W♥M

Mrs. Skannotto at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (07/23/13)

Tour Dates 07/24 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI 07/25 THE ULTRA LOUNGE- Chicago, IL 07/26 New Way Bar- Ferndale, MI 07/27 McCarthy's Downtown- Cleveland, OH 07/28 Smiling Moose- Pittsburgh, PA Read More Mrs. Skannotto Spanning 15 years, Mrs. Skannotto is bringing their brand of combination ska and reggae rock to the 7th Entry, in Minneapolis, on July 23. Mrs. Skannotto are: Evan Dobbins (Trombone), Justin Lloyd (Trumpet).…

'Ska' was the word down at 7th Street Entry the evening of July 23, 2013. Three bands played their own brand of Ska during the night. I was sad that I just missed The Umbrella Bed's performance. They are local and will be playing around town during the next couple months. I spoke to one of the five members after I arrived, and he told me they consist of two trombones, a tenor sax and even a french horn. Try to catch them later. Umbrella Bed is releasing their new EP November 27.

SURVAY SAYS

Second band of the evening, Survay Says, totally 'punked' it up on the stage. From Blairstown, NJ, they are a 7-piece ska/punk band, but only 5 members were able to make it to the 7th Street show. In their early twenty's, Survay Says really did incorporate the Ska and Punk genre's together. So much fun watching them pogo on stage with their brass. They did a cover of Oasis song Champagne Supernova in their unique version of Ska/Punk that was amazing to hear and watch. The lead singer, Henry, then explained that the next song, Denial, was dedicated to his father that passed away. Not too melancholy and still had a slight punk feel, it was definitely one of the mellower songs they played. The rest of their set was powerful and animated.

Henry, who resembles Hurley from Lost, actually took a live phone call from a friend during the performance. He told his caller, "I am on stage in Minneapolis, dude. I gotta go!" The call added to the humor the band rendered, including a Hello Kitty guitar strap Henry used. Near the end of the set, he announced that all they do besides play music is watch TV, play video games and they still have 40 days left on the road so they need hugs from the audience, which they did get a few of. Very fun band. They are planning to be back in Minneapolis on October 18.

Headliner, Mrs. Skannotto, is also a Ska band but with more of an underlying classic Rock sound. Mrs. Skannotto formed in 1998 in Rochester, NY. Justin Lloyd, Evan Dobbins, Joe Harmon, Mike Frederick, Dan Carter, & Alex Bochetto, they have been compared to bands like; Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, The Toasters, The Police, but what I kept hearing was tones of the band Chicago, back in the 70's. Poll Dancer is a song about politics, not pole dancing they made a point of clearing up before they played it.

Get Up! was all about audience participation and very easy to figure out when to pump your fist in the air and yell "Get Up, Get Up!" Joe Harmon is the lead vocalist and man, can he belt it out! Powerful and with tremendous quality, he has a voice like nothing I have heard live in a very long time. Amazing! All of the bands musicians were sensational. I spoke to trombone player, Evan Dobbins, and he said that he is a music teacher at a college back in Rochester, NY. Mrs. Skannotto has such a big sound, they almost blasted off of the small stage at 7th Street Entry. Unfortunately, there were only about 20 people in attendance, but it gave everyone plenty of dance room. This band really has to be witnessed in person. Pass the word on!

Mrs. Skannotto at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (07/23/13)

gretchen ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ mrsska.com ♥ survaysays.net

Said the Whale at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (07/18/13)

