W♥M

Octosquid

Read more When Animals Attack.

Cowards by Squid Read More Squid UK’s Squid is heading out on tour in support of their latest album O Monolith (out now on Warp). Talking about the new album, guitarist Anton Pearson commented, “I think we’ve been …

Squid
squidband.uk

English art rock quintet Squid will be releasing Cowards on February 7, via Warp Records. There’ll be a massive promotional tour to support the new record… so expect the band to come to your home town to play live.

Squid at Fine Line (19 Feb 2024)

We caught the band in Feb 2024 and wrote, “Squid had quite a successful 2023. Their sophomore album, O Monolith, was well received and one of their songs “Blades” won a United Kingdom Music Video Award for Best Rock Video. The band consists of Ollie Judge on drums and lead vocals, Louis Borlase and Anton Pearson on guitar, Laurie Nankivell on bass and Arthur Leadbetter on keys. They met at Brighton University and had an understanding that the band would not only be egalitarian but also not defined.”

Tour Dates

Feb. 17 - Liverpool, UK @ Invisible Wind Factory

Feb. 18 - Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz Manchester

Feb. 19 - Glasgow, UK @ Old Fruitmarket

Feb. 21 - Newcastle, UK @ NSU Domain

Feb. 22 - Sheffield, UK @ Leadmill

Feb 24 - Cambridge, UK @ Junction 1

Feb 25 - Norwich, UK @ Adrian Flux Waterfront

Feb. 27 - Oxford, UK @ O2 Academy

Feb. 28 - Southampton, UK @ Engine Rooms

March 1 - Margate, UK @ Lido

March 2 - Brighton, UK @ Chalk

March 4 - Birmingham, UK @ XOYO

March 5 - Bristol, UK @ Bristol Beacon

April 9 - Paris, FR @ Cabaret Sauvage

April 10 - Cologne, DE @ Club Volta

April 11 - Dresden, DE @ Polimagie Festival

April 12 - Berlin, DE @ Lido

April 14 - Schorndorf, DE @ Manufaktur

April 15 - Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg

April 16 - Antwerp, BE @ Trix

April 18 - Rotterdam, NL @ Motel Mozaique Festival

April 19 - Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje

April 26 - London, UK @ Roundhouse

Squid Game 2 Read More Squid Game If you haven’t heard, Squid Game is Netflix’s blockbuster television show. Everyone, at least over 111 million, is watching this South Korean drama/thriller. The show creator and director, Hwang Dong-hyuk …

Squid Game 2
netflix.com

In my original review of Squid Game, I mentioned that the show left an opening to continue the story, but I felt the story should just end with the first season. I didn’t need a continuation of the first season.

Of course, with all the money that Netflix threw at show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk… he signed up to write and direct the second season.

The entire second season dropped on Netflix on December 26, 2024, and I’ve been binging through it.

The new show takes place right after we saw Player 456 with his winnings and hair dye. He decides to take his winnings and devote that money to finding and ending the games. He recruits a gangster and the undercover cop in the first season to help him.

Anyway, 456 finds himself, once again, playing the games. At first, we’re familiar with the Red Light, Green Light game, which 456 tried to help the other players survive the game. You think it’s going to be a breeze from here on… but unfortunately, the second game is brand new. Each game is intense, as it’s a matter of life and death if they lose.

Season two also introduces a new cast of players. We’re quickly introduced to the colorful cast of characters: mother and son, an old guy with 20 billion in debt, “Thanos” the rapper, a former marine, a transgender character, a pregnant girl, a crypto bro, a shawoman, etc.

What’s interesting is that the new Player 001 is someone we’ve seen before in Season 1… I won’t give away the secret, but it was weird to see the character again.

So… the ending. It will lead to Season 3… which will drop in 2025. The filming for the third season was done back-to-back with Season 2, so I suspect Season 2 was probably much longer and larger, that they had to split it up into two seasons.

i'm an octopus by Jei-Rynn

Jei-Rynn
linktr.ee

Los Angeles-based alternative pop artist Jei-Rynn recently released a new single called “i'm an octopus”, taken from the new EP viole(n)t dreams out November 15.

The single is described as a dark, absurdist look at life in late stage capitalism and was produced by Marshall Gallagher with drums by Anthony Salazar (both are band members of Teenage Wrist).

The Japanese, Italian, and South American descent Jei-Rynn started playing piano at the age of 9, before picking up the guitar at the age of 12.

viole(n)t dreams track list

1. ok, you got me
2. i'm an octopus
3. bloodsuckers
4. mr. skeleton

skylla by Ruth Goller

Ruth Goller
ruthgoller.com

Italian-born and London-based composer, bassist, vocalist, and octopus lover, Ruth Goller, released the vinyl reissue of her debut solo record skylla on International Anthem. This album of otherworldly detuned bass harmonics and dense vocal arrangements was initially released in 2021 on Vula Viel Records, but have been long out of print.

The vinyl release will be issued on deluxe 140 gram and is on “Octopodic Iris” color vinyl LP, with an IARC dome patterned poly-lined inner-sleeve inside a heavyweight matte jacket. Pressed at Pallas in Germany with lacquers cut by Daniel K at SST.

Additionally, you can watch an inky underwater video of “What's really important she wanted to know, pt. 2” as part of the promotion for the reissue, via YouTube.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Current's 20th Anniversary Celebration, feat. Frank Black performing Teenager of the Year

24 Jan 2025 Frank Black with she's green and DJ Jake Rudh at First Avenue Frank Black Setlist Czar Ten Percenter Teenager of the Year Whatever Happened to Pong? Thalassocracy (I Want to Live on an) Abstract Plain Calistan The Vanishing Spies Speedy Marie Headache Sir Rockaby Freedom Rock Two Reelers Fiddle Riddle Olé Mulholland Fazer Eyes I Could Stay Here Forever The Hostess With the Mostest Superabound Big Red Space Is Gonna Do Me Good White Noise Maker Pure Denizen of the Citizens Band Bad, Wicked World Pie in the Sky -- Encore -- Los Angeles Every Time I Go Around Here I Heard Ramona Sing Vuart Frank Black Look-a-like Contest (2017) Read More Frank Black After the Pixies tour, singer Black Francis (who also went by Frank Black post-Pixies) will be doing a number of solo dates... she's green Local shoegazing band she’s green, featuring Zofia on vocals, Teddy on bass, Liam on guitars, Raines on guitars, and Kevin on drums, opened the show. Although .… DJ Jake Rudh Between bands, DJ Jake Rudh played a selection of 70s and 80s ska music videos (Madness, Specials, etc), and opening up the show was …

It’s local, independent radio station The Current’s 20th birthday. As is their custom for a number of years, they celebrate with two shows at First Avenue. The first of those shows was Frank Black performing the 30th anniversary of Teenager of the Year.

Opening things up at time of doors was DJ Jake Rudh. Host of the Current’s show Transmission, Rudh is a regular opener at many shows in the Twin Cities. First Avenue is a great venue for him, with a perch at the back of the second floor and his classic style of song plus video, which played on the large screen at the front of the stage. He mixes a great range of older and more recent songs, including Rilo Kiley’s Portions for Foxes. He’s a master at the craft, weaving from Jesus and the Mary Chain’s Just Like Honey, to newer music with a definite through line. A late appearance of The Sundays’ Here’s Where the Music Ends was a delightful exclamation point to his set.

Current morning host Jill Riley was the connector between acts and highlighted that both Governor Tom Walz and Mayor Melvin Carter (Minnesota Public Radio is located in downtown Saint Paul) had declared it 89.3 The Current Day. She also revealed that the next act has music coming out as soon as next week.

