W♥M

06/15/2025

Mpls: July 12 to July 14, 2025

Julia Wolf at Turf Club, St Paul (June 14, 2025)

Julia Wolf at Turf Club (June 14, 2025)

Julia Wolf Setlist

Loser
FYP
Kill You Off
Hydra
Last Summer
Pearl
Wishbone
Burning House
FOR THE GIRLS
Limewire
Hoops
Life Is a Storm
Sunshine State
Jennifer's Body
You've Lost A Lot of Blood
In My Room

Worry Club Setlist

Nothin
I Suck
DEDBODY
DEATHBLOW
BORED
In My Ear
little f**ker
Anything Else
Same Name

Schedule

Turf Club, St Paul

8:00pm
Ellis
----

8:45pm
Worry Club
----

9:30pm
Julia Wolf

Tour Dates

June 15 -- Cobra Lounge -- Chicago, IL

June 16 -- A&R Music Bar -- Columbus, OH

June 17 -- Velvet Underground -- Toronto, ON

June 19 -- Brighton Music Hall -- Boston, MA

June 20 -- AMH -- Long Island, NY

June 21 -- Atlantis -- Washington, DC

June 22 -- Motorco -- Raleigh, NC

June 24 -- Radio Room -- Greenville, SC

June 25 -- The Loft -- Atlanta, GA

June 26 -- Basement East -- Nashville, TN

Previously: Julia Wolf at Fine Line

New York’s Julia Wolf (aka WOLF), opened the show. We last mentioned that she released her debut EP Girls In Purgatory… so most of the songs played were taken from the debut, including “Falling In Love” and “In My Way”.

She also had some new songs that haven’t been released yet. One of those songs, which I’ll call “Get Off My D**k” (based on a partial setlist that she released on her Facebook page), was written after being stood up from a record label. Let me explain, you see, a major label expressed interest in her music, so they scheduled a meeting with her in person, in Los Angeles. When the day of the meeting came, Julia Wolf waited and waited, and realized the label wasn’t going to show up. She never explained what happened, but I just got the impression that the label just forgot about it or something. I guess something good came out of it, we got a song out of it.

[ Continue Reading Julia Wolf at Fine Line (April 2, 2022) ]

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Julia Wolf

Italian-American indie-pop artist from Queens, NY, Julia Wolf (aka WOLF) released “RBF: Part 1,” an exclusive Spotify Singles track as a part of the platform’s first-ever Fresh Finds program. ...

On an unseasonably cool evening in St. Paul, it was very warm in the Turf Club, for a night of indie rock & pop headlined by Julia Wolf.

The first opener was Canadian singer & songwriter Ellis. Having opened for bands such as Soccer Mommy, Ellis (full name: Linnea Siggelkow) has released two albums, including 2024’s No Place That Feels Like. The band came out as a trio (vocals/guitar, bass, and drums/programmed music). Ellis was kneeling on stage right before the start, but a technical glitch held them off their start for a few minutes, with a resulting grimace from Ellis. But soon enough, they were off and running with a quieter intro song. Then she grabbed a guitar and the next number was significantly louder and livelier. This was very much a dream pop sound, with the vocals modulated by reverb/echo effect. Backup vocals from the bassist and drummer were a nice layering, and there was a lot of musical overlay, and though it was hard to tell how much was the programmed music, it helped create an ethereal tone to their music.

A bit of welcoming banter followed (including a, “We’re from Hamilton, Ontario”) before they dug back into the music. There was a good amount of fan engagement from the start, with the crowd pressing up to the stage (not always the case at Turf Club). There were a couple of moments where those vocal mic effects nearly muted the lead singer. The next song was “going to be a little mossier” and got nearly all the lights turned off, largely silhouetting the band. It included a frenzied mid-song solo, with a particularly strong showing for the drummer. The bassist was busy with pedal work prior to another intense musical section. The band was certainly working hard in the bridge before inevitably dropping back to that dreamy pop sound to end things. That cycle was repeated through the next several songs, creating a certain roller coaster feel to the set, with that repeated build and release. Ending with the song Home, we had the drummer take guitar duties and the bassist take drums, with the lead singer headed out into the audience. It was an excellent finish to a fun opening set.

Chicago-based indie punk pop band Worry Club was up next. Chase Walsh, the creative center of the band, has mostly focused on releasing singles, and several EPs, including 2023’s All Frogs Go to Heaven. That punk label was obvious from the jump, with the opener Nothin being an absolute beast. The quartet (guitar/vocals, guitar, bass/backup vocals, and drums) came out hot and it looked like they were determined to keep the energy bar at maximum (evidenced by the lead singer losing his hat in the second song and never looking back).

Dedbody had a great guitar riff underneath and it felt like the vocals were driving things forward. The lead singer was all over the stage any time he wasn’t singing at the microphone, and was the ringleader to the high energy antics. A bit of banter for a certain President’s birthday was pretty hysterical. Those fantastic guitar licks kept things moving at an almost unbearable pace, but the band was able to maintain it (this was not a case of youth being wasted on the youth). In My Ear was more upbeat (not sure how that was possible), with a brighter tone and an audience-taught choral section to end the number. An as yet unreleased song followed and was perhaps their slowest of the evening. It helped Worry Club that they had the vocals turned all the way up and were clear as a bell. Another new song, Anything Else, started with a solo guitar before the rest of the band rejoined and included a change of guitar mid-song (not sure I’ve seen that before). Finishing with Same Name, Worry Club had made a big impact on the crowd and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them playing bigger venues or headlining their own tour in the near future.

Headliner Julia Wolf came to the stage to finish the evening. The Long Island, New Yorker has been in the music scene for quite a while, but released her debut album in 2023 and the follow up, PRESSURE, earlier in 2025. The trio (vocals, guitar, and drums) came out very loud (a water bottle on stage looked to be ready to tip over with the first drum beats). Wolf was clearly pleased with the audience’s initial reaction and leaned into that response. By the time we got to the third song, Kill You Off, it had the crowd roaring with the first guitar licks and maybe had louder vocals from them than Wolf. Hydra was similar and Wolf has some very committed fans.

Wolf had some minor vocal effects going on, but was the central sound for sure. Although drums were very loud at the stage, stepping back a little ways evened that out. Wolf used a quick round of banter to get the crowd even more riled up prior to Pearl, which had some more pop elements and evoked a sense of a Caroline Polachek song. Rolling back to one of her earliest numbers, this was one of those moments of an and band audience in tune with each other. There’s a certain smile that a musician gives that can’t be anything but pure joy of the moment, and Wolf got to have several of those in this set. A “stripped down” Burning House gave the band an opportunity to recharge. Wolf noted that the evening had sold out, thanking the crowd before launching back onto songs from the recent album.

Limewire started with a bit of programmed music that the band quickly layered on top of well, with a stellar guitar close. Life Is a Storm played on the edge of electronic pop and showed some musical genre range for the band. This slower section of the set list gave Wolf the chance to be a little more soulful in her singing. Jennifer’s Body had one of the more visceral reactions and cameras out across a large amount of the audience. When they were given the chance to sing the refrain, they did not disappoint. The introduction to the band let everyone know it was almost over. You’ve Lost a Lot of Blood and its acoustic sound felt like the start of an encore. Finishing with In My Room, Julia Wolf reigned supreme at Turf Club, leaving to thunderous applause.

