W♥M

Flashback: Sick of Sarah at 400 Bar, Minneapolis (2011-07-08)

Setlist Kick Back Kiss Me Simple Parts Overexposure Bittersweet Giving Up El Paso Blue Not Listening One Night Stand Auto Read More Sick of Sarah Minneapolis punk rock all-girls band Sick of Sarah is currently on a national tour, but will be playing a hometown gig next Thursday, April 30th at the Turf Club in St Paul. The band will likely be playing tracks from their upcoming EP Anthem … Julie Puppets As predicted, Julie Puppets didn't really fit in on the bill, as evident by the crowd having gone away. To their credit, it is a tough act to follow Sick of Sarah. Singer Russ Staiger … Hunter Valentine Hunter Valentine just wrapped up their all-girls tour with Girl in a Coma and Krissy Krissy and picking it right up with Cyndi Lauper… because you know these girls just want to have fun. … Fuzzy Machete Our friends Fuzzy Machete are celebrating their album release party for Number One Fan at the Cabooze this February 26th, 2015. ...

Like it or hate it, the 400 Bar was a great place for local bands to play. On this night in July, I ended up bicycling into the city. This night was kind of funny, a police officer on his loudspeaker told me to get lights if I’m biking at night. I actually didn’t expect it to get dark so early, but since then, I always pack a bike light when I head out.

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I underestimated how long it would take to bicycle down to the 400 Bar and ended up really late - Fuzzy Machete had just finished their set and walking off the stage. It was guitarist Tara's birthday and all, so I am personally embarrassed that I couldn't pedal as fast as I used to. I did manage to later squeeze in some insights about their "new" drummer, Chayci. Apparently it's their old drummer. And also settled my differences with Scott Bakula with singer Krissandra.

Fuzzy Machete is playing at AniMinneapolis today (July 9th). They'll love them there, with all the stuff about Star Trek and nerdy songs. You have been warned.

Hunter Valentine

The turn out for this show was pretty amazing, it was mostly women, but there were actually a good portion of men too.

Hunter Valentine started off their set with "Jimmy Dean" with the catchy chorus of "and when you walk away/you walk away with my feelings". I'm not that familiar with their songs, but I'm pretty sure they did "Scarface", and also, I think a cover of The Shirelles' "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow".

Julie Puppets

As predicted, Julie Puppets didn't really fit in on the bill, as evident by the crowd having gone away. To their credit, it is a tough act to follow Sick of Sarah. Singer Russ Staiger said on stage that they haven't played in over a year, but they seem to have to have it together from their "69 times playing the 400 Bar" (joke) (see comment below). Their set includes a full band for the first three song, then a solo three-song set, and then closing out with the full band.

The majority of the crowd was there to see Sick of Sarah, they've built up quite a fan following. You can see that this isn't their first rodeo, the band is tight and singer Abisha dance moves have been perfected from all their tours.

Sick of Sarah started off their set with their single, "Kick Back", which sounded great, but "Bittersweet" was clearly the crowd's favorite. It was a short set, and fans were demanding an encore. Always leave them wanting more.

Sick of Sarah is about to embark on the Warped Tour 2011, which should be pretty amazing, but I must admit, it's better to see them in a more intimate setting like the 400 Bar.

PS, as noted on their setlist, they also held a "Tattoo" raffle.

Saturday, 09 July 2011 at 12:22 PM
Tara Davis writes:

Hey, Tara from Fuzzy Machete here. Sorry you missed us this time, but I'm sure we'll see you again. I know this city is notorious starting shows later than posted, but with five bands on the bill, we ran a pretty tight ship an every single band started right on the dot of the announced start times.

One quick correction: Russ was actually NOT joking when he announced that it was his band's 69th appearance at the 400 Bar. It was. The Julie Puppets have been on a long hiatus, but used to be really active in the Minneapolis scene a couple years ago. They did a lot of double-bills with Sick of Sarah, and also headlined some pretty exciting shows on their own. This was their "comeback" show with a new drummer but otherwise their same line-up. As you could tell from the sight of me bouncing up and down near the front of the stage, I'm a huge fan.

Sick of Sarah at 400 Bar, Minneapolis (2011-07-08)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Rocktober: October 5 to 11, 2021

10/05/2021: Julian Lage at Fine Line   10/05/2021: Nation of Language at Turf Club   Read More Julian Lage Julian Lage was somewhat of a child prodigy, having had a documentary film made about his guitar playing when he was 8 years old. When he was 12, he performed at the 2000 Grammy Awards. By the age of 15, he was already a a faculty member …

Read more Rocktober and Minneapolis Music Guide.

10/05/2021 TUESDAY

JULIAN LAGE
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Excerpt Julien and Julian: Guitar virtuoso Julian Lage will be touring the United States in the fall in support of his latest release Squint (Blue Note Records). He’ll be stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis this October 5th, billed as “An evening with Julian Lage”. No opening band is listed as of this writing. What is interesting about these Lage will be offering exclusive Master Classes in some selected cities. If you paid for the class, you can show up early to the show and will spend 45 minutes learning Lage’s special techniques on his guitar playing with a Q&A session.

10/05/2021 TUESDAY

NATION OF LANGUAGE
with The Wants
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Brooklyn-based synth trio Nation of Language (singer/guitarist Ian Devaney, keyboardist Aidan Noell and bassist Michael Sue-Poi) recently released their single and video for “This Fractured Mind.” The single is from the band’s forthcoming sophomore album A Way Forward, due out November 5th.

Based on previously released singles, “Across That Fine Line” (it’s too bad they’re not playing the Fine Line) and “Wounds of Love”, they all had glowing praises from the media, including Pitchfork, Rough Trade, NME, Stereogum, Paste, Under the Radar, etc.

Nation of Language Tour Dates:

09/09 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
09/10 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
09/11 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
09/25 – Queens, NY @ Governors Ball
09/30 – Montreal, PQ @ Bar le Ritz
10/01 – Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
10/02 – Detroit, MI @ Tangent Gallery
10/03 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
10/04 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
10/05 – St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club
10/06 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village
10/08 – Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
10/09 – Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
10/10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
10/12 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
10/14 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/15 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studio
10/17 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
10/19 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Lodge Room
10/20 – San Diego, CA @ Casbah
10/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Lodge Room
10/22 – Anaheim, CA @ The Parish
10/23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar
10/26 – Dallas, TX @ Deep Ellum Arts
10/27 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
10/28 – Austin, TX @ Levitation @ Empire Control Room
10/29 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
10/30 – Chapel Hill @ Cat’s Cradle
10/31 – Washington DC @ Songbyrd

10/05/2021: Ron Gallo and Becca Mancari at 7th St Entry   10/06/2021: Ministry at First Ave   Read More Ministry Industrial metal legends Ministry recently signed with Nuclear Blast Records. The band is touring with Death Grips this Fall, stopping by the Skyway Theatre this Thursday, October 26th. …

10/05/2021 TUESDAY

RON GALLO and BECCA MANCARI
with chickpee
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Excerpt Girls Girls Girls (Rocktober Edition): Nashville, by the way of New York, Becca Mancari will be launching a co-headlining tour with Ron Gallo this September and October. The tour kicks off at The Foundry at the Fillmore in Philadelphia on September 10th. Chickpee will join as the opener for all shows except Salt Lake City, which is a festival play for both Becca and Ron at the Kilby Court Block Party. The tour will stop by Minneapolis at the 7th Street Entry on October 5.

10/06/2021 WEDNESDAY

MINISTRY
with Helmet and Front Line Assembly
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Chicago’s Ministry is currently headlining “The Industrial Strength Tour” with special guests Helmt and Front Line Assembly. The tour is to celebrate 30 years of Ministry’s Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste , which originally came out November 14, 1989 on Sire Records. Undoubtedly one of the most influential industrial album of all time, some calling it “one of the great works of industrial music” and “way ahead of its time.”