Tour Dates 07/19/13 Big River, SK Ness Creek Site 07/20/13 Big River, SK Ness Creek Site 07/21/13 Big River, SK Ness Creek Site 07/26/13 "Hillside Festival" 08/09/13 "Squamish Music Festival" 08/10/13 "107.7 The End Summer Camp" 08/18/13 Colorado Springs, CO Black Sheep 09/24/13 New York, NY Mercury Lounge 09/27/13 Providence, RI Fete Lounge Read More Said the Whale The three band bill began the evening with Vancouver five-piece Said the Whale, who brought their Pacific Northwest song stylings as a nice appetizer for the two other bands to come… The temperature may have been 95 degrees outside of the Cedar Cultural Center, but inside a cold front blew in from Canada and made the evening totally cool! The band performing tonight was the cause of this cooling affect. After the first song, one of the two vocalists, Ben Worcester, announced to the audience that, "We are finally home!" Alluding to being in Minnesota, just a hop away from the bands home country, Canada. SAID THE WHALE Said The Whale opened up with their upbeat song, "Mother." The two founding members, Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft, would alternate vocals on between songs. Each having their own distinct sound, obviously. Tyler Bancroft sang songs more about personal struggles and growth. Ben Worcester, who sounded a lot like Colin Meloy from The Decemberists, seemed to cover songs more about reminiscences and taking care of the earth. Between most songs, Ben Worcester would give little witticisms and anecdotes between songs. The crowd at this venue normally stands during performances. Most of this particular crowd, stood in the middle of the floor or along the back wall. The audience was shy at first, mostly consisting mainly of not quite hipster, college age kids. About twenty minutes into the performance, Ben called the audience closer to the stage, "unless you are leaning on the wall. Leaning is good. My next song I write will be called 'Leaning In the Shadows.'" Then he made a comment about taking advantage of the quiet crowd, and pulled out his acoustic guitar. The audience eventually yielded to the bands enthusiasm and even started dancing a bit. Besides Ben and Tyler, the band also consists of drummer Spencer, Schoening, bassist Nathan Shaw, and keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown. All the male members wore skinny jeans. Jaycelyn looked very sweet in a black and teal tank dress. All of the members were animated and fresh. The heat wave outside was completely forgotten during the performance. Their new CD, 'Hawaii' will be released on September 17, 2013. Had a whale of a good time! gretchen ♥ saidthewhale.com

Vieux Farka Toure at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (07/09/13)

Tour Dates 07/10/13 @ Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA 07/11/13 @ La Fete de Marquette, Madison, WI 07/13/13 @ Yoshis, San Francisco, CA 07/12/13 @ Levitt Pavilion, Pasadena, CA 07/14/13 @ California WorldFest, Grass Valley, CA 08/02/13 @ Pickathon, Happy Valley, OR 08/03/13 @ Pickathon, Happy Valley, OR 08/04/13 @ Crestone Music Festival, Crestone 08/06/13 @ Walnut Room, Denver, CO 08/07/13 @ JAS Cafe , Aspen, CO Read More Vieux Farka Touré Vieux Farka Touré's most recent album, Mon Pays (My Country) was recorded in tribute to his homeland Mali. He wants to remind everyone of the wonderful culture and beauty that Mali is known.…

July 9 at the Cedar Cultural Center was taken over by Vieux Farka Touré.

MORLEY

But before Vieux Farka Touré took the stage, Morley, a throwback to the folk singers from the protest era, she is from New York City and really warmed up the audience. What a tranquil and silky voice she has! Not unlike Joni Mitchell in tone and in message. She played for 45 minutes and then Vieux Farka Touré took stage in mere moments.

Vieux Farka Touré with his lead electric guitar, was accompanied by three other band members, a Rhythm guitar player, a bass player and a drummer.

The drum was very unusual. It appeared to be a half of a sphere, or what looked like half of a what I imagine a dinosaur egg to be in size. The drummer struck it with sticks that weren't much bigger than chopsticks, and it gave off a loud clicking sound but it didn't resonate as if it was hollow, as are most drums.

The music that the band exuded was very African, but had the sound of underlying western rock and roll. Much of the times it had a very rhythm and jazzy expression. Mostly, it sounded joyful. Vieux Farka Touré is from Mali and all the words were sung in his native tongue. All four band members were wearing traditional Mali clothing, gleaming and colorful. Vieux Farka Touré himself was appropriately wearing electric blue.

The audience began moving to the music almost immediately. If not full out dancing, they were at least swaying to the heartbeat tempo of the rhythm. The audience was told that the music they were hearing from his new album Mon Pays was written in tribute to Vieux Farka Touré's beloved Mali, which is currently being terrorized by Islamist militants. Much of the money raised by the concert is going to help Mali and there was also an area set up outside of the stage for donations to be made directly to helping the country of Mali.

