W♥M

From South Korea

Read More South Korea If you haven’t heard, Squid Game is Netflix’s blockbuster television show. Everyone, at least over 111 million, is watching this South Korean drama/thriller. …

Read more Movies and Television.

The Witch: Part 2. The Other One (2022)
wellgousa.com

A few years ago, I bought the film The Witch: Subversion on Bluray and was both blown away at the story and was also disappointed to learn that it’s only part of the story.

In The Witch: Subversion, it’s about a young girl who decides to enter a contest. She has telekinetic powers that she used to win the contest. When news of this reached this shadowy superhuman killers, they sought her out. It turns out “the witch” was part of a government super soldier program… and she must’ve escape and lost her memory.

In the sequel, The Witch: Part 2. The Other One is actually a story about another girl with powers… although the way the story is told, you thought it was the origin story of the original “witch”.

You’re also introduced to this elite Australian/Korean duo, who goes around killing superhumans. Their task is to kill the girl, but they end up kind of like the heroes, as they fight against the killer hit squad. I know this doesn’t make any sense, until you watch the film.

The original was a hit, and this new film is also a hit, becoming South Korea’s highest grossing film.

I recommend watching the first one, as a refresher, as I’ve forgotten many of the characters and their motivations.

Like the first film, I’m disappointed that this second film is still only part of the story... and there will be a third film. I hope they resolve everything in the third film, I don’t want the story to go on forever.

Read More John Woo Pushing it to an LP status and re-titled to "A Much Better Tomorrow" in 2000. The title, looks like, was taken from John Woo's crime trilogy of the same name. …

The Killer (2022)
thekiller2022.com

Not to be confused with John Woo’s The Killer (1989) or David Fincher’s The Killer (2023), this new The Killer (aka The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves to Die) is a South Korean action film.

Critics mentioned that this was Korea’s John Wick, but I thought it felt like another Korean film, Deliver Us From Evil (2020). In Deliver Us From Evil, the story is about a hitman on his final hit before retiring, finds himself trying to save a young girl. He’s pursued by a crazy mobster. I really like Deliver Us From Evil, because they took the film seriously and portrays it in a realistic world.

The Killer (2022) is just an over-the-top, stylized, unbelievable story of a retired hitman. It starts off simple enough, our hero, Bang Ui-gang, is babysitting a 17 year old girl… who gets in trouble with the wrong crowd. In order to fully keep the girl safe, he has to take down an evil criminal organization.

His main nemesis throughout the film is played by Bruce Khan, who looks like Donnie Yen. Khan is supposed to be a Russian assassin, but I never thought he looked Russian at all. I mean, what kind of Russian speaks fluent Korean?

My main problem with the film is that it’s just too unrealistic. It portrays Bang as an unstoppable badass, who cannot be taken down. It’s just boring to watch, when you know he can never lose a fight! I feel like they should bring it down to earth a little… maybe show that Bang has some weakness.

I guess it’s not meant to be taken seriously, just watch it for the action and have some popcorn. It’s a summer action blockbuster-type of film.

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

R.I.P. Olivia Newton-John

(Read more Musicians who died in 2022)

Olivia Newton-John, the Australian singer, actress, author, philanthropist and more, passed away on Monday, according to a statement from her husband. She was 73.

"Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family's privacy during this very difficult time. Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer." her husband, John Easterling, said in a statement on the singer's verified Instagram.

ONJ had revealed a third cancer diagnosis in 2018 at the base of her spine, following bouts with breast cancer in the early '90s and in 2017. Beginning in her native Australia with a handful of country and soft-rock hits, Newton-John was rising in popularity, but it was on-screen as Sandy, opposite John Travolta as Danny in 1978's "Grease," one of most popular movie musicals of all time, that rocketed her to a new level of stardom. She would be named an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1979 as a result of that overall success.

Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England in 1948, the youngest of three children of Brinley and Irene (Born) Newton-John. Her mother was the daughter of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Born and the family would move to Melbourne, Australia, after she was five. As a young girl, she won a talent contest on TV show, "Sing, Sing, Sing," and as a teen, formed an all-girl group.

Her first single (“’Til You Say You’ll Be Mine,” on Decca Records) was recorded in England in 1966 but US audiences first took real notice with 1973's "Let Me Be There", which became a top-10 hit on both the adult contemporary and country charts. Hits like "I Honestly Love You," "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Please Mr. Please" would follow.

After "Grease", she took her sexier persona to even higher heights with 1981's "Physical," which became her biggest hit, spending 10 weeks topping the Billboard Hot 100. Over her long career, Newton-John won four GRAMMY Awards and sold more than 100 million albums.

But Newton-John had also lived with a breast cancer diagnosis since 1992, becoming a prominent advocate for cancer research and starting a foundation in her name to support it. There was also a mysterious situation with her husband disappearing without a trace as well, but none of that could jar her sunny disposition and outwardly positive personality. 

As well as her husband, she is survived by daughter, Chloe Rose Lattanzi; sister, Sarah Newton-John; and brother, Toby.

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

OneRepublic / Needtobreathe / Brynn Cartelli at Starlight Theater, Kansas City (2022-08-05) review

