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Annie Mack at the Landmark Center (12-20-2024)

20 Dec 2024 Annie Mack at Landmark Center Vuart Read More Annie Mack Soulful singer and songwriter, and one of First Avenue’s Best Acts of 2018, Annie Mack, is closing out this year’s KFAI-sponsored Landmark Live concert series, on December 20, 2024. …

Even with a plummeting temperature that caused you to see your breath, downtown St. Paul was filled with crowds of people attending the Wild game at the Xcel, perusing the outdoor European Christmas Market at the Union Depot and catching an early dinner at the St. Paul Hotel or Meritage. But I cannot think of a better way to spend a holiday evening than in an intimate setting, listening to a preeminent Twin Cities blues singer take the stage.

Annie Mack grew up in North Minneapolis, during the 80’s when the local music scene was making a national footprint. “Music was such a big part of my youth” she writes on her website. “Just the soundtrack really.”

“We’re going to take a trip to Memphis,” she told the audience before moving into the self-titled song from her debut album, Baptized in the Blues.

The Twin Cities is not known for its blues scene like Memphis, Chicago and the Mississippi Delta, but that has not prevented Mack from garnering national recognition as she worked her way through the Midwest bar scene, jazz clubs and music festivals, even competing in the International Blues Challenge as well as making the list in Jennifer Nobles’ 50 Women in the Blues.

“We’re going to play a game where we don’t have a setlist,” Mack joked to the crowd.

They did have a setlist, but the white sheet of paper may have been a suggestion for Mack and her band as they nodded and shrugged between songs, playing original songs that were composed by the singer.

Mack has a voice built for the blues, but she also showed nuance by sliding into country with “Small Town Blues” and breezy soul “Fool to Believe”.

Mack was backed by Tim Scribner, laying down the foundation on bass and “... being a real badass” per Mack. There was Alec Tackmann on drums, who Mack thanked for not only being a great musician but a supportive friend to her as a mother of three. And then Mary Cutrufello - Mack’s musical soulmate - providing the texture of the evening by playing toe-tapping guitar solos with just the right amount of snarl.

“I appreciate you being here,” Mack said to the crowd, listing places where they could be during the busy holiday season like Target or Menards. But if you love listening to blues, there was no better place to be than the Landmark Center, listening to Mack highlighting songs from her latest EP, like the regal “Shadows of a Kingdom”, the desperado-tinged “Judge and Jury” and the self-titled earthly gospel growl “Testify”.

The life of a blues musician is a life founded on hard truths. And what Mack has discovered is revealed in her song “Closer” from her 2017 EP Tell It Like It Is. Mack said she has been humbled by how the song has resonated with her fans with lyrics like:

Here’s my simple truth
I’m a little bit older
A little bit wiser
A little bit closer to the grave

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Annie Mack at the Landmark Center (20 Dec 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Wilco at the Palace Theatre (12-13-2024)

13-15 Dec 2024 Wilco at Palace Theatre Wilco 12/13 Setlist -- Set I -- Company in My Back Should’ve Been in Love Country Song Upside-Down I Am Trying to Break Your Heart Hints How to Fight Loneliness Country Disappeared Misunderstood Far, Far Away It’s Just That Simple sung by John Stirratt Venus Stopped the Train Secret of the Sea * Hesitating Beauty * Tired of Taking It Out on You Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull -- Set II -- Someone Else’s Song Hell Is Chrome Panthers You Satellite Levee One Wing Pot Kettle Black Box Full of Letters You Are My Face Random Name Generator I’m Always in Love Theologians I’m the Man Who Loves You A Shot in the Arm -- Encore -- Too Far Apart Heavy Metal Drummer * Woody Guthrie Cover Read More Wilco The incredibly popular Wilco will be doing a three-night residency at the Palace Theatre, in St Paul, from December 13 to December 15, 2024. The band released Hot Sun Cool Shroud EP, earlier in June ...

If you are a Wilco fan and looking for a deep dive into their extensive catalog over three nights, then the Palace Theatre is the place to be this weekend.

During the show Jeff Tweedy asked how many in the crowd planned to come back on Saturday. The roar indicated that many planned to make another trip to St. Paul.

“We’re going to play some more songs,” Tweedy added midway through the night. “Then we're going to take a break. Then we’re coming back… We’re opening up for ourselves.”

Basically, it was two full concerts with a fifteen minute break, well over thirty songs over two plus hours, and the kicker: no repeats. Thus, a reason to come back for every fan has a favorite, and it wasn’t guaranteed the song would be played. (“Via Chicago” did not arrive for me.)