Helmet was recently in the news for covering “In the Ditch” for the compilation The Problem of Leisure: A Celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four. Gang of Four’s Andy Gill was a fan of Helmet and wanted to collaborate with the band, but unfortunately Gill passed away unexpectedly in Feb 2020.

Vancouver industrial band Front Line Assembly’s latest release Mechanical Soul came out in January 2021, on Metropolis. The new record features collaborations with Jean-Luc de Meyer from Belgian’s Front 242 and Dino Cazares from Fear Factory.

In other Ministry news, their upcoming 15th studio album is called Moral Hygiene, which will be available October 1st on Nuclear Blast. This is the first album to feature the band’s first collaboration with Paul D'Amour (the original bassist for Tool).

Tour dates:

10/03/2021 Sunshine Theater Albuquerque, NM
10/04/2021 Ogden Theatre Denver, CO
10/06/2021 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
10/08/2021 Buffalo Riverworks Buffalo, NY
10/09/2021 Agora Theatre Cleveland, OH
10/10/2021 Riviera Theatre Chicago, IL
10/11/2021 Royal Oak Music Theatre Royal Oak, MI
10/14/2021 House Of Blues Boston Boston, MA
10/15/2021 The Paramount Huntington, NY
10/16/2021 The Wellmont Theater Montclair, NJ
10/17/2021 Franklin Music Hall Philadelphia, PA
10/19/2021 The Tabernacle Atlanta, GA
10/20/2021 Fillmore Charlotte Charlotte, NC
10/21/2021 Hard Rock Cafe / Hard Rock Live Orlando, FL
10/23/2021 Gas Monkey Live! Dallas, TX
10/24/2021 House Of Blues Houston, TX
10/25/2021 The Aztec Theatre San Antonio, TX
10/28/2021 The Van Buren Phoenix, AZ
10/29/2021 House Of Blues Anaheim Anaheim, CA
10/30/2021 House Of Blues San Diego, CA
10/31/2021 Warfield Theatre San Francisco, CA
11/02/2021 Roseland Theater Portland, OR
11/03/2021 Showbox SoDo Seattle, WA

10/06/2021: Quicksand at Fine Line   10/08/2021: Backseat Lovers at 7th Street Entry   Read More Quicksand Anyway, it actually brought a smile to my face when I read that the New York City post-hardcore band Quicksand was still around. In fact, their upcoming record Distant Populations will be out August 13 on Epitaph Records. If you’re a vinyl collect, you’ll have to wait until September 24. …

10/06/2021 WEDNESDAY

QUICKSAND
with Narrow Head
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Excerpt Go, go, go!: Anyway, it actually brought a smile to my face when I read that the New York City post-hardcore band Quicksand was still around. In fact, their upcoming record Distant Populations will be out August 13 on Epitaph Records. If you’re a vinyl collect, you’ll have to wait until September 24. The band will be promoting the album with a post-pandemic tour…. Stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis this “Rocktober”.

10/08/2021 FRIDAY

THE BACKSEAT LOVERS
with Branson Anderson
at 7th Street Entry
first-avenue.com

Recently, The Backseat Lovers announced their 2021 North American tour… The tour will take them to the 7th Street Entry on October 8th.

Branson Anderson to open.

Tour Dates:

09/16/2021 The Crescent Ballroom Phoenix, AZ
09/17/2021 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA
09/18/2021 Life Is Beautiful Festival
09/20/2021 Harlow's Nightclub Sacramento, CA
09/21/2021 Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, CA
09/23/2021 Constellation Room Santa Ana, CA
09/24/2021 Soda Bar San Diego, CA
09/25/2021 The Ohana Fest
10/01/2021 Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/01/2021 Austin City Limits Live
10/08/2021 7th St Entry Minneapolis, MN
10/09/2021 xBk Des Moines, IA
10/10/2021 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI
10/12/2021 Blind Pig Ann Arbor, MI
10/14/2021 Thunderbird Cafe Pittsburgh, PA
10/15/2021 The Englewood Hummelstown, PA
10/16/2021 Richmond Music Hall Richmond, VA
10/18/2021 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC
10/19/2021 The Grey Eagle Asheville, NC
10/21/2021 The Basement East Nashville, TN
10/22/2021 Saturn Birmingham, AL
10/24/2021 Shaky Knees Music Festival
10/28/2021 The Social Orlando, FL
10/29/2021 Crowbar Tampa, FL
10/30/2021 Jack Rabbits Jacksonville, FL
11/01/2021 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX
11/02/2021 Dada Dallas Dallas, TX
11/02/2021 Trees Dallas, TX
11/03/2021 Scoot Inn Austin, TX
11/03/2021 Antone's Austin, TX
11/05/2021 Meow Wolf Santa Fe, NM
11/06/2021 Black Sheep Colorado Springs, CO
12/11/2021 The Shredder Boise, ID
12/13/2021 The Crocodile Seattle, WA
12/14/2021 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
12/17/2021 The Depot Salt Lake City, UT
12/18/2021 The Depot Salt Lake City, UT

10/09/2021: Summer Salt at 7th Street Entry   Read More Summer Salt Austin’s Summer Salt is currently touring across two countries. Their next tour date is at Paper Tiger in San Antonio, after that they'll be at One Eyed Jacks in New Orleans. Looking forward to their New Orleans show this Saturday. …

10/09/2021 SATURDAY

SUMMER SALT
with Covey and Breakup Shoes
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Indie pop duo Summer Salt (singer/guitarist Matthew Terry and drummer Eugene Chung ) released Sequoia Moon on Cherry Lime Records over the summer and is intending to hit the road this fall.

The two month tour will hit all the major cities, including Austin, Brooklyn, Chicago, Los Angeles, and more.

Tour Dates:

9/10 – Austin, TX @ The Belmont
9/12 – New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa
9/14 – Miami, FL @ Churchill’s Pub
9/15 – Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
9/17 – Nashville, TN @ The Basement East
9/18 – Atlanta, GA @ Hell at The Masquerade
9/19 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle
9/21 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
9/22 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
9/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at The Fillmore
9/25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
9/26 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
9/28 – Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts
9/29 – Toronto, ON @ The Velvet Underground
10/1 – Lakewood, OH @ Mahall’s
10/2 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
10/3 – Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups
10/5 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Hi-Fi
10/6 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
10/7 – Iowa City, IA @ Gabe’s
10/8 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
10/9 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
10/25 – Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
10/26 – Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Ballroom
10/27 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
10/29 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10/30 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
10/31 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ SLO Brew
11/2 – Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s
11/3 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent Theater
11/4 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
11/5 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
11/6 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Pressroom
11/8 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
11/10 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
11/11 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex

10/09/2021: Lucy Dacus at First Ave   10/11/2021: Black Midi at Fine Line   10/11/2021: Michigander at 7th Street   Read More Lucy Dacus Lucy Dacus is touring in support of her new album Home Video, which The New York Times Style Magazine explained, as “a forthright exploration of coming of age, deep friendships and young queer love amid a Bible camp backdrop …

10/09/2021 SATURDAY

LUCY DACUS
with Bartees Strange
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Excerpt Girls Girls Girls (Rocktober Edition): American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus will be headlining First Avenue’s mainroom on Saturday, October 9th, 2021. Bartees Strange will open. Dacus is touring in support of her new album Home Video, which The New York Times Style Magazine explained, as “a forthright exploration of coming of age, deep friendships and young queer love amid a Bible camp backdrop, [which] volleys between grief and humor and darkness”

10/11/2021 MONDAY

BLACK MIDI
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Excerpt Colors: City and Colour, Puma Blue, Black Midi, Opus Orange, Purple Disco Machine: Britain’s Black Midi (stylized as black midi) released their album Cavalcade on Rough Trade. The band will be heading to the USA for a tour, so be sure to catch them this Rocktober and find out why The Times called them “the most exciting band”. They are stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on October 11th . No opening band is listed as of this writing.

