W♥M

01/22/2025

Minneapolis: February 22, 2025

Jerry Seinfeld / Jim Gaffigan at T-Mobile Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-18)

JERRY SEINFELD TOUR DATES

Jan 24 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live
Jan 25 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live
Jan 31 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW (Early & Late)
Feb 1 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center (E/L)
Feb 21 Rockford, IL Coronado Theatre
Feb 22 Springfield, MO Juanita K. Hammons Hall (E/L)
Feb 23 Vancouver, British Columbia, Just For Laughs, Queen Elizabeth Theatre (E/L)
Mar 7 Monterey, CA Golden State Theatre (E/L)
Mar 8 Rancho Mirage, CA Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage
Mar 14 Beaver Creek, CO Vilar Perf. Arts Center (E/L)
Mar 15 Aspen, CO 2025 Aspen Laugh Festival at the Wheeler Opera House (E/L)
Mar 20 Toledo, OH Huntington Center
Mar 21 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena
Mar 22 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center
Mar 27 San Diego, CA Pechanga Arena
Mar 28 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center
Apr 10 Pittsburg, PA Benedum Center (E/L)
Apr 18 Topeka, KS Topeka Performing Arts Center
Apr 19 Wichita, KS Century II Performing Arts (E/L)
Apr 25 Abbotsford, BC, Abbotsford Centre
Apr 26 Victoria, BC, Save On Foods Memorial Centre
May 2 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace
May 3 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace
May 15 Richmond, VA Altria Theater
May 16 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium
May 29 Grand Forks, ND Chester Fritz Auditorium
May 30 Madison, WI Overture Hall (E/L)
Jul 26 Ledyard, CT Premier Theater at Foxwoods
Aug 8 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion
Aug 9 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amph.
Sep 5 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Sep 6 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Sep 26 Lincoln, CA The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Oct 10 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Oct 11 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace

JIM GAFFIGAN TOUR DATES

Jan 30 Will Rogers Auditorium Fort Worth, TX
Jan 31 Will Rogers Auditorium Fort Worth, TX
Feb 1 Will Rogers Auditorium (Early & Late)
Feb 5 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC
Feb 6 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC
Feb 7 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC
Feb 8 Durham Performing Arts Center (E/L)
Feb 19 BJCC Concert Hall Birmingham, AL
Feb 20 Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA %
Feb 21 FedExForum Memphis, TN %
Feb 22 Route 66 Casino Albuquerque, NM
Feb 26 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Feb 27 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Feb 28 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN
Mar 1 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN (E/L)
Mar 2 Rupp Arena Lexington, KY
Mar 3 RiverPark Center Owensboro, KY
Mar 4 Knoxville Civic Auditorium Knoxville, TN
Mar 5 Memorial Auditorium Chattanooga, TN
Mar 20 Huntington Center Toledo, OH *
Mar 21 Nationwide Arena Columbus, OH *
Mar 22 Spectrum Center Charlotte, NC *
Mar 27 Pechanga Arena San Diego, CA *
Mar 28 Footprint Center Phoenix, AZ *
Mar 29 Thunder Valley Casino Lincoln, CA
Apr 3 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC
Apr 4 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC
Apr 5 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC
Apr 9 Riverside Theatre Milwaukee, WI
Apr 10 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI
Apr 11 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI
Apr 12 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI (E/L)
Apr 13 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI
Apr 25 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH
Apr 26 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH
Apr 27 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH
May 1 Peace Center Greenville, SC
May 2 Peace Center Greenville, SC
May 3 North Charleston PAC North Charleston, SC
May 4 North Charleston PAC North Charleston, SC
May 15 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH
May 16 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH (E/L)
May 17 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH (E/L)
May 18 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH
May 28 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV
May 29 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV
May 30 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV
May 31 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV
Jun 6 Foxwoods Resort Casino Mashantucket, CT
Jun 7 Foxwoods Casino Mashantucket, CT (E/L)
Jul 17 Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, MI
Jul 18 AMSOIL Arena Duluth, MN
Jul 19 Assiniboine Park Winnipeg, MB #
Jul 20 Kinsmen Park Edmonton, AB #
Oct 2 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN
Oct 3 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN
Oct 4 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN (E/L)
Oct 5 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN

* = Co-headlining with Jerry Seinfeld
# = Co-headlining with John Mulaney
% = Co-Headlining with Sebastian Maniscalco

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Comedy

Veteran comedians and masters of making the ordinary seem hilarious, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan will be working together once again on a 10-arena tour in 2025 following the success of their first tour in 2023 and some touring together last year …

2025 might the banner year for arena shows, make that for comedy arena shows--

Forget the tiny, shoehorned comedy club, locally we already have dates from Sebastian Maniscalco, Martin Lawrence, We Them Ones, Matt Rife, and Nate Bargatze who will all play to giant-sized arena audiences. The new year got underway with a bang from the double-bill of Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan.