With thirty years and thirteen studio albums, Wilco has no problem filling a setlist. But what was impressive was how good the band sounded playing songs that may not have been in the rotation.

“Glenn wants you to know that this is from our first album,” Tweedy said before playing “Box Full of Letters.” Which was a little funny since Glenn Kotche didn’t play on the original album.

Wilco at Historic Hall's Island (20 Aug 2016)

Joining Tweedy and Kotche on stage were John Stirrat on bass, Nels Cline on lead guitar, Mikael Jorgensen on keys and Pat Sansone switching from keys to guitar. They were last at the Palace in November of 2017 for a three-night stand. We last saw them in 2016 at Historic Hall’s Island in which Tweedy exclaimed, “We love it here, and we are going to come back every thirteen months, whether you want us or not.”

The appreciation has not dimmed yet for this Chicago band. In fact, it was a little uncomfortable how much love was on the main floor due to the amount of people surging towards the stage. Wilco could easily play a bigger venue, but the intimacy of the venue was the reward for those who were game for a little jostling.

There were a few fan favorites sprinkled throughout the evening like “I am Trying to Break Your Heart” which echoed into a feedback fuzz at the end; “How to Fight Loneliness” which had Tweedy playing a Spanish-tinged guitar solo, and “Heavy Metal Drummer” would end the night. But the reason to go to these types of retrospective shows is to see a loved band up close as they roll up their sleeves and get under the hood of a song, as they did with “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” from their 2022 album Cruel Country.

It was the song that ended the first set, and it was well placed when Cline and Sansone countered each other with a call and response on their guitars before melding into an extended, symphonic duo-solo.

These are the kind of electric moments that are best seen live in a crowded venue.

Remaining tour dates:

Dec 14 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre

Dec 15 St. Paul, MN Palace Theatre

Apr 25 2025 Moon Crush Music Festival

May 15 2025 Charlotte, NC The Amp Ballantyne

Jun 16 2025 Deurne, Belgium OLT Rivierenhof

Jun 17 2025 Deurne, Belgium OLT Rivierenhof

Jun 19 2025 Dachau, Germany Rathausplatz

Jun 20 2025 Dortmund, Germany Junkyard Open Air

Jun 22 2025 London, UK Royal Albert Hall

Jun 26 2025 Barcelona, Spain Alma

Jun 29 2025 Valencia, Spain Auditorio La Marina Norte

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Wilco at Palace Theatre (13 Dec 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

TopHouse at Fine Line (12-06-2024)

06 Dec 2024 Tophouse with Griffin William Sherry at Fine Line Tour Dates Dec 7 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre Dec 8 – St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway Dec 28 – Chattanooga, TN – Barrelhouse Ballroom Dec 29 – Lexington, KY – The Burl Dec 30 – Nashville, TN – The Mil Dec 31 – Nashville, TN – The Mil Jan 14 – Telluride, CO – The Alibi Jan 15 – Aspen, CO – Belly Up Aspen Jan 17 – Buena Vista, CO – The Lariat Jan 18 – Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre Jan 19 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell Feb 2-9 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – String Break Cruise! Feb 20 – Houston, TX – Last Concert Cafe Feb 21 – Austin, TX – The Far Out Lounge & Stage Feb 22 – Dallas, TX – Ferris Wheelers March 5 – Greenville, SC – Radio Room March 6 – Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theatre March 7 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theatre March 8 – Washington DC – Howard Theatre March 9 – Philadelphia, PA – Ardmore Music Hall March 12 – Hartford, CT – Infinity Hall Hartford March 13 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground March 14 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall March 15 – Lansing, MI – Grewall Hall March 16 – Covington, KY – Madison Theater March 27 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom March 28 – Columbus, OH – Athenaeum Theatre March 29 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls Theatre April 9 – Eugene, OR – WOW Hall April 10 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom April 11 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox April 12 – Missoula, MT – The Wilma April 13 – Billings, MT – Pub Station Read More TopHouse Montana-bred/Nashville-based, indie-folk quartet TopHouse is headlining the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on December 6th, 2024. The band’s latest EP Theory is out now, but look forward to their upcoming …

Winter had settled in the Twin Cities and most dressed accordingly, but the room would soon warm up to the point where a side door at the Fine Line would open to vent the heat generated from the sold out show.

Griffin William Sherry and his band got right to it with a driving song “Our Town”. By his second “Roll Down Slow” it became apparent he had a lot in the engine with a booming, raspy, voice that kept pace with his band.

