W♥M

We♥KC! February 8-14, 2023 Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

Read More Country Stampede Country Stampede at the Heartland is an outdoor music festival featuring country music stars, camping, and more in Topeka, Kansas at Heartland Motorsports Park, held annually since 1996. …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Ahh, the month of love!

KC is showing some love to live shows as well, with a handful this week that are sold-out, and it looks like a busy week at recordBar, The Uptown, and in Lawrence-- get out and see something live while those temps remain mild.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/Lawrence KS metro musical happenings through the end of the month- February 8th-14th.

WEDNESDAY FEB 8

My Fair Lady (musical), Kauffman Center, $56.50-$121.50

(Continues through Feb 12- look for our review of opening night soon!)  From Lincoln Center Theater (who brought The King & I and South Pacific), comes the Lerner & Loewe classic. Director Bartlett Sher’s production boasts classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” and “On the Street Where You Live,” it tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a professor determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.”

Garrison Keillor and Company (comedy/spoken word), Uptown, $39-$69

An evening of stand-up, storytelling, audience song, and poetry starring Garrison Keillor and featuring pianist Dan Chouinard, vocalist Prudence Johnson and musician Dean Magraw.

There are sung sonnets, limericks and musical jokes, and the thread that runs through it is the beauty of growing old. There is the News from Lake Wobegon, a town booming with new entrepreneurs, makers of artisanal firewood and gourmet meatloaf, breeders of composting worms, and dogs trained to do childcare. Minnesotans and beyond have been enraptured by this world of small-town humor.

Magic City Hippies w Capyac, recordBar SOLD OUT

Miami alt-pop psych-funk party starters are back on tour in support of third album Water Your Garden. We saw them open for Hippo Campus in Mar 2017 on their first-ever national tour, knowing bigger things were to come...and were right. 

THURSDAY FEB 9

Alastair Greene, Knuckleheads,$10

A night of blues rock from a member of the Alan Parsons Live Project from 2010 to 2017, Greene would go on to play with Starship featuring Mickey Thomas and Sugaray Rayford Band, as well as his own band. Greene formed his own Alastair Greene Band in 1997 and subsequently released eight albums, including two live sets and a compilation record, over nearly 20 years. Howard Mahan to open.

FRIDAY FEB 10

Ian Munsick w Ashland Craft, Ned LaDoux, Liberty Hall-Lawrence, SOLD OUT

One of the true highlights of last summer’s Country Stampede Festival was seeing this Wyoming native live, who is currently out on his mostly sold-out Long Live Cowgirls Tour and as well as the local date, is headlining the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the first time.

The tour, named after the song, that has garnered over 74.5 million global streams to date and topped SiriusXM The Highway’s Hot 30 Countdown, compliments the news of Munsick’s sophomore LP White Buffalo, due April 7th (on Warner Music Nashville). The album is an ode to the wild landscapes and complex characters of Munsick’s Wyoming, including a real-life glimpse of the bond between Native American and cowboy culture.

Ashland Craft and maybe fellow WY native (and son of legend Chris LeDoux), Ned LeDoux opens as support (scheduled, though we don't see his name listed on the venue's website).  

Chapel Hart w Lucas Hoge, Feb 10, Uptown, $25-$125

The Poplarville country music trio featuring sisters Danica Hart and Devynn Hart and cousin Trea Swindle is out on their Glory Days Tour as they release new music, which includes a song of the same name."This single is so exciting for us because we are currently living in our ‘Glory Days,'" the group said in a news release. "The beauty of it all is that there are some folks who've been where we are, there are some who are in it with us, and there are some who haven’t made it there yet.”

Shlump, Encore at Uptown, $25

Dubstep DJ / producer spins on his Alien Trip Tour

David Lowery, Knuckleheads, $20

What the world needs now…is a mathematician, writer, musician, producer and serial entrepreneur based in Richmond, VA and Athens, GA. While studying mathematics and computers at the UC-Santa Cruz in the early 1980’s, Lowery founded the critically acclaimed ensemble Camper Van Beethoven and associated record label Pitch-a-Tent Records, helping jump start the modern Indie Rock movement and would later go on to even further success with band Cracker. The one-man show will be an intimate look into early indie.

(Note- Fall 2022 date in Lawrence, KS was previously postponed and is now taking place the night before at Lawrence Arts Center, free)

SATURDAY FEB 11

Voices of Mississippi feat Ruthie Foster, JCCC- Midwest Trust Center, $25+

More than a concert – a unique entertaining and informative Blues and Roots event!  "Voices of Mississippi” is a new multimedia event that celebrates the music, art and storytelling traditions of the people of Mississippi, based on the 2019 double Grammy Award–winning source. The program features live musical performances integrated with film, audio recordings and rare photographs by folklorist William “Bill” Ferris, who will also serve as host.

The show features musicians Ruthie Foster and Luther and Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars, Sharde Thomas and Chris Mallory, all of whom have deep ties to Mississippi. With an array of photos, film clips, stories and live music, “Voices of Mississippi” paints a powerful picture of a time and place that remains an essential piece of the American cultural fabric.

Adam Sandler, T-Mobile Center, $34.50-$164.50

The Sandman is back to his stand-up roots (though on an arena stage) promising a special surprise guest and at each show, Sandler pays his respects to his former “Saturday Night Live” cast mate Chris Farley with his original song “Farley.”

The tour leads up to Sandler set to receiving the 24th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor next month. Some who have received the award in recent years include Tina Fey, Jon Stewart, Richard Pryor, Will Ferrell and Carl Reiner.

SUNDAY FEB 12

Super Bowl LVII- Go Chiefs!

MONDAY FEB 13

We Came as Romans, Granada-Lawrence, $25-$28

Out on their Darkbloom U.S. Headline Tour, a 24-date run with support from ERRA and Brand of Sacrifice. Guitarist Joshua Moore commented, "We're stoked to announce we'll be hitting the road again on the Darkbloom headliner! — get ready for a heavy show! We're excited to be able to play a ton of new songs for our fans, we're so grateful for your support over the last four years!"

Oliver Hazard w The 502s, recordBar, $14

Oliver Hazard is an indie-folk band from Waterville, OH whose sound is self-described as a “ramshackle of uprooted folk-stomp,” though band member Mike Belazis says he would consider adding the word “melodious.” The project of musicians Mike, Devin East, and Griffin McCulloch. They’re big enough in their hometown, they even have their own summer festival.

FL Tik Tok sensations The 502s are a sextet comprised of cousins Ed and Jake Isola, who grew up across the street from one another (in house number 502!), and also features kindergarten friends Matt Tonner and Joe Capati, plus Sean Froehlich and Nick Melashenko who joined the gang when they all met at college together.

Blue Man Group, Feb 13, 14, Lied Center- Lawrence,$21-$60

Celebrate with a loved one with a show with a show everyone should see at least once! More than 50 million people around the world have experienced the smash hit phenomenon. It’s everything you know and love—signature drumming, colorful moments of creativity and comedy—the men are still blue, but the rest is all new! Featuring original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction, and more.

TUESDAY FEB 14

Eleri Ward, recordBar,$20

The singer/songwriter will perform selections from her new album Keep A Tender Distance (via Ghostlight Records). The album is an introspective folk guitar exploration of Stephen Sondheim's musical theater canon and is the follow-up to A Perfect Little Death, her viral hit debut take on the Sondheim catalog. We caught her live last July with Josh Groban and came away very impressed.

