W♥M

Flashback: Love in October at the 400 Bar, Minneapolis (09 May 2009)

400 Bar Setlist An Average Idea Nature of the Experiment Circa 1989 Fortrangda Problem Dance Johannes Kepler Hey!!! New Song 2 Like Nothing Ever Happened Soft Errors Kära Gud, ge mig en själ Dubbel Tvekan New Song MN History Museum Setlist An Average Idea Nature of the Experiment Soft Errors Fortrangda Problem Lneh Permutations Dance Johannes Kepler Vi Går Till Stranden Hey!!! Dubbel Tvekan I Dream of Marie Antoinette Undone – The Sweater Song (Weezer Cover) Read More Love in October Love in October is a Minneapolis based indie/rock band, founded by two Swedish brothers, Erik and Kent Widman in 2006. They apparently moved to Mpls in the early 2000's. Erik (vocals/guitar/keyboards) and Kent (bass) are joined by Charlie Abbott …

Prior to going on a national tour in June 2009, to promote their then-new self-titled EP, the Minneapolis, by the way of Sweden, rock band Love in October, did some practice shows in Minneapolis on May 9, 2009… which included The Minnesota History Museum (in the day) and the 400 Bar (in the evening).

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Love in October is an indie band, formed in Minneapolis, but ultimately moved to Chicago. Todd's previously reviewed their record, and I've seen them live before. This time around, they are now a five-piece band, complete with new extra guitarist, keyboardist and new drummer. What hasn't changed is their Swedish heritage pride, which they proudly display their yellow and blue Swedish flag where ever they play.

Seeing them at both The Minnesota History Museum and at the 400 Bar, is like night and day. While their daytime show was a bit toned-down (hey it's tough to rock out when there's marbled statues and parents and children all around), their 'adult' show was all-out rock-out-loud. They certainly seem more comfortable and in their element in the dimly lit venue.

MINNESOTA HISTORY MUSEUM

Minnesota History Museum Setlist

Prior to the start of their daytime show, Erik came on stage to talk about why Sweden exported so many (good) music. They are the third behind the US and England, as far as music production goes. This is a feat, considering the size of Sweden is only the size of California. He goes on to talk about how this was possible due to the Swedish government decided to put .7% into the arts in the seventies. Of course, being a long-time Swedishpop fan, I knew all these facts, however, I don't think the general public knew about the Swedish arts & music program.

After ten minutes, the rest of the band joined Erik on stage and they did the indie rock thing. And yes, I was head-bopping and foot-tapping. Quite embarrassing when drummer Ivan Sosa said, "I want you to enjoy the show - like THAT GUY!" and pointed to me.

They did three songs in Swedish (including the "VI Går Till Stranden" song from their debut LP), which fit in the whole Celebrate the European "Year of Creativity and Innovation" event that was being held that day. The highlight for me was their cover of Weezer's "Undone (The Sweater Song)". Yes, I I added my own dialogue to the song: "Hey did you hear about the party? I think I'm going, but my friends don't want to go. Can I get a ride?"

INTERMISSION

Warp speed to 10:30 pm (yes I did go out to dinner and saw the new Star Trek movie), and I've ditched the 400 Bar to see Kate & Lara as they leave their show at the Cedar Culture Center (this is only practically only a few doors down the road). I wasn't really expecting to see them actually, I had noticed a bunch of people leaving the Cedar so I went over there to see if the show was over (it was). I got first hand report/review from them about the show and we talked a bit about Chalakah and 'you got moted'. Kate has a band called Crush on Kristi, and they're playing June 12th, I think. Oh also, apparently 'beard rocker' bartender from the 400 Bar was seen at the Cedar.

400 BAR

400 Bar Setlist

Love in October took off their kids gloves, you would almost think they were two different band, based on the morning and night shows. Like I have previously mentioned, they look and felt much more comfortable. Even their playing and movement style was as different as their set list for tonight. Most of the set includes new (untitled) songs.

The highlight of the show was when they asked the original Minneapolis drummer, Travis (?), to come on stage to drum for one of their older songs. He definitely still remember the beats and did a pretty outstanding job.

They seem really excited about a brand new self-titled EP coming out on May 26^th, I am assuming available on CD and definitely it's going to be on vinyl. The cover artwork features a 9 year old Erik, the shirt was recolored to red stripes instead of blue. More details about buying their records and seeing them live are all on the official website.

Love in October at Minnesota History Museum, St Paul (09 May 2009)

Love in October at the 400 Bar, Minneapolis (09 May 2009)

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Flashback: Found At Sea at Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney (08 May 2009)

Read More Found at Sea Armed with matching ties (sort of), headlining band Found at Sea, rounded out the evening. Formerly called 'Helter' (ring any bells?) these guy have just finished their debut self-titled album, produced by ARIA award winning Paul McKercher (Augie March, Sarah Blasko, You Am I). …

In Australia, many bands play at hotels. That’s not hard to believe, considering that for many, many years, comic book conventions were held at hotels to take advantage of booking guests in their rooms and using the hotel’s ballroom for the show.