Ellis

Worry Club

Julia Wolf

Julia Wolf at Turf Club (June 14, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 11:44 AM in Julia Wolf, St Paul, Thaddeus, Turf Club | Permalink | Comments (0)

06/14/2025

Book Report: DC Finest

DC Finest: Batman Year One and Two (Nov 5, 2024)

Pro

Price

Large Volume

Availability

Rare Titles

Uniform Look

50 Titles Announced

Paper Stock

Con

Softcover

Incomplete

Erroneous Credits

Missing Title Cards

Miscoloring

Cropped Art

No Special Features

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Comic Books

I’ve previously mentioned that the very first comic book that I purchased with my own money, a whole $1, was Crisis on Infinite Earths #1. I didn’t know it then, but this little comic book forever …

Here is a rare book report for you. Amazon has reduced many of the physical-only DC Finest books, as part of their Father’s Day sale. In addition, if you buy two books, you save an additional 50% off the second book, resulting in about less than $20 per book. Retail price is $40, so this is a very good savings, considering that these titles were launched fairly recently.

Just a little background on DC Finest, for those who don’t keep up with comic books. This is a line of full-color trade paperbacks that DC Comics is promising an affordable large-volume book collecting and compiling stories in chronicle reading order. These books are in response to Marvel’s popular Epic Collection, which launched in 2013… so DC is very late to the party.

With the benefit of waiting, DC has decided to make all the DC Finest in uniform, standard trades. For example, the cover has a square art with the collection title in giant standard fonts (note: no logos), the spine lists the year of the collection, and it seems the background colors are character related (Superman: dark blue, Batman: black, JLA: red, etc.) I don't really love the front cover design, but for example, I would have prefer to have the title on top vs on bottom.

They all have a standard look, so they look great when you put it on your book shelf. My only complaint is that the size of the DC bullet is not all the same size, as it depends on the pages in the collection. Some books, like Batman: Year One and Two are over 600 pages, compared to Event Zero Hour Part One, which is only 500 pages. Personally speaking, I wish they were consistent make all the books to be about the same pages. For collections that falls short of 600 pages, I’m sure you can throw in bonus related-stories or special features like full scripts or interviews or original pencil pages, etc.

With about 50 books already announced, this is a great way for new and old fans to read DC’s entire history, from 1938 to 2011. Why 2011? That’s the year DC rebooted to the “New 52” (as a result of Flashpoint), which is basically modern DC. In short, the DC Finest line will not be collecting modern stories, they are only concentrating on pre-Flashpoint books. That’s fine with me.

With the sale and previous purchases, I have in my collection five DC Finest books to read. Due to the large number of pages, they do take me much longer to go through, as not only do I want to read everything, but I also like to take a moment to admire the art. I’ve read through the Teen Titans: Judas Contract and Batman: Year One and Two.

DC Finest Teen Titans: The Judas Contract (Feb 4, 2025 )

I’ve little complaints about the Teen Titans book, mostly because the collection has a new version of The Judas Contract. All the previous reprints were using the printing plates of the 1988, which alters the original pages to remove credits and titles in favor of a marbled title. Seeing the The Judas Contract restored to its original presentation was much needed. DC also had the book recolored, so there are some things miscolored, but it’s all very minor stuff. You’ll only notice it if you had the original books to compare to the new colors.

What I also really like about the new DC Finest Teen Titans book is that it collected all the story leading up to the The Judas Contract, all the crossovers (like the Titans appearing with Superman in Action Comics), as well as the aftermath of the dissolvement of the H.I.V.E. organization. This is thanks to the DC Finest format, which allows for the entire year to be collected in the same book. Previous Judas Contract collection only reprinted the core four issues plus the annual.

With that said, I think the only glaring problem was that it was missing the fourth page of World Finest #300. DC made an effort to reprint the cover and the first three pages, but totally forgot there is a fourth page that is buried later in the story.

Otherwise, this DC Finest: Teen Titans - The Judas Contract is well worth picking up, if you wanted to learn about the famous storyline or an old fan (like myself), who wanted a refresher and easy way to read the story without going through your back issues and pulling out those issues. It’s all collected here, plus even more from various titles to give you the full story. Highly recommended.

The other book I read through was DC Finest: Batman Year One and Two. Year One is a much-celebrated story by Frank Miller (who also revolutionize Batman with The Dark Knight Returns) and art by David Mazzucchelli (the same team of Daredevil: Born Again). Year Two, not fondly remembered, all except that Todd McFarlane drew 3/4 of the story.

I’ve no complaints about the story and collection, but some of DC’s coloring choices puzzles me. For one, DC decided to revert back to the original Richmond Lewis newsprint colors. I think this would work if the book was printed on newsprint, so you’re limited to 64 colors. With modern printing and paper (the DC Finest uses a very bright reflective semi-glossy heavy stock paper), it opens up a wide spectrum of colors. When DC collected Year One, Lewis went back and recolored the series to match the visuals on the new paper. To me, the new colors work much better … but I can also understand DC’s decision to reprint the original colors. However, reprinting the original color on glossy paper is wrong, according to Mazzucchelli, “they printed the book on shiny paper, which was never a part of the original design, all the way back to the first hardcover in 1988.”

Although DC has decided to use the old colors for Year One, they did the opposite for Year Two - which has updated colors by Steve Oliff (who is not even credited in the DC Finest book). DC also decided to remove the title card art by Alan Davis, to replace it with a generic title and credits… which made no sense to me. Why remove the essential artwork?

I have three more DC Finest books to go through, and if there’s something interesting to note, I’ll review them… otherwise, my conclusion is these books are wonderful value for the money. Based on what I’ve seen, so far, these are massive collections for a very good price… but not a lot of care or attention was put into it. So, if you want a sloppily put together book, for very little money, DC Finest is at their finest!

DC Finest (left) vs Batman: Year One Deluxe (2005)

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 05:06 PM in Batman, Books, Comic Books, DC Comics, George Perez, Teen Titans | Permalink | Comments (0)

Minneapolis This Week (June 22, 2025)

What’s happening this week.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Sunflower Bean at 7th St Entry (17 Jun 2025)

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Sunflower Bean

In celebration of their debut album Human Ceremony (Fat Possum), Sunflower Bean (Jacob Faber, Julia Cumming, and Nick Kivlen) is currently on tour - headlining the 7th ..…

17 Jun 2025 Tuesday
Sunflower Bean
with GIFT
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Sunflower Bean (Julia Cumming, Nick Kivlen, and Olive Faber) is touring in support of their new album Mortal Primetime (Lucky Number).