Vieux Farka Toure at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (07/09/13)

gretchen ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ www.vieuxfarkatoure.com

Parquet Courts at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (06/21/13)

Tour Dates 06/23 - Bloomington, IN @ the Bishop 06/24 - Columbus, OH @ Ace of Cups 06/25 - Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick 06/26 - Buffalo, NY @ Tralf Music Hall 06/29 - New York, NY @ South Street Seaport 07/13 - Boston, MA @ TT The Bears 07/14 - Portland, ME @ Space 538 07/15 - Burlington, VT @ Signal Kitchen 07/16 - Montreal, QC @ Il Motore 07/17 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern 07/20 - Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival 07/22 - Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar 07/23 - Charlottesville, VA @ Twisted Branch 07/25 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar 08/02-08/04 - Happy Valley, OR @ Pickathon Read More Parquet Courts The loud punk-ish rock band Parquet Courts is currently on tour for their debut album, Light Up Gold, out now on What's Your Rupture? Records. The band has received a lot of praises from all the music places…

Friday, June 21, 2013, will not be forgotten quickly. A thunderstorm hit the Twin Cities, knocking out electricity for 250 thousand people. All the power remaining appeared to be filtered directly into the Triple Rock Social Club, in Minneapolis.

STEREO CONFESSION

Stereo Confession was the first band of the evening. These three 16-year-old boys could really rock! They were down a member because he was out climbing a mountain, somewhere. They will be releasing their first LP called First Communion on July 2.

BNLX

BNLX played next. A post punk, psychedelic trio, featuring Ed Ackerson, this local band can really pound. Nice to see a light show considering there was a lightning show going on outside. Electric! Plug in to them and who cares that you lost power at home this night. BNLX do play around the city often, so get out and dig them.

Out of Brooklyn, New York, headliner Parquet Courts, came on at midnight. The Tripe Rock was mobbed by this time. The audience was squeezed together to get close to this old school punk band. So awesome! Lead singer and guitarist, Andrew Savage, commented on the storm they just drove through to get to the Triple Rock, and was afraid that he had been blown into Oz after entering Minneapolis, so surreal it was to the band.

The external thunder could definitely be mistaken for the sound pounding from his band. The audience was blown away and went nuts! Mainly performing songs from their new album, Light Up Gold, Parquet Courts played like a good old, American punk band. The evening will be remembered for years to come, and not just because of the storm.

Parquet Courts at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (06/21/13)

gretchen ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ stereoconfession.com ♥ bnlx2day.com ♥ parquetcourts.wordpress.com

The Honeydogs at Stone Arch Bridge Art and Music Festival, Minneapolis (06/15/13)

Read More Honeydogs Minneapolis' the Honeydogs. The band's age and music styles are a good fit for the BoDeans. With seven band members of varying age, I can see why Lara called them straightforward mature rock. … …

If you weren't able to get one of the long, sold-out 'Rock The Garden' tickets for Saturday night in Minneapolis, there was another concert going on over on the other side of the Mississippi river.

Biking north on Hennepin Avenue, my ears were filled by one concert pounding in my left ear, and just when that started to fade, the pounding began in my right ear. Arriving at 9:00 pm at The Stone Arch Bridge Art and Music Festival, I followed the sound down to the falls at St. Anthony, hearing a very familiar song, Rumor Has It. The Honey Dogs were on the main stage!

After 16 years together, Adam Levy, Brian Halverson, Peter Sands, Trent Norton, Peter Anderson and John Fields recently released their 10th album, What Comes After. The songs they performed from the new album sounded a hint more folky then their previous songs. Devil We Do was an exception, which was more progressive and psychedelic. There were old tunes played, like I Miss You that got the crowd jumping in the muddy puddles left from the rain a few hours earlier. They sounded great, and next to the band, you could watch the sun set over St. Anthony Falls. It was a magical evening.

Father's Day (June 16th) is the last day of The Stone Arch Bridge Art and Music Festival, a free Cities 97 sponsored event.

Honeydogs at Stone Arch Bridge Art and Music Festival, Minneapolis (06/15/13)

gretchen ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ honeydogs.com

Boys Noize at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (06/14/13)

