W♥M

Swiftly

Read More Quicksand The co-headlining Glassjaw and Quicksand tour is coming to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis this Monday, July 9th. …

QUICKSAND
quicksandnyc.com

This is a true story, but I used to be a pretty massive The Smiths devotee. I was hellbent on collecting everything Smiths… including cover songs. That’s when I first discovered Quicksand. Their album Slip contained a hidden track… their cover of “How Soon is Now?”

Anyway, it actually brought a smile to my face when I read that the New York City post-hardcore band was still around. In fact, their upcoming record Distant Populations will be out August 13 on Epitaph Records. If you’re a vinyl collect, you’ll have to wait until September 24.

The band will be promoting the album with a post-pandemic tour…. Stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis this “Rocktober”.

9/28 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
9/29 Asbury Park, NJ The Stone Pony
10/1 Lancaster, PA Tellus 360
10/2 Albany, NY Empire Live
10/4 Detroit, MI El Club
10/5 Chicago, IL Metro
10/6 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
10/8 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater
10/9 Salt Lake City, UT Urban Lounge
10/11 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
10/12 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw Theatre
10/13 Seattle, WA Neumos
10/15 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
10/16 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
10/18 Phoenix, AZ Valley Bar
10/19 Santa Fe, NM Meow Wolf
10/21 Austin, TX Mohawk
10/23 Houston, TX Studio @ Warehouse Live
10/25 Atlanta, GA Masquerade (Hell)
10/26 Charlotte, NC The Underground
10/27 Washington, DC Black Cat
10/29 New York, NY The Bowery Ballroom
10/31 Philadelphia, PA Theatre of The Living Arts

Speedy Ortiz It'll be a regular Popfest over at the 7th Street Entry on Saturday, May 2nd, with headliner Speedy Ortiz and special guests, Krill, Two Inch Astronaut, and Bitter Canon. …

SAD13
sad13.horse

Whatever happened to Speedy Ortiz ? We last saw the band, touring and promoting their record Twerp Verse … and we wrote Sep 2018 : “Northampton, MA alt rock quartet Speedy Ortiz opened the evening’s proceedings with a crunchy but melodic forty-five set of songs, in support of their new record released this spring, Twerp Verse (Carpark Records). Any band taking their name from a character in the Los Hermanos Hernandez comic Love and Rockets and who had comedian Hannibal Buress as a one-time drummer, can already count us as fans before even playing a note.”

Good news, Speedy Ortiz’s bandleader, Sadie Dupuis, is concentrating on her pop-oriented solo project Sad13. The new album Haunted Painting will be out September 25.

How is it that Dupuis had time to write songs for the upcoming solo album? She said, “I worked on Haunted Painting throughout 2019, writing, arranging and recording from home, then finishing the songs in studios around the country in between Speedy's fly-in dates. It's maximalist, and more true to me and my tastes than any record I've done.”

Read More Taylor Swift Universal Pictures announced that global music icon Taylor Swift (who will also play Bombalurina in Cats) and legendary composer Andrew Lloyd Webber have collaborated on a new, original song “Beautiful Ghosts”. …

TAYLOR SWIFT
taylorswift.com

So, I’m sure you all know the Taylor Swift saga about how she tried to get rights to her music from Scooter Braun. Braun eventually sold the masters of Swift’s first six albums to a private company. I don’t know all the details, but basically Swift was very upset over this deal and she made it very public.

I think it all worked out for Swift, she’s been re-recording her albums and releasing to great success. In fact, her latest, titled Fearless (Taylor’s Version landed at #1 in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia’s charts – making it the world’s biggest first week debut of any album this year.

Here all all the details, according to her record label, Republic Records:

In addition to capturing #1 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart and #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, it went #1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. It debuted Top 5 in Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands and in Germany it was the biggest debut by a country album in the history of Germany’s album chart. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) charted at #1 on the iTunes Top Overall Albums Chart in 61 countries.

JULIET QUICK facebook.com/julietquickmusic Brooklyn’s Juliet Quick has a new EP called Glass Years on Substitute Scene Records. Talking about her latest single, “No Future” (taken from Glass Years), Quick explains, “The song is not a measured political comment, it’s a snapshot of a moment when the enormity of ecological crisis feels too overwhelming to conceive with sophistication—when despair temporarily blots out reason and political intention. I wrote this song in the worst depression of my life, when I was essentially trying to decide whether it was still worth trying to be alive. Putting that absolute torrent of despair into the shape of this little pop song made it liveable and, eventually, even a little bit funny.”

F9: THE FAST SAGA thefastsaga.com We tried to get advance screening for the lastest Fast & Furious film, F9, but obviously tickets went… too fast, too furious. I honest don’t even like these type of movies, they’re just too over-the-top and ridiculous, but they know that and we know that… it’s just a big dumb summer popcorn film. And sometime that’s what you want. The film will be officially showing on June 25, 2021, but you can get the soundtrack right now. Soundtrak features “Rapido” by Amenazzy, Farruko, Myke Towers & Rochy RD and “Furiosa” by Anitta.

EMMA SWIFT emmaswift.com Australian Emma Swift is committed to release a song a week in 2021. She’s calling it “52 Songs: An Adventure into the Unknown”. Last year, her cover-lover Bob Dylan cover album Blonde on the Tracks was on numerous Best Of lists, including The Guardian’s ‘Best Australian Albums of 2020’ and The Big Takeover’s “#4 Album of the Year.”

TURBO turboofficial.com Country crossover talent Turbo released his debut EP Cocaine & Fireworks on 10K Projects/Homemade Projects. The record came out June 11, 2021. Turbo is described as combining the gritty authenticity of outlaw country with hip-hop’s hard-hitting beats and rhymes and pop’s sticky melodies… as evident by the success of his single, “Bo Exotic”.

