W♥M

Hey Rosetta!, w/ Yukon Blonde at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (14 Nov 2015)

Hey Rosetta! Setlist Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering) Gold Teeth Young Glass What Arrows Kid Gloves Trish's Song Handshake the Gangster Harriet alternative: Promise Red Heart / Black Heart Lions for Scottie alternate: Kintsukuroi Carry Me Home New Goodbye -- Encore -- Bandages Welcome Yukon Blonde Setlist Confused Make U Mine Como Wind Blows Hannah Saturday Night Radio I Wanna Be Your Man Favorite People Stairway Read More Hey Rosetta! It's that time of the month again! That's right, the Communion Club Night is taking place on Tuesday, April 21st. This month will feature Canadian band Hey Rosetta!, they previously opened up for Stars last November 2014. … Yukon Blonde In contrast, Yukon Blonde resides in the light. Their first album, a 2010 self-titled release was pure pop joy, with some amazing hooks and great harmonies. Their …

On Saturday, November 14th two Canadian bands, Yukon Blonde opening for Hey Rosetta!, played a show at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis.

Yukon Blonde's set

Yukon Blonde, based in Vancouver, had played the Twin Cities and this club in particular before, though in 2011 as the headliner. At that time they were touring in support of their first self-titled album and their subsequent EP Fire/Water, and their sound could only be described as bright, almost unbearably catchy indie pop. Their music was characterized by great hooks and beautiful harmonies.

This time they played a set mostly from their new album, On Blonde, which is quite different from their earlier material. It adds dance beats and has fewer vocal harmonies. It is dynamic and dancey, and feels much less retro than their earlier material, especially their first album. They were well received, by both their fans and those new to the band. They played for 45 minutes, including 7 songs off their new album, 2 songs off their 2012 album Tiger Talk, and one song from their first full length self-titled album released in 2010.

Hey Rosetta!'s set

Hey Rosetta!, who were formed and are still based in St. John’s, Newfoundland at the entire other end of the country, followed with a set that lasted just over an hour and a quarter (including their encore).

Since the 7-piece band (featuring Tim Baker, Phil Maloney, Adam Hogan, Josh Ward, Romesh Thavanathan, Kinley Dowling and Mara Pellerin) is currently celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary as a band, this current tour served somewhat like a "Greatest Hits" tour, drawing heavily on their most recent release, 2014’s Second Sight (7 songs), but included tracks from all their albums. There were 3 songs from their previous release 2011’s Seeds, 3 from their 2008 release Into Your Lungs, 1 from their first full length release 2006’s Plan Your Escape, and 1 from their holiday EP A Cup of Kindness Yet.

Their set was a representative display of their beautiful multi-instrument anthemic chamber pop. Their band members played a variety of instruments including cello, violin, keyboards, and xylophone-like instruments, as well as drums, and electric guitars and bass.

Hey Rosetta! recently unveiled a new music video for "Trish's Song", taken from their latest album Second Sight. You can watch it on vimeo.com. The video shows singer Tim Baker alone with a piano, but slowly featured backup vocals from various band members.

Overall the Triple Rock Social Club show was a fine concert by two Canadian bands that each deserve far larger followings.

Remaining tour dates:

Nov 19 - Kingston, ON @ Grand Theatre
Nov 20 - Toronto, ON @ Massey Hall
Nov 21 - Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Nov 22 - Ottawa, ON @ NAC
Nov 24 - Moncton, NB @ T&B Ballroom
Nov 25 - Saint John, NB @ Kent Theatre
Nov 26 - Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn Aud
Nov 27 - Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn Aud
Dec 16 - St. John’s @ Holy Heart
Dec 17 - St.John's @ Holy Heart
Dec 18 - St.John's @ Holy Heart

Hey Rosetta! 10 Years XO: 2005-2015

robert ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ itunes.apple.com

Minneapolis: November 14, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on November 14, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Hey Rosetta! It's that time of the month again! That's right, the Communion Club Night is taking place on Tuesday, April 21st. This month will feature Canadian band Hey Rosetta!, they previously opened up for Stars last November 2014. … Yukon Blonde Yukon Blonde: Stairway. Dine Alone Music Copyright: (C) 2012 Yukon Blonde. Under exclusive license to Dine Alone Music Inc. …

HEY ROSETTA!
at Triple Rock Social Club
Saturday, 11/14/2015, 7pm ($12)
triplerocksocialclub.com

On Saturday November 14th two fine Canadian bands from opposite ends of the country will perform at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The headliner, Hey Rosetta!, is from St. John’s, Newfoundland, while Yukon Blonde, the opener, is based in Vancouver, British Columbia. The two previously toured together in 2012. Fittingly, given their vast geographical separation, they are a bit of a yin-yang pairing, but both can be riveting.

Hey Rosetta! is the dark side of the pairing. Their music is at times subdued, and at times anthemic, but always dramatic and moving, often with a sense of sadness. They feature classical instruments (piano, violin, and cello) in addition to more traditional rock instruments. They have released four albums, the first in 2006, and the most recent, Second Sight, in 2014. The latest tour is in celebration of the band's 10 year anniversary.