ONEREPUBLIC SETLIST (Summer video intro) Kids Good Life (w/snippet of “Running Up that Hill” by Kate Bush) Stop and Stare Rescue Me interlude / Secrets Wherever I Go Love Runs Out all 3 interludes Ryan Tedder medley: Halo (Beyoncé cover) Bleeding Love (Leona Lewis cover)  Burn (Ellie Goulding cover)  Rumour Has It (Adele cover)  Maps (Maroon 5 cover)  Love Somebody (Maroon 5 cover)  That’s What I Want (Lil’ Nas X cover)  Sucker (Jonas Brothers cover) Feel Again I Ain’t Worried Richter instrumental / Apologize I Lived Encore: Counting Stars If I Lose Myself (Alesso vs OneRepublic song) (Outro music: Mr. Blue Sky by ELO) ONEREPUBLIC TOUR DATES AUG 6 Hollywood Casino Amph ST. LOUIS, MO AUG 7 Xcel Energy Center ST PAUL, MN AUG 9 Walmart AMP ROGERS, AR AUG 12 Ball Arena DENVER, CO AUG 13 USANA Amphitheatre SALT LAKE CITY, UT AUG 17 Shoreline Amph SAN FRANCISCO, CA AUG 19 Honda Center ANAHEIM, CA AUG 20 North Island  Amph SAN DIEGO, CA AUG 21 AK Chin Pavilion PHOENIX, AZ AUG 23 Isleta Amphitheater ALBUQUERQUE, NM AUG 25 Germania Insurance Amph AUSTIN, TX AUG 26 Dos Equis Pavilion DALLAS, TX AUG 28 Cynthia WMitchell Pavilion HOUSTON, TX AUG 30 Ameris Bank Amphitheatre ATLANTA, GA AUG 31 Oak Mountain Amphitheatre PELHAM, AL SEP 2 MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amph TAMPA, FL SEP 3 iTHINK Amph WEST PALM BEACH, FL SEP 4 Daily's Place AmphJACKSONVILLE, FL SEP 7 CCNB Amphitheater SIMPSONVILLE, SC SEP 9 PNC Music Pavilion CHARLOTTE, NC SEP 10 Music Park at Walnut Creek RALEIGH, NC SEP 11 Credit One Stadium CHARLESTON, SC SEP 14 Bridgestone Arena NASHVILLE, TN OCT 28 Jahrhunderthalle Club FRANKFURT, GERMANY OCT 30 Live In Concert PADOVA, ITALY OCT 31 Live In Concert ASSAGO, ITALY NOV 2 Live In Concert STUTTGART, GERMANY NOV 4 Live In Concert VIENNA, AUSTRIA NOV 8 Live Park RISHON LETSIYON, ISRAEL NOV 15 GrandWest Grand Arena CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA NOV 18 Sun Arena at Time Square Casino PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA NOV 19 Sun Arena at Time Square Casino PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA MAR 10, 2023 Margaret Court Arena MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA MAR 11, 2023 Aware Super Theatre SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA MAR 14, 2023 Fortitude Music Hall FORTITUDE VALLEY, AUSTRALIA MAR 16, 2023 Spark Arena AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND MAR 18, 2023 TSB Arena WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND NEEDTOBREATHE SETLIST Great Night Feet, Don't Fail Me Now Banks Money & Fame The Outsiders (w/snippet of Tom Petty’s “American Girl”) Talk of the Town I Wanna Remember Washed by the Water Sunshine Brother Riding High NEEDTOBREATHE TOUR DATES AUG 6 Hollywood Casino Amph St. Louis, MO AUG 7 Xcel Energy Center Saint Paul, MN AUG 9 Walmart AMP Rogers, AR AUG 12 Ball Arena Denver, CO AUG 13 USANA Amphitheatre Salt Lake City, UT AUG 17 Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA AUG 19 Honda Center Anaheim, CA AUG 20 North Island Amph San Diego, CA AUG 21 Ak-Chin Pavilion Phoenix, AZ AUG 23 Isleta Amphitheater Albuquerque, NM AUG 25 Germania Insurance Amph Austin, TX AUG 26 Dos Equis Pavilion Dallas, TX AUG 28 Cynthia W Mitchell Pavilion Houston, TX AUG 30 Ameris Bank Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA AUG 31 Oak Mountain Amphitheatre Pelham, AL SEP 2 MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amph Tampa, FL SEP 3 iTHINK Financial Amph West Palm Beach, FL SEP 4 Daily's Place Amphitheater Jacksonville, FL SEP 7 CCNB Amph Heritage Park Simpsonville, SC SEP 9 PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte, NC SEP 10 Music Park at Walnut Creek Raleigh, NC SEP 11 Credit One Stadium Charleston, SC SEP 14 Bridgestone Arena Nashville, TN SEP 18 Bourbon & Beyond Louisville, KY JAN 23–JAN 29, 2023 The Rock Boat XXII Miami, FL BRYNN CARTELLI TOUR DATES AUG 6 Hollywood Amph Maryland Heights, MO AUG 7 Xcel Energy Center St Paul, MN AUG 9 Walmart AMP Rogers, AR AUG 12 Ball Arena Denver, CO AUG 13 USANA Amphitheatre West Valley City, UT read more Needtobreathe Sometimes good music just naturally transcends genres and categories. That seems to be the case with South Carolina band, Needtobreathe ...

“I appreciate you committing to this weight loss plan with me tonight!” -- Ryan Tedder

The hot and humid night in Kansas City left the door open for jokes about sweating off pounds by just standing in place, as pop band OneRepublic played the outdoor confines of a full Starlight Theater on their Never Ending Summer Tour.

The evening began with a well-received half-hour set from rising nineteen-year-old NYC singer-songwriter Brynn Cartelli, who people might recognize as the Season 14 winner of TV’s The Voice. She won a recording contract and new vehicle and released her debut EP, Based on a True Story last year, playing its singles, “Long Way Home” and “If I Could” to begin her set.

She mentioned a fascination with astrology which led into recent single, “Gemini” and mentioned how elated she was that her newest release, “Girl Code” had just dropped, a song inspired by recent dating adventures in which she and a friend had pined over the same guy. Although not listed on the venue website, Kansas City fans were obviously aware of her appearance and responded very enthusiastically, so hope for a full-length soon.

===

South Carolina Country Christian rockers Needtobreathe (stylized in all caps) would follow with a passionate hour of music, in support of eighth studio album, last year’s Into the Mystery. We’ve seen the band numerous times over the last decade, most recently as part of 2017’s Basilica Block Party in Minneapolis and have always come away impressed with their passion and energy.

The live experience is slightly different with its more religious audiences, as fans’ hands are often up in the air for songs, while the secular crowds just appreciate their infectious blend of rock.

This was our first tour seeing them after Rinehart’s brother Bo departed the band in 2020, but his familiar permanent replacement is Minneapolis guitarist Tyler Burkhum, who’s played with the band, Audio Adrenaline, and Leagues, among many others.

Things started ideally with 2016’s “Great Night” and singer Bear Rinehart singing an urge to the audience to “have a great night on the dance floor.” After the pounding “Feet, Don’t Fail Me Now”, Rinehart mentioned this was the first time they’d opened for anyone in ten years, referring to their tour with Taylor Swift.

2020’s “Banks” was written by both Rineharts as an ode to their spouses, “Money & Fame” extended into a jam, and the studio version of the new “I Wanna Remember” features Carrie Underwood. Rinehart wrote 2007’s “Washed by the Water” for his parents, 2021’s “Sunshine assures us “we’re gonna be alright” as we all emerge from the pandemic, and the spiritual and anthemic “Brother” had fans clapping and singing along.

===

Love them or not, you can’t deny the hit making of Colorado band OneRepublic and its leader, singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder’s ability to consistently write a popular and memorable song, and that was especially on display during the group’s hundred-minute headlining performance.

Opening with 2016’s “Kids”, the song went Top 20 in the US and was used in an Xmas car commercial, and the next song, 2009’s “Good Life” topped the Billboard Adult Top 40 charts.