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Remember the days when you'd go to your favourite band toting public bar and you'd see one of maybe 20 bands that were doing the rounds? You even saw them so many times that you knew some of the words to their songs? Now there are simply squillions of bands.... who has time to see them all? Not me, that's for sure.

So I thought I might prepare a little digest of bands that have been performing around the shop in the recent-ish past

Found At Sea - astreetlightsong - Days Like Stars - The Shipwrecked - Hopetoun Hotel - May 8th

Firstly, I would like to say that the sound at the Hopetoun was particularly bad last night. Sadly, it made the keyboard of the The Shipwrecked sound way too loud and drowned out a lot of the other sounds. Maybe another listen is in order. Days Like Stars were cute (but obviously not trying to be cute), the songs were your average guitar rock, but with an obvious mum and dad combo recording the set on their video camera in the audience, who could help but chortle as the guys proceeded to "rock out" to songs that simply didn't suit such "rocking outness". Entertaining all the same.

astreetlightsong

I had said previously that astreetlightsong would be worth seeing live, so that was my mission for the evening. I wasn't disappointed. Even though the overall sound was still pretty poor, astreetlightsong put on a super show. There's something about seeing a band live that you just don't get from a recording. Whether it be seeing that they can actually play instruments (it's not their Uncle Barry), looking at the large amount of computerisation and guitar peddles required to get their sound or just to see they are human and how they interact with the crowd. It all adds up. These guys were just that little bit different to the other three bands on the bill. Slightly more electronically weighted, less of a pure guitar sound. Was a nice change. They also seemed to have a swathe of young lady fans, which can't be a bad thing!

Armed with matching ties (sort of), headlining band Found at Sea, rounded out the evening. Formerly called 'Helter' (ring any bells?) these guy have just finished their debut self-titled album, produced by ARIA award winning Paul McKercher (Augie March, Sarah Blasko, You Am I). If you love guitars, if you love the sound they make, if you like that easy listening rock feel, Found at Sea will be right up your alley. It's perfect music to sit down, with beer in hand and tap your foot on the floor. Sadly, the Hopetoun has no chairs.... so we were out of luck.

Found At Sea at Hopetoun Hotel, Sydney (08 May 2009)

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Flashback: KaiserCartel at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (09 May 2009)

Read More KaiserCartel KaiserCartel, the couple-duo that that we love here at W♥M just celebrated their CD-releasing party at the Cedar in Minneapolis, on June 17th. …

Lara went out to see Minnesota-loving KaiserCartel (Courtney Kaiser and Benjamin Cartel) on May 9, 2009, at the Cedar Cultural Center.

I’m almost certain KaiserCartel (or sometime spelled as Kaiser Cartel) is no more. However, Benjamin Cartel, continues performing as himself in 2014. The last time I heard from him was via his second solo album Flickering Light in 2018.

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NOTE: This event was organized by Minnesota music blog, Culture Bully. They have photos of the show here.

KaiserCartel - Courtney Kaiser and Benjamin Cartel’s history reads like a perfect twee memoir: both are elementary school teachers, both play a handful of instruments (guitar, drums, xylophone, accordion-thing-that-I-am-unable-to-identify, whistling), both dress like gothic country ball guests, both are obviously in love (with each other). It’s almost too darling to digest. If this were an episode of Sesame Street, I would say “Tonight’s concert is brought to you by the letter ‘A’ for ADORABLE.”

I’m getting nauseous with whimsy glee just writing this out.

Saturday’s show at the Cedar was a generation-fest of sorts. The ambience was chill and the crowd was soft, pleasant, malleable…like a delicious loaf of Wonder Bread (ifyouknowwhatI’msaying*). Hip, art school wannabes mingled with real-life senior citizens, sweatshirted couples were seated next to teenagers and their parents; the average age was probably mid-20s to early 30s, but the maturity level was at least a decade wiser. Maybe it was the style of music—a less frenetic brand of folk-pop, tame for children and the elderly—or it could’ve been the venue (the Cedar’s layout is seating room only), or even that the musicians appeared unassuming and also currently clean. Whatever the reason, KaiserCartel’s gentle-cum-hand clap cheer suited the Cedar’s intimate space.