In contrast, Yukon Blonde resides in the light. Their first album, a 2010 self-titled release was pure pop joy, with some amazing hooks and great harmonies. Their most recent album, “On Blonde” released this year, changes things up a bit but still preserves their energy and brightness. With layers of synths on top of their guitar-driven songs, it is more likely to get the audience up and dancing than their previous efforts.

Tour dates:

11/07/15 Victoria, BC McPherson Playhouse 11/09/15 Edmonton, AB Winspear Centre 11/10/15 Calgary, AB Jack Singer 11/11/15 Saskatoon, SK Broadway Theatre 11/12/15 Winnipeg, MB Garrick Centre 11/14/15 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock 11/15/15 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall 11/16/15 London, ON London Music Hall

11/17/15 Kitchener, ON Centre In The Square 11/19/15 Kingston, ON Grand Theatre 11/20/15 Toronto, ON Massey Hall 11/21/15 M Pour Montreal 11/21/15 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile Corona 11/22/15 Ottawa, ON National Arts Centre 11/25/15 Saint John, NB Kent Theatre 11/27/15 Halifax, NS Rebecca Cohn

Read More Gogol Bordello Gogol Bordello is back with Pura Vida Conspiracy, coming out July 23, 2013, on ATO/Casa Gogol Records. Check out this RollingStone.com .… Jessica Hernandez If you have an iPod or iPad, you can grab the single to "Tired Oak" by Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas for free on iTunes. …

GOGOL BORDELLO
at First Avenue
Saturday, 11/14/2015, 8pm ($30)
first-avenue.com

Start wearing purple, wearing purple!

Gogol Bordello is back celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Underdog World Strike with a double-night at First Avenue. They are playing the entire album from start to finish, plus throwing in some classic hits for this special show. Also, typically when they double book the venue, it is because they anticipate the shows to sell out. Expect the venue to be sold out or at least 90% packed with fellow gypsy punks.

Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas to open. Hernandez was previously in town as part of the special Red Bull Sound Select, which was at an unbeatable price of $3 with RSVP.

Tour dates:

11/07/15 Austin, TX Auditorium Shores
11/08/15 Dallas, TX Bomb Factory
11/09/15 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
11/11/15 St. Louis, MO The Pageant
11/12/15 Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
11/13/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
11/14/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
11/15/15 Winnipeg, MB Burton Cummings
11/18/15 Edmonton, AB Shaw Conference
11/19/15 Calgary, AB MacEwan Hall Ballroom
11/21/15 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
11/22/15 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
11/23/15 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal
11/25/15 San Francisco, CA Warfield Theatre
11/27/15 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern
11/28/15 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl
12/30/15 New York, NY Terminal 5
12/31/15 New York, NY Terminal 5
01/01/16 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
01/02/16 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

Read More Brian Setzer I was shopping around for some of my writers to review this CD for Brian Setzer Orchestra's Wolfgang's Big Night Out, but after listening to a few songs, I love it so much … Pepper Island Records recently signed alt-rock trio Pepper, releasing their self-titled sixth album yesterday (September 3rd) with a new single called "F**k Around (All Night)". … Elephant Revival Colorado's Elephant Revival and the Lowest Pair are currently heading down to "Boats & Bluegrass Festival" and "Maximum Ames Music Festival" in late September, but before stopped … Angel Haze Colorado's Dirty Gold is the new album from Angel Haze (aka Raykeea Wilson), it is coming out March 3rd, 2014, on Island Records (UK)/Universal Republic (US). …

VARIOUS ARTISTS
at Various Venues
Saturday, 11/14/2015
news.weheartmusic.com

It's a typical Saturday night with too many shows in the Minneapolis and St Paul area.

I've spotlighted some of the upcoming shows below:

Illinois pop punk and GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum Plain White T's was recently in town in June 2015, supporting Rob Thomas, but will be headlining their own show at Mill City Nights. Matt McAndrew and Beta Play to open ($20/8pm).

You know me, I love Stray Cats and frontman Brian Setzer is responsible for not only bringing back rockabilly, but also swing music with his Brian Setzer Orchestra band. They'll be in town as part of their annual Christmas Tour tradition at Orpheum Theatre. ($53/8pm).

PS The band recently put together a PledgeMusic campaign to produce a limited edition Rockin' Rudolph box sets. Unfortunately only the T-Shirts and the regular box set is available for purchase, see all the details at pledgemusic.com.

Inventive DJ/producer duo The Chainsmokers recently launched their fan-sourced, #TiltTour.... going to cities where they are in demand (with the first 6 cities to pre-sell at least 800 tickets). Count Minneapolis as one of the demanded cities, as they stop in at the Skyway Theatre. Matoma, Shaun Frank and Louis The Child to open. ($20/7pm).

San Diego, by the way of Hawaii, band Pepper (not to be confused with Sandra "Pepa" Denton or London singer Pepper) will play the Fine Line Music Café with their two amigos Ballyhoo! and Katastro. ($23.50/7pm)

Elephant Revival is returning to the Twin Cities at Turf Club in Saint Paul. LOTT (aka Minneapolis musician, Leah Ottman of We Are The Willows) to open. ($17/8pm/Sold Out).