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

7 Grandmasters (film) at Trylon Cinema, Minneapolis (05 Feb 2023)

Jue quan (1977) An aging martial arts expert is gifted a plaque from the Emperor declaring him the Kung Fu World Champion. Unsure of whether or not be is deserving of this title, he embarks on a journey to defeat the 7 Grandmasters. Director: Joseph Kuo Writers: Da-Wei Kuo (story), Joseph Kuo, Ching-Kang Yao Stars: Yi-Min Li, Jack Long, Kuan-Wu Lung Read More Shaw Brothers As you know, I’m a big Shaw Brothers fan, and have personally own over 75 DVDs and Blurays. As I previously mentioned, unfortunately these movies don’t sell well in America, so many of these Shaw Brothers titles never made …

We caught the last showing for 7 Grandmasters, as part of the An Exploitation Extravaganza showcase, at the tiny 90-person non-profit Trylon Cinema in Minneapolis.

Turn out was terrific, although I heard Friday night’s showing was entirely sold out and there were talks that it might sell out based on pre-sales. Fans who showed up have never seen this independent 1977 production from Taiwan.

7 Grand Masters (DVD)

Of course, as an avid film collector, especially in the Kung Fu genre, I own the DVD release from Tokyo Shock (Media Blasters). The disc came out in 1999, and the video was taken directly from the source at Mei Ah Film Production Co., Ltd., which did a great job restoring the film for licensing. In many ways, the DVD copy is a better representation of the film, because it has the English dub (as well as original Mandarin with English subtitles).

According to film collector and programmer, Dan Halsted, he spoke to director Joseph Kuo, and said that what we’re about to see is the only 35mm print of the film. It’s a rare treat to see these films on 35… but unfortunately, due to time passage, the print has not aged well. Colors were washed out, in some area of the film, looks like it could be a black and white film.

Despite poor subtitle translations (and sometime impossible to read when there’s a white shirt in the shot…), you do get the general idea of the story. Speaking of which, the story is about a retiring Kung Fu master named Sang Kuan Chun who was challenged before his retirement. He takes his three students and his daughter to defeat the 7 Grandmasters to become the ultimate Grandmaster.

Along the way, an unknown young man begs the Grandmaster to take him as a student. It’s a fairly simple story, but they try and add in more plot, such as how the Grandmaster only knew 9 of the deadly Pai Mei strokes as a masked man stole the other 3 deadly strikes. It seems sometime that the filmmakers were making up the story as they started filming (since so many of these elements weren’t established early in the story).

Look, you don’t watch these films for the amazing stories, you watch them for the action… and this film delivers. The teacher has to fight 7 fighters, resulting in what seems like a super long fight after fight. In fact, during his fight with the Mantis Fist style, I was left wondering, “Is this number 5 or 6?” There were so many masters to keep track of!

With these films, it’s always better to watch it with an audience. The audience would laugh at some scenes… which you wouldn’t know it was funny if you watched it alone. Also, when the film ended, everyone was clapping in approval. I love that kind of experience; it tells me that there are many fans who appreciate these films.

Dan Halsted at Trylon Cinema, Minneapolis (05 Feb 2023)

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

Minneapolis: This Week (02/12/2023)

Here are some shows, this week, in the Minneapolis/St Paul area.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide

02/06 Bush at Fillmore Minneapolis Read More Bush British rockers Bush are back on tour to promote their sixth studio Man on the Run (Zuma Rock/BMG). The record marks the band's second studio album to be recorded under its current incarnation (Gavin Rossdale, Robin …

02/06/2023 Monday

Bush
at Fillmore Minneapolis
livenation.com

I believe the upcoming Bush concert at the Fillmore on Feb 6, 2023, is a make-up date for their 2020 tour in support of The Kingdom. As many of you know, 2020 proved to be a terrible year for live events due to the pandemic.

In the 90s, Bush was a massive band… but they broke up after 2000.

In 2010, the band reformed to play their first show in 8 years, and since then changed their line-up and created new songs.

With the new 2022/2023 tour, Bush released another new album, The Art of Survival.

Tour dates:

Jan 28 Reno, NV, US Grand Sierra Resort and Casino
Jan 29 Hollywood, CA, US Hollywood Palladium
Jan 31 Anaheim, CA, US City National Grove of Anaheim
Feb 1 Phoenix, AZ, US The Van Buren
Feb 3 Salt Lake City, UT, US The Complex - UT
Feb 4 Denver, CO, US Fillmore Auditorium
Feb 6 Minneapolis, MN, US Fillmore Minneapolis
Feb 7 Kansas City, MO, US Arvest Bank Theatre
Feb 9 Toronto, ON, Canada History
Feb 10 Northfield, OH, US MGM Northfield Park
Feb 14 Boston, MA, US MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Feb 15 Washington, DC, US The Anthem
Feb 17 Atlantic City, NJ, US Ocean Casino Resort
Feb 18 New York (NYC), NY, US Manhattan Center
Feb 20 Nashville, TN, US Ryman Auditorium
Feb 22 Louisville, KY, US The Louisville Palace
Feb 25 Chicago, IL, US The Salt Shed
Feb 26 St Louis, MO, US The Pageant

02/08 Ready or Hot with Kiss the Tiger and DJ Jake Rudh at First Avenue Read More Kiss the Tiger Sept 20 Kiss the Tiger Bottleneck Kiss the Tiger, Bottleneck- Lawrence, We’re fans of the Minneapolis indie alt-rock band whose third studio release, Vicious Kid, is out now. The band began in late 2016 and has been gradually gaining more attention … DJ Jake Rudh Playing music between sets was DJ Jake Rudh, from Transmission. As you know, Rudh is a big fan of New Order and Joy Division, naming his radio show after a Joy Division song. . …

02/08/2023 Wednesday

Ready or Hot
with Kiss the Tiger and DJ Jake Rudh
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

The special First Avenue and Planned Parenthood North Central States is putting together a benefit for women’s reproductive rights with their Rock, Runway, and Reproductive Rights show, taking place Feb 8th at First Avenue’s mainroom.

Planned Parenthood writes, “Come together with fellow Planned Parenthood supporters on February 8 for an evening of fashion and music at the most iconic music venue in Minneapolis, First Avenue & 7th St Entry! Ready or Hot raises essential funds that support our vital sexual and reproductive health care, inclusive sex education, and fierce advocacy in Minnesota.”

General Admission Tickets are $100, but does include a drink ticket and gift bag. Next Generation General Admission is $50.

Kiss the Tiger at Bottleneck (22 Feb 2022)

Opening will be Kiss the Tiger, who we caught in Feb 2022 at Lawrence, Kansas: “Next up was a Twin Cities favorite, Minneapolis band Kiss the Tiger, who had their third studio release, Vicious Kid, come out last June and is on their first brief tour outside of the Upper Midwest. The band began in late 2016 and has been gradually gaining more attention ever since, named a “Picked to Click” band by former alt-weekly City Pages in 2019.”

Transmission’s DJ Jake Rudh will DJ between sets.

02/09 The Charlatans UK and RIDE with DJ Jake Rudh at First Avenue Read More The Charlatans The Charlatans have finally made good on their threat of releasing their album for free on the heels of Radiohead's In Rainbows. … Ride Legendary shoegazing band Ride will be headlining Mill City Nights next Tuesday, September 29th. After the British band broke up in 1996, founding band member Andy Bell went on to …

02/09/2023 Thursday

The Charlatans UK and RIDE
with DJ Jake Rudh
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Two of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved bands, The Charlatans (known in the USA as The Charlatans UK due to conflicting name with the American band of the same name) and Ride is on a co-headlining tour - and guess what? They’re stopping in Minneapolis on Feb 9th.