RAPID STRIKE rapidstrikeband.com Croatian melodic heavy rock band Rapid Strike released their self-titled album in May 2021 via Wormholedeath. The band is scribed as a cross between Metal and Rock. Their lead guitarist and primary songwriter Hrvoje Madiraca doesn’t actually sings – instead vocals are provided by English vocalist Bexie James. As the COVID pandemic subsides, the band hopes to return to the road and play live shows.

A SWIFT FAREWELL aswiftfarewell.com Sydney’s pop/punk band A Swift Farewell recently released their new single called “Mousetrap.” The single came out June 18, 2021. Bassist Sarah Bonnet talks about the song, “'Mousetrap’ is about feeling trapped in a relationship in which you are not able to give some-one the time and attention they demand from you and feeling burnt out from trying. In the end, the person doesn't notice they are asking too much from you and you feel yourself grow emotionally distant from them.”

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

Flashback: Rural Alberta Advantage at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (25 Sep 2009)

Rural Alberta Advantage Setlist Coldest Days Rush Apart The Ballad of the RAA Jungle Luciana Frank, AB SOS (ABBA Cover) Eye of the Tiger (Survivor cover) The Air Drain the Blood Four Night Rider In the Summertime Edmonton The Deadroads North Star Sleep All Day The Dethbridge in Lethbridge Goodnight Read More The Rural Alberta Advantage I’ll never forget the first time I saw Canadian band The Rural Alberta Advantage - it was a sold out show at the 7th Street Entry in September 2009. It was so crowded that I couldn’t actually get a decent photo and instead did a … The Love Language About halfway through the opening set of The Love Language, I couldn’t help but notice something odd: where was the flannel? Perhaps it was the slightly warmer weather or the fact that neither bands were from Brooklyn …

This was the same night as Arctic Monkeys… Both shows were completely packed, and you could hardly see the stage all the way in the back.



>>>
I headed over to 7th Street to catch The Love Language, who Kate II saw a few months ago. She described the band as a "six-member troop hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina". Well, guess what? They've gained another band member along the way, they are now seven people on the very tiny, tiny 7th Street stage.

Between the two keyboardists, three guitars, one bass, one drum, they often explode with very loud melodies ... so loud that maybe it blew out one of their amp - which was quickly replaced for their last three songs on their set.

Setlist

Compared to the massive youth crowd of the 800lb Monkey, The Rural Alberta Advantage is tamer. Their audience is a little older (beards, button shirts, beer-drinkers) and I was impressed at how many people knew the RAA songs, as I was told by Kyle that when the RAA came here a few months ago that it was only half-full.

Being a cover lover, I was obviously keen on the "S.O.S." (Abba) and "Eye of the Tiger" (Survivor) covers. The audience seem to really dig "The Dethbridge in Lethbridge". As for the encore, they didn't really leave the stage. Instead, on the last song, all three band members went into the audience and started singing "Goodnight".

At first, without a mic, it was hard to hear singer Paul Banwatt, but as the audience shush to hear the vocals - it was pretty intimate. I suppose that they usually end their set this way (especially with loads of people), as they seem to know what they were doing when the final song came on.

So as 'man on the scene', both are fine bands, but both also cater to very different audiences. If you get a chance to see either band, they're definitely worth seeing, if you don't mind that they are both somewhat popular.

PS, no photographs, due to lack of a photo pass - but enjoy this rare vu-art instead.

Rural Alberta Advantage at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (25 Sep 2009) photo courtesy of plesserchick

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

Flashback: Arctic Monkeys at First Avenue, Minneapolis (25 Sep 2009)

Arctic Monkeys Setlist Dance Little Liar Brianstorm Crying Lightning Potion Approaching Pretty Visitors This House Is a Circus Still Take You Home I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor If You Were There, Beware Sketchead Dangerous Animals The View From the Afternoon Cornerstone Do Me a Favour Secret Door Fluorescent Adolescent -- Encore -- Red Right Hand (Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds cover) My Propeller 505 Read More Arctic Monkeys As for Arctic Monkeys, they are currently on tour in support of their latest album AM (out now on Domino Records). The new album was hailed by critics as one of 2013's very best albums …

From my poor memory, I believe this may be the first of our double-shows night. It’s easy to do, because First Avenue and 7th Street Entry are literally right next door. Unfortunately, covering (or even enjoying) either shows proved to be a challenge, because both shows were sold out and it was incredibly hard to move around at both packed venues. Originally the article featured both The Rural Alberta Advantage and Arctic Monkeys … but I’m going to break this up into two articles.



>>>
Unbelievable - how on earth did two of the hottest tickets in town, Arctic Monkeys and The Rural Alberta Advantage, came into town and basically played next door to each other at First Avenue and 7th Street Entry? For those outside of Minneapolis, First Ave and 7th Street are basically one big building. The mainfloor (First Ave) is definitely much larger than 7th Street, which is pretty much like a closet. So with some strategy, I was able to catch four bands last night at both sold-out shows, weaving in and out of bodies and having a pretty good time about it too.

Opening up for Arctic Monkeys are an all-girls group The Like, which probably didn't fit too well with the "rock n roll" styling of the Arctic Monkeys. I'm not sure if the audience "liked" them, but I thought they were pretty good. They reminded me of 80s girl group, like the Go-Gos. They obviously must love Duran Duran as they ended their set with a song referencing "Hungry Like a Wolf".

