W♥M

01/13/2025

Minneapolis: February 9 to February 13, 2025

01/12/2025

Phony Ponies

Phonetics On and On by Horsegirl

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Horsegirl

Chicago rock band Horsegirl recently released their debut album Versions of Modern Performance, available now on Matador Records. The all-girls trio, featuring singer/guitarist Penelope …

Horsegirl
horsegirlmusic.com

An update on Horsegirl. This former Chicago trio (Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece) is now based in New York (as of Fall 2022), and they’re about to release their second album Phonetics On and On on Matador Records.

Horsegirl at Fine Line (26 July 2022)

We caught the band in July 2022 and wrote, “A year later, I can let you know that the trio (Penelope Lowenstein, Nora Cheng, and Gigi Reece) seemed to be sharing more vocals/songs between its two singers Penelope and Nora (before it looked like Penelope did most of the heavy lifting). They’ve also seem to downplay their experimental “Sonic Youth” fiddling and seemed focused on being a teenage rock trio. They’re still learning, they’re still evolving... and that’s exciting. Horsegirl’s debut album Versions of Modern Performance is available now on Matador Records.”

To promote the new record, Phonetics On and On, there will be an upcoming tour, see dates below.

Horsegirl Tour Dates

Feb. 22 - Chicago, IL @ Metro ^

Mar. 21 - Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church %

Mar. 22 - Washington, DC @ Black Cat %

Mar. 23 - Raleigh, NC @ Kings %

Mar. 24 - Richmond, VA @ The Warehouse %

Mar. 26 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom %

Mar. 27 - Somerville, MA @ Arts at The Armory %

Mar. 28 - Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater %

Mar. 29 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw %

June 7 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound

June 10 - Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Club

June 11 - Berlin, DE @ Badehaus Szimpla

June 14 - Porto, PT @ Primavera Sound Porto

June 16 - Cologne, DE @ Bumann & Sohn

June 17 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix

June 18 - Paris, FR @ Petit Bain

June 20 - London, UK @ Scala

June 21 - Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall

June 22 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono

June 24 - Dublin, IE @ The Workman's Club

June 26 - Bristol, UK @ Thekla

^ w/ Lifeguard & Answering Machines
% w/ Free Range

Song of the Year Winner

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Dan Wilson

Singer-songwriter Dan Wilson has been a Los Angeles transplant for several years now, but Minneapolis/St. Paul still claims him as one of our own, and friends, family, and fans all came out, to fill his …

Dan Wilson
danwilsonmusic.com

In November, I was surprised to learn that Dan Wilson (the bandleader for Semisonic) won his first CMA Award for Song of the Year for Chris Stapleton’s “White Horse.”

First of all, I had no idea Dan Wilson wrote that song, but obviously Wilson’s been playing the songwriting game for numerous musicians, including with Adele (“Someone Like You”), the Chicks (“Not Ready to Make Nice”), Pink, Celine Dion, Leon Bridges, Mitski, Claud, Halsey, Weezer, Panic! at the Disco, My Morning Jacket, Dierks Bentley, John Legend, Joy Oladokun, Laufey, and on, and on.

‘Song of the Year’ for CMA Awards, plus ‘Best Country Song; at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards earlier in 2024, well the song is a huge win for both Stapleton and Wilson.

“White Horse” is Wilson’s second major collaboration with Chris Stapleton following 2015’s “When The Stars Come Out,” and hopefully with these awards, this won’t be the last collaboration.

Dan Wilson at Fitzgerald Theater (22 Sept 2017)

We saw Dan Wilson in Sep 2017 and wrote, “As the stage changed in the 1,000 seat theater, a game board-like hand-drawn image (called an illuminated setlist) gave the audience the musical road map that Dan Wilson would follow during his almost two-hour headlining set. On this tour, he’s managed to tie together three of his biggest passions into a cohesive show- the composing of words and music, and his visual doodles and hand-rendered calligraphy. Wilson initially emerged solo to begin his almost two-hour set, on piano for a rendition of Gabe Dixon’s ‘All Will Be Well’ (“you can keep wooh-ing” he said, still tuning up) but was soon joined by bandmates Brad Gordon (piano) and Andy Thompson (drums) and eventually the Laurel String Quartet, subbing in for the Kronos Quartet that is on the new record.”

Pony Coughing by Nervous Verbs

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R. Ring

R.Ring is Kelley Deal, Kim Deal's twin sister. Kim may sing a note or play a lick on the new record, but R.Ring is all Kelley and some man with a beard. Kim is napping under a big pile of her Pixies reunion ...

Nervous Verbs
danwilsonmusic.com

Remember R. Ring? The Kelley Deal & Mike Montgomery (Ampline) joint? Well Mike is back, this time under the stage name of Nervous Verbs. His debut album, Pony Coughing, will be released worldwide on February 28 via Don Giovanni Records.

With these pre-orders, you can preview the lead single “Vicious Riffs”, available to stream everywhere, to give you a taste of the debut album.

R. Ring at 7th Street Entry (03 May 2015)

We saw R.Ring in and said, “R. Ring is a duo of Kelley Deal and Mike Montgomery, but for this particular show, they were joined by Joe on drums. Joe is going to travel with the two, at least up to San Francisco. With only a handful of published songs, I didn't think the band would play more than 30 minutes. To make up for the lack of songs, they started their set with two The Kelley Deal 6000 songs ("Scary" and "Trixie Delicious") and played every songs they've written... plus throwing in a Shellac cover ("Ghosts"). According to Deal, the KD6k songs were both written in St Paul (Minneapolis' twin city). Deal did most of the vocals, with some exceptions. Montgomery took over singing for "Steam" and the cover song "Ghost".”

On a related note, Kelley Deal released her debut album Nobody Loves You More last November. This was her first solo album in a decade.

take it offff by horsegiirL

horsegiirL
horsegiirl420.komi.io

Berlin-based DJ and producer horsegiirL (not to be confused with Horsegirl) has a six-track EP called v.i.p. that is coming out January 31, 2025, via Three Six Zero Recordings.

In the meantime you can hear her new single “take it offff”, which horsegiirL shares, “Mietze Conte and I spent 3 days in Vienna in the studio and just made the funnest songs in no time and ‘take it offff’ is one of them. It started as a really slow, kinda heartbreaky melody until we decided to speed it up and noticed how sexy the track was. It's encouraging you to get your exercise in 😉”

Like other DJs, like Marshmello or Daft Punk, horsegiirL uses a horse mask whenever she’s working as DJ in the clubs.

Horses by Tobacco City

Tobacco City
scissortailrecords.com

Chicago’s cosmic country band Tobacco City will release their sophomore album called Horses on Scissor Tail Records. On the album, they described it as “taking the listeners on a nostalgic journey through the haze of youth, where time feels suspended and plans are nonexistent.”