Charlatans / Stereophonics at the Quest (03 Apr 2000)

We saw The Charlatans and Tim Burgess before W♥M existed… in 2000 and 2001: “As you know, I am a big British music fan, so the co-headlining tour of The Charlatans (or as they're known in America as Charlatans UK) and Stereophonics at the Quest in 2000 could not be missed. At that time, I wasn't that familiar with Stereophonics, I was mostly at that show (which I could have sworn it was at the Fine Line Music Café) to see The Charlatans. I loved "Weirdo" and "The Only One I Know", which, when I saw Tim Burgess solo at First Avenue a few years later, he only did his solo music (boo!).”

Ride at Mill City Nights (29 Sep 2015)

As for Ride, we saw them on their reunion tour in Sep 2015, “Reunions are special, not only do the band get back to doing what they loved, but they are also reuniting their fans to come together in one place. Personally speaking, we met and saw so many old shoegazing fans and friends. Some of these fans have not been seen at other shows... but for Ride, of course, they'll come out. Many believed that this is perhaps the last time Ride will play here. Also, plenty of local bands (who were inspired by Ride and the music they help pioneer) came out to the show - in particular Ed Ackerson (of BNLX; Polara) and Two Harbors were spotted at the show.”

DJ Jake Rudh to DJ.

Tour dates:

01/ 30 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
01/31 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel
02/02 – Boston, MA – BIG Night Live
02/03 – Montreal, QC – Corona Theatre
02/04 – Toronto, ON – History
02/05 – Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre
02/07 – Chicago, IL – The Vic Theatre
02/08 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
02/09 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
02/11 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre
02/13 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
02/14 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox
02/15 – Portland, OR – Crystal Ballroom
02/17 – San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore
02/18 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern

02/10 Bella White at 7th St Entry Read More Bella White Canadian bluegrass singer Bella White is set to release her debut album Just Like Leaving on September 25, 2020. More information can be found on her website …

02/10/2023 Friday

Bella White
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Bella White will stop by the 7th Street Entry on Feb 10. She had recently finished her co-headlining tour with Taylor Ashton, and these new 2023 seems like a continuing tour. We first mentioned White’s debut album Just Like Leaving in July 2020.

Bella White is described as “22 year old was born and raised in rural Canada by two musician parents. She was thrust into the world of Bluegrass as a young child (her father is from Virginia) - learning fingerpicking guitar and mandolin and going to jams and competitions on the weekends. And although White isn't a rigid purist, she deeply believes it's her duty to carry this music tradition forward, to keep it alive and turn kids her age onto it.”

Tour dates:

Feb 10 Fri 7th St. Entry Minneapolis, MN
Feb 11 Sat The Back Room Milwaukee, WI
Feb 12 Sun Rose Bowl Tavern Urbana, IL
Feb 15 Wed Space Evanston, IL
Feb 17 Fri Raccoon Motel Davenport, IA
Feb 18 Sat Slowdown Omaha, NE
Feb 19 Sun Dyck Arboretum Hesston, KS
Feb 24 Fri Wintergrass Festival 2023 Bellevue, WA
Apr 28 Fri Stagecoach Indio, CA
Jul 14 Fri Under The Big Sky 2023 Whitefish, MT

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

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

Claire Rosinkranz with DWLLRS and mehro at Fine Line (02/03/2023)

Claire Rosinkranz Setlist Backyard Boy i h8 that i still feel bad for u sad in hawaii dreamer pools and palm trees never goes away 123 i'm too pretty for this polarized don't miss me wes anderson banksy screw time Boy in a Billion Frankenstein medley with Lovefool by the Cardigans swinging at the stars mehro Setlist Pirate Song Can’t You Talk to Me Whore Chance with You Read More Claire Rosinkranz Following her first ever sold-out headline tour this Fall, 17-year-old Southern California singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Claire Rosinkranz announces the dates for her 2022 …

An all-age show sold out for the Claire Rosinkranz show at the Fine Line; a frozen line of concert goers waiting to get into the venue as a mother left the warm comfort of her parked SUV to offer her coat to her daughter who was hopping and jumping to fight off hypothermia. Some parents kept a little closer, staking claim to the tables that ringed the second tier of the venue with easy access to the bar.

It was a large crowd, an animated crowd, probably the most excitement I had seen for some time. The audience of mostly teenage girls even gave a roadie a round of applause, which caught him off guard, but then he leapt into the moment by taking a deep bow.

Sporting his own merch, mehro started off the evening with a brief set (four songs: Pirate Song, Can’t You Talk to Me, Whore and Chance with You.) On the scene since 2020 his music is introspective and would find a home in any coffee shop or cellar speakeasy where the acoustics of his guitar play and evocative voice would be fully appreciated. Even at the Fine Line he found a captive crowd that was quite disappointed when he started to thank everybody and wrapped up his set.

DWLLRS next took the stage to offer an upbeat vibe to get the crowd dancing. Made up of two college roommates, Bren Eissman and Joey Spurgeon, their sound was reflected their hometown of San Clemente, California with a laid-back surf-rock sound that at times pushed into other genres, sometimes even in the same song like Ice Coffee.

Sporting some nice turquoise rings, Eissman stated that this was the biggest crowd they had yet played in front of and jokingly asked the crowd to form a mosh pit for the ballad End of It All. Then he pulled out the ukulele while Spurgeon played a far-off luau for Blue Spirits. Then they finished the set with I Was Lost that had the crowd jumping and making the floor to feel more like a trampoline.

Claire Rosinkranz next took the stage with her band and promptly kept the dance party going with her Tik Tok hit Backyard Boy.

Claire Rosinkranz (04 Mar 2022)

We Heart first caught Rosinkranz at a sold-out show at 7th Street Entry in March of 2022. She was only seventeen then and she is still two years from legally joining the parents on the second tier for a cocktail. But musically speaking she is maturing into veteran with breezy pop songs like i’m too pretty for this and Boy in a Billion. She even played a new song Sad in Hawaii which dropped that day but was still somehow known by the crowd.

In between her viral hits she slid in some new songs from a soon to be released album and even medley The Cardigans’ Lovefool with her song Frankenstein. For the whole night she moved around the stage, dancing and sashaying as she ended the set with Swinging at the Stars with lyrics that may have encapsulated her current circumstance:

I don’t know, I don’t know
Where I’ll be, where I'll be
Take my time, take my time
Guess we’ll see

mehro

mehro

DWLLRS

DWLLRS

Claire Rosinkranz

Claire Rosinkranz

Claire Rosinkranz

Claire Rosinkranz at Fine Line, Minneapolis (03 Feb 2023)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: March 1 to March 4

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

03/01 Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack at Palace Theatre Read More Bobby Weir Legendary Grateful Dead founder Bobby Weir will be playing live at the UC Berkeley Greek Theatre on July 24th. The show is billed as Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros. …

03/01/2023 Wednesday

Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros
featuring The Wolfpack
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Bobby Weir (of the Grateful Dead) will head out on tour starting in Feb 2023. Their tour, billed as Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros (Weir, Don Was, Jay Lane and Jeff Chimenti), features The Wolfpack, a string and brass quintet.

We wrote about the band in 2021: “Who are the Wolf Bros? They’re Bobby Weir, Don Was, and Jay Lane… however, these special shows will feature Jeff Chimenti on keys and Greg Leisz on pedal steel, along with The Wolfpack: Alex Kelly, Brian Switzer, Adam Theis, Mads Tolling and Sheldon Brown.”