Tour Poster Read More Boys Noize Remember how I announced Boys Noize's first ever American tour in 2012? Looks like the German music producer/DJ Boys Noize (aka Alexander Ridha) will be heading back to the States … Popular Berlin-based producer/DJ Boys Noize stopped by Minneapolis' Mill City Nights in support of his latest EP Go Hard (coming out June 24th via Boysnoize Records). When I walked up the stairs to the stage at Mill City Nights, the vibrations hit me like a ton of bricks. Boys Noize live is truly extraordinary. The crowd was gyrating to the heavy beat and most of the audience were donning in various locations on their bodies, either LED lights or those neon lights you break to make them glow. When Boys Noize, aka Alexander Ridha, performed his set, the crowd was completely under his spell. He was standing behind an immense, black, table of technology. His hands flew across the table top like he was Tchaikovsky, performing the last movement of his number 4 symphony. Keeping one side of his headphones pressed to his ear between breakneck speed beats, all his concentration was sucked into his music. Not sure when one song would actually be done before the next began, his flow was precise. The crowd was amazing and fun to watch throughout the evening. So caught up in the pulsating rhythm that felt like it would literally bring the house down. The Mill City Nights Venue was a perfect auditorium for this genre type. High ceilings and open floor, it had a reminiscent feel of the Hacienda in Manchester, England. The evening was intense and remarkable. Check out Boys Noize on his World Tour for Go Hard. Hear his latest remixes on soundcloud. 06/15 – Manchester @ Bonnaroo 06/16 – Chicago @ Spring Awakening 06/16 – Chicago @ Spy Bar 06/17 – Washington @ U Street Music 06/20 - San Francisco @ Mezzanine 06/21 - Las Vegas @ Edc @ Hard Stage 06/22 - Las Vegas @ Edc @ Hard Stage 06/23 – Las Vegas @ Rehab – Hard 06/28 – Glastonbury @ Silver Hayes Stage 06/29 – Glastonbury @ Spirit Of 71` Stage 07/04 – Belfort @ Eurockennes 07/05 - Werchter @ Rock Werchter 07/06 - Magnetic Festival 07/11 – Mariaville @ Camp Bisco 07/12 – Louisville @ Forecastle Fest 07/14 – Ottawa @ Ottawa Blues Fest 07/27 – Niigata @ Fuji Rock 08/03 – Los Angeles @ Hard Summer 08/04 – Chicago @ Lollapalooza 08/09 – Saalberg @ Sonnemondsterne 08/11 – Budapest @ Sziget Festival 08/15 – Ofir @ Pacha Bnr Night 08/15 – Hasselt @ Pukkelpop Festival 08/17 – Hockenheimring @ Rock´M Heim 08/20 – Ibiza @ Together @ Amnesia 08/23 – Charleville @ Cabaret Vert Fest 08/24 – Glasgow @ Slam 08/25 – London @ South West Four 08/29 - Zurich @ Zurich Open Air 08/30 – New York @ Electric Zoo 08/31 – New York @ Electric Zoo gretchen ♥ boysnoize.com

African Summer 2013

Read More African Summer 2012 I also just wanted to quickly mention that we are covering a few Cedar's "African Summer" 2012 concert series. I'll be attending Orchestre Poly-Rythmo …

AFRICAN SUMMER 2013
thecedar.org

Summer is here, and you know what that means: African Summer at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis. I don't know when this began, but I'm glad to see it's a reoccurring Cedar feature. We'll try and cover at least one or two shows.

As usual, the Cedar does a great job putting together the lineup, showcasing some of the best current African musicians, schedule as follows:

06/15 M.anifest
06/26 Femi Kuti & the Positive Force
06/28 Amadou & Mariam
07/09 Vieux Farka Touré
07/10 Fendika
07/26 Chicago Afrobeat Project

About these musicians:

M.anifest won "Best Rapper" and "Best Hip-Hop Song of the Year" at the Ghana Music Award, so expect him to do that song ("Makaa Maka") this Saturday. Interesting note: I believe he's currently based in Minneapolis.

If the name Femi Kuti sound familiar, it's because he's the eldest son (as opposed to the young son Seun Kuti) of Fela Kuti.

Amadou & Mariam are a real life blind couple; they met at Mali's Institute for the Young Blind. The two now perform together as a duo.

Vieux Farka Touré - see feature below.

Fendika is an Ethiopian collective, featuring six performers (including two dedicated dancers).

If you think six is large, how about 7 to 14 in Chicago Afrobeat Project? The Cedar emphasized that the upcoming performance will also feature master drummer Tony Allen.

Read More Vieux Farka Touré About twenty minutes into the concert Israeli musician, Idan Raichel explained to the audience how he and Malian guitar virtuoso, Vieux Farka Touré, came to be on the stage of The Dakota …

VIEUX FARKA TOURE
vieuxfarkatoure.com

Vieux Farka Touré's most recent album, Mon Pays (My Country) was recorded in tribute to his homeland Mali. He wants to remind everyone of the wonderful culture and beauty that Mali is known. The ongoing fighting between Islamic rebels and the Tuareg is not what Vieux Farka Touré' wants the world to remember of his country of origin.

