W♥M

March Forth to March Fourth

03/03 and 03/04 Khruangbin with Nubya Garcia at Palace Theatre Read More Khruangbin the band is thriving with their recent release of Freedom is Free via ATO Records (Billboard consider the album as “Best Albums of 2017 So Far”). Khruangbin will open the Turf Club in St Paul... the event is sold out. ...

In addition to Claire Rosinkranz with Aidan Bissett at 7th St Entry and The Beths with Lunar Vacation at Fine Line on March 4th (we are covering both shows)… here are a few other bands with March 4th as a special date for them.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide

03/03/2022 Thursday
03/04/2022 Friday

Khruangbin
with Nubya Garcia
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Houston-based trio Khruangbin is currently on tour in support of Mordechai (Dead Oceans in association with Night Time Stories), the band’s third album. The trio will be playing a double night in St Paul, on March 3rd and March 4th at the Palace Theatre.

Nubya Garcia will be opening, her first set of performances in the U.S. since 2019 and the release of her critically acclaimed album Source.

Source came out in August 2020 to much acclaim for her incredible sax compositions. In 2021, she shared a remix album, SOURCE ⧺ WE MOVE a re-imagining of the original 2020 album.

Tour Dates:

3/2/22 The Sylvee - Madison, WI
3/3/22 The Palace Theatre - St. Paul, MN
3/4/22 The Palace Theatre - St. Paul, MN
3/5/22 Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom - Chicago, IL
3/9/22 Radio City Music Hall - New York, NY
3/10/22 Radio City Music Hall - New York, NY
3/11/22 The Anthem - Washington, D.C.
3/12/22 Stage AE - Pittsburgh, PA
3/14/22 Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
3/15/22 Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
3/17/22 Roadrunner - Boston, MA
3/18/22 Roadrunner - Boston, MA
3/19/22 The Met Philadelphia - Philadelphia, PA

03/19 Guided By Voices at Fine Line Read More Guided By Voices We just reviewed the Guided By Voices book, Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices, and briefly mentioned that the group will be in Minneapolis on December 30th. No opening band listed, because, let’s face it ...

03/19/2022 Saturday

Guided By Voices
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

With an album and tour kicking off March 4th, Guided By Voices marches forth with their new album Crystal Nuns Cathedral.

Rolling Stone described the new record as “GBV’s most eclectic, adventurous records to date”, while Brooklyn Vegan said, “fantastic pop basher with a strong punk edge to it a la Buzzcocks.”

There’s no doubt, the band writes and records a lot of music, having released FIVE albums from 2020 to 2021… making Crystal Nuns Cathedral their 35th album to date.

Tour Dates

March 4 - Irving Plaza - New York, NY
March 5 - Royale - Boston, MA
March 18 - Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI
March 19 - Fine Line - Minneapolis, MN
March 23-24 - Treefort Music Fest - Boise, ID
March 26 - Neumos - Seattle, WA
March 27 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR
March 29 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA
March 30 - The Catalyst - Santa Cruz, CA
April 1 - Teragram Ballroom - Los Angeles, CA
April 2 - Pappy & Harriets - Pioneertown, CA
April 29 - Cat's Cradle - Carrboro, NC
April 30 - Shaky Knees Festival - Atlanta, GA
May 14 - Hi-Fi Annex - Indianapolis, IN
June 17 - The Ardmore - Philadelphia, PA
June 18 - 9:30 Club - Washington, DC
July 9 - Slowdown - Omaha, NE

03/04 Mayday Parade at Varsity Theater

03/04/2022 Friday

Mayday Parade
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Tallahassee’s Mayday Parade returns to touring in celebrating of their 11-year anniversary of their self-titled debut record. In addition to the 11 year old album, the band also released a new album What It Means To Fall Apart in November on Rise Records to critical acclaim .

Mayday Parade Self-Titled LP 11-Year Anniversary Tour

3/1 @ The Union Event Center in Salt Lake City, UT
3/2 @ Gothic Theatre in Denver, CO
3/4 @ Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, MN
3/5 @ The Rave in Milwaukee, WI
3/6 @ Wooly’s in Des Moines, IA
3/8 @ Delmar Hall in St. Louis, MO
3/10 @ House of Blues in Chicago, IL
3/11 @ House of Blues in Chicago, IL
3/12 @ The Crofoot in Pontiac, MI
3/15 @ The Agora in Cleveland, OH
3/16 @ Bogart’s in Cincinnati, OH
3/18 @ Newport Music Hall in Columbus, OH
3/19 @ Stage AE in Pittsburgh, PA
3/20 @ The Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, ON
3/22 @ Irving Plaza in New York, NY
3/23 @ The Webster Theater in Hartford, CT
3/24 @ Club XL Live in Harrisburg, PA
3/25 @ Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ
3/25 @ Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ
3/29 @ The Fillmore in Silver Spring, MD
3/30 @ Union Transfer in Philadelphia, PA
4/1 @ Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA
4/2 @ Paradise Rock Club in Boston, MA
10/22 @ When We Were Young in Las Vegas, NV

03/04 Dom Flemons with Small Glories at Dakota Jazz Club

03/04/2022 Friday

Dom Flemons
with Small Glories
at Dakota Jazz Club
dakotacooks.com

Grammy award winner, two-time Emmy nominee, Dom Flemons will be stopping by the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, on March 4th.

Canadian duo, The Small Glories will open; their latest album Assiniboine & The Red is out now on Red House Records.

Tour Dates:

Mar 4 Minneapolis, MN, US Dakota
Mar 12 Flagstaff, AZ, US Coconino Center For The Arts
Mar 15 Phoenix, AZ, US Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) Theater
Mar 18 Stanford, CA, US Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University
Apr 27 Harrisburg, PA, US WITF Public Media Center
Apr 28 New York (NYC), NY, US Symphony Space
Apr 29 New York (NYC), NY, US Symphony Space
Apr 30 New York (NYC), NY, US Symphony Space
May 11 Key West, FL, US Helmerich Theater
May 12 Outdoor Key West, FL, US Hugh's View
May 14 Tampa, FL, US The Attic at Rock Brothers Brewing
May 21 Mountain View, AR, US Ozark Folk Center
Jun 16 Outdoor Grass Valley, CA, US Fathers Day Festival
Jul 1 Townsend, TN, US Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center
Sep 2 Mill Spring, NC, US Earl Scruggs Music Festival

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

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

Liily at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (2021-10-24)

Read More Liily Los Angeles shoegaze band Liily (Dylan Nash, Sam De La Torre, Charlie Anastasis & Maxx Morando) will be touring in support of their debut record TV or Not TV. After being added to popular Spotify playlist, the band found themselves ....

Los Angeles’ Liily is currently touring in support of their debut record TV or Not TV. The band headlined the 7th Street Entry, in Minneapolis, on October 24th.

Opening the show was local band Birdhole, their first time playing the Entry.

The band started their set with “Let Me be Frank with You” intro, followed by “In Different Towns” and “Sleep”.