Two-time "Best Female Hip Hop Artist" MTV VMA nominee Angel Haze will be stopping by The Nether Bar inside Mill City Nights ($15/8pm).

robert + vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Communion, feat. Hey Rosetta! at Turf Club, St Paul (21 April 2015)

poster Hey Rosetta! Setlist Gold Teeth Yer Spring What Arrows Soft Offering (For the Oft Suffering) Young Glass Alcatraz Cathedral Bells Harriet Red Heart Welcome Bandages Communion Club Night Residency - May 2015 May 5 - Rockwood Music Hall, New York May 6 - Milkboy, Philadelphia May 13 - Zanzabar, Louisville May 14 - High Watt, Nashville May 17 - Tank Room, Kansas City May 19 - Turf Club, St Paul May 21 - Schubas, Chicago May 22, Codfish Hollow Barn, Maquoketa Read More Hey Rosetta! It's that time of the month again! That's right, the Communion Club Night is taking place on Tuesday, April 21st. This month will feature Canadian band Hey Rosetta!, they previously opened up for Stars last November 2014. …

This was my third time seeing the Canadian seven-piece indie rock/pop band Hey Rosetta!, who is currently headlining the Communion Club Night national series. The band stopped by the Turf Club in St Paul, Minnesota, last night, April 21st, in support of their latest album Second Sight.

This was also our sixth time we've covered Communion and what is the same is The Current's radio DJ Jade is still MCing/announcing bands. What's changed is the location, from the Varsity Theater in Dinky Town/Minneapolis, to the Turf Club in St Paul. Also noticeably missing are the little shops... this is now just a live concert event.

Opening up the show was local Going to the Sun, promoting their self-titled debut album. I am told the album had singer/songwriter David Young playing all the instruments... but for the live show, he had a full band.

Kevin Garrett

Also on the bill was Brooklyn's Kevin Garrett; he's joined by Sean Mullins on drums and Jeremy McDonald on keys/etc. Garrett's set included some very sensitive/personal original songs, including crowd favorites "Coloring" and "Control". He ended his set with a Sam Cooke cover, "You Send Me".

Hey Rosetta!'s singer Tim Baker was recovering from a vocal loss, who was unable to speak for the past two days, was forced to canceled a few dates on their tour. Luckily his voice came back, but a little patchy, as the band resumed the tour at the Turf Club. You can tell he wasn't feeling 100%, but the band is always fun and remained upbeat, particularly toward the end of their blockbuster set.

I've mentioned it before, but this band is large. There are seven band members, Baker on vocals, guitars, and sometime keys, Josh Ward on bass, Adam Hogan on lead guitar, Romesh Thavanathan on cello and guitars, Phil Maloney on drums, Kinley Dowling on violin and glockenspiel, and Mara Pellerin on trumpets, keys, French horn. Most of the band members are versatile enough to be able to switch instruments when the songs called for it.

Hey Rosetta! Setlist

As you can see from the setlist, about half their set were devoted to their latest album Second Sight, which came out in Canada in 2014 via Sonic Records, but the USA just got the album earlier this year. The was pretty close to their November 2014 appearance with Stars.

Highlight of their set was for "Red Heart", which got a great introduction from Tim Baker: "This song is about coming a little closer to the stage [immediately fans swarmed to the front]. This song is about shaking your butt!"

They ended their set with "Bandages" and there was no encores (all of the Communion shows we've covered never had encores).

Remaining Communion dates with Hey Rosetta!:

04/23 Chicago, IL Schubas
04/24 Rock Island, IL Rozz-Tox†‡

Hey Rosetta! at Turf Club, St Paul (21 April 2015)

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: April 19 - April 21, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from April 19 to April 21, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Shook Twins Shook Twins are an Indie folk-pop band from Portland, Oregon, featuring identical twins Katelyn and Laurie Shook, with Kyle Volkman and Niko Daoussis. …

PILE
at Hexagon Bar
Sunday 04/19/15, 7pm (??)
hexagonbar.com

I was going to spotlight The Mountain Goats, but Merge Records doesn't need the spotlight. Instead, we've previously written about Shook Twins at Bryant Lake Bowl on 04/19.

Also, Boston's Pile is back in Minneapolis, this time over at the Hexagon Bar (a misnomer, it's actually a rectangle-shaped bar). Pile is touring in support of their new album You're Better Than This, out now via Exploding In Sound Records.

Pile's North American tour dates:

04/09 - Seattle WA - Black Lodge
04/10 - Missoula MT - Hawkey Haus
04/11 - Salt Lake City UT - Diabolical Records
04/12 - Denver CO - Rhinoceropolis
04/14 - Omaha NE - Sweatshop Gallery
04/15 - Lawrence KS - Jackpot Music Hall
04/16 - Carbondale IL - The Swamp
04/17 - St Louis MO - Foam
04/18 - Iowa City IA - Trumpet Blossom Cafe
04/19 - Minneapolis MN - Hexagon Bar
04/20 - Milwaukee WI - Cocoon Room
04/21 - Chicago IL - Beat Kitchen
04/22 - Detroit MI - Trumbull Plex
04/23 - Oberlin OH - The 'Sco
04/24 - Columbus OH - 169 S 18th St
04/25 - Gambier OH - The Horn Gallery
04/26 - Pittsburgh PA - Mr. Roboto Project
04/27 - Philly PA - Johnny Brenda's
04/28 - NYC - Baby's All Right
04/29 - Boston MA - Jp Church
05/12 - Portsmouth NH - Red Door
05/13 - Portland ME - Poland St.
05/14 - Burlington VT
05/15 - Montreal QC - Pouzza Fest
05/16 - Toronto ON - Soy Bomb
05/17 - Buffalo NY - Mohawk
05/18 - Troy NY
05/19 - New Haven Ct - Heirloom Arts Project
05/20 - Providence RI
05/21 - Lowell MA - The Safe
05/22 - Easthampton MA - Platinum Pony