Sunflower Bean at Fine Line (21 May 2022)

We saw Sunflower Bean April 2022 and wrote, “Let me tell you about Sunflower Bean’s first Minnesota show at Turf Club (14 Oct 2015). Seven years ago, the audience were simply blown away at Sunflower Bean’s sugar sweet shoegazing songs. We witness so many fans coming up to the band and buying their album and telling them how great they were. Some of those fans were at the Fine Line show. It seems like perhaps the band has grown, their upcoming album Headful of Sugar is leaning towards indie rock. Singer and bassist Julia Cumming seems more outgoing and confident on stage. To be fair, we said the same thing when we saw them in April 2016: “Now seasoned with a year of touring. And it shows. The trio (Jacob Faber, Julia Cumming, and Nick Kivlen) seemed completely at eased on stage, with Cumming looking and sounding more confident than their previous appearance. Even their music is a lot more upbeat (and possibly even aggressive), playing almost everything on their debut album... and especially when they announced they were playing some new (unrecorded) songs.” ”

GIFT to open.

Tour Dates:

6/04 - Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar #

6/05 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah #

6/06 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room #

6/07 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel #

6/9 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios #

6/10 - Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s #

6/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

6/13 - Fort Collins, CO @ The Coast #

6/14 - Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive

6/17 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry #

6/19 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village #

6/20 - Detroit, MI @ Third Man Records

6/21 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison

# with Gift

The Family Crest at Turf Club (Jun 18, 2025)

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The Family Crest

However, not all is lost, San Francisco's The Family Crest will be in town at the 7th Street Entry on July 6th in support of their album Beneath the Brine (Tender Loving Empire). …

Jun 18, 2025 Wednesday
The Family Crest
with Babes in Canyon
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

The Family Crest returns to the Twin Cities, playing the Turf Club, in St Paul, on June 18, 2025.

Babes in Canyon to open.

Tour Dates:

6/11Washington, DC • DC9**

6/12 Philadelphia, PA • Nikki Lopez**

6/13 New York, NY • Mercury Lounge **

6/16 Cleveland, OH • Beachland Tavern **

6/18 St. Paul, MN • Turf Club**

6/20Milwaukee, WI • Falcon Bowl**

6/24 Chicago, IL • Schubas Tavern **

6/26 Denver, CO • Globe Hall **

6/28 Gallup, NM • Levitt Amp Series

6/29 Gallup, NM • Coming Soon

7/8 Seattle, WA • Tractor Tavern **

7/9 Portland, OR • Mississippi Studios **

7/11 San Francisco, CA • Great American Music Hall **

** with special guests BABES IN CANYON

Betty Who at Varsity Theater (19 Jun 2025)

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Betty Who

Just in time for Valentine, Betty Who's single "Heartbreak Dream" is coming out February 18th. Who cited Katy Perry and Robyn as massive influences on her music ....

19 Jun 2025 Thursday
Betty Who
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Trailblazing singer-songwriter and actress Betty Who is about to embark on her ‘Out Of The Darkness’ summer headline tour.

Who, talking to Variety, said, “I’m beyond excited to announce my 'Out of the Darkness' headline tour—and honestly, it feels SO good to be back on the road. This tour is all about unapologetic joy, real connections, and celebrating the highs after the lows. I’ve been working on new music and can’t wait to bring these new songs, alongside the go-to favorites, to life with you all.”

Betty Who at First Avenue (22 Mar 2023)

We’ve seen Who before in Mar 2023 and can tell you that her show is very entertaining: “As for pop star Betty Who… her set was really fun and colorful: Who in a red suit, with a dancer in yellow and a dancer in blue. These types of dance shows are really fun visually. Each song had well-choreographed dance routines, and every had smiles across their face… they were just having a good time. In the middle of the set, Who did an acoustic set with “Grown Ups Grow Apart” and “Wanna Be”, giving the two dancers a much-need break.”

Tour Dates:

6/13 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre

6/14 - Columbus, OH - All Out Pride Festival

6/16 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall

6/17 - Lawrence, KS - Granada Theater

6/19 - Minneapolis, MN - Varsity Theater

6/20 - Milwaukee, WI - Milwaukee Summerfest

6/21 - Indianapolis, IN - Hi-Fi Annex

6/23 - Detroit, MI - St. Andrew's Hall

6/24 - Cleveland, OH - House of Blues

6/25 - Pittsburgh, PA - Roxian Theatre

6/27 - Augusta, GA - Augusta Pride Festival

6/29 - Austin, TX - Mohawk

7/1 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom

7/2 - San Diego, CA - Music Box

Dean Wareham at Turf Club (June 19, 2025)

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Dean Wareham

Having been following Dean Wareham's whereabouts for a while, the reunion last year wasn't at all a surprise to me. After all, we've seen hints of it when Sean Eden joined a Dean & Britta ...

June 19, 2025 Thursday
Dean Wareham
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Dean Wareham, the guy who is responsible for Luna, Galaxie 500, and Dean & Britta, has released a new solo album That’s The Price Of Loving Me (Carpark). The LP reunites Wareham with Kramer (Galaxie 500, Will Oldham, Low) as producer, marking their first collaboration in 34 years.

There’ll be a tour to support the new album, and it will stop by the Turf Club, in St Paul, on June 19, 2025.

Dean and Britta at First Ave (05 July 2013)

We are longtime fans and have seen Wareham in his various bands, like Luna in Nov 2017 and Dean & Britta in July 2013: “As for Dean & Britta, they were both in Luna, but for this tour, they are playing pre-Luna Dean Wareham's band Galaxie 500. With three albums (spanning between 1998-1990) to draw from, Dean & Britta had a lot of material to work with, including "Temperature's Rising", "When Will You Come Home", "Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste", "Fourth of July" (how fitting!), "Tugboat" and the encore "Ceremony". While the majority of their songs were sung by Wareham, there is one exception: Britta took over "Listen, The Snow Is Falling", which, apparently was originally written by Yoko Ono.”

Tour Dates:

June 10 – World Cafe -- Philadelphia, PA

June 11 – Songbyrd -- Washington, DC

June 12 – Andy Warhol Museum -- Pittsburgh, PA

June 14 – Beachland Ballroom -- Cleveland, OH

June 15 – The Magic Bag -- Ferndale, MI

June 16 – Lincoln Hall -- Chicago, IL

June 18 – High Noon Saloon -- Madison, WI

June 19 – Turf Club -- St. Paul, MN

Lew Apollo at Midway Saloon (June 19, 2025)

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Los Lonely Boys

Los Lonely Boys will be touring with Los Lobos until August 10th, but it's a really good lineup, especially because the two band have a similar Latin-Rock-Soul sound to them ...

June 19, 2025 Thursday
Lew Apollo
at Midway Saloon
first-avenue.com

Yesterday, Friday the 13th, Minnesota-born, Austin-based Lew Apollo released a new single, “Diamonds and Gold”. Apollo will will be headlining the Midway Saloon on June 19, 2025, in support of his forthcoming album Fool’s Gold (available August 8). You can also catch him with Los Lonely Boys on some select dates.

Opening for Lew Apollo at the Midway Saloon will be Dylan Wylde, and J-Mo On The Beat and The J-Lighters. 21+ only.