The band writes, “We are humbled to give you our second LP: Horses. We made this record with all people we love very much and people we trust deeply. We really hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy Autumn and talk to you soon! Much more on the way!”

If you like the spirit of ‘70s country with influences from Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, take a ride on Horses.

Horses comes out March 7, 2025.

Briefly

Two Tone Pony

twotonepony.com

Australian band Two Tone Pony released their debut album Born on The Road.

The band formed in 2019 when frontman, David Kirkpatrick, needed to create a band to play at his daughter’s wedding, and “so Two Tone Pony was born.”

Born on The Road is Kirkpatrick’s “culmination of a lifetime of stories: from my childhood, from my personal relationships past and present, and from my deep love of the land and its’ people.”

The Pale Horses

thepalehorses.bandcamp

Canada’s The Pale Horses (not to be confused with Palehorse) released their debut EP Enchantress last October 25, 2024, via Black Throne Productions.

The music is described as catchy guitar motifs and shadowy vampiric vocals, particularly with the lead single “Never Know”, which tells the tale of lust and a toxic lover.

Despite a debut EP, the band, based out of Hamilton, is listed as dating back to the late 90s as a side project.

ian

ian.family

Rising St. Louis-born rapper ian announces the new album Goodbye Horses.

ian shook up the game upon arrival earlier in 2024, with his debut Valedictorian album generated hundreds of millions of streams fueled by “Magic Johnson” (with over 97 million streams alone), “Figure It Out,” and “Never Stop.” Most recently, he linked up with Lil Yachty on “Hate Me,” reeling in over 54 million streams and counting as well as 10 million-plus views on the Lyrical Lemonade-helmed music video.

You guys know how I feel about these common names like Heaven or Boy… it’s impossible to find you guys on the internet.

Devil’s Blind Horse

thedevilsblindhorse.bigcartel

Rising heavy rock collective Devil’s Blind Horse recently released their new single “Dragon”, available now on all major streaming platforms.

The song, featuring vocals from VK Lynne, is described as a mid-tempo, riff-heavy powerhouse, and is the first release from the band, driven by the creative vision of Brazilian-born guitarist, producer, writer and founder Alex Knoll.

Alex adds, “THE DEVIL'S BLIND HORSE is an unabashed celebration of all of the things that I love about music. It is the journey in pursuing the music that I hear in my head... ”

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 12:05 AM in Chris Stapleton, Country Music, Dan Wilson, Horsegirl, Kelley Deal, Lil Yachty, R. Ring, Semisonic, When Animals Attack | Permalink | Comments (0)

01/11/2025

R.I.P. Sam Moore

Photo -Sam Moore- Overnight Sensational album cover

(Read more Musicians who died in 2025)

R.I.P. Sam Moore

The ‘Soul Man’ has passed away--

Sam Moore, the tenor half of the celebrated soul duo Sam & Dave, passed away at the age of 89 in a Coral Gables FL hospital following surgery on Friday, confirmed by his wife and manager, Joyce Moore, with no further details given.

Sam Moore and one-time singing partner Dave Prater were 1960s fixtures on the R&B and Pop charts with timeless hits like “Soul Man”; “Hold On, I’m Comin’”, “I Thank You” and many more.

Their Sam & Dave collaboration was nicknamed the ‘Sultans of Sweat’ and ‘Double Dynamite’ as a result of their frenetic live performances that made anyone else (including notably Otis Redding) afraid to be on the same bill as them.

Moore and Prater, both experienced gospel group singers in their own right, met on an amateur night in a club in Moore’s native Miami in 1961 (where he was born on Oct 12,1935); paired together by regional producer Henry Stone, who would help them sign to Marlin and then Roulette Records.

The pair graduated to Atlantic Records (after heads Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd caught a 1964 live performance) and then were ‘loaned out’ to record for Stax Records, soon following. It was while recording for Stax (with the likes of Isaac Hayes and David Porter and house band Booker T. & the M.G.’s with the Mar-Keys horns) that the tender smoothness of Moore’s voice, and the preacher-like rougher baritone of Prater’s, truly came together to create audio magic.

1967’s “Soul Man” would of course, top the R&B charts and also crossed over to be a #2 Pop hit (also winning a Grammy), with their overall success helping to open doors for similar black acts to connect with white audiences. But the trapping of late 60’s stardom, which included their own plane and tour bus, a growing entourage and groupies, and more, also resulted in both becoming heroin addicts.

The duo was never personally close and ending their relationship with Stax and dwindling hits, all contributed to their first breakup in 1970, with each going their way to less successful solo careers. They would reform for most of the 70’s, getting a career boost from the 1979 “Blues Brothers” film which featured “Soul Man”, and performed together for the last time in San Francisco for New Years Eve 1981, never speaking to each other again. Prater would later lose his life in an April 1988 car accident.

Meeting and marrying his wife Joyce a year after the final split, helped Moore right his professional career as well as his personal struggles, and Moore would go on to provide vocals on albums with Don Henley, Bruce Springsteen, Lou Reed, Sting, Mariah Carey, and others.

In 1992, Sam & Dave were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement Grammy Award in 2019. He and his wife also worked to help secure overdue copyrights and royalties to performers and songwriters of rock and soul’s earlier days, that were long denied.

We briefly met Sam and his wife Joyce at the 2017 Starkey Foundation Awards Gala in St. Paul MN (but apparently failed to get a good picture in the red-carpet chaos) and talked to his wife again the next year, who returned to the Gala even though Sam was too ill then, to attend.

More recently, Moore had guested on two songs for Springsteen’s 2022 album, “Only the Strong Survive’ and performed last year in Alabama at a George Jones tribute concert.

Sam & Dave Photo - courtesy Stax Records

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

Posted at 02:04 PM in John, Musicians Who Died, News, Soul | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minneapolis: This Week (01/19/2025)

What’s happening this week.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

16 Jan 2025 Joy Oladokun at First Avenue

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Joy Oladokun

The evening began with the pleasant surprise of a support set from Nashville via Arizona folk/pop/roots singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun, still in support of full-length, Living Proof (out via Verve/Forecast/Republic) …

16 Jan 2025 Thursday

Joy Oladokun
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Joy Oladokun is headlining First Avenue on January 16, 2025, in support of the new album Observations From a Crowded Room (Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records).

Joy Oladokun has partnered with PLUS1 so that $1 from every ticket sold will go to The Ally Coalition’s work to support homeless and at-risk LGBTQ youth.

There is a strict 6 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 6 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets up to ONE MONTH prior to show.