They had a few covers on their set, including Tegan & Sara’s “Hell” and Guided By Voices’ “Motor Away”.

They ended their set with a song they said was called “SPV”.

Liily is still a very new, but they they are very good and shows a lot of promise. Singer, Dylan Nash, reminds me of a stoic Ian Brown, while the band, guitarist Sam De La Torre, bassist Charlie Anastasis, and drummer Maxx Morando, plays post-punk, art-rock music. While the band didn’t mentioned their influences, I felt like they were inspired by a lot of UK-bands, as I hear sparks of The Fall and Gang of Four in their sound… which is a positive thing.

The best songs, “I Am Who You Think I Am”, “TV or Not TV” and “Wash” were played early in their set. The latter, I misheard as “walk it off” instead of “wash it off”… which had two very different meaning. They saved their hit single, “Toro” near the end of their brief set.

Again, the band is new, and I hope their music reach a wider audience. It’s not just the music, but it’s also the live performance that made Liily so exciting to experience.

Liily’s UK starts in November.

Nov 7 Windmill Brixton London
Nov 9 Old Blue Last London
Nov 11 Yes Manchester
Nov 13 Stag and Dagger 2021 Glasgow

birdhole

birdhole

birdhole

Liily

Liily

Liily

Liily at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (2021-10-24)

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

Guided By Voices: Surrender Your Poppy Field album review

Surrender Your Poppy Field Tracklisting Year Of The Hard Hitter Volcano Queen Parking Lot Arthur Has Business Elsewhere Cul-De-Sac Kids Cat Beats A Drum Windjammer Steely Dodger Stone Cold Moron Physician Man Called Blunder Whoa Nelly Andre The Hawk Always Gone Next Sea Level Release Date: February 20, 2020 Label: GBV Inc Total Length: 38:44 Read More Guided by Voices Robert Pollard’s is a stadium voice most at home in more intimate clubs, where devoted Guided By Voices fans can get the full effect of his vocal power. There are no nosebleed seats here; every seat is a good seat. And if you’re up front, Bob will share his beer and liquor …

Guided By Voices – Surrender Your Poppy Field album review

By Dena Maxwell

On Thursday February 20^th, 2020, Guided By Voices will release Surrender Your Poppy Field via GBV Inc.

These are my impressions of the songs on this album and may or may not reflect the actual meaning intended by the artist.

The record begins with “Year Of The Hard Hitter.” Bob is about to leave the house and he is obviously underdressed. His wife informs him in an exasperated tone: “The high today is 20!” “Okay,” he replies. Busted. Then we hear what sounds like a door closing. It is unclear whether he has come back inside to dress more warmly, or if he has slipped out without heeding her warning.

“Arthur Has Business Elsewhere” could easily be about Arthur Dent, main character of Douglas Adams’ delightful sci-fi/comedic novel series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Since Arthur is the last man left on Earth before its destruction by aliens, it’s obvious he has business elsewhere. Calliope music and rock guitar exist in harmony in the same universe.

“Cul-De-Sac Kids” will lift you right up. It’s a catchy, upbeat, classic GBV tune. Bob sees a group of teenagers cutting class and partying. They remind him of himself… at that age and even now. Having been a teacher as well as a student, he knows how dull school can be and he vows not to rat on them. He will let them have their fun, and he allows us to revel in it with him.

“Cat Beats A Drum” is obviously about Bob’s cats. The sound of their squeaky toy punctuates the song. Somehow, I can picture Doug Gillard there in Bob’s house, both men playing with the felines who lend them inspiration. My favorite lyric: “cold wet grass between my toes / Walt Whitman blows his nose…”

“Stone Cold Moron” brings a taste of metal to the record, with its heavy guitar riffs and crashing cymbals. Bob is no stranger to getting into trouble. We hear him imitating a police officer, possibly alluding to a prior experience: “Sir, put your hands where I can see them and step out of the car,” he says in a mock-stern tone.

“Physician” starts out fast and carries on like a strong current, slows to showcase fantastic choppy guitar riffs, then speeds up a bit as the riffs continue, smoother but equally powerful.

“Whoa Nelly” is Robert Pollard’s own version of the classic folk tune “Danny Boy.” It’s like a lullaby for grown-ups.

“Next Sea Level” is the album’s final track. It begins with a tolling bell. I can’t help but think of the John Donne poem: “…send not to know / For whom the bell tolls, / It tolls for thee.” The doleful sound of the bell combined with a title like “Next Sea Level” makes me a little uneasy at first, as I think of the reality of melting ice caps, “weird weather patterns,” and the ocean’s encroachment on the land. A good reason to believe we might have business elsewhere, much like Arthur. And then the song becomes soothing: “RISING / RISING / RISING / TO HEAR YOU / TO TOUCH YOU / TO KNOW / you’re coming around / still coming around,” and I think of humankind’s incredible ability to adapt and to change. There’s hope for us yet.

dena (dena@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Guided by Voices: Zeppelin Over China

Zeppelin Over China Tracklisting 01. Good Morning Sir 02. Step of the Wave 03. Carapace 04. Send in the Suicide Squad 05. Blurring the Contacts 06. Your Lights Are Out 07. Windshield Wiper Rex 08. Holy Rhythm 09. Jack Tell 10. Bellicose Starling 11. Wrong Turn On 12. Charmless Peters 13. The Rally Boys 14. Think. Be a Man. 15. Jam Warsong 16. You Own the Night 17. Everything’s Thrilling 18. Nice About You 19. Einstein’s Angel 20. The Hearing Department 21. Questions of the Test 22. No Point 23. Lurk of the Worm 24. Zeppelin Over China 25. Where Have You Been All My Life 26. Cold Cold Hands 27. Transpiring Anathema 28. We Can Make Music 29. Cobbler Ditches 30. Enough Is Never At the End 31. My Future in Barcelona 32. Vertiginous Raft Release Date: February 1, 2019 Label: GBV Inc Total Length: 1:14:23 Zeppelin Over China is a major and majestic work in the GBV canon, spotlighting the scope and genius of Robert Pollard's songwriting. With 32 songs in 75 minutes, the massive Zeppelin reaches lofty heights on its musical journey. Pollard continues to deliver endless invention and emotional wallop in 2 and 3-minute guitar rock gems. Pollard has assembled his greatest supporting cast ever -- Doug Gillard (guitar), Kevin March (drums), Mark Shue (bass), Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar) and Travis Harrison (engineer) -- and this line-up's virtuosic talents spur him to his most ambitious work yet, a grand album of emotional resonance and narrative drama.  After well-deserved acclaim for the mind-boggling milestone of Pollard's 100 career albums, Zeppelin Over China is a wonderful entry point for new listeners to experience Guided By Voices for the first time. Not resting on his laurels, Pollard’s tireless tenacity pays off with spectacular results. Read More Guided by Voices Cult indie rock band Guided by Voices will be headlining First Avenue next Wednesday, August 31st, in support of Please Be Honest. …

Guided By Voices – Zeppelin Over China ALBUM REVIEW

By Dena Maxwell

Robert Pollard’s is a stadium voice most at home in more intimate clubs, where devoted Guided By Voices fans can get the full effect of his vocal power. There are no nosebleed seats here; every seat is a good seat. And if you’re up front, Bob will share his beer and liquor with you. It’s a family affair.