Read More New Politics Denmark's New Politics. They were really high energy, and just watching them work the crowd, and improvised standing stool, you can tell that this wasn't their first rodeo. Also, choosing to cover fan-favorite …

SOMEKINDAWONDERFUL
at 7th Street Entry
Monday 04/20/15, 7pm ($10)
first-avenue.com

Last year Cleveland's SomeKindaWonderful went on tour as support act to New Politics. SKW is back now as headliner at the 7th Street Entry on Monday, April 20th... Because what else are you going to do on 04/20?

SomeKindaWonderful's eponymous self-titled debut album came out on June 23rd via Downtown Records/White Clover Records.

Opening up the 7th Street Entry show will be Tired Tongues, an electroclash band from Minneapolis.

SomeKindaWonderful 2015 Tour:

04/11/15 Reno, NV Underground
04/13/15 San Francisco, CA DNA Lounge
04/14/15 Santa Barbara, CA Soho Restaurant
04/15/15 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
04/20/15 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
04/22/15 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
04/23/15 Detroit, MI Shelter
04/24/15 Columbus, OH The Basement
04/25/15 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
05/03/15 West Palm Beach, FL "SunFest"

Read More Hey Rosetta! What's new with Hey Rosetta! is that they have a new album called Second Sight, which is set for January 27th, 2015... which I'm going to assume they will preview some tracks for us this November 19th. …

HEY ROSETTA!
at Turf Club
Tuesday 04/21/15, 7:30pm ($8)
turfclub.net

It's that time of the month again! That's right, the Communion Club Night is taking place on Tuesday, April 21st. This month will feature Canadian band Hey Rosetta!, they previously opened up for Stars last November 2014.

Hey Rosetta! is on tour in support of Second Sight, their fourth studio, via Sonic Records.

When I first saw this band in 2012, I noted that they had some serious fans (some of them drove as far as from Canada) to see the band at a smaller venue.

Also on the bill are Kevin Garrett and Going to the Sun.

Hey Rosetta!'s tour dates:

04/11 Allston, MA Great Scott†‡
04/13 Cleveland, OH Cambridge Room†‡
04/14 Indianapolis, IN Hi-Fi†‡
04/15 Louisville, KY Zanzabar†‡
04/16 Nashville, TN High Watt†‡
04/18 St. Louis, MO Demo†‡
04/19 Kansas City, MO Tank Room†‡
04/21 Minneapolis, MN Turf Club†‡
04/23 Chicago, IL Schubas†‡
04/24 Rock Island, IL Rozz-Tox†‡

†Communion Club Night Residency
‡with special guest Kevin Garrett

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: February 16 - February 18, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from February 16 to February 18, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Ariel Pink Ariel Pink has been producing original music since 2000, and a few years ago, he's really started coming on my radar. Before I knew it, he went under a new band called Haunted Graffiti. ... Jack Name Opening up for the show will be Los Angeles' Jack Name* (aka John Webster Johns), who previously worked with Ariel Pink and as guitarist in White Fence. ...

ARIEL PINK w/ Jack Name
at Fine Line Music Cafe
Monday 02/16/15, 7:30pm ($15)
finelinemusic.com

Los Angeles' Ariel Pink is back with pom pom, his first studio release without his band moniker Haunted Graffiti. His new tour will also feature Jack Name as opener, who was previously in town with Thee Oh Sees in November 2014. Jack Name's latest album Weird Moons came out last week, January 20th, via Castleface.

Tour dates:

02/07/15 - San Francisco, Bimbo's 365 *
02/09/15 - Portland, Haw/15 orne *
02/10/15 - Seattle, Neumo's*
02/11/15 - Vancouver, Rickshaw /15 eatre *
02/13/15 - Salt Lake City, Urban Lounge*
02/14/15 - Denver, Bluebird *
02/16/15 - Minneapolis, Fine Line *
02/17/15 - Chicago, /15 alia Hall*
02/18/15 - Pontiac, Crofoot Ballroom*
02/19/15 - Toronto, Phoenix *
02/20/15 - Montreal, National *
02/21/15 - Boston, Paradise Rock Club*
02/23/15 - Washington, 9:30 Club *
02/24/15 - Philadelphia, Union Transfer*
02/25/15 - New York, Terminal 5 *
02/28/15 - Future Every/15 ing Festival
03/01/15 - Lille, Le Grand Mix
03/02/15 - Paris, Cabaret Sauvage
03/03/15 - London, Electric Ballroom
03/04/15 - Brighton, Old Market
03/05/15 - Lyon, Epicerie Moderne
03/06/15 - Milan, Elita
03/07/15 - Bologna, Locomotiv
03/08/15 - Zurich, Mascotte
03/09/15 - Frankfurt, Mousonturm
03/10/15 - Copenhagen, Bremen /15 eatre
03/11/15 - Berlin, Postbahnhof
03/13/15 - Amsterdam, Melkweg
03/14/15 - Ghent, Vooruit
03/15/15 - Brussels, Beurrschwoubourg
03/28/15 - 03/29/15 - Santa Ana, Ca - Burgerama

* with Jack Name

Read More Communion Since the first Minneapolis Communion Clubnight started October 2013, it's only been scheduled at the Varsity Theater. Now with November coming up, they've decided to change venue to the Turf Club in St Paul ...