Also, they were all cute, especially with the wardrobe (I later spied that singer Z Berg owns a Hello Kitty purse). I was impressed with them enough to check out a free download of "Fair Game" from Work It Media.

Setlist photo:Brody

Headed back to see Arctic Monkeys. The last time I saw these guys, I noted that singer/guitarist Alex Turner didn't do much on stage (he just plays and sings). But it didn't matter, because the audience loved it. There were a few songs that sent the audience into apemode, particularly "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor", and their new one, "Crying Lightning".

What's changed is that Turner grew out his hair (in fact, the rest of the band seems to all have shaggy-like hair), he's actually doing more on stage like dancing and shaking in his Vines T-Shirt. He still looks youthful, but it's definitely not "I'm new at this rock thing" clean-cut look from last year.

What hasn't changed is the fact that their audience STILL INTENSELY LOVES this band. Every song is sung by a sea of eager fans, every word is clung on like dear life - it's as if they were a military, awaiting orders from the Monkeys.

Arctic Monkeys at First Avenue, Minneapolis (25 Sep 2009) photo courtesy of Susan Lueck

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

Flashback: Ladyhawke at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (21 Sep 2009)

Ladyhawke Setlist Intro Magic Professional Suicide Dusk Till Dawn Manipulating Woman Runaway Love Don't Live Here Danny & Jenny Better Than Sunday Back of the Van Paris Is Burning My Delirium Read More Ladyhawke Ladyhawke is back with her third studio album Wild Things set for release on June 3 via Polyvinyl Records. If you can’t wait to hear it - the good news is that if you buy it on 180-Gram Yellow vinyl or CD, directly from Polyvinyl …

In 2009 popular celebrity blogger Perez Hilton organized a tour of his favorite bands – including Ida Maria and rising star Ladyhawke. Unfortunately, Ida Maria, called in sick at the eleventh hour. Ladyhawke was now the headliner, and local booking for Fine Line Music Café quickly called in some last-minute support acts. What’s interesting was that ticket holders were allowed to get a refund on their tickets, and the show was opened as a free show. Unfortunately, once you checked in the venue, you were not allowed to leave (and come back).



>>>
Pip Brown, aka Ladyhawke, is the cute-shy unsuspecting headliner for Perez Hilton tour, when it was announced that, due to illness, that main headliner, Ida Maria will not be playing the Fine Line Cafe in Minneapolis 9/22/09.

The good news was that the show was free, so it was still a pretty decent turnout, lots of young underage students (you can tell by the sea of black "X" on the back of their hands. It also seems to me that this night is possibly the best night of their lives.

Sliimy opened up the whole thing. I thought he was joking when he said he was French ("with a bad English accent"), but he was telling the truth. He also reminded me of Prince, but with glasses and a gold lamé jacket. I expected Sliimy (incidentally pronounced "slimmy", not "slimey") to sound like Lady Gaga or something fitting on Perez Hilton's record label - but they don't sound quite as poppy.

In replacement for Maria was Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, which you may know is a reference to V For Vendetta. They are a young, energetic band, singing songs about "Sophisticated Side Ponytail" and "Holding Hands in the Shower" (and possibly with your daughter). You half expect them to burst out singing, "I'm on a motherfucking boat".

Speaking of energetic, Semi Precious Weapons are unforgettable. I first saw this band at SXSW but didn't know who they were. I thought to myself, "this band is going to be huge", never thinking I would actually see them randomly at some point in the future. They are definitely a band to catch live, the bassist is insane!

When Ladyhawke took the stage, she's nervous happy. Between songs, she was at a loss of words, or when she did speak they sound nonsensical to me. However, she did manage to sneak in the story about seeing a man on a unicycle. She called it the dumbest thing she's ever seen. I suppose growing up in a small town in New Zealand, you don't see too many weird stuff like that.

Setlist

Ladyhawke seems more comfortable when she's playing guitar, and as much as I like "Dust Till Dawn", it didn't sound as good as some of her other songs - particularly "Love Don't Live Here", "Paris Is Burning", and "My Delirium". Yes, the hits keeps on coming.

You'll be happy to know that Ladyhawke is continuing her tour through America until early October, before heading back to Australia. She did mention that she'll be back in the US "very soon", which I get the impression that means three months.

Her self-titled album was released last year, but there is a re-issue with extra acoustic tracks, according to amazon.

Ladyhawke at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (21 Sep 2009)

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

Going for Gold XXXI

Read More Leon Bridges Leon Bridges is also just growing as an artist and performer, becoming less shy and more confident on stage, than when he played SXSW this March, and opened locally for Lord Huron this April. …

Read more Going for Gold

LEON BRIDGES
leonbridges.com

Grammy Award-winning R&B recording artist and songwriter Leon Bridges will be releasing Gold-Diggers Sound on July 23, 2021, on Columbia Records.

We caught Bridges in October 2015 and wrote, “The 26 year-old has a hit album, Coming Home (Columbia Records) and entered the stage amidst shrieks and screams, in a dark suit and white buttoned up shirt, with his six-piece band in tow, including White Denim guitarist Austin Jenkins, who helped launch his big industry break. The elegant stage had rows of ruffled burgundy curtains as its backdrop and a series of seven back spotlights hung in a triangular pattern on lighted poles. Most songs were culled from the debut release, though a few new ones were peppered into the 70 min. set as well.”

Those songs were from his debut album, and with the forthcoming third album, it’s said that the “gold-diggers sound” is more like an R&B album that can only come from an all-night jam session.

Read More Hiss Golden Messenger North Carolina's Hiss Golden Messenger, American folk duo (MC Taylor and Scott Hirsch), recently announced their upcoming tour in support of Lateness of Dancers (Merge Records). Some dates are with Ben Howard. …

HISS GOLDEN MESSENGER
HissGoldenMessenger.com

Grammy nominee Hiss Golden Messenger is releasing Quietly Blowing It this week (June 25) on Merge Records.