Tour Dates

Feb 2 North Charleston, SC, US North Charleston Performing Arts
Feb 3 St Petersburg, FL, US Florida Theatre
Feb 3 Jacksonville, FL, US Florida Theatre Jacksonville
Feb 4 Fort Lauderdale, FL, US Broward Center
Feb 7 Port Chester, NY, US Capitol Theatre
Feb 8 Port Chester, NY, US Capitol Theatre
Feb 10 Port Chester, NY, US Capitol Theatre
Feb 11 Port Chester, NY, US Capitol Theatre
Feb 17 Atlanta, GA, US Atlanta Symphony Hall
Feb 18 Atlanta, GA, US Atlanta Symphony Hall
Feb 19 Atlanta, GA, US Atlanta Symphony Hall
Feb 21 Memphis, TN, US Orpheum Theatre
Feb 22 Asheville, NC, US Thomas Wolfe Auditorium
Feb 24 Chattanooga, TN, US Soldiers and Sailors
Feb 25 Louisville, KY, US The Louisville Palace
Feb 26 Detroit, MI, US The Fillmore
Feb 28 Madison, WI, US The Sylvee
Mar 1 St. Paul, MN, US Palace Theatre
Mar 2 Ames, IA, US Stephens Auditorium
Mar 4 Omaha, NE, US Orpheum Theater
Mar 5 Kansas City, MO, US Arvest Bank Theatre
Mar 7 Austin, TX, US 3ten ACL Live
Mar 8 Austin, TX, US 3ten ACL Live
Mar 9 Dallas, TX, US Majestic Theatre
Mar 11 Nashville, TN, US Ryman Auditorium
Mar 12 Nashville, TN, US Ryman Auditorium
Apr 28 New Orleans, LA, US New Orleans Jazz
Apr 29 Hollywood, CA, US Hollywood Bowl
May 20 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Forum
May 23 Outdoor Phoenix, AZ, US Ak-Chin Pavilion
May 26 Outdoor Dallas, TX, US Dos Equis Pavilion
May 28 Outdoor Atlanta, GA, US Cellairis Amphitheatre
May 30 Outdoor Charlotte, NC, US PNC Music Pavilion
Jun 1 Outdoor Raleigh, NC, US Coastal Credit Union Music Park
Jun 3 Outdoor Bristow, VA, US Jiffy Lube Live
Jun 5 Outdoor Burgettstown, PA, US The Pavilion
Jun 7 Outdoor Maryland Heights, MO, US Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
Jun 9 Outdoor Chicago, IL, US Wrigley Field
Jun 10 Outdoor Chicago, IL, US Wrigley Field
Jun 13 Outdoor Cincinnati, OH, US Riverbend Music Center
Jun 15 Outdoor Philadelphia, PA, US Citizens Bank Park
Jun 17 Outdoor Saratoga Springs, NY, US Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Jun 18 Outdoor Saratoga Springs, NY, US Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Jun 21 Outdoor Queens, NY, US Citi Field Complex
Jun 22 Outdoor Queens, NY, US Citi Field Complex
Jun 24 Outdoor Boston, MA, US Fenway Park
Jun 25 Outdoor Boston, MA, US Fenway Park
Jun 27 Outdoor Noblesville, IN, US Ruoff Music Center
Jul 1 Boulder, CO, US Folsom Field, University of Colorado
Jul 2 Boulder, CO, US Folsom Field, University of Colorado

03/04 Cory Wong ft. Victor Wooten with Trousdale at Palace Theatre Read More Cory Wong Guitarist Cory Wong is playing the Fine Line Music Café on February 9th. Wong is bringing Emily C Browning (not to be confused with Australian actress and singer Emily Browning - you can hear the actress sing in God Help The Girl). ... Victor Wooten The dynamic bass virtuoso Victor Wooten Trio, featuring five-time Grammy award winner Victor Wooten with Dennis Chambers and Bob Franceschini, will be playing four shows at the Dakota Jazz Club …

03/04/2023 Saturday

Cory Wong ft. Victor Wooten
with Trousdale
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

“The most famous Minnesota musician you’ve probably never heard of” GRAMMY® Award-nominated songwriter, producer, and guitarist extraordinaire Cory Wong will play the Palace Theatre on March 4, 2023. The show features Victor Wooten with opener Trousdale.

Ben Rector (with Cory Wong on guitars) at State Theatre (23 Oct 2016)

We accidentally saw Cory Wong in Ben Rector’s band in Oct 2016 and wrote, “With the last show of the tour, ending a nearly two-year endless touring, the band is well-rehearsed and seemingly eager to finally take a long vacation and break after that night - particularly for guitarist Cory Wong, who is actually from the Twin Cities. Wong, according to The Current in 2014 wrote that Cory Wong is “the most famous Minnesota musician you’ve probably never heard of”.”

Tour dates:

02/16 – St Louis, MO –The Pageant *
02/17 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium *
02/18 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle *
02/19 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz *
02/21 – Richmond, VA – The National *
02/22 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club *
02/23 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre *
02/24 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia*
02/25 – Boston, MA – House of Blues Boston *
02/27 – Portland, ME – State Theatre *
03/01 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre *
03/02 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee *
03/03 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre *
03/04 – St. Paul, MN – Palace Theatre *
04/29 – New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival †
05/12 – Live Oak, FL – Echoland Music Festival †
05/26-28 – Chillicothe, IL –Summer Camp Music Festival †
06/15-18 – Manchester, TN – Bonnaroo †
06/24 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival †
06/29-7/2 – Quincy, CA – High Sierra Music Festival †
07/13 – Snowshoe, WV – 4848 Festival †
07/19 – Stuttgart, Germany – Schlossplatz Stuttgart
07/20 –Brno, Czech Republic – Groove Brno Festival †
09/28 – Stockholm, Sweden – Arenan Fryshuset
09/29 – Oslo, Norway – Rockefeller Music Hall
09/30 – Copenhagen, Denmark – VEGA
10/02 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso
10/04 – Paris, France – L’Olympia
10/05 – Utrecht, Netherlands – TivoliVredenburg
10/06 – Brussels, Belgium – Ancienne Belgique (AB)
10/08 – Berlin, Germany – Huxley’s Neue Welt
10/09 – Tilburg, Netherlands – 013 Poppodium
10/11 – London, UK – Eventim Apollo
10/12 – Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute Birmingham
10/13 – Manchester, UK – O2 Apollo Manchester
10/14 – Glasgow, UK – Barrowland Ballroom
10/17 – Dublin, Ireland – Vicar Street

03/04 Titus Andronicus with Country Westerns at Turf Club Read More Titus Andronicus New Jersey indie/punk Titus Andronicus (named after William Shakespeare’s play of the same name) will be at the Turf Club on Saturday, March 17th. The band announced an “Acoustic” tour in support of their new album A Productive Cough. …

03/04/2023 Saturday

Titus Andronicus
with Country Westerns
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Titus Andronicus is kicking off their 2023 tour this February… the tour will find their way to St Paul’s The Turf Club on March 4, 2023.

Nashville rockers Country Westerns, will open. The trio will release Forgive The City on April 28th, 2023, via Fat Possum Records.