Joy Oladokun at Azura Amphitheater (09 Aug 2024)

We saw Joy Oladokun in Aug 2024 and wrote, “The evening began with the pleasant surprise of a support set from Nashville via Arizona folk/pop/roots singer-songwriter Joy Oladokun, still in support of full-length, Living Proof (out via Verve/Forecast/Republic). (If we read the poster closer, we’d have known that Canadian Allison Russell was only opening the first set of dates of the tour). We’d seen the singer headline last year at The Truman in Kansas City so were familiar, and the thirty-five-minute performance began with Oladokun demurely introducing herself and the band by saying, “Hi, I’m Joy. These are my friends- they’re very weird and we’re going to play some songs together” before launching into “Taking Things for Granted”, a song we knew from previous, was about a childhood birthday experience.”

Tour dates:

January 9-13—Riviera Cancun, Mexico—Moon Palace

January 16—Minneapolis, MN—First Avenue

January 17—Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall

January 18—Detroit, MI—El Club

January 20—Louisville, KY—Headliners Music Hall

January 21—Columbus, OH—Newport Music Hall

January 22—Cleveland, OH—House of Blues

January 23—Toronto, ON—The Axis Club

January 25—Montreal, QB—Theatre Beanfield

January 26—South Burlington, VT—Higher Ground Ballroom

January 28—Portland, ME—State Theatre

January 30—New York, NY—Irving Plaza

February 1—Boston, MA—Royale

February 4—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer

February 7—Washington, D.C.—The Howard

February 8—Charlotte, NC—The Underground

February 11—Raleigh, NC—Lincoln Theatre

February 13—Knoxville, TN—Bijou Theatre^

February 14—Atlanta, GA—Variety Playhouse

February 25—Tulsa, OK—Cain’s Ballroom

February 26—Kansas City, MO—The Truman

18 Jan 2025 Lutalo at 7th St Entry

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Lutalo

Opening the show was Vermont-based singer/producer Lutalo (not to be confused with Ugandan musician David Lutalo). He was last seen opening for Claud in September 2023 and seemed to be a fairly active singer .…

18 Jan 2025 Saturday

Lutalo
with runo plum
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Vermont-based singer/producer Lutalo will headline the 7th Street Entry on January 18, 2025, in support of the debut album The Academy.

Lutalo at Amsterdam Bar and Hall (30 Oct 2023)

We saw Lutalo in Oct 2023 and said, “Opening the show was Vermont-based singer/producer Lutalo (not to be confused with Ugandan musician David Lutalo). He was last seen opening for Claud in September 2023 and seemed to be a fairly active singer. You find out that he was born and raised in Minnesota, so being back in St Paul, felt like being home. He played “PLPH” early on… which stands for Pretty Little Painted House … what is the painted house? It’s in reference to the White House. He ended his set with his most popular song, “Bad Man.””

UPDATE: runo plum to open.

Tour dates:

Jan 14, 2025 Monarch Tavern Toronto, ON

Jan 16, 2025 Schubas Tavern Chicago, IL

Jan 17, 2025 Cactus Club Milwaukee, WI

Jan 18, 2025 7th St Entry Minneapolis, MN

Jan 21, 2025 Barboza Seattle, WA

Jan 22, 2025 Mississippi Studios Portland, OR

Jan 24, 2025 Bottom Of The Hill San Francisco, CA

Jan 25, 2025 The Echo Los Angeles, CA

Jan 27, 2025 Valley Bar Phoenix, AZ

Jan 30, 2025 White Oak Upstairs Houston, TX

Jan 31, 2025 The Ballroom Austin, TX

Feb 1, 2025 Rubber Gloves Denton, TX

Feb 4, 2025 The EARL Atlanta, GA

Feb 6, 2025 Cat's Cradle Carrboro, NC

Feb 7, 2025 Songbyrd Washington, DC

Feb 8, 2025 Elsewhere Zone One Brooklyn, NY

Feb 14, 2025 Radio Bean Burlington, VT

18 Jan 2025 Myles Kennedy with Tim Montana at Varsity Theater

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Myles Kennedy

Legendary guitarist Slash, featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, recently played a sold out show at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis last Wednesday, October 7th. .…

Tim Montana

Nashville's (via Butte, MT) Tim Montana has a new Country rock album out himself, "Savage" with its self-titled single, "Die Today" and "Shut Me Out" also released as singles. .…

18 Jan 2025 Saturday

Myles Kennedy
with Tim Montana and Sons of Silver
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Myles Kennedy, from Alter Bridge and later with Slash, is headlining the Varsity Theater on January 18, 2025. His latest solo album is called The Art of Letting Go.

Myles Kennedy & Slash at Mill City Nights (07 Oct 2015)

We saw Myles Kennedy in Oct 2015 and said, “As for Slash, since the breakup/hiatus of the supergroup Velvet Revolver in 2008, he's released three solo albums, Slash (2010), Apocalyptic Love (2012), and the latest World on Fire (2014). The latter album was recorded with singer/guitarist Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge, and the rhythm section named The Conspirators (Brent Fitz and Todd Kerns). NOTE: Kerns, demonstrated that he is actually a great singer, in addition to providing the bass, as he took over lead vocals for "Doctor Alibi" and "Welcome to the Jungle" midway into their set. The current US tour is actually an extension of their "World on Fire" tour, and talking to everyone at Mill City Nights, this was perhaps one of the smallest venues we would ever see Slash... and was no surprise that the show sold out in a matter of minutes.”

Tim Montana at Midland Theater (02 Oct 2024)

Tim Montana to open. Montana’s debut album Savage is out now. We saw him in Oct 2024 and wrote: “Nashville's (via Butte, MT) Tim Montana has a new Country rock album out himself, "Savage" with its self-titled single, "Die Today" and "Shut Me Out" also released as singles.”

Show up early to check out why Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) is a big fan.

Update: Sons of Silver is also on the bill. Their debut album Runaway Emotions will come out January 10.

Tour dates:

Jan 17 2025 Joliet, IL, US The Forge

Jan 18 2025 Minneapolis, MN, US Varsity Theater

Jan 21 2025 Flint, MI, US The Machine Shop

Jan 22 2025 Toronto, ON, Canada The Concert Hall

Jan 25 2025 Glenside, PA, US Keswick Theatre

Jan 27 2025 Boston, MA, US Brighton Music Hall

Jan 28 2025 Asbury Park, NJ, US The Stone Pony

Jan 30 2025 Baltimore, MD, US Baltimore Soundstage

Jan 31 2025 Charlotte, NC, US Neighborhood Theatre

Feb 2 2025 Nashville, TN, US Brooklyn Bowl

Feb 3 2025 Atlanta, GA, US Variety Playhouse

Feb 5 2025 Destin, FL, US Club LA

Feb 7 2025 San Antonio, TX, US Vibes Event Center

Feb 8 2025 Dallas, TX, US Echo Lounge

Feb 11 2025 Lawrence, KS, US Liberty Hall

Feb 12 2025 Denver, CO, US Summit

Feb 14 2025 Mesa, AZ Nile Theater

Feb 16 2025 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US El Rey Theatre