Tour Dates:

June 18 - Duluth, MN @ Duluth Cider

June 19 - Saint Paul, MN @ The Midway Saloon

June 20 - Bayfield, WI @ Big Top Chautauqua

June 21 - Chicago @ ReBuilding Exchange

June 22 - Fort Wayne, IN @ Performance Pavilion Sweetwater

une 23 - Nashville @ Eastside Bowl

July 6 - Corpus Christi, TX @ Corpus Christi

August 2 - Midland, TX @ The Tailgate

August 7 - Austin, TX @ Antone's

August 16 - Galveston, TX @ Hotel Lucine

Lowertown Sounds at Mears Park (Jun 19, 2025)

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The New Standards

Local legends jazz trio The New Standards (Chan Poling, John Munson, and Steve Roehm) will be closing out the year at a residency at the Dakota Jazz Club this December 29th to December 30th. …

Jun 19, 2025 Thursday
The New Standards
with Tina Schlieske
at Mears Park
lowertownsounds.com

Lowertown Sounds at Mears Park, continues on Thursday, June 19, with The New Standards (billed with "and Friends").

Tina Schlieske (of Tina and the B-Sides) to open.

Lowertown Sounds 2025 Schedule:

06/12 Flamin' Oh's
with Faith Boblett and Lonesome Dan Kase

06/19 The New Standards & Friends
with Tina Schlieske

06/26 Dr Mambo's Combo
with Purple Funk Metropolis

07/10 Dan Rodriguez
with Becky Kapell

07/17 Annie and the Bang Bang
with Maria and the Coins

07/24 Turn Turn Turn
with Molly Brandt

07/31 Salsa Del Soul
with Alma Andina

08/07 Kiss the Tiger
with Keep for Cheap

08/14 Yam Haus
with Thirsty River and Haley E Rydell

Twin Cities Jazz (June 19-22, 2025)

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Twin Cities Jazz Fest

Venerable voodoo jazz master Dr. John and the Nite Trippers brought the spirit of New Orleans up to St. Paul, as the premier performer at this year’s Twin Cities Jazz Festival …

Jun 19, 2025 Thursday
Jun 20, 2025 Friday
Jun 21, 2025 Saturday
Jun 22, 2025 Sunday
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
at various
twincitiesjazzfestival.com

Officially June 20-21st, but with unofficial events on the 19th and 22nd, the Twin Cities Jazz Fest is another annual event. This takes place at multiple locations including Mears Park, Berlin, Crooners Supper Club and others. Note that some events in the Thursday and Sunday may have cover charges.

Schedule:

Thursday - June 19
Pre-Twin Cities Jazz Festival

Nyttu Chongo & Calvin Caron/Patrick Adkins at Berlin
Jon Weber at Crooners Supper Club
Tina Schlieske at Lowertown Sounds
The New Standards and Friends at in Fingal’s Cave (Lowertown)
Peter Kogan Jazz Presents at MetroNOME Brewery
Summer Nights in Rice at MetroNOME Brewery
Pete Whitman and Mississippi at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Unplugged - A Twin Cities Jazz Festival Pre-event at Urban Growler Brewing Company

Friday - June 20
Jazz88 Main Stage (Mears Park)

Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra, feat Jennifer Grimm
Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans
Emmet Cohen Trio with special guests The Four Freshmen

Jazz on 5th Street (Mears Park)

Selby Avenue Brass Band with Thomasina Petrus
Las Guaracheras

Other Venues

Charlie Bruber & Jack Barrett at Berlin
Dorothy Doring & Jon Weber at Big River Pizza
Nicholas David at Big River Pizza
Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz at Big River Pizza
Teri Roiger Celebrates the Music of Abbey Lincoln at Crooners Supper Club
Jon Weber and Colleen Raye (Maggie's Piano Lounge) at Crooners Supper Club
The Art of Jazz Exhibit at Dow Art Gallery
Jon Weber at Episcopal Homes
Niny Salem at Episcopal Homes
Global Jazz Collegium at Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant
The Other Ol' Blue Eyes at Gambit Brewing Co.
Maryann and the Money Makers at Mall of America
MetroNOME Big Band at MetroNOME Brewery
Doreen Ketchens Master Class at MetroNOME Brewery
Dakota Combo at MetroNOME Brewery
South High School at MetroNOME Brewery
Hannah Harder Sextet at MetroNOME Brewery
Atlantis Quartet at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Graydon Peterson Trio at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Erin Livingston at Saint Paul Hotel Lobby Bar
Jenny Klukken Quartet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Travis Anderson Trio at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet (Unity)
CoMUSICation at Saint City
Experience Jazz at Saint City
Walker West Youth Jazz Ensembles at Saint City
Kamoinge Strings of Walker West Music Academy at Saint City
The Black Note at Saint City
Hip Hop History & The Arts Youth Showcase at Saint City
Katia Cardenas at Walker West
Robert Lehmann & Toby Ramaswamy at Walker West
Trench Size Trio at White Squirrel Bar
Room3 at Zamboni’s

Saturday - June 21
Jazz88 Main Stage (Mears Park)

Catherine Russell
L.A. Buckner & Big Homie
Patty Peterson presents Jazz Women All Star
Society Of Chemists
Walker West & MacPhail Student Musicians

Jazz on 5th Street Stage

The Avant Garde
Drums of Navarone
Swinging Motown

Other Venues

Abinnet Berhanu at Berlin
Lasse Corson at Berlin
Ryan Freitas at Berlin
DJ set by D Untethered at Berlin
Jon Weber and Connie Evingson at Big River Pizza
Minneapolis Jazz Guitar Duo at Big River Pizza
Brilliant Colors Trio at Big River Pizza
an experiment part II with Leslie Parker & Collaborators at The Cedar Cultural Center
Explosion Big Band! at Crooners Supper Club
Tom Hunter at Crooners Supper Club
Daphna Levy with Adi Yeshaya at Crooners Supper Club
Joe Pulice Salutes Buddy Rich at Crooners Supper Club
The Art of Jazz Exhibit at Dow Art Gallery
Jon Weber at Episcopal Homes
Maud Hixson w/ Rick Carlson at Episcopal Homes
Andrew Schwandt Trio at Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant
Siama's Musical Instrument Petting Zoo at Family Zone
ArtStart- art activity and stilters at Family Zone
The Saint Peter Street Stompers at Gambit Brewing Co.
Lee Engele & Reynold Philipsek with special guest Gary Schulte at Heimie’s Haberdashery
The Gentlebrass at MetroNOME Brewery
Minneapolis College at MetroNOME Brewery
Catherine Russell Master Class at MetroNOME Brewery
Hanson Hirsch Clowser at MetroNOME Brewery
Abebi Stafford Trio at MetroNOME Brewery
Cody Steinmann Trio w/ Solomon Parham at MetroNOME Brewery
Larry McDonough Quartet - Round Midnight - The Music of Dexter Gordon at MetroNOME Brewery
Joel Shapira Quartet at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by the Graydon Peterson Trio at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Quarteto Carioca at River Stage
Swing Dance Lesson by Uptown Swing at River Stage
Naomi and her Handsome Devils at River Stage
Victoria Temiz with James Allen at Saint Paul Farmers’ Market
Erin Livingston at Saint Paul Hotel Lobby Bar
Dave Graf and Bone Chance at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Steven Hobert n Sirclesound at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Brian Grivna Quartet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Lila Ammons Jazz Group at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Steve Kenny Quintet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Dream Loading (Franklin Middle School) at Walker West Music
Minneapolis College Jazz Ensemble at Walker West Music
MN Hard Bop Collective Sit-in Series at Walker West Music
Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands at Walker West Music
Roof Access at Walker West Music
Walker West Jazzwomen Collective at Walker West
Sarah Navratil Quartet at Zamboni’s

Sunday - June 22
Cedar Cultural Center

an experiment pt. II with Leslie Parker & Collaborators

Crooners Supper Club

Peel Me a Grape – Songs by Dave Frishberg with Connie Evingson & Jon Weber

World Refugee Day at Pilllar Forum Cafe (Jun 20, 2025)

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The Taxpayers

Genre-bending punk band The Taxpayers recently released their new single, “At War With The Dogcatchers.” Check out the cartoon-ish video now. …

Jun 20, 2025 Friday
World Refugee Day
feat. Ywa Hay Moo, The Taxpayers, Reback Moo, Eh Ler Tha & Eh Wah & Family, and Ti Ter Haw Min
at Pilllar Forum Cafe
pilllar.com

This special World Refugee Day concert is to benefit Karen Organization of Minnesota, an organization to help settle folks from Burma, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Southeast Asia, East Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and more.