Bandleader, songwriter and lead vocalist M.C. Taylor is excited to return to touring this Winter/Spring in support of the new album. The new tour begins November 30th in Hummelstown, PA, before heading to Webster Hall in New York City on December 2nd.

Tour dates:

11/30 – Hummelstown, PA – The Englewood
12/02 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
12/03 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair
12/04 – Hamden, CT – Space Ballroom
12/06 – Providence, RI – Fete Music Hall
12/07 – Philadelphia, PA – World Cafe Live
12/08 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
12/09 – Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel
12/10 – Columbia, SC – The Senate
12/11 – Charleston, SC – The Pour House
02/03 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room
02/04 – Atlanta, GA – Terminal West
02/05 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn
02/06 – New Orleans, LA – Tipitina’s
02/09 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
02/10 – Fort Worth, TX – Tulips
02/11 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger
02/12 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn
02/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
02/16 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up
02/18 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
02/19 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
02/23 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
02/24 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
02/25 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
02/26 – Vancouver, BC – Imperial Vancouver
03/01 – Boise, ID – Neurolux
03/02 – Salt Lake City, UT – Commonwealth Room
03/03 – Fort Collins, CO – Venue TBA
03/04 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
03/05 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater
03/07 – Kansas City, MO – Record Bar
03/08 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway
03/09 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
03/10 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line Music Cafe
03/11 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
03/12 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl

WALLIE THE SENSEI twitter.com/WallieTheSensei Compton rapper Wallie the Sensei will be releasing his new mixtape Golden Child on Capitol Records on July 2, 2021. Fans got a taste of what’s to come with his preceding single, “Lamb”, featuring his one-of-a-kind rap flow that he’s known for. Also, on the upcoming album, he’s callaborated with Nebula Swavey, Prell, 42 Dugg, and Doley Bernays & Glockboyz Teejae.

ELISE ERIKSEN facebook.com/EliseEriksenOfficial Los Angeles emerging popstar Elise Eriksen just released her debut EP Golden Boy last week . Elise explains her 80s-inspired cautionary tale of the single “Golden Boy”: “'Golden Boy' started in my head as a super basic beat and some lyrics that my friend and I wrote in my bedroom. Now it’s going to be the focus song of my debut EP! Could not be more excited for everyone to hear it!”

FLY GOLDEN EAGLE flygoldeneagle.net Nashville/New York-based band Fly Golden Eagle announced their new album Almond Milk, out July 13, via Telefono Records. This will be the first release of 2021 and will be a double single and 7” limited print of two singles. The record was recorded at Niles City Sound in Fort Worth, Texas, studio home of Leon Bridges. We previously mentioned the band in 2014: “Fly Golden Eagle are currently on tour with J. Roddy Walston & The Business, in support of Quartz. We've seen J Roddy Walston live a few times, and Fly Golden Eagle are in for a good foot-stomping good time.”

TRIALOGOS trialogosofficial.com Stroh Zu Gold album by Trialogos marked the landmark 100th release from German label Exile On Mainstream Trialogos is an experimental/cinematic rock collective, featuring Conny Ochs, Sicker Man, and Kiki Bohemia. The band was formed during the dark early months of the Covid pandemic and their name was taken from the fairy tale Rumpelstilzchen. Ochs explains further: “‛Stroh Zu Gold’ is both an image and a quote from a famous and quite mystical German fairy tale by the name of Rumpelstilzchen. It embodies various rich imagery, one of them being a scene where a quite improbable task, turning straw into gold, needs to be accomplished. In fact, it is achieved through witchery.”

QUIVERS quiversmusic.com Golden Doubt is the new album from Melbourne’s Quivers. According to band members Holly Thomas and Bella Quinlan, the cancellation of their 21-date US tour (due to COVID), left them undeterred… but they want to get back to the world, when it returns to normal, as soon as possible. With that said, the band will be playing a number of Australian dates throughout August and September, in support of Golden Doubt.

GOLDWOMAN raegoldwoman.com Brooklyn-based artist Goldwoman recently released their self-titled Goldwoman LP. Although the singer/songwriter is based out of Brooklyn, she’s originally from New Jersey (it’s basically next door) and grew up in a musical family…. Learning piano, clarinet, guitar, and eventually bass. Goldwoman LP are a collection of songs written over a four year period, cronicling the musician’s evolution from college student to adult in a COVID pandemic world.

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

When Animals Tour (Minneapolis Edition)

Read More Modest Mouse Modest Mouse The long awaited set by the Sunday headliners, came with a mystery or two attached – The Washington state band had just released their first album in eight years, Strangers to Ourselves (Epic Records) …

Read more When Animals Attack.



>>>
MODEST MOUSE
modestmouse.com

We’ve been following Modest Mouse’s rise to the top of the charts since the 90s. When they really hit it big time, they even hired famed-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr to write some of their now-classic songs like “Dashboard” and “Missed the Boat”. That record with Marr, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank was the first Modest Mouse album to reach #1 in the US Billboard 200 Charts.

We got a few chances to see Modest Mouse live, the last time was in June 2015 and we noted: “…there was a question of being rusty or not, and singer Isaac Brock had revealed that he had somehow sprained his ankle at the hotel the night before. Both mysteries were revealed (no, not rusty, and too tight sheets, apparently) and Modest Mouse played a crowd-pleasing 70 min. set to the faithful that had been waiting these many years to see them again live.”