COMMUNION CLUB NIGHT
at Turf Club
Tuesday 02/17/15, 7pm ($8)
turfclub.net

Like clockwork, the monthly Communion Club Night is back this Tuesday, February 17th. Also worth noting is that new to 2015, Communion also added Chicago to their monthly music series.

This month will feature headliner Philadelphia electronic pop duo Marian Hill (Jeremy Lloyd and Samantha Gongol). The band probably took their name from a silent movie actress of the same name. The band's music reached #1 on the Hype Machine popular charts and fans have been putting their music on all across their Spotify playlists (including "Got It" hitting the #1 Spotify's top tracks).

Also on the bill, Kristin Diable from Baton Rouge. The 'leggy crooner' is said to have the soul of Lucinda Williams, but a voice of Bonnie Raitt.

Finally, for the local show, Black Market Brass, who described themselves as playing both new original songs, as well as covering classic 70's Afrobeat and Afro-Funk music of West Africa.

Wait, that's not all. In addition to the music, these Communion shows usually have local businesses at the show. The shows I have attended in the past, they feature anything from used records to vintage clothing to food. You never know what you're going to get until you attend a show.

Also, maybe it is kind of too early to announce it, but Canadian band Hey Rosetta! will be headlining April's Communion Club Nights. We previously saw them with Stars in November 2014, and we're excited to hear that they'll be back in April 2015.

Read More Portland Cello Project Portland Cello Project (PCP) returned to Minneapolis at the Cedar Cultural Center last night, June 29th. This is one of those rare bands that is sponsored by MPR's Classical station, as noted by the Cedar's introduction. ....

PORTLAND CELLO PROJECT
at Cedar Cultural Center
Wednesday 02/18/15, 7:30pm ($15)
thecedar.org

We've seen Portland Cello Project (PCP) a few times, it's always nice to see them come back to the Cedar. If you've never heard of them, they are basically cellists who cover popular modern songs, sometime to amusing effects.

This time around, PCP will be showcasing covers of their hometown hero, Elliott Smith, with a new cover album called to e.s. (which came out December 2, 2014). Expect to hear those new tracks, as well as fan favorites like "Mission: Impossible" theme or Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", on their upcoming tour.

PCP will be in town on Wednesday, February 18th.

Tour dates:

02/10/15 Republic, WA - Republic Brewery
02/12/15 Walla Walla, WA - Main Street Studios
02/14/15 Spokane, WA - The Bartlett
02/15/15 Missoula, MT - The Top Hat
02/18/15 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
02/19/15 Madison, WI - The High Noon Saloon
02/20/15 Chicago, IL - SPACE
02/21/15 Davenport, IA - The Redstone Room
02/22/15 St Louis, MO - The Duck Room
02/26/15 Lincoln, NE - Vega
02/28/15 Salt Lake City, UT - The State Room

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Christmas 2014: A Holiday Cheer

Read More Hey Rosetta! What's new with Hey Rosetta! is that they have a new album called Second Sight, which is set for January 27th, 2015... which I'm going to assume they will preview some tracks for us …

Please send your Christmas-related music now with the subject header "Christmas" and also include cover artwork, your band biography, etc. Read more Christmas.

HEY ROSETTA!
heyrosetta.com

We just caught Hey Rosetta! with Stars last month... but it looks like Hey Rosetta!'s singer Tim Baker is in the news, with a recent performance of the band's holiday-themed song "Carry Me Home" with Toronto’s Choir! Choir! Choir!. Watch the video via Paste, who hails the “rich rendition” of the song, which is off the band’s 2012 Christmas EP A Cup Of Kindness Yet.

As previously mentioned, Sonic Records will release the band's new record Second Sight in the U.S. on January 27.

To celebrate the release the band will tour throughout the winter:

01/21 New York, NY - Rockwood Music Hall
01/23 Northampton, ME - Iron Horse Music Hall
01/24 Portland, ME - One Longfellow Square
02/16 Ann Arbor, MI - The Ark
02/18 Madison, WI - The Frequency
03/05 Seattle, WA - Sunset Tavern*
03/06 Portland, OR - Mississippi Studios*
03/08 San Francisco, CA - Brick and Mortar

*with The Quiet Life

SHEL
shelmusic.com

SHEL is the acronym of four classically trained sisters: Sarah on violin, Hannah on keyboards, Eva on mandolin, and Liza on drums, djembe and beatboxing. The band recently recorded a free five-track Christmas 2014 EP available at shel.cashmusic.org.

"This was such a wonderful year of touring and meeting listeners face to face, so we wanted to thank them for all the love and support they've shown us with a free Christmas EP," says SHEL's Eva Holbrook. "All our fond childhood memories of Christmas include a soundtrack, so we were very excited to weave our own silver thread through some of the most beautiful melodies ever written."