Bands on the bill are from around the world, including Myanmar, Ukraine, Afghanistan, etc.

Lineup:

Ywa Hay Moo

The Taxpayers

Reback Moo

Eh Ler Tha & Eh Wah & Family

Ti Ter Haw Min

Sentir Venezolano

Red Thread

Taxpayers at Underground (Mar 27, 2025)

We saw The Taxpayers earlier this year in March 2025 and said, “Finally, Portland’s The Taxpayers closed out the show. Originally when the band formed in 2007, they were a standard rock trio (guitar/bass/drum), but as they evolved, they started adding accordion, horns, piano, harmonica, and a variety of other instruments. Currently, the band is led by Rob on guitars and vocals, two horns, Noah on percussion, Nasrene on bass, and occasional pianist. After a long hiatus, the band is back and they were really excited to play songs from their latest Circle Breaker, which just came out on Ernest Jenning Record Co. Songs were mostly from Circle Breaker, including their single "At War with the Dogcatchers" as the fourth song played on their set.”

Artemas at First Avenue (20 Jun 2025)

20 Jun 2025 Friday
Artemas
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

BRIT Award-nominated UK-based singer/songwriter/producer and alt-grunge artist Artemas is touring America. The tour will stop by First Avenue, in Minneapolis, on June 20th, 2025.

Artemas’s RIAA-platinum certified breakout single, “i like the way you kiss me” have been streamed over 1.7B times, landing at #1 on the Billboard Global 200. His new single “i guess u never really cared about me” is out now.

Tour Dates:

5/24 – BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend – Liverpool, UK

6/7 – Governors Ball – Queens, NY, USA

6/9 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA, USA

6/10 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA, USA

6/12 – The Bluestone – Columbus, OH, USA

6/14 – Bogart's – Cincinnati, OH, USA

6/17 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO, USA

6/18 – The Truman – Kansas City, MO, USA

6/20 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN, USA

7/31 – 8/3 – Lollapalooza – Chicago, IL, USA

Jack’s Mannequin at Palace Theatre (21 Jun 2025)

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Jack's Mannequin

Jack's Mannequin is making a stop at First Avenue on Sunday, January 24th for their 10 year anniversary of Everything in Transit. This band started as a side project for Andrew McMahon ....

Andrew McMahon

Rising from the ashes of previous bands, Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin, singer-songwriter Andrew McMahon has blazed a successful trail all over again, this time under his own name. ...

21 Jun 2025 Saturday
Jack’s Mannequin
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Jack’s Mannequin, the acclaimed alternative pop rock group, led by veteran indie-pop singer-songwriter-pianist Andrew McMahon is back to celebrate a 20th Anniversary tour. The tour will stop by the Palace Theatre, in St Paul, on June 21, 2025.

Andrew McMahon at First Avenue (26 October 2015)

We saw Andrew McMahon in October 2015 and said, “The amount of talent Andrew McMahon has is unreal. He was the singer of Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin, and most recently, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. Each one of those bands is amazing but Something Corporate is, by far, my favorite group of his. I went into the show thinking I could sneak out early after a couple of songs. I mean, I love Andrew McMahon but his new music really doesn't do it for me. Then the set started and I caught myself singing along by the second song. This was weird, I really hadn't paid much attention to his new stuff other than the single on the radio. How did I know this song?!”

NOTE: There is a strict 4 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 4 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. Tickets are non-transferable.

$1 per ticket goes towards The Dear Jack Foundation, which provides impactful programming that directly benefits adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer in order to improve their quality of life and create positive health outcomes from treatment to survivorship for patients and their families. For more info, please visit dearjackfoundation.org

Tour Dates:

June 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE

June 15 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival ^

June 16 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant

June 17 – Kansas City, MO @ The Truman

June 20 – Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed

June 21 – St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre

July 23 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

September 8 – Osaka, Japan @ Umeda Club Quattro

September 9 – Tokyo, Japan @ Shibuya Club Quattro

October 11 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern

October 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ When We Were Young ^

October 31 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live

November 1 – Orlando, FL @ House of Blues

November 2 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern

November 5 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA! Live

November 7 – Toronto, ON @ HISTORY

November 8 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre

November 11 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore

November 18 – Vancouver, BC @ Vogue Theatre

November 19 – Seattle, WA @ Venue TBD

November 21 – San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield

November 22 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues

November 23 – Del Mar, CA @ The Sound

^ indicates festival date

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 12:05 AM in Andrew McMahon, Artemas, Betty Who, Dean Wareham, Galaxie 500, Jack's Mannequin, Jazz, Lew Apollo, Los Lonely Boys, Lowertown Sounds, Luna, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Music Guide, Sunflower Bean, Taxpayers, The Family Crest, The New Standards, Tina Schlieske, Twin Cities Jazz Festival | Permalink | Comments (0)

06/13/2025

Dead Larry at Turf Club, St Paul (June 12, 2025)

Dead Larry at Turf Club (June 12, 2025)

Dead Larry Setlist

Werewolves
Canine
Fall
Sun beats
Get down
Darkness
Limbo
Sirens

Time
ATATS
Cruel
DMC
Funky
NCSweet
Dance
Rage

Sam Licari and The Sweet Tease Setlist

I'm a Tree
Keep the Pace
Worry
Changin' Lanes
Let Me Do Me
Sweet Love
Ready for Love

Lost Island Society Setlist

Summer
1312
Villain
Anxiety
Get Lost
FINE
La Vida Loca

Schedule

Turf Club, St Paul

Lost Island Society - 8:00PM

Sam Licari and The Sweet Tease - 8:45PM

Socktopus - 9:30PM

Dead Larry - 10:30PM

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Socktopus

Something for the Weekend: Art-A-Whirl NEMAA (Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association)’s Art-A-Whirl is celebrating their 30th Anniversary with a bang Vintage and makers market Speed Riders (outdoors) Mary Jam (outdoors) Socktopus …

On a very rainy night that postponed or canceled a lot of outdoor music events, I retreated to Turf Club to see a group of local bands, with the news that headliner Dead Larry was turning 21 as a band.