At age 61, Pollard’s voice has not changed much at all over the years. He can still project it into every corner of a room like a master. This former athlete has retained his incredible lung capacity, total control over his breathing and timing, and is still possessed of a preternatural sense of rhythm. He truly has a gift.

Following close on the heels of Space Gun (released March 23, 2018), Zeppelin Over China will be released Feb 1, 2019. As is typical of GBV releases, the album squeezes 32 songs into 75 minutes.

Guided By Voices’ current lineup consists of the omnipresent Robert Pollard (vocals), Doug Gillard (guitar), Kevin March (drums), Mark Shue (bass) and Bobby Bare Jr. (guitar). Zeppelin Over China was engineered by Travis Harrison.

When you listen to Zeppelin Over China, you can expect a guitar-driven record with a good amount of layered vocal tracks, vocal harmonies and string arrangements. Pollard’s voice effortlessly rides the guitar-generated waves of each song. These songs rev and rev their engines, creating a delicious sense of anticipation, and then take off at a full clip in their own musical drag race.

There’s the tension and flow of “Your Lights Are Out.” There’s “Holy Rhythm”- a song with a beefy, muscular guitar sound and layered vocal tracks. “Think. Be A Man.” treads with the heavy footsteps of pure rock’n’roll. “Jam Warsong” is somewhat bluesy with a chugging beat and swaggering rock guitar. “Nice About You” is a slower song with a satisfyingly crunchy guitar hook. “Where Have You Been All My Life” features Bob’s patented British accent, driving rhythm and a great tempo shift near the end of the song. I daresay that any one of us fans would love to imagine Bob singing these words directly to us. In “Cobbler Ditches” the lyric “playing ‘Motor Away’” gives a nod to 1994 GBV release Alien Lanes. On a personal note, Alien Lanes and “Motor Away” provided my first introduction to Guided By Voices. I remember traveling in the tour van of some musician friends from Athens, GA to Atlanta to see GBV at the Cotton Club.  They put this album in the tape deck and the first song I remember hearing was “Motor Away.” I will never forget that trip or that show, and I’ve been hooked on GBV ever since.

Zeppelin Over China is classic Guided By Voices… another brilliant sonic achievement.

dena (dena@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ itunes.apple.com

Minneapolis: December 23 to December 31, 2018

Soul Asylum at First Ave Read More Soul Asylum Yeah we knew the tiny 7th Street Entry could not contain all the fans for Soul Asylum, or as we kid that it's just the Dave Pirner band.... Both dates at 7th Street Entry …

We are closing out the year with these shows in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from December 23 to December 31, 2018.

Please note: December 24th is Christmas Eve, and December 25th is Christmas.

Read more: Minneapolis Music Guide.

SOUL ASYLUM
+ The 4onthefloor, Loki’s Folly
First Avenue
Fri 12/28/2018 (7:30pm/$30)
first-avenue.com

Yep, local favorite Soul Asylum (aka Dave Pirner) is headlining First Avenue on their holiday show. We’ve seen Pirner before, and he’s always fun and animated. Expect to hear the hits, “Runaway Train” and “Somebody to Shove.”

Local bands The 4onthefloor (Gabe Douglas and friends), Loki’s Folly (underage sisters according to Pirner), and DJ Set from 7 Inches Of Lori B (Lori Barbero from Babes in Toyland) to open.

Details from Soul Asylum:

We're back at First Avenue & 7th St Entry on Friday, December 28 w/ 4 On The Floor and Loki's Folly (presented by The Current) Tickets available here: t.co/gYCAYtGKNF !!!

Other shows in the area:

Deck the Ave Jayhawks at First Ave Candid Kid at 7th Street The Big Wu at Fine Line GBV 2018 Tour Transmission at First Ave Read More Run Westy Run I am grouping these three shows together because Run Westy Run and Iffy are related. RWR (featuring Daniel, Kirk, Kraig, and Kyle) were never quite as popular as their local peers …

SOPHIA ERIS / DJ ADVANCE
First Avenue
Sun 12/23/2018 (9pm/$10)
first-avenue.com

Celebrate Christmas this year with DJ Sophia Eris and DJ Advance (aka Vance K. McCain).

If Eris’ name sounds familiar, that’s because she used to be in Grrrl Prty. Since Grrrl Prty broke up at Rock the Garden 2016, she’s been busy touring and working on her debut solo record with producer Lazerbeak. So maybe expect Lazerbeak and her co-hort DJ Shannon Blowtorch to show up at this Christmas party.

CHRISTMAS EVE
Mon 12/24/2018



RUN WESTY RUN
+ Sapphire
7th Street Entry
Tue 12/25/2018 (7pm/$20)
first-avenue.com



RUN WESTY RUN
+ Sapphire
Turf Club
Wed 12/26/2018 (7pm/$20)
turfclub.net

The annual Run Westy Run (Kraig Johnson and his brothers Kirk and Kyle) Christmas show is once again here. We started noticing that the group came back to the music industry around December 2015. Anyway, this time, they’re playing at the Turf Club with Sapphire (Ava Levy and Lily Govrik) to open.

For the Christmas show (Tue 12/25/2018), that show will take place at the 7th St Entry.

CANDID KID
+ Go For Retro
7th St Entry
Thu 12/27/2018 (7pm/$8)
first-avenue.com

If you’ve never seen Candid Kid (Benjamin Muller, Tanner Uselmann, Cooper Doten, Reese Kling) live, here is your last chance: This is the Candid Kid’s final show.

Go For Retro to open. According to the original post, Wingman was also listed to open, but as of this writing, the band is not listed on the venue’s website. I guess their Wingman bailed out on them.

Details:

Candid Kid (Final Show) in the 7th St Entry

Doors @ 7pm
Music starts @ 8pm

Lineup:
Go For Retro
Wingman
Candid Kid

General Admission: $8.00 advance / $10.00 day of show
18+ | ID Required

BIG WU
+ Mikel Wright And The Wrongs
The Fine Line
Sat 12/29/2018 (7:30pm/$17)
finelinemusic.com

Join Northfield, MN’s The Big Wu (Chris Castino, Terry VanDeWalker, Mark Joseph, Al Oikari, and Padre Pienbique) at their album release for We Are Young We Are Old show will be at the Fine Line Music Café on December 29th.

Mikel Wright And The Wrongs to open.

Upcoming Events

DEC 29
The Big Wu Album Release Show Fine Line
Minneapolis, MN

DEC 31
Wu Years Eve Dec 31st
Wyndham Garden Fitchburg
Fitchburg, WI

GUIDED BY VOICES
First Avenue
Sun 12/30/2018 (7pm/$30)
first-avenue.com

We just reviewed the Guided By Voices book, Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices, and briefly mentioned that the group will be in Minneapolis on December 30th.