Catch the sisters on tour this January:

01/17: Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
01/23: Anaheim, CA - She Rocks Awards
01/30: Fort Collins, CO - Hodi's Half Note

BRIEFLY

ARRICA ROSE & THE ...'S arricarose.com We've written about Arrica Rose & the ...'s a few times (recently about her latest album Wavefunction, which came out November 4th via pOprOck records). The Los Angeles singer is back with an original holiday song called "What the Devil", available at soundcloud.com.

KRISTOPHER JAMES facebook.com Singer/Songwriter Kristopher James has a new holiday-themed Silent Night EP that's up for download, featured on the "New and Notable," section on popular indie music site, Noisetrade! Hear "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" at soundcloud.com.

INDIE RECORDINGS indierecordings.no Scandinavian hard rock/heavy metal powerhouse, Indie Recordings, has just released their Christmas Carnage 2014 sampler yesterday (December 16th). The album name is a bit of a misnomer, as I did look over the track listings, I don't think any of these songs are actually Christmas or holiday-related... but maybe it's best that these Viking metallers should avoid Christmas altogether. Christmas Carnage 2014 is available digitally in North America via Indie Recordings now.

ZERBIN zerbinmusic.com Indie-rock trio Zerbin is spreading holiday cheer with a free download of their latest Christmas-themed Merry Christmas release. The EP comes with three classic standards, "Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", and "Oh Holy Night (A Reprise)". The free download is available via NoiseTrade. Formed in Edmonton in 2009, this Canadian band has shared stages with the likes of The Flaming Lips, FUN., Said The Whale and AWOLNATION.

DEVYN ROSE devynrose.com We previously mentioned Devyn Rose before, saying that she previously recorded under the name Tanya. Devyn's latest holiday release is called "Home for the Holidays", produced by Diamond Style.

AUGUST YORK augustyork.com Folk-pop duo August York (based in Nashville, not New York) just released their new holiday single "Warm Memories," out now. The band reached the #1 download on NoiseTrade, placed Top 40 in singer/songwriter on iTunes for their album Swimming Upstream and they have been featured on Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, MTV Canada and more.

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Stars w/ Hey Rosetta! at First Avenue, Minneapolis (19 Nov 2014)

Stars Setlist    Intro: Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" From The Night Ageless Beauty We Don't Want Your Body Turn It Up Backlines You Keep Coming Up The Ghost Of Genova Heights This Is The Last Time Hold On When You Get Love and Let Go When You Give It Look Away Dead Hearts Going, Going, Gone Trap Door One More Night Elevator Love Letter Take Me to the Riot Your Ex-lover Is Dead Are You OK? No One is Lost (with partial the Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again" lyrics) -- Encore -- No Better Place Midnight Coward What Is to Be Done? Outro: Peter, Paul & Mary's "Puff The Magic Dragon (instrumental)" Hey Rosetta! Setlist Gold Teeth Yer Spring Soft Offering (For The Oft Suffering) What Arrows Into The Night Kintsukuroi Harriet Welcome Read More Stars At the heart of the band is always Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan. Stars' latest album No One Is Lost is out now on ATO. … Hey Rosetta! What's new with Hey Rosetta! is that they have a new album called Second Sight, which is set for January 27th, 2015... which I'm going to assume they will preview some tracks for us this November 19th. …

Canadians Stars and Hey Rosetta! are currently on tour together, supporting new albums, stopping by First Avenue in Minneapolis, last night, November 19th. For fans who couldn't make it, you can watch the show streaming online (and some encore re-broadcast in the next few days at Yahoo). I must have bad internet, because I've had issues streaming the video, so I'll just have to rely on my notes to tell you about the following show....

Hey Rosetta!

Opening up the event was Hey Rosetta!, and, yes, all seven band members are on stage, with plenty of room. The last time I saw them, they played next door, at the 7th Street Entry, and they could barely share the tiny stage.

For this tour, I mentioned that they had an upcoming album called Second Sight (Sonic Records), and I thought they were going to preview some of those tracks... little did I know that the entire set consisted of the new album (please refer to setlist provided)! From what I can tell you about hearing those songs live, they have a tendency to build up to a very satisfying ending for each song (sometime with false endings). Every song feels epic because of the buildup, and I like the direction they're heading in. Every band member contribute to the music, and you can hear all the French horns, all the keys, bass, etc.

Tim Baker

Singer Tim Baker, also doubles on keys and guitars, was most talkative when he introduced the "Harriet" song, stating that the song was about watching too much television and reading too many books and coming back down to reality and realizing you're not a hero... as evident when he got lost on the "enigmatic skyway" (Minneapolis Skyway System).

After Hey Rosetta! went off the stage, the DJ started playing opera music. I'm assuming this was per request by Stars, because they also had custom intro and outro music (Judy Garland's "Over the Rainbow" and Peter, Paul & Mary's "Puff The Magic Dragon (instrumental)").

The last time I saw Stars at First Avenue last year, I criticized them for just playing new songs (The North). Since I hadn't heard the then-new album, it was hard to enjoy the show. This time around, they had a good mix of old and new songs. It's a good setlist, but I'm partial to the older songs, of course. Songs like "Going, Going, Gone" and "Your Ex-lover Is Dead" got the hair on my neck to stand up.