With concerts slowing coming back to America, Modest Mouse announced their 2021 tour dates, all in support of their new album The Golden Casket (available June 25th via Epic Records).

Modest Mouse 2021 Tour Dates:

07/30 - Madison, WI - The Sylvee 07/31 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theater (Lollapalooza ) 08/01 - Chicago, IL - Grant Park - Lollapalooza 08/03 - Columbus, OH - EXPRESS LIVE! 08/05 - Philadelphia, PA - The Met Philadelphia 08/06 - Boston, MA - Leader Bank Pavilion 08/07 - Cooperstown, NY - Brewery Ommegang 08/09 - New Haven, CT - College Street Music Hall 08/11 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel 08/12 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel 08/13 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel 08/14 - Brooklyn, NY - Brooklyn Steel 08/17 - Washington, DC - The Anthem 08/18 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE 08/20 - Detroit, MI - Meadow Brook Amphitheatre 08/21 - Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theater 08/22 - Minneapolis, MN - Armory 08/24 - Missoula, MT - KettleHouse Amph 08/27 - Portland, OR - McMenamins - Edgefield 08/28 - Portland, OR - McMenamins - Edgefield 08/29 - Bend, OR - Les Schwab Amphitheater 09/11 - Seattle, WA - Marymoor Park * 09/12 - Seattle, WA - Marymoor Park* 09/16 - San Francisco, CA - The Masonic

09/18 - Las Vegas, NV - Life Is Beautiful Festival 09/19 - Phoenix, AZ - Arizona Federal Theatre 09/20 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre - Tucson 09/22 - San Diego, CA - Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air 09/24 - Pioneertown, CA - Pappy and Harriet's 09/25 - Los Angeles, CA - The Theatre at Ace Hotel 09/27 - Sandy, UT - Sandy City Amphitheater 09/28 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre * 09/30 - Oklahoma City, OK - Diamond Ballroom * 10/01-10/03 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits 10/04 - Nashville, TN - Ascend Amphitheater * 10/05 - Cincinnati, OH - Andrew J Brady ICON * 10/08-10/10 - Austin, TX - Austin City Limits 10/11 - Huntsville, AL - Mars Music Hall 10/12 - New Orleans, LA - Fillmore New Orleans 10/14 - Orlando, FL - Hard Rock Live 10/15 - Miami Beach, FL - Fillmore Miami Beach 10/16 - St. Petersburg, FL - Jannus Live 10/17 - St. Augustine, FL - St. Augustine Amph 10/19 - Richmond, VA - The National 10/21 - Raleigh, NC - Red Hat Amphitheater 10/22 - Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit 10/24 - Atlanta, GA - Shaky Knees Festival * - with Future Islands

Read More The Monkees American actor and musician Peter Tork has died at the age of 77. Tork was best known as keyboardist and bassist of the Beatles-parody made-for-television band The Monkees. …

THE MONKEES
monkees.com

The two surviving The Monkees band members, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith, have reunited to go on The Monkees Farewell Tour in 2021. It’s interesting to see Nesmith back on tour, considering that after he inherited his mother’s estate and ultimately retired from the road (he declined to join The Monkees 20th Anniversary Tour)… but considering that Peter Tork died in 2019 and Davy Jones died in 2012 - now is probably the best (and only time) for Nesmith to make amends to Monkees fans.

We’re obviously big fans, everyone around our age watched The Monkees television show. When we saw Dolenz and Tork in May 2017, we were surprised to learn that the actors were actually seasoned musicians and were eager to play their own instruments (but the show and record label hired session musicians instead).

The duo promised “a magical night of music: all the hits, deep cuts & fan favorites”.

The Monkees Farewell Tour

09/10 Spokane, WA First Interstate Center 09/11 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre 09/14 Sacramento, CA The Crest Theatre 09/15 San Jose, CA San Jose Civic 09/17 Riverside, CA Fox Performing Arts Center 09/18 El Cajon, CA The Magnolia 09/19 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre 09/24 Dallas, TX The Majestic Theatre 09/25 San Antonio, TX The Tobin Center 09/28 The Woodlands, TX Dosey Doe 09/29 The Woodlands, TX Dosey Doe 10/02 Chattanooga, TN Trivoli Theatre 10/06 Birmingham, AL Iron City 10/07 Knoxville, TN Tennessee Theatre 10/08 Atlanta, GA Atlanta Symphony Hall 10/10 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Live 10/12 Fort Lauderdale, FL Parker Playhouse 10/13 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall 10/16 Jacksonville, FL Florida Theatre

10/19 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Center 10/20 Tarrytown, NY Tarrytown Music Hall 10/22 Bethlehem, PA Wind Creek Event Center 10/23 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort 10/24 New York, NY Town Hall 10/26 Burlington, VT Flynn Center 10/28 Huntington, NY The Paramount 10/29 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun 10/30 Medford, MA Chevalier Theatre 11/01 Greensburg, PA The Palace Theatre 11/02 Detroit, MI Masonic Cathedral Theatre 11/03 Northfield, OH MGM Northfield Park 11/05 Rosemont, IL Rosemont Theater 11/06 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theater 11/07 Minneapolis, MN State Theater 11/09 Saint Charles, MO Family Arena 11/10 Kansas City, MO Uptown Theater 11/14 Los Angeles, CA The Greek

Read More Catbath Next up was Catbath, evolving to a four piece (Travis Franklin, Crystal Stockert, Kristin Kosieracki, and Matthew Grave) from their original duo-turned-trio. They’ve only recently added a second guitarist (“Gravey”) to their roster in 2016. …

HORSEGIRL
thisishorsegirl.bandcamp.com

Chicago’s Horsegirl (Penelope Lowenstein, Nora Cheng, and Gigi Reece) recently announced their first-ever tour. The noise trio signed with Matador Records and sold out their Ballroom Dance Scene 7” debut.