Being only minimally in the know, I wasn’t familiar with KaiserCartel’s interesting use of multiple instruments. The duo may be primarily guitar and percussion, but if their musical bag of tricks is any indication, I’m 99% certain that the goal is amusement as much as it is creative conception (on one song Kaiser pulled out a comically small xylophone and proceeded to play it with an electric drink frother). Besides being adorable, Kaiser’s vocal chops call to mind the iconic female folk singers of past (a less warbled Joan Baez or Judy Collins), by way of “adult contemporary” mellow rockers Cowboy Junkies—the same rich confidence steeped in pop melodies. To be honest, it’s a tad strange hearing a Brooklyn band that doesn’t harness the brash fury of cynical youth and is, instead, somewhat old-timey in their adorations. Live, standout tracks included “Okay” (a semi-sweet duet that touches on imperfect love), “Season Song” (whistling! In key!), and “Shira,” the latter performed acoustic, stripped down, and amongst the audience (complete with the kind of uncomfortable eye contact that unearths years of repressed campfire memories).

As Vu mentioned in his review of March Forth, KaiserCartel loooove Minnesota. They opened for local indie looker/Trekkie/Jeremy Messersmith, who has a beard, a guitar, an Andy, and a fondness for Minneapolis—“Franklin Ave.,” “Light Rail” (yes, we have a light rail; it only has three destinations). More about Messersmith later. Promise.

KaiserCartel is on tour. Check their Myspace or website for information. Their debut LP, March Forth, released in June of last year, is available for purchase through their website or iTunes/Amazon/various e-consumerist hubs.

* Although the Cedar boasts an eclectic mixing of genres, like Irish folk and world beats, the clientele generally veers due White.

KaiserCartel at Cedar Cultural, Minneapolis (09 May 2009) photo by Jon Behm

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Flashback: Kevin Steinman & Zack Hexum at 400 Bar, Minneapolis (07 May 2009)

Read More Kevin Steinman Hexum invited Kevin Steinman on stage for a duet. Here’s some math that you might not be aware of: male singer + female singer = adorable/ovaries swelling. Female singer + female singer = sexy (or, conversely, the Indigo Girls). … Zack Hexum Zack Hexum has the “Swine Cold,” a terrible mutant strain of the original “Swine Flu.” He’s dangerous and wants to spread the virus by touching people with his hands. . …

Lara went out to check out Kevin Steinman at the 400 Bar on May 7, 2009.

It’s funny to note that 311 singer Nick Hexum is the older brother to Zack Hexum.

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Zack Hexum has the “Swine Cold,” a terrible mutant strain of the original “Swine Flu.” He’s dangerous and wants to spread the virus by touching people with his hands. Don’t be fooled by his boyish good looks—ZACK HEXUM IS A MONSTER. JK, readers! ROFLCOPTER!* Hexum is wholly sweet and friendly and a real trooper (he played a full set plus duets with Kevin Steinman, all while battling flu-ish symptoms). Even though he reminds me of a hot soap opera doctor, Hexum has that big boy voice that is always surprising coming from the mouths of such teeny, tiny human beings (see: Ben Sollee).

Thursday’s show at the 400 Bar was nice and mellow, a bit beachy (if beach jams were played under low lights in dank clubs); maybe one-part pop soul, two parts college rock, and a splash of Hollister “SoCal.” While Hexum sang confidently, head thrown back, eyes closed, heart showing—which is just, you know, sigh—I’m not sure that his lyrics had me at “hello” (mumbling musicians make me merry mrustrated). I’d hoped that “Princess of Darkness” would be a cute-sad ode to Kelly Osbourne, but it seems, instead, to be about a gloomy wallflower type (could still be about KO). Nevertheless, live versions of “Sun Still Shines” and “How Many Times” were enjoyable and people-pleasing (this was a “yeah, dude!” crowd) and very much the style of music that primetime TV drools over. Zack Hexum paging Zach Braff: “Writing any interesting screenplays about depressed twenty-something existentialists lately?”

Instead of breaking to set up more instruments, get more beer, and/or allowing patrons to smoke a motherfucking cigarette, Hexum invited Kevin Steinman on stage for a duet. Here’s some math that you might not be aware of: male singer + female singer = adorable/ovaries swelling. Female singer + female singer = sexy (or, conversely, the Indigo Girls). Male singer + male singer = asexual/mildly homoerotic**. Watching Hexum and Steinman sing together was like watching Olympic divers—attractive bodies doing impressive things, but nobody’s getting turned on. Possible repressed sexual urges aside, Steinman said some nice things about his duet partner—he considers Hexum a musical soulmate and they have a code word for calling each other to the stage (the Norwegian term for ‘meatball’). Fittingly, they covered songs by iconic bands with great creative relationships, including the Beatles (“If I Fell”) and the Everly Brothers (“All I Have to Do is Dream”). True to Steinman’s word, the pair sounded lovely; their voices complemented nicely and the harmonies were spot on. A lot of dorky things happened on that stage (Hexum played a clarinet; Steinman played the glock; too much meatball was thrown around), but I couldn’t help smiling through most of it.