Lost Island Society opened things for the evening. A ska-influenced rock band, this was a quintet comprised of guitar/vocals, bass, sax, trombone and drums. As expected with the ska tag, this was high energy stuff. That trombone was on display for the intro of the third number, Anxiety. There’s something about ska that just engenders a fun vibe, and the band leaned into that. The drummer as back up vocal was a nice change of pace, and both of the brass instrument players got their chance to sing as well. The band circled back to play Villian, as the lead singer noted, “I f’d up!”. That song included great trombone and saxophone solos and the joy on the faces of the band spoke a lot to the energy and excitement of Lost Island Society. A very tight 30 minute set ending with a cover of La Vida Loca was a perfect appetizer to the bands in front of them.

Up next was Sam Licari and the Sweet Tease. A quartet comprised of vocals/guitar, vocals/keyboards, bass and drums, this was a fun blend of rock, blues, reggae, and funk. A little bit of soul sound on the second number, Keep the Pace, was pretty excellent and lee Licari have great range on the vocals. There was a definite upbeat feel to their songs, and there’s a lot to be said for that. Licari has a Greg Norton look going on, with the well-manicured mustache. Our keyboard player suddenly had a saxophone solo and it was then I realized it was the same player from Lost Island Society (the change of primary instrument threw me off). Let Me Be Me was about not letting others tell you what to be, which seems to be a pretty important message these days. A very reggae song, Let Me Be, followed and was excellent for the form. Licari threw down a great harmonica solo, leaning into that blues feel, and showing off some range for the band’s sound.

Next it was Socktopus. Dual rapper vocalists, guitar/vocals, bass/vocals and drums hit hard. All in track suits, it was quite the look. There’s a lot of reasons you could be down on white rappers, but Socktopus was so infectiously fun, you couldn’t help but enjoy what they were doing. As the two rappers knelt for various instrumental solos, they were very willing to shine the spotlight on various band members. This was a silly amount of fun, with the band recognizing that as they asked, “are you ready to get greasy tonight?”. A funkier number allowed the band to play to their strengths, as the lyrics did the classic east side, west side thing. It was fun to have the guitarist singing a chorus and then have the rappers take over on the verses. After a deadpanned, “let’s dance like it’s the 90’s”, Socktopus brought it home with a slightly more serious but still fun rap finale.

Last up was headliner Dead Larry. They came out loud, with keyboard and guitar work taking place of vocals on the first song. A little bit of 80’s synth heavy solo carried a “ooh, aah” set of vocals. The quartet (keys/vocals, bass/vocals, guitar and drums) leaned into an extremely loud and rhythmic song that sounded nearly Eastern European at first. With the lead singer in a loud suit coat, it was hard to know whether to take them seriously, versus tongue in cheek satire. Either way, the music underneath was well played, which allowed them some leeway on other fronts. As they progressed, Dead Larry showed off some excellent musical layering, as keyboards blended with guitars. Here’s a band that was having fun and not worrying too much about how they came off, which I appreciated a lot. Another fun part of Dead Larry was that both the keyboardist and bassist took lead on vocals. For different songs or even within a number. This provided a nice change in sound throughout the set. They seemed to be choosing songs by feel (no set list was obvious), and maybe a bit on audience reaction. As they headed into the latter part of their set, the crowd was very into the vibe, and it felt very much like the birthday party it was. As we prepared to head back into the rain, there was a lot of love back at the merch tables, with the different bands and fans interacting. That really summed up the evening of simply enjoying the music on this very wet St. Paul night.

Lost Island Society

Sam Licari and The Sweet Tease

Socktopus

Dead Larry

Dead Larry at Turf Club (June 12, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 10:29 PM in Dead Larry, Socktopus, St Paul, Thaddeus, Turf Club | Permalink | Comments (1)

We♥KC! June 21-26, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO)

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Modest Mouse

Seattle's The Head and the Heart just stopped by First Avenue, in Minneapolis, as part of their national tour in support of Let's Be Still. The album was released last week, October 15th ...

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Congrats to the recent Tony Award winners--

We always keep an eye on them especially, the musical winners as they may take the production on the road, meaning it would likely play in KC.

This year’s Best Musical winner was “Almost Happy Ending” (about two robots in future Seoul, that find friendship and potential love, of all things).

Best Play was given to the dramatic “Purpose” about a prominent political Black family, and which already had won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama to Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. He’s also written the book for the upcoming “Prince- Purple Rain” musical, which world-premieres in Minneapolis this fall, so that’s all a very good sign for that production.

On the concert front, fall announcements continue (it looks busy through October, as usual) and Live Nation continues their $30 sale, but as their current bookings are limited in KC, it’s primarily for Starlight shows.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming week of June 21st-June 26th.

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

SATURDAY JUNE 21

SUNDAY JUNE 22

George Thorogood and the Destroyers, June 22, Uptown, $54-$197

Since 1976, George Thorogood & The Destroyers have sold over 15 million albums, built a catalogue of numerous hits, and played more than 8,000 live shows (and yet, he still “drinks alone”).

Thorogood and his longtime band which includes Jeff Simon (drums, percussion), Bill Blough (bass guitar), Jim Suhler (rhythm guitar) and Buddy Leach (saxophone) should be playing hits like “Get A Haircut”, “I Drink Alone”, “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer”, “Move It On Over”, “Who Do You Love” and the anthem “Bad To The Bone” – it’s the baddest show on earth!

MONDAY JUNE 23

Tripping Daisy, June 23, Warehouse on Broadway, $36.15-$42.15

The 90s Dallas psych-grunge band led by Tim DeLaughter (who’d go on to form The Polyphonic Spree) best known for alt-rock hit “I Got a Girl,” broke up in 1999 but have occasionally played reunion shows in Texas in recent years. Now, the band is back together and Tripping Daisy will head out on their first North American tour in 26 years. (I think we saw them at The Bottleneck in the ‘90s...maybe).

The tour will be a 30th anniversary celebration of their 1995 album I Am an Elastic Firecracker (the record containing “I Got A Girl”) and they’ll be playing it in its entirety alongside “timeless favorites from every album.”

TUESDAY JUNE 24

Modest Mouse, June 24, Grinders KC,$59.65-$245.36

Back on the road and back at the venue we saw them at in 2022! The tour follows last April’s expanded re-release of their early 2000s alt-rock gem Good News for People Who Love Bad News. Formed in 1993 in Issaquah, WA, and now based in Portland, Isaac Brock and Modest Mouse have long been a staple of the Pacific NW indie scene.

Their sound ranges from post-punk–influenced tracks inspired by Pixies to the psych-pop stylings of bands like Flaming Lips (both who have been recent tour mates). The band reached mainstream success in 2004 with the hit single “Float On,” they even now have their own themed cruise happening next year!)

Bear Hands w/OK Cowgirl, June 24, recordBar, $41.70

Bear Hands are back out on the 18-date second leg of their ‘The Key to What’ tour., performing songs from their latest album alongside fan favorites from their nineteen-year catalog, including top 20 alternative hits “Giants” and “Back Seat Driver.”

Bear Hands is Dylan Rau (vocals and guitar), Val Loper (bass), and TJ Orscher (drums). Formed in 2006 in Brooklyn, New York, the band gained early attention with their 2010 single “What a Drag,” which led to their signing with Cantora Records. They released their debut album Burning Bush Supper Club, that same year, followed by the critically acclaimed Distraction. Two additional albums followed – 2016’s You’ll Pay For This and 2019’s Fake Tunes.