Both are A-list veteran comedians who first combined forces in 2023, with the Kansas City date being the last of five shows together to begin this year (the duo reunites for another five shows together in mid-March). Thanks to a certain third-party ticket seller, we were surprised to land a last-minute, inexpensive lower-level seat directly across from the right side of the stage (we were equally [not] surprised to see their fees adding almost another 50%), so call this a fan-in-the-stands report.

The listed 7:30 start became actually 7:45p but from there, it was straight uninterrupted comedy without any break. The stage itself was simple and similar to what you’d see if any of the talent was playing a small club- a single mic stand, a stool with some beverage, and bare except for some footlights, with overhead screens reminding everyone this was in an arena, not a basement club.

The evening began with a wry and well-rehearsed fifteen-minute opening slot from Idaho-born comedian Ryan Hamilton, who has made appearances on the late-night talk show circuit and has a 2017 headlining special Happy Face, available on Netflix. Hamilton, like the main acts, specializes in observational humor, with a sarcastic and self-depreciating bend.

Dressed in a smart suit and delivering energetically with a wide smile, his topics and delivery could have convinced the crowd that he was Seinfeld’s young cousin and protege.

Once wrapped, Hamilton announced the two headliners and Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan came out together to say hello to the crowd and riff on a few themes together. Gaffigan spoke of always wanting to experience the local cuisine; so, KC barbecue it was, with the pair going to Q39 beforehand (though Gaffigan also mentioned the Z-Man at Joe’s being one of the best sandwiches he’s ever had).

The pair riffed on the joy of joining forces, and even tried expediting the show, with each doing their act at the same time and talking over each other. Of course, the Chiefs and their post-season win earlier that afternoon was mentioned, eliciting obvious cheers and applause.

===

From there, Seinfeld retreated backstage to allow Jim Gaffigan to do his co-headlining hour. Gaffigan has perfected his Midwestern ‘aw shucks’ lethargic dad routine with an inner voice that you can often hear out loud, since his beginnings in the early 1990s and even though he has a recent Hulu special, ‘The Skinny’ (his 11^th, out last November), the veteran comic clears his comedy slate following any material’s airing and comes back out with all-new jokes.

Topics included his five children, traveling with them as he plays shows around the world, airports, his wife being the true head of the family, collecting Bourbon as a hobby, what a suit jacket hides, mistake ordering on a phone, and dealing with his non-caring teenagers.

Gaffigan’s demeanor has always been friendly and relatable, and like most great observational comics, he turns the microbial detail, annoying occurrence, or typical scenario, into something we can all laugh at.

===

Nothing more needs to be said about Jerry Seinfeld’s success- from his namesake sitcom (still in frequent syndication everywhere) to the web series ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’, to numerous books, stand-up specials, and even helming the recent Netflix comedy spoof film, Unfrosted (which also featured Gaffigan).

Seinfeld began his hour-long set okaying flash (and in fact, any) photography, then expanded on the ridiculousness of any phone photo or video clip being shown to anyone. His delivery was more animated than Gaffigan’s, veered more towards almost complaining, and there was some added hoarseness in his voice, when the joke arced to the punchline that changed his voice at a higher register.

Still, he’s the ringleader of exposing both the ‘obvious’ and the ‘nothing’, and making something out of both, that has made him the master of his craft and still the innovator that is imitated.

Other topics included streaming tv shows, his favorite commercial, traveling with his family (similar to Gaffigan), golf, mini-marts, coffee vs. tea, cemeteries, marriage and marathons. (we’re purposely not going to quote any of the jokes heard, as that would ruin things).

The trio joined together on stage for a final bow and to wave to the audience that was out the door by 10pm and on to an early night home, or next chapter out.