Tour dates:

Feb 3 Limerick, IE – Pharmacia
Feb 4 Dublin, IE – The Grand Social
Feb 7 Edinburgh, UK – The Mash House
Feb 8 Glasgow, UK – Broadcast
Feb 9 Manchester, UK – YES
Feb 10 Leeds, UK – Belgrave Music Hall
Feb 11 Sunderland, UK – Pop Recs
Feb 13 Nottingham, UK – Bodega
Feb 14 Birmingham, UK – Hare and Hounds
Feb 15 Cardiff, UK – Clwb Ifor Bach
Feb 16 Brighton, UK – The Hope and Ruin
Feb 17 London, UK – Moth Club
Feb 18 London, UK – Moth Club
Feb 28 Pittsburgh, PA – Thunderbird
Mar 1 Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
Mar 2 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
Mar 3 Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
Mar 4 St Paul, MN – Turf Club
Mar 5 Fargo, ND – Aquarium
Mar 7 Great Falls, MT – Newberry
Mar 8 Spokane, WA – Lucky You Lounge
Mar 9 Vancouver, BC – Fox Theatre
Mar 10 Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
Mar 11 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Mar 14 Sacramento, CA – Harlow’s
Mar 15 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Mar 16 Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst
Mar 17 Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
Mar 18 San Diego, CA – The Casbah
Mar 21 Phoenix, AZ – Rebel Lounge
Mar 22 Albuquerque, NM – Launchpad
Mar 23 Denver, CO – Globe Hall
Mar 28 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
Mar 29 Iowa City, IA – Gabe’s
Mar 31 Bloomington, IN – Bishop
Apr 1 Columbus, OH – Big Room Bar
Apr 2 Richmond, VA - Richmond Music Hall
Apr 4 Washington, DC – Black Cat
Apr 5 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Apr 7 Asbury Park, NJ – Asbury Lanes
Apr 8 Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere (Hall)
Jun 1 McGill, NV – Schellraiser Festival

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

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

The Last of Us

Read More The Last of Us As for The Last of Us, I'm in the middle of the game right now. It's hard. The clickers are impossible to kill, basically one attack will kill you right away. Having said that, the play style is a lot more fun than Beyond: Two Souls ....

The Last of Us
hbo.com

I love the video game The Last of Us, probably my personal Game of the Year in 2018 for the PS3. The game was so good, that I re-purchased it for the PS4. I probably would’ve have bought the PS5 version if it wasn’t so hard to find the Sony console. I kid, I saw one at a retail store, but am waiting for a “slim” or new version. I absolutely hate the look and massive size of the current PS5 console (I think it’s ugly).

I love the game, I know the story well, so I’m very interested in this HBO Max’s television show based on the game.

I just saw the pilot, and there are some sequences that are straight out of the video game. Of course, the show made some changes to the story, like adding more store to Joel’s daughter. It’s weird, but the show cast a girl that doesn’t look (or mix race?) anything like Joel. As for Ellie, they also cast the girl from Game of Thrones… and she doesn’t look anything like the girl in the game. Personally speaking, I would have preferred they casted someone who looked like Ellen Page. I get it, they cast people who can act, but it’s just my personal preference to have them look exactly like the characters in the game.

I think whenever they lifted the scenes from the game, I’m very happy. It’s when the show decides to change things or add stories and characters that has nothing to do with the game, that’s when I’m not interested. There’s enough from the game that I think the pilot does a good job in setting up the story.

As for the story, if you’ve never played the game, it’s about how this fungus destroyed the human race. It’s somewhat based on real life fungus that would take over ants and control them, like puppets. Anyway, this random girl, Ellie, may hold the key to saving humanity, and it’s up to Joel to transport her across the country. It’s a simple story, I don’t know if they can stretch it out to more than one or two seasons.

Here is my fear: I haven’t played the sequel to The Last of Us, but I’ve heard fans absolutely hated the game. According to these gamers, they made Joel into a bad guy and everybody revolted against it. So my fear is that fans will absolutely hate Season 2 or something. I don’t know, I haven’t played the second game, so I’m reserving judgement.

I am excited enough that I may re-buy The Last of Us for the PC when it is available on Steam (which I previously mentioned will be available Mar 3, 2023).

Update: Now that I’ve seen up to Episode 3 of The Last of Us, I thought I would share my opinion on what I’ve seen so far.

Of the three episodes, I think Episode 2 is by far the best. That’s because it’s so close to the game, that I’m really happy how it turned out.

I hated Episode 3, because it had nothing to do with Joel & Ellie. For whatever reasons, the show creators devoted a whole 70 minutes to two random characters Bill and Frank. Look, it’s a beautiful love story… but it didn’t really fit into the grand story! I wish HBO Max would have made this episode a “special”, I wouldn’t have an issue with it. Instead, I’m spending so much time with Bill & Frank, and it’s all for nothing! Maybe they could have cut the time in half and devote half the episode to Tess?

In the video game, you do meet one of these characters, but it’s a totally different story. In the game, the two hated each other.

Of course my opinion on Episode 3 is in the minority… as the whole world seemed to love this episode.

I’m hoping Episode 4 goes back on track and we can see those deadly fungus creatures and more action.

The show is doing so well that they’ve already announced a Season 2!

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

Minneapolis: February 25 to February 28

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

02/25 Fit For A King with Northlane, Alpha Wolf, Kingdom of Giants at The Lyric Read More Fit For A King The co-headlining tour of Fit For A King and In Hearts Wake will be coming to the Amsterdam Bar and Hall in St Paul this Friday, November 10th. …

02/25/2023 Saturday

Fit For A King
with Northlane, Alpha Wolf, Kingdom of Giants
at The Lyric (Skyway Theatre)
skywaytheatre.com

Fit For A King is on the road for their Winter 2023 headline tour… and they are stopping by the Lyric (inside the Skyway Theatre) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Feb 25th.

Northlane, Alpha Wolf, and Kingdom of Giants, to open.

Tour Dates

Feb 16 Tempe, AZ, US Marquee Theatre
Feb 17 Anaheim, CA, US House of Blues
Feb 18 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Belasco
Feb 19 Sacramento, CA, US Ace of Spades
Feb 21 Boise, ID, US Knitting Factory
Feb 22 Salt Lake City, UT, US The Depot
Feb 23 Denver, CO, US Summit Music Hall
Feb 24 Lawrence, KS, US Granada Theatre
Feb 25 Minneapolis, MN, US Skyway Theatre
Feb 26 Chicago, IL, US House of Blues
Feb 26 Chicago, IL, US House of Blues
Feb 28 Fort Wayne, IN, US Piere's
Mar 1 Grand Rapids, MI, US Elevation
Mar 2 Detroit, MI, US St. Andrew's Hall
Mar 3 Toronto, ON, Canada The Danforth Music Hall
Mar 4 Montreal, QC, Canada L'Olympia
Mar 5 New York (NYC), NY, US Irving Plaza
Mar 7 Pittsburgh, PA, US Mr. Smalls
Mar 8 Baltimore, MD, US Baltimore Soundstage
Mar 10 Buffalo, NY, US Town Ballroom
Mar 11 Worcester, MA, US The Palladium
Mar 11 Worcester, PA, US The Palladium
Mar 12 Philadelphia, PA, US Theatre of Living Arts
Mar 14 Atlanta, GA, US The Masquerade
Mar 15 Tampa, FL, US The Orpheum
Mar 17 Houston, TX, US White Oak Music Hall
Mar 18 San Antonio, TX, US Vibes Event Center
Mar 19 Dallas, TX, US Amplified Live
May 27 Outdoor Hatfield, UK Slam Dunk Festival South

02/25 The Rural Alberta Advantage with Georgia Harmer at Fine Line Read More The Rural Alberta Advantage Acclaimed percussive folk-rock trio The Rural Alberta Advantage will be headlining the Fine Line on May 28th, in support of their new EP, The Rise (Saddle Creek/Paper Bag Records). …

02/25/2023 Saturday

The Rural Alberta Advantage
with Georgia Harmer
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

The Rural Alberta Advantage (The RAA) is on their second half of their 2023 tour… stopping by the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on Feb 25th. The acclaimed percussive folk-rock trio’s latest The Rise EP is out on Saddle Creek/Paper Bag Records.