The Horsegirl Midwest tour will take place at several key cities, including live debut appearances in Madison, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee, plus a hometown show to cap it off.

They’re also appearing at Pitchfork Music Festival, so expect big things from this new band.

Minneapolis fans will be happy to note that another animal-band called Catbath will open.

Horsegirl Tour Dates

July 7 - Madison, WI @ High Noon - 18+
July 8 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry - 18+
July 9 - Milwaukee, WI @ X-Ray Arcade - all ages
July 10 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas * - all ages
Sept 11 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival

* w/ Lifeguard

Read More Drive-By Truckers I am proud to have witnessed the rise of the Drive-By Truckers. This band has become a juggernaut. They are not afraid to tell us things that- although we might not want to hear them- are the exact same things we most need to hear. …

BUFFALO NICHOLS
buffalo-nichols.com

Milkwaukee’s Buffalo Nichols (aka Carl Nichols) has rescheduled his Midwest tour this Summer. His previous Minneapolis shows (in March, April and May 2020) had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fourth time’s the charm, Buffalo Nichols will be in Minneapolis on July 26th. This might be the best time to catch him at an intimate setting, as the next Minnesota appearance will be with Drive-By Truckers on October 9th (aka “Rocktober”) at the Palace Theatre.

Buffalo Nichols Midwest Tour Dates

7/21 Oxford, MS - Proud Larry's
7/22 St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway
7/23 Evanston, IL - SPACE
7/24 Burlington, WI - Liars' Club
7/26 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry
7/28 Spring Green, WI - The Shitty Barn
7/30 Chicago, IL - Hideout
7/31 Milwaukee, WI - The Back Room

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

Flashback: Manic Street Preachers at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (30 Sep 2009)

MSP Setlist Motorcycle Emptiness No Surface All Feeling Peeled Apples Your Love Alone Is Not Enough La tristesse durera (Scream to a Sigh) Jackie Collins Existential Question Time Let Robeson Sing Faster Enola/Alone This Joke Sport Severed From Despair to Where If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next Acoustic This Is Yesterday The Masses Against the Classes Send Away the Tigers You Stole the Sun From My Heart Motown Junk with All or Nothing Intro Me and Stephen Hawking Little Baby Nothing You Love Us A Design for Life Nico Vega Setlist Protest Song Blood Machine Rabbit in a Bag Fe Fi Fo Fum Gravity Jesus Baby Beast Read More Manic Street Preachers ‘International Blue’ is the first new release from legendary UK band Manic Street Preachers. The single arrived this week (8th December 2017) and is taken from their 13th studio album Resistance Is Futile (Columbia/Sony Records). … Nico Vega You know I love Nico Vega, the band is always fun to see live, although I'm sad to see Minneapolis isn't part of their itinerary. This new tour is with Crash Kings. I'm not entirely sure what the tour is in support of…

It’s been a good minute that we last saw Manic Street Preachers in the USA. I personally hadn’t seen MSP since The Quest in Minneapolis (19 September 1999), so it was like seeing an old friend when I got a chance to see the band again a decade later.



>>>
MANIC STЯEET PЯEACHEЯSat the VAЯSITY THEATEЯ

Last night, the initials MSP did not stand for Minneapolis/St Paul, but for Manic Street Preachers. Has it really been ten years since the Manics stopped by Minneapolis? Their fans sure missed them, as evident last night in the all-out sing-along concert.

Nico Vega Setlist

Opening up for them was Nico Vega, who seems to have been on tour since 2007 when I last saw them. I talked to a few of their fans, who made sure to get there early to see the band in action. They told me that either they have seen the band's legendary live performances or have heard their music on the "The Collector" soundtrack. Well, as expected, their "hit" song, "Beast", made for a fantastic finale.

As with their previous set from a few years ago, the band's setlist was pretty short - only about seven songs. Aja, Rich, and Dan, all dressed in black and silver. A bit dark, and I reckon they must've had fashion advice from Placebo or so. There wasn't a whole lot of banter, but there was a funny moment when drummer Dan asked for donations because of his "$400 speeding ticket". That must've been one hell of a car chase....

As far as hump day Wednesday, was concerned, this was a great turnout for a concert. There was a line when I got there late, which was a good sign. By the time Manic Street Preachers showed up, the Varsity Theater was full of bodies. Before we get to the band, I have to tell you that it's been a while since I witness cult-like followings. Just the random people around me at the front of the stage, they were all from Wisconsin, Idaho, and Canada. The best bit were these two friends from the UK traveling to three US cities just to see the Manics (they are heading out to Chicago to see them tomorrow). Although the reason for the UK girls was to enjoy the band in "far smaller venues", the others traveled over great distance because MSP were only doing limited tour dates.

For me, it was good to see the band again. I had last seen them at the Quest in downtown, and I remember Nicky Wire doing more jumps and kicks (he's still doing them, but not as much). Well, Minneapolis was more than happy to have this band back in town.

Surprisingly, MSP did a few old songs. When they came on stage and did "Motorcycle Emptiness" - I swear singer James Bradfield could easily just stand there and let the audience sing the song. The audience continued to sing along to other classics ("If You Tolerate This Then Your Children Will be Next", "Little Baby Nothing", "Faster", "You Stole The Sun From My Heart", etc) and the band seems to be in top-form.

MSP Setlist

There's at least three guitar changes, all were pre-tuned and ready to switch as soon as the song requires it. Nicky started talking about Brett Favre and football, but I think he was mocking someone in the backstage who was apparently really excited about football. James called him a "jock", which he said "was a compliment".

