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Betty Who at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (June 19, 2025)

Betty Who at Varsity Theater (19 Jun 2025) Betty Who Setlist Run! WEEKEND Mama Say BIG You Can Cry Tomorrow High Society I CAN BE YOUR MAN Ignore Me Just Thought You Should Know SHE CAN DANCE Wanna Be Missing You I Remember Friend Like Me (Acoustic) Sweat All of You Human Touch Taste Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) (Kate Bush cover) Old Me Somebody Loves You BLOW OUT MY CANDLE I Love You Always Forever (Donna Lewis cover) Molly Grace Setlist Lemme Mad at Her Forever Do Me (Feels So Good) WYKYK Say When I Want to Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston Cover) Lover (Love Her) Soprano Heaven Sent Lady Lady F.E.M.M.E. Tour Dates 6/20 - Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee Summerfest 6/21 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi Annex 6/23 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall 6/24 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues 6/25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre 6/27 - Augusta, GA - Augusta Pride Festival 6/29 - Austin, TX - Mohawk 7/1 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom 7/2 - San Diego, CA - Music Box Read More Betty Who Just in time for Valentine, Betty Who's single "Heartbreak Dream" is coming out February 18th. Who cited Katy Perry and Robyn as massive influences on her music ....

The Twin Cities Pride Festival kicks off next weekend, but got an early start at the Varsity Theater with Betty Who and Molly Grace and the dance music they brought.

First of all, the Varsity Theater. It’s always been a favorite venue, and they have tinkered with the layout by removing the bulky booths that lined the main floor, stage left, and replaced it with a swanky bar. In fact, the whole venue looks pretty swanky from its bathrooms to its VIP seating that rings the upper deck, giving the whole room a feel of intimacy that is lost in bigger venues.

The Varsity is just a nice place to see a show, and what I noticed when I first walked in is how full it was with a crowd that was energetic, dressed up (or not) and loud. It was like attending a church social with booze where everyone knew each other and they needed to catch up before the dancing began.

Molly Grace opened with her Lover Girls, all wearing outfits like they were about to attend a Vanderbilt sorority sleepover in 1950, looking luminous and moving with a style benefiting Molly’s last name.

Grace is from Nashville and started her musical career after attending Belmont University, studying commercial voice. Influenced by Lizzo, Chappell Roan and Renee Rapp, Grace’s music is a fusion of pop, funk and disco. She is supporting her second EP Lovesick, and sang mostly original songs along with a cover of Whitney Houston’s “I Want to Dance with Somebody.”

“Falling in Love” was a definite crowd pleaser and “Heaven Sent” had an ABBA vibe throughout. A highlight was a new song “Soprano” where Grace got a chance to show off her dynamic vocal range. Then “Lady Lady” a song about being in college and coming to the realization that she might be gay.

She shook me and woke me from twenty years of sleep
Now I know one thing's for sure, my lady's never going to leave

Betty Who has made a habit of planning her tours around how many pride festivals she can perform at. Last year she performed at the White House and it’s shocking how much can change in just a year.

Who’s tour is called “Out of the Darkness” for it has been a rough 2025 for the LGBTQ community. So much so that Who wanted to counter the narrative with a buoyant spirit: “This tour is all about unapologetic joy, real connections, and celebrating the highs after the lows.”

Betty Who at First Avenue (March 22, 2023)

We last saw Who at First Ave in Mar, 2023, writing:

“Her set was really fun and colorful: Who in a red suit, with a dancer in yellow and a dancer in blue. These types of dance shows are really fun visually. Each song had well-choreographed dance routines, and every had smiles across their face… they were just having a good time.”

Who took the stage with Chris and Sebastian, everyone (including Who) over six feet tall, all wearing jean shorts, all completely physically fit to dance the whole night. And after the second song, an unabashed roar filled the venue that caught Who off guard. A gleeful smile eventually revealed how happy she was to be there.

By the third song a break was needed in which Who sang the anthem-like “Big” which had a big part of the crowd singing along. Then back to more dancing with “SHE CAN DANCE” and “Wanna Be”.

Who set aside the evening for one acoustic song “Friend Like Me.” Then it was more dancing with Number 1 dance hits like “All of You” and “Somebody Loves You” with a new song “Sweat” sprinkled in between.

After the show ended with the Donna Lewis cover “I Love You always Forever” the crowd poured out of the Varsity with as much energy as they came with, a few of them dashing across the street made famous by a U of M attendee.

If Who’s goal was to bring a little bit of joy during a troubling time, job well done.

Molly Grace

Molly Grace

Molly Grace Betty Who Betty Who Betty Who

Betty Who

Betty Who at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (June 19, 2025)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Dean Wareham at Turf Club, St Paul (June 19, 2025)

Dean Wareham at Turf Club (June 19, 2025) Dean Wareham Setlist New World Julie Dear Betty Baby (Mayo Thompson cover) You Were the Ones I Had to Betray Yesterday’s Hero Bourgeois Manqué Robin & Richard Flowers ☆ Snowstorm ☆ Friendly Advice ☾ The Last Word When Will You Come Home ☆ Blue Thunder ☆ 23 Minutes in Brussels ☾ -- Encore -- Tugboat ☆ Fourth of July ☆ ☾ = Luna song ☆ = Galaxie 500 Schedule Turf Club, St Paul 8:00pm Chris Forsyth -- 9:00pm Dean Wareham Read More Dean Wareham Having been following Dean Wareham's whereabouts for a while, the reunion last year wasn't at all a surprise to me. After all, we've seen hints of it when Sean Eden joined a Dean & Britta ... Chris Forsyth joined by opener Chris Forsyth near the end of his set. Rhys played lovely, low-key renditions of his solo work, like “Bad Friend” from his 2024 album, Sadness Sets …

On a pretty sweltering day in the Twin Cities, veteran rocker Dean Wareham visited the Turf Club in support of his most recent album.

Chris Forsyth started things off. A guitarist and composer, the Philadelphia-based Forsyth has a long set of guitar jam-style albums, such as 2022’s Evolution Here We Come. After a bit of a delay, Forsyth came out on stage. Introducing himself, he mentioned it was the last night of the tour, then stated “I’m going to sing a very little bit, and mostly play guitar”. And play he did. Using a recurring, looped motif, Forsyth proceeded to work his pedal board for different guitar effects for a while before adding vocals to it.