10/11/2021 MONDAY

MICHIGANDER
with Stay Outside and Darryl Rahn
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Rising indie rock artist Michigander (the stagename for Jason Singer) will be heading out on tour in support of his third EP Everything Will Be Ok Eventually. This is Singer’s biggest tour yet, and he’ll be bringing various support acts, such as Gatlin, Stay Outside, Hollyy, The Fever Haze, WhoBoy, and many more.

Michigander’s live band will consists of Aaron Senor (drums), Jake LeMond (guitar), and Connor Robertson (bass).

Tour Dates

September 17 Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
September 23 Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
September 25 St. Louis, MO @ Blueberry Hill
September 28 Denver, CO @ Lost Lake
September 30 Boise, ID @ The Olympic
October 1 Portland, OR @ Holocene
October 2 Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
October 5 San Francisco, CA @ Brick and Mortar
October 6 Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy Theatre
October 8 Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
October 10 Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar
October 11 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
October 12 Davenport, IA @ Raccoon Motel
October 13 Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
October 14 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
October 16 Harrisburg, PA @ The Englewood
October 17 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
October 19 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
October 20 Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
October 21 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle Backroom
October 22 Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theatre
October 24 Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Music Festival
October 26 Columbus, OH @ Rumba Café
October 28 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
October 29 Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
November 4 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to vu@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com

Durand Jones & The Indications at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (2021-09-14)

Setlist Don't You Know Sexy Thang Love Will Work It Out Morning in America Sea Gets Hotter featuring Isaac on flutes (from 79.5) Ride or Die More Than Ever Cruisin' to the Park Is It Any Wonder? True Love How Can I Be Sure Long Way Home Can't Keep My Cool The Way That I Do Witchoo -- Encore -- Too Many Tears Sea of Love Read More Durand Jones & The Indications We first saw Durand Jones in April 2018 and wrote, “Neo soul needs a new champion- we miss Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, and locally Sonny Knight – all older stalwarts given a musical rebirth later in life, in careers that made them more popular … 79.5 Neo soul band Durand Jones & The Indications and 79.5 will stop by the Fine Line Music Café on September 14, 2021, touring in support of their forthcoming album Private Space (Dead Oceans in association …

This is a placeholder for Durand Jones & The Indications and 79.5 at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on September 14th, 2021.

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DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS
durandjonesandtheindications.com

Neo soul band Durand Jones & The Indications and 79.5 will stop by the Fine Line Music Café on September 14, 2021, touring in support of their forthcoming album Private Space (Dead Oceans in association with Colemine Records).

We first saw Durand Jones in April 2018 and wrote, “Neo soul needs a new champion- we miss Sharon Jones, Charles Bradley, and locally Sonny Knight – all older stalwarts given a musical rebirth later in life, in careers that made them more popular than ever, but unfortunately all lost recent health battles and are no longer with us. Thankfully, some in the younger generation have picked up that torch to continue on, mixing the timeless traditions of classic soul, with a nod to today’s climate and sounds- enter Durand Jones and the Indications.”

Durand Jones & The Indications Tour Dates:

09/04 - Hershey, PA @ Harrisburg University
09/05 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall
09/07 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
09/08 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
09/10 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
09/11 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
09/13 - Chicago, IL @ Vic Theatre
09/14 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
09/16 - Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater
09/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Commonwealth Room
09/20 - San Diego, CA @ Soma
09/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
09/22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Palladium
09/23 - Santa Barbara, CA @ Santa Barbara Bowl
09/24 - Dana Point, CA @ Ohana Fest
09/25 - Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre
09/28 - Troutdale, OR @ Edgefield
09/29 - Spokane, WA @ Spokane Pavilion
10/01 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
10/02 - Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
10/03 - Bend, OR @ Les Schwab Ampitheater
10/08 - Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Music Festival
10/28 -10/31 - Live Oak, FL @ Suwanee Hulaween
05/22/2022 - Monterey, CA @ California Roots Festival

79.5

79.5

79.5

Durand Jones guest Isaac (from 79.5)

79.5

Durand Jones

Durand Jones

Durand Jones

Durand Jones

Durand Jones & The Indications at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (2021-09-14)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Big Thief w/ Mind Maintenance at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2021-09-12)

Big Thief at Liberty Hall Poster (2021-09-12)   Big Thief Setlist ingydar (Adrianne Lenker song) Simulation Swarm Shark Smile Black Diamonds Capacity Masterpiece Certainty Two Hands Change Dried Roses Spud Infinity Forgotten Eyes Not Dragon Orange Cattails Mary -- Encore -- Shoulders Terminal Paradise Tour Dates 09/14 Granada Theater Dallas, TX 09/15 ACL Live at The Moody Theater Austin, TX 09/17 White Oak Music Hall Houston, TX 09/18 The Civic Theatre New Orleans, LA 09/20 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN 09/21 The Eastern Atlanta, GA 09/22 North Carolina Museum Of Art Raleigh, NC 09/24 The National Richmond, VA 09/25 Governors Ball Music Festival 2021 09/27 Asbury Hall Babeville Buffalo, NY 09/28 Higher Ground South Burlington, VT 09/30 Pines Theatre Northampton, MA 10/01 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA 10/02 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA 01/31/22 L'Aéronef Lille, France 02/01/22 La Cigale Paris, France 02/04/22 Rock School Barbey Bordeaux, France 02/05/22 Sala Apolo Barcelona, Spain 02/07/22 Transbordeur Villeurbanne, France 02/08/22 La Laiterie Artefact Strasbourg, France 02/09/22 Kaufleuten Zurich, Switzerland 02/10/22 Cafe Muffathalle Munich, Germany 02/12/22 MEETFACTORY Prague, Czech Republic 02/13/22 Huxleys Neue Welt Berlin, Germany 02/15/22 Vega København, Denmark 02/16/22 Fabrik Hamburg, Germany 02/18/22 Live Music Hall Cologne, Germany 02/19/22 Cirque Royal Brussels, Belgium 02/21/22 Tivoli Vredenburg Utrecht, NL 02/22/22 Oosterpoort Groningen, NL 02/24/22 Manchester Academy Manchester, UK 02/25/22 Barrowland Ballroom Glasgow, UK 02/26/22 The National Stadium Dublin, Ireland 02/27/22 O2 Academy Bristol, UK 03/02/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 03/03/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 03/04/22 O2 Empire Shepherds Bush London, UK 06/09/22 Primavera Sound 2022 Barcelona, Spain Read More Big Thief Brooklyn’s Big Thief to open. The band was previously in Minneapolis with Here We Go Magic last November 2015. Big Thief’s Masterpiece will be out May 27th, 2016, on Saddle Creek. ...

Big Thief just stopped by Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS for a rousing set that showed some actual good has come out of a long pandemic. 

The evening began with a mood-setting opening set from Chicago duo Mind Maintenance, in support of their self-titled album (on Drag City Records) and its lead single “Glow & Glitter”.   Chad Taylor and Joshua Abrams are music veterans and this experimental instrumental music comes from just two instruments, from the opposite sides of Africa.  

Taylor, known mostly as a drummer, plays a mbira: a thumb piano from Zimbabwe held in both hands that consists of a series of metal tines attached to a wooden-sounding board. Abrams, who’s primarily a bassist, plays a guembri: a three-stringed Moroccan lute carved from a log and covered with camel hide. The result is something beyond ambient jazz or world music, and encourages meditation, introspection, and a sense of harmonic convergence.  Aside from a late burst of mystery feedback, seeing these different instruments played together was a unique experience. 