Mon Pays represents the acoustic blues tradition of Mali. He has made this record to preserve Mali's culture. Vieux Farka Touré' is one most thrilling artists to come out of Mali.

North American tour starts this week:

06/14/13 @ Outside At The Research Park
06/15/13 @ Takin’ It to the Streets
06/16/13 @ Great Hudson River Revival
06/19/13 @ Dirty Bourbon, Albuquerque, NM
06/20/13 @ Arroyo Seco Live, Arroyo Seco, NM
06/21/13 @ eTown Hall, Boulder, CO
06/23/13 @ Performance Works, Vancouver
06/24/13 @ Sugar Nightclub, Victoria, Canada
06/25/13 @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA
06/26/13 @ Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Seattle, WA
06/27/13 @ The Wild Buffalo, Bellingham, WA
06/28/13 @ Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR
06/30/13 @ Harbourfront Centre, Toronto
07/01/13 @ Zaphod Beeblebrox, Ottawa, Canada
07/03/13 @ Club Soda, Montreal, Canada
07/05/13 @ Iron Horse, Northampton, MA
07/06/13 @ Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT
07/09/13 @ Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis, MN
07/10/13 @ Vaudeville Mews, Des Moines, IA
07/11/13 @ La Fete de Marquette, Madison, WI
07/13/13 @ Yoshis, San Francisco, CA
07/12/13 @ Levitt Pavilion, Pasadena, CA
07/14/13 @ California WorldFest, Grass Valley, CA
08/02/13 @ Pickathon, Happy Valley, OR
08/03/13 @ Pickathon, Happy Valley, OR
08/04/13 @ Crestone Music Festival, Crestone
08/06/13 @ Walnut Room, Denver, CO
08/07/13 @ JAS Cafe , Aspen, CO

TD SUNFEST
sunfest.on.ca

The TD Sunfest is taking place this July 4-7, 2013, at London, Ontario, in Canada. The festival highlight Africa's reggae icon Alpha Blondy and Malian vocalist Fatoumata Diawara, as two of the headliners.

The festival is so big that it has "mini-festivals" within Sunfest, including a showcase dedicated to the world’s burgeoning Afrofunk and soul scenes (Anthony Joseph & the Spasm Band; Sekoya Revisited and The Heavyweights Brass Band).

2013 Line Up

July 4, 2013: Boogat, Briga, Calypso Rose, Drumhand, Fatoumata Diawara, Genticorum, Los Vega Son Jarocho, Palo Cruzao, Rey Vallenato Beto Jamaica, Sacha Williamson, Samba Squad, Silk Road

July 5, 2013: Baterimba, Boogat, Briga, Calypso Rose, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Custodio Castelo, Drumhand, Fatoumata Diawara, Los Vega Son Jarocho, Genticorum, Palo Cruzao, Quique Escamilla, Rey Vallenato Beto Jamaica, Sacha Williamson, Samba Squad, Silk Road

July 6, 2013:
Amina Figarova Sextet, Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band, Baterimba, Briga, Calypso Rose, Chico Trujillo, Custodio Castelo, Drumhand, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Five Alarm Funk, Genticorum, Hasna El Becharia, Heavyweights Brass Band, Hurlevent, Kleztory, Lazo, Music Machine with Ramone Valle, Palo Cruzao, Patricia Cano, Quique Escamilla, Remi Panossian Trio, Rey Vallenato Beto Jamaica, Rommel Ribeiro, Sekoya Revisited, Sonia Johnson, The Lula All-Stars, Traeben

July 7, 2013:
Alpha Blondy, Amina Figarova Sextet, Anthony Joseph & The Spasm Band,Baterimba, Boogat, Briga, Canzoniere Grecanico Salentino, Chico Trujillo, Custodio Castelo, Drumhand, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Five Alarm Funk, Genticorum, Hasna El Becharia, Heavyweights Brass Band, Hurlevent, Kleztory, Laura Fernandez, Lazo, Los Vega Son Jarocho, Music Machine with Ramone Valle, Palo Cruzao, Patricia Cano, Quique Escamilla, Remi Panossian Trio, Rey Vallenato Beto Jamaica, Rommel Ribeiro, Sekoya Revisited, The Lula All-Stars

I SING FOR FREEDOM
baruch.cuny.edu

"I Sing for Freedom" is a sort of Broadway show, presented by Eric Krebs, running every Monday from June 17 to August 19 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York. The show was conceived and directed by Thuli Dumakude, who brings Southern church gospel and traditional South African Township songs sung in Zulu. All the singing will be handled by Thokoza, an a cappella collective consisting of five older South African and African American.