After Hexum exited, Steinman and his drummer (Troy Groenke) carried on. I really like this combo when it’s not the White Stripes. If a singer-songwriter isn’t ready to go full band, a positive small progression is to add a drummer to the mix; at the very least, this helps discourage the “open mic” feel of so many solo guitar acts. I had seen Steinman play a couple months back, opening for Joe January, but in all honesty, had very little recollection of the show. I did remember, however, that Steinman met his wife through Myspace, a fact that’s completely irrelevant and fascinating to me. As a lyricist, Steinman writes about the romantic side of life—love, heartache, self journey, love, love, love. In person his mild-mannered spirit and brooding good looks suit the prose; I have a hard time not imagining him tucked in the corner of a coffee shop, scribbling furiously in his moleskin journal. While it’s difficult to breach the formulaic barriers of traditional love songs, it helps that Steinman’s M.O. doesn’t follow the route of novelty or tacky pretense; instead, he seems at a comfortable place, one where authenticity is measured by dedication to the craft. Songs like “Home” and “Love Always Wins” (it doesn’t, but thanks) are not going to blow minds, but the whole product—the melodies, the voice, the man—is just so likeable and likeability always wins. THEN, it was towards the end of the show and Steinman pulled a little trick from his sleeve, a sort of politically-charged, conversational verse with wit up the yin yang. “55 Year Occupation Blues, or, Mom and Dad Won’t You Please Come Home” questions the implications of stationing American troops all over the world and speaks of Steinman’s experiences growing up in Germany while his parents taught at special Department of Defense-funded schools. Where did this come from? Is there more? These are the questions I’m left with. (Watch Steinman perform “55 Year Occupation Blues” in Berlin HERE.)

Two things must be noted: 1). I’m getting nicer in my older age, and 2). You can find more information on both artists at their respective websites and Myspace pages (see below). Kevin Steinman will be at the 318 Café in Excelsior, MN this Friday, May 15.

* Just learned this. I think it’s a helicopter that is rolling on the floor laughing or something.

** I’m not insinuating anything on the Internet, folks, but the two musicians did close the show with a Bert and Ernie song. I think we can all guess what that means.

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Flashback: Loney Dear at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (05 May 2009)

Read More Loney Dear The game started with Minnesota's legendary The Honeydogs. The rather large seven-member league, led by star hitter Adam Levy, rose to popularity when they played … Lia Ices Opening up for this First Avenue present show is Lia Ices, who is out touring in support of her third studio album Ices, out now worldwide via Jagjaguar. The new album was co-produced by Benny Sagittarius (the newly formed . …

Loney, Dear made a stop in Brooklyn, New York on May 05, 2009… and, of course, our Kate G is all over this show.

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For years, my Scandinavian Holy Trinity has been set in stone: Jens Lekman, Sondre Lerche, and Erlend Øye. These three men embody everything I love about Nordic pop: catchy melodies, depressing lyrics, and above all, debonair looks (in a lanky, pale, probably-got-beat-up-after-school kind of way). But after last night, I may have to add another Swede to that equation: Emil Svanängen, a.k.a. Loney, Dear.

I had previously seen Loney, Dear (Yes, it’s “Loney,” not “Lonely.” Sorry, Spellcheck.) at Soundfix Lounge, a far more smaller, intimate venue. It was a lovely show, but I wondered if it would translate well into the much bigger Music Hall of Williamsburg.

Lia Ices photo: Laura

Things started off slowly with opener, Lia Ices. Her gradual but fierce, piano-centric ballads reminded me of slightly more subdued Frida Hyvönen. In a way, her sparse instrumentation and morose lyrics set the mood for the rest of the night. The audience remained politely quiet through most of her set, as Ices maintained an enchanting, often hypnotic stage presence. The whole girl-with-a-keyboard outfit has been done several times before, but there’s something strangely haunting about Ices that sets her apart from other singer-songwriters.

The solemn mood was somewhat lifted when Loney Dear took the stage, opening with the steady-building track, “I Was Only Going Out,” from his latest release, Dear John. Several other songs followed a similar format, and in the larger setting with his full band, the tracks were able to flourish into lush, sweeping mini-symphonies.

Loney Dear photo: Laura

Svanängen’s band (which included a keyboardist who eerily resembled a somber Andy Samberg) contributed greatly to the “bigger” sound not usually associated with Loney Dear’s brand of thoughtful pop. Whether it was the more electronic tracks from Dear John or the earlier, orchestral tracks from Loney Noir and Sologne, the band added an exciting, almost urgent edge to Svanängen’s confessional lyrics.

My initial concern of Loney Dear’s quiet demeanor clashing with a larger venue was quickly put to rest. Svanängen has a knack for endearing and warmly funny stage banter, and within moments, the audience was smitten. He even managed to pull of the impossible: an audience sing-along that was not completely awful. Choosing the simple na-na-na-na chorus from “The Meter Marks OK,” Svanängen led the audience like a junior high choir teacher. Considering that the crowd that night mostly consisted of PBR-slinging, hipper-than-thou Brooklynites – it was quite a feat.