Sherry is from Maine and he has launched a solo career after playing with the trio The Ghost of Paul Revere. He is supporting his debut album Hundred Mile Wilderness, which was released in September.

“How about TopHouse,” Sherry mentioned to the crowd.

“You're awesome, too,” shouted a woman from the crowd.

He must have made an impression, for TopHouse asked him to come back after opening for them on the California leg earlier in the year. A nice surprise was a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Breathe (In the Air)”, which he and his band turned into an anthem, like Bruce Springstein’s “Thunder Road”.

Spending some time on their website, I came to the conclusion that TopHouse does not wish to be taken too seriously. Spending an evening with them, I came to realize that they enjoy cracking jokes just as much as playing music. By the second song, Jesse Davis - in a deadpan delivery, said, “ We’re really excited to sing to you a song about a dog that drowns” (Irish Rover).

TopHouse formed in 2015 when Davis on guitar and mandolin formed a Celtic Folk duo with Will Cook on violin. Their first gigs were playing in parking garages during Missoula, Montana’s cold winters because they liked the reverb and sound. Then it was farmer’s markets, coffee shops, tap rooms and soon barns when they added Joe Larson to sing and pretend to play the banjo and Andy LaFave to play the piano.

It may have been my first show where the crowd may have enjoyed the banter more than the music, and the music was great, lively, fun and kept the crowd dancing as Davis flexed his calves, Larson did a quick (one page) book reading, and Larson described the band’s day with a twinkle in his eye à la Norm MacDonald, where nothing actually happened other than traveling from Chicago and finding a bite to eat after sound check. They even let everyone on stage take a stanza of a “Big Iron” cover regardless if the person could sing. Then a rousing cover of Steve Earle’s “The Galway Girl” with LaFave playing the penny whistle.

But soon the fun was coming to a close as Larson stated that they will not be leaving the stage, only to be cheered back on. “We here at TopHouse LLC believe that the “encore” will be the last song.”

Larson did not want to ruin the flow of the evening, which he believed was running at 100%. And so they launched into an original song “Airport!” from their latest EP Theory, a joyous song about the joys of modern air travel.

I’m gonna queue it up in line
take off my clothes in front of strangers
Who knew that belts and
shoes could be so dangerous

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TopHouse at Fine Line (06 Dec 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Mark Ambor at Fine Line (11-22-2024)

Mark Ambor Setlist I Hope It All Works Out Academy Street Don't You Worry The Long Way Waves Second Best Someone That’s Better Hate That I Still Love You Sky is The Limit Curls In The Wind Our Way Piano Solo Hair Toss, Arms Crossed Bruises and Stains Good To Be -- Encore -- My Love! Belong Together kenzie Setlist biting my tongue the me i was casualty paper face to face 6 feet under anatomy bad 4 u Vuart Read More Mark Ambor Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Mark Ambor is headlining the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on November 22, 2024, in support of his new album Rockwood. …

The sold-out crowd at the Fine Line was treated to two rising artists, promoting albums that were conceived in the throes of the pandemic.

Kenzie opened to an already full and young crowd. You may know her as Mackenzie Ziegler, who appeared on the Lifetime reality series Dance Moms with her sister Maddie.

Kenzie is only twenty, but she’s already accomplished more in those two decades than most in a full work career. She’s acted, modeled, wrote a self-help book and appeared in both Dancing with the Stars and Dancing with the Stars: Juniors. She also fostered a desire to become a singer-songwriter. Her first two albums were produced by others and geared towards dance, but her latest, Biting My Tongue, is more introspective and personal.

For a performer that was raised to dance about the stage, Kenzie remained in front of the mic and revealed a warm, tender vulnerability. She said it took her three years to produce her latest album and she featured many of the songs from it like “biting my tongue”, “the me I was” and a personal favorite “anatomy.”

Mark Ambor was up next as the house lights went down and Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA” played from a beautifully designed record player that reminded me of a time when vinyl was king and to listen to a song meant dropping a stylus. I’m not sure why Ambor devoted a portion of the small stage to a large piece of furniture, but it created a nostalgic, comfy atmosphere.

Ambor asked the crowd to forget about the outside world for an hour and enjoy the show. In fact the whole reason for his debut album Rockwood is for people to feel good. “I want this album to be an escape for people. I want them to feel good when they listen to these songs”

Ambor said that it was his second visit to Minnesota this year, playing at Live at the Lake in Inver Grove Heights in July. He said he performed from the back-end of a semi-trailer to a meandering crowd, looking for happy hour next to a body of water.