Side note: here’s my “old man yelling from the lawn chair” rant. There isn’t any reason that most shows need to be this loud. Forsyth was routinely above 110 dB, which, why? This could easily have been 20 dB quieter and had no visible effect on the musical experience.

As promised, Forsyth went into straight instrumental songs after that initial number. Before his third number, he mentioned, “this is probably my most accurately descriptive song title” before launching into The First 10 Minutes of C*cksucker Blues. As is the way of many guitar jam songs, it was centered on a repeated musical theme and then building out in multiple directions with the pedaled effects and then transitioned into different sections. It also included some very classic rock sounding moments (with full wah-wah effect included). It certainly was the last stop of the tour when Forsyth noted that he only had four records left at the merch table, “and I would love not to have to take them home tomorrow”. Closing out with his fifth song, off of his recent EP Basic, Forsyth had a head tapper of a song. He closed out his nearly 40 minutes set with a “thanks, Dean’s up next” and quickly exited.

Dean Wareham is a guitarist and singer/songwriter who has been a creative force with multiple bands over the years. He started with the band Galaxie 500 (yes, named after the 1960’s era Ford car) who released three albums over five years, all produced by Mark Kramer (more on that name later). Wareham then formed the dream pop band Luna, which has a number of albums. He’s also half of Dean & Britta, alongside his wife (who he first met in Luna). Lastly, he also performs solo, with several albums including 2025’s That’s the Price of Loving Me, which was produced by Kramer in their first collaboration since Galaxie 500 (over 30 years later!). With all of that history, Wareham has a rich catalogue of songs to choose from when performing live.

The band came out as a quartet (guitar/vocals, bass/back up vocals, guitar, and drums). New World Julie was a pleasant start, with Wareham and Britta Phillips (in a tasseled dress) well paired on vocals and the song building up in volume and complexity. I really liked Wareham’s relaxed vocals and stage presence. A quick “hello, how are you” also got a “me too” in response to the audience cheers. You Were the Ones I Had to Betray was one of my personal favorites off the new album and was great to hear live.

Yesterday’s Hero had a 60’s French rock sound to it. There was some distorted guitar intro on the next number, but it played well. There was definitely a chill vibe in the songs off the most recent album, even when in the middle of a rocking guitar solo. I really liked the seamless feel of the front third of the set and highly recommend the newest album. From there, the band started to work its way back through that deep catalogue, starting with Robin and Richard.

Wareham said it was great to be back on St. Paul, “third time in this room, second time playing here”. Flowers was a Galaxie 500 number and got a strong crowd reaction. A gentle drum intro for Snowstorm had Wareham singing at his highest of the evening, and he did admirably, while Phillips’ bass work was the critical pull through of the song. Skylar Kaplan had an enjoyable guitar solo on Advice and it was an interesting approach that the guitar solos of the evening were shared between her and Wareham.

A duet for Dean & Britta on Last Word had Phillips start with the lead and had some great back and forth before a very funky ending musical section. Blue Thunder got cheers before the first lyrics were sung and had a chorus with Phillips the significantly lower vocals to Wareham’s falsetto. Forsyth joined the band for the final number of the main set, 23 Minutes to Brussels, and that additional guitar added a noticeable new musical layer and an extended guitar solo. A quick break resulted in a two number encore. Ending on Fourth of July, Dean Wareham and company finished their tour strong and left the St. Paul crowd very pleased indeed.

Dean Wareham 2025 Poster

Chris Forsyth Chris Forsyth

Chris Forsyth

Chris Forsyth

Derek James, Chris Forsyth, Dean Wareham Dean Wareham and Skylar Kaplan

Dean Wareham

Britta

Dean Wareham at Turf Club, St Paul (June 19, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Porridge Radio at Monk Club, Rome (June 15, 2025)

Porridge Radio at Monk Club, Rome (June 15, 2025) Porridge Radio Setlist Sick of the Blues A Hole in the Ground Good for You You Will Come Home Lavender, Raspberries Pieces of Heaven I Got Lost God of Everything Else In a Dream I'm a Painting Anybody Sweet 7 Seconds Back to the Radio -- Encore -- Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky Machine Starts to Sing The Rip Read More Porridge Radio Brighton’s Dana Margolin, or better known by her stagename Porridge Radio will be in the United States on tour in support of her third album Waterslide, Diving Board …

Our Italian music partner Kalporz filed a report on London-based band Porridge Radio’s Farewell Tour at Monk Club, in Rome, Italy, on Sunday, June 15, courtesy of Aureliano Petrucci.

The band, led by Dana Margolin, was in Minneapolis in January 2025… and shortly after, the band announced their final EP The Machine Starts to Sing, and this was their final tour.

The review didn’t mention the opening band, but I found out it was Tutto Piange, a local singer/songwriter. Her debut EP Dei giorni passati a guardare (Days Spent Watching) was just released on May 23, 2025… and is available on cassette, in addition to CD and digital. You can pick up the cassette at 42 Records.

Prior to opening for Porridge Radio, Tutto Piange played a series of Ostello Bello shows (this is a chain of hostels and bars throughout Italy) in June, starting with Milan Duomo on June 4 and ending in Naples on June 11.

As for Porridge Radio, it would seem that although it’s the end of the band, the reviewer mentioned that Dana Margolin will likely continue as a solo artist. They concluded that if this was the last time we see the band, it was più vero e giusto per dirsi addio (the right way to say goodbye).

Porridge Radio writes:

These are the only remaining Porridge Radio shows. After these there are no more. Thank you

Jun 20, 2025 VESU Festival Oviedo, Spain

Jun 21, 2025 Mondo Club Vigo, Spain

Aug 1, 2025 Absolutely Free Festival

Aug 8, 2025 Ypsigrock Festival

Aug 9, 2025 Haldern Pop Festival

Aug 15, 2025 Route Du Rock Festival

Aug 23, 2025 Rally Festival

Dec 2, 2025 Trinity Centre, Bristol

Dec 4, 2025 Gorilla, Manchester

Dec 5, 2025 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

Dec 7, 2025 St. Luke's Music & Arts Venue, Glasgow

Porridge Radio at Monk Club, Rome (June 15, 2025) photo courtesy of Aureliano Petrucci

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Family Crest at Turf Club, St Paul (June 18, 2025)