Of course, none of it would have been possible without Svanängen’s unassuming and shyly charismatic personality. Whether it was through his heartfelt lyrics or random witticisms, he gave off an immediate sense of likability. It is somewhat telling that the two grown men (both in vaguely corporate attire) behind me had the following conversation midway through the set:

Guy #1: I haven’t been this happy since I was a kid.
Guy #2: This is just beautiful. Beautiful.
Guy #1: I know. I just want to… touch him.

I know how you feel, Guy #1. And just when Svanängen couldn’t get any sweeter, he ended the show with the fitting track, “Dear John.” With just him and his guitar on stage, he sang, “Sleep well, tonight. Sleep while you can.” It was a beautiful ending to an intimate and charming show. So charming, in fact, that Jens, Sondre, and Erlend may have to watch their backs.

Loney Dear at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (05 May 2009) photo by Laura

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Flashback: Soul Asylum at OLL Blast, Mound (02 May 2009)

Read More Soul Asylum Yeah we knew the tiny 7th Street Entry could not contain all the fans for Soul Asylum, or as we kid that it's just the Dave Pirner band.... Both dates at 7th Street Entry … Honeydogs The game started with Minnesota's legendary The Honeydogs. The rather large seven-member league, led by star hitter Adam Levy, rose to popularity when they played …

Lara and Kate went to see “the greatest band ever to come out of Minnesota”, Soul Asylum in Mound, on May 2, 2009.

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Remember when rock bands had long hair and wore flannel for comfort, not irony, and remember when they’d stumble around doing crazy things like PLAYING GUITARS WITH BEER BOTTLES and SPRINTING FROM ONE END OF THE STAGE TO THE OTHER? F*** the 80s revival, the 90s was obviously a superior decade. Allow me to list the evidence: fashion-stagnant icons (“grunge”), Winona Ryder’s snatch (been there, done that), glorified nasal tones, and, most importantly, a general dismissal of happiness in favor of talking about doing important things while doing nothing (see “Reality Bites” for reference).

On Saturday, Our Lady of the Lake Church hosted The Greatest Band Ever…to Come out of Minnesota between the Years of 1992 and 1995. That’s right, mofos, I’m talking about Soul Asylum. This band not only fulfills every 90s era requisite, as listed above*, but as a bonus singer Dave Pirner still appears to be living in the 90s, as confirmed by his torn jeans and Aquaman t-shirt. It was—and I’m being completely sincere—an amazing night.

The Honeydogs photo: Kate

The show opened with another local favorite, The Honeydogs, who brought horns for the occasion. Like many bands of a certain age and ilk, the Honeydogs are best heard live. As a studio group, their music is straightforward mature rock with an unusual lyrical edge over similar acts (early song themes include race relations and cultural alienation). Fussy twenty-somethings may not appreciate the band’s tame anthemic style or the crowd draw of mostly L.L Bean-clad professionals, to which I say “fair enough, but how many mid-90s bands can lure hundreds of fans to Mound, Minnesota (population 9,435, birthplace of Kevin Sorbo) and pull off a slim jean designed for men half their ages?” (The answer is: at least two.) I should also mention that the quote of the night goes to Adam Levy who charmed the (presumably conservative) audience with a few deliberate “support your troops” cheers:

Levy: (after informing us that his once-teenage son had intended to enlist) “By the way, my son never went to Iraq. He discovered mushrooms instead.”

Soul Asylum photo: Kate

I think you know you’ve “made it,” or in Soul Asylum’s case, “made it, lost it, and re-made it,” when you have a man whose sole responsibility is to hand you your guitar (or in Soul Asylum’s case, physically position the guitar in your arms). Dave Pirner has (re)made it. Another testament to your lasting fame is the number of women available to carry your child (at least one; she knocked me in the head while frantically waving her arms in what I determined to be code for “please infiltrate me with your love tool”). Dave Pirner still has it. Regardless of the holy location, Soul Asylum rocked the Devil’s music in a hard way, pulling out all the stops; never have I seen middle-aged men attempt—and almost succeed at—sweaty, dated stage acrobatics like Pirner’s hip gyrations (still sexy) and Dan Murphy’s awkward guitar slide. At one point I turned to my friend and said “I feel as though I’m having a childhood experience that I never actually had” (this was likely during “Misery”). And yes, I know what you’re wondering: they still play “Runaway Train.” In fact, despite years of heavy substance intake, Pirner’s voice sounded pretty good. He looked pretty good too; moving about in a youthful manner, as I mentioned earlier, as well as telling some jokes, smiling, acting gracious and friendly…it seems that the bratty rock star grew up.