And like that, she’s green, a local band heavy on the shoe gaze feel, was on stage and performing. The quintet are really growing as performers, and their confidence at this show was apparent. That heavy guitar sound underpins Zofia Smith’s vocals, who thankfully isn’t going for the breathy teen girl voice, but instead is singing full throated throughout. Playing their best known song, Mandy, got a nice reaction from the crowd and the band had good chemistry as they worked through their songs. A shout out from the bassist to the Current, to First Ave. and the Twin Cities’ music scene felt genuinely heartfelt as they finished their set. A solid and concise thirty-minute set had the band getting the crowd excited for the headliner. Jake Rudh played another set of songs between performers, which kept things humming along.

Frank Black took to the stage to a raucous crowd reaction. Teenager of the Year is a great post-Pixies album. Although there are twenty-two tracks on the album, it’s kept to a reasonable length as not a single song from the original recording is over five minutes. With only the song Headache being close to a hot single at the time, it might seem strange to tour on this album, but honestly, this is one of the greats from the mid 90’s.

After a pair of “warm ups” songs according to Black, who was chatty throughout the evening, he promised to keep “anecdotes to a minimum”, but his patter kept things moving and connected. Whatever Happened to Pong? started the album and showed that the band was ready to go. And it turned out that much of the original backing band was here for the tour, including Eric Drew Feldman. The song Calistan was an early highlight, with the backing band in excellent form along with Black’s driving vocals. Speedy Marie gave some of the classic Black falsetto, as well as great solo guitar work. Although Black largely covered the vocals, we got the band involved with some back up vocals on Headache, which was needed for the full effect of that song. A change of guitar prior to Sir Rockabyshowed a crew that was on top of their game. Freedom Rock got crowd interaction in the middle (“I said sit down boys…”), knowing all the lyrics.

What really came through is that Black still cares. No pulling punches, no half effort. As they say, he came to play. And coming up to the second half of the album, it’s almost all bangers. We got a switch of bass and keyboard players for Fiddle Riddle and it was clear how much fun the band was having. The stretch of Fazer Eyes, I Could Stay Here Forever, and The Hostess with the Mostest is just as an impressive trio of rock songs as there are to be found and the band nailed them all. Black continued to keep the audience engaged with short stories or statements on the songs, and got a good part of the crowd singing along to Big Red. When the band hit White Noise Maker, the band seemed to kick up another gear to ride through the last songs. In the encore (without ever leaving the stage), Los Angeleshad the entire crowd singing along. By the time things ended with I Heard Ramona Sing, Black and band had the crowd completely in their hand. It was a great ending to a fabulous night of music and perhaps the best version of the anniversary show I’ve yet to see.

Jill Riley Jake Rudh Jake Rudh

Teddy Nordvold Kevin Seebeck she’s green Zofia Smith

she’s green

Eric Drew Feldman and Moris Tepper Frank Black

Lyle Workman Moris Tepper Frank Black Frank Black

Frank Black at First Avenue (24 Jan 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: This Week (02/02/2025)

What’s happening this week.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

27 Jan 2025 Geordie Greep with NNAMDÏ at First Avenue Read More Black Midi Possibly the best entrance introduction I’ve heard in a long time, black midi (singer/guitarist Geordie Greep, singer/guitarist Matt Kwasniewski-Kelvin, bassist Cameron Picton, drummer Morgan Simpson... NNAMDÏ NNAMDÏ (aka Nnamdi Ogbonnaya) to open. His latest album Please Have A Seat is out now. Tour Dates 2.25 - New Orleans, LA @ Tipitinas 2.27 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade (Hell Stage)...

27 Jan 2025 Monday

Geordie Greep
with NNAMDÏ
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

black midi’s guitarist and vocalist Geordie Greep has gone solo with his debut album The New Sound (Rough Trade Records). The singer will be headlining First Avenue on January 27, 2025.

Note: Originally this show was booked at the smaller Fine Line, but has been venue upgraded. All tickets purchased for Entry/Fine Line shows will be honored, and balcony ticket buyers will be refunded the difference in ticket price.

Black Midi at Fine Line (11 Oct 2021)

We caught Black Midi (stylized as black midi) one year ago, in Oct 2021, and described them as “They’re more art-rock/experimental rock. The sound reminds me a little bit of Clinic. Like it or hate it, you can’t deny they drew in a massive crowd and clearly had a big fanbase in Minneapolis, thanks to the fact that their new record Cavalcade (Rough Trade) landed on multiple “Best Albums of 2021 (So Far)” lists. ”

NNAMDÏ (aka Nnamdi Ogbonnaya) to open.

Tour Dates:

Jan-16 - Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's

Jan-17 - Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's

Jan-18 - Baltimore, MD Ottobar

Jan-19 - Raleigh, NC Kings

Jan-21 - Asheville, NC Eulogy

Jan-22 - Atlanta, GA The Earl

Jan-24 - Nashville, TN The Blue Room

Jan-25 - St Louis, MO Off Broadway

Jan-27 - Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Jan-28 - Madison, WI High Noon Saloon

Jan-30 – Chicago, IL The Empty Bottle

Jan-31 - Chicago, IL The Empty Bottle

Feb-01 - Kalamazoo, MI Bell's Eccentric Cafe

Feb-03 - Toronto, ON Axis Club Theatre

Feb-05 - Montreal, QC Bar Le Ritz

Feb-06 - Brattleboro, VT The Stone Church

Feb-07 - Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall

Feb-8 – Brooklyn, NY Warsaw

Apr-28 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom

Apr-29 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room

May-01 Los Angeles, CA Regent Theatre

May-02 San Diego, CA Soda Bar

May-03 Pioneertown, CA Pappy and Harriet's

May-05 Santa Cruz,C A The Catalyst Atrium

May-06 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall

May-07 Sacramento, CA Harlow's

May-09 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre

May-10 Seattle, WA The Crocodile

May-11 Vancouver, BC The Pearl

15 Jan 2025 28 Jan 2025 Dylan LeBlanc and David Ramirez at Parkway Theater Read More Dylan LeBlanc Acclaimed singer/songwriter Dylan LeBlanc is currently on tour in support of Coyote (ATO Records), stopping by the Turf Club, in St Paul, on Saturday night. …

28 Jan 2025 Tuesday

Dylan LeBlanc and David Ramirez
at Parkway Theater
theparkwaytheater.com

Dylan LeBlanc and David Ramirez are co-headlining the Parkway Theater, in Minneapolis, on January 28, 2025.

Ramirez’s album All The Not So Gentle Reminders is coming out on Blue Corn Music.

Dylan LeBlanc at Turf Club (03 Feb 2024)

We saw LeBlanc in Feb 2024 and wrote, “Turn out for Dylan LeBlanc at Turf Club was terrific. A lot of young couples, and country folk music fans in the audience. According to fans, this was LeBlanc’s first tour in five years. His last show was in 2019 (also at the Turf Club), because his 2020 show (also at the Turf Club) was cancelled due to COVID restrictions. So, it’s been a longtime coming to his fans. The American singer-songwriter and guitarist’s latest album Coyote is a semi-autobiographical and a concept album. The record tells the story of Coyote, a man on the run and living a dangerous life. The man find himself in the middle of a criminal underworld of Mexico and struggles to find a way out of this treacherous lifestyle.”