Starting with the new song, "From The Night" and into an old song "Ageless Beauty", something was bothering co-singers Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan. Campbell immediately asked for the lights to be turned down (the lights were bright because Yahoo was filming it) and said, "You paid your money, it's great that they are streaming it, but this show is for you!"

His passions for Stars' fans were incredibly genuine, even later thanking us again for making it possible for them to live through their music and art. "This is everything to us, and you make that possible." They love what they are doing, and it shows.

About half their set were from the new album No One Is Lost (ATO Records), as expected. Unlike last year's The North tour, the rest of the set seem like a mix of one of my favorite albums Set Yourself on Fire ("Your Ex-Lover Is Dead", "Ageless Beauty", "One More Night") plus In Our Bedroom After the War ("The Ghost of Genova Heights" and "Take Me To the Riot") and odds and ends.

The biggest surprise for me was "Going, Going, Gone", from their debut Nightsongs. After seeing Stars in 2013, I was convinced that the band have simply moved on and did not plan on ever revisiting Nightsongs. I would LOVE to hear "My Radio" (either mix, I don't care!) or their cover of "This Charming Man", but that time is long gone. I still have hope that one day, they'll play the entire album live.

There's something that Campbell said before the band left the stage that hit home for me. He said, "See you soon, don't you forget about us!"

This took me back when I first saw the group, in 2005 at the 400 Bar. I'm pretty sure that was the first time in Minneapolis... and although they didn't do any Nightsongs, the thing I took away from this show was how amazing Torquil was - dancing throughout the show and not giving a f**** what people thought. He gave it his best, and I'll always remember that. For any younger fans who saw Stars for the first time last night, I hope you remember the wacky dancing and the passionate singing!

Stars and Hey Rosetta! are touring the US right now. They are stopping in Chicago tonight, then Detroit and finally will end in Buffalo, New York, on November 23rd.

Stars at First Avenue, Minneapolis (19 Nov 2014)

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: November 19, 2014

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul on Wednesday, November 19, 2014.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Stars We like Stars here, having covered the band since we started W♥M. The Canadian band is making their way east in America. … Hey Rosetta! Canadian indie rock band, Hey Rosetta!, ended their 2012 U.S. tour dates at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night, October 25th. …

STARS w/ Hey Rosetta!
at First Avenue
Wednesday 11/19/14, 7pm
$20: first-avenue.com

I originally saw Stars in 2005 and again in 2013, and let me tell you: the Canadian band's music have changed a lot. Like many bands, they're allowed to grow and reinvent themselves.... but at the heart of the band is always Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan.

Stars' latest album No One Is Lost is out now on ATO.

The last time I saw seven-piece band Hey Rosetta! was in 2012, we noted that they had a very dedicated fanbase (with some fans driving into Minneapolis from Canada just to see them).

What's new with Hey Rosetta! is that they have a new album called Second Sight, which is set for January 27th, 2015... which I'm going to assume they will preview some tracks for us this November 19th.

Tour dates:

11/08 Portland, ME Port City Music Hall
11/09 Boston, MA Royale
11/10 Brooklyn, NY Music Hall
11/12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
11/13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
11/14 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
11/15 Atlanta, GA The Loft
11/16 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge
11/18 St. Louis Old Rock House
11/19 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
11/21 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
11/22 Detroit, MI Majestic Theatre
11/23 Buffalo, NY Tralf (Music Hall)

All dates with Hey Rosetta!

Read More Sub Focus With that introduction out of the way, his latest single is called Endorphins, which came out May 12, 2013 on Casablanca / Republic Records. The song features BRIT Award's nominee Alex Clare. …

ALEX CLARE
at Varsity Theater
Wednesday 11/19/14, 7pm
$22: varsitytheater.org

British singer/songwriter Alex Clare came to our attention last year as one of the BRIT Award's nominee. His biggest hit song "Too Close" peaked at #4 on the UK Singles Chart an #7 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart.

Clare will be in the US on Skype's "Ones To Watch" Concert series.

Tour dates:

11/05/14 Munich, Germany Tonhalle
11/06/14 Zurich, Switzerland Komplex 457
11/10/14 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
11/16/14 Toronto, ON The Cameron House
11/17/14 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
11/18/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
11/19/14 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
11/22/14 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
11/24/14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
11/25/14 Seattle, WA The Neptune
11/26/14 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
11/30/14 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
12/01/14 Los Angeles, CA Belasco Theater
12/02/14 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
12/03/14 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
12/04/14 Las Vegas, NV House Of Blues
12/06/14 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen
12/07/14 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
12/09/14 Dallas, TX House Of Blues
12/10/14 Austin, TX Emo's
12/11/14 Houston, TX House Of Blues
12/13/14 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theater
12/14/14 New Orleans, LA House Of Blues
12/15/14 Atlanta, GA Center Stage Theater
12/17/14 Phila, PA Theatre Of The Living Arts
12/18/14 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
12/20/14 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
12/21/14 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony
12/22/14 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
12/23/14 New York, NY Irving Plaza
02/02/15 Frankfurt, Germany Batschkapp

Read More Shaw Brothers You know I love my Kung Fu movies, so when when I saw the trailer to RZA's "The Man With the Iron Fists" movie, I had mixed feelings about it. …

KUNG FU w/ Circle of Heat
at Cabooze
Wednesday 11/19/14, 9pm
$5: cabooze.com

Connecticut's Kung Fu, no relationship to Shaolin Kung Fu or Shaw Brothers' Kung Fu movies or Wu-Tang Clan... these guys are a funk/rock/fusion band.