The band played a full set plus encore, where Kraig Johnson, formerly of the Jayhawks, joined in for a few crowd-pleasing covers (“My Generation,” “Should I Stay or Should I Go”). Johnson made a hasty exit after some trashy bitch threw a plastic beer cup at him (don’t worry, Tommy Stinson was ready with a hug**) and the show concluded with Pirner inviting his roadies onstage to play a few notes and later to pack up the instruments.

I have no idea if Soul Asylum are touring. Their website hasn’t been updated since 2008, but feel free to dream. The Honeydogs are a bit more prolific, with local shows later this summer.

UPDATE: Soul Asylum has a handful of upcoming shows, as per their Myspace.

* Dave Pirner had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in “Reality Bites”
** Stinson (The Replacements) joins the band on bass and Michael Bland (Prince) replaces former drummer Karl Mueller, who passed away in 2005.

Soul Asylum at OLL Blast, Mound (02 May 2009) photo by Kate

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Flashback: Peter Bjorn & John at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (30 April 2009)

Setlist Just the Past Amsterdam It Beats Me Every Time Start to Melt It Don't Move Me Lay It Down Living Thing Nothing to Worry About FA CI LA Objects of My Affection -- Encore -- Stay This Way Young Folks Up Against the Wall Read More Peter Bjorn and John Like many fans, we first discovered Peter Bjorn and John through their big, viral hit ‘Young Folks’ (the song was soooo massive, even a young Kanye West stole the catchy melody). …

Prior to playing Webster Hall, in New York, Peter Bjorn & John, still cashing in that check hit song “Young Folks” (a melody so good that even Kanye West stole it for one of his raps), stopped by the Music Hall of Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, to play with another buzz band, Chairlift, on April 30, 2009. Kate G tells us how it went down.

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Two bands, two synonymous songs. First up, there was Chairlift with their “iPod Nano song” opening for Peter Bjorn & John, the band that brought you the “whistling song.” Were it not for these two songs, I doubt this show would have been a sold-out Ticketmaster event. Despite this, PB&J proved their chops – and in pastel-colored shorts, no less.

Chairlift played to a half-filled venue, and for the most part, the audience seemed half there mentally as well. Perhaps it was the dreary weather or the slow playlist, but there was very little movement among the crowd, save for the occasional headbob or tipsy-girl-in-heels faceplant. Naturally, the audience got excited during their bubbly hit, “Bruises,” but from then on, the band stuck to their mellow, 80’s-revival pop. Lead singer, Caroline Polachek, showed off clear, hypnotizing vocals, but coupled with droning synths and sparse drums, it got lost somewhere in the muddle.

Excitement for Peter Bjorn & John (shortened to PB&J) was buzzing even before they took the stage, as the crew unveiled their straightforward, neon-lit backdrop (complete with word, “backdrop” repeated several times). They opened with the slow-burning “Just the Past,” from their latest album, Living Thing, which had just the right amount of energy to slowly awaken the crowd from their reverie.

The popularity of their breakthrough album, Writer’s Block, was palpable, as favorites like “Amsterdam” and “Objects of My Affection” were greeted with instant cheers and dancing. The audience didn’t seem too familiar with songs from Living Thing, but quickly warmed up to catchier tracks like “The Feeling” and “Nothing to Worry About.”

Much of this was attributed to the band’s infectious, sometimes corny enthusiasm. In his powder blue suit, Peter Morén, flaunted Bowie-inspired dance moves while guitarist Björn Yttling had no problem assuming cheesy rock god poses. Amid the flurry of blog-induced hysteria surrounding the band, such unassuming eagerness was endearing. Besides, how can you hate a band with a drummer who hula hoops?

When they left the stage, an encore was obvious – they hadn’t even played “Young Folks” yet. Unlike the last time I saw them, they didn’t rely on a pre-recorded whistle. I suppose it wasn’t even necessary, as the whole audience took it upon themselves to whistle the all-too familiar melody. After the group whistle, PB&J ended the show with their obligatory make out/break up song, “Up Against the Wall.” Despite the somber nature of the song, the band seemed entirely joyful, jumping around, dancing, and inviting audience members to hula hoop on stage (and failing miserably).

Such enthusiasm made it easy to overlook all the online hype and Twitter-testimonials, claiming Peter was an a**hole. Instead, they were just a band glad to have made it this far. And if they wanted to celebrate such success by playing the bongos in tiny pastel shorts, why stop them?

Peter Bjorn & John at Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn (30 April 2009) photo by modage

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Flashback: Headlights at the Bell House, Brooklyn (24 April 2009)

Read More Headlights With only four members, Headlights initially had a more subdued presence than TLL, but they immediately proved their pop prowess with gems like “Market Girl” and “Your Old Street.” Keyboardist Erin Fein provided her signature crystal clear vocals … Love Language Who needs some Love Language? You can currently stream their new record Ruby Red on spotify. These indie rockers from North Carolina put on a show! I caught them three years ago at the Circle Bar in New Orleans. …

Another adventure in Brooklyn with Kate G. This time she attended the Headlights show at the Bell House in Brooklyn, on April 24, 2009. Opening for them was The Love Language.