Tour dates:

Jan 22 – Nashville, TN – Basement East

Jan 23 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway

Jan 24 – Kansas, MO – Knuckleheads

Jan 25 – Omaha, NE – Reverb

Jan 26 – Des Moines, IA – xBk

Jan 28 – Minneapolis, MN – Parkway Theater

Jan 29 – Milwaukee, WI – Shank Hall

Jan 30 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School Of Folk Music

Jan 31 – Columbus, OH – Rumba Cafe

Feb 1 – Millville, PA – The Funhouse at Mr. Smalls

Feb 4 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Made

Feb 5 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s

Feb 7 – Norfolk, VA – The Annex*

Feb 8 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle

29 Jan 2025 Tim Heidecker with Neil Hamburger at First Avenue Read More Tim Heidecker Little Record Company is releasing Heidecker & Wood's sophomore album Some Things Never Stay the Same on November 12th. The duo is basically comedian and actor Tim Heidecker with his longtime … Neil Hamburger America's favorite funnyman Neil Hamburger is coming back to Minneapolis at the Cedar Cultural Center this August 21st (additional details available at thecedar.org). I know a few fans who…

29 Jan 2025 Wednesday

Tim Heidecker
with Neil Hamburger
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

America’s funnymen Tim Heidecker (the ‘Tim’ in Tim and Eric Awesome Show) and “worst” comic Neil Hamburger are once again teaming up on the great comedy getaway, “Slipping Away Tour”.

Tim Heidecker at the Cedar Cultural Center (21 Aug 2015)

We love these guys. We saw their tour in Aug 2015 and wrote, “Having previously teamed up on tour, Tim Heidecker and Neil Hamburger are back at it again, stopping by a sold out comedy show at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis last night. In typical Neil Hamburger style, the drunken, badly done hair comb over, safety pinned suit, Hamburger came on stage gripping three drinks, wheezing and coughing.”

Tim Heidecker new album Slipping Away is out now on Bloodshot Records.

Tour dates:

Jan. 22 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 $

Jan. 24 - Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall $

Jan. 25 - Vancouver, BC @ Hollywood Theatre $

Jan. 26 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre $

Jan. 29 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *

an. 30 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre *

Jan. 31 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall *

Feb. 1 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme *

Feb. 2 - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic *

Feb. 4 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall *

Feb. 5 - Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom *

Feb. 6 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Spirit Hall ^

Feb. 7 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer ^

Feb. 8 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel ^

Feb. 10 - Boston, MA @ Royale ^

Feb. 11 - Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat ^

Feb. 12 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall ^

Feb. 13 - Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel ^

Feb. 14 - Nashville, TN @ Basement East ^

Feb. 15 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn ^

Feb. 17 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West ^

Feb. 18 - Orlando, FL @ The Abbey ^

Feb. 19 - Tampa, FL @ Jannus Live ^

Feb. 21 - New Orleans, LA @ Tipitinas %

Feb. 22 - Houston, TX @ Secret Group %

Feb. 23 - Dallas, TX @ Studio at the Factory %

Feb. 25 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom %

# = duo performance
! = solo performance
$ = with TBA
* = with Neil Hamburger
^ = with DJ Douggpound
% = with Secret Suprise Guest

30 Jan 2025 Eric Mayson with TABAH, 26 BATS! and LaSalle at Turf Club Read More Eric Mayson This is her first-ever headlining tour, in support of her album Darling of the Afterglow. Dem Yuut and Eric Mayson to open. 8pm, $10. …

30 Jan 2025 Thursday

Eric Mayson
with TABAH, 26 BATS! and LaSalle
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Noise-maker Eric Mayson is having a ‘tape release’ party at the Turf Club on January 30th, 2025.

Eric Mayson writes:

Putting out a cassette tape version of Rerun, with a release show on January 30th at @turfclubmn!

Awesome bill featuring @tabahtab , @26bats and @lasallesounds ! Tickets in bio. Come hang?

Poster by @if.phxtxgraphy
Photo by @julietfarmer

TABAH, 26 BATS! and LaSalle to open.

TABAH at 7th Street Entry (12 July 2016)

We saw TABAH in July 2016 and wrote, “Tabah is a five-piece electric ensemble that began in 2013, although their first year was described as “unique, aggressive, and difficult experience”. Currently the band features singer/guitarist Cecelia Erholtz, bassist Charlie Bruber, guitarist Jeff Ley, keyboardist Andrew Seitz, and drummer Murphy Janssen.”

We were meant to see 26 Bats! in March 2024, but, “Although previously advertised as 26 BATS! to open, the band announced two weeks ago that they had to step down due to “personal reasons.””

31 Jan 2025 First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2024 at First Avenue Read More Dalmatian Club Opening the sold-out all-ages show was The Dalmatian Club from “Dinkytown”. If you’re not from around the city, this is a college-area. It’s where the Varsity Theater is located, around that area. The group is relatively …

31 Jan 2025 Friday

Best New Bands of 2024
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

The annual First Avenue’s Best New Bands for 2024 will be taking place at First Avenue on January 31, 2025. Other radio stations involved in selecting the best bands includes: 93X, Cities 97, The Current, Jazz88, KFAI, KS95, KVSC, Radio K, and WMCN.

This year will feature seven bands, hosted by hosted by Jill Riley (The Current), Joey Peterson (Radio K), Krista Wax (KFAI) , and Sean McPherson (Jazz88).

Dalmatian Club (10 March 2024)

The only bands we’ve seen on this list is Dalmatian Club, in March 2024: “Opening the sold-out all-ages show was The Dalmatian Club from “Dinkytown”. If you’re not from around the city, this is a college-area. It’s where the Varsity Theater is located, around that area. The group is relatively new, having formed in 2022, and they played some breezy, upbeat, bright Summer songs.”

Lineup:

• Bizhiki
• Christy Costello
• The Dalmatian Club
• Kiernan
• Mati
• porch light
• room3

hosted by
• Jill Riley (The Current)
• Joey Peterson (Radio K)
• Krista Wax (KFAI)
• Sean McPherson (Jazz88)

31 Jan 2025 Porridge Radio with Sluice at 7th St Entry Read More Porridge Radio Brighton’s Dana Margolin, or better known by her stagename Porridge Radio will be in the United States on tour in support of her third album Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder To The Sky (Secretly Canadian). …

31 Jan 2025 Friday

Porridge Radio
with Sluice
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Dana Margolin, aka Porridge Radio is touring in support of Clouds In The Sky They Will Always Be There For Me, available now on Secretly Canadian. They will be headlining the 7th Street Entry, in Minneapolis, on January 31, 2025.

Sluice to open.

Tour dates:

Dec. 18 - Wiesbaden, DE @ Schlachthof

Dec. 19 - Cologne, DE @ Artheater

Jan. 23 - Washington, DC @ The Atlantis

Jan. 24 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry

Jan. 25 - Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw

Jan. 26 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

Jan. 28 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison

Jan. 30 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall

Jan. 31 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry

Feb. 4 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios

Feb. 5 - Seattle, WA @ The Chapel

Feb. 7 - San Francisco, CA @ Independent

Feb. 9 - Los Angeles, CA @ Echoplex

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Flashback: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson at Turf Club (13 Nov 2009)

Read More Miles Benjamin Miles Benjamin at the Turf Club, St Paul (11/13/09) Mr. Miles does it all. Even in the worst situation when his van breaks down and the rest of his band heads back to Brooklyn with all the gear …

Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, the man with four names, released his debut album in 2008, and the following year, he signed to Saddle Creek Records for his sophomore album Summer Of Fear. Following his appearance at CMJ in 2009, Robinson stopped by the Turf Club, in St Paul, where Brody got to meet the singer.

Since 2017, Robinson has been releasing music under Drug Couple, with his partner Becca. Their latest album Stoned Weekend came out in Feb 2022.

Original report from Brody:

>>>

Below are late entries from The Turf Club! The first entry is written and from Brody (original entry here). Miles sounds like such a friendly guy, he even dropped over to Brody’s house to play something.

Mr. Miles does it all. Even in the worst situation when his van breaks down and the rest of his band heads back to Brooklyn with all the gear, Miles manages to continue the tour. Performing solo for the last two weeks on his tour, he is impressing a lot of fans playing by himself.