In terms of comedians, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan remain two titans in their field- both work ‘clean’ to accommodate all ages and backgrounds, and both expertly remark on the humor in daily occurrences that almost everyone can relate to. Either comic is generally worth seeing on their own, but when paired together (even in a booming arena), the show becomes a true comedy ‘must-see’.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Posted at 12:52 AM in Comedy, Jerry Seinfeld, Jim Gaffigan, John, Kansas City, T-Mobile Center | Permalink | Comments (0)

01/21/2025

Minneapolis: February 20 to February 21, 2025

R.I.P. Garth Hudson (The Band)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2025)

R.I.P. Garth Hudson

The last ‘man’ from The Band has passed away--

The final remaining founder of the seminal group, Garth Hudson passed away at a Woodstock NY nursing home at the age of 87, confirmed by his friend and colleague, Jan Haust.

Beyond being the group’s organist, sax player, and often musical arranger, Hudson was also known for amassing various instruments and historical sheet music in multiple genres and was able to pick up almost any instrument with some level of expertise.

Additionally, he was the overseer of all the electronic and recording equipment in the famous pink ranch house in Saugerties, NY, where Bob Dylan and The Band recorded what would be known as The Basement Tapes, a prolific set of over 100 songs that would become iconic over the years. The Band’s singer and guitarist Robbie Robertson acknowledged Hudson as being “far and away the most advanced musician” not only in their group, but in rock n’ roll in general.

Canadian Eric Garth Hudson was born in Windsor, Ontario on August 2, 1937, the son of musically inclined parents, Fred and Olive, both active in their church, and a father who was a farmer turned World War I pilot as well.

Hudson would be classically trained, writing his first song at age eleven and playing with dance bands by the following year. Restless to break from the rigidity of classical, he dropped out of the University of Western Ontario, Hudson would join area group The Silhouettes (later Paul London and The Capers) eventually moving on to The Hawks, the backing band of Ronnie Hawkins which had already included fellow Canadians Robbie Robertson (guitar), Rick Danko (bass) and Richard Manuel (piano).and Arkansas drummer Levon Helm, completing the lineup of what would simply be soon called The Band.

The Hawks would leave their namesake leader in 1963 to tour on their own, and then were recruited to play with Bob Dylan, who tapped them as his backing group for his Blonde on Blonde record, and subsequent 1965 and 1966 (electric) folk rock tours.

Retreating to Woodstock and the pink house, the locals just knew them as “the band” which they decided to more formally adopt, they recorded their first album, “Music From Big Pink” which would be released in 1968. Songs like “The Weight,” “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” and “Up on Cripple Creek” would eventually become Americana classics, all embellished by Hudson’s organ and little touches to make the sound bigger, and more unique.

Several albums would follow (as would internal strife, addictions, and typical group issues) and The Band would end its touring career with an all-star Thanksgiving 1976 concert in San Francisco that director Martin Scorsese documented to become perhaps the greatest concert film of all-time, The Last Waltz.

Hudson began session work after the group initially dissolved, guesting on albums and doing soundtrack work before the group reformed in 1983, but without Robertson, who was successfully launching his own solo career. Manuel would commit suicide in 1986, but The (reformed) Band continued into the 1990’s with its rotating members.

The Band was inducted into Canada’s Juno Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame five years later (plus a Lifetime Achievement Grammy for Hudson as shown above, in 2008), and Hudson remained on friendly terms with the others, guesting on their respective solo albums.

Hudson released his first solo album "The Sea to the North" on the dubious day of Sept 11, 2001, and was already in financial straits by then, even already having sold his stake in the famous group to Robertson, so was bound to continuing to tour and record for income.

Other minor groups and session work followed, even forming a 12-piece band with his wife, along with more career accolades, and his final public performance was last April at a small Kingston NY house concert, surprising those gathered to play a Duke Ellington cover.

With his wife passing in 2022, Hudson left no immediate survivors.

The Band in 1970 (Garth Hudson is second in from the left)

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Posted at 04:59 PM in John, Musicians Who Died, News, RIP, The Band | Permalink | Comments (0)

R.I.P. John Sykes (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder)

(Read more Musicians who died in 2025)

R.I.P. John Sykes

One of blues rock’s unsung, but no less accomplished guitar heroes, John Sykes, has passed away at the age of 65 after a battle with cancer. Sykes is best known for his work with band Tygers of Pan Tang, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, his own trio Blue Murder, and for his solo work.

The news broke via the guitarist’s Facebook page:

“It is with great sorrow we share that John Sykes has passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. He will be remembered by many as a man with exceptional musical talent but for those who didn’t know him personally, he was a thoughtful, kind, and charismatic man whose presence lit up the room.

He certainly marched to the beat of his own drum and always pulled for the underdog,” it continued. “In his final days, he spoke of his sincere love and gratitude for his fans who stuck by him through all these years.