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About halfway through the opening set of The Love Language, I couldn’t help but notice something odd: where was the flannel? Perhaps it was the slightly warmer weather or the fact that neither bands were from Brooklyn, but it’s a strange sight these days, going to a show with no trace of the hipster staple. The lack of flannel continued onto Headlights’ set, and it was somewhat telling, as both bands offered up refreshing doses of unpretentious, enthusiastic pop.

The Love Language, a six-member troop hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, proved to be ideal openers for the somewhat more polished Headlights. Stuart McLamb, lead singer and wearer of dilapidated wife-beaters, charmed the stoic audience with his off-beat lyrics and undeniably catchy melodies. There seemed to be an endless supply of tambourines, an occasional accordion, and when Missy the keyboardist started dancing around barefoot, it seemed wholly appropriate. Their entire set gave off the vibe of an indie pop country hoedown.

TLL ended with their fan-favorite, “Lalita,” McLamb’s viciously sweet ode to an ex-girlfriend, and a somewhat creepy, somewhat endearing (but ultimately catchy) cover of Ricky Nelson’s “Hello, Mary Lou.” When their set ended, they left a palpable energy in a crowd, which is always a noteworthy accomplishment for a relatively unknown opening act.

With only four members, Headlights initially had a more subdued presence than TLL, but they immediately proved their pop prowess with gems like “Market Girl” and “Your Old Street.” Keyboardist Erin Fein provided her signature crystal clear vocals, while guitarist Tristan Wright took the lead on some songs, offering a nice contrast with his rougher but equally sweet vocals.

Midway through their set, they called up TLL up to the stage to join them for the stand-out hit from their second album, “Cherry Tulips.” It was obvious the two bands enjoyed touring together, and since this was their final show together, there were several “I love you, man!” moments – punctuated with tambourines and more barefoot hijinks. When they ended the night with “TV,” the two-minute favorite from their debut album, the audience was completely mesmerized. They had just put on a glam-free, wonderfully sincere show in the heart of Brooklyn. Quite a feat for this flannel-free band.

There are only so many alternatives the Merriam-Webster thesaurus can offer for “precious” and “cute,” but Headlights literally exemplified the two when Fein called attention to bassist Nick Sanborn’s sweat-soaked t-shirt. Apparently, his chest hair has the awesome habit of forming a sweat stain in the shape of a perfect heart. Seriously, how twee can you get?

The Love Language at the Bell House, Brooklyn (24 April 2009) photo by Andrew Keller

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Flashback: Ice Palace at the Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (23 April 2009)

Ice Palace Setlist Outside the Gates Phonebook Pillow Pirates by Thirty Just Wait Lily Hubris Younger in a Year Nuance and Spark Coliseum Slow Motion Fall Devil's Tower Thoughts/Facts Dark Dark Dark Setlist Silver Spade Trouble No More All The Things The Hand Junk Bones Flood Bright Bright Bright Make Time Caroline Smith Setlist Grizzly Bear Tying My Shoes Five Month Too Long Shotgun Green To Grey Lack Of Height Birch Trees & Broken Barns Sally Clench My Teeth Gracie Closing the Doors Read More Ice Palace Ice Palace “ Wonder Subtly Crushing Us Wonder Subtly Crushing Us opens like pure indie rock beatitude; the knee-jerk impulse to look not happy and wearing tiny pants is overwhelming. Phonebook Pillow is probably …

This was a last-minute request to cover this Ice Palace show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, on April 23, 2009. Unfortunately, during the rush to the venue, I had forgotten to bring my camera.

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Ice Palace just held their CD-release party (Wonder Subtly Crushing Us, released on Earthology Records) last night at the lovely Varsity Theater in Minneapolis. Helping them celebrate are three local bands: Dark Dark Dark, To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie, and Caroline Smith And The Good Night Sleeps.

Judging from last night's audiences, there was a huge influx of alt-country/americana folky crowd of young people. I am told that this kind of music is massive, especially in the mid-west. It's only too bad that, in my opinion, Ice Palace is more guitar indie rock, and To Kill a Petty Bourgeoisie is far too experimental and tribal - which had their own sort of audiences. Still, it all balanced out, I suppose.

Caroline Smith And The Good Night Sleeps: The first time I heard of Caroline Smith was when Brody was raving about her. I think at the time, she didn't really a record or a full band (?), but from the looks of things last night - she seems to be doing quite well so far.

I think the highlight for me was the one acoustic-only song (her upright bassist and percussions took a break), I think on the setlist it's listed as "Gracie", the song after "Clench My Teeth".