We’ve covered Brooklyn’s Big Thief since their initial humble beginnings in 2015, then on the road for the first time opening (sometimes third on the bill) at some of the smallest venues in town.  Persistence, hard work, and quietly confident music soon paid off, as just over five years later, everyone now seems “in” on the secret, and shows playing to a thousand or more, are quick to sell out. 

The band (Adrianne Lenker-guitar, vocals; Buck Meek -guitar; Max Oleartchik -bass; James Krivchenia- drums) seemed to stay very productive as we all huddled at home, releasing two records in 2019 (U.F.O.F. and Two Hands, on 4AD Records) and has managed to follow that up with a live album, and three new songs including new single “Certainty”. 

Their ninety-minute live set was a slow burning, covertly incendiary performance that longtime fans and newcomers audibly relished. Despite their growing fame, singer Lenker still remains inertly shy and somewhat uncomfortable with all the attention, preferring to play head down to concentrate on her guitar chords, but was visibly loosening up as the set carried on, her twisting ankles carrying her from stage left, to musically interact with the other band members. 

“ingydar”, composed solo (actually named after a horse) began the set quietly, with tempo quickly accelerating on new song, “Simulation Swarm” its content showing their development and added confidence as musical artists. 

The crowd sang along with the chorus on 2017’s “Black Diamonds” and the lyrics of 2016’s “Masterpiece” added some extra resonance over these last eighteen months, being about the passage of time and people’s lives, with the band “ready to walk you through the night” and through the rest of the set. “Thank you for coming” was about the most the shy Lenker could muster before brand new song, “Certainty” with Lenker declaring her own wanderlust is “wild and weaving”. 

The set really seemed to catch fire as it progressed, with some exceptional guitar work by Lenker and Meek on 2019’s “Not” and a killer groove anchoring yet another brand new song (live debuted just the night before at Pitchfork in Chicago), “Dragon” which is, as its lyrics state “a little bit magic” and probably the highlight of the main set. 

After ending with 2017’s “Mary” and its very Midwest-identifiable verses, the band returned to the stage for a two-song encore, starting with “Shoulders” and its violent lyrics punctuated with sharp guitar riffs and then changed gears to end the evening with 2019’s “Terminal Paradise” and Lenker’s ending sentence, “I will blossom in your sail, every dream and waking hour”, sending the loyal crowd back out into the night.

Despite all the negative of a global pandemic and having to hunker down for over a year, Big Thief has shown that some positive results have come out of their collectively focused efforts: namely, a live album, three...make that four new strong songs, and performances that confidently show they deserve all the additional recent attention they’ve been getting.

(click any picture to open in a new window and enlarge)

Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Mind Maintenance

Setlist

Big Thief

Big Thief

Big Thief

Big Thief

Big Thief

Big Thief at Liberty Hall, Lawrence KS (2021-09-12)

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Girls Girls Girls: Poppy, Soccer Mommy, Madison Cunningham, Brandy Clark

Read more Girls Girls Girls.

Read More Poppy If it wasn’t winter, this is the show I would be happy to show up. It’s Poppy. That weird internet girl. The show is sold out. Poppy’s new album I Disagree is out now on Sumerian Records. …

POPPY
impoppy.com

Queen of the strange, Poppy returns with her third album Flux, available September 24 via Sumerian Records. There will be a massive tour to support the new record. We caught Poppy, right before the pandemic, at Liberty Hall in Kansas in Feb 2020 and wrote, “Devout fans (aka Poppy Seeds) ranged from adult women in goth pixie dresses, teen girls with adult chaperones, metalheads, gender fluids, and those simply curious to see and hear what the genre-metamorphosizing artist would show us. After some earlier, minimalist, pop-leaning (and sometimes head-scratching) efforts, her latest sound is an ear-opening blend of sugary JandK-pop innocent pixie vocals against thrash and hard rock riffs (similar to the kawaii metal of Babymetal and Ladybaby).”

Tour Dates:

Sep 30 Santa Ana, CA, US The Observatory
Oct 1 San Diego, CA, US House of Blues San Diego
Oct 2 Phoenix, AZ, US The Van Buren
Oct 3 Albuquerque, NM, US El Rey Theater
Oct 5 Austin, TX, US Emo's Austin
Oct 6 Dallas, TX, US The HiFi Dallas
Oct 7 Houston, TX, US House of Blues Houston
Oct 9 Atlanta, GA, US Buckhead Theatre
Oct 10 Nashville, TN, US Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
Oct 12 Columbia, SC, US The Senate
Oct 13 Orlando, FL, US House of Blues - Orlando
Oct 15 Saint Petersburg, FL, US Jannus Live
Oct 16 Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Revolution Live
Oct 18 Charlotte, NC, US The Fillmore Charlotte
Oct 19 Silver Spring, MD, US The Fillmore
Oct 21 Philadelphia, PA, US The Fillmore Philadelphia
Oct 22 Worcester, MA, US Palladium
Oct 23 Hartford, CT, US Webster Theater
Oct 26 New York (NYC), NY, US Terminal 5
Oct 28 Montreal, QC, Canada Théâtre Corona
Oct 29 Ottawa, ON, Canada Bronson Centre
Oct 30 Toronto, ON, Canada The Danforth Music Hall
Nov 1 Detroit, MI, US St. Andrew's Hall Detroit
Nov 2 Cleveland, OH, US House of Blues Cleveland
Nov 4 Columbus, OH, US Newport Music Hall
Nov 5 Louisville, KY, US Mercury Ballroom
Nov 6 Grand Rapids, MI, US Intersection
Nov 8 Milwaukee, WI, US Turner Hall Ballroom
Nov 9 Minneapolis, MN, US First Avenue
Nov 11 Chicago, IL, US Riviera Theatre
Nov 12 St Louis, MO, US The Factory
Nov 12 Chesterfield, MO, US The Factory
Nov 13 Kansas City, MO, US The Truman
Nov 14 Des Moines, IA, US Wooly's
Nov 14 Des Moines, IA, US Wooly's
Nov 16 Denver, CO, US Summit Music Hall
Nov 18 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Novo by Microsoft
Nov 20 Sacramento, CA, US Ace of Spades
Nov 21 Berkeley, CA, US The UC Theatre
Nov 24 Seattle, WA, US Showbox SoDo
Nov 26 Portland, OR, US Roseland Theater

Read More Soccer Mommy Nashville’s Soccer Mommy (aka Sophie Allison) opened up the show. She’s joined on stage by “a new band” with Nick Brown on drums, Gabe Wax on Bass, and Julian Powell on guitars. .…

SOCCER MOMMY
soccermommyband.com

Nashville’s Soccer Mommy (aka Sophie Allison) released her critically-acclaimed sophomore album color theory last year, but due to the pandemic, there was no tour. Now that venues are opening again, Soccer Mommy will be resuming her long-delayed U.S. headline tour. The tour will take her to Minneapolis’ First Avenue on November 7th.

