W♥M

Assassin’s Creed Shadows: The Controversy

Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025) Read More Assassin's Creed Unfortunately, the latest Assassin's Creed Mirage is not great. I still enjoyed the game, but there are a few things that did not like about it: First of all, based on being in Baghdad…

The best-selling video game franchise, having sold more than 230 million games worldwide, is back with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. This is the fourteenth major Assassin’s Creed game and the setting is in Japan!

As I have previously mentioned, I have loved the recent AC games (don’t love the early games), starting with 2017’s Assassin's Creed Origins (Greek), followed by Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Egypt), and Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Vikings)… but I felt the last game, Assassin's Creed Mirage, was not very good.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows has a big controversy with one of the lead protagonists being a black Samurai named Yasuke. I love Japan and from my understanding, normal people can’t become a Samurai. It’s a class system; you basically have to be born in that class. You don’t see a farmer joining a rich family as a warrior. It doesn’t happen and it’s not acceptable.

I know Wikipedia tells me that there is one black Samurai named Yasuke (I believe he was more of a servant, rather than a noble Samurai). I’ve also read about King, a former black slave in Japan, but they are fictional stories. Still, my point is that it’s almost nonexistent to see a black Samurai or a woman Samurai, it’s just not possible.

With that said, I think it was a major mistake that Ubisoft decides that you have to play Yasuke. Imagine if you were forced to play a Japanese Viking from the Valhalla game, I would be pretty upset too.

Still, at the end of the day, most people will just argue that it’s just a game and that we shouldn’t take things so seriously. All this negative feedback on the game, I probably won’t be picking up the game until there’s a big discount. I made a mistake with my purchase of Mirage, so maybe I’ll just sit this one out – unless I see glowing reviews.

If you’re itching to play Shadows, but don’t want to spend $70, you can join Ubisoft+ Premium for $18 a month and play Shadows day one.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows Soundtrack by the Flight

Shadows is out today (March 20) on macOS, PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S.

In related news, I’ve loved all the Assassin’s Creed Game Soundtrack, and you can currently stream the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Original Game Soundtrack at ubisoftmusic.ffm. If you have Amazon Prime, you can listen to it for free or pay $16.49 to buy the MP3s. What’s cool about buying it on Amazon is that it acts like a ‘locker’, so you can stream your library using various Amazon devices.

The soundtrack was composed by music duo The Flight (Joe Henson and Alexis Smith). The duo previously worked on my favorite Assassin’s Creed Odyssey.

Yours,

Weekend Gamer
[email protected]

Read more Weekend Gamer.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Minneapolis: March 16 to March 17, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Ray Bull at 7th St Entry (16 Mar 2025)

16 Mar 2025 Sunday

Ray Bull
with Tyler Berrier
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

NYC indie-pop duo Ray Bull (Tucker and Aaron) is headlining the 7th Street Entry, on March 16, 2025, in support of his new EP Little Acts Of Violence (arriving February 21 via AWAL).

About their EP, Tucker shares: “‘Little Acts Of Violence’ has been a year plus in the making. In that time we’ve written hundreds of songs, so it’s really tough figuring out which songs speak to each other and belong to the same process. It felt like these songs fought their way to the top of the pile and now have become their own world.”

Tyler Berrier to open.

Tour Dates:

Mar 7, 2025 The Atlantis Washington, DC

Mar 8, 2025 The Foundry Philadelphia, PA

Mar 9, 2025 The Sinclair Boston, MA

Mar 11, 2025 The Garrison Toronto, ON

Mar 12, 2025 The Loving Touch Detroit, MI

Mar 14, 2025 Ace of Cups Columbus, OH

Mar 15, 2025 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL

Mar 16, 2025 7th St Entry Minneapolis, MN

Mar 18, 2025 Duck Room St Louis, MO

Mar 20, 2025 Masquerade Altar Atlanta, GA

Mar 21, 2025 Local 506 Carrboro, NC

Apr 12, 2025 The Independent San Francisco, CA

Apr 14, 2025 Polaris Hall Portland, OR

Apr 15, 2025 Madame Lou's Seattle, WA

Apr 17, 2025 Kilby Court Salt Lake City, UT

Apr 19, 2025 Globe Hall Denver, CO

Apr 23, 2025 The Rebel Lounge Phoenix, AZ

Apr 24, 2025 Voodoo Room San Diego, CA

Apr 25, 2025 Troubadour Los Angeles, CA

May 14, 2025 - May 17, 2025 The Great Escape Festival Brighton, England

Armor For Sleep at Varsity Theater (16 Mar 2025) Read More Armor for Sleep Armor for Sleep, Aug 16, Uptown The seminal New Jersey emo/post-hardcore band are on their 20 Years Of Tears Tour and are fronted by singer/songwriter Ben Jorgensen, best known for concept album …

16 Mar 2025 Sunday

Armor For Sleep
with Boys Night Out and Hellogoodbye
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Legendary independent New York-based rock label Equal Vision Records and seminal New Jersey post-hardcore band Armor For Sleep are excited to announce the band’s upcoming tour celebrating the 20th anniversary of its second studio album, What To Do When You Are Dead… the tour will stop by the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on March 16, 2025.