Since then he’s had a hit song “Belong Together” already gone platinum and landed a gig on Jimmy Kimmel just this month.

“Thank you for coming out,” Ambor said midway through his set. “I still think I don’t know what I’m doing.”

It was refreshing to hear someone admit that. It was cool to find that he produced his album in the basement of his parents' home. It was nice to hear that the album is about growing up in his hometown of Pleasantville, NY and the name of the album came from a nearby state park.

I know this may sound a little too wholesome, but Ambor’s songs like “Hate That I Still Love You.” and “Hair Toss, Arms Crossed” put the crowd at ease with smiles on their faces. What more would you want in an evening than to be whistling “Belong Together” on the ride home?

Remaining Tour Dates

Nov 23rd - Chicago, Illinois

Nov 26th - Detroit, Michigan

Nov 27th - Toronto, Canada

Nov 29th - Montreal, Canada

Nov 30th - Boston, Massachusetts

Dec 2nd - New Haven, Connecticut

Dec 3rd - New York, New York

Dec 4th - New York, New York

kenzie

kenzie Mark Ambor Mark Ambor

Mark Ambor at at Fine Line (22 Nov 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Dip at First Ave (11-10-2024)

10 Nov 2024 The Dip with Jordan Mackampa at First Avenue Tour Dates 11/12 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater # 11/13 Denver, CO - The Ogden Theatre # 11/14 Salt Lake City, UT - Commonwealth Room # 11/16 Seattle, WA - The Showbox # 11/17 Seattle, WA - The Showbox # # with support from Jordan Mackampa Read More The Dip Dynamic six-piece Rhythm and Blues band The Dip is headlining First Avenue’s mainroom on November 10, 2024. Their new album Love Direction is out now on Dualtone Records. ...

Much like the Amsterdam Bar & Hall was treated to the Post Punk sounds from both sides of the pond on Friday, It was the music of Motown at First Ave on Sunday with a band from Seattle WA and a Congolese singer from England.

Jordan Mackampa opened up the evening and immediately bonded with the audience with a soulful voice blending with subtle African rhythms.

Mackampa was all about love and his voice seemed to radiate through the room. It didn’t hurt that he said Minneapolis was a beautiful city, even sporting a Viking’s uniform halfway through his set.

“Let’s go Chef,” shouted someone from the crowd as Mackampa tuned his guitar.

That got a slight smile and Mackampa said he was happy to be back to the Twin Cities and finally able to play at First Ave. He is supporting his latest album Welcome Home, Kid with songs like “Girls on Film” and “Proud of You” and a biblical ode to Joseph trying to get back into the good graces with “Mary”.

The Dip next took the First Ave stage with Tom Eddy on lead vocals and guitar, Jarred Katz on drums, Mark Hunter on bass guitar, Brennan Carter on trumpet, Levi Gillis on tenor sax and Evan Smith on baritone sax and flute. Some of them met in the Jazz Music Department at the University of Washington and formed a band to give themselves an opportunity to play more mainstream music.

Although fronted by Eddy, this is a band that plays as a group and it’s a wonderful sound, breezy, warm and welcoming. In R&B they use terms like “tight” and “in the pocket”, which basically means a group of musicians play as one. And that is exactly what The Dip did for ninety minutes, moving from Blues in “Slow Sipper”, to R&B in “Sharpen Your Shovel”, then a soulful lullaby in “Atlas”, even breaking out a Flugelhorn solo for a Chuck Magione tinged “What You Won’t Do for Love”, a Bobby Caldwell cover.

Like Mackampa, this was the first time The Dip had played the mainroom at First Ave, and they did not disappoint their fans with favorites like “Sure Miss You” and "Adeline”. They even played an acoustic version of “State Line” and songs from their latest album Love Direction. And for fun they took “Apollonia” on a wild ride in which Smith moved from the baritone sax to flute, as the band fuzzed into a desperado-tinged hallucination before settling into a soft-rock love story movie of the week soundtrack. Why not? They were tight and in the pocket.