No opening band listed, because, let’s face it, two hours will not be enough for GBV.

Details

12/30 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
12/31 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge

TRANSMISSION
feat. DJ Jake Rudh
First Avenue
Mon 12/31/2018 (7pm/$15)
first-avenue.com

Celebrate New Year with a New Year Eve party over the Transmission (aka DJ Jake Rudh) at First Avenue.

The theme promises “80s Prom”.

The super early-bird sale price of $10 is long gone, but you can still get in for $15 (price will go up closer to the date).

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

Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices

Guided By Voices News W♥M saw Guided by Voices in August 2016 and reported that they played over 50 songs. GBV is known for their massive music output! Don’t believe me? The double album Zeppelin Over China to be released on February 1, 2019, followed by Warp and Woof in April 2019. According to the band, they’ve recorded the songs in various locations: studios, club soundchecks, hotel rooms and even in the tour van. If that’s not enough, be on the lookout for four vinyl-only (1000 copies) limited edition 7-inch EPs: Winecork Stonehenge and 100 Dougs will be released on December 7, Umlaut Over The Özone and 1901 Acid Rock in March 2019. Tour Dates 12/30 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 12/31 - Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge Read More Guided by Voices Cult indie rock band Guided by Voices will be headlining First Avenue next Wednesday, August 31st, in support of Please Be Honest. …

Closer You Are: The Story of Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices - BOOK REVIEW
By Dena Maxwell

It’s not every day that an elementary school teacher gets to become a rock star. Yet that’s exactly what happened to Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard. Picture him sitting at his desk in front of the class, designing covers for albums that may never be realized.

In reading Matthew Cutter’s Closer You Are, I deduced that Guided By Voices probably holds the record for most times being banned from venues for alcohol-related misconduct. I knew they liked beer, as evidenced by the well-stocked beverage cooler that always sits onstage when they play. I just never realized quite how much they like it. American beer, that is. And I never realized how attached Robert Pollard is to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio. It’s the only place he’s ever lived and likely the only place he ever will. Due to the dearth of American beer and food, it pains him to tour outside the U.S., even though he gets to do his hard-won dream job while he’s away.

Inside the pages of this book, you can learn about all the band’s (and Pollard’s) gazillion albums and how they came into being. All joking aside, Guided By Voices is one of the most prolific bands around. Their creative output is astounding. On the band’s website under ‘Recent Releases’ there are 19 albums listed. As of today, that is. As you might have guessed, Robert Pollard writes lyrics pretty much every day. Ditto regarding album cover design. Even though Guided By Voices has gained a huge cult following, Bob still designs most of their uniquely awesome album covers himself.

Bob is not only a dynamite singer; he’s also a kickass guitarist. Just listen to the studio version of Watch Me Jumpstart. That’s Bob playing those hot guitar licks. Yet if you’ve ever seen them live, you can probably understand why he chooses to keep his hands free and perform sans guitar. He conveys much emotion in the way he grips his microphone, in his jumps and high kicks. His agility while cavorting onstage is amazing, and it’s no wonder. He was a star baseball, basketball and football player in high school and in college. Pollard is the quintessential beer-guzzling rock’n’roll athlete.

The center of the book is filled with black-and-white photos that trace GBV’s lineage from baby Bob to his sports glory days to the ever-changing GBV lineup. Near the end you’ll find “The Rock’n’Roll Rule Book,” Bob’s list of do’s and don’ts on “how to avoid pomposity and cliché.” One of my favorites is “guitar must be played at crotch level (not above or below).”

The bulk of the chapters begin with excerpts from Pollard’s lyrics, and more lyrics are sandwiched inside. Many of these you might recognize, but there are likely others you won’t, especially some early stuff written before Guided By Voices fully came into being. Keeping up with all GBV’s songs, lyrics and albums is really a fulltime job. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn the fascinating origin story of GBV and take that delightful plunge into the seemingly bottomless rabbit hole that is the Guided By Voices catalog. In Bob we trust.

dena (dena@weheartmusic.com) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: July 18 to July 20, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from July 18 to July 20, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Nite Jewel Nite Jewel is the alias of Ramona Gonzalez, currently based out of California. She is currently signed to Secretly Canadian, the label houses such acts like Antony and the Johnsons, ...

NITE JEWEL
at 7th Street Entry
Tuesday 07/18/17 (7pm/$12)
first-avenue.com

Nite Jewel is currently touring in support of Real High. She’ll be stopping by the 7th Street Entry on Tuesday.

She first came to our attention in 2012 and wrote, “Nite Jewel is the alias of Ramona Gonzalez, currently based out of California. She is currently signed to Secretly Canadian ... Nite Jewel's album One Second of Love came out earlier this month. The lead single and video for "One Second of Love" looks like a scene from some 70s Satan movie. The video is creepy and scary, and had a bit of humor (if you stay until the end for the censored flash).”

Fans should also look for Real Low (Gloriette Records), a collection of B-sides from that record.

Geneva Jacuzzi and Harriet Brown to open.

Tour Dates:

7-17 - Denver, CO - Lost Lake *
7-18 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St Entry *
7-19 - Chicago, IL - Chop Stop *
7-20 - Grand Rapids, MI - Pyramid Scheme *
7-21 - Toronto, ON - Baby G *
7-22 - Montreal, QC - Vitrola *
7-25 - Burlington, VT - Arts Riot *
7-26 - Boston, MA - ONCE *
7-27 - Brooklyn NY - BK Bazaar *
7-28 - Philadelphia, PA - Johnny Brenca's *
7-29 - Washington, DC - Rock n Roll Hotel *
7-31 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade *
8-01 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa *
8-03 - Dallas, TX - Three Links *
8-04 - Austin, TX - Sidewinder *
8-05 - McCallen, TX - Yerberia Cultura *
8-07 - El Paso, TX - Club Here I Love You *
8-10 - Phoenix, AZ - Crescent Ballroom *
8-11 - San Diego, CA - Casbah *
8-12 - Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom *
9-01 - Gdansk, PL - Soundrive Festival
9-02 - NO Bergen, NO - Perfect Sounds Festival
9-06 - UK Glasgow, UK - Stereo Cafe Bar
9-07- UK London, UK - Camden Assembly
9-08 - WOS Festival
9-09 - Lisbon, PT - Galeria Zé dos Bois
9-11 - Madrid, ES - Moby Dick Club
9-12 - Barcelona ES - Sidecar
9-14 - Paris, FR - Point Éphémère
9-15 - Rotterdam, NL - V11
9-16 - Offenbach, DE - Parkside Studios
9-18 - Amsterdam, NL - Paradiso Amsterdam
9-21 - Vilnius, LT - Kultūros baras Kablys
9-22 - Riga, LV - ONE ONE
9-23 - Ventspils, LV - Teātra nams Jūras vārti
9-25 - Gothenburg, SE - Oceanen
9-26 - Stockholm, SE - Obaren
9-29 - Vienna, AT - Waves Festival

* w/ Geneva Jacuzzi & Harriet Brown

Read More Less Than Jake Less Than Jake, the ska band from Florida, is back with a new ninth studio album called See the Light, out this week (November 12th) via Fat Wreck Chords. The band will stop at the Varsity Theater . ....