Tedder broke into “Kansas City” a few times, from the 1940’s musical Oklahoma! mentioning he grew up in Tulsa, and that once a year as a child, they made a special memorable trip to the "big city" of KC. “Relative temperature is 96! We’re all going to lose weight together; this is the Concert Diet!” Tedder joked.

Tedder (rightly) believes it’s not the first successful song that is a musical benchmark, but the second one, as the follow-up often secures a career, he said as an intro to 2007’s “Stop and Stare”. Songs were made more lush and fuller sounding with the addition of a mini string section of cello and violin as well.

Tedder took the middle section of the set to showcase his songwriting skills and play parts of successful songs he wrote for other artists, mentioning he thought it would be awkward to do so before, but after some thought during the pandemic, decided he didn’t care and wanted to do so live.

Beginning with Beyonce’s “Halo” and running through seven more certified pop hits ending with The Jonas Brothers comeback smash, “Sucker”, it was like listening to Total Request Live on the radio as these were songs so popular, it was impossible to avoid them on the dial.

The setlist may then have returned to band songs, but the hits kept coming as 2012’s “Feel Again” went Top 10 on the Billboard Adult charts. As a celebrity cameo of sorts, Tom Cruise was shown on the video screens, introducing current smash, “I Ain’t Worried” as clips from the billion-dollar grossing sequel played in the background.

Perhaps the band’s biggest hit, “Apologize” was preceded by a spanning instrumental and then interrupted as Tedder stopped the song, to deconstruct the chorus and try to get the audience to form an interactive collective four-part scale, and the main set would end with the inspiring “I Lived” and Tedder emphasizing the band’s support of the International Justice Mission (IJM) and their quest to end modern slavery and human trafficking.

For the encore, Tedder surprised everyone by appearing near the back of the venue by the soundboard to stand and sing “Counting Stars” before racing back on stage to finish the evening with the throbbing electronic collab song done with Alesso, “f I Lose Myself”.

In the end, the Never Ending Summer Tour lived up to its name, with heat and humidity remaining high into the evening, and fans turning things up further for the hits of OneRepublic, the soul and inspiration of Needtobreathe, and the freshness and talent yet to fully blossom of Brynn Cartelli.

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

Minneapolis: This Week (08/14/2022)

I post the W♥M Minneapolis preview calendar a month in advance. Things may have changed, and/or I just wanted to remind you about the shows that we will be covering this week.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide

08/09 Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Baker at Surly Brewing Festival Field Read More Angel Olsen Angel Olsen will be headlining First Avenue on October 2nd. Olsen fans can look forward to Phases, a collection of B-sides, rarities, and demos on November 10th via Jagjaguwar. ... Sharon Van Etten "Hey Minneapolis. There you are! It's been too long, thanks for coming out tonight," Sharon Van Etten commented at the nice turnout for her show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 16th. … Julien Baker American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Julien Baker released her critically acclaimed album, Little Oblivions, during the pandemic, through Matador Records. .…

08/09/2022 Tuesday

Sharon Van Etten, Angel Olsen and Julien Baker
at Surly Brewing Festival Field
first-avenue.com

The The Wild Hearts Tour is stopping by Surly Brewing Festival Field this Tuesday, August 9th. The Wild Hearts Tour is an epic co-headlining tour featuring Angel Olsen, Sharon Van Etten, and Julien Baker, all known for their incredible, cathartic live performances.

We last saw Angel Olsen in Oct 2017 and wrote, “Now, let me state the obvious: Angel Olsen has a voice that makes knees weak, blind men see and dreams come true. Hyperbole aside, it truly is a stunning thing, both vulnerable and sensual, reminding me of great vocalists like Brenda Lee or Patsy Cline.”

We saw Sharon Van Etten in July 2014 and said, “Sharon Van Etten has this uncanny Daredevil radar, where she can zero on any given audience band member and then have a personal conversation with her fans. It's clear to me that Van Etten has an engaging relationships with her biggest fans...”

Julien Baker in Nov 2021, we noted, “Baker has also gained recent attention as part of indie supergroup boygenius (with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus) and though always armed with a Southern charm and politeness towards the crowd, has become more confident since we first saw her in 2017 and even more comfortable with her songs and stage presence than in her opening slot in 2018.”

Wild Hearts Tour Dates

Thu. Jul. 21 - Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap Center *
Fri. Jul. 22 - Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit *
Sat. Jul. 23 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
Mon. Jul. 25 - Austin, TX @ Moody Amphitheater *
Thu. Jul. 28 - Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre*
Fri. Jul. 29 - Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre *
Sat. Jul 30 - Berkeley, Ca @ Greek Theatre *
Tu. Aug. 2 - Troutdale, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield *
Wed. Aug. 3 - Redmond, WA @ Marymoor Amphitheater *
Fri. Aug. 5 - Boise, ID @ Idaho Botanical Garden *
Sat. Aug. 6 - Salt Lake City, UT @ TBA *
Sun. Aug. 7 - Denver, CO @ Sculpture Park *
Tue. Aug. 9 - Minneapolis, MN @ Surly Brewing *
Wed. Aug 10 - Chicago, IL @ TBA *
Thu. Aug. 11 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe *
Fri. Aug. 12 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
Sat. Aug. 13 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
Mon. Aug. 15 - Shelburne, VT @ The Green *
Tue. Aug. 16 - LaFayette, NY @ Beak & Skiff Apple Orchards *
Thu. Aug. 18 - Boston, MA @ Leader Bank Pavilion *
Fri. Aug. 19 - Philadelphia, PA @ Skyline Stage at The Mann *
Sat. Aug. 20 - New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage*
Sun. Aug. 21 - New York, NY @ Central Park Summerstage *

* = with Spencer.

08/10 Flip Rushmore with Friend Dog and Lazenlow at 7th St Entry Read More Flip Rushmore Minneapolis band Flip Rushmore (Alex Smith, Dan Klauer, Nick Spielman, Adam Szczepaniak, and Mike Green) is having an EP Release Party this August 10 at the 7th Street Entry. …

Just a reminder that the Flip Rushmore is taking place at the 7th Street Entry this Wednesday, August 10th. We’ll be there early to cover all the bands.

The band adds, “Our first major release in 4 years is out now! 'Choose Your Villains Wisely' is streaming everywhere. Check it out on Spotify or wherever you enjoy listening to music. And don't forget to get tickets for our EP release party next Wednesday at First Avenue & 7th St Entry!”

>>>
08/10/2022 Wednesday

Flip Rushmore
with Friend Dog and Lazenlow
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Minneapolis band Flip Rushmore (Alex Smith, Dan Klauer, Nick Spielman, Adam Szczepaniak, and Mike Green) is having an EP Release Party this August 10 at the 7th Street Entry.