He even came over to our house to celebrate with me and some other diehard fans.

Chatting with him after with threw his gear in my trunk, he talked about playing guitar since he was about 13. Now 27, Miles born in Pasadena spent a lot of time in L.A. early on his life. I didn't ask him about any of his past experiences or musical changes. From what I've read he had some early drug addictions and some friends from TV on the Radio picked him up and got him back on his feet.

Lately MBAR has been on a tear with his sophomore release "Summer of Fear". He's played plenty of shows with TV on the Radio and Grizzly Bear, but now he's doing it on his own. Daytrotter sessions, a full headlining national tour, and even a mini solo leg.

The folk scene is growing and the competition is extremely tough, but Miles may be the new Bob Dylan. I certainly found out he's a huge Dylan fan. After his show we jammed the night away to Dylan, Tom Petty, Bob Seger, and plenty more. Unfortunately, he broke a string when he was starting to play some of his newer tracks.

In his actually set he played an Otis Redding cover. Keep and eye on this extremely talented artist. The sky is the limit for Miles.

Read more Flashback.

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson at the Turf Club (13 Nov 2009) photo courtesy of Brody

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: February 23 to February 25, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

23 Feb 2025 Kelsy Karter & The Heroines at 7th St Entry Read More Surly Grrly They have a very Bikini Kill sound, with songs like “Piss Boy” and “Hey Little Girl.” There were two covers in their set, the first was Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time” (but done in the style of Slothrust), and .... Rebel Queens Minneapolis based Rebel Queens is a throw back while also carrying the torch of hard rock & roll. An all women band playing that style of rock ....

23 Feb 2025 Sunday

Kelsy Karter & The Heroines
with Surly Grrly and Rebel Queens
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Australian Kelsy Karter fronts this Derby, English band, billed as Kelsy Karter & The Heroines. The group will be headlining the 7th Street Entry on February 23, 2025. The four-piece’s debut album Missing Person was critically acclaimed.

Update: Surly Grrly and Rebel Queens to open.

Surly Grrly (22 June 2023)

We saw Surly Grrly in June 2023 and said, “Opening the show was Surly Grrly (a band led by Medbh McNamara & Eloïse Boigenzahn), who wasn’t originally on the bill. We previously liked them with the Aquadolls in May 2023, describing them as “very Bikini Kill”. They’ve changed up their setlist a bit (as well as hiring a new bassist Lou Levy) since we last saw them, starting with “I Had Sex with a Girl”, a song that they’ve previously mentioned that most guys who come up to them said they’ve had the very same experience.”

Rebel Queens at Turf Club (22 Nov 2024)

We saw Rebel Queens in Nov 2024 and said, “Minneapolis based Rebel Queens is a throw back while also carrying the torch of hard rock & roll. An all women band playing that style of rock makes an easy comparison to The Runaways, and founder and vocalist Tiffany Xtine cites it as a strong part of the inspiration for the group. And they lean into that 70’s era feel, with a microphone stand that is mocked up as a motorcycle (used effectively in one late song), the clothing choices, and even some extra sound effects (a bullhorn made an appearance). There’s a ton of fun and energy from the band and they know the on stage moves (band movements in unison, two members dropping to their knees opposite each other, etc). They have also been busy performing, and this was their second time at Turf Club this year.”

Tour Dates:

Jan 30, 2025 The Roxy Theatre West Hollywood, CA

Feb 4, 2025 The Rebel Lounge Phoenix, AZ

Feb 6, 2025 Paper Tiger San Antonio, TX

Feb 8, 2025 Empire Control Room Austin, TX

Feb 9, 2025 Tulips Fort Worth, TX

Feb 11, 2025 Exit/In Nashville, TN

Feb 13, 2025 The Fillmore Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA

Feb 14, 2025 Pearl Street Warehouse Washington, DC

Feb 16, 2025 Middle East Cambridge, MA

Feb 18, 2025 Gramercy Theatre New York, NY

Feb 20, 2025 Lager House Detroit, MI

Feb 21, 2025 Cobra Lounge Chicago, IL

Feb 22, 2025 Cactus Club Milwaukee, WI

Feb 23, 2025 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN

Feb 26, 2025 Marquis Theater Denver, CO

Feb 27, 2025 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT

Mar 1, 2025 The Funhouse Seattle, WA

Mar 4, 2025 Cafe Du Nord San Francisco, CA

24 Feb 2025 Masters of Hawaiian Music featuring George Kahumoku, Jr., Sonny Lim & Herb Ohta, Jr. at Dakota Jazz Club Read More Jake Shimabukuro Accomplice One was a series of duets with musicians including Rodney Crowell, Mark Knopfler, Amanda Shires, Jason Isbell, Jerry Douglas, Jake Shimabukuro and more. …

24 Feb 2025 Monday

Masters of Hawaiian Music
featuring George Kahumoku, Jr., Sonny Lim & Herb Ohta, Jr.
at Dakota Jazz Club
dakotacooks.com

No idea why the tropical island band Masters of Hawaiian Music (featuring George Kahumoku, Jr., Sonny Lim & Herb Ohta, Jr.) would trade warm palm tree weather for the harsh winters of Minneapolis… but you can find out why at the Dakota this February 24.

The group came highly recommend for fans of Jake Shimabukuro and HAPA.

Tour Dates:

JAN 17, 2025 Hilo, HI

JAN 18, 2025 Kihei, HI

JAN 20, 2025 Honolulu, HI

FEB 24, 2025 Minneapolis, MN

FEB 26, 2025 Ann Arbor, MI

FEB 27, 2025 Vienna, VA

FEB 28, 2025 Cambridge, MA

MAR 1, 2025 Chatham, NJ

MAR 2, 2025 New York, NY

MAR 6, 2025 Davis, CA

MAR 7, 2025 Davis, CA

MAR 8, 2025 Davis, CA

MAR 14, 2025 Loveland, CO

MAR 15, 2025 Denver, CO

25 Feb 2025 Post Sex Nachos with VEAUX at 7th St Entry Read More Post Sex Nachos Midwest alternative band Post Sex Nachos is headlining the 7th Street Entry this March 14, 2024. Fox Royale and Silver Warehouse to open. …

25 Feb 2025 Tuesday

Post Sex Nachos
with VEAUX
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Midwest alt rockers Post Sex Nachos returns to the 7th Street Entry, this February 25, 2025. The band was previously in town in March 2024.

Nashville’s newest alt/pop trio’s VEAUX to open.

Tour dates:

Feb 15 2025 Nashville, TN, US Mainstage

Feb 22 2025 Indianapolis, IN, US HI-FI

Feb 25 2025 Minneapolis, MN, US 7th St. Entry

Feb 26 2025 Des Moines, IA, US xBk live

Feb 28 2025 Chicago, IL, US Bottom Lounge Chicago

Mar 1 2025 Ann Arbor, MI, US Blind Pig

Mar 2 2025 Toronto, ON, Canada The Drake Hotel

Mar 4 2025 Somerville, MA, US Center for Arts

Mar 5 2025 Hamden, CT, US Space Ballroom

Mar 7 2025 Brooklyn, NY, US Baby's All Right

Mar 8 2025 Washington, DC, US Pearl Street Warehouse

Mar 9 2025 Carrboro, NC, US Cat's Cradle

Mar 19 2025 Denver, CO, US Bluebird Theater

Mar 22 2025 Boise, ID, US Shrine Social Club

Mar 23 2025 Seattle, WA Barboza

Mar 25 2025 San Francisco, CA, US Café du Nord

Mar 27 2025 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Venice West

Mar 29 2025 Phoenix, AZ, US Valley Bar

Apr 1 2025 Austin, TX, US The Ballroom

Apr 2 2025 Houston, TX, US White Oak Music Hall

Apr 4 2025 Dallas, TX, US Deep Ellum Art Company

Apr 25 2025 Columbia, MO, US The Blue Note

Apr 26 2025 Urbana, IL, US Canopy Club

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Sierra Spirit Interview

Tour Dates Jan 24, 2025 MGM Music Hall Boston, MA Jan 25, 2025 The Met Philadelphia, PA Jan 26, 2025 The Anthem Washington, DC Jan 28, 2025 Beacon Theatre New York, NY Jan 29, 2025 Count Basie Center Red Bank, NJ Jan 31, 2025 Massey Hall Toronto, ON Feb 1, 2025 Masonic Temple Detroit, MI Feb 2, 2025 The Chicago Theatre Chicago, IL Feb 3, 2025 State Theatre Minneapolis, MN Feb 6, 2025 Keller Auditorium Portland, OR Feb 7, 2025 The Moore Theatre Feb 8, 2025 Centre for Performing Arts Vancouver, BC Feb 10, 2025 Fox Theater Oakland, CA Feb 13, 2025 Yaamava' Theater Highland, CA Feb 14, 2025 Orpheum Theatre Los Angeles, CA Feb 15, 2025 Harrah's Resort SoCal Valley Center, CA Feb 17, 2025 Delta Hall Salt Lake City, UT Feb 18, 2025 Temple Hoyne Buell Denver, CO Feb 20, 2025 ACL Live Austin, TX Feb 21, 2025 Majestic Theatre Dallas, TX Feb 23, 2025 Coca-Cola Roxy Atlanta, GA Feb 24, 2025 Ryman Auditorium Nashville, TN Vuart Read More Sierra Spirit Sierra Spirit, the solo project of Native American artist Sierra Spirit Kihega, to open. Her debut EP coin toss is out now on Giant Music. …

We got a chance to interview singer/songwriter Sierra Spirit as she begins a tour, opening for David Gray on his North American leg.

Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma and part of the Otoe-Missouria tribe and the Keetoowah Band of Cherokees, she is currently living in Connecticut, and was nice enough to take a few questions before hitting the road.

W♥M: How are you doing today?

Sierra: Great! Shipping off tomorrow.

W♥M: This is your maiden voyage. You’re opening for David Gray, starting in Boston tomorrow. How does that feel?

Sierra: That feels crazy. I feel like I’m dreaming. I feel like it’s not going to hit until I see that room for the first time because I’ve never been in any of these venues we are about to play.

W♥M: You're supporting your EP, cointoss, and to me it seems like a poignant title for a debut album. Is that what it felt like going into the project?

Sierra: Yeah, definitely. It was such a strange chance at fate that I somehow ended up at all these right places at the right time.

I had a friend in college who did a thing that I thought was funny. Anytime they would see a penny face-down they’d flip it face up for the next person to find. And I thought that was a real fun disruption of fate.

W♥M: You have a beautiful singing voice and I feel the human voice is the hardest instrument to play. Is that something you’ve been working on or is it something that comes naturally?

Sierra: It’s always something I’ve loved. The funny thing is: My entire life I planned to become a doctor, and I did three years of bio/pre-medical. And it had always been my outlet and release to sing and play music. It was what I did to find comfort and de-stress. And it’s really cool, like my creature comforts became my entire world.

W♥M: You currently live in Connecticut. Did you feel like you had to move away to write about your time growing up in Oklahoma?

Sierra: I think so. I grew up in the same place my entire life. I felt like I was at that angsty age. Getting away is different and I miss the strangest things. I miss driving the same route that I thought was so boring from my mom’s house to my dad’s house. And I got to a point where I started to write about things I hadn’t unpacked. I wrote about the passing of my grandmother and I don’t think I could have written about that there.

W♥M: I really like the visual you’ve told in prior interviews of you and your grandma driving around, and her with a cup of black coffee in her hand, telling you stories. Is there a specific characteristic of hers that you try to carry forward?

Sierra: She was an incredible storyteller. She could make nothing into the most enthralling story. I remember hanging on every word she said, even about the most mundane things, and I was: “Wow, I want to be able to do that.”

W♥M: You’ve said in interviews that you grew up listening to Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton. If an opportunity arose, would you like to cover either of them and which song?

Sierra: Oooh… If I had to pick a Johnny Cash song… It’s so hard... It might be “Folsom Prison Blues” because my first CD of my own was a copy of Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison. The first vinyl I ever had too.

W♥M: Native Americans are finding more and more ways to tell their own stories to a larger audience. How important is it to you to have this opportunity on the tour to share your story?

Sierra: It’s so important. A lot of times when people don’t fully understand the culture it’s not even their own fault. It’s just that information isn’t accessible. And like I said, it’s really cool for me to get to do this and show people what a current and present depiction of Native people are. We are far more similar than they think. I am just a living, breathing person finding my way through like anybody else.

W♥M: It seems like the television series Reservation Dogs is filmed and tells the story of the area you grew up in. Is that correct?

Sierra: Yeah, yeah! It is. And the writer and director, Sterlin Harjo, is a friend.

W♥M: How accurate is the depiction compared to your life growing up?

Sierra: It was such a cool thing to watch, and that is exactly what it’s like being at home. Like the sense of humor. Even between tribes, the customs and traditions are so different. It’s funny to see the inside jokes of the Native community being fed to a larger audience.

W♥M: Besides yourself, are there any Indigenous artists that you would like us to know about?

Sierra: Oh, my goodness, yeah. Kalyn Fay. She is a Cherokee/Muscogee singer/songwriter from Tulsa that I absolutely love.

SIERRA SPIRIT photo by Pierce Pyrzenski

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Flashback: Converge at The Venue (15 April 2008)

“Lions for Lambs” 2008 Tour Converge, The Red Chord, and Genghis Tron dates w/ Baroness 3/30 Worcester, MA @ The Palladium 4/01 NYC, NY @ The Blender Theatre 4/02 Buffalo, NY @ Showplace Theatre 4/03 Cleveland, OH @ Peabody's Downunder 4/04 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick 4/05 Chicago, IL @ Reggies Rock Club 4/06 Chicago, IL @ Reggies Rock Club 4/07 Milwaukee, WI @ Richfield Chalet 4/08 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club 4/09 Sioux Falls, SD @ Nutty's North 4/10 Iowa City, IA @ The Picador 4/11 Omaha, NE @ Sokol Underground 4/12 Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck 4/13 Denver, CO @ Marquis Theatre 4/15 Boise, ID @ The Venue 4/16 Portland, OR @ Satyricon 4/18 Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory 4/19 Pomona, CA @ Glasshouse 4/20 Tempe, AZ @ The Clubhouse Music Venue dates w/ Coliseum 4/22 Austin, TX @ Red 7 4/23 Dallas, TX @ The Door 4/24 Houston, TX @ Red Room 4/25 New Orleans, LA @ The High Ground 4/26 St. Petersburg, FL @ State Theatre 4/27 Orlando, FL @ The Social 5/1 Baltimore, MD @ Otto Bar 5/2 Pittsburgh, PA @ The School 5/3 Philadelphia, PA @ Starlight Ballroom Read More Converge The main event, was Converge, however. Converge is the hardest band on Earth to photograph. Especially when the batteries in your camera are dying. Kurt came out before the rest of the band … Baroness Baroness, Bottleneck-Lawrence, $60 Like many shows, this has been re-scheduled a couple times due to the pandemic. We previously wrote: Don’t be put off by the seemingly steep door charge to this show, as each ticket also …

There was a time when W♥M covered metal, mostly thanks to a kid named Soup, out of Idaho. He covered the Converge tour in 2008. This is a metacore band from Massachusetts, formed in 1990… so they’ve been around for a long time.