Rural Alberta Advantage at 7th St (25 Sep 2009)

We saw TRAA in Sep 2009 and wrote, “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.”

Tour dates:

02/23 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
02/24 – Milwaukee, WI @ Shank Hall
02/25 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
02/26 – Omaha, NE @ Slowdown
02/28 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
03/02 – Kansas City, MO @ recordBar
03/03 – St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
03/04 – Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
03/22 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
03/23 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
03/24 – Woodstock, NY @ Levon Helm Studios
03/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
03/27 – Washington DC @ Songbyrd
03/28 – Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall
03/29 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
03/31 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
04/01 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
04/02 – London, ON @ Rum Runners

02/28 Otoboke Beaver with Scrunchies at Fine Line Read More Otoboke Beaver Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver (おとぼけビ～バ～), a four-piece all-girls punk/rock band (singer/guitarist Accorinrin, guitarist Yoyoyoshie, bassist Hirochan, and drummer Kahokiss), reminds me a bit of Shonen Knife ... Scrunchies This is Scrunchies’ live debut show. The band consists of local riot favorites like Kitten Forever, Bruise Violet, Double Grave, and Tony Peachka… so be there if you like these bands. Also, it’s not everyday you can say that you were there at the start. ...

02/28/2023 Tuesday

Otoboke Beaver
with Scrunchies
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

All-girl Japanese punk act Otoboke Beaver (おとぼけビ～バ～) will play the Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis on Feb 28. If there was a show I would break my Winter Hibernation, it would be for this one.

We wrote about Otoboke Beaver in 2019, “Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver (おとぼけビ～バ～), a four-piece all-girls punk/rock band (singer/guitarist Accorinrin, guitarist Yoyoyoshie, bassist Hirochan, and drummer Kahokiss), reminds me a bit of Shonen Knife and girl-gang riot grrrl punk. Currently, the band is getting a lot of attention in the UK, touring in support of their new upcoming album Itekoma Hits (Damnably Records). The record comes out April 26, 2019.”

Tour dates:

Mon, FEB 6 Club Quatto, Shibyua 渋谷区, 日本
Wed, FEB 8 Ikeshita CLUB UPSET Nagoya, Japan
Sat, FEB 18 Orlando, FL
Sun, FEB 19 Atlanta, GA
Mon, FEB 20 Nashville, TN
Wed, FEB 22 New York, NY
Thu, FEB 23 LPR NYC NIGHT TWO New York, NY
Fri, FEB 24 Philadelphia, PA
Sun, FEB 26 Chicago, IL
Tue, FEB 28 Minneapolis, MN
Wed, MAR 1 Kansas City, MO
Fri, MAR 3 Denver, CO
Sun, MAR 5 Vancouver, Canada
Mon, MAR 6 Portland, OR
Wed, MAR 8 Berkeley, CA
Thu, MAR 9 Roseville, CA
Fri, MAR 10 San Diego, CA
Sat, MAR 11 Pioneertown, CA
Tue, MAR 14 Mexico, Mexico
Sun, MAR 19 Honolulu, HI
Tue, MAY 2 Camden
Thu, MAY 4 Club Academy Manchester
Fri, MAY 5 Saint Luke's Glasgow
Sun, MAY 7 Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Belfast
Mon, MAY 8 Button Factory Dublin, Ireland
Wed, MAY 10 Fleece Bristol
Ancienne Belgique Brussels, Belgium
Wed, MAY 17 Vera Groningen, Netherlands
Thu, MAY 18 Rotown Rotterdam, Netherlands
Fri, MAY 19 Doornroosje Nijmegen, Netherlands
Sat, MAY 20 Paard Den Haag, Netherlands

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

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

We♥KC! February 1-7, 2023 Upcoming concerts/shows (Kansas City / Lawrence, KS)

Read More Death Cab for Cutie before we get to Death Cab for Cutie, I have to explain that I've seen the band before in 2001 at the 7th Street Entry for $5. People who live in Minnesota know that the 7th Street is a tiny venue. …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

February already?! And how ‘bout those...Chiefs!!

The chill of winter has hit (thankfully only 5” of snow this season) but there’s hot concerts inside to enjoy. In addition to the below, two massive Midland announcements yesterday for The Smile (Radiohead offshoot) and Sparks, are worthy alternative choices to huge Country pop shows held those same nights. Save those pennies, as Valentine’s is just around the corner too.

Let’s take look at the Kansas City/Lawrence KS metro musical happenings through the end of the month- February 1^st- 7th.

WEDNESDAY FEB 1

Folk Alliance international Conference, Feb 1-5, Westin Crown Center $150-$550

The Folk Alliance International Conference, presented by Folk Alliance International, is the world’s largest gathering of the folk music industry and community (crossing a diverse array of genres including Appalachian, Americana, Blues, Bluegrass, Celtic, Cajun, Global Roots, Hip-Hop, Old-Time, Singer-Songwriter, Spoken Word, Traditional, Zydeco, and various fusions and always has hundreds of artists attending. The theme of the 2023 gathering is Facing the Future: Sustainability in Folk Music.  Some 148 or more artists, hailing from everywhere, are scheduled to be in attendance. 

One such featured artist is country-folk-leaning singer-songwriter Jaimee Harris, who will perform on February 3rd at 9:15p in Shawnee Mission, ahead of her forthcoming sophomore album Boomerang Town, with first single “Missing Someone” already out. 

Harris began cultivating the album back in 2016, when a shift in the political landscape had ushered in a new level of cultural polarization (as we all know).  For someone who grew up outside of Waco, TX, Harris believed the values instilled by her parents were not entirely in line with how people had now considered Christians in particular. So, she felt she had to re-evaluate things, and it was from the intersection of these social, personal, and political currents, that the album and its songs were born.

THURSDAY FEB 2

Hairspray (musical), Lied Center- Lawrence, $21-$60.

Broadway’s Tony Award-winning popular musical comedy is back on tour! Join teen Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and bigger hair) change the world?

Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the 60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” Hairspray is “fresh, winning and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times in this all-new touring production will reuniting the creative team led by director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell.

FRIDAY FEB 3

The Judds w Kelsea Ballerini, Martina McBride T-Mobile Center, $24.50-$394.50

Following the tragic passing of her mother, Wynonna Judd made the announcement that the duo’s intended outing – The Judds: The Final Tour will be continuing, thanks to the overwhelming love and support of fans. Wynonna, along with the help of many of her musical friends, including Kelsea Ballerini and Martina McBride on this stop, will celebrate a lifetime of timeless music and heart.

“I have never felt so overwhelmed by this much love and support!” says Wynonna. “The emotions that flow while listening to the different generations of fans sing back to me each night has been other-worldly. In my 39 years of performing, these shows have truly been some of my absolute favorite experiences ever and I look forward to making new memories with the fans and guest artists in 2023.”

Hairball, Ameristar Casino, $20+

Few do the hair band/heavy metal tribute better than this longtime act, now in its 23rd year of bringing blasts from the past. With their beginnings being first in the Minneapolis area, we’ve seen them over the years and their costumes/routines, and setlist of familiar jukebox songs, are all top-notch to make for a fun and very entertaining concert experience.

Destroy Lonely w/ Homixide Gang, lil 88, Granada- Lawrence, $37-$89.