Flip Rushmore’s debut album, Big, If True, spent 21 weeks on the Muzooka College Radio Charts and peaked at No. 70 in late 2019. Reviewers mentioned that they sound like Queens of the Stone Age to Beck.

Their biography lists that the band went from Minneapolis to Nashville and back, again, for their second major release, a new EP called Choose Your Villains Wisely. Some songs were inspired by billionaire space travel (“Waxwing”) to the murder of George Floyd (“Platypuseidon”) to mass shootings (“The Loathsome Crowded West”), etc. Clearly they have a lot to say about the state of the world.

Friend Dog (aka Vinnie Donatelle) and Lazenlow ( 3-piece out of Minneapolis that includes Vocalist Gillian Needham, Guitarist/Producer Ghost Channels, and drummer Mo Bluntz) to open.

08/13 Fitz and the Tantrums and Andy Grammer with Maggie Rose at Palace Theatre Read More Fitz and the Tantrums We can confidently say we’ve seen Fitz and The Tantrums in all kinds of weather and over a hundred-degree temperature range. We first caught the LA soul/dance-pop band in early Feb 2011 in a small Minneapolis club while sub-zero temps swirled outside . … Andy Grammer It was a sold out all-ages show at the Andy Grammer and Alex & Sierra co-headlining tour at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on Sunday, March 29th. ...

08/13/2022 Saturday

Fitz and the Tantrums and Andy Grammer
with Maggie Rose
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

We just saw Fitz and the Tantrums at Grinders KC in June 2022, and described the show as, “Arms swayed back and forth during 2013’s “6AM” while clouds gathered above and the sky gradually grayed, providing relief from the heat, but also a precursor to oncoming weather changes. Singer Scaggs said that “I Need Help” from the newest record had meant even more to her during the pandemic, helping her to focus on her own mental health and hopefully showing people that they are not alone in any day-to-day struggles.”

Andy Grammer will be co-headlining the show. He is known for his chart-topping hits, like “Honey I’m Good” and “Keep Your Head Up.”

Maggie Rose to open.

Tour dates:

July 29, 2022 - Key West, FL - Key West Ampitheater
July 30, 2022 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live Orlando
July 31, 2022 - Tampa, FL - Seminole Hard Rock Hotel
August 2, 2022 - Cary, NC - Koka Booth Amphitheatre
August 3, 2022 - Vienna, VA - Wolf Trap
August 4, 2022 - New York, NY - Summerstage
August 6, 2022 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank Pavilion
August 9, 2022 - Selbyville, DE - The Freeman Arts Pavilion
August 11, 2022 - Interlochen, MI - Interlochen Center
August 12, 2022 - Aurora, IL - Riveredge Park
August 13, 2022 - Saint Paul, MN - Palace Theatre
August 14, 2022 - St. Louis, MO - Saint Louis Music Park
August 17, 2022 - Vail, CO - Gerald R. Ford Amphiteater
August 18, 2022 - Sandy, UT - Sandy Amphiteater
August 20, 2022 - Nampa, ID - Ford Idaho Center - Amphitheater
August 21, 2022 - Woodinville, WA - Chateau Ste. Michelle
August 22, 2022 - Bonner, MT - KettleHouse Ampitheater
August 23, 2022 - Forest Grove, OR - Grand Lodge
August 25, 2022 - Saratoga, CA - The Mountain Winery
August 26, 2022 - Rohnert Park, CA - Green Music Center
August 27, 2022 - Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre

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 ♥ twitter.com

Belaganas at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (07 Aug 2022)

Read More Hoodie Allen NYC indie rapper Hoodie Allen got the festivities started with an energetic 40 min. set, playing to a crowd that was clearly his fanbase. Starting with ‘Fame’, a recent collaboration with Chiddy Bang … Belaganas Although not officially on the venue’s website, we are told that Phoenix’s Belaganas will open the show. The trio (vocalist Shanker, vocalist Joey J, and guitarist/drummer Nick Wille) formed in 2018 when they were teenagers. …

Due to safety concerns for his fanbase, Hoodie Allen had to postponed his appearance at the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on August 7th.

Ceiling

You see, during Belaganas’ 30-min performance, portions of the ceiling fell into the dance floor. When this happened, the group (Shanker, Joey J, Nick Wille, and guest rapper) stopped their show to ask if everyone was okay. Shanker even joked, “When we said we’d blow the roof off this place, we didn’t mean it literally.”

After getting the okay to continue, the rap group said they would play their upcoming single, “Vacation”… but they didn’t actually play the full song. Instead it was a preview, and they said we can get to hear the full song when it drops soon.

Once their set was done, there was a decision made behind the scene to postpone this show to a later date. This was the right decision, as more of the ceiling could potentially fall and hurt the audience. There was a big “boo!” when they announced the show would not go on.

Remaining tour dates:

August 9 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird
August 10 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell
August 12 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
August 13 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
August 15 - Oakland, CA @ New Parish
August 16 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex
August 17 - Phoenix, AZ @ Aura
August 20 - Dallas, TX @ Cambridge Room
August 21 - Houston, TX @ Bronze Peacock
August 23 - Atlanta, GA @ Loft
August 24 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
August 26 - Washington DC @ Union Stage
August 27 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza

PS, this isn’t the first time the roof caused problem. In Aug 2015, portion of First Avenue’s roof fell down during a Theory of a Deadman concert.

Belaganas at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (07 Aug 2022)

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

We♥KC- August 8-15, 2022 Upcoming Shows (Kansas City / Lawrence KS)

Read More Courtney Barnett Melbourne's Courtney Barnett was previously here earlier this year, which we caught in Chicago, but now she's back with a full expanded North American tour.…

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

These may be called the “dog days” of summer, but there are no “dogs” in this week’s group of great area shows. If anyone got into Saturday’s Glass Animals secret acoustic promo-only show at a KC distillery, consider yourself very lucky.

With the heat continuing, take precautions for any outdoor shows. Kansas surprised the nation with their recent vote on the state amendment question, and now it’s time to go out, sip a cold one, and support live music.

Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City/Lawrence, KS metro August 8^th– 15^th

(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)

Monday Aug 8

Here and There Festival featuring Courtney Barnett, Lucy Dacus and Quinn Christopherson, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $40.50-$60.50

‘Here And There’ is a concept partially born of Barnett’s love of curation. Barnett has owned a Melbourne-based label (Milk! Records) for a decade now and we’ve followed her ever since, even before her US successes. Most recent album is last November’s Things Take Time, Take Time.

For this first stop of the tour, Lucy Dacus joins up, who we saw flat on her back earlier this year in Lawrence, after slipping some discs in her back, but was determined to carry on with shows. 2021’s “Home Video” remains her latest full-length, but we’ve seen several new singles since.