At that time, they were signed to Epitaph Records with their last album No Heroes in 2006, and with a pending Axe to Fall to come out in 2009.

Typical of these metal shows, there are a lot of bands on the bill, almost like a traveling music festival. This also meant that each band probably had about 30-min sets, with the headliner getting 45 or 1 hour. The other bands on this particular show was The Red Chord, Genghis, Baroness, and Blacklisted.

Original report from Soup:

>>>

Epitaph was recently cool enough to stick me on their guest list to see one of my favorite live bands at the smallest all-ages venue in town. Needless to say, I was pretty stoked. Tonight, I was going to have my face melted by Converge, The Red Chord, Baroness, Genghis Tron, and Blacklisted.

Unfortunately, I showed up a half hour late, forgetting that this venue starts shows an hour earlier during the school year. So when I got there, Blacklisted was halfway through their set. The couple songs I caught were pretty much straight-up hardcore with a definite “Deathwish” edge to it. A fine opening to the night.

Genghis Tron hauled out their keyboards after that, along with a custom light setup. Their sound is sort of like what would happen if you mixed the typical Casio-core sound with a little bit of well-integrated trip-hop. There's no live drummer, but they have enough energy going between the three of them to easily make up for it. The house was already packed at this point, so I couldn't get any pictures, unfortunately.

I did, however, manage to make it up toward the front for Baroness, who managed to cement their place as one of my new favorite bands. They have a definite old-school vibe going on, with a lot of that classic British guitar crunch, and vaguely Maiden-esque riffage and the most melodic vocals of the night. But they do this all without sounding like any sort of throwback, and without coming off “too prog.” And, well, they completely slayed. This is one of those bands who, unless they break up or somehow put out a string of really terrible albums, is going to be huge, soon.

After them was The Red Chord. Quick confession: I have never liked The Red Chord. For some reason, they just never did much for me. Maybe it's because there are breakdowns where the guitar solos are supposed to be, and their songs are all itching for some crazy atonal death metal style guitar solos. But regardless, they put on an awesome live show that their recordings could never do justice. They have a lot of the kind of energy that can only really be communicated live. And damn, they communicate it well!

The main event, was Converge, however. Converge is the hardest band on Earth to photograph. Especially when the batteries in your camera are dying. Kurt came out before the rest of the band and played the opening riff of “Plagues” from the band's most recent album, No Heroes (I somehow managed to get a picture of this happening despite being smashed between about eight dudes who were all about twice my size at the time). The band came out and proceeded to melt face with an assortment of newer songs (“Plagues,” “No Heroes”), classics and fan favorites (“Concubine” and “Last Light” - which may be the most memorable singalong in heavy music - respectively), and some more obscure tracks (including “Locust Reign” from the Agoraphobic Nosebleed split LP). The band was in top form, and the crowd responded accordingly, many of them blatantly violating the venue's “no stage diving” rule and some of the gutsier ones even taking dives off the PA.

This tour is still going, and I'd definitely recommend checking it out. Baroness is going to be on the tour until the April 20th show, after which Coliseum (also an excellent band) will be taking their place.

Read more Flashback.

Converge at The Venue (15 April 2008)

Converge Baroness The Red Chord

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Weekend Gamer: Pillars of Eternity

Pillars of Eternity: Collector’s Edition Details Play as any one of six races: Human, Aumaua, Dwarf, Elf, Godlike and Orlan. Utilize five core skills to overcome any situation: Stealth, Athletics, Lore, Mechanics and Survival. Deep character customization: Build a character as one of eleven classes such as Barbarian, Chanter, Cipher, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Priest, Ranger, Rogue and Wizard. Sculpt your own story: Side with various factions using a reputation system, where your actions and choices have far reaching consequences. Explore a rich and diverse world: Beautiful pre-rendered environments laced with an engaging story and characters bring the world to life. Read More Pillars of Eternity I am loving the RPG game Pillars of Eternity, which just came out yesterday. Since I'm a big fan of Black Isle's Icewind Dale and Baldur's Gate, I felt right at home with Pillars. This game plays like ..…

Back in late October, I started re-playing the original Pillars of Eternity with the intention of beating it. I did technically “rolled credits”, but it wasn’t an ending that I wanted. So I restarted the game to beat it properly, because I was going to skip over Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Originally excited for the game, but after seeing all the negative reviews, I’ve decided to not play it at all.

To be fair, not all the reviews were negative. All the positive reviews are from people who weren’t fans or didn’t play previous Dragon Age games. All the original Dragon Age fans absolutely hated The Veilguard. They said it’s an OK game, but it’s doesn’t deserve the Dragon Age name.

Anyway, back to Pillars of Eternity, you might remember that I first bought the game in March 2015, and did put in some hours into the game. I got to the third (and final) act of the game, but for whatever reason, I never finished the game. I think, perhaps, I got stuck and didn’t know where to go next.

Continuing the game save that I started in 2015 was not possible, because I have very poor memory and didn’t know what was going on. So, I had to restart the game with a new character build.

I have to say that the game aged very well. It’s still a very good game, especially because the graphics look so good! I put in another 40 hours and now I’m starting Act III, about the same spot where I left off in my original game. This time, however, I also bought the two expansions: The Winter March I and II, so before I finish the game, I will start the Winter March.

Also, I wasn’t one of the Kickstarter that helped launch Pillars of Eternity, but I did end up buying a used copy of Collector’s Edition (this was only available to backers). The big box didn’t really have anything that amazing: a DVD of the game, a “cloth” map, an instruction manual, and an apology letter from the developers saying the DVD will be sent later. I did research and found out that I was missing a thank you postcard, a patch, a mousepad, and a guidebook. I didn’t really mind it, because I only paid $25 for the Collector’s Box. I might try and track down that guidebook later.

Anyway, I stopped playing Pillars when I came down to Jacksonville, simply because my save files are on my desktop computer in Minneapolis, because I was playing it on Xbox App. I’ve already put in 112 hours into the game, I feel like I’ve beaten the game, my character is God-like… I think I can put a pin in it and can rate the game highly recommended for fans of top-down role-playing games.

I will started playing Pillars of Eternity 2 soon-ish.

P.S. GOG, for some reason, is not tracking my achievements for Pillars of Eternity for the GOG version.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

Read more Weekend Gamer.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: February 22, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

22 Feb 2025 Molchat Doma with Sextile at First Avenue Read More Molchat Doma Molchat Doma, recordBar SOLD OUT Currently on a 12-country tour, this is a rare chance to see this Belarusian post-punk band, out in support of 2020’s Monument. Influenced by Joy Division and The Cure their set. … Sextile Los Angeles underground Sextile is touring in support of their new album Albeit Living (available on Felte Records). The trio will be stopping by the Icehouse in Minneapolis. Finesse, The Switch and DJ Sarah Sequoia …

22 Feb 2025 Saturday

Molchat Doma
with Sextile
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Belarusian post-punk / synth-pop group Molchat Doma is currently on tour in support of their new album Belaya Polosa (Sacred Bones); the band will headline First Avenue on February 22, 2025.

Sextile to open.

Tour Dates:

Jan. 16 - Las Vegas, NV @ AREA15

Jan. 17 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Van Buren

Jan. 18 - Albuquerque, NM @ Revel

Jan. 21 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Ballroom

Jan. 22 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues

Jan. 24 - Austin, TX @ The Concourse Project

Jan. 25 - New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues

Jan. 28 - St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live

Jan. 30 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live

Jan. 31 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

Feb. 1 - Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern

Feb. 3 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville

Feb. 4 - Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte

Feb. 5 - Raleigh, NC @ The Ritz

Feb. 7 - Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live!