While the impact of his loss is profound and the mood somber, we hope the light of his memory will extinguish the shadow of his absence.”

John Sykes was born in Reading, Berkshire, UK on July 29, 1959, and initially took interest in guitar at age fourteen, when an uncle taught him a few Eric Clapton riffs and he would continue practicing them on an old nylon-stringed guitar, eventually joining a band called Streetfighter.

He would leave that band to join Tygers of Pan Tang, a Whitley Bay UK band that had become part of the so-called New Wave of British Heavy Metal, playing on their second and third albums, Spellbound and Crazy Nights, as their second guitarist before leaving to audition to play with Ozzy Osborne.

Sykes would connect with Thin Lizzy’s singer/guitarist Phil Lynott to collaborate on the single, “Please Don’t Leave Me” in 1982, and was asked to join the band soon after. Thin Lizzy would break up by 1983 (with Lynott passing away in 1986) and Sykes agreed to join David Coverdale in Whitesnake (after Coverdale’s talks with Michael Schenker and Adrian Vandenberg fell through).

Sykes played on most songs on the band’s arguably two best albums, “Slide It In" and the '1987' self-titled record (co-writing most on this one, which is still their best-selling) before tensions and delays found Coverdale firing everyone before the latter album’s release (and why the music videos show different personnel).

Sykes would go on to form Blue Murder with bassist Tony (The Firm) Franklin and drummer Carmine (Vanilla Fudge) Appice releasing two studio and one live album, before embarking on a solo career in the mid-90’s. Five albums would follow, and his last releases were two separate singles in 2021. Sykes leaves behind his three sons, James, John Jr, and Sean and his former wife.

courtesy Richard Aaron / Getty

John C ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Posted at 02:00 AM in John, Musicians Who Died, News, RIP, Whitesnake | Permalink | Comments (0)

01/20/2025

We♥KC! January 22-31, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO)

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Natalie Jane

‘Natalie Jane’s first-ever North American headline run – is completely sold-out. She will be stopping by St Paul, at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, on March 23, 2024. Jane recently shared her new single, “Tattoos”, a song... …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

It’s those dog days of winter, when you think it can’t get any colder and it seems easier to stay in, with a bowl of soup.

But streets have been cleared and more people staying in, means less traffic outside and hopefully better parking for any show. It also means the best NFL games of the season and playoff football in full effect, with the Chiefs hosting the AFC Championship on their quest for a historic three-peat. Good days to be a local sports fan.

As January ends, the current Broadway season continues with a recent Tony Award winner for Best Revival and a handful of interesting other shows. And anyone’s dry January concludes- cheers!

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week, from January 22^nd to 31st:

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 22

THURSDAY JANUARY 23

FRIDAY JANUARY 24

David Ramirez / Dylan LeBlanc, Jan 24, Knuckleheads, $25

Singer/songwriter David Ramirez has announced the March 21st release of All The Not So Gentle Reminders (Blue Corn Music), his most ambitious album to date, and is currently on a co-headlining US and UK/European tour. The twelve-song album, his sixth LP, is a creative revelation. “I love all the records I’ve made in the past,” says Ramirez. “But in making them, there was always the thought in the back of my mind of where and what it could get me… this time it was all about just the joy of making it, about having fun with it.”

Jan 24 Ramirez LeBlanc

Meanwhile, fellow singer/songwriter Dylan LeBlanc drew from his experience growing up as a poor kid in Louisiana on his fifth LP, Coyote (released last October on ATO Records). LeBlanc left his fans with a cliffhanger on the 2023 album’s final song, “The Outside,” which found Coyote and his girlfriend driving a stolen Camaro toward the Mexican border only to be stopped by a police roadblock. The song ends with our anti-hero grabbing his gun, unsure of his next move, his fate up in the air.

A deluxe version of the album including four additional songs, now picks up where the original LP left off. “I kind of [knew] this was going to be part of the plan,” LeBlanc says. “Just put out the rest of it and sort of tidy things up.”

The singer-guitarist grew up poor in Shreveport, LA, where he fell in with a tough crowd during his teenage years. LeBlanc himself could have easily drifted down a troubled path, but his love of music helped him avoid that. By age 20, LeBlanc had released his debut album, Pauper’s Dream. Then came two more albums and a move to ATO Records with the release of his 2019 album, Renegade.