Opening singer-songwriter Quinn Christopherson has set September 16 for the debut album release of Write Your Name in Pink.

Non-profit Sounds of Saving, have partnered on the tour, and their mission is to use the connection to music as a direct path to mental well being. The group on-site will include a representative from the local 988 call center, one mental health professional, and someone from Sounds of Saving.

Tim Heidecker (comedian), The Truman, $49.50

We’ve followed the eclectic comedian for years, both solo and as part of duo Tim and Eric, seeing them most recently in 2017. Newest album High School came out earlier this spring.

Thundercat, Grinders KC, $35-$75

On our radar for years, the aka Stephen Bruner is a bass-playing monster, as evidenced when he opened for Red Hot Chili Peppers in arenas years ago. Last studio release, It Is What It Is, won both GRAMMY and Libera Awards and he even appeared in couple episodes of the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett.

Red Fang, recordBar, $20

The Portland hard alternative four-piece band is back with 2021’s Arrows, and a tour which was delayed by the pandemic, but now back on course. Bell Witch & Aerial Ruin: Stygian Bough, which is a doom metal collaboration and Help slated to open. 

Tuesday Aug 9

Father John Misty w Suki Waterhouse, Arvest Bank at the Midland, $39.99-$59.99

WHM loves you, honeybear-- We’ve covered the aka Josh Tillman since well before he adopted his current stage name and the new record is Chloe and the Next 20^th Century, an ambitious fifth studio album under the FJM name, which he’s performed numerous times with a symphony orchestra.

We last caught him live, closing out the 2018 edition of Rock the Garden in Minneapolis.

Opening is Suki Waterhouse, the better half of actor Robert Pattinson and who dabbles in a little of everything- acting, modeling, and music, with newest singles being “Devil I Know” and “Wild Side”.

Anastasia (musical) at Starlight Theatre August 9-14, 2022

Inspired by the films, the transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

Anastasia features a book by playwright Terrence McNally, new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) based on original direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak with choreography by Peggy Hickey and tour direction by Sarah Hartmann.

Imagine Dragons w Macklemore, Kings Elliot, T-Mobile Center, $45.50-$155

Indie rockers out on their summer leg of their Mercury Tour, in support of latest releases, Mercury Act I and Act II. We’ve seen the band live numerous times, from their humble beginnings in tiny clubs, to part of NFL Superbowl and MLB All-Star Game weekends and they always seem to bring the excitement live, as well as remind us of positive mental health.

Macklemore is currently rolling solo (without Ryan Lewis) but we saw the duo bring the house down ten years ago at the MN State Fair. Newest singles are “Next Year” w/Windsor and Ryan Lewis, and the new “Chant” with Tones and I.

Kings Elliot is a buzzworthy Swiss-born, London-based young new artist, who released EP Chaos in my Court late last year and a preorder is up for upcoming EP, Bored of the Circus with featured single, “Butterfly Pen.”

Murder by Death Lemonade Park, $32

Bloomington, IN indie rockers just released new album, Spell/Bound last week and we last saw them in 2016. Their electric cello sound gives a haunting goth edge to their sound and this Tour from the Crypt show also features Amigo the Devil and Samantha Crain, who we just caught live in May.

Ian Sweet / BNNY / Pure XTC, recordBar, $15

She’s aka Jillian Medford, an alternative singer-songwriter from LA and is out in support of 2021’s Show Me How You Disappear. We literally just caught this show, days ago in Minneapolis.Chicago’s BNNY has their debut album just out now.

Wednesday Aug 10

Sleigh Bells w N3PTUNE, The Truman. $30-$60

The Brooklyn noise pop duo is on the road supporting Texis, (with its current single “Justine Go Genesis” ) released at the end of last year and has been a band for almost fifteen years now. We caught them live in Fall 2016 when their last album signaled a bit of a sound change.

Black Pistol Fire with The Shooks, recordBar. $20

Quite simply one of the most incendiary live acts to currently grace a live stage, this Toronto via Austin TX duo mixes post punk rock with a Southern edge and is in support of last year’s Look Alive album. We caught them live in 2021 and in 2017 and were happily taken aback each time by their efforts. They’ve recently been dropping in a Childish Gambino and older Fleetwood Mac cover into their live sets.

(Updated: Lillie Mae has decided to bow out of the tour, instead working on a "secret project")

Ballyhoo! and Shwayze, Bottleneck. $20

The Maryland reggae pop/punk band are Warped Tour veterans and put out the Planet Sad Boi EP last year, with latest single, “The Front Porch”, out most recently. Alt hip-hop opener Schwayze (aka Aaron Smith) last released 2019’s Beach Boy album, so is likely due for new music.

Thursday Aug 11

Brett Young, Kansas City Live! $30-$70

The country pop singer’s latest album is last year’s Weekends Look a Little Different These Days, a happy result of the birth of his new daughter Presley, and the Orange County native also released a Christmas album last year. Live, he’s recently worked in a John Hiatt cover song among his own hits.

Friday Aug 12

Incubus with Sublime with Rome, Aquadolls, Azura Amphitheater. $30.50-$250.50

A bit of a late ‘90s throwback lineup, Incubus still has regular rotation on local airwaves and have released a few recent singles including 2019’s “Into the Summer” and 2020’s “Our Love”, but most of the familiar songs date back about 15-20 yrs. Look for a Lenny Kravitz cover in the set as well.

Long Beach, CA’s Sublime with Rome carry on with all the great ska punk hits of the original band, as well as new music such as 2019’s Blessings album. California female indie rockers The Aquadolls are celebrating a decade as a band.

Michael Franti & Spearhead, Grinders KC, $35-$75

It’s always a “good day for a good day” when Michael Franti & Spearhead play, and their joyous vibe of feel-good, life-affirming music, is what everyone needs as we slowly move past the pandemic. We caught them live recently, last fall at an outdoor street party in Lawrence, and even performing as only a trio, everyone was thoroughly entertained and in appreciation of the return of live music.

The new release Follow Your Heart was released in June and reflects our shared struggle of the last couple years and encourages listening to your inner voice and being your authentic self.

Santa Fe Klan, Uptown Theater, $59.50-$85

Hip hop artist from Guanajuato, México, aka Ángel Quezada is out on his 15-stop Mar y Tierra Tour. With six albums under his name, he was a finalist of MIDEM´s “Talent Accelerator” and named The Latin Youth´s voice.

Drake White, Power and Light District, $20

We just caught the Alabama native live last month as part of the massive three-day Country Stampede at the Heartland in Topeka with an hour-long set on the second stage, and he returns to the area in support of his March full-length The Optimystic.