Tour Dates:

09/15 - Atlanta, GA - Variety Playhouse * [SOLD OUT]
09/16 - Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle * [SOLD OUT]
09/17 - Baltimore, MD - Ottobar * [SOLD OUT]
09/18 - Philadelphia, PA - Union Transfer * [SOLD OUT]
09/19 - Washington, DC - 9:30 Club * [SOLD OUT]
09/21 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel * [SOLD OUT]
09/22 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club * [SOLD OUT]
09/23 - Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club * [SOLD OUT]
09/25 - Montreal, QUE - Fairmount Theatre *
09/26 - Toronto, ONT - Phoenix Concert Theatre *
09/28 - Cleveland, OH - Grog Shop * [SOLD OUT]
09/29 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall * [SOLD OUT]
10/01 - Nashville, TN - Cannery Ballroom *
10/16 - Washington, DC - All Things Go Festival
10/18 - Charlotte, NC - Visulite Theatre ^
10/19 - Birmingham, AL - Saturn ^
10/21 - Houston, TX - White Oak Music Hall ^
10/22 - Austin, TX - Emo's East ^
10/23 - Dallas, TX - Granada Theater ^
10/26 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom ^ [SOLD OUT]
10/27 - San Diego, CA - Music Box ^
10/28 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
10/29 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore ^ [SOLD OUT]
10/31 - Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
11/01 - Portland, OR - Revolution Hall ^ [SOLD OUT]
11/02 - Boise, ID - The Olympic ^
11/04 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre ^
11/06 - Omaha, NE - The Waiting Room Lounge ^
11/07 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue ^
11/08 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
11/09 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall ^

* with support from Squirrel Flower
^ with support from Emily Reo

Read More Madison Cunningham Show up early to check out 21-year-old singer-songwriter Madison Cunningham. Cunningham recently covered Simon & Garfunkel’s “So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright” (see it on youtube). …

MADISON CUNNINGHAM
madisoncunningham.com

GRAMMY-nominated singer-songwriter and guitarist Madison Cunningham is back on tour. The singer, eager to return to the road, said, “Having been without playing shows for nearly a year, I was craving the chance to perform again. Though nothing can substitute a live show, I’m dusting off some old and brand new songs, and gathering some of my favorite creatives to pull off 'Livestream of Consciousness.'”

Cunningham’s latest, Wednesday EP, is out now via Verve Forecast.

Tour dates

Sep 11 Moon River Music Festival
Sep 28 Denver, CO, US Globe Hall
Sep 29 Salt Lake City, UT, US The State Room
Oct 1 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile
Oct 2 Portland, OR, US Doug Fir Lounge
Oct 4 San Francisco, CA, US The Independent
Oct 5 Highland Park, CA, US Lodge Room
Oct 6 Highland Park, CA, US Lodge Room
Oct 7 Solana Beach, CA, US Belly Up Tavern
Oct 8 Phoenix, AZ, US Valley Bar
Oct 11 Fort Worth, TX, US Tulips
Oct 12 Austin, TX, US Antone's
Oct 14 Lawrence, KS, US The Bottleneck
Oct 15 St. Paul, MN, US Turf Club
Oct 16 Evanston, IL, US SPACE
Oct 17 Chicago, IL, US Schubas Tavern
Oct 18 Nashville, TN, US The Basement East
Oct 20 Asheville, NC, US The Grey Eagle
Oct 22 Charlottesville, VA, US The Southern Café and Music Hall
Oct 23 Washington, DC, US Miracle Theatre
Oct 24 Philadelphia, PA, US Johnny Brenda's
Oct 25 Cambridge, MA, US The Sinclair
Oct 27 Brooklyn, NY, US Music Hall of Williamsburg
Oct 28 New York (NYC), NY, US Le Poisson Rouge
Oct 30 New York (NYC), NY, US Madison Square Garden
Oct 31 New York (NYC), NY, US Madison Square Garden
Nov 3 Montreal, QC, Canada Le Ministère
Nov 4 Toronto, ON, Canada Horseshoe Tavern
Nov 5 Cleveland, OH, US Beachland Ballroom
Nov 6 Ann Arbor, MI, US The Ark
Nov 17 Victoria, BC, Canada Royal Theatre
Nov 18 Vancouver, BC, Canada Vogue Theatre
Nov 19 Vancouver, BC, Canada Vogue Theatre
Nov 21 Kelowna, BC, Canada Kelowna Community Theatre
Nov 23 Edmonton, AB, Canada Winspear Centre
Nov 24 Red Deer, AB, Canada Memorial Centre
Nov 25 Calgary, AB, Canada Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arts Commons
Nov 26 Saskatoon, SK, Canada Coors Event Centre
Nov 27 Winnipeg, MB, Canada Burton Cummings Theatre

Read More Lori McKenna Lori McKenna is headlining the Dakota Jazz Club on Sunday night, in support of her new album The Tree, out on CN Records via Thirty Tigers. …

BRANDY CLARK
brandyclarkmusic.com

American country music singer-songwriter Brandy Clark released a new deluxe album called Your Life Is A Record (Deluxe) on Warner Records. The special extended edition features all eleven tracks from her Grammy-nominated album, Your Life Is A Record, as well as six new songs including “Remember Me Beautiful,” which Clark wrote late last year with Hillary Lindsey, Lori McKenna and Liz Rose for NPR’s Morning Edition Song Project.

The singer will be on tour this fall.

Tour Dates

October 25—Portland, OR—Doug Fir Lounge
October 26—Seattle, WA—Neumos
October 28—San Francisco, CA—Great American Music Hall
October 29—Los Angeles, CA—Lodge Room
October 30—Phoenix, AZ—Musical Instrument Museum
November 2—Salt Lake City, UT—The State Room
November 3—Denver, CO—Lost Lake
November 5—Minneapolis, MN—Fine Line
November 6—Evanston, IL—Space
November 9—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom
November 10—Alexandria, VA—Birchmere
November 12—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall
November 13—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live – Upstairs
November 15—Charlotte, NC—Neighborhood Theatre
November 16—Altana, GA—Smith’s Olde Bar
November 21—Nashville, TN—3rd & Lindsley

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥KC - September 16-30 2021 Upcoming Shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

2021-09-18 Torres recordBar  2021-09-19 Alanis Morissette / Garbage  2021-09-20 Rufus Wainwright and José González at Uptown   2021-09-21 Shinedown and Struts Azura   2021-09-22 Glass Animals at Azura   2021-09-23 Wood Bros at Knuckleheads   2021-09-24 Faith No More at Grinders   2021-09-28 cleopatrick at recordBar   2021-09-29 Kevin Gates at Uptown   2021-09-29 Mt Joy at Grinders   2021-09-29 Future Islands at Liberty Hall   2021-09-30 311 at Grinders   Read More Glass Animals The latest UK buzz band, Glass Animals, recently just sold out their show at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, last night, September 9th...

Fall is typically one of the busiest times to see live shows, Even with health protocols, the season is getting busier, leading into Rocktober, Vu from W♥M’s favorite month!

In the Kansas City / Lawrence, KS area, several postponements and a cancellation or two (see below) and Simple Plan recently dropped out of the New Found Glory show, replaced by Less Than Jake.

 

Similarly, Liz Phair dropped off the Alanis Morissette/Garbage bill, but has been replaced with Cat Power (who can be brilliant or puzzling, depending on the night). Please check with the venue and artist beforehand, for any health restrictions or last-minute changes.

Last month in the KC area was filled with live highlights – Foo Fighters serenading protesters on a flatbed truck, Wilco were not able to play outdoors due to weather so turned on a live webstream to give everyone a free backstage concert, and KC’s own Waxahatchee began her tour to end last month with a sold-out show, and help from partner Kevin Morby. 

Not sure how Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real and The Allman Betts Band shows got scheduled the same night (there is definite audience crossover), classic stalwarts Kansas will play a nearby homecoming show, and country fans will get to see Little Big Town up close, opting for two theater shows instead of one big arena gig.  

Here’s what’s happening in the area for the last half of September

(a few recommended shows are highlighted below):

Thursday September 16

Dance Gavin Dance with Animals As Leaders and more, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $27.50-$35

Kane Brown w Restless Road, Chris Lane, Russell Dickerson, T-Mobile Center. $35-$75

Wild Feathers, Bottleneck Lawrence, $20.