Feb. 8 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian Theatre

Feb. 11 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem

Feb. 12 - Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall

Feb. 14 - New York, NY @ Knockdown Center

Feb. 15 - Boston, MA @ Roadrunner

Feb. 17 - Montreal, QC @ MTELUS

Feb. 19 - Toronto, ON @ HISTORY

Feb. 20 - Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore

Feb. 21 - Chicago, IL @ The Salt Shed

Feb. 22 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Feb. 24 - Omaha, NE @ Steelhouse Omaha

Feb. 25 - Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom

Feb. 28 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox SoDo

March 2 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom

March 5 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre

22 Feb 2025 Ron Pope with Andrea von Kampen at Turf Club Read More Ron Pope Ron Pope's new album Work is out now on Brooklyn Basement Records. Rolling Stone Country called him one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know” while Uncut called Pope “Atlanta’s answer to The Boss” … Andrea von Kampen Nebraska-based singer-songwriter Andrea von Kampen to open. Her latest album That Spell is out now on Fantasy Records. …

22 Feb 2025 Saturday

Ron Pope
with Andrea von Kampen
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Nashville-based platinum recording artist Ron Pope is currently on tour in support of his forthcoming album American Man, American Music. The album is set for release on February 14, 2025, via Brooklyn Basement Records. In the meantime, you can preview the new single “Mama Drove A Mustang” now.

Andrea von Kampen at Turf Club (19 Mar 2024)

Andrea von Kampen to open. We saw her in Mar 2024 and wrote, “Andrea von Kampen closed out the night. She brought with her violinist Jessica and cellist Nyssa (the bassist for Minneapolis’ The Foxgloves), who flanked her on the left and right of the stage. They played a lot of new songs, including the title track for Sister Moon, which started the set. The album was a departure from her previous record label Fantasy Records, von Kampen explained the situation, “When making this new album over a year ago I had no clue how the release would end up feeling. My team had fallen apart suddenly due to circumstances out of my control and I was left making an independent record in a way I hadn’t planned for. It was stressful🙃. I went into the studio day after day and slowly the pieces started to rebuild themselves. In a lot of ways this album helped to remind me why I started making music in the first place.””

Tour Dates:

Jan 17 2025 Dublin, Ireland Workman's Club

Jan 18 2025 Belfast, UK The Green Room

Jan 19 2025 Glasgow, UK Drygate Brewing Company

Jan 20 2025 Manchester, UK Night & Day

Jan 22 2025 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso

Jan 23 2025 Hamburg, Germany Hebebühne

Jan 25 2025 Stockholm, Sweden Debaser Strand

Jan 26 2025 Malmö, Sweden Plan B

Jan 28 2025 Cologne, Germany Yuca

Jan 30 2025 London, UK Garage

Feb 20 2025 St Louis, MO, US Old Rock House

Feb 21 2025 Chicago, IL, US Lincoln Hall

Feb 22 2025 St. Paul, MN, US Turf Club

Feb 24 2025 Milwaukee, WI, US Vivarium

Feb 25 2025 Indianapolis, IN, US HI-FI

Feb 26 2025 Cleveland, OH, US Beachland Ballroom

Feb 28 2025 Cincinnati, OH, US Ludlow Garage

Mar 1 2025 Millvale, PA, US Mr. Small's Theatre

Mar 2 2025 Toronto, ON, Canada Horseshoe Tavern

Mar 4 2025 Northampton, MA, US Iron Horse Music Hall

Mar 5 2025 Philadelphia, PA, US The Foundry Philadelphia

Mar 7 2025 Cambridge, MA, US Sinclair Music Hall

Mar 8 2025 New York (NYC), NY, US Racket NYC

Mar 9 2025 Washington, DC, US The Atlantis

Mar 11 2025 Charlottesville, VA, US Southern Cafe & Music Hall

Mar 12 2025 Durham, NC, US Motorco Music Hall

Mar 14 2025 Atlanta, GA, US Terminal West

Mar 15 2025 Nashville, TN, US The Basement East

22 Feb 2025 Ax and the Hatchetmen with Easy Honey at 7th St Entry Read More Easy Honey Easy Honey is on their first US Headline Tour and will be stopping in Minneapolis at the 7th Street Entry on Friday the 13th. The band is said to draw inspiration from The Kinks, The Replacements, and Radiohead. …

22 Feb 2025 Saturday

Ax and the Hatchetmen
with Easy Honey
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Chicago-based indie rock sextet Ax and the Hatchetmen will be headlining the 7th St Entry on February 22, 2025.

Easy Honey at 7th Street Entry (13 Oct 2023)

Easy Honey to open. We saw the band in Oct 2023 and said, “Easy Honey closed out the night. Originally the band came from Sewanee, Tennessee, but currently they’re based in Charleston, South Carolina. They draw inspirations from bands like The Kinks, The Replacements, and Radiohead. Looking over their setlist, they had a few songs from their self-titled debut album from 2018, but mixes in a lot of new songs, like the intro “Orbiter”, which is brand new. They have two singers (both guitarists), Selby Austin and Darby McGlone, who takes lead vocals depending on the song. The rest of the band includes drummer Charlie Holt and bassist Daniel Comen.”

Tour dates:

January 30th, 2025 - Saturn - Birmingham, AL

January 31st, 2025 - The Wooly - Gainesville, FL

February 1st, 2025 - Crowbar - Tampa, FL

February 2nd, 2025 - The Abbey - Orlando, FL

February 4th, 2025 - Charlotte, NC - Amos Southend

February 5th, 2025 - Vinyl - Atlanta, GA

February 6th, 2025 - The End - Nashville, TN

February 7th, 2025 - Radio Room - Greenville, SC

February 8th, 2025 - Motorco Music Hall - Durham, NC

February 11th, 2025 - The Atlantis - Washington, DC

February 12th, 2025 - The Foundry - Philadelphia, PA

February 13th, 2025 - Bowery Ballroom - New York, NY

February 14th, 2025 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA

February 15th, 2025 - Space Ballroom - Hamden, CT

February 17th, 2025 - Mahall’s - Lakewood, OH

February 18th, 2025 - Longboat Hall - Toronto,ON Canada

February 19th, 2025 - Blind Pig - Ann Arbor, MI

February 20th, 2025 - HI-FI Indianapolis - Indianapolis, IN

February 21st, 2025 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI

February 22nd, 2025 - 7th St Entry - Minneapolis, MN

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Jerry Seinfeld / Jim Gaffigan at T-Mobile Center, Kansas City MO (2025-01-18)