Feb 18 2025 Sacramento, CA, US Ace of Spades

Feb 20 2025 Seattle, WA, US Neptune Theatre

Feb 21 2025 Spokane, WA, US Knitting Factory

Apr 25Arrow right icon 2025 Indio, CA, US StageCoach Festival

Jun 10 2025 Dresden, Germany Alter Schlachthof

Jun 15 2025 Paris, France Élysée Montmartre

Jun 16 2025 Eindhoven, Netherlands Effenaar

Jun 23 2025 Münster, Germany Skaters Palace

Jun 24 2025 Bremen, Germany Aladin Music-Hall

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 08:00 AM in Joy Oladokun, Lutalo, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Music Guide, Myles Kennedy, Tim Montana | Permalink | Comments (0)

01/10/2025

Flashback: The Pipettes at 7th Street Entry (08 June 2007)

Pipettes Setlist

Setlist

Don't Forget Me
Because It's Not Love (But It's Still a Feeling)
Why Did You Stay?
Your Kisses Are Wasted on Me
Your Love for Me
It Hurts to See You Dance So Well
Tell Me What You Want
Baby Don't Leave Me
Really That Bad
The Burning Ambition of the Early Diuretics
True Love Waits Patiently For A Miracle Chords
I Love You
Guess Who Ran Off With the Milkman?
By My Side
Judy
One Night Stand
Dirty Mind
Pull Shapes

-- Encore --
ABC
We Are the Pipettes

Pipettes 2007 Tour

June 1 – Lee’s Palace, Toronto

June 2 – Black Cat, Washington DC

June 3 – First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia

June 4 – Great Scott, Boston

June 5 – Highline Ballroom, New York City

June 7 – Empty Bottle, Chicago

June 8 – 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis

June 10 – Casbah, San Diego

June 11 – Troubadour, Los Angeles

June 12 – Popscene at Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco

June 14 – Chop Suey, Seattle

June 15 – Plaza Club, Vancouver

Read More

The Pipettes

Remember when I said that I couldn't believe the Pipettes are coming here? And to such a small venue?? Well I just checked the event listing and it shows that this is officially a sold-out show. …

Rose Elinor Dougall

I've been meaning to check out Rose's work after she left The Pipettes, and I finally got a chance with some extra cash over the Christmas season. I bought her album, Without Why, released on August 30th, 2010. …

Smoosh

Smoosh are two sisters out of Seattle. They’re joined on stage by their 10-year-old sister, Maia for two or three of the songs. Check out some of their MP3s that they offer on their website. ...

Chaos Chaos

It was good to see Chaos Chaos again, as you know, we were there to witness their "first ever" gig as the new duo. The duo have written more new songs, which they played some of it for us last night. ...

You know I have a thing for British bands, so I was all over The Pipettes when they first appeared on my radar in 2006. They were just so different at the time, singing old girl-pop and doo-wop sound from the 60s. They were three girls, and they were perfect. My favorite is, of course, Rosay. She would later go on to try a solo act as Rose Elinor Dougall.

I didn’t know it then, but her dad is singer Alastair Dougall and her grandfather is BBC news broadcaster Robert Dougall, and her brother is the guitarist of Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong and Toy… so she’s from a family of entertainers. I also didn’t know that she’s in a relationship with Blur’s Graham Coxon, which they have a daughter.

The other two girls in the band are RiotBecki and Gwenno (who performs as a solo artist as well). Gwenno replaced the original Pipette Julia Clarke-Lowes, when she left the group to be with her husband (?) Simon Indelicate and they perform as The Indelicates.

Your Autographs are Wasted on Me

So yeah, I love the band so much that I had them signed their US special tours-only EP Your Kisses are Wasted on Me after the show. I also did talk briefly with the band when they were at the 7th Street Entry, and, as it turned out, they were the brainchild of Monster Bobby (who opened the show).

He tells me that he prefers to be behind the scenes, and that the girls are called “The Pipettes”, while the band that he’s in, playing back music, he dubbed the band “The Cassettes.” It has a nice ring to it, the Pipettes and the Cassettes. The Cassettes are: guitarist Monster Bobby, bassist Jon, drummer Robin, and keyboardist Seb.

I don’t think either bands, the Pipettes or the Cassettes, are still together, but the last thing I saw was the Pipettes are just a duo: Gwenno and Ani Saunders.

Chaos Chaos at Turf Club (21 Oct 2012)

Speaking of opening bands, the sister act Smoosh was cool. Their dad was on tour with them. Years later, the two sisters, Chloe and Asya formed Chaos Chaos, and I was lucky enough to catch them on their first tour in Oct 2012. Things sure have changed since they were 10 and 12 years old.

Recently Chaos Chaos announce 10th Anniversary Vinyl release of Committed To The Crime last October with a local little tour to promote their groundbreaking EP. The new release includes a string version of “Do You Feel It?”, which the girls said, “We wanted to make this special strings version of 'Do You Feel It?' to show our appreciation to everyone who has been there supporting us for the 10 years since the release of Committed To The Crime. Our band broke up for three years, and recording this version of 'Do You Feel It?' after having gone through that painful time gave us a new perspective on the song and on the importance of maintaining our sister relationship. This release is incredibly close to our hearts, and we’re so excited to share it with you.”

P.S. In the original report I mentioned that the two new songs were: “Dance-Boogie” and “_____”, the latter is “Baby, Just Be Yourself” with new producer Greg Wells.

Original report:
>>>

Remember when I said that I couldn’t believe the Pipettes are coming here? And to such a small venue?? Well I just checked the event listing and it shows that this is officially a sold-out show.

There were two opening bands, Smoosh and Monster Bobby. Smoosh are two sisters out of Seattle. They’re joined on stage by their 10-year-old sister, Maia for two or three of the songs. Check out some of their MP3s that they offer on their website. Although they’re very young, I think they’re going to be really huge in a few years.

Monster Bobby looks like a one man band who describes himself as “Christian Rap, 2-step, and Grindcore”. Anyway, he did an interesting remix of the Pipettes’ “Judy”, which you can hear on his myspace. His set consists of “The Doctor” (some loop machine) and his guitar. Oh, he’s also the guitarist of the Pipettes.

You should probably have guessed already that the Pipettes choreographed all their songs, so each song has a different dance. Most notable number seems to be “Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me” and “Pull Shapes”.

For the encore (not listed on the set list), they did “ABC” and “We Are the Pipettes”.

I asked them later on why was the album so delayed for the US market, and they said it was because they are repackaging it for America with two extra tracks (“Dance-Boogie” and “_____”, I forgot the second one). They are being released by Interscope Records in the US.

Random: it’s also noted that all the new songs they did seems to consist of the extra Roland keyboard.