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The Dip at First Avenue (10 Nov 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Vundabar at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall (11-08-2024)

08 Nov 2024 Vundabar with Courting at Amsterdam Bar & Hall Tour Dates 11/9 – Majestic Theater, Madison, WI 11/11 – El Club, Detroit, MI 11/12 – Velvet Underground, Toronto, ON 11/14 – Higher Ground Ballroom, South Burlington, VT 11/15 – Space Ballroom, Hamden, CT 11/16 – Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11/17 – The Foundry at The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA 11/18 – The Atlantis, Washington, DC Read More Vundabar Vundabar is headlining the Amsterdam Bar & Hall on November 8, 2024. Liverpool four-piece Courting will open. The group’s new album New Last Name is out now. ...

The Amsterdam Bar & Hall was treated to a night of post punk music and a whole lot of fun with bands from both sides of the pond.

Up first was Courting from Liverpool, England, consisting of Sean Murphy-O’Neill on lead vocals, Sean Thomas on drums, Joshua Cope on guitar and Connor McCann on bass.

Courting didn’t waste any time and jumped right to it with songs like “Tennis”, a biting song about the upper two percent with great lyrics like: “And the grass is always greener in the country house.”

Courting might have carried a message of class inequality, but this group had moments of frivolity by inviting special guests on stage, which involved tech hands and members of the next act playing cowbells and other percussion instruments.

Then Murphy-O’Neill asked if there were any Emily’s in the crowd. There weren’t. So he asked for a volunteer “Emily” to sing to for the song “Emily”.

Then, out of the blue, Murphy-O’Neill asked the crowd to break into pairs for an impromptu waltz, which the audience did, which isn’t something you normally see at a punk show. Normally, it’s more moshing, which finally happened after Murphy-O’Neill got on his knees and begged the crowd to: “Open the pit!”

Vundabar next took the stage, and after the first song someone shouted, “One more song!”

The premature request caught lead singer, Brandon Hagen, off guard and with a wry smirk, he joined in on the banter by telling the crowd that, yes, they normally do a one song set, and they will follow it with a ten-song encore.

Hagen was joined on stage by Drew McDonald on drums and Zack Abramo on bass. They are from Boston, MA and like Courting, they are infused with a punk tradition, but with a more jangly, pop sound. Pitchfork has described them as a “... ceaselessly jovial band” even if their subject matter can be sober, like with “I Got Cracked” which explores McDonald’s state of mind after a breakup, the passing of his father and breaking his arm on tour, all in the span of six weeks.

A fan favorite was “Alien Blues” with a lot of Na Na Na’s and personal favorite “Ash in the Sun” which expertly blended a couple of extended surf rock solos with a punk vibe.

Also, a special shout out to McDonald whose glasses flew off while hammering away on the drums.

And as Vundabar closed out the evening, the crowd kept shouting for one more, which Hagen kept riffing on, breaking the final song into halves and then for some reason he got the crowd to start counting, not a countdown, but the reverse. And as they continued into the teens, I wondered how far they would go, and if this was an established bit or something spontaneous. All I knew, everyone was having fun.

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Vundabar at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall (08 Nov 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Mdou Moctar at First Ave (10-14-2024)

14 Oct 2024 Mdou Moctar with FACS at First Avenue Tour Dates Oct 16 Omaha, NE, US The Waiting Room Oct 17 Englewood, CO, US Gothic Theatre Oct 19 Boise, ID, US Treefort Music Hall Oct 22 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile Oct 23 Portland, OR, US Revolution Hall Oct 25 San Francisco, CA, US The Regency Ballroom Oct 26 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Teragram Ballroom Oct 28 Phoenix, AZ, US Crescent Ballroom Oct 29 Albuquerque, NM, US El Rey Theater Oct 31 Austin, TX, US The Black Angels Nov 2 Mexico City, Mexico Hipnosis Festival Read More Mdou Moctar Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar (currently based in based in Agadez) is coming back to Minneapolis, at the Cedar Cultural Center on September 18, 2021, to support Afrique Victime (Matador Records). … FACS Chicago art-rock band FACS will be headlining the Turf Club in St Paul on June 12th. The band’s latest Still Life In Decay is available on Trouble In Mind Records. Opening will be Derecho, a band featuring Alan Sparhawk of Low. …

Downtown Minneapolis was filled with groups of young girls dressed in pastel colors, platform boots, baby doll dresses and short skirts as they made their way to the Target Center to see their idol, Sabrina Carpenter, who I’ve been told had the song of summer “Espresso”.

Such was not the case for those seeing Mdou Moctar at First Ave, because flowing cotton robes, turbans and sandals are not the best attire for a 30-degree evening. Then again neither are baby doll dresses, but weather will not stop most teenage girls when it comes to fashion.