The Family Crest at Turf Club (Jun 18, 2025) The Family Crest Setlist Battle Cry I Sleep With the Windows Open Take Tonight In Your Arms Tonight Her Song Hearts on Fire You Are the Beginning Name of the Game William's Dirge Howl Love Don't Go Pride Beneath the Brine -- Encore -- The World Schedule Turf Club, St Paul Doors 7:00pm Babes in Canyon 8:00pm The Family Crest 9:00pm Tour Dates 6/20 Milwaukee, WI • Falcon Bowl** 6/24 Chicago, IL • Schubas Tavern ** 6/26 Denver, CO • Globe Hall ** 6/28 Gallup, NM • Levitt Amp Series 6/29 Gallup, NM • Coming Soon 7/8 Seattle, WA • Tractor Tavern ** 7/9 Portland, OR • Mississippi Studios ** 7/11 San Francisco, CA • Great American Music Hall ** ** with special guests BABES IN CANYON Read More The Family Crest However, not all is lost, San Francisco's The Family Crest will be in town at the 7th Street Entry on July 6th in support of their album Beneath the Brine (Tender Loving Empire). …

After what had seemed a little bit of a lull due to scheduling and weather impacting outdoor events, the number of concerts available this week was a little overwhelming. Making my way to the Turf Club, I was excited to hear the powerful sounds of The Family Crest.

The opener was Babes in Canyon. I kind of love when bands self-describe their sound. In the case of this Seattle band, it’s “synth folk, moody pop, and soaring vocal harmonies”. The duo, made up of Nathan Hamer (vocals/ukelele/mandolin) and Amanda Ebert (keyboards/vocals)has a couple of EPs, including 2023’s Year To Live. I’m not sure how easy it is to explain how cool electric ukelele can be, but this band has it down. Those underlying keyboards (with percussion) provide a solid bass, and Hamer’s higher tenor vocals create a pretty intense sound. Hamer’s switch to mandolin for part of the second song (Western Front) was outstanding; it is astonishing instrument. The banter about how they now had vinyl ended with the statement that the next song was one of the “dancier” ones (Call Me Over) “so if you’re so inclined…” (Side note: the Minnesota audience mostly failed to go for it.)

There was an intensity to Babes in Canyon that seems difficult to obtain, considering there are just the two of them. But as they played The Wolf, “the first song we ever wrote”, it was very much an example of what this band was doing, with a powerful rhythmic beat and all of the layers of sound on top. I think Hamer’s vocal style, which is a particular higher toned, strongly intonated one, is surprisingly complex and a key part of their draw. The band moved onto a “brand new song”, (One Day, One Night) with a great intro build up from keyboards and mandolin prior to the vocals. Hamer’s constant switching between mandolin and uke was impressive to watch, though with that frequency, I suppose it becomes second nature. Second Cities was a solid song and then they were onto their last number. Babes in Canyon ended with High Tide and finished an excellent 45-minute set to conclude their first time in Minnesota. I expect we’ll see a headlining tour the next time around.

I got to chat with Babes in Canyon between sets, asking them about their creative process and noting their pretty mature sound for the short time they have been a band. They mentioned that there is a lot of pruning at both the front and back ends of creating songs. At the front end, trying to make sure that they are only bringing the strongest ideas to the table in the first place. But they also have a high bar on what they release, mentioning that they have instances of fully recording a song, only to cut it and not release it.

The Family Crest took over the stage and with the number of members they have (seven!), they really took over the stage. Co-founded by Liam McCormick (vocals/guitar) and John Seeterlin (bass), the San Francisco based band describes themselves as an “orchestral indie band”. And considering the classical strings instrumentation they have (cello, flute, and violin), this is an extremely apt description. They are a busy touring band, having been to the Twin Cities at least 8 times over the last decade. They also have four albums, with the last three having themed titles (2017’s Prelude to War, 2018’s The War: Act I, and 2022’s The War: Act II).

Here’s a band that knows exactly what it wanted to accomplish. I tend to categorize this kind of band as “the professional band”, where they have worked with each other long enough they intuitively know what is going on, how to react to each other, and generally, give a pretty flawless performance. They came out on fire, bringing the audience up to their level very quickly. Unlike our opener, it’s obvious why this is a layered sound. Those classical instruments paired with a rock tendency are a lot of fun, and with McCormick’s fundamental vocals, the rest of the band builds around that. This sound soars and it comes from different places at different times. A saxophone intro (Lawrence Pi) that built throughout a number mid-set was a tremendous example, but there were lots of bits like that. Laura Bergman’s work between keyboards and flute was especially impressive and made for very different sounds across songs. Maybe nothing was more steady than Jerry Liu’s cello work. Whether as a startling introduction to a song or the key underpinning to others, his contributions were clear and outstanding.

As The Family Crest continued their set, McCormick was central to all of the other instrumentation. We got an unreleased song that was about “thinking for yourself”, and was an absolute banger from the start. This is a band very much in charge of what they are doing, and they brought the audience along in the best possible way. Some banter about some of the lung power of the various members revealed that the keyboardist had been told she had “the lungs of a linebacker”, to which lead singer McCormick quickly responded, “I do not”. That amusing moment aside, The Family Crest continued to show off their strengths as a band, with that strong and layered sound.

You know a band has the audience in its hands when they can sing a chorus…

You know a band has the audience in its hands when they can sing a chorus, point at the audience and have it repeated instantly. Though the crowd might not have been large, it was absolutely into the moment of the set. A quick “everyone look at Lawrence” (wow, was he embarrassed), led into the next song and The Family Crest was riding on all cylinders as they crossed the one-hour mark. The band had hit full throttle and had most of the audience in photo or video mode, and a nearly screaming McCormick continued to level up the songs as they moved towards the end of the set. The final song of the set had most of the band singing along to the intro before McCormick took over on vocals. The brief encore was a joyous one for band and audience alike, and The Family Crest closed the evening out with a promise to return.

Babes in Canyon (Nathan Hamer) Babes in Canyon (Amanda Ebert)

Babes in Canyon

Babes in Canyon

The Family Crest (Liam McCormick)

The Family Crest (Christian Miceli and Lawrence Pi)

The Family Crest (Laura Bergmann)

The Family Crest (John Seeterlin) The Family Crest (Eli Ann)

The Family Crest at Turf Club, St Paul (June 18, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Something for the Weekend: World Music Day

What’s happening this weekend.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Fête de la Musique at Utepils Brewery (June 21, 2025) Read More Bastille Day Minnesotans have an odd way of celebrating Bastille Day. The French National Day, commemorated to celebrate the 18th century storming of the Paris fortress-prison is celebrated .…

June 21, 2025 Saturday
Fête de la Musique
at Utepils Brewery
afmsp.org

Fête de la Musique (World Music Day) is back in 2025, thanks to Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul (AFMSP). Each year, France, and other parts of the world, celebrate their World Music Day on the longest day of the year.