Following the release of his latest project, NO STYLIST, the Atlanta rapper is embarking on a tour with label mate Homixide Gang, and lil 88 providing support. With a sonically ambitious project, a handful of viral singles under his belt and a legion of dedicated fans, the rapper's tour will be sure to impress.

Joe Pera, Uptown, $39-$49

On his Comedy In Ice: Winter Standup Tour 2023 Pera brings an all-new show. He’s a standup comedian, writer, and filmmaker originally from Buffalo, NY, best known for his current Adult Swim series, ‘Joe Pera Talks With You’, Season 3 of which, is now available to stream on HBO Max.

Marauda w Versa, Drinkurwater, The Truman, $15-$50

Hamish Prasad, professionally known as Marauda, is a Sydney-based EDM producer who has taken the world by storm with his provocative noise which summons a darkness within the souls of his listeners. “Through his relentless, punishing live sets he devours his followers into the wretchedness of depravity, hybrid soundscapes and malevolent force” says the press release...ummm, wow.

GUNNAR, Tin Roof, FREE!

Could be the next big thing! The 21-year-old up & comer is signed with star maker Scooter Braun and is out on tour this February. A social media sensation, he's amassed 22M global streams, 145K followers on IG, and 250K followers on TikTok. And recently released his single "They Didn't Tell Me, "a grunge/rock/pop number. Plus, Free!  

Grab those tix while you can!

Kansas City Symphony- Respect: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin, Feb 3, 4, 5, $40-$120

Featuring Gonzalo Farias, David T. Beals III Associate Conductor

She fought for civil and women’s rights. She won eighteen Grammy® Awards. She is the most charted female artist in history. She was the first female performer to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She was named the greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone. The story of Aretha Franklin is the story of America in the second half of the 20th century. “Respect: A Tribute to Aretha Franklin” celebrates the singer, the icon, the leader, the woman.

(DL Hughley, Feb 3, Kansas City Improv Comedy Club – moved to Sept)

SATURDAY FEB 4

Ott, Madrid Theatre, $25-$55

The UK-born producer of electronic, dub, ambient, trip hop, ethnic electronica, livetronica has worked with Sinéad O'Connor, Embrace, the Orb, and Brian Eno, and has achieved recognition since 2002 for his own psychedelic dub tracks with latest album being last year’s, Heads. And FYI, his stage name is a reference to ethnobotanist Jonathan Ott who coined the term "entheogen".

SUNDAY FEB 5

Small Glories, Feb 5, Polsky Theatre, $25+ ($5 students)

The roots duo of Cara Luft and J.D. Edwards are a musical partnership planted on the Canadian prairies, with hummable songs and a unique stage banter. Luft was an original member of harmony sweethearts The Wailin' Jennys and whose parents were folk singers influenced by the activist Pete Seeger.

Their sophomore album, Assiniboine & the Red, was released the summer of 2019 on Compass/Red House Records as a follow-up to the band’s debut album, 2016’s Wondrous Traveler.

MONDAY FEB 6

Death Cab for Cutie w Momma (re-scheduled date), The Midland, SOLD OUT

Touring in support of latest album, Asphalt Meadows, area fans have been anticipating this show since it was re-scheduled from last October.

Their tenth studio album (via Atlantic Records) was released to widespread acclaim last September. Produced by GRAMMY® Award-winner John Congleton (St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Wallows). An acoustic version of the record, recorded in December, will drop in March.  

The band heads to Europe following, then returns later in the year for a special tour with The Postal Service reunion, meaning singer Ben Gibbard does double-duty nightly.

LA indie rockers Momma provide support, in support of new full-length, Household Name.

TUESDAY FEB 7

Bush w / Starcrawler, The Midland, $32.50-$69.50

The Gavin Rossdale-fronted group is touring in support of their latest album, The Art of Survival

“We’ll always love playing those big summer shows and the big stages, but we wanted to do some shows where we could get close to the diehard Bush fans again,” Rossdale said in a statement. “We’re excited for this run coming up.” LA band Starcrawler opens, in support of the new She Said.

My Fair Lady (musical), Feb 7-12, Kauffman Center, $56.50-$121.50

From Lincoln Center Theater (who brought The King & I and South Pacific), comes the Lerner & Loewe classic. Director Bartlett Sher’s production boasts classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” “Wouldn’t It Be Lovely” and “On the Street Where You Live,” it tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a professor determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.” Runs through Feb. 12th.  

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

Minneapolis: February 23 to February 24

02/23 FOREST BLAKK with Peter Raffoul at 7th St Entry Read More Forest Blakk Needtobreathe will be headlining in support of their collection of songs, Forever On Your Side (Niles City Sound Sessions). Johnnyswim and Forest Blakk to open. Forever On Your Side Tour 2018: ...

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

02/23/2023 Thursday

FOREST BLAKK
with Peter Raffoul
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Forest Blakk is currently touring in support of his new EP Every Little Detail (Atlantic Records).

Every Little Detail features Blakk’s breakout Platinum-certified smash single “If You Love Her” (with Meghan Trainor), which had over 310 million total global streams. This earned Blakk his official US chart debut on Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, his national US TV debut on ABC’s Live with Kelly & Ryan, top 30 placement on the Hot AC radio chart.

Peter Raffoul to open.

Forest Blakk Live:

1/27 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s
1/28 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
1/31 – San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord
2/1 – Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge
2/7 – Washington DC @ Union Stage
2/8 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
2/10 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
2/13 – Boston, MA @ Cafe 939 at Berklee
2/16 – Ottawa, ON @ The 27 Club
2/17 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
2/18 – Toronto, ON @ The Rivoli
2/19 – London, ON @ Rum Runners
2/22 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
2/23 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
2/25 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
2/26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court

02/24 Greensky Bluegrass at Palace Theatre Read More Greensky Bluegrass Kalamazoo’s Greensky Bluegrass is currently on tour in support of Stress Dreams (Thirty Tigers). The band is bringing along The Infamous Stringdusters on this tour. …

02/24/2023 Saturday

Greensky Bluegrass
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Greensky Bluegrass is in the middle of their 2023 Winter Tour… the tour will stop by St Paul’s Palace Theatre on Feb 24th. The band was previously in town exactly one year ago in 2022.

The five piece features Anders Beck [dobro], Michael Arlen Bont [banjo], Dave Bruzza [guitar], Mike Devol [upright bass], and Paul Hoffman [Mandolin].

Tour Dates

1/26 @ Stage AE | Pittsburgh, PA+
1/27 @ The Anthem | Washington DC=
1/28 @ The Anthem | Washington DC+
2/1 @ Kemba Live! | Columbus, OH!!
2/2 @ The Pageant | St. Louis, MO!!
2/3-4 @ The Vic Theatre | Chicago, IL!!
2/22 @ The Intersection | Grand Rapids, MI
2/23 @ The Riverside Theater | Milwaukee, WI
2/24 @ Palace Theatre | Saint Paul, MN
2/25 @ Uptown Theater | Kansas City, MO

+DanielDonato’s Cosmic Country
=Railroad Earth
!!Holly Bowling

02/24 American Authors with Billy Raffoul at Fine Line Read More American Authors July 8: Great Clips Stage Matt Hires X Ambassadors American Authors Death Cab for Cutie PreferredOne Stage Andra Day Cold War Kids Gary Clark Jr. …

02/24/2023 Friday

American Authors
with Billy Raffoul
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

American Authors at Basilica Block Party (08 Jul 2016)

Alternative rock band American Authors (formerly known as The Blue Pages) is currently on tour in support of their album Best Night Of My Life.

We briefly caught the band at Basilica Block Party in 2016.