Performances are on Mondays at 7:00 PM at the Arts Center, located at 55 Lexington Avenue . Tickets are $20, details on baruch.cuny.edu.

Trivia: Thokoza, which means "celebration" in Zulu.

gretchen + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Hands at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (06/11/13)

Tour Dates 06.12 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews 06.14 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge 06.15 - Salt Lake City @ Kilby Court 06.17 - Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar 06.19 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern 06.21 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar 06.22 - Davis, CA @ Sophia's Thai Kitchen Read More Hands This coming Tuesday, June 11th, Hands from Los Angeles will bring their indie rock sound to 7th Street Entry, in Minneapolis. Founded in 2012 by Geoff Halliday (vocals, keyboards) and Ryan Sweeney (guitar) they moved from Philadelphia …

Hands stopped by 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night, June 11th, as part of their tour for Synesthesia.

GRANDCHILDREN

The evening started out with a 6-piece band out of Philadelphia called Grandchildren (Aleks Martray, Roman Salcic, Russell Brodie, Tristan Palazzolo, Adam Katz and John Vogel). Grandchildren was as much fun to watch as they were to hear. Their sound is similar to Animal Collective, with a pop/orchestral sound. The two drummers battled and then synch up across the stage. One of the drummers also pulled out the trombone. They were so much fun to watch and listen to.

STRANG NAMES

At the 10 o'clock hour, Strange Names played. Minneapolis based, the band was formed by Francis Jimenez, and Liam Benzv. I would describe the entire band as spunky and entertaining. Combining a vibe of post punk and hipster, their sound happily varies between songs. Arctic Monkeys comes to mind if you need to compare them to a type. "Once an Ocean" has a surfy sound, whereas other songs had a Latin feel. Francis sang into an old-school microphone and had fun using it as a prop. The audience really responded to the energy emitted from the band. You were drawn into their exuberance like a magnet. Strange Names played the night before at Electric Fetuses 45th anniversary party if you happened to catch that show and they will be playing many gigs in the Twin Cities through June.

Hands, which hails from LA, wasn't too much of a disappointment if you listened to their most recent release, Synesthesia. The album is catchy and they do sound a bit reminiscent of Ned's Atomic Dustbin, but without the message. The bass player, Alex Staniloff, was the most energetic and impressive. They played their hit song "Trouble", which audience responded well to this song. I have a feeling that singer Geoff Halliday was losing his voice for some reason and that is one of the reason's the performance was off.

Hands continues their tour for Synesthesia, which came out last late April on Kill Rock Stars.

Hands at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (06/11/13)

gretchen ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ handssounds.com

When Animals Attack: Gold Panda, Said The Whale, and Chelsea Wolfe

Read More Gold Panda Just quickly, I wanted to mention that Gold Panda has a free song, "MPB" at his website. The song isn't even from an upcoming release or part of his Lucky Shiner album. …

Read more When Animals Attack!.

GOLD PANDA
iamgoldpanda.com

Gold Panda's new album Half of Where You Live is streaming right now on NPR. The album comes out tomorrow, June 11th, on Ghostly International/NOTOWN Recordings.

Check out "We Work Night" on Soundcloud:



You may recall that we've been talking about Gold Panda since The Guardian announced Gold Panda as "2010 Guardian First Album award".

With the new album on the verge of release, a massive North American tour is on the way. It's kicking off September 11th at the Basement in Georgia. This is the perfect time to catch Gold Panda in smaller venues (as opposed to massive festivals like Glasto and Longitude).