Goatwhore, Granada. $20

After sharing Spring stages with Gwar and Brujeria, the New Orleans black metal band headlines a night not for the faint of heart. Comments guitarist Sammy Duet, “We’re excited to be back on the road … Expect absolute debauchery and chaos, maniacs!”

Starcrawler, recordBar, $15

LA pop punk band has a brand-new album out, She Said, with latest single, “Stranded” and has been working in a frantic Ramones cover into current live sets. The Bad Ideas scheduled to open.

Saturday Aug 13

Decemberists with Brigid Mae Power, Grinders KC, $35-$99

Calling it the Arise from the Bunkers! Tour, count us as fans of the longtime Portland indie band, with the band celebrating over two decades. Singer-songwriter Colin Meloy also has a book coming this fall. Live, we caught them in a memorable show back in 2015 and more recently, they’ve been ending their main set with a cover of The Smiths’ “Ask.”

The Lumineers with Gregory Alan Isakov, T-Mobile Center. $49-$89

Out on their Brightside Tour, in support of fourth studio album of the same name, the core band is just a duo, Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites, though they bring a full band with them.

The Colorado indie folk group recorded a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” as a bonus track for the new album and live their recent twenty-five song set includes a cover of Tom Petty’s “Walls.” We caught them as part of a stacked lineupp at Target Center in Minneapolis in 2017.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Knuckleheads. $20

The Austin TX blues funk rock band always invites you to “come to my party” and this venue seems the ideal place to see them live. We caught them in the summer of 2014 at the Tour de Fat Beer and Bike Festival and previous to that, at First Avenue in Minneapolis the previous Autumn. In 2020, they released single, “Five Dollars.”

Sunday Aug 14

Melissa Etheridge, Liberty Hall, $69-$199

The pride of Leavenworth, KS returns to her home state for a relatively intimate show in support of One Way Out (on BMG Records). The album is composed of unreleased songs written in the late 80's and early 90's, but recorded recently with her original band, with two songs recorded live at the Roxy in LA in 2002. Expect all the previous hits played live as well. (Note: vaxx status is required)

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” Uptown. $45-$249

It’s fabulous! RuPaul’s Drag Race World Tour returns with an all-new production for 2022 - an experiment gone wrong has sent the audience spiraling through time with no way of returning to the present. Join Kameron Michaels, Rose, Vanessa Vanjie, Yvie Oddly and finalists from the upcoming 14th Season on a journey through iconic periods of history in hopes of finding your way back to 2022.

Oliver Tree, Arvest Bank at the Midland, $29.50-$59.50

The Santa Cruz, CA singer-songwriter/rapper has his second studio release out, Cowboy Tears supposedly a final album which follows up 2020's Ugly Is Beautiful which reached #1 on Billboard's Rock chart. Recent single “I Hate You” is not on the new LP. JAWNY, Huddy slated to open.

Sleeping With Sirens with Don Broco, Point North and Garzi, The Truman. $32-$55

The Orlando post hardcore alt-rock group is out on a 24-date summer U.S. tour dubbed "Ctrl + Alt + Delete" with KC being the final show on the leg. Their most recent record, 2019's How It Feels to Be Lost, featured songs "Leave It All Behind" and "Agree to Disagree" and single "Bloody Knuckles," came out last year, though we’re interested to hear their version of The Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris”.

Monday Aug 15

take a day off

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

Ian Sweet at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (06 Aug 2022)

Ian Sweet Setlist Drink the Lake f*ckthat Dumb Driver Hiding DIE A MILLION TIMES FIGHT All Skaters Go to Heaven Power Get Better Sword -- Encore -- Yellow (Coldplay cover) Tour Dates Aug. 8 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge # Aug. 9 - Kansas City, MO @ Record Bar # Aug. 11 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge # Aug. 12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court # Aug. 14 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar# #=w/ Bnny Read More Ian Sweet Los Angeles’ Ian Sweet (aka Jilian Medford) will be stopping by the 7th Street Entry in support of her new album Crush Crusher (available October 26th on Hardly Art). She’s bringing Young Jesus with her on this tour. … Bnny February 18, with support from Chicago quartet Bnny. Tour dates: 02/1 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar # 02/3 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge # 02/4 - Omaha, NE @ Reverb Lounge # …

Los Angeles’ Ian Sweet (Jilian Medford) headlined the 7th Street Entry on Saturday, August 6th. The show was originally scheduled for February 18, 2022, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was moved to August 6.

Opening the show was Chicago quartet Bnny, who started with just a quiet solo song from lead singer Jess Viscius. Shortly after that song ended, the rest of her band, which includes her twin sister Alexa Viscius, and Tim Makowski and Matt Pelkey, joined Jess on stage. Laughing she said, “That was the most rock ‘n roll thing I’ve ever done.”

The band (and debut record Everything) was created to honor and process the death of Jess’ partner. So many of their songs are somewhat depressing and emotional.

Their latest single, “I’m Just Fine”, is about “the sensation of time moving slowly when you are missing someone. It’s about attempting to deny that you are heartbroken in order to protect yourself.”

Highlight of their set was their drummer, Spud’s sixtieth birthday.

Ian Sweet is joined on stage by Jessie B on bass and Nate on drums (no, not that Nate on Drums).

Despite what Ian Sweet told us on stage, this was Sweet’s fourth time in Minneapolis (she mentioned she’s been three times on stage). She could be right, she may have cancelled an appearance… but according to our W♥M archive, this was her fourth time here: The first, in May 31, 2017 with Girlpool and Snail Mail at 7th Street Entry. The second with Ted Leo And The Pharmacists in November 11, 2017. The third as headliner at the 7th Street Entry October 29, 2018.

To be fair, Sweet’s always had a bad memory, as we witness in 2018, “ They’re [Ian Sweet] already familiar with the [Minneapolis] city, but they may have very short-term memory of it. Band leader, singer, guitarist Jilian Medford even joked about it, after playing “You Confuse Me”, she said that someone asked her where they played last night and it took over three minutes for her to remember. She actually didn’t say where they played (which tells me she didn’t actually remember!), but it was at O’Leavers in Omaha.”

Setlist

Look, I get it, when you’re on stage, there’s a million things going on in your mind, the least of which is remembering things. She said audience expect her to also be a comedian, especially when she’s focusing on trying to tune her guitar or remembering what song is up next. It’s hard, but this is what she’s always wanted to do: to entertain people with her songs. She hopes that one day, she could be doing this as a full time job… because right now she still maintains a day job (which is currently a music supervisor for movie trailers).