Billy Raffoul to open.

Tour Dates

1/23-1/28 – Miami, FL @ Rock Boat XXII
2/10 – Fairfield, CT @ The Warehouse
2/15 – Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27
2/16 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
2/17 – Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live
2/18 – New York, NY @ Racket
2/19 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
2/21 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall
2/23 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
2/24 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Café
2/25 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
2/26 – St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
2/28 – Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater
3/2 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Metro Music Hall
3/3 – Las Vegas, NV @ Rocks Lounge
3/4 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
3/5 – Phoenix, AZ @ Last Exit Live
3/7 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
3/8 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
3/9 – San Francisco, CA @ August Hall
3/11 – Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
3/12 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos

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

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

Angel Olsen & the Big Time Band at Liberty Hall, Lawrence, KS (2023-01-27)

ANGEL OLSEN Poster ANGEL OLSEN SETLIST Dream Thing (acoustic) Big Time (acoustic) Ghost On Right Now Shut Up Kiss Me Give It Up All Mirrors Lark Go Home This Is How It Works All the Good Times Sister Those Were the Days Chance -- Encore -- Without You (Harry Nilsson / Badfinger cover) ERIN RAE SETLIST Mind / Heart Can’t Cut Loose Love Like Before California Belongs to You Enemy Candy and Curry Modern Woman On Her Side (new song) True Love’s Face Bad Mind Bittersweet, TN (Kevin Morby cover) Cosmic Sigh Lighten Up & Try ANGEL OLSEN Tour Dates JAN 28 THE FACTORY CHESTERFIELD, MO JAN 29 THE BLUEBIRD BLOOMINGTON, IN JAN 31 THE ATHENAEUM THEATRE COLUMBUS, OH FEB 1 THE MAJESTIC THEATRE DETROIT, MI FEB 2 AGORA THEATRE BALLROOM CLEVELAND, OH FEB 3 MR. SMALLS THEATRE MILLVALE, PA FEB 4 ASBURY HALL BUFFALO, NY FEB 6 WHITE EAGLE HALL JERSEY CITY, NJ FEB 7 COLLEGE ST MUSIC HALL NEW HAVEN, CT FEB 8 BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK, NY FEB 9 BALTIMORE SOUNDSTAGE BALTIMORE, MD FEB 10 THE NATIONAL RICHMOND, VA FEB 11 THE CAROLINA THEATRE DURHAM, NC FEB 24 THEATRE ROYAL CASTLEMAINE, AUSTRALIA FEB 25 MONA FOMA HOBART, AUSTRALIA MAR 1 MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE SOUTHBANK MAR 3 MELBOURNE RECITAL CENTRE SOUTHBANK MAR 4 NINE LIVES FESTIVAL BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA MAR 6 SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE SYDNEY, NSW MAR 7-8 PERTH MUSIC FESTIVAL PERTH, AUSTRALIA MAR 10 BRUNSWICK BALLROOM BRUNSWICK, AUST MAR 11 GOLDEN PLAINS FESTIVAL MEREDITH, AUST MAR 13 WOMADELAIDE ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA APR 15-16 HIGH WATER FEST N CHARLESTON, SC MAY 3 RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE MORRISON, CO MAY 4 RED ROCKS AMPHITHEATRE MORRISON, CO JUL 7 MAD COOL FESTIVAL MADRID, SPAIN JUL 8 NOS ALIVE FESTIVAL LISBON, PORTUGAL AUG 5 HINTERLAND MUSIC FEST ST. CHARLES, IA AUG 25 ALL POINTS EAST FESTIVAL LONDON, UK Read More Angel Olsen Angel Olsen will be headlining First Avenue on October 2nd. Olsen fans can look forward to Phases, a collection of B-sides, rarities, and demos on November 10th via Jagjaguwar. ...

Confirmed- this angel’s officially hit the Big Time--

Alternative country / folk singer-songwriter Angel Olsen and her distinctive voice, played to a loyal and raucous capacity crowd at Liberty Hall in Lawrence, KS, satisfying her older fans and making plenty of new, on this, her biggest headlining area show to date, in support of newest record, Big Time.

We caught her live, just last August, in an outdoor show on the Wild Hearts Tour alongside Julien Baker and Sharon Van Etten, and were impressed but left wanting more, and we even knew there were bigger things to come from Olsen when we caught her in Minneapolis back in 2017.

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The evening began with a generous fifty-minute set from Nashville singer-songwriter Erin Rae, in support of her newest solo full-length, Lighten Up (the title of which, is a not-so-subtle reminder to herself to not take things too seriously).

“I’ll start with my saddest song” she deadpanned, strumming “Mind / Heart” from the newest record. She described 2018’s “Love Like Before” as her “summer jam, my almost-mid-tempo song” to polite laughter and one of the common threads between she and the headliner, is that both new records were produced by the wunderkind of the modern Laurel Canyon sound, Jonathan Wilson (with several Big Time Band members also guesting on it).

Her delicate song “Enemy” is actually about friendship and jealously, she played a new song for only the second time live, and Rae worked in a cover from “by my friend and your neighbor, Kevin Morby”, also mentioning she’d be touring with him and back in the area soon (KC show instantly sold out, but Apr 6 Bottleneck tix still remain).

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To say that the crowd was anticipating Angel Olsen’s ninety-five-minute headlining set, is a massive understatement; as in addition to the locals and students, many had driven in from Kansas City and much farther parts unknown, to catch the buzzing St. Louis-born / Asheville, NC resident, in support of latest full-length, Big Time (Jagjaguwar Records) released last June.

Olsen and the half-dozen Big Time Band members dressed in smartly segmented solid colors (she in blue, her string section in red, bass player in green, etc.) against a Appalachian Mountain backdrop and began acoustically with the new “Dream Thing” and title track from the record.

Olsen’s songs can inspire and narrate as well as haunt, crossing lines between folk, stripped-down alternative, and alt-country, with a voice that shifts from a traditional country croon, to soaring gospel-level heights, to maybe even the occasional yodel.

Like other recent dates, Olsen teased playing a song she “just wrote the night before” saying it “has serious potential”, before cheekily going into her most-recognizable song, 2016’s “Shut Up Kiss Me” that had the audience singing the chorus back at the band, followed by “another loud one”, “Give it Up” also from her previous My Woman album.

2019’s “All Mirrors” remains lush in concert, with its scene-setting keyboard and string crescendo and hollowed percussion, Olsen pleads “I want to Go Home, go back to small things” on a song from the new album, and she described the newest LP’s lead single, “All the Good Times” as “a mad one, about an ex”.

After asking “What song should we do?” (and receiving the inevitable unintelligible shouts back), 2016’s “Sister” launched by popular demand, with Olsen repeating “All my life, I thought I’d change” as the instrumentation built from a hush to a triumphant end, with the main set ending on 2019’s “Chance”.

The single-song encore was a vintage ‘70’s cover, as she’s been doing in recent sets, this night being the Harry Nilsson version of the Badfinger classic “Without You," which was an ideal showcase for Olsen’s voice to rise up to the rafters (even overcoming some monitor fuzz) to end the night on an inspirational high point.

If there was any previous doubt, it’s more than obvious at this point, that Angel Olsen has indeed hit the Big Time; evidenced by the throng of loyal fans that crowded the front barricades and smilingly sang along to every aching song, to the large handful waiting outside her bus afterward, for a brief hello or selfie. For Olsen, these are All the Good Times.

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All Photos by Brandon Clasen (click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

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ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

ERIN RAE

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ANGEL OLSEN

ANGEL OLSEN

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