Farewell Milwaukee at Turf Club (09 Jan 2025)

09 Jan 2025 Farewell Milwaukee with A Piano In Every Home and Big Lake at Turf Club

Farewell Milwaukee Setlist (Partial)

Save Me From Myself
Everything Is Broken
Till We’re Afraid
Diamonds
Way Out
The Blister and the Palm
Find Some Grace for Me
Recluse
Caught in the Abyss
You’re the Cure
Hurt No More
Tears Won’t Fall

Previously

Excerpt from Fine Line (20 Mar 2009):

Farewell Milwaukee at the Fine Line (20 Mar 2009)

I like to begin reviews with a clever anecdote to draw in my readers. It’s fun for everyone, but especially fun for me because I consistently amuse myself. When Farewell Milwaukee played the Fine Line, I knew singer Ben Lubeck looked really familiar; not in the sense that I had stalked him on Facebook or met him IRL (In Real Life) or even that I’d seen the band perform before (I had). The reason why he looked familiar is because he is Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. I kid you not, readers; Ben Lubeck is tall, lanky, shaggy-haired Shags. The resemblance is uncanny, although I sincerely hope that he doesn’t take offense by this comment (I don’t know why he would since Shaggy drove an amazing green van AND solved mind-boggling mysteries).

Read More

Farewell Milwaukee

After tour opener, LA-based singer LP, had to pull out due to a meniscus knee injury, locals Farewell Milwaukee ably filled in with a 30 min. set of pleasant Americana rock …

It was a night of local music at Turf Club, with Farewell Milwaukee headlining a mix of country-infused rock & roll.

The first opener was Big Lake. The Minneapolis based trio (all guitars: lead, bass and steel) are very Americana country. The dual vocals create some great harmonies on top of that steel guitar sound, such as on the chorus lyrics “you and I” on the second song. As so often is the case for genre, we got a “We’re going to play some sad country music for you” from the lead singer. How Many Times was indeed the most country sounding song so far. The next song, Proof, is off the new album and traded steel guitar for an electric one. I’m always impressed by a band that can do their thing without a drummer holding them in time. Our first appearance of harmonica (only one of two appearances of the night!) was a prelude to more intricate harmonies in the vocals. Having started a little late, the band was surprised to know they only had time for one more song, but quickly rebounded to finish strong with two final songs (you read that right).

Next up was A Piano in Every Home. This sound is much more alt folk, though again, guitar heavy. The first song could easily play on both country and alternative rock stations and the band easily slides between those genres. This is upbeat music and the crowd reacted favorably. Several good guitar solos kept things moving and really, the band kept everything rolling along. They noted it was the first time they had played at Turf Club in five years. They moved into some newer material, which had a little more Americana feel, but continued to have that high energy. Anchorage started with a long guitar intro and also slid more towards the alt folk sound. A good bit of chatter between songs brought up “bad shows”, mentioning a Mankato Rib Fest show (“not THE rib fest, just A rib fest, and I think that was the problem”). A late song gave us three vocalists, melding together effectively. As they finished up with the song Phoenix (a reference to the mythical bird, not the city), the quartet completed a solid forty minute set that never felt rushed or padded. A quick chat with lead singer Travis (“don’t be too hard on us”) had effusive praise for the headliner, who they had played with before back in 2019.

The headliner, Farewell Milwaukee, appeared as a sextet playing in the Americana folk rock space. They brought a sense of real joy to be performing right from the start. This is a band that is very comfortable with each other, as they easily moved into the second song with a keyboard intro, but all knew where to jump in. Songs routinely had three to four singers and the blending of vocals was impressive. There’s a bit of a Credence Clearwater Revival sound here, but they have their own distinct sound. A specific call back to Big Lake’s take on “sad country songs”, led to this one: “these country songs are all sad, some are just upbeat”.

Farewell Milwaukee has a real strength in its ability to spread its sound in different directions. A song in the middle of the set highlighted the keyboards as well as two of the backing vocalists taking over near the end of the song. Guitar work was featured across several members with different effects from each. The band was clearly pleased, as we got a “we’re going to go ahead and play for a while”, with a great reaction from the crowd. There was an excellent moment where we simply got a “I’m really happy now”, followed by a take of how sometimes you just have to say it when it happens, because who knows when that feeling will come again. The song Way Out highlighted those feelings as the band was on fire throughout, with an earnestness that never felt cloying or artificial. We got a switch of lead singer (Joey got the cheers!) in the latter half of the set and was a real highlight of the evening. A late appearance of an additional vocalist (Bethany), gave a different texture to a number of songs she provided backing vocals for. Recluse, off the 2106 album FM, was a stripped down song that then built up to the full band. The rest of the evening had the combination of nostalgia and happiness, with Poison Rain being a great example. Rather than a traditional encore, the band chose to play on through with Hurt No Moreand Tears Won’t Fall to finish up a tremendous set.

After the show, I spoke with lead singer Ben Lubeck. Noting the strength of the show even though they haven’t released new material since 2016’s FM, Lubeck said that even though things are sporadic for the band, there is real strength in all of the hours they have logged together. It allows them to pick up right where they left off and be comfortable with each other. Lubeck mentioned they have played three shows in the last few months, which these days is lot, but in a good way.

We also talked about the band’s high energy performance and Lubeck said that at least for him, he is channeling the audience’s energy and it was here tonight. He said when the audience isn’t into the music, it can be a real drag and that he starts to fade early. The audience involvement helped the band level up with it and Lubeck said the longer you are on the music scene, the more you appreciate a great audience and that real sense of gratitude also impacts how he and the band perform. And on cue, as we finished talking Lubeck and other band members were caught with other fans new and old to close out a great evening.

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Farewell Milwaukee

Farewell Milwaukee at Turf Club (09 Jan 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 11:24 AM in Farewell Milwaukee, St Paul, Thaddeus | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Kids Are Alright

Sometimes, I feel I gotta get away
Bells chime, I know I gotta get away
And I know if I don't, I'll go out of my mind
Better leave her behind with the kids, they're alright
The kids are alright

- The Who

Video Nasty (2025)

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Video Nasty

For those interested in learning more about the video nasties, the banned 72 movie titles by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), there is a really terrific documentary called Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide …

Video Nasty
virginmediatelevision.ie

Virgin Media Television (Ireland’s Number 1 independent television channel) just released Video Nasty (January 8, 2025), a new television show about three teenagers and their journey to complete their Video Nasty collection.

If you don’t know what a Video Nasty is, it is a list of 72 banned movies in the UK in the 80s. What the censors really did was make a great list for horror fans (despite being illegal to own and view). There are many documentaries about the Video Nasty, one being Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide, which came out in 2014.

Anyway, the start of the show is innocent enough. We find out that the two boys Billy and Con are close to finishing their Video Nasty collection. They need video #72, the last one on their collection… and, in order to get it, they need to travel to the middle of nowhere, England, to meet Billy’s penpal Fangora Fangirl, for a tape exchange. Since they didn’t have any money, Con’s sister, Zoe, agreed go with them and split the profit from the sale of the Video Nasty collection.