Jan 24 Nat Jane

Natalie Jane, Jan 24, The Truman, $25

Continuing her 'Sick To My Stomach' Tour' which is named after her recent EP, released last September via Capitol Music Group/ 10K Projects. Her set will showcase everything fans have come to love about the New Jersey-raised, Los Angeles-based artist - her exhilarating vocal range, her evocative music choices, and her gift for making complex feelings feel relatable.

Natalie was one of 2023’s most viewed artists on TikTok in the U.S., landing at #2 on “The Hitmakers” year-end list. She’s racked up over 500 million combined global streams to date with hits like “AVA,” “Seven,” “Mentally Cheating,” “Do or Die,” and “Intrusive Thoughts” — all found on her debut EP, Where Am I?

SATURDAY JANUARY 25

Aerosmith w The Black Crowes, Jan 25 T-Mobile Center, CANCELED

SUNDAY JANUARY 26

MONDAY JANUARY 27

TUESDAY JANUARY 28

Parade (Broadway Touring), Jan 28-Feb 2, Kauffman Center, $61-$131

Jan 28 Parade

Landing in Kansas City is one of the most anticipated recent Broadway productions and the winner of the 2023 Tony Award® for Best Revival of a Musical, Parade. Leo and Lucille Frank are a newlywed Jewish couple struggling to make a life in the red hills of Georgia. When Leo is accused of an unspeakable crime, it propels them into an unimaginable test of faith, humanity, justice, and devotion. Riveting and gloriously hopeful, Parade reminds us that to love, we must truly see one another.

The New York Times said, “this revival, filled with deft flourishes by director Michael Arden, recalls an era of big casts, big stories, and big talent–a time when musicals actually felt like events. Entertainment Weekly called it “the most gorgeous production on Broadway. ” Time Out New York stated that “Parade will echo for a long time to come.”

Parade is directed by Tony Award® winner Michael Arden, with book by two-time Tony Award® winner, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Academy Award® winner Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by three-time Tony Award® winner Jason Robert Brown, and co-conceived by 21-time Tony Award®-winning legend Harold Prince.

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 29

THURSDAY JANUARY 30

FRIDAY JANUARY 31

Wayne Newton, Jan 31, Ameristar, $60-$80

Away from the desert and out on his “Up Close And Personal Tour”, Newton, a.k.a “The Midnight Idol,” a.k.a “Mr. Entertainment” has been entertaining folks for 60 years, earning his musical fame in 1963 with what would become his signature song, “Danke Schoen.” (Remember it in “Ferris Bueller” too?

Jan 31 Newton

Newton has released an amazing 165 albums and had several other hits across his career, including “Daddy, Don’t You Walk So Fast,” “Red Roses for a Blue Lady,” “At This Moment,” “The Letter,” and “Summer Wind.”

Fun fact is that he also plays 13 different instruments and has performed more than 25,000 shows in Las Vegas earning him the title of “Mr. Las Vegas”. Newton’s acting career has seen him appear in scores of tv shows and movies, including “Bonanza” and “The Lucy Show”, “Vegas Vacation,” “License to Kill,” “Sharknado: The 4th Awakens,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and most recently the comedy series “Hacks.”

National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity? Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email [email protected]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Posted at 08:34 PM in Broadway, David Ramirez, Dylan LeBlanc, John, Kansas City, Kansas City Music Guide, Kauffman Center, Musical, Natalie Jane | Permalink | Comments (0)

Flashback: Wye Oak at Turf Club (05 Apr 2011)

Wye Oak Setlist

The Alter
Holy Holy
Plains
Hot as Day
My Creator
Dogs Eyes
Civilian
That I Do
Mother (Danzig cover)
Take It In
We Were Wealth
I Hope You Die

-- Encore --
Doubt
For Prayer

Callers Setlist

Fortune
5/6
Glow
Arms
Dressed
Lung
Life Of Love
Heartbeat (Wire cover)
You Are An Arc
AWRY
More Than Right

Read More

Wye Oak

Wye Oak will be returning in 2014 with a brand new yet-untitled album from Merge Records, the follow-up to their 2011's Civilian. Singer Jenn Wasner talked to Spin Magazine about the new album…

Zoo Animal

Next was Zoo Animal, a band that I've seen a few times. Mostly with just Holly Newsom by herself, so it's always nice to see her backed up with a full functioning band. …

Around this time singing waitress Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack from Wye Oak stopped by the Turf Club in April 2011, as part of a promotional tour for Civilian (Merge Records).

In 2023, they released Every Day Like the Last, which the title may suggest this was their last album.