Arrive early for Brooklyn-based indie rockers OK Cowgirl supporting the release of the deluxe edition of their debut album, Couldn’t Save Us From My Gut, out now via Easy Does It Records. The expanded release includes six bonus tracks, four unreleased demos and two alternate versions.

WEDNESDAY JUNE 25

THURSDAY JUNE 26

Weird Al Yankovic w Puddles Pity Party, June 26, Starlight, sold out

The parody king returns! Weird Al brings his legendary full-production multimedia comedy rock show back to the concert stage with the BIGGER & WEIRDER 2025 Tour, playing his iconic hits as well as some never-performed-live-before fan favorites. Al’s long-time band is joined by four additional players to create a super-sized concert experience.

“Weird Al” Yankovic is the biggest-selling comedy recording artist in history. A 5-time Grammy Award winner, he is best known for his parodies of the biggest musical artists over the last four decades. His many hits include “Amish Paradise,” “Eat It,” “Like a Surgeon,” “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Word Crimes,” and the platinum-selling “White & Nerdy.” His last album Mandatory Fun is the only comedy album in history to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 and in 2022, Yankovic produced and co-wrote the Emmy-winning biopic WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Country Stampede (Day One) Luke Bryan, June 26-28 Azura Amph, $99-$219

Under new and bigger-thinking management (“Kustom Entertainment”), a highly anticipated A-List lineup for the 2025 Country Stampede Festival makes this year’s installment perhaps the most exciting one to date. We ‘ve covered it the last few years and caught Jon Pardi bringing down the house last year.

The three-day fest kicks off on Thursday with Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Drew Baldridge & the winner of their Battle of the Bands contest. In addition to these main stage performances, the festival will showcase local and regional talent on the Platinum Club Stage throughout the weekend, ensuring a diverse and dynamic entertainment experience for attendees.

The fest launched five regional Battle of the Bands competitions with qualifiers in Wichita, KS, Springfield, MO, Omaha, NE, and Columbia, MO, with each market producing a winner to advance to the finals in KC and the overall winner gaining the opportunity to perform in front of thousands at the festival.

Greensky Bluegrass, June 26, Uptown, (rescheduled from March), $38-$82

The bluegrass jam band had to shift their schedule back in March (“postponed due to unforeseen circumstances”), but are returning on this make-up date, with all previous tickets being honored. The Kalamazoo MI band’s last studio album was 2022’s Stress Dreams.

The band has evolved over the years, growing from 3 to 5 members, adding electric effects, and touring with a full light show. GSBG describes their sound as "their own version of bluegrass music, mixing the acoustic stomp of a string band with the rule-breaking spirit of rock & roll."

National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity? Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email [email protected]

john c ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ X / twitter.com

Posted at 08:11 PM in Bear Hands, Country Music, Country Stampede, Festivals, Greensky Bluegrass, John, Kansas City, Kansas City Music Guide, Lawrence, Modest Mouse, Preview, Weird Al | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jax: July 11 to July 13, 2025

06/12/2025

Mpls: July 10 to July 11, 2025

Blondshell at Fine Line, Minneapolis (June 11, 2025)

Blondshell at Fine Line (June 11, 2025)

Blondshell Setlist

23's A Baby
Toy
Docket
Sepsis
Veronica Mars
Arms
T&A
Change
Berlin TV Tower
Thumbtack
Olympus
Diet Pepsi (Addison Rae cover)
Kiss City
Tarmac
He Wants Me

-- Encore --
Event of a Fire
Salad

setlist from setlist.fm

Tour Dates

6/13/25 – Metro – Chicago, IL *

6/14/25 – Skully's Music Diner – Columbus, OH *

6/16/25 – Phoenix Concert Theater – Toronto, ON *

6/17/25 – Theatre Fairmount – Montreal, QC *

6/19/25 – Royale – Boston, MA %

6/20/25 – Brooklyn Steel – New York, NY %

6/21/25 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA %

6/24/25 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC %

6/26/25 – Orange Peel – Asheville, NC %

6/27/25 – Variety Playhouse – Atlanta, GA %

6/28/25 – Basement East – Nashville, TN %

# support from Draag
^ support from Jahnah Camille
* support from Meg Elsier
% support from Daffo

Read More

Blondshell

Starting January 18th, Los Angeles’ Blondshell (aka Sabrina Teitelbaum), will take over as support. Blondshell is still very new, having only released four singles, her debut ....

Waiting in line at will call, a guy with a grey beard asked if I had an extra ticket. Not uncommon for most sold-out shows. What was uncommon is he had already invested $25.00 into the show.

“So you did buy a ticket,” I asked.

“Parking,” He replied.

The guy did not follow Vu’s golden rule of never paying for parking, and now he was on the outside of what was definitely going to be a great show.

meg elsier opened up the evening. It was her first show opening for Blondshell and first time in the Twin Cities. From Massachusetts, she was excited to be on stage, and her infectious spirit carried a bubbly delivery over the grunge sound.

elsier was clearly having fun as she said her next song was “sportscar” even though she drove a Subaru Forester. The song had a favorable reaction, but elsier said the song didn’t make the cut on her 2024 debut album spittake. “Maybe the deluxe reissue,” she joked.

elsier is currently living in Nashville and sang an ode to her new town “Eastside”, which was more a lament of a life on the wrong side of the tracks. Then she finished her quick set with “Ifshitfuq”, a song of confused emotions colliding into a moment, a song which landed on Spotify’s indie editors Best Songs of 2023.

As the stage was being set for Blondshell the graybeard that I saw in the lobby without a ticket was now in front of me dancing to the Talking Heads “Girlfriend Is Better.” What was more surprising was he didn’t fit the demographic of a performer who has so far made a living skewering the opposite sex.

Blondshell at 7th Street Entry
(July 11, 2023)

We have become fans of Blondshell, aka Sabrina Teitelbaum, since we caught her Twin Cities debut at Seventh Street Entry July, 2023. Since then, we have seen the opening for Liz Phair at the Palace Theatre Nov, 2023, and opening for Glass Animals at Azura Amphitheater Aug, 2024. In fact, she did over 150 shows in support of her self-titled debut album and is now back on the road with her sophomore album If You Asked for a Picture, a title lifted from a line from Mary Oliver’s poem “Dogfish”.

Blondshell received universal praise from critics and fans alike for her witty and scathing observations. And based on the first song of the evening from her new album “23’s a Baby”, it appears that her views have not shifted but have grown sharper and keenly observational. As she commented in a Rolling Stone interview about her latest project:

“Maybe it’s just the nature of being two years older, but I’m more comfortable with nuance now, and I’m more comfortable with gray areas…. It’s empowering for me to use sonic references that feel reserved for men.”

A personal favorite was “Arms” in which the person in the song is trying, but spent and aware of the contradiction. Then a song about “T&A” and how it might not be enough. Just based on the video that juxtaposes male models with rescue animals, it lets you know which one Blondshell thinks are the real dogs.