Sub Urban and Bella Poarch, RecordBar. CANCELED

Lucinda Williams, Knuckleheads. (postponed to Jan 15)

Friday September 17

John Pizzarelli Trio, Folly. $20-$55

Sara Evans, Ameristar. $55-$209

Here Comes the Mummies, Knuckleheads. $35.

Saturday September 18

Torres w/ Ariana and the Rose, recordBar. $12-$50
Vu previewed her new album Thirstier (on Merge Records)which came out in July and upcoming tour here. “I’ve been conjuring this deep, deep joy that I honestly didn’t feel for most of my life,” she says of the new release. “I feel like a rock within myself. And I’ve started to feel that I have what it takes to help other people conjure their joy, too.”

Albert Cummings, Knuckleheads. $18.50

Grand Funk Railroad, Ameristar. $40-$175

The Mountain Goats (solo) w/ Sophia Boro, Granada Lawrence. $24

Randy Rainbow, Uptown (Postponed to Jan 15, 2022)

Sunday September 19

Alanis Morissette w Garbage, Cat Power T-Mobile Center, $46.50-$146.50

Monday September 20

Rufus Wainwright and José González, Uptown. $35-$79
On the heels of last year’s Unfollow The Rules, Wainwright just released The Paramour Sessions, recorded live at a famous Los Angeles mansion.  We’re very much looking forward to hearing ‘You Ain’t Big’, played early in the set which name-checks “Topeka” and “Lawrence, KS” and he’s also been playing a cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest”. (Vu previewed the Minneapolis show here). 

Swedish singer-songwriter González(who we've seen solo and w/ Junip) has a new single "Swing" out now, and like Wainwright deserves your attention live, so hope for no audience chatter. 

Avatar w/ Magic Sword, Tallah, The Truman. $28.50-$55

Dead Sara, recordBar. $12

Tuesday September 21

Shinedown with The Struts and Zero 9:36, Azura Amphitheater. $35-$124.50

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Uptown. $35-$49.50
One of Willie Nelson’s sons and his band has very much come into his own, after backing Neil Young and others for so long, while cultivating their own career and recordings.  The latest is A Few Stars Apart (on Fantasy Records) released in June, but fans know the live element is where the band really shines. Vu previewed their upcoming Minneapolis show here

Allman Betts Band w/ Marc Ford, Knuckleheads. $28.50-$48.50

Son Little, Bottleneck Lawrence, $18.

Dinosaur Jr., The Truman (Postponed to TBA)

Wednesday September 22

Glass Animals w/ binki,  Azura Amphitheater. $25-$39.50
Their highly successful tour continues, in support of last year’s Dreamland (on Universal Music) and held over from its beginning instantly sold-out gigs in small clubs (their March 2020 show at recordBar in KC was one of our last shows before pandemic lockdown), and are now playing to much larger, proper-size audiences. “Heat Waves” remains on heavy airplay and the song we couldn’t get out of our head for over a year now. 

Be sure to show up early for opener binki, a NYC-based genre-blending musician born to Kenyan immigrants, whose debut EP, Motor Function (on FADER label) with single “Invisible Fence” just dropped last month. 

Bianca Del Rio, Folly, $39.50-$212.

New Found Glory w/ Less Than Jake, Uptown. Ticket prices TBA.

Grouplove, Liberty Hall. $30

New Found Glory and Simple Plan, Uptown. $31-$40

The Wailers, Grinders Crossroads, Free.

Thursday September 23

The Wood Brothers w/ Andrea von Kampen, Knuckleheads (moved from The Folly). $26-$39.50
The Americana trio hits the road again, in support of last year’s Kingdom on My Mind (on Thirty Tigers Records), Blending folk, gospel, jazz and blues, ...what other band covers the obscure group, Little Bob & The Lollipops?

Be sure to arrive early for opener von Kampen, whose new album That Spell, was just released on Fantasy Records.  She often collaborates with her brother David, who does string arrangements, and is Lincoln, NE based, so might bring some of her fanbase to town and just played this same venue in June, opening for Punch Brothers. 

Kansas, Prairie Band Casino Mayetta, $65

Bad Bad Hats w/Alyssa Murray, recordBar. $15

Shakey Graves, The Truman. $27-54.

Andy Mineo, Uptown (Postponed to Fall 2022, TBA).

Friday September 24

Little Big Town with Nightfall, Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. $35-$115

Oak Ridge Boys, Ameristar. $30-$110

Pecos & The Rooftops, Granada. $13

Faith No More, Grinders. $47-$100

Jameson Rodgers, The Truman. $15-$30

Saturday September 25

Little Big Town with Nightfall Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland. $35-$115

America, Lied Center. $21-$55

Don Felder, Ameristar. $45-$170

Tacos & Tequila Festival with Ludacris, Twista, Mario and more, Legends Field. $39-$99

Sunday September 26

Boney James, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $34.50-$49.50

Lauren Daigle w/ Ellie Holcomb, T-Mobile Center. $26.50-$122

Samia with Savannah Conley, recordBar. $15

Monday September 27

The Brook & The Bluff,  recordBar. $15-$18

Yung Bleu with Ann Marie, Seddy Hendrix and Noby, The Truman. $27.50-$55

Tuesday September 28

cleopatrick at recordBar, $12.50
The buzzing Canadian DIY duo released their debut album Bummer, in June (on Thirty Tigers) a title we can all relate to after the last eighteen months(!), with lead track “Victoria Park” of which vocalist Luke Gruntz says, “It's our thesis, our first impression. The proverbial icebreaker. It's named after a real Victoria Park here in Cobourg, Ontario”.  Having already played Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits and Reading/Leeds Festivals, this is a chance to see them up close. 

Wednesday September 29

Kevin Gates, Uptown Theater, $45
A major playa in the hip-hop game, Baton Rouge native Gates has almost twenty mixtapes to his name and two previous albums, both of which went Top Five.  The KHAZA Tour also features openers DDG and Gang51e June and expect a mix of previous bangers, alongside a taste of the new album to come. 

Mt. Joy and Trampled By Turtles, Grinders. $34.50-$134
We’ve covered Mt. Joy previously (here), most memorably when the band joined The Lone Bellow on stage to cover Tom Petty and released their second full-length, Rearrange Us, last June during the pandemic. 

Of course, we love Trampled by Turtles as well, the Northern Minnesota band’s short-lived Palomino Festival(here) was one of our annual favorites to cover.

Future Islands, Liberty Hall Lawrence. $26-$30
The Baltimore band with a known reputation for their live shows is returning, in support of last October’s As Long As You Are (on 4AD), their sixth release.  Vocalist Samuel Herring is mesmerizing to watch and the Calling Out in Space Tour maybe references all the billionaires in rockets or maybe the 59-dates the band is playing, some with Modest Mouse and Hinds in Europe and the UK, following the North American dates. 

Jukebox the Ghost, The Truman. $20-$25

Colony House, Granada Theater Lawrence $18-$20.

Thursday September 30

311 w/ Iration,Iya Terra, Grinders. $45-$99

Amir El Saffar and the Two Rivers Ensemble, Lied Center Lawrence. $14-$25

Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Knuckleheads. $20

john (johnc@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com

R.I.P. Maria Mendiola (Baccara)

Read More Baccara Instead, I thought I'd put together this quick Girlpop show since I will be gone most of the day today (Saturday) … Baccara - Yes Sir I Can Boogie …

BBC reported that María Mendiola, of the Spanish duo Baccara, has died at the age of 69… as reported by her family.