To Kill A Petty Bourgeoisie: I thought this was the most interesting of all the bands. I think if they had opened up for the Japanese noise band, The Boredoms, they would've fitted right in. Unfortunately, the midwestern folky audience didn't know what to do with Bourgeoisie.

The singer looks half-Asian or something, she's a small thing. I thought she was exclusively the singer, but she did play a little keyboard and also guitar at some point. The best songs on their setlist was when they had live drumming, but the highlight for me was when the violinist joined them on stage for the third song.

Dark Dark Dark: Their name is a bit of a misnomer, they don't seem very dark to me (in fact, Bourgeoisie is a darker band). If their name sounds familiar, that's because we've previously mentioned them a few times, check out Andrew's review.

I was actually kind of excited to see them, their set consists of mostly accordion songs (which sort of made many of their songs to sound Frenchy or even carnival-y). I asked singer Nona about their EP, Love You, Bye, because I wanted to pick it up (since I already had their LP), but she said it was out of print (edit: see tweet below.)

Ice Palace: Clearly, having been touring the country with Cloud Cult has been good to Ice Palace. They were very confident on stage, and everyone had an especially good time rocking out. I will tell you what though: for their first two songs ("Outside The Gates" and "Phonebook Pillow"), they had three guitars, one bass, and drums. Yes, lots of loud clashing layers of guitars, particularly on "Phonebook Pillow".

My favorite songs from the set was the trumpet songs ("Devils Tower", "Thoughts/Facts"). For their finale, they had, I think the drummer from The Good Night Sleeps' Arlen Peiffer joining them on stage to do tambourine.

Please note: This was really last minute, so I didn't have time to prep for a camera. Also, everyone had about a 30-minute set, with the exception of Ice Palace, for obvious reasons. Plus, all the bands had setlists, except for Bourgeoisie - who apparently are rebels... :)

Caroline Smith And The Good Night Sleeps Setlist

Dark Dark Dark Setlist

Ice Palace Setlist

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Flashback: Wye Oak at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (19 April 2009)

Read More Wye Oak Wye Oak will be returning in 2014 with a brand new yet-untitled album from Merge Records, the follow-up to their 2011's Civilian. Singer Jenn Wasner talked to Spin Magazine about the new album… Pomegranates Pomegranates took the stage and introduced themselves as "Jesus Christ and the Fire Eating Five!" as they set in their energetic music set.…

The Wye Oak and Pomegranates co-tour stopped by the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on April 19, 2009.

Brody ended up on stage (by invite) for the Pomegranates’ song finale, “Southern Ocean”. Watch the video here: Pomegranates’ “Southern Ocean”.

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Jenn Wasner, singer from Wye Oak* joked that their touring teamup of Wye Oak and Pomegranates should be called "The full spectrum of human emotions tour" because while Wye Oak brought the "sadness", Pome brought the "happiness".

Opening up was Minneapolis' Bill Caperton, who, when not playing solo, is part of the band Ela. He played a pretty long set, surprisingly since it was a Sunday evening and there were two other bands on the bill. I think he might have realized this just ended after one song when he announced that he had two more... saying "I think I'll just leave it at that."

Pomegranates

Pomegranates (myspace) took the stage and introduced themselves as "Jesus Christ and the Fire Eating Five!" as they set in their energetic music set.

The band name shenanigan continues on as Isaac Karns introduced them again as "Three Ninjas Plus One", and would continue with "as Joey said, we're called the E-Flat Band!". Apparently, the last name never fail to get a laugh.

My personal favorite from their set list is "Late Night Television" from their debut album, Everything Is Alive (2008). Anyway, for some reason, the aggressive music doesn't seem to go with the depressing lines: "I want to know where you've been at night. I've been lying awake, I left on the lights. ", but it worked (and it rocked).

I think the highlight of the show was for their last song, they asked Brody to come on stage for their finale song "Southern Ocean".

So embarrassingly enough, I actually have listened (and own) Wye Oak's first album, If Children, I only realized this after I picked up their album again.  Anyway, that would explain why they sounded so familiar to me.

They sounded really good live, with this constant guitar fuzz, and melodic girlie vocals of 'singing waitress' Jenn Wasner. But let's not forget with Andy Stack's contribution with his right arm on the drums, while his left on keyboard thing, while his mouth on blow-y thing.

Wasner said they have a new recorded already recorded, and that it was coming out on July 21^st. A quick check reveals the album is called The Knot. At the moment, you can get If Children via their record label, Merge Records.

As for Pome, you can get their records at Lujo Records - check out the free MP3 downloads!

So, definitely go see the rest of the "the full spectrum of human emotions" tour in a city near you.

* Incidentally, the band's name comes from their homestate Maryland's honorary tree of the same name.

Wye Oak at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (19 April 2009)

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