There was a nice break in their set, when the rest of the band left for ten minutes while James did his two acoustic songs. The band came back to an electrifying "Send Away the Tigers".

Before I knew it, the end of their set came with an amazing live version of "A Design For Life". This was clearly my favorite performance of the whole night. There were no encores, but if you look at the setlist, they did about two hours worth of songs.... so well worth it.

Manic Street Preachers at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (30 Sep 2009)

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

Flashback: Kings of Convenience at Bowery Ballroom, New York (10 Sep 2009)

Setlist Me in You 24-25 Peacetime Resistance Rule My World Second to Numb Mrs. Cold Boat Behind Freedom and Its Owner Homesick Cayman Islands Misread Little Kids It's My Party (Lesley Gore cover) -- Encore -- The Build Up Know How with Feist Read More Kings of Convenience At their first show in New York since 2005, Kings of Convenience’s Erlend Øye joked, “This next song will sound like an old one, and you’ll probably cheer. But it’s not.” …

In their first U.S. show in four years, Kings of Convenience returned to America, playing the Bowery Ballroom in New York on September 10, 2009. This was a special night, as singer Feist helped closed out the show.

>>>
Save for their breakout single, “I’d Rather Dance With You,” Kings of Convenience’s music is typically the kind of fare that lulls you into a dreamy sleep or provides an ideal soundtrack to a rainy afternoon. I thought their live show would be just as low key, but coupled with their humor and warmth, Erlend Øye and Eirik Bøe had plenty of surprises (including a special, Mac-compatible friend) to keep anyone from drifting off.

As there was no opening band, there was a palpable sense of excitement within the crowd as Erlend and Eirik finally took the stage. For one thing, their music is quite subdued and most of their songs require silence from the audience to be fully appreciated. For most of the show, the audience adopted sort of a hushed awe as they played, making it one of the most reverent shows I have attended at Bowery Ballroom. As the boys often reminded us, this was their first show in New York in four-and-a-half years, so the audience seemed hellbent on making it special for them. At one point, someone in the audience yelled, “Play some old stuff!” and she was immediately booed into submission. The crowd that night was oddly defensive of the boys, wanting them to feel as welcome and loved as possible. It was sweet, but also somewhat off-putting. This is how cults form, right?

The band made it easy to incite such passion, as they were charming and hilarious all through the set. As a contrast to their lyrical and delicate songs, they told several quirky, amusing anecdotes (including a particularly endearing one about spilling espresso on Eirik’s pants) and Erlend made everyone swoon with his haphazard, quasi-robotic dancing. They even managed to complain about loud photography graciously, posing like pouting male models for two minutes to provide ample material for the cameras. With their offbeat banter and obvious camaraderie, they came off as sort of a melodic, quieter version of Flight of the Conchords – but with tons more street cred, of course.

Oh, and there was music too. The first half of the set was devoted to the upcoming album, Declaration of Dependence. The new songs weren’t a huge departure from their previous material, but they prove that they are masters at crafting perfect, intricate melodies with seamless vocals. They debuted songs like “24-25” and “Mrs. Cold,” and the audience swayed in appreciation. My personal favorite, “Boat Behind,” features jaunty acoustic guitars and a simple “oh-oh-oh” chorus in their signature blend of flawless harmonies.

The second half of the show was all old favorites, including “Misread” and “Little Kids.” They stayed away from their more popular songs, but once again, the audience didn’t seem to mind. Their final song before the encore was a completely unexpected but perfect cover of Leslie Gore’s “It’s My Party.” They sang about Judy and Johnny with such goofy sincerity that they left the audience completely smitten, practically heartbroken for an encore.

Feist photo: Jessica Amaya

They obliged and returned with “The Build-Up,” a duet from their previous album, Riot on an Empty Street. Someone behind me said, “I wonder who’s going to sing the Feist part,” and lo and behold, a voice beckoned from the balcony above us – Feist! The audience let out a collective gasp, Erlend and Eirik grinned like little boys, the photographers elbowed people in the nose for a good shot, and I was filled with the sudden urge to buy an iPod nano. It was a lovely surprise, and she eventually joined them on stage, prompting everyone to go completely ape-shit and inciting a tidal wave of frenzied Tweeting.

But despite this, I left the show in a quiet and happy mood. It was exactly the kind of feelings a good Kings of Convenience song conjures up: a sense of calm that lingers for a while, making you both wistful and hopeful at the same time.

Declaration of Dependence is out October 20, 2009 on Virgin Records.

Kings of Convenience at Bowery Ballroom, New York (10 Sep 2009) photo courtesy of Robyn Lee

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

Free Games: Control, Hellpoint, and Batman TellTale

Read More E3 It’s E3 week (June 12th-June 15th). The Electronic Entertainment Expo took a break last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s back… although it’s mostly live-streams with some small in-person coverage …

As previously mentioned, it’s E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) week… so a lot of gaming websites are taking advantage of the event and giving away lots of free games.



>>>
CONTROL (2019)
epicgames.com

I’ve heard a lot about Control, from Remedy Entertainment/505 Games. The game got a lot of positive reviews from critics, and to be honest, I’ve always wanted to check it out. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have the time, and thought maybe I would just wait for a sale.

When the game was re-released in 2021 for the PS5 and Xbox Series X, it was met with some criticisms, because it was sold as full price – and fans who already own the original base game didn’t want to pay for it again.

Based on the negative reactions from the Control fans, it did sour my interest in the game and I did put a pause on buying it.