There were a few new songs from her new album Show Me How You Disappear on her set, including “Dumb Driver”, “Get Better”, and set closer, “Sword”.

Encore song was a “sweet” version of Coldplay’s “Yellow.”

Bnny

Bnny

Bnny

Bnny

Ian Sweet

Ian Sweet

Ian Sweet

Ian Sweet at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (06 Aug 2022)

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

Site Update: Announcing the Tamron 50-400mm

Read More Sony I’m in the market for a new high end camera, so I was debating on buying the Sony A9 (used) and Sony A7 IV, as they were about the same price. For non-Sony camera enthusiasts, let me break down …

I’m in the market for a new long (over 200mm) lens for my new Sony A7IV and did look at some of my options in the world of 500 to 600mm for the Sony E-Mount. After much debate over price, weight, size, and actual usage (basically I will only need these lens for wildlife and sports), I have decided to be more realistic and put the shopping on pause. I even stated that “companies are always coming out with new lens option, so I will wait it out.”

Maybe Tamron heard me, and announced that they are working on the Tamron 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067) on July 28, 2022. The new lens will be coming out Fall 2022… which is just perfect for me. Count me in on being one of the first ones to buy this versatile lens.

Currently, I’m rocking the Tamron 28-200mm and constantly complained that I wish I could get a little closer. This newly announced lens will double my reach to 400mm… which will work out for me. It’s also small (7 inches) and weighs about 2.5lbs, which twice as less as those 600mm lens. I hand-hold my camera, so I need my gear as light as possible.

Seeing as I’m very happy with the performance of my Tamron 28-200mm, I know I will be happy with the upcoming 50-400mm. I just hope it’s not that expensive.

Here is an excerpt from Tamron’s press release:

The 50-400mm F/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD (Model A067) creates an entirely new category for high-performance ultra-telephoto mirrorless zoom lenses. With an 8x zoom ratio that begins at an unprecedented 50mm (commonly called the “standard” focal length for full-frame cameras), this new ultra-telephoto zoom lens for Sony E-mount full-frame mirrorless cameras is the same size as conventional 100-400mm zoom lenses, yet offers a wider angle of view on the wide end for excellent versatility. The 50-400mm F4.5-6.3 is remarkably compact with a length of just 183.4mm (7.2 in) and a light weight of 1,155g (40.7 oz) but provides unparalleled high performance at all focal lengths. In spite of the high magnification ratio, high image quality is delivered across the entire 50-400mm range through the effective arrangement of special lens elements. Equipped with TAMRON’s VXD (Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive) linear motor focus mechanism that offers excellent quietness and responsiveness, plus TAMRON's proprietary image stabilization mechanism VC (Vibration Compensation), the lens delivers versatile capability for all shooting scenarios.

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

Minneapolis: August 24 to August 26

08/24 Seratones at Turf Club Read More Seratones Shreveport, Louisiana’s Seratones announced their third album Love & Algorhythms, out on April 29th via New West Records. This album follows their breakout debut and sophomore records, which found the band …

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide

08/24/2022 Wednesday

Seratones
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Los Angeles’ Seratones is returning to the Twin Cities, at the Turf Club, on August 24, in support of their new album Love & Algorhythms (New West Records).

We saw the band in May 2016 and said, “Combine various ingredients of all kinds, add additional spices and seasonings, then let simmer. Shreveport, LA band Seratones was recently in town on the very day their debut album, Get Gone (on Fat Possum Records) was released, and the results were very similar. The quartet (AJ Haynes –vocals/guitar, Connor Davis-guitar, Adam Davis-bass, and Jesse Gabriel-drums) has been gradually gaining buzz- Winning a Louisiana Music Golden Microphone prize in 2013, getting notice from Paste and NME and showcasing at this year’s SXSW Festival in Austin, TX. Though sometimes compared to Alabama Shakes, the band is purposely more rough around the edges, and adds more of a garage punk/blues trait to their music, for the comparisons to run too deep.”

Tour dates:

Jul 29 Denver, CO, US UMS
Aug 23 Kansas City, MO, US recordBar
Aug 24 St. Paul, MN, US Turf Club
Aug 25 Spring Green, WI, US The Shitty Barn
Aug 26 Chicago, IL, US Sleeping Village
Aug 27 Milwaukee, WI, US Humboldt Park Bandshell
Aug 27 Milwaukee, WI, US WMSE Homboldt Park
Aug 30 Columbus, OH, US The Basement
Aug 31 Louisville, KY, US Waterfront Park Great Lawn
Sep 2 Peoria, IL, US Peoria Blues
Sep 10 St Louis, MO, US Music at the Intersection
Sep 16 Outdoor Queens, NY, US The Big Climate Thing
Oct 8 Dana Point, CA, US Ohana Encore
Oct 8 Dana Point, CA, US Ohana Encore

08/25 Parker Millsap with Laura Hugo at Turf Club Read More Parker Millsap Support will come from Oklahoma-bred, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Parker Millsap, who recently toured in support of his album Be Here Instead. …

08/25/2022 Thursday

Parker Millsap
with Laura Hugo
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Parker Millsap is returning to the Turf Club in St Paul this August 25th.

We saw him in September 2021 at the Turf Club and wrote, “ We first saw Parker Millsap at SXSW in Mar 2014, and described him as “an Oklahoma native brought up in the Pentecostal church … with lots of songs about religion. Old time feel and a great version of "You Gotta Move", a Rev Gary Davis song covered by the Rolling Stones on Sticky Fingers.” A lot have changed with the fifth album Be Here Instead, which marked a stylistic shift from folk / old time music to more experimenting with pedal effects and drums focused. This may have something to do with his departure from writing all his songs with his guitar and notebook, to asking his live band to work with him. The album was also produced by legendary John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Waxahatchee), who helped brought in Nashville singer Erin Rae, for Millsap’s song “The Real Thing”, making it the #1 song on the Americana charts.”

Laura Hugo to open.