SUBLIME WITH ROME
at First Avenue
Wednesday 07/19/17 (7:30pm/$35)
first-avenue.com

Ska/punk trio Sublime dominated the radio airways in 1997 with such hits as ‘What I Got’ and ‘Santeria’ from their third self-titled album... They were the hottest band on the planet, but bittersweet as their singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell had died two months earlier to heroin overdose.

The surviving band members reformed the band with new singer (and Sublime fan) Rome Ramirez in 2009. They’re called Sublime With Rome in the U.S. for legal reasons (but they’re known as Sublime to the rest of the world). Expect to hear songs from Sublime With Rome’s albums (Yours Truly and Sirens), as well as the hits from the Sublime 1996 album, at the upcoming First Avenue show on Wednesday. This is a rare opportunity to see the trio on a non-festival circuit or large arena.

Less Than Jake to open. The band was previously in town in February 2017.

Tour Dates:

07/14 - Sudbury, ON @ Sudbury Arena
07/15 - London, ON @ Rock The Park Music Festival
07/19 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
09/08 - Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion
09/09 - Sterling Heights, MI @ Freedom Hill
09/12 - Holmdel, NJ @ PNC Bank Arts Center
09/14 - Philadelphia, PA @ Festival Pier
09/15 - Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
09/16 - Wantagh, NY @ Nikon
09/19 - Rogers, AR @ Walmart AMP
09/21 - Woodlands, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell
09/26 - Chula Vista, CA @ Sleep Train Amph
09/27 - Mountain View, CA @ Shoreline Amph
09/29 - Las Vegas, NV @ Downtown Las Vegas Events
09/30 - Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheater

Read More In The Valley Below Los Angeles rock duo In The Valley Below will be releasing a new four-track EP called Peaches this September 17th on Capitol Records. The band recently spent the past two ... Flagship Flagship's soundcheck and stage setup took nearly an hour, going well passed their originally set time of 9:30pm. I am assuming the long setup was due to sound problems with their guitarist's …

IN THE VALLEY BELOW
at Turf Club
Wednesday 07/19/17 (7:30pm/$15)
turfclub.net

In The Valley Below (husband & wife duo Angela Gail and Jeffrey Jacob) will be at the Turf Club in St Paul this Wednesday, in support of their new EP Elephant, which came out earlier this week (July 14th). The record was the follow-up to 2014’s The Belt, and was recorded in the basement studio of their new home in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Flagship to open. We previously saw this Charlotte band in October 2015 and wrote, “Flagship had a lonely highway fringed with darkness sound enhanced by Daniel Lanois/Brian Eno type atmospherics in promotion of their eponymous debut full-length. The band connected with many in the audience, even playing the requested 'I Want You' even though singer Drake Margolnick confessed the band was tired, having just come from Charlotte and an ex-member's wedding, the day before.”

Tour Dates:

Jul 16 The Basement, Columbus, OH
Jul 17 The Hi-Fi, Indianapolis, IN
Jul 18 Empty Bottle, Chicago, IL
Jul 19 Turf Club, St Paul, MN
Jul 20 The Waiting Room, Omaha, NE
Jul 22 The Riot Room, Kansas City, MO
Jul 24 Larimer Lounge, Denver, CO
Jul 25 Urban Lounge, Salt Lake City, UT
Jul 28 Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, Canada
Jul 29 The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
Jul 30 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland, OR
Aug 01 Harlow's Night Club, Sacramento, CA
Aug 02 Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco, CA
Aug 03 Troubadour, Los Angeles, CA
Aug 04 The Casbah, San Diego, CA
Aug 05 Crescent Ballroom, Phoenix, AZ
Aug 08 Stubb's Indoor, Austin, TX
Aug 09 Dada, Dallas, TX
Aug 11 The Earl, Atlanta, GA
Aug 12 Motorco Music Hall, Durham, NC
Aug 13 The Underground, Charlotte, NC
Aug 15 DC9, Washington, DC
Aug 16 Boot & Saddle, Philadelphia, PA
Aug 17 Mercury Lounge, New York, NY
Aug 18 The Hollow, Albany, NY
Aug 19 Rough Trade NYC, Brooklyn, NY
Aug 20 Higher Ground, South Burlington, VT
Aug 22 Brighton Music Hall, Allston, MA

All dates with Flagship

Read More Tobin Sprout Tobin Sprout has consistently released high quality rock albums with sound textures and a world conjured up that are his alone. Let's Welcome the Circus People is one of my favorite albums … Elf Power Day 1 wrapped with a sonic boom as Athens’ own Elf Power put the rock in our faces and took us to magical places. …

TOBIN SPROUT
at 7th St Entry
Thursday 07/20/17 (7:30pm/$15)
first-avenue.com

We previously caught Guided By Voices’ guitarist Tobin Sprout in Athens, Georgia on May 19, 2017, which we wrote, “The rooftop of the Georgia Theatre in Athens, GA was packed to the gills on May 19th to partake in Tobin Sprout’s laid back performance and Elf Power’s rowdy one. A friend of mine even drove from Indiana to see the show. It was a regular townie reunion.”

Now Sprout is on his way to Minneapolis to play his new The Universe And Me (Burger Records)... plus some surprisingly GBV songs.

Elephant Six artists Elf Power will open, but we feel this is more of a co-headliner situation, as both bands could easily headline the 7th Street Entry stage. Elf Power’s Twitching in Time is out now on Orange Twin.

Grant Hart (co-founder of legendary Minneapolis band Hüsker Dü) to open.

Tour Dates:

July-19 Iowa City, IA The Mill %
Jul-20 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry %
July-21 Omaha, NE Reverb %
July-22 Denver, Co Larimer Lounge %
July-25 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge %
July-26 Seattle, WA Barboza %
July-28 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord %
July-29 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room %
July-30 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Bar %
July-31 San Diego, CA The Casbah %
Aug-1 Tuscon, AZ Club Congress %
Aug-2 Albuquerque, NM Sister %
Aug-4 Austin, TX Barracuda %
Aug-5 Norman, OK The Opolis %
Aug-6 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill %

% with Elf Power

Read More Laura Stevenson The last time I saw Laura Stevenson, she was with "The Cans" at The Triple Rock in 2011. I wonder if the band decided to drop the "The Cans" part and just going with "Laura Stevenson"? Anyway, she is …

Other shows in the area:

07/18/2017 Jeff Rosenstock is headlining the Garage in Burnsville. Laura Stevenson, Remo Drive, and Heart To Gold to open. Stevenson recently released her first live album, Live at the Vera Club as a pay-what-you-want download through Jeff Rostenstock’s digital label, Quote Unquote Records. 100% of the proceeds will benefit Planned Parenthood. 6pm, $13.