I guess all that waiting was worth it, as currently, the game is free on the Epic Game store. I know a lot of people hate on Epic, saying they’re a bully, saying that they’re own and controlled by China, saying their software sucks (it does!)… but still, despite the jank, at least this company is giving away free games. The rich/powerful Steam won’t (and has never) done anything like this.

Like all the free games, I just log in to claim the game… and when I have time, I’ll install and play it. So if you’re not sure you want the game… why not just claim it now and think about it later.



HELLPOINT
gog.com

I wasn’t expecting it, but my favorite game retailer, GOG (Good Old Games), was giving out Hellpoint for free. To be perfectly honest, I have never heard of this action role-playing game before. It was developed by Cradle Games and published by tinyBuild.

It looks interesting enough, I’m practically fond of RPG, so when I get the time this weekend, I’ll definitely be looking forward to checking out this game.

Perhaps if I like it enough, I might try and get it for the Nintendo Switch.



BATMAN: THE TELLTALE SERIES
twitch.tv

Like many video game fans, I have dabbled in the TellTale games. They basically make visual novels… set to these “choices”. I’ve often felt that none of the choices you make actually affect the game. I could be wrong, but that’s the impression I get.

The two games I’ve tried out is The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones, both based on popular television shows. After playing the games, I’ve decided that these type of games were just not for me. I find that the graphics are bad and the game engine (called Telltale Tool) is really dated/doesn’t really run that well.

After years of licenses… TellTale filed for bankruptcy in 2018, and its assets were sold to LCG Entertainment… who is still selling these aging games.

The Batman: The TellTale Series is currently free on Twitch, but only if you have Amazon Prime. Since I have Prime, it was an easy free claim for me.

The bad news is that you’ll have to download the Twitch Desktop App to be able to download the Batman game.

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

Flashback: The Brunettes at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (26 Aug 2009)

Read More The Brunettes I like accents (the Brunettes hail from New Zealand). What I don’t like is being force-fed high levels of “cute” AND watching in horror as said “cute” manifests itself as an interactive Urban Outfitters window display. …

Lara went to see New Zealand’s The Brunettes play the 7th Street Entry in August 2009. The one thing I’ve learned is that everyone in the band, including Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield, are “ridiculously attractive.”

>>>
The Brunettes @ the 7^th St. Entry, Minneapolis 8.26.09

OR

R.I.P. Twee

Wednesday night the Brunettes played to a fairly underage crowd, which is usually the outcome when you mix indie pop with summer break. Because I am old and cranky, I resented the children and their positive attitudes.  So I drank more to counteract the offenders. Interestingly, two beers in I discovered a few things worthy of note: 1). It’s possible that one of my legs is longer than the other, or that one of my shoes is more worn down than the other! 2). the “dress over jeans” style of the early 90s is back and popular amongst teenagers born in the early 90s! 3). the Brunettes have so many percussion instruments!

It’s true. Number three is true. Besides the obvious and boring drums, select members of the band also played the triangle, castanets, wood blocks, glock, and the human hands. There was a lot of clapping in sync, a few failed attempts at starting a clap-a-long, several rounds of “la la la-ing,” one doll-sized piano, one man in white jeans, two pretty girls with long Chan Marshall hair, and plenty of awkward postmodern chit chat about buttholes and poop (just kidding, I don’t remember). Yes, friends, it was that kind of show.

Now, in theory, I have no problem with those kinds of shows. I like the triangle. I like visible discomfort. I like accents (the Brunettes hail from New Zealand). What I don’t like is being force-fed high levels of “cute” AND watching in horror as said “cute” manifests itself as an interactive Urban Outfitters window display. I guess musicians are not aware of the very important Seventeen Magazine life advice that tells us boobs are sexier when covered because it’s a sign of self-control and self-control is sexy (take that, translucent mesh halter top!). I think these wise words could also apply to bands on cute overload. Behold the unhealthy levels of precious:

- Ridiculously attractive band members. Question: if you look like a little porcelain doll, do you train yourself to be talented too, or are some people just blessed with better gifts? Another question: how do the beautiful find each other to start bands and stuff? Craigslist?

- Heather Mansfield’s twee voice. I’m not convinced that singing in boys’ choir range actually constitutes singing. It’s more like making a long, drawn-out mouth noise.

- An overall feeling of meticulous, stylized awareness, like how the Monkees impersonated the Beatles and still had hits.

It’s a shame, really, because the songs aren’t rotten. Sure, they have titles like “Loopy Loopy Love” and “Brunettes Against Bubblegum Youth,” but these are no worse than Yo La Tengo’s moppet lingo discography. Twee is such a flimsy, absentminded genre it’s nearly impossible to find profundity amongst the milkshakes and thick-rimmed glasses. (Twee is a Sofia Coppola film: pretty but vacant.) Strip a twee song of its prettiness and you’re left with the adolescent musings of a dreamer. Trouble is, we grow up. Perhaps the most disappointing moment of Wednesday’s show was the realization that cute is no longer enough. Likewise, we all know that seeking higher standards is totally being an adult, which is frightening to those of us in transitional stages. This begs the question: are you ever truly an adult if you’re in a twee band?

The seemingly adult Brunettes are Jonathan Bree and Heather Mansfield, plus a rotating lineup of additional musicians. They formed in 1998 but didn’t officially release an album until 2002 (Holding Hands, Feeding Ducks). Since 2002 the band’s issued two full-length albums and two EPs; Structure and Cosmetics is their latest album, released on Sub Pop in 2007. Currently, the Brunettes are on tour. Visit their website (via Lil’ Chief Records) or Myspace for more info.

The Brunettes at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (26 Aug 2009) courtesy of CultureBully

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