If you grew up in the late 70s, the duo’s debut disco anthem, “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” was massive! It was the #1 song across Europe and became the best-selling single of all time by a female group. Over 18 million copies sold worldwide. This song, and their follow-up, “Sorry, I’m a Lady”, launched the girls to becoming the face of Luxembourg for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1978.

Goldfrapp covered the Boogie song, titled “Yes Sir” on their Black Cherry album, while Sophie Ellis-Bextor covered it for I Won’t Change You single, and The Fratellis released their cover as a charity single (after their live performance of the song onChris Evans went viral) … so clearly the song has left a mark on future generations.

After “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” was adopted as Scotland’s unofficial anthem at the Euro 2020 football tournament, it gave a new lease on life for Baccara.

Mendiola couldn’t believe it, and said, “I never thought I’d be in the charts again. I am not young any more but I guess it shows I can still boogie.”

To keep track of all the musicians who died this year, head over to Musicians Who Died in 2021.

[11 Sep 2021] Giulia Lorimer (Italian violinist and singer), 89 Giulia Daneo Lorimer, voice and violin of Whiskey Trail, the group he had helped to found in 1975 and with whom he shared a 40-year-long history and 15 records, died at the age of 89 ... via repubblica.it

[11 Sep 2021] María Mendiola (Spanish pop singer for Baccara), 69 María Mendiola, who sang the disco anthem Yes Sir, I Can Boogie, has died at the age of 69. ... via bbc.com

[10 Sep 2021] Michael Chapman (English singer-songwriter and guitarist for True North), 80 English folk singer-songwriter and guitar virtuoso Michael Chapman has died. “It is with regret and indescribable sadness that we must tell all of his friends that Michael Chapman died earlier today at home,” reads a post on his official Instagram ... via stereogum.com

[10 Sep 2021] Rosalía (Spanish singer and politician), 77 Long before the era of YouTube, Instagram and the Internet, in general, there was already another singer named Rosalía (Rosalía Garrido) who became famous as the first «ye-yé girl», in the 60s and when notoriety came, above all, from television and radio ... via abc.es

[09 Sep 2021] Amanda Holden (British writer and translator for opera), 73 The prolific opera librettist and translator Amanda Holden has died suddenly in her sleep, aged 73. Amanda transformed the sound of opera in English when she translated Don Giovanni in slangy, witty, irreverent fashion for Jonathan Miller at ENO in 1985. ... via slippedisc.com

[08 Sep 2021] Uno Loop (Estonian singer and musician), 91 Uno Loop, a singer, musician and long-time member of the board of the Estonian Performers' Union, died after a long illness at the age of 91. ... via err.ee

[07 Sep 2021] Phil Schaap (American disc jockey and jazz historian), 70 The voice of Phil Schaap was as distinctive as the trumpet of Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk's piano, or the sumptuous saxophone harmonies of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, but he didn't didn't make his mark as a musician ... via npr.org

[07 Sep 2021] Tanwa Rasitanoo aka Danwa Sagittarius (ธันวา ราศีธนู) (Thai Luk thung singer), 50, COVID-19 It's news that makes many people sad when Danwa Sagittarius, a big Isan artist, has died after contracting Covid-19. In the middle of August In the past, he was considered another big artist who was respected by the younger generation. Famous song "Chicken Ta Fang" ... via sanook.com

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Shawscope: Volume One

Read More Shaw Brothers While U.S. companies have long abandoned re-releasing classic Shaw Brothers films in America (nobody will buy these Chinese films here), other countries, such as Hong Kong or the United Kingdom, they are still …

As you know, I’m a big Shaw Brothers fan, and have personally own over 75 DVDs and Blurays. As I previously mentioned, unfortunately these movies don’t sell well in America, so many of these Shaw Brothers titles never made it to Bluray. There are few popular titles, such as Five Element Ninjas and 36th Chambers of Shaolin that made its way to HD, but there are so many classic Kung Fu movies that was only available on SD (DVD).

I honestly didn’t think the American market would justify for an HD Shaw Brothers release, so I started importing Shaw Brothers Bluray via 88 Films from the UK.

I was so happy to see that this forthcoming Shawscope: Volume One is coming out on December 7, 2021, thanks to Arrow Videos. Arrow is actually a UK company, but they do have a USA arm, and generally the Arrow releases will play in American Bluray players.

Even though I already own all the films on DVD or Bluray ( King Boxer, The Boxer from Shantung, Challenge of the Masters, The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers and Dirty Ho), I will likely purchase this boxset. I want to support Arrow for bringing these films to America and I am also very interested in seeing all the extras, which Arrow is known for.

Description

After an undisputed reign at the peak of Hong Kong's film industry in the 1960s, Shaw Brothers (the studio founded by real-life brothers Run Run and Runme Shaw) found their dominance challenged by up-and-coming rivals in the early 1970s. They swiftly responded by producing hundreds of the most iconic action films ever made, revolutionizing the genre through the hard work of top-shelf talent on both sides of the camera as well as unbeatable widescreen production value, much of it shot at 'Movietown', their huge, privately-owned studio on the outskirts of Hong Kong.

This inaugural collection by Arrow Video presents twelve jewels from the Shaw crown, all released within the 1970s, kicking off in 1972 with Korean director Jeong Chang-hwa's King Boxer, the film that established kung fu cinema as an international box office powerhouse when it hit Stateside cinemas under the title Five Fingers of Death. From there we see Chang Cheh (arguably Shaw's most prolific director) helm the blood-soaked brutality of The Boxer from Shantung and two self-produced films in his 'Shaolin Cycle' series, Five Shaolin Masters and its prequel Shaolin Temple, before taking a detour into Ho Meng Hua's King Kong-inspired Mighty Peking Man, one of the most unmissably insane giant monster films ever made. Chang's action choreographer Lau Kar-leung then becomes a director in his own right, propelling his adoptive brother Gordon Liu to stardom in Challenge of the Masters and Executioners from Shaolin. Not to be outdone, Chang introduces some of Shaw's most famous faces to the screen, including Alexander Fu Sheng fighting on the streets of San Francisco in Chinatown Kid and, of course, the mighty Venom Mob in The Five Venoms and Crippled Avengers. Finally, Lau and Liu successfully meld high kicks with humor in two of their masterworks, Heroes of the East and Dirty Ho, both co-starring fan favorite Hsiao Hou.

From kickass kung fu killers to crazy kaiju knockoffs to culture clash comedies, this carefully curated and gorgeously presented selection of all-time Shaw Brothers classics merely represents the tip of the iceberg of the studio's rich output, making it both an ideal starting point for newcomers and a treat for hardcore fans alike.

Special Features and Technical Specs:

High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentations of King Boxer, The Boxer from Shantung, Five Shaolin Masters, Shaolin Temple, Mighty Peking Man, Challenge of the Masters, Executioners from Shaolin, Chinatown Kid, The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers, Heroes of the East and Dirty Ho

Brand new 2K restorations by Arrow Films from the original camera negatives of King Boxer, The Boxer from Shantung, Challenge of the Masters, The Five Venoms, Crippled Avengers and Dirty Ho

Brand new 2K master of the longer international cut of Chinatown Kid from original film elements

Original lossless mono Mandarin, Cantonese (where applicable) and English audio

Newly translated English subtitles for each film

Hours of bonus features including brand new commentaries and critic appreciations on selected films, new and archive interviews with cast and crew, alternate credit sequences, trailer and image galleries for each film and more to be announced!