It’s been a long time since I heard from Zoo Animal. I think the last time I saw the band, it was just Holly Hansen by her lonesome, so it could be that if she’s still active, it’s just solo performances. Update: the last time the band played was in 2022, per First Avenue’s website.

As for Callers, the band that I was most impressed with at this show - this was their first and only Minneapolis appearance (according to First Avenue). The details about the band is that they are a trio (Ryan and Sara and Don) and met at Melvin's, a bar on St. Claude in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans. They moved to Providence, then settled in Brooklyn.

Their Wikipedia said that after they released Reviver on Partisan in 2012, singer Sara Lucas joined the Latin alternative group LADAMA. Ryan Seaton joined Open House. Lucas left Ladama in 2023… currently she is working on some solo music.

Original report:

>>>

Wye Oak, with Callers and Zoo Animal played a late show in Saint Paul on April 5^th to a pretty packed Turf Club venue.

We've previously covered both Zoo Animal and Wye Oak before, so I won't spend too much talking about them.

The thing to note about Zoo Animal is that I think Holly Newsom has a pretty interesting way of singing. It reminds me of Thao Nguyen, the way words fade in and out. A Big Takeover writer once told me that she thought Newsom is so handsome, but she doesn't exploit it at all, which I'll agree with.

Of course, I've seen Wye Oak a few times now and it's funny to see their growth throughout the years. They mentioned that this was their seventh time playing in Minneapolis/St Paul.

I used to think they were really shy, but seeing Jenn Wasner and Andy Stack on Tuesday, they seem a lot more comfortable on stage. Also new, this time around, they had help from a Callers' horn player. I thought that was cool.

The highlight of their show is their cover of Danzig's "Mother". The story that Wasner told was that this song was fairly new and they specifically asked people in the audience to not put it on the internet - and then they found out that it's on youtube already. She seemed really crossed about the whole thing. Hearing the song live, I can mentally see Glenn Danzig's disapproval: it's just too sissy.

I mentioned how packed The Turf Club got, and surprisingly a ton of people got up close to the stage when Callers came on. This is a good indication that a lot of people were here for this opening band.

The band's sound is hard to explain, it's what you would think of jazz vocals (very smooth style by singer Sara Lucas) with art-rock math music, provided by Don Godwin and Ryan Seaton. The whole thing sounds very New York.

As you can see from their setlist, they had a little trouble deciding on which songs belong where. The titles are also codes for other songs, for instance, "LOL" is meant for their title track of their latest album, Life of Love, and "WIRE" seems obvious for their Wire cover song, "Heartbeat". It also looks like they did mostly new songs, with the exception of the intro song, "Fortune" from their Fortune album.

I did end up picking up their latest album on vinyl, mostly because I wanted to support the band and, also, I was rather impressed by the die-cut custom sleeve (you can see a picture of this cover at Western Vinyl). You often see gimmick color vinyls, but die-cut covers are still pretty rare.

Minneapolis: February 17 to February 19, 2025

01/19/2025

Jamie xx at the Armory (01-18-25)

15 Jan 2025 18 Jan 2025 Jamie xx with Numero Group DJs at Armory

Tour Dates

January 20 Vancouver, BC, Canada PNE Forum

January 21 Seattle, WA, USA WAMU Theater

January 23 Los Angeles, CA, USA Shrine Expo Hall

January 25 San Francisco, CA, USA Cow Palace

January 27 Austin, TX, USA Concourse Project

January 28 Dallas, TX, USA Factory

January 30 Washington, DC, USA The Anthem

January 31 Boston, MA, USA Roadrunner

February 01 Philadelphia, PA, USA Franklin Music Hall

March 09 Brussels, Belgium ING Arena

March 11 Amsterdam, Netherlands AFAS Live

March 12 Hamburg, Germany Sporthalle

March 13 Copenhagen, Denmark K.B. Hallen

March 14 Berlin, Germany Uber Eats Music Hall

March 15 Poznan, Poland MTP 3A

March 17 Prague, Czechoslovakia Forum Karlin

March 18 Offenbach, Germany Stadthalle

March 19 Milan, Italy Big Theatre - MIND

March 21 Paris, France Adidas Arena

Read More

Jamie xx

Jamie xx, the English musician, DJ, record producer, and remixer, from The xx, is headlining the Armory, in Minneapolis, this Saturday, January 18. As a solo artist, he’s been recognized with a Mercury Prize …

the xx

Undoubtedly one of the hottest bands is London's The xx. With their sophomore album, Coexist, just released last month, the band proved that they're not some sort of one-hit/one-trick pony. …

As an arctic blast poured into the Twin Cities in the form of a polar vortex, a propulsive beat of electronic dance music provided a welcome counter to the plummeting temperature outside.