There is a structure to Blondshell’s hit songs: a laid-back delivery followed by lush vocals over a shoegazing sound . But last night she said she is looking to broaden her musical horizons, and gave the crowd a peak with a new song “Berlin TV Tower” which had her sitting and singing with an acoustic guitar.

Eventually, Blondshell would finish the evening with her hit song “Salad”. But before the first few lines about imagining poisoning her toxic boyfriend, she gave the crowd her opinion on the current political climate and how it was affecting her hometown in L.A.

Personally, I’d like to hear future songs on the topic with her insight and wit.

meg elsier

Blondshell

Blondshell at Fine Line, Minneapolis (June 11, 2025)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Posted at 09:13 PM in Blondshell, Daffo, Dave, Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis | Permalink | Comments (0)

06/11/2025

Something for the Weekend: Friday the 13th

What’s happening this weekend.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Saint Small at Hook and Ladder (June 13, 2025)

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Saint Small

The upcoming “Singles Going Steady”, a singles-release party will be featuring Ryan and Pony, Benjamin Cartel (from KaiserCartel), and Saint Small. Down in the Clown Lounge …

Little Man

Little Man is back with new music and video for “BLVD”, which you can see on YouTube. The single was recorded and mixed by producer John Fields (Soul Asylum, Jonas Brothers). .…

Mood Swings

So tonight, The Mood Swings will be at the Sauce, at their CD-releasing party. As with previous Susstones showmania, they are cheap ($5, man!) and features a ton of bands …

June 13, 2025 Friday
Saint Small
with Mood Swings and Little Man
at Hook and Ladder
thehookmpls.com

Minneapolis’ garage-rock band Saint Small is reuniting to play a farewell gig at the Hook and Ladder Theater in Minneapolis, one night only, Friday the 13th, celebrating the band’s debut vinyl release Thank You Friends, the Album.

The last time we mentioned Saint Small was in Dec 2018: “The upcoming “Singles Going Steady”, a singles-release party will be featuring Ryan and Pony, Benjamin Cartel (from KaiserCartel), and Saint Small. Down in the Clown Lounge (underneath the Turf Club), will feature Revenge Wedding and Kris Gruen.”

Local favorites, Little Man and The Mood Swings are sharing the triple-bill.

Mood Swings at Turf Club
(Mar 3, 2023)

We previously caught The Mood Swings in March 2023 and wrote, “To be perfectly honest, I was rather excited to see The Mood Swings. The band, featuring Ashley Ackerson and Sallie Watson, had not released anything new since 2009’s Recessionista. While the band would play on and off gigs, it seemed like they are fairly inactive since 2009. During the Mood Swings’ hiatus, Ashley would spend more time in her side project BNLX, with her husband, Ed Ackerson (of Polara) - that’s why you saw BNLX albums (the album with their dog on the cover) at the Mood Swing’s merchandise table.”

Little Man at 400 Bar
(April 9, 2009)

We saw Little Man in April 2009 and said, “Anyway, Little Man played a pretty full set, which is a relief since I was so used to the 30 sets from SXSW. Sometime they would pause for applause and sometime each song leads directly into the next. Halfway into the set, Perricelli picks up his acoustic guitar for two songs (I think "Seal Of Secrecy" and "Love Of All Time"), before going back to electric for the rest of the set. The acoustic was a nice treat, especially with the harmonica (which sort of made me think of Bob Dylan). You can tell right away that Perricelli is an excellent guitarist with his left hand moving quickly up and down the neck of the guitar. It's no surprise why the City Pages called Little Man the Next Big Thing on their cover story for February 27th, 2007. I did ask Perricelli the story behind this and he told me that they had sent someone over the house to interview and take some photographs. He honestly didn't know it was going to be a cover story, so he was a little shocked when he learned about it.”

Belfast Cowboys at Lake Harriet Bandshell (June 13, 2025)

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Music in the Parks

Today, Labor Day, is the last day and the “End of Summer Celebration” from Music in the Parks series. Today’s schedule will feature Laughing Waters Blue Grass Festival at …

Belfast Cowboys

A pretty last-minute decision found me at Turf Club on St. Patrick’s day to see locals The Belfast Cowboys. A brass heavy band that “specializes in the music of Van Morrison” .…

June 13, 2025 Friday
Belfast Cowboys
at Lake Harriet Bandshell
minneapolisparks.org

Come see local 9-piece band Belfast Cowboys play Lake Harriet Bandshell, in Minneapolis, as part of the Music in the Parks series.

Belfast Cowboys at Turf Club
(Mar 17, 2025)

We saw Belfast Cowboys in Mar 2025 and said, “The nine-piece band has a full brass section, multiple guitars, keys and drums. Lead singer Terry Walsh, asked, “Is it seven yet? We want to be prompt.” The first song, You Make Me Feel So Free had the full brass sound, including a great sax solo. The band was in the spirit, with some adorned in various types of St. Patrick’s Day accoutrements (sparkly green tie, green bowler hat, etc.). Walsh said, “It isn’t summer yet, but it’s coming”, as the band launched into a cover of Chuck Prophet’s Summertime Thing that included a brass riff on Summer in the City.”

Music in the Park 2025 Schedule

06/14 Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project

06/24 Jeff Dayton

07/01 Salsa Del Soul

07/08 Westwind Big Band

07/15 Minneapolis Commodores

07/22 Tumblin Dice

07/29 Two Sundays Big Band

08/05 Rooms on Fire

08/12 Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band

08/19 Bavarian Musikmeisters

08/26 Brio Brass

Movies in the Park 2025

08/28 Inside Out 2

09/05 The Wild Robot

09/12 If

Mozart’s Prague Symphony with Gábor Takács-Nagy at Ordway Concert Hall (June 13-15, 2025)

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SPCO

Taking place this Friday and Saturday, at the Ordway Concert Hall, in St Paul, is Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s latest event: Steven Copes Plays Prokofiev’s First Violin Sonata. ...

June 13, 2025 Friday
June 14, 2025 Saturday
June 15, 2025 Sunday
Mozart’s Prague Symphony
with Gábor Takács-Nagy
at Ordway Concert Hall
thespco.org

Kicking off this Friday the 13th is audience favorite and newest SPCO Artistic Partner Gábor Takács-Nagy returning for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s 66th season finale! Hopefully, if all goes well, we’ll get a review for the Sunday show.

We saw SPCO’s Steven Copes Plays Prokofiev’s First Violin Sonata in May 2025 and said, “The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra concert program on Saturday night held a sober reminder that the horrors of the past are unfortunately echoing in the headlines of today. The first work of the evening was a lament from Ukrainian composer and cellist Zoltan Havrylovych Almashi. It was a piece that Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv invited Almashi to compose by using Samuel Barber’s iconic Adagio for Strings as a reference point. This request was during the full-scale Russian invasion, and the work “Maria’s City” is dedicated to the city of Mariupol, one of the first cities destroyed by the Russian Forces.”

Schedule

Friday, June 13, 2025 – 11:00 AM
Ordway Concert Hall Downtown St. Paul

Saturday, June 14, 2025 – 7:00 PM
Ordway Concert Hall Downtown St. Paul

Sunday, June 15, 2025 – 2:00 PM
Ordway Concert Hall Downtown St. Paul

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

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