So join AFMSP as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary at the Utepils Brewery.

Bands on the lineup:

Said Abdelli
His bio lists “grew up in Paris, vacationed in Spain as a kid, and lives in Minneapolis.”

Greenvale Manitou (aka Cedric)
Fuses World music with popular Western genre.

Chico Chavez
The 10-piece Chico Chavez Orchestra features Cumbia Afro-indigenous Tropical music from throughout Latin America, and Peruvian psychedelic Cumbia Chicha. Created and directed by Master percussionist-drummer Chico Chavez from Lima, Peru

Bastille Day, Minneapolis (July 14, 2025)

July 14, 2025 Monday
Bastille Day
at Alliance Française
afmsp.org

Also worth noting is that AFMSP is putting together Bastille Day on July 14th, 2025. This National Holiday celebrates the spark of the French revolution at Bastille prison. The event will take place at Alliance Française headquarter.

Live music includes:

The Francine Roche Trio (vocals by Francine Roche, Mark Stillman on accordion, and Jim Price on violin)

Siengkane Lao MN (collective of Lao refugees and immigrants residing in the USA)

Ye Ye Pow (inspired by ye-ye music, features Stephanie Winter of Mere Kats, Terry Isaacsen of Flamin Ohs, Paul McFarland of Run Westy Run, and Steve Kent of Kinda Kinky)

If music isn’t your thing, you can also register to race as a waiter (while carrying a plate of food) on their “Course de Garçons de Café”! Sounds like a lot of fun to watch.

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

MJ Lenderman and The Wind at The Truman, Kansas City MO (16 June 2025)

MJ LENDERMAN SETLIST Rudolph Inappropriate Toontown Rip Torn SUV Joker Lips Wristwatch Dancing in the Club (This Is Lorelei cover) Manning Fireworks On My Knees Bark at the Moon I Ate Too Much at the Fair She's Leaving You You Have Bought Yourself a Boat TLC Cage Match You Are Every Girl to Me You Don't Know the Shape I'm In Pianos Encore: Lotta Love (Neil Young cover) Hangover Game Knockin' COLIN MILLER SETLIST Birdhouse Porchlight Cadillac 4 Wheeler Little Devil Lost Again Hasbeen I Need a Friend Thunder Road MJ LENDERMAN TOUR DATES Jun 18 The Salt Shed Chicago, IL Jun 20 Nelsonville Music Festival Nelsonville, OH Jun 21 Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards LaFayette, NY Jun 22 Green River Festival Greenfield, MA Jul 6 Calgary Stampede Calgary, AB Jul 23 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC Jul 25 Newport Folk Festival Newport, RI Aug 4 ARCHA+ Prague, Czech Republic Aug 5 Columbia Theater Berlin, Germany Aug 6-9 Øya Festival Oslo, Norway Aug 9 Syd for Solen Copenhagen, Denmark Aug 13-16 Parades de Coura Festival Coura, Portugal Aug 15 Roundhouse London, England Aug 16 Green Man Festival Crickhowell, Wales Aug 19 Noorderzon Festival Groningen, Netherlands Aug 20 Paradiso Noord Amsterdam, Netherlands Aug 21 Paradiso Noord Amsterdam, Netherlands Aug 23 Canela Party Málaga, Andalusia Sep 3 The Mission Ballroom Denver, CO Sep 5 Cain's Ballroom Tulsa, OK Sep 6 Tannahill's Tavern & Music Hall Fort Worth, TX Sep 8 The Van Buren Phoenix, AZ Sep 9 Humphreys Concerts by the Bay San Diego, CA Sep 11 Shrine Expo Hall Los Angeles, CA Sep 12 Fox Theater Oakland, CA Sep 13 Gundlach Bundschu Winery Sonoma, CA Sep 15 Revolution Hall Portland, OR Sep 16 Revolution Hall Portland, OR Sep 18 The Moore Theatre Seattle, WA Sep 19 Malkin Bowl Vancouver, BC Oct 3-12 Austin City Limits Festival Austin, TX Oct 12 ShoalsFest, McFarland Park Florence, AL Oct 14 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Oct 15 Asheville Yards Amphitheater Asheville, NC Oct 16 Gather No Moss at Kings Theatre Brooklyn, NY Read More MJ Lenderman MJ Lenderman and his band opened the evening sounding at times like younger relatives to Son Volt, but a little grungier and even more laid back. He started off with a slow dirge of a song that kept building in “No Mercy” …

Show Report forthcoming!

North Carolina native MJ Lenderman and his band, The Wind, have extended their 2025 North American Tour into September including a return trip to the area. So, second chances can come true if you missed them in Lawrence earlier in the year, in a show that was long sold out (or just need to see them again, which we get).

Last year was huge for Lenderman as he released his critically acclaimed Manning Fireworks LP. The nine-track collection was among many Best Albums Of The Year lists and the ensemble features guitarist Jon Samuels, bassist Landon George, pianist Ethan Baechtold, drummer Colin Miller and Xandy Chelmis on dobro and fiddle. The new leg starts in Indianapolis on June 14, then plays St. Louis before hitting KC. Drummer Miller opens with some new music of his own, so arrive early.

One of the hottest current club tours, previous member of the band Wednesday (though still planning to record with them) MJ Lenderman has expanded his Manning Fireworks Tour to include more dates and at bigger venues, due to popular demand. We caught them live last fall in Minneapolis.

Lenderman had to postpone the first three dates of the autumn leg due to Hurricane Helene’s impact on western North Carolina, where most of his band mates and their families are based, but those were quickly rescheduled. Lenderman did contribute a song to Cardinals at the Window, a 136-song compilation featuring previously unreleased recordings by R.E.M., Waxahatchee, Sharon Van Etten, the Mountain Goats, Real Estate, and dozens more, which benefits Hurricane Helene victims in NC.

He also worked on the recent Waxahatchee album, which has some local ties, and appeared with aka Katie Crutchfield on some TV appearances. 