07/18/2017 The Life and Times is playing the Triple Rock Social Club with Another Heaven. and Exactly No. 8pm, $10.

07/18/2017 There is a Chris Cornell Tribute show the Turf Club in St Paul on Tuesday. If you’re a Soundgarden fan, expect to hear plenty of covers from local bands Cabs, Killery Sweets, The 4onthefloor, Zoo Animal, Death Of A Ladies Man, Hot Date, The Person And The People, Jake Ilika And The Heavy Set, Reverend Doctor, Motari Jaguar, The Satellites, Space Needle, The Brute Squad ... just to name a few. 7pm, $5.

07/20/2017 Minneapolis avant-detal metal band Sunless is headlining the Triple Rock Social Club on Thursday. Grogus, Suffering Hour, Ulkum, and Morke to open. 6pm, $5.

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

Guided By Voices / Broncho at First Ave, Minneapolis (31 Aug 2016)

poster GBV Setlist The Quickers Arrive Authoritarian Zoo Back to the Lake Psychic Pilot Clocks Out My Daughter Yes She Knows* Dragons Awake! Tractor Rape Chain My Zodiac Companion Jargon of Clones^ Cut-Out Witch Dayton, Ohio-19 Something and 5 I Can Illustrate* Arrows and Balloons* Game of Pricks What Are All Those Paint Men Digging?^ Glittering Parliaments The Hand That Holds You* Echos Myron Hotel X (Big Soap) I Am a Tree Question Girl All Right~ Poor Substitute^ Expecting Brainchild Come On Mr. Christian Planet Score The Brides Have Hit Glass Subspace Biographies Tabby & Lucy~ Kid on a Ladder Mobility^ Do Something Real* Miles Under the Skin* Make Use* Come On Baby Grace~ Piss Face^ Eye Shop Heaven Glad Girls The Official Ironmen Rally Song Love Is Stronger Than Witchcraft* The Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory Please Be Honest I Am a Scientist Of Course You Are* -- Encore -- Fair Touching Not Behind the Fighter Jet Smothered in Hugs -- Encore II -- Teenage FBI Shocker in Gloomtown Motor Away -- Encore III -- A Salty Salute Don't Stop Now Baba O'Riley (The Who cover) * Robert Pollard songs ^ Ricked Wicky songs ~ Boston Spaceships songs Broncho Setlist Fantasy Boys I Know You Jenny Loves Jenae Señora Borealis Speed Demon It's On What Deena Stay Loose NC-17 Stop Tricking Taj Mahal Kurt Try Me Out I Don't Really Want To Be Social Can’t Get Past the Lips Record Store Class Historian Read More Guided by Voices Cult indie rock band Guided by Voices will be headlining First Avenue next Wednesday, August 31st, in support of Please Be Honest. … Broncho Broncho is returning to Minneapolis’ 7th Street Entry in support of their new album Double Vanity (Dine Alone Records). We caught the punk-ish band ...

Dayton’s much-beloved Guided By Voices (often abbreviated to GBV) recently headlined the historic First Avenue mainroom on Wednesday night, in support of their latest Please Be Honest.

Broncho

Oklahoma’s Broncho (featuring Ryan Lindsey, Nathan Price, Ben King, Penny Pitchlynn) opened up the show. We’ve been early supporters of the band (writing and covering them in 2013 and 2014), and we did wanted to catch them on their recent June appearance, but had to miss Broncho’s show due to commitment to cover Rodrigo Amarante on that same date.

Currently, Broncho’s been chosen to open up for GBV, and based on their enthusiastic, animated performance, the band seemed excited to play in front of large crowd.

With a generous (nearly) one hour opening set (clocking in at 50 mins), Broncho took the stage with singer/guitarist Ryan Lindsey chanting, “We’re Broncho, we’re Broncho, we’re Broncho.” As soon as they started playing ‘Fantasy Boys’, taken from their latest Double Vanity album on Dine Alone Records, you can tell that Broncho seemed more focused in their sound. It sounded almost polished, compared to their previous albums and live appearance - which we previously called them as “punk”. Having seen them now, I wouldn’t really call them simply punk... they sound more melodic, with epic shoegazing jams.

Lindsey’s vocals seemed undermixed at this show, we’re not sure if it’s the soundboard’s fault or if this was done deliberately. It was really hard to see what Lindsey is singing, as the music sounded incredibly loud, particularly with the guitar playing from Ben King (not to be confused with Ben E King) and bass sound of Penny Pitchlynn (who is also in Low Litas, and a band we previously saw opened for Broncho in 2014).

Personally speaking, I do like Broncho’s new shift in sound. It shows that the band is evolving and growing... and we’re curious to see what else they have in store for us in the future.

The cult-like followers of Guided By Voices gave a loud thunderous cheer when the Ohio band took the stage at 9:30pm. They had to start so early because they made the request to First Avenue that they were going to play over two hours and fifty minutes! Of course, true fans would automatically joke, “Oh, that’s a short set for GBV.”

With the release of their latest Please Be Honest, the band drew heavy criticisms from their fans. You see, for five years, since the band reunited with the “classic” lineup of Robert Pollard, Tobin Sprout, Mitch Mitchell, Kevin Fennell, and Greg Demos.... but with the new 2016 version of GBV, it is simply just Robert Pollard. In fact, the entire Please Be Honest has Pollard writing and playing all the instruments on all the songs. Many fans seemed confused by this, should this have just been a Robert Pollard solo album?

With the healthy turnout for the Minneapolis show, clearly fans don’t care that Pollard sacked his entire “classic lineup” band, choosing to bring new players (with some pre-classic lineup musicians): drummer Kevin March, guitarist Bobby Bare Jr., guitarist Doug Gillard, and bassist Mark Shue.

The new band is quite diverse, adaptive, and knowledgeable enough to play GBV’s 30+ years of music catalog (including a cover of The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’). Plus, on top of that, they had to play randomly different sets every night (as decided by Pollard’s whims).

Looking over the Pollard’s handwritten setlist, which featured over 50 songs, complete with their standard triple encore .... Guided By Voices’ fans truly got their money’s worth.

Guided By Voices Robert Pollard’s latest album Please Be Honest is out now.

Tour dates:

09/03/16 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
09/09/16 GARP Festival
09/16/16 CityFolk Music Festival
09/17/16 Toronto Urban Roots Festival
10/07/16 Charlottesville, VA Jefferson Theater
10/08/16 Project Pabst
10/29/16 The Fest
11/01/16 Little Rock, AR Revolution Music Room
11/04/16 Sound On Sound Festival
11/06/16 New Orleans, LA Republic NOLA
11/07/16 Birmingham, AL Saturn
11/09/16 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse
11/11/16 Asheville, NC The Grey Eagle
11/12/16 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle
12/31/16 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall Of Williamsburg

GBV Setlist

Broncho

Broncho: Ryan Lindsey

Broncho: Penny Pitchlynn

Guided By Voices

Guided By Voices at First Avenue, Minneapolis (31 August 2016)

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

Minneapolis: August 28 to August 31, 2016

We are closing out the month of August with these shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from August 28 to August 31, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Bayside Out of all the bands I listen to, Bayside is definitely in my top three favorite bands of all time. There's something about them that makes me obsess over them .…

BAYSIDE
at Mill City Nights
Sunday, 08/28/16, 7:30pm ($18/$23)
millcitynights.com

We caught Bayside last September 2015 and wrote that it was “Absolute perfection”.