06/12: London, UK @ Electric Brixton 06/13: Barcelona, ES @ Sonar Festival 06/20: Paris, FR @ La Trabendo 06/21: Amsterdam, NL @ Melkweg 06/22: Berlin, DE @ Gretchen 06/28: Somerset, UK @ Glastonbury Festival 07/12: Lisbon, PO @ Optimus Alive Festival 07/18: Brussels, BE @ Dour Festival 07/19: London, UK @ Lovebox Festival 07/20: Dublin, IE @ Longitude Festival 08/08: Haldern Pop Festival 08/17: Yorkshire, UK @ Beacons Festival 09/11: Atlanta, GA @ The Basement 09/12: New Orleans, LA @ Hi Ho Lounge 09/13: Dallas, TX @ Loft 09/14: Austin. TX @ The Mohawk 09/17: Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress 09/18: Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom 09/19: San Diego, CA, Casbah 09/20: Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theater

09/21: San Francisco, CA @ Independent 09/22: Arcata, CA @ Humboldt State 09/25: Eugene, OR @ WOW Hall 09/26: Portland, OR @ Branx 09/27: Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl 09/28: Decibel Festival 09/29: Boise, ID @ Reef 10/01: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 10/02: Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater 10/03: Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre 10/04: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock 10/05: Chicago, IL @ Metro 10/06: Ann Arbor MI @ Blind Pig 10/08: Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace 10/09: Montreal, QC @ S.A.T. 10/10: Cambridge, MA @ Sinclair 10/11: New York, NY @ Webster Hall 10/12: Washington, DC @ Black Cat 10/13: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer 10/30: Reykjavik, IS @ Iceland Airwaves

Read More Said the Whale The three band bill began the evening with Vancouver five-piece Said the Whale, who brought their Pacific Northwest song stylings as a nice appetizer for the two other bands to come…

SAID THE WHALE
saidthewhale.com

Said The Whale is touring and will be performing at the Cedar Cultural Center on July 18. The band is from Vancouver and consists of songwriters Tyler Bancroft and Ben Worcester, drummer Spencer Schoening, keyboardist Jaycelyn Brown and bassist Nathan Shaw. They formed in 2007 and released Howe Sounds/Taking Abalonia in 2008. Other albums quickly followed: Islands Disappear (2009) and Little Mountain (2012). These albums earned much attention from the media and so they produced a documentary, Winning America.

Said The Whale was nominated for two JUNO Awards in 2013 for Alternative Album of the Year. The band just released another new collection of songs consisting of three songs, the I Love You EP. Catch them if you get a chance!

06/12 – The Casbah – San Diego, CA
06/13 – Bootleg Bar – Los Angeles, CA
06/14 – Beauty Bar – Las Vegas, NV
06/15 – Pub Rock – Scottsdale, AZ
06/20 – The Tractor Tavern – Seattle, WA
06/22 – Banff National Park – Banff Canada
07/12 – Exdo Event Center– Denver, CO
07/17 – Bottom Lounge – Chicago, IL
07/18 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
07/19-07/21 – Ness Creek Music Festival
07/26 – Hillside Festival – Guelph, ON
08/09 – Squamish Valley Music Festival

CHELSEA WOLFE
chelseawolfe.net

Chelsea Wolfe's third album Pain is Beauty, is coming out on Sargent House this year. The album is a love letter to nature, as Wolfe described the album as, "an exploration of ancestry, how the mythology, landscapes and traditions of our ancestors affect our personalities today. Honesty is what initially drew me to music, and I've been more honest and open with myself than ever through these songs. There is peace in truth. There is clarity in solitude. And there is power within simplicity and focus. Love is not always easy. Tormented love is something I understand more than society's skewed idea of what love should be. Love is indelible, severe, earnest, merciful. To push forward against the odds is to make history".

In support of the new album, a fall tour is scheduled:

08/25 - Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Fest 09/01 - Tucson, AZ @ Hoco Festival 09/03 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom 09/04 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad 09/06 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk 09/07 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's 09/08 - New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks 09/09 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl 09/10 - Chapel Hill @ Local 506 09/11 - Washington DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel 09/13 - NYC, New York @ Bowery Ballroom

09/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer 09/15 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair 09/17 - Toronto, ONT @ Horseshoe Tavern 09/19 - Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room 09/20 - Lexington, KY @ Boomslang Festival 09/21 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge 09/22 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center 09/24 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge 09/25 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge 09/27 - Seattle, WA @ Barboza 09/28 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge 09/30 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American

gretchen + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Bringing it Back: Soul, Swing and Ska

Read More Mayer Hawthorne I didn't honestly know a whole lot about Hawthorne, but it seems like a lot of folks that came to his show already knew him from Passion Pit and also from films and television shows. Which, incidentally, he did start off his show with…

BERNHOFT
bernhoft.org

Jarle Bernhoft goes by his surname, like Morrissey. At this very moment, Bernhoft is the number one selling artist in Norway, thanks to his modern take on a soulful sound, which is unique in the tried-and-true rock and roll sound. You can think of it as how Sharon Jones or Mayer Hawthorne are interpreting this old sound and making it fresh again.