FACS opened the evening with an other-worldly sound of modern art rock layered with post-punk vibes of repeated lyrics sung over a droning, dubbed guitar. They are from Chicago, IL with Brian Case on guitar and vocals, Noah Leger on drums and Jonathan Van Herik on bass. They have a new album out Still Life in Decay but drew from prior albums as well with an Eurythmics cover “Take Me to Your Heart” thrown in.

Mdou Moctar next took the stage with fellow band members of Ahmoudou Madassane on rhythm guitar, Michael Coltun on bass and Souleymane Ibrahim on drums.

Mdou Moctar at First Avenue (10 Mar 2022)

Moctar is from Niger and his brand of music is Tuareg Rock aka Desert Blues, a sound that we have seen before in musicians like Bombino, the great Vieux Farka Touré and even Moctar at First Ave in Mar 2022.

There is not much similarity with the blues coming out of the Mississippi Delta and the Saharan Desert. Moctar has been compared to Jimi Hendrix, but his guitar sounds more feral. There is a beat that runs through his songs, like the train rhythm created by Johnny Cash. But instead of a lonely engine plugging along in the middle of the night, Moctar’s is a runaway train going at full speed across an endless desert with no horizon in sight.

If you have never heard the Desert Blues, Moctar’s guitar is a great introduction. He plays loud, fast with little structure and sends a direct charge into the crowd. By the second song one guy kept hollering as if in a state of ecstasy. Another kept shouting “LEGEND”.

Moctar has a new album, Funeral for Justice, which is a plea for the world to pay attention to what is happening in his home country, especially to the Tuareg people with terrorist violence, persistent slavery and government coups forming a modernized version of colonialism. As he told the New York Times:

“I’m coming from very far in a country in which people today are being killed every day with all this suffering, and I come to the U.S. to make people smile and dance. And it is a big effort. So what I would like is for people to then also want to help improve the lives of where I come from.”

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Mdou Moctar at First Avenue (14 Oct 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

MJ Lenderman & the Wind at First Ave (10-12-2024)

12 Oct 2024 MJ Lenderman & The Wind with Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band at First Avenue MJ Lenderman Setlist Manning Fireworks On My Knees Wristwatch Joker Lips You Have Bought Yourself a Boat TLC Cagematch Basketball #2 Pianos Rudolph Inappropriate Hangover Game You Don't Know The Shape I'm In You Are Every Girl to Me Rip Torn 37 Push Ups (Smog cover) She's Leaving You Bark at the Moon No Mercy -- Encore -- Tastes Just Like It Costs SUV Knockin' Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band Setlist Bluebirds in a Fight Junk Drawer Heart Flashes of Orange Learn 2 Re-Luv Bluebirds Revisited Free from the Guillotine Read More MJ Lenderman MJ Lenderman and his band opened the evening sounding at times like younger relatives to Son Volt, but a little grungier and even more laid back. He started off with a slow dirge of a song that kept building in “No Mercy” …

The first signs of winter crept into First Ave as some in the sold-out show donned ski caps. The drummer from the opening act even sported a red toque like he was ready to join Steve Zissou on an aquatic adventure or head across the street to see 21 Pilots at the Target Center.

Along with the red-capped drummer Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band took the stage, all carrying empty Dixie Paper Plates.

What I thought was a musical prop to be used later in the show may have been the setlist, which would have been cool to see sailing into the crowd after the set.

Ryan Davis and his band are from Louisville, Kentucky and they are out on the road supporting their album Dancing on the Edge. The songs have a novelesque quality with Davis at times almost sounding like a narrator, setting a particular scene, or as Pitchfork perfectly described, “The songs tend to lope along with the relaxed pleasure of taking the scenic route home.”

Throughout the set there were such great lines that ambled, like “Junk Drawer Heart”:

Her daddy was a hypnotist
Her mother was a metronome
Her mortal coil is not so much a curse
As it is a stepping stone

MJ Lenderman at First Ave (18 Nov 2022)

We last saw MJ Lenderman and his band nka The Wind almost two years before at First Ave. He was opening up for Plainsand his first song was an eight minute dirge of a man who had no intention of getting over a breakup. “No Mercy” was contemplative, angry, defeated, defiant and I thought to myself, “Who starts off an opening set with an eight minute sad, sad song and why do I like it so much?”

Lenderman has had quite the 2024, teaming up Katie Crutchfield’s Waxahatcheeto release “Right Back to It” which they played on The Late Show, then playing “Wristwatch” on the The Tonight Show with his own band. Then at the start of his tour, his hometown of Ashville, North Carolina took the brunt of Hurricane Helene.