The American rock band is currently back on tour in support of their seventh studio album Vancancy, available now on Hopeless Records in North America.

Singer/guitar player Anthony Raneri (who recently move to Nashville) tells the story of his his marriage and finding himself alone in Nashville: “The hotel on the album cover reflects the feelings I had while working on Vacancy. Writing this album, I felt as if everything was uncertain, I could move back to New York, buy a house in Nashville… I just didn’t know what was going to come next. I felt very isolated and as if everything in my life was temporary at that moment.”

The Menzingers and Sorority Noise to open.

Tour dates:

08/20 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
08/21 Boston, MA House of Blues
08/23 Pittsburgh, PA Altar Bar
08/24 Cleveland, OH Agora
08/25 Toronto, ON Opera House
08/26 Detroit, MI The Majestic
08/27 Chicago, IL Beer Festival
08/28 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights
08/30 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
08/31 Salt Lake City, UT The Complex
09/02 Seattle, WA The Showbox
09/03 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
09/04 San Francisco Regency
09/06 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory
09/07 Los Angeles, CA Regent Theater
09/08 San Diego, CA The Observatory North Park
09/09 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl
09/10 Phoenix, AZ The Pressroom
09/11 Albuquerque, NM The Sunshine Theater
09/13 San Antonio, TX Alamo City Music Hall
09/14 Houston, TX House of Blues
09/15 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Live
09/16 Lawrence, KS Granada Theater
09/17 St. Louis, MO The Ready Room
09/18 Nashville, TN Exit/In

Read More A Silent Film As soon as Greycoats set ended, A Silent Film's fans raced up front to the stage: clearly, they were the band of the hour. The English alternative band had great energy, with a dedicated singer …

A SILENT FILM
at 7th Street Entry
Monday, 08/29/16, 7:30pm ($15)
first-avenue.com

Oxford’s A Silent Film is back in the USA, touring in support of their new album Sand & Snow.

We previously caught the band on their first visit in 2013 and again last October 2015 and wrote, “Oxford, UK band A Silent Film has pared down to a duo since we last saw them, bringing a fellow Oxford resident on bass and two Americans, on tour to play with them.... As a result, the band is in the midst of a rebirth of sorts themselves, and as evidenced by their newest and self-titled full-length.”

Grayshot to open.

Tour dates:

08/20 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl*
08/21 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort*
08/23 Bend, OR Century Center Events*
08/24 Boise, ID Revolution Center*
08/29 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
08/30 Kansas City, MO The Riot Room
08/31 St. Louis, MO Duck Room at Blueberry Hill
09/02 Dallas, TX Club Dada
09/03 Stroud, OK Backwoods Music Festival

* supporting Silversun Pickups

Read More Guided by Voices Current DJ Mark Wheat went on-stage to intro the legendary Guided by Voices, but first gave the crowd a score update to the US game of the World Cup. This led into chants of “USA …

GUIDED BY VOICES
at First Avenue
Wednesday, 08/31/16, 7:30pm ($25/$30)
first-avenue.com

Cult indie rock band Guided by Voices will be headlining First Avenue next Wednesday, August 31st, in support of Please Be Honest.

Broncho will open the show. We’ve previously seen the band early in their career, in 2014 and 2013, and have written that this is a very lucky band to have been on tour with Billy Idol and now with GBV.

Broncho’s Double Vanity album is out now on Dine Alone Records.

Broncho’s tour dates:

8/22 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA*
8/23 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA*
8/26 - Neumos - Seattle, WA*
8/30 - Total Drag - Sioux Falls, SD
8/31 - First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN*
9/1 - Turner Hall - Milwaukee, WI*
9/2 - Northside Tavern - Cincinnati, OH
9/3 - Metro - Chicago, IL*

* w/ Guided By Voices

Read More Minnesota State Fair Despite my protests, we end up going to the Minnesota State Fair every year. This is the "Great Minnesota Get-together", where everyone goes to enjoy eating something on a stick…

MINNESOTA STATE FAIR
at Minnesota State Fair Grandstand
08/25/16 - 09/05/16, 7am ($13)
mnstatefair.org

It’s that time of the year again: The Great Get-Together Minnesota State Fair! As usual, they have booked some great musical lineup this year.

Note: The GrandStand’s concert tickets are extra and does not include the State Fair’s entrance fee.

The GrandStand:

08/25/2016: Don Henley ($50)
08/26/2016: Charlie Wilson ($40)
08/27/2016: Dixie Chicks* ($57)
08/28/2016: Dixie Chicks* ($57)
08/29/2016: Happy Together Tour ($21)
08/30/2016: G-Eazy ($33)
08/31/2016: Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas ($33)
09/01/2016: Alabama ($40)
09/02/2016: Garrison Keillor ($27)
09/03/2016: Weezer ($35)
09/04/2016: Minnesota State Fair (Free)
09/05/2016: Bonnie Raitt ($36)

* Please note that one of W♥M favorite souls/blues band Vintage Trouble, along with roots band Smooth Hound Smith, are listed to open for Dixie Chicks, which is a bit of an odd billing.

Leinie Lodge Bandshell (free):

08/25-08/26: High Valley, Tonic Sol-fa, Martin Family Circus
08/27-08/28: The Bros. Landreth, Ashley Campbell, Dave Barnes
08/29-08/30: We Banjo 3, Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, Infantry Division "Red Bull" Band
08/31-09/01: Pokey LaFarge The Quebe Sisters, The Sound Exchange
09/02-09/03: BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Max Baca & Los TexManiacs, The Railers
09/04-09/05: Tim Cavanagh, The Last Bandoleros, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Peterson Brothers

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

Rock the Garden - Day Two at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (22 June 2014) concert review

Spoon Setlist Knock Knock Knock Rent I Pay Don’t You Evah Small Stakes Who Makes Your Money Don’t Make Me a Target The Ghost of You Lingers Beast and Dragon Adored I Turn My Camera On Rainy Taxi Rhythm & Soul I Summon You Trouble Comes Running The Underdog Got Nuffin -- Encore -- Black Like Me You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb Jonathan Fisk Guided by Voices Setlist Authoritarian Zoo Planet Score Schocker in Gloomtown Tractor Rape Chain Psychotic Crush Wish I Was a Giant Vote for Me Dummy Fair Touching Hat of Flames Cut-Out Witch Pan Swimmer The Challenge is Much More Buzzards and Dreadful Crows Teenage FBI Alex and the Omegas Good Flying Bird Cool Planet Goldheart Mountaintop Queen Directory Spider Fighter Game of Pricks No Transmission I Am a Scientist Echos Myron Smothered in Hugs Motor Away Dessa Setlist The Man I Knew Alibi The Crow Dear Marie Medley Call Off Your Ghost Dixon’s Girl Mineshaft II Warsaw The Lamb Little Mercy (feat. Cecil Otter) Seamstress Fighting Fish Kurt Vile Setlist Wakin’ on a Pretty Day Jesus Fever On Tour Monkey Hunchback Freak Train KV Crimes Dead Alive Valerie June Setlist Tennessee Time Happy or Lonesome Somebody to Love Rain Dance The Hour Rollin’ and Tumblin’ Workin’ Woman Blues This World Read More Rock the Garden The annual Summer music festival Rock the Garden, organized by the Walker Art Center and 89.3 The Current, just started last night and continues …

Coverage continues on our second day at the Walker Art Center for the Two-Day Rock the Garden Festival.