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

MJ LENDERMAN AND THE WIND at The Truman, Kansas City MO (2025-06-16)

MJ LENDERMAN AND THE WIND at The Truman, Kansas City MO (2025-06-16)

MJ LENDERMAN AND THE WIND at The Truman, Kansas City MO (2025-06-16)

COLIN MILLER at The Truman, Kansas City MO (2025-06-16)

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

Mpls: July 15 to July 20, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Built to Spill and Yo La Tengo at Palace Theatre (July 15, 2025) Read More Built to Spill Legendary indie rockers Built to Spill will play the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA on September 24, 2016. Built to Spill’s most recent album, Untethered Moon .… Yo La Tengo Hoboken rock trio Yo La Tengo (“I have it”) is touring in support of their sixteenth studio album This Stupid World (Matador Records). For the first time, Yo La Tengo ...

July 15, 2025 Tuesday
Built to Spill and Yo La Tengo
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Built to Spill and Yo La Tengo are on a co-headlining tour, stopping by the Palace Theatre in St Paul, on July 15, 2025.

Built to Spill at Georgia Theatre (24 Sep 2016)

We saw Built to Spill in Sep 2016 and wrote, “Built to Spill began their show, somewhat ironically, with Stop the Show from 1997’s Perfect From Now On. It was a great way to start, building up from a lulling melody into a spacy guitar frenzy. They saved The First Song for a bit later. The band performed as a three piece, leaving all guitar duties in Doug Martsch’s hands. And one thing is certain; the man plays a mean guitar. His tremolo hangs loose as he tears up and down the fretboard while making liberal use of a wah pedal and an Echoplex delay machine.”

Yo La Tengo at First Ave (26 March 2023)

We saw Yo La Tengo in Mar 2023 and noted, “Based out of Hoboken, NY, Yo La Tengo was formed in 1984 by the husband and wife team of Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley. After a run of bassists, James McNew joined in 1992 and stayed. Why isn’t Yo La Tengo a salsa dance band? Funny story! The origin of the band’s name comes from a 1962 baseball incident where two New York Mets players ran into each other on a fly ball for Venezuelan shortstop, Elio Chacón, had no idea what centerfielder, Riche Ashburn, was saying when he shouted: “I got it.” (“Yo la tengo.”)”

NOTE: There is a strict 4 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 4 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets up to ONE MONTH prior to the show.

Yo La Tengo Tour Dates:

7/10 Atlanta, GA The Eastern

7/11 Nashville, TN Ryman

712 St. Louis, MO The Pageant

7/13 Chicago, IL The Salt

7/15 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre

7/16 Milwaukee, WI The Pabst Theater

7/17 Fishers, IN Nickel Plate Amphitheater

7/18 Louisville, KY Iroquois Amphitheater

9/14 Carnation, WA Psychic Salamander festival

10/30 Lima, Peru CCB

11/4 Montevideo, Uruguay Sala del Museo

11/9 São Paulo, Brazil Balaclava Fest

Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Marshall Tucker Band at Treasure Island (July 19, 2025) Read More Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is one of the most successful groups of the 1970s and 80’s, and continues to tour today with original member David Freiberg, drummer Donny Baldwin.…

July 19, 2025 Saturday
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
and The Marshall Tucker Band
with Jefferson Starship
at Treasure Island
ticasino.com

I was recently at a Home Depot, in Jacksonville, when Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s classic song “Takin’ Care of Business” came on the airwaves at the home improvement store. A young dude in the other aisle was absolutely singing along, finishing that line, “Takin’ care of business - EVERYDAY!” This story is to illustrate what a great song it was that dominated the US Top 40 charts in the ‘70s… and carrying itself well into 2025, that a new generation is loving the infection song.

It looks like the Canadian rock group will be playing Treasure Island Casino, in Welch, Minnesota, on Saturday, July 19, 2025.

Co-headlining the event will be southern rock pioneers The Marshall Tucker Band, famous for “Can't You See” and “Heard it in a Love Song”.

Support will be from Jefferson Starship. Don’t confuse the band with the original Jefferson Airplane or the evolution/breakoff Starship (famous for “Sara” and “We Built This City”). Still, if you’ve seen one of these Jefferson-related bands, I think you can mark them all off on your Bingo card.

Summer US Tour Dates with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship:

July 18 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove

July 19 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Casino

July 20 – Fargo, ND – Scheels Arena

July 22 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium

July 24 – Appleton, WI – Neuroscience Group Field

July 25 – Terre Haute, IN – The Mill Terre Haute

July 26 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center

August 1 – El Reno, OK – Lucky Star Casino

August 3 – Amarillo, TX – Amarillo Civic Center Complex #

# Outlaws replacing Jefferson Starship as special guest

Summer US Tour Dates - BTO only:

July 28 – Bloomington, IL – Bloomington Center For The Performing Art

July 29 – Elk Grove Village, IL – The Village Green at the Charles Zettek Municipal Complex

July 31 – Jefferson City, MO – MU Health Care Capital Region Amphitheater

August 15 – Wendover, NV – Peppermill Casino

August 16 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar PAC

August 18 – Boise, ID – Western Idaho Fair

August 21 – Pala, CA – Pala Casino

August 22 – Ft. McDowell, AZ – We-Ko-Pa Casino

August 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino

August 26 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theater

August 27 – Park City, KS – Park City Arena

August 28 – Tulsa, OK – The Cove at River Spirit

August 30 – St. Charles, MO – Family Arena

August 31 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theater

September 17 – Puyallup, WA – Washington State Fair

September 19 – Grand Ronde, OR – Spirit Mountain Casino

September 20 – Lincoln, CA – Thunder Valley Casino

Murder by Death at First Avenue (July 19, 2025) Read More Murder by Death Named after the 1976 film, Murder by Death will be playing the Cedar Cultural Center on October 5th. The Indiana band’s latest The Other Shore (Bloodshot Records) …

July 19, 2025 Saturday
Murder by Death
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Murder by Death is on their farewell tour, stopping by First Avenue, on July 19, 2025, for the very last time. Come out to say goodbye and check out their 10th and final album Egg & Dart.

Murder by Death at Fine Line (Nov 11, 2016)

We saw Murder by Death in Nov 2016 and said, “When I first heard the band name, Murder by Death, I was sure it was going to be some sort of extreme metal but when I sat down and listened to them, I was completely caught off guard. At first I didn't like it because it wasn't at all what I was expecting but it quickly grew on me and now I look forward to every chance I get to see these guys live. Murder By Death's music could be classified as indie-rock, alt-country, rock, punk... hell, it can be whatever you want to be because it is truly that diverse and that unique. Adam Turla, the singer, has a voice that makes the music lean more towards the country side of things but the talented band he has behind him make it so he doesn't pigeon hole the band as a country band. The lyrics about whiskey and devil fit Adam's raspy, yet clean, voice perfectly.”