The person behind the mixers and turntables? James Thomas Smith, better known as Jamie xx. One has to appreciate the stage name for it is a nod to the band he helped form with a group of London classmates in 2005: the xx.

Jamie xx has been on a worldwide tour, promoting his sophomore album, Waves. Starting off in Mexico City in October of last year, he has already been to ports of call like Santiago, Manila, Bangkok and Tokyo. He had four sold out shows at the Park Avenue Armory in NYC. And after spending the rest of January in the United States, he finishes up his last leg in European cities like Amsterdam, Hamburg, Milan and Poznań.

In fact, Jamie has been in a constant state of touring. That’s why there is an almost ten-year gap between his second and first album, In Colour, a fan and critic favorite that was shortlisted for a Mercury and nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Album.

The Guardian has described Jamie as an “... unremittingly joyous DJ” and described his sound as warm, introspective and intoxicating, adding, “The best, most profound clubbing experiences take place in small, intimate venues, not in aircraft hangers.”

Unfortunately, Jamie’s fan base can no longer fit into a venue like 7th Street Entry. Still, his team made a go of capturing the feel of intimacy by turning the lights down low and ringing the dance floor with light towers to hem in the crowd. There were two sprawling video screens behind Jamie, but they would not be used until much later into his two-hour set.

The DJ’s who produce their own music can be viewed as alchemists, creating magic from strands of music. The best can even be seen in a jazz vein of never playing their songs the same way, but always tinkering, always experimenting behind that table of expensive equipment, as in “The Feeling I Get From You,” which started with a slower, pensive pace with falling piano chords, sounding like Pachabel’s “Canon in D”. Then a female singer, singing far away like she was in a distant alley filled with tin trash cans. And as the piano chords picked up to a danceable beat, they appeared to go underwater.

Why? Why not? It was fascinating to see where Jamie was headed. And by the time his team flipped on the giant video screens flashing audience members looking at themselves, Jamie was in full dance mode with an expansive Prince cover “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night.” Then songs from his album like “All You Children”, “Falling Together” and finishing with “Dafodil” before waving to the crowd and sauntering offstage, the reverberation of the song still sending waves through the crowd.

Jamie xx at Armory (18 Jan 2025)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 05:14 PM in Dave, Jamie xx, Minneapolis, Prince, The Armory, The xx | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Chinese Connection

Generated by GROK

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Path of Exile 2

Earlier this year, in my review of Last Epoch, I wrote that Path of Exile 2 was going to launch in 2024. Well, the game has officially launched in beta on Friday, December 6, 2024. If you want to play the game … …

ELON MA
x.com

I think by now you’ve all heard that Elon Musk is a liar and cheater. Last year, Musk boasts that he’s ranked top 20 players worldwide on Diablo IV, and that was already suspicious. I personally didn’t believe it, but I didn’t really care or questioned it because, I had stopped playing the game (because it sucks).

Recently, Musk showed off that he’s at level 97 (ranked 13 worldwide) in hardcore mode on Path of Exile 2. How is that possible? Considering that very dedicated players have put in 10 hours a day to grind up to that level, and to see a guy who runs several companies … it’s just not possible. Just the time and effort, it doesn’t add up.

Turns out, Musk hired skilled Chinese players to level up his characters or that he just straight up bought those accounts. The POE2 community have built up a strong case against Musk (now known as Elon Ma).

Musk’s character is on a Hong Kong server

Musk’s account shows “Elon’s Maps” (this suggests other players are playing and not using that particular map)

Musk does not understand weapon levels

Musk does not understand the “four things” on a map

Musk does not understand how to use the magic flask

There are tons of other things, so just do a search. As someone put it, there were many indications that Musk had no idea what he was doing. You can draw the conclusion that he didn’t play the campaign or learned how all the mechanics works. To get to level 97, at that advanced level, it is insane that he does understand basic things.

Anyone who plays Path of Exile 2, like myself, can see right through the lie: that Elon Musk did not play and level up to 97. Famous YouTuber and Twitch streamer Asmongold challenged Musk, “If Elon Musk can prove that he played this account to 97, I will stream on X, starting the day that he proves it, for an entire year straight, every single stream.”