Lenderman opened the set highlighting songs from his new album Manning the Fireworks, before moving onto a fan favorite “You Have Bought Yourself a Boat.”

He briefly mentioned the tragedy that hit his hometown and said they were selling white concert shirts for hurricane relief and contributing a song to a compilation for the effort. But mostly, he kept a laconic distance, looking more comfortable taking it all in than talking between songs. Mostly he let his lyrics and his voice do the speaking. There was also some fine guitar solos that also highlighted his band as they moved into a few jam sessions, especially “Bark at the Moon” which veered into a free-jazz odyssey before dovetailing into “No Mercy” another eight minute dirge that was as mesmerizing as the first time I heard it.

Remaining tour dates:

Oct. 13 - Eau Claire, WI @ Stones Throw &

Oct. 14 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall &

Oct. 16 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall &

Oct. 17 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall &

Oct. 18 - Detroit, MI @ El Club &

Oct. 19 - Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace &

Oct. 21 - Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount &

Oct. 22 - Boston, MA @ The Royale &

Oct. 24 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer &

Oct. 25 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg &

Oct. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg &

Oct. 27 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg &

Oct. 29 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall &

Oct. 30 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club &

Nov. 1 - Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel &

Nov. 11 - Berlin, DE @ Privatclub ~

Nov. 12 - Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang ~

Nov. 14 - Amsterdam, NL @ Bitterzoet

Nov. 15 - Brussels, BE @ Botanique Witloof Bar

Nov. 16 - Paris, FR @ Point Ephemere ~

Nov. 18 - London, UK @ The Garage ~

Nov. 19 - London, UK @ The Garage ~

Nov. 21 - Manchester, UK @ YES Pink Room ~

Nov. 22 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club ~

Nov. 23 - Dublin, IE @ Workman’s Club ~

Nov. 24 - Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s ~

& w/ Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band
~ w/ Hollow Hand

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MJ Lenderman & The Wind at First Avenue (12 Oct 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Coco & Clair Clair at the Varsity Theater (2024-10-06)

06 Oct 2024 Coco & Clair Clair with SadBoi at Varsity Theater Tour Dates 10/8 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck 10/09 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall 10/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell 10/14 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom 10/15 - Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall 10/16 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos 10/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ VIVA PHX 10/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre 10/24 - Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge 10/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s 10/27 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues 10/29 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl 10/30 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground 11/01 - Washington, D.C. @ Howard Theatre 11/02 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza 11/06 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 11/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts 11/09 - Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre 11/11 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live 11/12 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues Read More Coco & Clair Clair “Last Christmas” is the new holiday single from duo Coco & Clair Clair. The song is reimagined as a trap bass song with an 80s snare. I think my favorite part of the song is the whispering of “Happy Christmas” that starts …

It was a young crowd and decidedly female at the Varsity Theater for Coco & Clair Clair and their Girl Tour.

Opening the night was SadBoi aka Ebhoni Jade Cato-O’Garro. She is from Toronto, Canada and has been writing songs since she was eleven. She came on the stage dressed in a peach-colored yoga outfit,draped in a full-length fur coat. She had the look and the poise to pull off the outfit for she is also a professional model, previously working with Adidas and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty line.

SadBoi asked the crowd if they liked to party and told them to get ready to dance as she sang “Complicated” before the empowerment of “Bitches over Boys” and finishing with a fan favorite “Baddies.”

After a dance remix of Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Our House” for an intro, Coco & Clair Clair took the stage.

Taylor Nave (Coco) and Claire Toothill (Clair Clair) are from the suburbs of Atlanta, GA and bonded with their love of Drake. During the pandemic they forged a union and have released two studio albums: Sexy in 2022 and Girl in August of 2024.

They have a merry and relaxed (chill) stage presence. Between songs like “Pop Star”, “Kate Spade” and “Martini”, they worked their way to DJ table to sip their adult beverages and chat with each other or with members in the crowd, almost creating a talk show setting that involved:

Signing an album for a fan that had followed them to Minneapolis, MN after attending their previous show in Chicago, IL.

Singing happy birthday to someone in the crowd who may or may not have been celebrating a birthday.

Opening up the floor for request: “Tbtf’.

Then they signed Concert T’s for a few fans before dropping the disco ball for “Pretty” and singing a fan favorite “My Girl”. And as they added their names to the shirts, Clair Clair started singing Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner”.