Tour dates:

Jun-19 — Newport, KY — Southgate House *

Jun-20 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew's Hall *

Jun-21 — Toronto, ON — Danforth Music Hall *

Jun-22 — Montreal, QC — Le Studio TD *

Jun-23 — Woodstock, NY — Bearsville Theater *

Jun-25 — Norwalk CT — District Music Hall *

Jun-26 — Portland, ME — State Theatre *

Jun-27 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club *

Jun-28 — Brooklyn, NY — Warsaw *

Jun-29 — Asbury Park, NJ — Asbury Lanes *

Jul-01 — Cleveland Heights, OH — Grog Shop *

Jul-02 — Cleveland Heights, OH — Grog Shop *

Jul-04 — Pelham, TN — The Caverns !

Jul-05 — Pelham, TN — The Caverns *

Jul-09 — Millersville, PA — Phantom Power *

Jul-10 — Baltimore, MD — Union Craft Brewing *

Jul-11 — Washington, DC — Black Cat *

Jul-12 — Philadelphia, PA — Union Transfer *

Jul-13 — Pittsburgh, PA — Mr. Smalls *

Jul-15 — Grand Rapids, MI — The Pyramid Scheme *

Jul-16 — Chicago, IL — Thalia Hall *

Jul-17 — Chicago, IL — Thalia Hall *

Jul-18 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee *

Jul-19 — Minneapolis, MN — First Avenue

Jul-20 — Maquoketa, IA — Codfish Hollow Barnstormers *

Jul-26 — Louisville, KY — TBA Festival

Aug-21 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre *

Aug-22 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre *

Aug-23 – Fr. Collins, CO – Tour de Fat

Sep-21 — Atlanta, GA — Shaky Knees

Sep-27 — London, UK — Islington Hall

Oct-15 — St. Louis, MO — Delmar Hall ^

Oct-16 — Lawrence, KS — Liberty Hall ^

Oct-17 — Denver, CO — Ogden Theatre !

Oct-18 — Aspen, CO — Belly Up !

Oct-19 — Salt Lake City, UT — Depot !

Oct-20 — Boise, ID — Treefort Music Hall !

Oct-22 – Bellingham, WA - Mount Baker Theatre !

Oct-23 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile $

Oct-24 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile !

Oct-25 — Portland, OR — Revolution Hall !

Oct-26 — Portland, OR — Revolution Hall $

Oct-28 — Berkeley, CA — UC Theatre !

Oct-29 — Los Angeles, CA — Belasco Theatre !

Oct-30 — Solana Beach, CA — Belly Up !

Oct-31 — Pioneertown, CA — Pappy & Harriet's !

Nov-01 — Phoenix, AZ — Van Buren !

Nov-02 — Santa Fe, NM — Tumbleroot !

Nov-05 — Dallas, TX — The Kessler Theater !

Nov-06 — Austin, TX — Mohawk !

Nov-07 — Austin, TX — Mohawk !

Nov-08 — Houston, TX — Heights Theater !

Nov-10 — Tampa, FL — The Orpheum

Nov-11 — Orlando, FL — The Social #

Nov-13 — Charleston, SC — Music Farm

Nov-14 — Asheville, NC — Grey Eagle#

Nov-15 — Louisville, KY — Old Forester's Paristown Hall #%

* w/ Laura Jane Grace
^ w/ William Elliott Whitmore
! w/ AJJ
$ w/ Shawn James
# w/ BJ Barham
% w/ J Roddy Walston

Sam Barber at First Avenue (July 20, 2025) Read More Sam Barber Southern Missouri-based Sam Barber is currently on tour, stopping by the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on April 12, 2024. The RIAA Gold-certified singer-songwriter recently ….

July 20, 2025 Sunday
Sam Barber
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

RIAA 2X PLATINUM-certified singer/songwriter Sam Barber is currently on tour… stopping by First Avenue on July 20th, 2025.

Tour Dates:

06/13 | Memphis, TN - Minglewood Hall

06/14 | Cape Giradeau, MO - Freedom Fest #

06/19 | Lewisburg, WV - Wild Trails Festival #

06/20 | Wildwood, NJ - Barefoot Country Music Fest #

06/21 | Norfolk, VA - The NorVa

07/10 | Columbus, OH - KEMBA Live!

07/11 | Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE

07/12 | Detroit, MI - Masonic Temple Theatre

07/13 | Chicago, IL - Windy City Smokeout #

07/17 | St. Louis, MO - The Factory

07/18 | Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom

07/19 | O'Neill, NE - Summerfest Celebration #

07/20 | Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue

07/23 | Columbia, MO - 9th Street Public House

07/24 | Kansas City, MO - The Midland Theatre

07/26 | Fargo, ND - UP District Festival Field

08/07 | Boise, ID - Outlaw Field at the Idaho Botanical Garden

08/08 | Spokane, WA - Gesa Credit Union Pavilion

08/09 | Tacoma, WA - Dune Peninsula

08/11 | Vancouver, BC - Queen Elizabeth Theatre

08/15 | Forest Grove, OR - Grand Lodge

08/16 | Eugene, OR - McDonald Theatre

08/18 | Sacramento, CA - Channel 24

08/20 | San Francisco, CA - The Warfield

08/22 | Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre

08/23 | San Diego, CA - Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay

08/27 | Flagstaff, AZ - Pepsi Amphitheater

08/28 | Santa Fe, NM - The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing

08/29 | Denver, CO - Mission Ballroom

09/05 | Hutchinson, KS - Kansas State Fair # ~

09/06 | Stillwater, OK - Tumbleweed Dance Hall

09/13 | Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall

10/12 | Salt Lake City, UT - RedWest Fest #

10/31 | Asheville, NC - Asheville Yards

11/01 | Raleigh, NC - The Ritz

11/05 | New York, NY - Webster Hall

11/06 | New York, NY - Webster Hall

11/07 | Philadelphia, PA - Franklin Music Hall

11/08 | Boston, MA – Roadrunner

11/19 | Atlanta, GA - The Eastern

11/20 | Atlanta, GA - The Eastern

11/21 | St. Petersburg, FL - St. Pete Fest #

11/22 | Orlando, FL - The Plaza Live

12/03 | Las Vegas, NV - The Theater at Virgin Hotels

12/05 | Fort Worth, TX - Billy Bob's Texas

# festival date
^ support from Waylon Wyatt and Noah Rinker
~ special guest Avery Anna

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

TekTok: Portable Air Conditioner

Haier 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner Pro Remote Off Timer Adjustable Louvers Adj. Temperature Auto-Evaporation Con Noisy Exhaust Hose Not really portable Very Large Discontinued Read More Jacksonville Playing their first Jacksonville show. Despite being from Texas, the band admitted, “Ain’t gonna lie, it’s hot down here” referring to the scorching 96° F heat..…

It’s my first time experiencing summer in Florida, and I can tell you that I am not used to this weather. It gets really hot here, regularly in the mid-90s. June is the worst so far.