The one-man-band Bernhoft will be making his U.S. television debut on Conan on Wednesday, July 10th, to play songs off his Solidarity Breaks album, but you can beat this by checking out his first North American tour.

Bernhoft Summer 2013 Tour Dates:

06/08/13 Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell's *
06/10/13 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
06/12/13 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s
06/14/13 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/17/13 Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
06/18/13 Minneapolis, MN @ Dakota Jazz
06/21/13 Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl
06/22/13 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
06/23/13 Seattle, WA @ Triple Door
06/25/13 San Francisco, CA @ Yoshi’s
06/27/13 West Hollywood, CA @ The Troubadour

Read More The Stray Cats So, as you know, Brian Setzer made rockabilly cool with The Stray Cats (well some would argue that rockabilly has always been cool!). Then Setzer made Swing music cool with "Jump Jive 'n' Wail", with his new orchestra band. …

CHERRY POPPIN' DADDIES
daddies.com

Who could forget the 2x RIAA platinum certified smash hit Zoot Suit Riot? Cherry Poppin' Daddies, along with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Squirrel Nut Zippers, and Brian Setzer (Stray Cats), were responsible for bringing back swing. Styles came and went, and eventually the swing dance craze died out...

So, Cherry Poppin' Daddies is back. Their new album, White Teeth, Black Thoughts, will be coming out July 16th, via Space Age Bachelor Pad Records.

The band will be heading out on tour:

06/29/13 Central City, CO Reserve Casino Hotel
07/20/13 Basin Summer Sounds
08/24/13 Palatine Street Festival
10/18/13 Florence, SC Florence Darlington
10/19/13 Kill Devil Hills, NC Outer Banks Brewing
12/06/13 El Cajon, CA Sycuan Live & Up Close
12/28/13 Verdi, NV Boomtown Casino Hotel Reno
03/22/14 Bayside, NY Queensborough Performing
04/26/14 Bremerton, WA Admiral Theatre

Read More Madness If you're not familar with Madness, they are a ska band from Camden Town, London and had a massive hit with "Our House" in the US (although all their singles charted very well in the UK). …

MRS SKANNOTTO
mrsska.com

Spanning 15 years, Mrs. Skannotto is bringing their brand of combination ska and reggae rock to the 7th Entry, in Minneapolis, on July 23.

Mrs. Skannotto are: Evan Dobbins (Trombone), Justin Lloyd (Trumpet), Joe Harmon (Vocals), Alex Bochetto (drums), Dan Carter (Bass) and Mike Frederick (Guitar). Hailing from Rochester, New York, they just released their 5th album, All These Evolutions (which you can preview on their Soundcloud).



Touring kicks off at the end of the month:

06/28 KC's Tap- Pawtucket, RI
06/29 The Sad Café- Plaistow, NH
06/30 The Space- Hamden, CT
07/01 242 Main- Burlington, VT
07/02 447 - Cambridge, MA
07/03 The Sidebar Tavern- Baltimore, MD
07/05 The Black Cat Lounge-Fayetteville, NC
07/06 Kingdom-Richmond, VA
07/07 Jack Rabbits- Jacksonville, FL
07/08 Will's Pub- Orlando, FL
07/09 Tir Ra Nog- Daytona Beach, FL
07/10 The High Dive- Gainesville, FL
07/11 Swayze's- Marietta, GA
07/12 The Nick - Birmingham, AL
07/13 The End- Nashville, TN
07/14 Vino's Little Rock, AR
07/16 TBA - Denver, CO
07/17 Triple Nickle Tavern- Colorado Springs, CO
07/18 Cunningham's- Kearney, NE
07/19 Knickerbockers- Lincoln, NE
07/21 Vaudeville Mews- Des Moines, IA
07/23 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
07/24 High Noon Saloon Madison, WI
07/25 THE ULTRA LOUNGE- Chicago, IL
07/26 New Way Bar- Ferndale, MI
07/27 McCarthy's Downtown- Cleveland, OH
07/28 Smiling Moose- Pittsburgh, PA

gretchen + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com