This show is more of a comedy, despite the dark and murders and bodies. Think of this like Stranger Things (which incidentally is getting a fifth and final season in 2025), where you know the writers can’t harm those kids, but you’re still scared for them.

I’ve previously mentioned that I am not a fan of kid actors, but these kids are alright. I’ve never heard of these actors, but they did a terrific job, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see these kids in future shows.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (2024)

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Star Wars

It seems like no one is watching Andor… or at least you rarely hear people talking about this Star Wars new television show on Disney Plus. Maybe it’s because fans are tired of Star Wars or maybe …

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
disneyplus.com

The latest Disney show, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is a kids-friendly show about four kids who accidentally got lost in space and have to find their way home. They run into Jude Law, who helps the kids get home, but he’s only really in it for the money of the lost treasure on the kids’ planet.

What is interesting is that the reason why the kids are having a hard time just flying back home is because the existence of the planet has been erased from all-star charts. The planet was deliberately hidden, so the kids must go on clue hunt, from planet to planet.

It’s actually not a bad show, but because this is a family show, there are no real stakes. No one will believe these kids are going to die, everything just works out in the end. It's just a fun pirate kids show… which I can see why a lot of people are comparing this show to the Goonies.

This show is great if you have children and want to share television time with them, but I think most Star Wars fans might find this show a little too “not Star Wars” for them.

Anyway, I hope the next Star Wars show will be good. The next Star Wars film is called Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi.

01/09/2025

Flashback: Two Door Cinema Club at 7th Street Entry (28 Oct 2010)

Two Door Cinema Club 2010

Two Door Cinema Club Setlist

2010 Setlist

courtesy of Mira Shemeikka

Cigarettes in the Theatre
Undercover Martyn
Hands Off My Cash, Monty
Do You Want It All?
Something Good Can Work
Handshake
This Is the Life
Kids
You're Not Stubborn
Costume Party
What You Know
Eat That Up, It's Good for You

-- Encore --
Come Back Home
I Can Talk

Two Door Cinema Club 2010 USA Tour

Oct 7 2010 Warehouse Live, Houston, TX

Oct 8 2010 The Loft, Dallas, TX

Oct 9 2010 Austin City Limits 2010

Oct 12 2010 Center Stage, Atlanta, GA

Oct 13 2010 The NorVa, Norfolk, VA

Oct 14 2010 First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, PA

Oct 16 2010 Corona Capital 2010

Oct 18 2010 Agganis Arena, Boston, MA

Oct 21 2010 Webster Hall, New York, NY

Oct 22 2010 Black Cat, Washington, DC

Oct 23 2010 Club Hell, Providence, RI

Oct 24 2010 Le National, Montreal, QC

Oct 25 2010 The Phoenix Concert, Toronto, ON

Oct 27 2010 Lincoln Hall, Chicago, IL

Oct 28 2010 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis, MN

Oct 29 2010 recordBar, Kansas City, MO

Oct 30 2010 Bluebird Theater, Denver, CO

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Two Door Cinema Club

There was a lot of young people out that bitterly cold Thursday night, and based on how packed the small venue was for a band from Ireland called Two Door Cinema Club …

Northern Ireland’s Two Door Cinema Club just wrapped up their “their biggest string of U.S. tour dates yet” last year, according to Live Nation.

One of my biggest regrets was not being able to cover Two Door Cinema Club on their first American tour, in support of Tourist History, in 2010.

Let me take you back to Rocktober 2010, on the night of October 28, 2010, Two Door Cinema Club was headlining the 7th Street Entry, while Dandy Warhols was across the street at Fine Line Music Café.

Earlier in April 2010, Two Door Cinema Club was in America, opening for Phoenix (as indicated by the original tour dates), but decided to stay a little longer to do their own headlining USA tour. The Minneapolis date (Oct 28) was near the end of the US tour, with a final stop at the Bluebird Theater in Colorado.

Bad Veins was one of three openers for this tour. This Cincinnati band formed in 2008 and by 2009, they had a hit song, “Go Home” on their debut album. The last we heard from the band, they were signed to Texas-based label Modern Outsider and released The Mess We've Made in 2012.

As for Funeral Party, they released one album, The Golden Age of Knowhere, on Sony Records, and appeared Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Conan.

Unfortunately, the band suffers from the sophomore slump, and despite claims from guitarist James Torres that the second album was written in 2013, it was never released. A few years after, the band broke up… but re-forming for a one-off appearance at Just Like Heaven festival in 2019.

Ironic that the festival’s name came from The Cure’s song. You see, Funeral Party took their name from the Cure.

Original report:

>>>
I was standing in line outside the 7th Street Entry on October 28^th and a few girls in front of me were asking why Funeral Party wasn't on the show poster outside the venue (the poster only listed Two Door Cinema Club and Bad Veins). I told them that Funeral Party was indeed on the bill, that I was there to see them. But it made me think that there were people interested in the band.

There was a lot of young people out that bitterly cold Thursday night, and based on how packed the small venue was for a band from Ireland called Two Door Cinema Club, I can tell you that this band is going to be huge. Especially because the band hasn’t even released an album yet.

On the bright side, it gave Bad Veins and Funeral Party an audience to play to, to get their name out.

I didn’t know much about the band Funeral Party, most of what I’ve gathered was at the show, where they mentioned that they’re from California. What they didn’t mention was the fact that they’ve been become huge in the UK, like many of the US bands that makes it big overseas (including the Strokes, and Minneapolis’ own Solid Gold). I can also tell you that, when the band gets going, that they're young and full of energy and it’s hard to take your eyes away.

They ended their set with, appropriately titled “Finale”: “your head’s all grey and your shoes are worn and the books you’ve read with the pages torn.”

Surprisingly heady lyrics for such a young energetic band.

All the songs that were played, I would reckon, is from their album, Golden Age Of Knowhere, which I'm not sure is even released yet. You can get a sample song, “Giant Song” for free.

Weekend Gamer: CES 2025

Weekend Gamer here. With CES (Consumer Electronics Show) happening right now in Las Vegas, we are getting a lot of tech news, like the Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090 Graphics Cards which will cost nearly $2,000! Officially the start date is January 7, but the media preview kickoff started January 6.

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme

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AMD

The biggest feature will likely be a new AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU (all the current AMD-based handhelds are using the Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip). Only the MSI Claw uses an Intel chip. … …

AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme
amd.com

No surprise, but we got an announcement that AMD will be releasing a new generation of AMD Ryzen Z2 processors (the Z2 Extreme, the Z2, and Z2 Go). Currently, most of the current PC gaming handhelds on the market right now are using the AMD Z1 Extreme or slower variants of the Z1 chip.