At first, I thought I could just tough it out, armed with only a 20-inch fan. I found myself showering two or three times a day, and as soon as I step out of the shower, I’m instantly dry due the fan blowing hot air.

Just to give you an idea of how hot it gets; my iPhone regularly overheats. I had to get a small fan to blow on it to help cool it down, especially when it’s charging (it gets so hot that the phone won’t charge above 80%).

I really didn’t have any choice in the matter, I had to buy an Air Conditioner. I don’t really have a window, so getting a window unit was out of the question. My option was cut down to a Portable Air Conditioner or an Ice Air Cooler. The Ice Cooler did not sound appealing, because you constantly need to feed it ice for it to properly work… however, on the bright side, you always have ice to keep your drinks cool.

I ended up buying a discounted Haier 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner for about $200 at Ollie’s (my favorite store). I believe all the units at Ollie’s were actually refurbished, as this particular model is long discontinued.

This is probably one of the best things I’ve ever bought. I can now spend time (and able to sleep) in my room, thanks to the constant cooling. It’s much more effective than a window unit, since you can roll it next to you and take advantage of the blasting cool air.

Since buying it, I’ve had it running all the time. The temperature can be adjustable for comfort. The lowest setting you can go is 61° F, which is pretty cool, especially if you’re sitting right next to it.

All air conditioners will accumulate water (sucking the moisture out of the air in the room)… so this unit has ‘auto-evaporation’, which, if working, means that you do not need to drain it when it gets full. However, on the first few days, I had to dump out the water as the AC’s evaporation system didn’t work quite as fast.

With a standard television, the ‘Sleep’ option means that the set will turn off after an hour. The Haier Air Conditione’s Sleep option does not work the same way. Instead if you use Sleep, it will gradually heat up the room … which makes no sense to me (I sleep better when it’s colder). What you want to use is called Timer. You can set it in one-hour increments, it will automatically turn off after the specified hour.

This model also comes with a Remote Controller, which requires two triple A batteries… which I didn’t have on hand, so I have never used the remote. The AC is constantly near me, so it’s really not a problem just reaching over and changing the settings. My bed is not near the A/C, so I can see how the remote can be useful in that situation.

Standing at 27 inches high and weighing in at 50 pounds, this Haier 9,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner is anything but Portable… yet, it’s widely accepted that this really is as portable as an Air Conditioner can get. It does come with wheels, so moving it around is not as bad as you might think. The only problem is the exhaust hose that is attached to the unit. Due to the nature of these things, it needs to expels the heat, so you will need a window or an external vent. Otherwise, the heat will just be circulated back into the room, negating any cooling.

Read more Technology.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Sunflower Bean at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (June 17, 2025)

Sunflower Bean at 7th Street Entry (Jun 17, 2025) Sunflower Bean Setlist Champagne Taste Lucky Number Teach Me to Be Bad Who Put You Up to This? Look What You’ve Done to Me Easier Said Somebody Call a Doctor 22 I Knew Love Take Out Your Insides Sunshine Nothing Romantic -- Encore -- Shake Tour Dates 6/19 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village 6/20 - Detroit, MI @ Third Man Records 6/21 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison Previously: Sunflower Bean at Fine Line Sunflower Bean at Fine Line (May 21, 2022) Let me tell you about Sunflower Bean’s first Minnesota show at Turf Club (14 Oct 2015). Seven years ago, the audience were simply blown away at Sunflower Bean’s sugar sweet shoegazing songs. We witness so many fans coming up to the band and buying their album and telling them how great they were. Some of those fans were at the Fine Line show. It seems like perhaps the band has grown, their upcoming album Headful of Sugar is leaning towards indie rock. Singer and bassist Julia Cumming seems more outgoing and confident on stage. To be fair, we said the same thing when we saw them in April 2016: “Now seasoned with a year of touring. And it shows. The trio (Jacob Faber, Julia Cumming, and Nick Kivlen) seemed completely at eased on stage, with Cumming looking and sounding more confident than their previous appearance. Even their music is a lot more upbeat (and possibly even aggressive), playing almost everything on their debut album... and especially when they announced they were playing some new (unrecorded) songs.” [ Continue Reading Sunflower Bean at Fine Line ] Read More Sunflower Bean New York trio Sunflower Bean (vocalist and bassist Julia Cumming, guitarist and vocalist Nick Kivlen, and drummer Olive Faber) headlined the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis ..…

After a very pleasant dinner with work colleagues, I got a slightly late start to head over to the show. And while I was at no risk of being late for seeing Sunflower Bean, I found myself completely locked in on getting over to the 7th Street Entry to get prepared for the evening.

First up was GIFT, a psychedelic rock band from Brooklyn, NY. Their debut album, Momentary Presence, was released in 2022. Getting started a little late, we had a bit of introductory banter where we were told it was the band’s first time in Minneapolis. The quintet (guitar/vocals, electronic music/guitar/backup vocals, bass/backup vocals, guitar/keyboard, and drums) came out loud with that spacey sound in vocals and with the various electronic sounds. After a request from the bassist, the lights dropped very low for the second song, before edging back up to a more visible level. The tenor sound of the lead vocalist, paired with the soprano backup vocals gave a good contrast to the heavy underlying bass.

GIFT followed up with their first significantly longer song (basically a requisite of the psych rock label), with all three singers giving a repeated set of lyrics with the instruments building up. A story that a song that they weren’t playing on this tour had been requested a lot resulted in that song being played with Olive Faber of the headliner joining them on tambourine. This was another longer number, with a long solo for the keyboardist and some heavily distorted vocals. A long intro with all three guitars on one of the last songs was an excellently brooding entrance and a pretty great number for the band. GIFT got back to a louder and faster tempo song, though still with heavy distortion. They closed out with a distorted autotune, which made for an interesting effect. Jumping around the stage, GIFT finished up strong and at their very loudest.