The band will be in Minneapolis on November 19th, local rock/fusion band Circle of Heat to open.

Tour dates:

11/13/14 Buffalo, NY The Waiting Room
11/14/14 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom
11/15/14 Lansing, MI The Loft
11/16/14 Bloomington, IL The Castle Theatre
11/18/14 Madison, WI The Frequency
11/19/14 Minneapolis, MN The Cabooze
11/20/14 Milwaukee, WI Miramar Theatre
11/21/14 Chicago, IL Martyrs'
11/22/14 Indianapolis, IN Mousetrap
11/23/14 Lexington, KY Cosmic Charlie's
12/04/14 Killington, VT Pickle Barrel Night Club
12/05/14 Providence, RI The Spot On Thayer
12/06/14 Cambridge, MA The Sinclair
12/08/14 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live!
12/19/14 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
12/20/14 New Haven, CT Toad's Place
01/03/15 Miami, FL Railroad Blues
01/06/15 - 01/11/15 Jam Cruise
01/12/15 Key West, FL Green Parrot
03/05/15 Live Oak, FL Spirit Of The Suwannee

vu ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Hey Rosetta! at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (10/25/12)

Read More Hey Rosetta! Canadian six-piece indie rock band Hey Rosetta! are playing some shows this October with Australia's The Jezabels and fellow Canadians Yukon Blonde ...

Canadian indie rock band, Hey Rosetta!, ended their 2012 U.S. tour dates at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis last night, October 25th.

In addition to the typical guitar/bass/drum/singer setup, the band also includes a dedicated violinist and cellist, giving them an interesting sound.

As you can see from their setlist (and guitar clamp), they mostly performed songs from their latest album, Seeds, including "Yer Spring", "Yer Fall", "Bricks", "Young Glass", "Bandages", and the set closer "Seeds."

The rest of their set are from their previous Into Your Lungs album, including "There's an Arc" and "Red Heart" (which is obscured by the guitar clip).

The highlight of the show for me was "Bandages", which was a "slow" song by their standard and they almost didn't perform it because they felt it wasn't a "live" song. Although "Red Heart", with the sing-along verses, was a crowd favorite.

Rather than leaving the stage and coming back, they just stayed on and played their encore songs: "A Thousand Suns" and "New Goodbye."

With their last stop in Minneapolis, there were some dedicated fans who drove from faraway (as far as Canada) to see Hey Rosetta! at such a small venue. Look for Hey Rosetta!'s Seeds in stores.

Hey Rosetta! at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (10/25/12)

vu () ♥ heyrosetta

Hey Hey Hey

HEY ROSETTA!
heyrosetta.com

Canadian six-piece indie rock band Hey Rosetta! are playing some shows this October with Australia's The Jezabels and fellow Canadians Yukon Blonde. I believe many of these bands that are touring in America are primarily here for CMJ. You get the same effect earlier in the year when SXSW occurs. Anyway, the band's final date on their brief tour is in Minneapolis.

The band's latest album, Seeds, was released earlier in May via ATO Records.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

10/17 - Webster Hall - New York, NY *
10/18 - Middle East - Cambridge, MA *
10/19 - Rock and Roll Hotel - Washington, DC *
10/20 - Union Transfer - Philadelphia, PA *
10/23 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
10/24 - The Frequency - Madison, WI
10/25 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN

* w/ The Jezabels and Yukon Blonde

THE LUMINEERS
thelumineers.com

One of the most anticipated bands out there is Denver folk-rockers, The Lumineers. The band just got word that they'll be touring the states in support of Dave Matthews Band, kind of big deal? Can you say massive crowds?!?

The Lumineers haven't needed to steal anyone else's fan base and have been rising to the top on their own. These guys are selling out every show in the states except for Mississippi (which doesn't count.)

The Lumineers also had success with their hit song that landed on the latest BING commercial with "Ho Hey". I can't wait to see these guys in The Big Easy tomorrow night!

Dates with (*) indicates opening for Dave Matthew Band

10/16 New Orleans @ House of Blues 10/17 Oxford @ The Lyric Oxford 10/18 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay Theater 10/19 Atlanta @ The Masquerade 11/12 London @ Dingwalls 12/02 Portland @ McMenamins Crystal Ballroom 12/04 Seattle @ Key Arena At Seattle Center

12/12 Raleigh, NC @ PNC Arena * 12/14 Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones* 12/15 Charlottesville, VA @ John Paul Jones* 12/18 Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena * 12/19 Manchester, NH @ Verizon Wireless Arena * 12/21 Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center * 12/22 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *

JEMEZ MOUNTAIN HAWKZ
jemezmountainhawkz.com

Jemez Mountain Hawkz is an indiepop/Americana band, consisting of previous band members from Scared of Chaka, Shins, Little Cuts, and Chasers. Hey-Mez is the band's debut EP, released earlier this month.

The five-song EP is said to be "spacious and elegant" with its love of Summertime in the California and New Mexico landscape.

You can hear it for yourself at Soundcloud.

brody + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ +W♥M