So, for 2025, expect to see ROG Ally 2, Legion Go 2, and even Steam Deck 2 (Steam is not releasing Steam Deck 2 any time soon), to all be adopting the new, faster (and more efficient) Z2 processor. Although I only mention the top three, but I suspect other handhelds (or even unknown ones from Xbox) may be joining in on the crowded gaming handheld market.

If you’re in the market for a gaming handheld, and you want the latest and greatest - I would wait until those Z2-powered devices to be released. However, if you want a gaming device, but want to save some money (and don’t mind last year’s tech), I would look for sales or clearance of last year’s models. After all, I was a sucker and bought a Legion Go because of their $200 price drop.

For 2025 and beyond, I expect to see more and more handhelds. The reason? It’s a growing market, and most manufacturers are already producing laptops - they just need to repackage those same components into a handheld style and, voila, you got a new product. If you look at the current laptop market, there are hundreds of laptops out there. Some manufacturers focus strictly on gaming laptops, so those same manufacturers will also offer the same gaming laptops in a smaller form factor.

Nitro Blaze 11

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Nitro Blaze

In other PC handheld news, Acer has also entered the crowded handheld market with the announcement of the Acer Nitro Blaze 7, via their website. There’s nothing really new or interesting here … …

NITRO BLAZE 11
acer.com

The first time I talked about the Acer Nitro Blaze 7 in Nov 2024, I mentioned that the PC handheld was already a crowded market. How do you stand out? Well, how about a whopping 11-inch gaming handheld called the Nitro Blaze 11??!? To put things into perspective, currently the largest handheld goes to the Legion Go at 8.8 inches (and already that’s large!).

At that 11-inch size, imagine holding a very heavy iPad and trying to play games. I don’t know how well that’s going to work.

Still, I think it’s super cool. Since my eyes are getting worst, I always want a larger display… but there is point where I don’t really think 11 inches is that portable. That’s why Acer also offers two other sizes: the original 7-inch and an 8-inch version of the Nitro Blaze.

Personally, if I am going to get a Nitro Blaze, I would want the largest. Besides the large display, why would I go for the 11? I don’t really travel that much, and I would prefer playing with comfort. If I am traveling, the controllers are detachable, taking a cue from Lenovo’s Legion Go, so the Nitro Blaze can stand alone as a tablet. Plug in a keyboard and mouse, and voila, you’ve got an 11-inch gaming laptop. Now, that’s freaking cool.

As for specs, it’s powered by AMD Ryzen™ 7 8840HS processor, with AMD Radeon™ 780M graphics (a dedicated mobile graphics card!). There’s also USB4 Type C - if you prefer an external graphic card. The resolution is a native 2560 x 1600 resolution (the same as the Legion Go), 120Hz refresh rate, and 500 nits brightness and it’s equipped with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM.

For the price, the Nitro Blaze 11 will retail for $1,100, which, I personally think is a reasonable price. Anyone who shops around for a gaming laptop knows the $1k is a pricing norm. If I had the money, I would get this and play around with it. Perhaps, if it can perform, it might replace my aging Asus ROG Strix G15 (even though the 15-inch screen is much nicer to work with).

Legion Go 2

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Lenovo Legion Go

You know I’ve been interested in the Lenovo Legion Go since August 2023, and now, in November 2023, the Legion Go is out now. In my original writeup, I said that Lenovo is somewhat late to the game …

LEGION GO 2
lenovo.com

So, it’s official, the Lenovo Legion Go 2 has been announced at CES 2025. As you know, this is the one I’ve been waiting to hear about all month. The biggest upgrade is the native landscape 16:10 OLED 8.8-inch screen! You know my biggest complaint about the first Legion Go is that stupid vertical screen, which causes problems with old games. The fact that it’s OLED, that’s a massive upgrade.

In my prediction for the Legion Go 2 in November, I mentioned that Lenovo should give us a faster way to login, like a fingerprint reader or face ID … and wouldn’t you know it, we now have a fingerprint reader.

Other upgrades include the new Z2 Extreme chip, which is an easy prediction, and a new 8-way directional pad! They also mentioned double the battery life and upgraded 32GB of RAM.

Those are just the early stories… I’m sure we’ll hear more about the Legion Go 2 when it’s officially unveiled and listed to order. Right now all that information is based on early prototypes at CES.

Right now, all the press are talking about the 8 inch Legion Go S with the two versions: a SteamOS and Windows version. As I previously mentioned, I’m not interested in a smaller or slower device, but since it’s the first non-Steam Deck that runs SteamOS, everybody is interested.

Gamestation Retro Go

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Gamestation

Atari will be heading into the crowded handheld market with their new Gamestation Go, announced via a twitter post. Look, I have absolutely NO INTEREST in this. Here is the reason why …

Gamestation
myarcade.com

When I first talked about the Atari Gamestation Go earlier this week, I thought Atari was producing these devices and had absolutely no interests in it. Why would you buy this product just strictly for old Atari games? It just didn’t make any sense to get this one-trick pony.

As it turns out, that Gamestation Go is part of a much bigger Gamestation ecosystem created by My Arcade.

So far, what we’ve learned from CES is that there will be three new products: Gamestation Retro Go (the handheld), Gamestation Retro Pro, and Gamestation Retro Mega. We’ve already seen the handheld, which contains a lot of old control-styles like a paddle. Unlike the Atari version, it looks like the regular Retro Go will include additional arcade titles from Sega and Capcom.

The Retro Pro is a game console. You hook it up to a television and it comes with two controllers. The Retro Mega is a small 10-inch arcade cabinet (bartop style). It comes with joysticks and buttons and will be the most expensive (they suggest the retail price will be $300). At $300, I’m going to pass on it. After all, you can buy basically the same thing by Arcade1Up for $150 or Evercade for $250 right now on Amazon and then add additional cartridges to expand your game library.

Each Gamestation collection will include over 100 games, like Pac-Man, Galaga, Dig Dug, Street Fighter II, Mega Man, Final Fight, 1942, and more.