Shortly after, Musk unfollowed Asmongold and removed his blue checkmark and gaming tag. He then leaked Asmongold’s twitter message (which violated Twitter’s terms of service by the way) saying that Asmongold has editors. Of course he has editors, they’re his employees that manages and edits his YouTube accounts.

Later, Musk returned Asmongold’s checkmark, but no gaming tag.

I think what happened is that Musk wanted to impress the gaming communities out there, by showing off his high-level characters, but it backfired in his face when he chose Path of Exile 2. If he had chosen another game, like Mark Kart 8 and saying he’s ranked #15, no one would question it… just like no one questioned it when he claims to be high ranking in Diablo IV.

TikTok

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TikTok

Singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Amelia Moore is currently on her iCRYONTOUR! Moore first appeared on the scene on TikTok. Her debut Teaching a Robot to Love EP came out in 2022, via Capitol Music … …

TikTok
tiktok.com

Ahead of the pending TikTok ban in the United States, many users are panicking and switching over to another Chinese-owned app Little Red Book (named after Mao’s Little Red Book). That app is even worst, in terms of censorship, as many Americans are finding out. According to Washington Post, Little Red Book censors various key words, including “546 nicknames for Chinese leader Xi Jinping”.

I think most Americans don’t realize how dangerous the Chinese Communist Party is. Every company in China is beholden to the CCP… and the parent company of TikTok is ByteDance, a Chinese company with heavy ties to the CCP. Just do a Google search and you’ll find numerous articles and photos of the CCP department working inside ByteDance.

Do you want the Chinese to own your data (even though they probably already have it)? My problem is I don’t want a country to run an app to promote pro-China stories. ByteDance’s other app TopBuzz was exposed for such things, thanks a story by BuzzFeed.

My biggest problem is that China bans so many apps, like Google, search engines, private emails, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, VPN, (anything that they can’t control) … but they have a problem that America is banning TikTok? Give me a break.

Marvel Snap

UPDATE: In compliance with the TikTok ban, Apple and Google have removed the app, as well as Marvel Snap. Turns out the parent company of Marvel Snap is ByteDance, who also owns publisher Nuverse (a subsidiary of ByteDance).

Other apps banned includes Lemon8 and CapCut − Video Editor, according to USA Today. Never heard of the other two.

P.S. Donald Trump vows to save TikTok, even though he tried to get rid of it in 2019.

Marvel Rivals

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Marvel Comics

Based on the Marvel Comics of the same title, Werewolf by Night is the latest horror film from Disney Plus. This might be the first of the new type of Marvel’s Horror titles, which will likely to include Blade … …

Marvel Rivals
marvelrivals.com

Someone asked me why I’m not playing Marvel Rivals, the hottest superhero team-based player vs player shooter, based on Marvel characters. First of all, I’m not an online gamer. I don’t enjoy playing against other players, and I’m not competitive and, to be perfectly honest, I’m not good at it.

The second thing is that gamers are saying that after a certain losing streak or at a certain level, to keep players engaged and keep playing, the server will put in A.I. bots in the game so you can easily kill them. They don’t say they’re bots, but I’ve seen the evidence, the game developer is lying to you when they say that all players are real.

The last thing, and the most damning thing, is that the game developer is NetEase, based out of China. Because they are a Chinese company, they brought over the CCP’s censorship to America. For example, you cannot say “Tiananmen Square” (an event that the Chinese government slaughtered a lot of unarmed students), “Free Tibet” (a country that China annexed and took over in the ‘50s and kicked out the Dalai Lama) or “Winnie the Pooh” (ironic that Disney is the owner of Marvel). You can’t even say “1989”, that’s how sensitive the CCP is. Can you believe that? That whole year needs to be censored.

I really think the US Defense Department should put NetEase on the same list that they placed Tencent games on.

I guess at the end of the day, I don’t want to support a game that censors Winnie the Pooh.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

W♥M

We Heart Music

01/22/2025

Minneapolis: February 22, 2025

Jerry Seinfeld / Jim Gaffigan at T-Mobile Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-18)

01/21/2025

Minneapolis: February 20 to February 21, 2025

R.I.P. Garth Hudson (The Band)

R.I.P. John Sykes (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder)

01/20/2025

We♥KC! January 22-31, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO)

Flashback: Wye Oak at Turf Club (05 Apr 2011)

Minneapolis: February 17 to February 19, 2025

01/19/2025

Jamie xx at the Armory (01-18-25)

The Chinese Connection

January 2025

R.I.P.

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