Valerie June-

Valerie June

Skies grayed, thunder rumbled, and a light rain fell as Memphis-based singer-songwriter Valerie June took the stage to open Day Two, in support of her acclaimed Pushin’ Against a Stone (Concord Music). Now a trio, as opposed to her previous solo visit to town, the laid back Southern drawl of ‘Tennessee Time’ and ‘Somebody to Love’ was an ideal musical hangover cure to get everyone back in the mood for another day of varied sounds.

With Medusa-like hair and banjo-plucking skills, she declared, “We’re going to send the rain away” and did so, appropriately during ‘Rain Dance.’  Blues classic ‘Rollin and Tumblin’ was segued into her own ‘Workin’ Woman Blues’ and the gospel-flavored ‘This World’ ended the set, perfectly setting the table for the day ahead.

Kurt Vile and the Violators-

Kurt Vile and the Violators

Though he looks like he could be guitarist for Megadeth, there is a subtle power to former War on Drugs member Kurt Vile.  He and his Violators (multi-instrumentalists Jesse Trbovich and Rob Laakso, with drummer Kyle Spence) plodded through a careful and building set of songs, in support of recent solo efforts, Wakin’ on a Pretty Daze and the EP, It's a Big World Out There (And I Am Scared) (on Matador Records).

Vile himself plays with an almost introverted style, often staring down at his own guitar, long hair shielding any glimpse of his face.  After quoting Willy Wonka, a fan shouted for a Willy Wonka cover, to which Vile replied, “…charming”. The psychedelics and feedback continued to increase as the set progressed, but Vile chose to downshift at the end, with a quiet and soft ‘Dead Alive’ to a hushed crowd.

Dessa-

Dessa

In an hour-long riveting hometown performance, poet / rapper / TV host / author / Doomtree member, etc. Dessa showed the love back to the local crowd that was already in the palm of her hand, even before her first verse.  Darting and moving like a boxer, she played with the ability to see her own giant-sized face on the screens; would dive into the audience; throw a tub of gelato into the crowd in a cathartic gesture that recalled her food sampling days handing out the dessert at Whole Foods; and late in the set,, serenaded the crowd, jumping from the stage to walk from the pit to the soundboard and back.

Dessa with Aby Wolf

Having Aby Wolf sing harmonies and trade verses was one of the smartest band decisions she’s made, and fellow Doomtree member Cecil Otter, spit fire, guesting on ‘Little Mercy’.This was a very tight and athletic-like performance, backed by her crack local band, which enhanced the often intense lyrics of songs like ‘Call Off Your Ghost’ and hit, ‘Dixon’s Girl’. ‘Dixon’s’ , played late in the set, especially pleased a young girl in the crowd middle, atop her father’s shoulder, holding a sign with the song’s title on it.

“Lizzo isn’t my competition…”, Dessa would remark, dispelling any rumors of such, “…time is. Laundry is my competition.” More than a local performance, Dessa was triumphant in front of the audience that has supported her and her Doomtree collective for so long, as she would mention with gratitude.

Guided by Voices-

GBV with Mark Wheat

Current DJ Mark Wheat went on-stage to intro the legendary Guided by Voices, but first gave the crowd a score update to the US game of the World Cup.  This led into chants of “USA, USA”, which in turn, morphed into even louder chants of “GBV, GBV”.  Bob Pollard and crew then took to the stage, armed with literally thousands of possible songs they could do, “We’re going to do 24 songs for you”, Pollard said …they did 25.

“More bang for your buck”, and after a crew member had taped down Pollard’s mic further, so it wouldn’t dislodge from his swinging, the band put pedal to the metal and was off down their musical, devil-may-care road.

Guided by Voices

The 56-year old white haired singer was amazingly spry during their hour-long set, kicking his leg to touch his hand, jumping about, and prowling from end-to-end on stage.  By contrast, guitarists Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell were rock steady, with Mitchell looking ever deadpan with a lingering cigarette butt, dangling from his lip.  Bassist Greg Demos moved about in the background, striking poses with bass held high, everyone keeping up with Pollard and his resistance to even pause too long to take a breath.

New album, Bee Thousand (Scat Records) songs were mixed into the set, alongside older favorites like the Rick Ocasek-produced “Teenage FBI’, “we worked with the big boys”, Pollard would comment about The Cars singer.  Pollard even slighted local legend Paul Westerberg, saying they’ve played here some twenty times, and had yet to get a glimpse of the somewhat reclusive Replacements leader.

Spoon-

Britt Daniel

“I’m not gonna say where we were last night (ed. note: it was Toronto)… but it wasn’t this good”, Spoon’s singer Britt Daniel confessed to an enthusiastic crowd early in their 75 min. set.  Starting with new songs from their upcoming They Want My Soul (out August 5 on Loma Vista/Republic), the audience was among the first to hear many of the new and yet-to-be-released songs live, which made the clear Sunday evening, seem even more special.

2007 breakthrough album album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge Records) was well-represented as well in this abbreviated set, though at the expense of 2010 album, Transference, as I especially missed the inclusion of ‘Written in Reverse’. Daniel, Jim Eno (drums), and band didn’t say a lot to the crowd, carrying on with a confident mix of songs old and new to an already-convinced audience.

An extra boost of energy was provided by Brooklyn band White Rabbits’ guitarist/percussionist Steve Patterson, who was ably filling in for Rob Pope, whose wife was due with child.  Daniel had first met White Rabbits in Minneapolis and went on to produce on of their albums, so the chemistry between Patterson and band seemed natural and unforced.  Daniel’s voice and guitar work moved from elegance to fierceness almost on a coin-flip, and the songs on Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga received the most enthusiastic response.

A three-song encore closed the night and festival, highlighted by ‘You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb’, which was great to hear within earshot of the famous Oldenburg Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture in the adjoining garden. For the faithful, Spoon returns to town with a downtown theater show in mid-September.

Spoon at Rock the Garden, Minneapolis (22 June 2014)

behzad + john () ♥ weheartmusic.com