Tour dates:

Aug 5 Perkins, OK, US Old Church Center
Aug 6 Fort Worth, TX, US Tulips FTW
Aug 24 Madison, WI, US High Noon Saloon
Aug 25 St. Paul, MN, US Turf Club
Aug 29 Billings, MT, US The Pub Station
Aug 30 Great Falls, MT, US The Newberry
Aug 31 Bozeman, MT, US Filling Station
Sep 2 Fort Collins, CO, US Fort Collins Armory
Sep 3 Denver, CO, US Globe Hall
Oct 8 Harrisburg, PA, US XL Live

08/26 Dirty Honey with Mac Saturn at Fine Line Read More Dirty Honey Up and coming bands Dirty Honey and The Amazons played a very crowded and long sold-out show at the Riot Room in Kansas City, proving in the process that it would be the last time that either band plays …

08/26/2022 Friday

Dirty Honey
with Mac Saturn
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Los Angeles’ Dirty Honey came highly recommended, when they played the Uptown Theater in Kansas (13 Mar 2022) and Riot Room in Kansas (15 Feb 2020): “We knew right away Los Angeles band Dirty Honey was headed to bigger and better things. The buzz was already palpable when we caught them live pre-pandemic at the smaller (and now closed) Riot Room and the band has exceeded those expectations, releasing their self-titled debut album (on Dirt Records) last year as a follow up to their successful 2019 EP. A modern melding of ‘70s-era Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, and Faces, peppered with some Black Crowes, the foursome (Marc LaBelle– vocals; John Notto- guitar; Justin Smolian- bass; Corey Coverstone -drums) had the crowd at their command from the beginning, opening with the new album’s first song, “California Dreamin’” and into “Heartbreaker” that had the fans singing the chorus back at the band.”

Now, Dirty Honey will stop by Minneapolis, at the Fine Line Music Café this August 26, 2022, as part of their “California Dreamin Tour”.

Mac Saturn to open.

Tour dates:

Aug 25 Oshkosh, WI, US Waterfest at Riverside Park
Aug 26 Minneapolis, MN, US Fine Line
Aug 27 Fargo, ND, US Fargo Brewing Company
Aug 29 Winnipeg, MB, Canada Park Theatre
Aug 31 Saskatoon, SK, Canada Louis'
Sep 2 Edmonton, AB, Canada The Starlite Room
Sep 3 Calgary, AB, Canada Commonwealth Bar & Stage
Sep 5 Vancouver, BC, Canada Rickshaw Theatre
Sep 7 Portland, OR, US Revolution Hall
Sep 8 Seattle, WA, US Neptune Theatre
Sep 9 Spokane, WA, US Knitting Factory Concert House - Spokane
Sep 11 Billings, MT, US The Pub Station
Sep 13 Lincoln, NE, US Bourbon Theatre
Sep 14 West Des Moines, IA, US Val Air Ballroom
Sep 14 West Des Moines, IA, US Val Air Ballroom
Sep 16 Cleveland, OH, US House of Blues Cleveland
Sep 17 Waterloo, NY, US The Vine Theater at Del Lago Resort & Casino
Sep 21 Harrisburg, PA, US Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center (HMAC)
Sep 22 Columbus, OH, US KEMBA Live!
Sep 22 Outdoor Louisville, KY, US Louder Than Life Festival
Sep 24 Clarkston, MI, US Riff Fest
Sep 27 Grand Rapids, MI, US Intersection
Sep 28 Joliet, IL, US The Forge
Sep 30 Belvidere, IL, US The Apollo Theatre AC
Oct 1 St Louis, MO, US Red Flag
Oct 2 Fort Smith, AR, US TempleLive Fort Smith
Oct 5 Tucson, AZ, US Rialto Theatre
Oct 6 Sacramento, CA, US Monster Energy Aftershock
Oct 7 Santa Cruz, CA, US The Catalyst

08/26 Monica Martin with Jake Sherman at 7th St Entry Read More Monica Martin The band plays an often delicate blend of folk and pop, mixed with soul, rock and psych, and is anchored by the lilting vocals of singer Monica Martin. The first half of the set especially, seemed loose and friendly, almost like being present for a basement …

08/26/2022 Friday

Monica Martin
with Jake Sherman
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

We previously saw singer Monica Martin with Phox in Feb 2017: “PHOX took to the stage after a brief set change, starting with 2014’s chilled, piano driven ‘Leisure’ from their one and only self-titled full length (on PTKF Records)… The band plays an often delicate blend of folk and pop, mixed with soul, rock and psych, and is anchored by the lilting vocals of singer Monica Martin. The first half of the set especially, seemed loose and friendly, almost like being present for a basement rehearsal, but the band would tighten things up, as they went.”

Monica Martin is currently on tour, stopping by the 7th Street this August 26th.

Jake Sherman to open.

Tour dates:

Aug 18 Philadelphia, PA, US Johnny Brenda's
Aug 20 Washington, DC, US Songbyrd
Aug 21 Brooklyn, NY, US The Sultan Room
Aug 23 Ferndale, MI, US Otus Supply Parliament Room
Aug 24 Chicago, IL, US Sleeping Village
Aug 26 Minneapolis, MN, US 7th St Entry
Aug 27 Milwaukee, WI, US Back Room, Colectivo Coffee
Aug 28 Madison, WI, US High Noon Saloon

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 ♥ twitter.com

Sony A7IV at Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley (01 Aug 2022)

Read More Sony I’m in the market for a new high end camera, so I was debating on buying the Sony A9 (used) and Sony A7 IV, as they were about the same price. For non-Sony camera enthusiasts, let me break down …

It’s been one year since we did a photo shoot with the Sony A7C at the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley… so I thought it would make sense to do a test run of the new Sony A7IV camera at the same location, on August 1, 2022.

A7IV and A7C

Even though Sony called the A7C “the world’s smallest full frame camera”, playing around with the A7IV, I didn’t really think the A7C was that small. It is smaller, but looking at the camera, side-by-side, they look similar to each other, in terms of size. You will only notice the differences when you hold the A7IV. It’s bigger and it’s heavier. You noticed the bigger grip, which I find too big.

You also notice a ton of extra dials and buttons. Power users will want to assign certain items to certain buttons and dials, which is simply a better experience. You see the A7C can do many things, but you have to dig through Sony’s menu, which is slow and cumbersome. With the A7IV, you just assign that feature to button.

Sony also revamped the camera menu, which is found in newer cameras. It’s color-coded and looks good. I am looking forward to having Sony update all their cameras with this new menu system.

All the photos on my hike through the Springbrook Nature Center were taken with the Tamron 28-200mm lens, which is still my favorite lens. I still somewhat wish I could reach just a little further, maybe 400mm… but those long lens tend to be very pricey and has very limited usage. You basically will want a long lens for photographing animals and sports. For everyday use, I think the 28-200mm range is just perfect. Of course, I did debate on getting a 600mm or 500mm lens last month, but weighing all my options and its usage, I am going to put purchasing that lens on pause. Companies are always coming out with new lens option, so I will wait it out. Right now, 28-200mm is perfect for me.

The A7IV uses a new auto-focusing system… which I’m not quite used to. To be honest, I felt the A7C did a better job on auto-focusing, but I’m still learning to use the A7IV, so perhaps it’s just a matter of figuring it all out.

Birds at the Springbrook Nature Center, Fridley (01 Aug 2022)

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