60-page book featuring new writing by David Desser, Simon Abrams and Terrence J. Brady, with cast and crew info for each film plus trivia and soundtrack info

New artwork for each film by artists including Matthew Griffin, Chris Malbon, Jacob Phillips, Ilan Sheady, Tony Stella, Darren Wheeling and Jolyon Yates

My Shaw Brothers Blu-Ray Collection (2021-09-12)

vu (vu@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Flashback: J. Tillman at the Music Box Theatre, Minneapolis (2009-11-06)

Read More Father John Misty J. Tillman under his moniker Father John Misty will be back in Minneapolis this April 4th, in support of his latest Sub Pop album I Love You, Honeybear. …

Before he was Father John Misty, he was known as Josh Tillman, or rather by his billing stagename, J. Tillman. We caught J Tillman at the Music Box, which is an old converted theater in the Loring Park area.

>>>
Despite his minor fame with unpopular, critically-ignored ------ Fleet Foxes, Josh Tillman has been active in the music scene since 2004.  This past September he released Year in the Kingdom, a 9-track odyssey through stoic mountain towns by way of moderate folk sensitivity.  Merely 28, Tillman evokes an image of timeless worldly servitude that befits his preferred musical genre but also confuses.  He acts the part in person—bearded, casually nondescript, a man of few words; yet once he hits that first note, it’s obvious there’s something judicious beneath the weathered layers.  For one, the quality of his voice is beautiful.  There is simply no masculine way to describe it.  The probability that Tillman drinks and indulges like a big boy is high, but you wouldn’t know by listening to him sing.  Perhaps the impressive facial shrub is actually a clever disguise, masking a sweet, even-tempered fellow who rescues kitties and bakes things for charity.  Doubtful, but my point being Tillman’s ambiguity—it’s equally believable that he wandered into town from the wide blue yonder as it is that he stumbled on stage from the local, artist-packed watering hole.

Year in the Kingdom remembers a simpler era that Tillman was not alive to experience.  Softer tracks cite 60s folk influences like Joni Mitchell, had Mitchell penned her songs in a humble log cabin, without basic comforts save for canned beans and a faithful canine companion.  The sparse “Age of Man” is a few twangs/few stringed instruments short of Americana territory, while “Though I Have Wronged You” reminds us that Tillman isn’t seriously concerned by FF comparisons.  At times matter-of-factly somber (“There is No Good in Me”), the album lulls its listeners into a false feeling of peace (albeit reflective, disquieting peace) that does not prepare the ears for the sheer force of Tillman’s live rocking.

J Tillman

Kingdom-the-album clashed awesomely with Friday night’s show at the Music Box Theatre in Minneapolis.  I now have a physical point of reference for the expression “it blew my mind,” as I’m pretty sure I lost a piece of my skull when Tillman blew my mind.  Similar to the structure of the studio tracks—gentle start, build-up, full instrumental progression—the show began as one would expect had they listened to Kingdom:  Tillman + band = traditional 3-dimensional engagement.  Then, maybe a third of the way into the set, all hell broke loose.  Cue roar of full instrumental capacity, skin-tingling whine of amped slide guitar, psychedelic transformation, and crazy apeshit thrashing.  On top of everything unholy, we, the audience, bore witness to grown men playing plastic recorders and finger cymbals. Surely I wasn’t the only one to lose some head mass by the end of the night.

Cerebral hemorrhage notwithstanding, strong tracks like “Though I Have Wronged You” sounded ridiculously swollen with intensity and deliberate flair.  Not showy, per se; rather, phrenic but perverted by foggy invention.  It was like walking into the Louvre for the first time—extraordinary but strangely unfocused, as if the senses were forced into overdrive.  Had I lapped a taste of Tillman’s sweat*, the experience would’ve been complete.  Unfortunately, there was no exchange of bodily fluids; there wasn’t even an encore (a mumbled “thanks” and the musicians made their hasty exit).  It didn’t matter.  How do you follow an act like yourself?

A few random thoughts without homes:  in high school, Tillman visited Crown, a conservative Christian college in St. Bonifacius, MN; Miracle Whip is the default condiment of Fargo, ND, this according to the band; Josh’s younger brother, Zach, opened the show and also played bass for the elder Tillman’s set.

J. Tillman is currently on tour in support of Year in the Kingdom.  Upcoming shows include stops in Chicago and New York.  For more information or to listen to select tracks, visit his Myspace. 

* I’m not a creeper, promise.

J. Tillman at the Music Box Theatre, Minneapolis (06 Nov 2009)

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Kathleen Edwards at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (2021-09-09)

09/09/2021: Kathleen Edwards at Fine Line   Tour Dates Sept 13 - Chumley Buskirk - Bloomington, IN Sept 16 - Haw River Ballroom - Saxapahaw, NC Sept 18 – Headliners - Louisville, KY Sept 20 - Bijou Theater - Knoxville, TN Sept 23 - Americana Festival - Nashville, TN Sept 25 - Le Poisson Rouge - New York, NY All dates with Mick Flannery Read More Kathleen Edwards Canadian country rocker, Kathleen Edwards, plays to a crowded room at the always elegant Varsity Theater. There's definitely a vibe of some old fans as well as new ones who might've discovered her on the Country Music Television … Mick Flannery Acclaimed singer songwriter Mick Flannery will open the show. After this Kathleen Edwards tour, Flannery, will later team up with Irish songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Susan O’Neill for his own headlining … Susan O’Neill After this Kathleen Edwards tour, Flannery, will later team up with Irish songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Susan O’Neill for his own headlining tour, in support of In The Game (due out in September). …

Canadian singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards stopped by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on September 9th, 2021, as part of her tour for Total Freedom (Dualtone Records).

Although the show was billed with Irish singer and songwriter Mick Flannery, it really should be listed as Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill, as the duo played mostly songs from their collaboration album, In the Game… which “was just released a few hours ago,” announced O’Neill. They were quite proud of the record, and it shows as they perform the songs live with love.

Just to give a little background on Susan O’Neill, she started as a performer with Ennis Brass Band, and later with Irish dance group/band King Kong Company, and released music under her acronym SON.

O’Neill collaborated with award-winning, double-platinum selling artist Mick Flannery, to produce the 2020 single “Baby Talk,” which won “Best Original Song of The Year” at the prestigious RTÉ Radio 1 Awards and has racked up nearly 1 million streams to date.

The duo continued the formula and worked on In The Game, written and recorded over the summer of 2020 during lock-down between Cork, Ireland, and Los Angeles.

O’Neill mostly sang and harmonize, but sometime would pull out a trumpet (for “Are We Free?”) or bust out a harmonica (for “Freedom”). Flannery held his own with the keyboard and told stories about their songs.

Flannery seemed lost in the music and when he realized the time, he abruptly announced that “undoubtedly this is our last song,” as they ended their brief 30-minute set with “Love You Like I Love You”.

It’s been 13 years since we last saw Kathleen Edwards, during her promotional tour for Asking for Flowers. .. this is mostly because Edwards quit music in 2014 to concentrate on running a coffee house in called Quitters. She insisted that she didn’t “quit”, but that she’s just taking a break from music and that the name was mostly “tongue-in-cheek”.

So eight long years after her last album Voyageur, Edwards came back with her album Total Freedom.

A lot of things have changed since we last saw her in 2008, apparently she’s no longer married to guitarist Colin Cripps. Based on the fact that Cripps is part of her current touring band, the two are still good friends. In fact, after “Options Open” was played, Edwards joked, “I used to be married to that guy... Funny how after we divorce, suddenly he doubles his appearance fees!”

With strict COVID-19 precaution and lack of promotion for the new record, Edwards was still pleased at the turnout. She smiled and said, “Well look at that! You guys f***** showed up!”

It’s been a long time, but it’s good to have Kathleen Edwards back, foul mouth and all.

Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill

Mick Flannery and Susan O’Neill

Susan O’Neill

Kathleen Edwards

Kathleen Edwards

Kathleen Edwards at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (2021-09-09)

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