I’m not sure if this was by chance or a sly nod, because the song played a prominent role in “Untamed Heart”, a movie about a shy busboy (Christian Slater) who falls in love with a waitress (Marisa Tomei). It was filmed just down the street from the Varsity Theater at a (now defunct) diner called Joe’s Coffee Shop.

Coco & Clair Clair (Vuart)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Moon Hooch at Turf Club (09-28-2024)

27 Sep 2024 Moon Hooch with Cofresi at Turf Club Tour Dates Sep 28, 2024 The Hall Fargo, ND Oct 1, 2024 Rialto Bozeman Bozeman, MT Oct 3, 2024 The Show Room Missoula, MT Oct 4, 2024 The District Bar Spokane, WA Oct 5, 2024 Nectar Lounge Seattle, WA Oct 6, 2024 Wonder Ballroom Portland, OR Oct 8, 2024 Volcanic Theatre Pub Bend, OR Oct 10, 2024 Lost On Main Chico, CA Oct 11, 2024 Goldfield Trading Post Sacramento, CA Oct 12, 2024 The Independent San Francisco, CA Oct 13, 2024 The Catalyst Atrium Santa Cruz, CA Oct 17, 2024 SLO Brew San Luis Obispo, CA Oct 18, 2024 Pappy + Harriet's Pioneertown, CA Oct 19, 2024 Teragram Ballroom Los Angeles, CA Oct 20, 2024 Music Box San Diego, CA Dec 5, 2024 Ardmore Music Hall Ardmore, PA Dec 6, 2024 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA Read More Moon Hooch We caught New York’s Moon Hooch on their very first Minneapolis appearance in 2013, when they were “discovered” by They Might Be Giants. TMBG loved their explosive horns-and-percussion …

It’s not often that a raffle prize at a music show is a tree, and the tree is dwarfed by the instruments on stage. But then again, Moon Hooch is not an ordinary band.

Cofresi warmed up the crowd with an energetic, extended set. A native of Chicago, IL, he is a beatsmith, drumming DJ who has collaborated with the likes of Matisyahu and Kind Dyce.

His sound he describes as “...genre bending, melodic, organic, percussive, soulful, cheeky, refreshing & eclectic.”

His setup: “Currently, I use a blend of live percussion with digital pads or all digital pads depending on the gig.”

He started the evening riffing to Stan Getz’s “The Girl from Ipanema” before moving onto Bob Marley’s “Is This Love?” He was a whirl of motion, seemingly in a trance before wiping his forehead with a towel between songs like he had already ran a marathon. He was so into the music, he said halfway through the set that he thought the orange traffic cone on stage was actually a person.

“I hope you like sand,” he added, as he moved into “Mr. Sandman”, then finishing with a lick of “It’s Tricky” from Run DMC.

Moon Hooch at Triple Rock (16 Oct 2016)

Next was the main act with all their towering instruments. As you know we love Moon Hooch, last catching them at the now defunct Triple Rock in 2016, stating, “You already know the secret origin of Moon Hooch. The band was busking in the streets of New York City Subway stations and caught the attention of They Might Be Giants, who asked them to go on a national tour with them.”

What I also like is how they eventually got banned from playing in the subway for people were more interested in dancing on the platforms than catching their next train.

Now they are on stages in clubs and music festivals playing an array of saxophones:

Wenzl McGowen sported a tenor and baritone sax (with a traffic cone plunger), and one oddly shaped saxophone with a tall Byzantine look that sounded nasally, maybe snootie like a French horn.

Mike Wilbur also brought a tenor and baritone sax, and one mammoth bass that he had to strap in with a shoulder harness just to play.

They were joined by drummer Cyzon Griffin, who deserves a special shout-out for he went beat-for-beat with McGowen and Wilbur even though he was surrounded by a wall of drums and cymbals.

There is no way to correctly describe Moon Hooch’s music. You should go see them for yourself. You should definitely go for there is no way that you will not be dancing to music that blends the tenets of jazz, pep band, punk, all with the propulsive beat of dance music.

These guys should play at every sporting event except no one would end up watching any of the games. Like everyone at the Turf Club and as far back to the NYC subway stations, they would be dancing to the very last song.

Fun Fact: Moon Hooch’s NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert was ranked in the Top Fifty (#46) by New York Magazine’s Vulture just this month, two spots ahead of the Blue Man Group, which is somewhat funny since Cyzon Griffin won the Blue Man Boston Drum-Off in 2019.

Wenzl McGowen Vuart Mike Wilbur

Moon Hooch at Turf Club (27 Sep 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com