JERRY SEINFELD TOUR DATES Jan 24 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live Jan 25 Hollywood, FL Hard Rock Live Jan 31 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at FSW (Early & Late) Feb 1 Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips Center (E/L) Feb 21 Rockford, IL Coronado Theatre Feb 22 Springfield, MO Juanita K. Hammons Hall (E/L) Feb 23 Vancouver, British Columbia, Just For Laughs, Queen Elizabeth Theatre (E/L) Mar 7 Monterey, CA Golden State Theatre (E/L) Mar 8 Rancho Mirage, CA Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage Mar 14 Beaver Creek, CO Vilar Perf. Arts Center (E/L) Mar 15 Aspen, CO 2025 Aspen Laugh Festival at the Wheeler Opera House (E/L) Mar 20 Toledo, OH Huntington Center Mar 21 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena Mar 22 Charlotte, NC Spectrum Center Mar 27 San Diego, CA Pechanga Arena Mar 28 Phoenix, AZ Footprint Center Apr 10 Pittsburg, PA Benedum Center (E/L) Apr 18 Topeka, KS Topeka Performing Arts Center Apr 19 Wichita, KS Century II Performing Arts (E/L) Apr 25 Abbotsford, BC, Abbotsford Centre Apr 26 Victoria, BC, Save On Foods Memorial Centre May 2 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace May 3 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace May 15 Richmond, VA Altria Theater May 16 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium May 29 Grand Forks, ND Chester Fritz Auditorium May 30 Madison, WI Overture Hall (E/L) Jul 26 Ledyard, CT Premier Theater at Foxwoods  Aug 8 Gilford, NH BankNH Pavilion Aug 9 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amph. Sep 5 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace Sep 6 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace Sep 26 Lincoln, CA The Venue at Thunder Valley Casino Resort Oct 10 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace Oct 11 Las Vegas, NV Colosseum at Caesars Palace JIM GAFFIGAN TOUR DATES Jan 30 Will Rogers Auditorium Fort Worth, TX Jan 31 Will Rogers Auditorium Fort Worth, TX Feb 1 Will Rogers Auditorium (Early & Late) Feb 5 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC Feb 6 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC Feb 7 Durham Performing Arts Center Durham, NC Feb 8 Durham Performing Arts Center (E/L) Feb 19 BJCC Concert Hall Birmingham, AL Feb 20 Smoothie King Center New Orleans, LA % Feb 21 FedExForum Memphis, TN % Feb 22 Route 66 Casino Albuquerque, NM Feb 26 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN Feb 27 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN Feb 28 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN Mar 1 Orpheum Theatre Minneapolis, MN (E/L) Mar 2 Rupp Arena Lexington, KY Mar 3 RiverPark Center Owensboro, KY Mar 4 Knoxville Civic Auditorium Knoxville, TN Mar 5 Memorial Auditorium Chattanooga, TN Mar 20 Huntington Center Toledo, OH * Mar 21 Nationwide Arena Columbus, OH * Mar 22 Spectrum Center Charlotte, NC * Mar 27 Pechanga Arena San Diego, CA * Mar 28 Footprint Center Phoenix, AZ * Mar 29 Thunder Valley Casino Lincoln, CA Apr 3 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC Apr 4 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC Apr 5 Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver, BC Apr 9 Riverside Theatre Milwaukee, WI Apr 10 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI Apr 11 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI Apr 12 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI (E/L) Apr 13 Riverside Theater Milwaukee, WI Apr 25 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH Apr 26 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH Apr 27 KeyBank State Theatre Cleveland, OH May 1 Peace Center Greenville, SC May 2 Peace Center Greenville, SC May 3 North Charleston PAC North Charleston, SC May 4 North Charleston PAC North Charleston, SC May 15 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH May 16 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH (E/L) May 17 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH (E/L) May 18 Taft Theatre Cincinnati, OH May 28 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV May 29 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV May 30 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV May 31 Wynn Encore Theater Las Vegas, NV Jun 6 Foxwoods Resort Casino Mashantucket, CT Jun 7 Foxwoods Casino Mashantucket, CT (E/L) Jul 17 Van Andel Arena Grand Rapids, MI Jul 18 AMSOIL Arena Duluth, MN Jul 19 Assiniboine Park Winnipeg, MB # Jul 20 Kinsmen Park Edmonton, AB # Oct 2 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN Oct 3 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN Oct 4 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN (E/L) Oct 5 Clowes Memorial Hall Indianapolis, IN * = Co-headlining with Jerry Seinfeld # = Co-headlining with John Mulaney % = Co-Headlining with Sebastian Maniscalco Read More Comedy Veteran comedians and masters of making the ordinary seem hilarious, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan will be working together once again on a 10-arena tour in 2025 following the success of their first tour in 2023 and some touring together last year …

2025 might the banner year for arena shows, make that for comedy arena shows--

Forget the tiny, shoehorned comedy club, locally we already have dates from Sebastian Maniscalco, Martin Lawrence, We Them Ones, Matt Rife, and Nate Bargatze who will all play to giant-sized arena audiences. The new year got underway with a bang from the double-bill of Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan.

Both are A-list veteran comedians who first combined forces in 2023, with the Kansas City date being the last of five shows together to begin this year (the duo reunites for another five shows together in mid-March). Thanks to a certain third-party ticket seller, we were surprised to land a last-minute, inexpensive lower-level seat directly across from the right side of the stage (we were equally [not] surprised to see their fees adding almost another 50%), so call this a fan-in-the-stands report.

The listed 7:30 start became actually 7:45p but from there, it was straight uninterrupted comedy without any break. The stage itself was simple and similar to what you’d see if any of the talent was playing a small club- a single mic stand, a stool with some beverage, and bare except for some footlights, with overhead screens reminding everyone this was in an arena, not a basement club.

The evening began with a wry and well-rehearsed fifteen-minute opening slot from Idaho-born comedian Ryan Hamilton, who has made appearances on the late-night talk show circuit and has a 2017 headlining special Happy Face, available on Netflix. Hamilton, like the main acts, specializes in observational humor, with a sarcastic and self-depreciating bend.

Dressed in a smart suit and delivering energetically with a wide smile, his topics and delivery could have convinced the crowd that he was Seinfeld’s young cousin and protege.

Once wrapped, Hamilton announced the two headliners and Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan came out together to say hello to the crowd and riff on a few themes together. Gaffigan spoke of always wanting to experience the local cuisine; so, KC barbecue it was, with the pair going to Q39 beforehand (though Gaffigan also mentioned the Z-Man at Joe’s being one of the best sandwiches he’s ever had).

The pair riffed on the joy of joining forces, and even tried expediting the show, with each doing their act at the same time and talking over each other. Of course, the Chiefs and their post-season win earlier that afternoon was mentioned, eliciting obvious cheers and applause.

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From there, Seinfeld retreated backstage to allow Jim Gaffigan to do his co-headlining hour. Gaffigan has perfected his Midwestern ‘aw shucks’ lethargic dad routine with an inner voice that you can often hear out loud, since his beginnings in the early 1990s and even though he has a recent Hulu special, ‘The Skinny’ (his 11^th, out last November), the veteran comic clears his comedy slate following any material’s airing and comes back out with all-new jokes.

Topics included his five children, traveling with them as he plays shows around the world, airports, his wife being the true head of the family, collecting Bourbon as a hobby, what a suit jacket hides, mistake ordering on a phone, and dealing with his non-caring teenagers.

Gaffigan’s demeanor has always been friendly and relatable, and like most great observational comics, he turns the microbial detail, annoying occurrence, or typical scenario, into something we can all laugh at.

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Nothing more needs to be said about Jerry Seinfeld’s success- from his namesake sitcom (still in frequent syndication everywhere) to the web series ‘Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee’, to numerous books, stand-up specials, and even helming the recent Netflix comedy spoof film, Unfrosted (which also featured Gaffigan).

Seinfeld began his hour-long set okaying flash (and in fact, any) photography, then expanded on the ridiculousness of any phone photo or video clip being shown to anyone. His delivery was more animated than Gaffigan’s, veered more towards almost complaining, and there was some added hoarseness in his voice, when the joke arced to the punchline that changed his voice at a higher register.

Still, he’s the ringleader of exposing both the ‘obvious’ and the ‘nothing’, and making something out of both, that has made him the master of his craft and still the innovator that is imitated.

Other topics included streaming tv shows, his favorite commercial, traveling with his family (similar to Gaffigan), golf, mini-marts, coffee vs. tea, cemeteries, marriage and marathons. (we’re purposely not going to quote any of the jokes heard, as that would ruin things).

The trio joined together on stage for a final bow and to wave to the audience that was out the door by 10pm and on to an early night home, or next chapter out.

In terms of comedians, Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Gaffigan remain two titans in their field- both work ‘clean’ to accommodate all ages and backgrounds, and both expertly remark on the humor in daily occurrences that almost everyone can relate to. Either comic is generally worth seeing on their own, but when paired together (even in a booming arena), the show becomes a true comedy ‘must-see’.

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

 

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap