves it. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros are wrapping up their US tour in a few days. They are touring in support of their new album, Here, which is coming out May 29, 2012, via Vagrant Records and Rough Trade Records.

vu () ♥ edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com ♥ hesmybrothershesmysister.com

Minneapolis: May 25, 2012

Tour Dates 5/25 - Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze 5/26 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre 5/30 - Columbus, OH - The LC Pavilion 5/31 - Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium 6/01 - Ozark, AR - Wakarusa Festival

Did you know it's Paul Weller's birthday today (May 25th)? He's 54 and he's still the Modfather.

Okay, so today/tonight there are a few shows happening in Minnesota.

First Avenue, Rose, and Cabooze Presents:
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
He's My Brother She's My Sister
Fri, May 25, 2012 - 6:00 pm

UPDATE: THIS SHOW IS SOLD-OUT

The event is an early show at the Cabooze in Minneapolis. If you've never been there before, it's located near the Triple Rock Social Club. It's generally known as a "biker's bar". I once biked there on my bicycle and we had a beer there… but that's not what they have in mind regarding biker.

Anyway, there is also an after-party event called "BOMP!", which takes place at 10pm. If you already saw Sharpe and have a wristband, I believe it's only $5 (otherwise it's ten bones).

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros recently appeared on David Letterman earlier this month. As you can see from the video, they are a large collective of performers: keys, accordion, fiddle, acoustic, didgeridoo (YES!), lots of guitars, and boy-vs-girl singing.



Also what's happening May 25th:

If money is no object, you can check out the Target Center for the "Sorry For Party Rocking Tour". Expect to pay anywhere from $35 to $100.

Bands on the party tour: LMFAO Far East Movement Quest Crew

Sidney Samson Eva Simons

Natalia Kills Matthew Koma

If you're on the cheaper side of life, you can try FREE at 331 Club. Swing by 10pm to catch:

Patches & Gretchen
Jenny Dalton
Murzik

vu () ♥ edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com

SXSW 2012: Brody's Top Ten

Keane at Cedar Street

Please read our previous SXSW coverage. Below is Brody's report. More photographs on facebook.com.

Zula Winter at Mohawk

Blood Orange at Mohawk

Django Django @ Flat Top Burger Shop

Top 10 Best Performances SXSW 2012!!!!! 1. Django Django @ Flat Top Burger Shop 2. Michael Kiwanuka @ St. David's Church 3. Free Energy ND 4. Jonquil @ Flat Top Burger Shop 5. Lee Mayfield and the Expressions Red 6. Kaiser Chiefs @ Cedar Street Courtyard 7. Pomegranates Beauty Bar 8. Fanfarlo @ club de ville 9. We Were Promised Jet Packs @ Red 7 10. Blood Orange @ Mohawk NOTE: Sydney Wayser would have been on this list if I would have seen her showcase. Seven out the top ten are from England, what a surprise? The Staves, Cults, Tennis, The Twilight Sad, and Keane, were all great shows too. Disappointments 1. Belaire 2. Zula Winter 3. Band of Skulls

The 20 Artists I missed 1. Kasabian* 2. Alabama Shakes 3. Andrew Bird 4. Ben Howard 5. The Envy Corps* 6. Nikki and the Dove 7. Mumford and Sons* 8. Slowdance 9. Zola Jesus 10. Oberhofer 11. The Shins 12. Young Buffalo 13. Fort Lean 14. Housse De Racket 15. The Love Language* 16. Electric Guest 17. Gringo Starr 18. Lake Street Dive 19. Fiction 20. Balthazar * previously already seen

Miike Snow, Edward Sharpe, Bruce Springsteen, Fiona Apple, The Cult, Old Crow Medicine Show, Cage the Elephant, Skrillex, Erykah Badu, were also all there this year.