Headline Sunflower Bean, also from New York City, was up next. The indie alt band has been at it for over a decade and their newest album, Mortal Primetime came out in April 2025. The trio (Julia Cumming on bass/vocals, Olive Faber on drums, and Nick Kivlen on guitar/backup vocals) started with the fantastic Champagne Taste. Cumming had a fan directed at her face, allowing her hair and flowing black blouse to be a central visual throughout. The next number had a bit of a Black Sabbath feel, particularly with Kivlen’s backing vocals. Teach Me to Be Bad had a lively guitar solo and was straight alt rock.

Sunflower Bean had a laid-back on-stage demeanor that belied how hard they were rocking their set. I don’t know if Cumming’s experience as a fashion model plays a role, but she exuded a calm and composed mood. Look What You’ve Done to Me was a busy lyrical song, that also included some recorded piano, giving an additional layer. Easier Said gave Faber a highlight on drums, and a chance for the crowd to sing along on the chorus, as well as a long exiting guitar and bass work to close it out. 22 was a plaintive sounding song, with Cumming giving it her all, belting out the lyrics near the end. In a bit of banter, Cumming noted that she had a lot of family in the area (which maybe explained the very small child in the audience?), and how happy the band was to be in the Midwest in the summer.

Noting they had just a few songs left, there was a joke about blaming your shoes for the shoegaze (and it was a sizable pedal board). But Kivlen then noted he actually had a pedal that really was difficult to turn on, but thankfully, it all went according to plan. Nothing Romantic had a serious throw back classic rock feel and was a great choice to end the main set on. Coming back for the encore, Sunflower Bean played Shake to close things out, with Cumming asking “Minneapolis, for the love of god, make some noise”, to which the crowd happily did as the band exited the stage.

GIFT GIFT

GIFT

GIFT

Sunflower Bean

Sunflower Bean (Drum Head) Sunflower Bean (Olive Faber)

Sunflower Bean (Julia Cumming) Sunflower Bean (Nick Kivlen)

Sunflower Bean at 7th Street Entry (June 17, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Mozart’s Prague Symphony with Gábor Takács-Nagy at Ordway Concert Hall, St Paul (June 15, 2025)

Mozart’s Prague Symphony with Gábor Takács-Nagy at Ordway Concert Hall (June 13-15, 2025) Program Order Geoffrey Gordon : Gotham News (15 min) Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavane for a Dead Princess) (7 min) Béla Bartók: String Quartet No. 1 (30 min) Lento Allegretto-Introduzione: Allegro Allegro vivace - Adagio - Tempo 1 -- INTERMISSION -- Geoffrey Gordon: Fumée (Smoke) for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra (12 min) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : Symphony No. 38, Prague (30 min) Adagio - Allegro Andante Finale: Presto Read More SPCO Taking place this Friday and Saturday, at the Ordway Concert Hall, in St Paul, is Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s latest event: Steven Copes Plays Prokofiev’s First Violin Sonata. ...

In their 2024-25 season finale, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra delighted the audience and received three standing ovations throughout the afternoon at the Ordway Concert Hall. Reunited with Gábor Takács-Nagy, it was clear to see the strong connection the orchestra has developed over the years with the Hungarian conductor.

Gotham News © 2023 The Willem de Kooning Foundation / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York An image of the 1955 painting Gotham News can be seen at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum’s website.

The US premiere of Gotham News by Geoffrey Gordon kicked off the program. The piece is a musical reimagining of the 1955 painting of the same name by artist Willem de Kooning which was based on mid-20th century New York City daily life. The piece began with a quiet but haunting melody that quickly gave way to a fear-inducing percussive sound effect created by the celli and basses snapping their bows against their instruments. A cautiously calm middle section desperately wanted to give hope to the audience by changing to a major key, but the music never got there. The piece ended with low notes in the bass section and intervals reminiscent of what might be expected walking down a dark alley.

Next on the program was the familiar Pavane for a Dead Princess by Maurice Ravel. In this calm and quiet work, the orchestra allowed the audience to relax by setting the scene of an airy French salon. The tempo started slowly and only increased slightly in the middle section before returning to the original largo. The French horns were featured and delivered a beautiful, crisp sound. The oboe and harp also had their moments to shine. At one point the gradual crescendo of the orchestra gave goosebumps.

The first half was rounded out by Takacs-Nagy's own orchestral arrangement of fellow Hungarian Bela Bartok’s String Quartet No 1. Prior to starting the piece, Takács-Nagy set the scene of Bartok’s life when composing the work. Bartok fell helplessly in love in 1927 only to be rejected shortly after. This piece reflected Bartok’s “love death”, as described by Takács-Nagy. The orchestra brought out the composer’s pain with their methodical and passionate interpretation. It was clear the musicians were in their groove throughout the technically demanding tempo changes and precise dynamics ranging from pianissimo to double forte across the three movements played without breaks. The audience responded with a well-deserved standing ovation and one audience member shouted, “Absolutely amazing, thank you!”

The second half began with another US premiere of Geoffrey Gordon, Fumée (Smoke) for Clarinet and Chamber Orchestra. Clarinet soloist Sang Yoon Kim demonstrated his mastery of the clarinet through rapid trills, impressive dynamic range, jumps from low notes to high notes and even a clarinet growl at one point. The orchestra also did their part with expert trumpet staccatos and the strings echoing clarinet solos. At the end of the piece, the audience jumped out of their seats for another standing ovation.

The concert ended with Mozart’s Symphony No. 38, Prague. The piece is signature Mozart style with a familiar, yet original, light and cheery melody that had several audience members bobbing their heads to the beat. It was clear the musicians were having just as much fun performing likely due to Takács-Nagy’s energetic conducting. At some particularly fervent moments, it seemed as if both of Takács-Nagy’s feet left the ground to bring out even more energy from musicians. His respect for the musicians was particularly highlighted when he gave a thumbs up to the oboe for coming in right on cue. The bassoons were also highlighted with several playful calls and responses with the strings. The audience gave a third standing ovation when the piece ended.

The orchestra brought a range of emotions out of the music played and finished the 2024-25 season finale leaving the audience excited for what is to come next season.

Mozart’s Prague Symphony with Gábor Takács-Nagy at Ordway Concert Hall (June 15, 2025)

mattk ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com