You can usually find My Arcade products at Walmart or Target, so I’ll wait to find them in retail stores and if the price is appealing, I might pick up one of these Gamestation. Who knows, maybe I’ll find some heavy 70% off discounts that Target is famous for doing when they want to clear out their inventories.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

Chicago (Broadway Touring musical) at The Kauffman Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-07 through 01-12)

(Chicago playbill from The Kauffman Center, Kansas City, MO)

KANSAS CITY SHOWTIMES

Wednesday, January 8 7:30 PM
Thursday, January 9 7:30 PM
Friday, January 10 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 11 2:00 PM
Saturday, January 11 7:30 PM
Sunday, January 12 1:00 PM
Sunday, January 12 6:30 PM

CHICAGO TOUR DATES

Jan 14 - Jan 19 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Center
Jan 21 - Jan 21 Duluth, MN DECC Symphony Hall
Jan 23 - Jan 26 Toledo, OH Stranahan Theatre
Jan 28 - Feb 2 Nashville, TN Tennessee Perf. Arts Center
Feb 4 - Feb 9 Dayton, OH Benjamin & Marian Schuster PAC
Feb 11 - Feb 16 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre
Feb 18 - Feb 19 College Station, TX Rudder Theatre Complex
Feb 20 - Feb 20 Orange, TX Lutcher Theater
Feb 22 - Feb 23 Stillwater, OK The McKnight Center
Feb 25 - Feb 25 Great Falls, MT Mansfield Center
Feb 26 - Feb 26 Bozeman, MT Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
Feb 28 - Mar 2 Eugene, OR Hult Center
Mar 4 - Mar 9 San Francisco, CA Golden Gate Theatre
Mar 11 - Mar 12 Logan, UT Cache Valley For the Arts
Mar 14 - Mar 16 Cerritos, CA Cerritos Center
Mar 17 - Mar 17 Bakersfield, CA Mechanics Bank Arena
Mar 18 - Mar 19 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center
Mar 21 - Mar 23 El Paso, TX Plaza Theatre
Mar 24 - Mar 24 Midland, TX Wagner Noël PAC
Mar 27 - Mar 29 Sioux Falls, SD Washington Pavilion
Mar 30 - Mar 30 Grand Forks, MT Chester Fritz PAC
Apr 3 - Apr 3 West Lafayette, IN Elliot Hall of Music
Apr 4 - Apr 6 South Bend, IN Morris Auditorium
Apr 8 - Apr 13 East Lansing, MI Wharton Center
Apr 22 - Apr 22 Hamilton, ON FirstOntario Concert Hall
Apr 23 - Apr 23 London, ON Budweiser Gardens
Apr 25 - Apr 27 Moncton, New Brunswick Avenir Centre
May 2 - May 4 Providence, RI Providence PAC
May 5 - May 6 Binghamton, NY Broome County Forum
May 8 - May 8 Charleston, WV Clay Center
May 9 - May 11 Richmond, VA Altria Theater
May 13 - May 13 Columbus, GA RiverCenter
May 14 - May 14 Evans, GA Columbia County PAC
May 16 - May 18 Lubbock, TX Buddy Holly Hall
May 21 - May 25 Monterrey, MX ShowCenter Complex
May 29 - May 29 Shippensburg, PA Luhrs Theatre
May 30 - Jun 1 Tysons, VA Capital One Hall
Jun 2 - Jun 2 Roanoke, VA Berglund Center
Jun 3 - Jun 8 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre
Jun 10 - Jun 15 New Orleans, LA Saenger Theatre
Jun 17 - Jun 22 Miami, FL Adrienne Arsht Center

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Broadway in Kansas City

Hadestown, the winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album....

Set a century ago, in Prohibition-era Windy City (aka the city of big shoulders), it’s a satirical story that invokes questions around the power of publicity (good or bad), sensationalistic grandstanding despite the committing of a serious crime, and attempting to be above the law while undermining the judicial system (waitaminute?!- are we still talking about Chicago in the late 1920’s?).

It must mean the classic musical Chicago is back in town - “A story of greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery” (to quote the opening prologue) ...and Kansas City couldn’t be happier!

It’s playing through the weekend at the Kauffman Center as part of the current PNC Broadway in Kansas City series (via The American Theatre Guild), and we braved the aftermath of the snow blizzard, to take in opening night.

Based on a 1926 play, the production hit the live stage starting in 1975, and with its 1996 revival, has become the longest-running musical in Broadway history. It began with dancer Gwen Verdon first suggesting to her husband, choreographer and director Bob Fosse, that the play might be a good source to become a musical. Fosse was riding high from the success of Cabaret a few years prior, and that work and this one, has become the timeless personification of his very distinct contribution to American theater.

Many who don’t follow the theater, are still familiar with the work, thanks to the 2002 six-time Oscar-winning film that starred Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere.

The two leading ladies, Roxie Hart (played by Ellie Roddy) and Velma Kelly (played by Taylor Lane) are very competing women both accused of murder, each vying for attention and the spotlight, as they hope to be acquitted (in both the court, and court of public opinion) with the help of cocky, smooth talking lawyer, Billy Flynn (played by Connor Sullivan, who proved without a doubt during a solo song, he can hold a very long note).

Minimally staged, the emphasis of the show thus leans on the choreography, the lighting, and the songs, which also means very few costume changes (most of the ensemble is in frilly black garments throughout), a ‘non-set’ (the ten-piece band with conductor positioned on a multi-level grandstand dominates the stage) and a storyline just enough to move the narrative forward, without getting too emotionally invested.

That said, those core parts here are strong enough, and the underlying themes equating to our current world of 'social likes', 'fake news', and 'alternative facts' remain in the back of our mind as the tale unfolds. The ensemble members stay openly seated on both sides of the stage, reacting from their chairs and awaiting their next cue to spring into action.

The original music by John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb, and book by Fosse and Ebb have all become a part of modern theater’s cultural zeitgeist and still have audiences clapping and nodding along with the more familiar numbers.

The production wastes no time and begins with the always impressive “All That Jazz” (set in the cleanest Cook County Jail you’ll ever see) with the company deftly and fluidly moving about, as they only can, as part of this trademark Fosse production (nicely updated by Ann Reinking for the 1996 revival with additional new re-creation by Gregory Butler and David Hyslop).

Illy Kirven rightfully commands the stage halfway through the first act as sassy Matron “Mama” Morton and Brad Weatherford’s supporting Fred Casely character starts with some one-handed push-ups at stage right, then follows with a vertical maneuver that requires near Olympic-level focus.

Andrew Metzger’s naive, sad sack husband to Roxie, Amos Hart, gets a compelling turn on his “Mr. Cellophane” solo in the second act, and the operatic falsetto of D. Fillinger’s character, the gossip reporter Mary Sunshine was enhanced and carried upward, by the fine acoustics of the intimate theater. And Sullivan’s Billy Flynn, who we don’t meet until halfway into the first act, is the right amount of over-confidence and slick assuredness (in addition to his previously mentioned vocal skills), to deliver a raucous “Razzle Dazzle” at the story’s apex.

As the show concludes, the two protagonist murderesses realize their own individual returns to vaudeville success would multiply exponentially if they joined forces. So, they do so, despite a continued mutual resentment, in a show-stopping feverishly frantic end number, performed in matching glittered suits that constantly catch the light.

Chicago rides off into the sunset triumphantly, but our own two rival political parties haven’t fully learned the lesson of combining forces for the greater good. We still have a few lessons to learn from these former jailbirds.

Chicago plays in Kansas City at The Kauffman Center through Sunday, January 12 with tickets available here: Chicago | Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

(National Tour Photos by Jeremy Daniel / Click on any image to enlarge and see in full)