I leave you with a very memorable video of SXSW! Ricky Wilson of the Kaiser Chiefs! More videos on youtube.com

brody ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M

Local Natives at 400 Bar, Minneapolis (5/17/10)

Local Natives - Sun Hands Local Natives Tour Dates 06/02/10 Rickshaw Stop SF, CA 06/03/10 Bottom of the Hill SF, CA 06/04/10 Troubadour LA, CA 06/05/10 Bootleg Theater LA, CA 06/10/10 Bonnaroo Manchester, TN 06/13/10 Isle of WIght Festival Newport 06/15/10 Shepherds Bush Empire 06/17/10 Vera Groningen, NL 06/18/10 Southside Tuttlingen, DE 06/19/10 Hurricane Scheebel, DE 06/23/10 Melkweg Amsterdam 06/24/10 Glastonbury Old Queen’s Head 06/25/10 Glastonbury Festival 06/27/10 Solidays Festival Paris 06/29/10 Ravenna Hana Bi Ravenna, IT 06/30/10 Ancona Mole Vanvitelliana 07/02/10 Beauregard Festival Herouville Saint Clair, FR 07/04/10 Roskilde Festival Roskilde, DK 07/11/10 Oxygen Festival 07/18/10 Pitchfork Festival� 08/05/10 Middle East Boston, MA 08/06/10 1st Unitarian Church� Phila, PA 08/07/10� Beach @ Governors Island NY 08/11/10 Pantiero Festival Cannes 08/12/10 Haldern Festival Haldern 08/13/10 Way Out West Festival 08/14/10 Oya Festival Oslo, NO 08/15/10 Summer Sundae Weekender� 08/19/10 For Noise Festival Pully 08/20/10 Pukkelpop Hasselt-Kiewit 08/27/10 Open Air Festival Zurich 08/28/10 Leeds Festival Leeds 08/29/10 Reading Festival Reading 10/09/10 Austin City Limits Austin, TX Download Free download of "Sun Hands" via myspace

I've only recently discovered Local Natives via Fleet Foxes radio library on last.fm, which is, if you aren't already familiar with last.fm, an online record keeper of what you play on your iTunes (www.last.fm/about). Actually, no. I take that back. I first heard "Warning Sign" on Minneapolis' local radio station The Current but never caught the name of the band. I allowed myself to just confuse them with Fleet Foxes or assumed that they were some side project of J. Tillman. But, no – these are L.A. boys and these L.A. boys know how to rock. But first, let's discuss the opening band Suckers. A 4-man band from Brooklyn, New York with influences from across the board. I initially thought they sounded like The Killers but then was surprised to hear influences of Mt. Eerie (Phil Elverum) in their drumming. I was skeptical at first when I saw the frontman of the band walk around with some questionable bling around his neck. Turns out the bling didn't influence their music much, just added sparkle to the small stage the 400 Bar. Enough about visual aesthetics, though. Suckers put on an entertaining show and they were hot. Literally. It was a sold out show and the air condition wasn't working. The stage was a hot plate ready for Fleet Foxes, uh, I mean, Local Natives.

The crowd was pumped once Suckers ended their set. For an 18+ show, I didn't see many 18-year olds. Or maybe they were 18-year olds with a fake I.D. and thought PBR was the best beer they've ever had next to Premium Grainbelt. As for me, I was fishing for ice in my glass of Hendrick's & Tonic. It was uncomfortably hot and everyone's sweat was rubbing on me.

Local Natives, photo by Dolly

I forgot about the heat once Local Natives hopped on stage to tune their guitars and test their mics. I was front stage and center by their feet, completely enamored by Taylor Rice's 'stache and Ryan Hahn's pretty eyes. I was totally crushing on them and their music. They rocked so hard that Ryan Hahn accidentally tore off the poorly applied foam from the wall. At one point, the power shut off on stage when the bar decided to turn on the AC. As a time waster, Kelcey Rice started to tell a joke that was so stupid, it was funny. Aside from stage theatrics, their performance was solid. Sun Hands, Cards & Quarters and Wide Eyes were my favorite performances by them that night, not to mention my favorite songs off of Gorilla Manor. It was nice to see that Taylor, Kelcey and Ryan switched off between playing keys and guitar. I'm seriously glad I got to see Local Natives perform in Minneapolis. I overheard in the crowd that they had opened up for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes and sad I had missed that. Next time they come back, we need to provide them with a bigger venue and some AC, for reals. Local Natives are the bees knees.

05/31/2010 14:27:44♥ dolly ♥ thelocalnatives.com ♥ myspace.com/localnatives