Boys Night Out and Hellogoodbye to open.

Tour Dates:

03/06 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club *

03/07 — Philadelphia, PA – TLA *

03/08 — Brooklyn, NY — Warsaw *

03/09 — Pittsburgh, PA — Preserving *

03/11 — Cleveland, OH — The Roxy *

03/12 — Columbus, OH — Bluestone *

03/13 — Chicago, IL — House of Blues *

03/14 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew’s Hall *

03/16 — Minneapolis, MN — Varsity Theater *

03/17 — Des Moines, IA — Wooly’s *

03/19 — Denver, CO — Summit *

03/20 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Complex *

03/22 — Seattle, WA — The Crocodile *

03/23 — Portland, OR — Hawthorne Theater *

03/25 — Roseville, CA — Goldfield Trading Post *

03/26 — Anaheim, CA — House of Blues *

03/27 — Mesa, AZ — Crescent Ballroom *

03/29 — Dallas, TX — Echo *

03/30 — San Antonio, TX — Vibes Event Center *

04/01 — Atlanta, CA — The Masquerade *

04/02 — Orlando, FL — Beacham *

04/03 — Greensboro, NC — Hangar 1819 *

04/04 — Baltimore, MD — Baltimore Soundstage *

04/05 — Montclair, NJ — The Wellmont Theater *

04/06 — Albany, NY — Empire Live *

* — w/ Boys Night Out, Hellogoodbye

Imminence at Fillmore (16 Mar 2025)

16 Mar 2025 Sunday

Imminence
with Landmvrks and JILUKA
at Fillmore
livenation.com

Sweden metal band Imminence is headlining the Fillmore, in Minneapolis, on March 16, 2025. The band’s new album The Black is out now.

Landmvrks and JILUKA to open.

Tour dates:

8 MARCH Worcester, MA Palladium

9 MARCH Montreal, QC, Canada L'Olympia

10 MARCH Toronto, ON, Canada History

11 MARCH Cleveland, OH, US Agora Theatre

12 MARCH Detroit, MI, US The Fillmore

14 MARCH Chicago, IL, US Riviera Theatre

15 MARCH Milwaukee, WI Rave/Eagles Club

16 MARCH Minneapolis, MN Fillmore

18 MARCH Denver, CO Ogden Theatre

19 MARCH Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater

21 MARCH Los Angeles (LA), CA The Wiltern

22 MARCH San Diego, CA Observatory North Park

23 MARCH Tempe, AZ, US Marquee Theatre

25 MARCH San Antonio, TX Aztec Theatre

26 MARCH Houston, TX House of Blues

28 MARCH Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues

29 MARCH Atlanta, GA, US The Masquerade

30 MARCH Charlotte, NC The Fillmore

1 APRIL Norfolk, VA The NorVa

3 APRIL McKees Rocks, PA Roxian Theatre

4 APRIL Silver Spring, MD The Fillmore

5 APRIL Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom

Alcest at Fine Line (17 Mar 2025) Read More Mono Mono is listed as opener, but personally speaking, I think they should actually be the headliner. The Japanese group is doing a massive U.S. Tour in support of their Requiem for Hell (Temporary Residence Ltd.) …

17 Mar 2025 Monday

Alcest
with MONO and Kælan Mikla
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

French post-black metal band Alcest will be headlining the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on March 17, 2025.

Japanese band MONO and Icelandic post-punk band Kælan Mikla to open.

It’s really rare to see a French, Japanese, and Icelandic band together on one bill - this should be a show to remember.

Tour dates:

19 February Boston, MA The Royale

20 February Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer

21 February Baltimore, MD Baltimore Sound

22 February Richmond, VA The National

23 February Atlanta, GA The Masquarade

25 February Tampa, FL The Orpheum

27 February Houston, TX The Warehouse

28 February Dallas, TX Granada Theater

01 March Austin, TX Empire Garage

03 March Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom

04 March San Diego, CA Observatory North Park

05 March Los Angeles, CA The Fonda

06 March Santa Ana, CA The Observatory

08 March San Francisco, CA The UC Theatre

10 March Portland, OR Roseland Theater

11 March Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre

14 March Denver, CO The Summit Music Hall

15 March Lawrence, KS Granada Theater

17 March Minneapolis, MN Fine Line

18 March Chicago, IL Metro

19 March Detroit, MI The Majestic

21 March Toronto, ON Opera House

22 March Montreal, QC Theatre Beanfield

23 March Brooklyn, NY Warsaw

02 April Paris (FR) Salle Gaveau

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Justice is Blind

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman (Television Show) Read More Zatoichi If you've never heard of Zatoichi, he's a blind swordsman, who wanders Japan in the Edo period as a masseur (although he seems to make most of his money at dice games). …

Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman
tubitv.com

Do you ever wonder why there are so many Zatoichi films (26 in total)? That’s because it was really meant to be a serial for television, but back in the early sixties, televisions weren’t as common. By the mid-seventies, almost every home in Japan had a television, so Zatoichi continues his adventures in a television show. Between 1974 and 1979, a total of 100 episodes of Zatoichi were produced.

Distribution rights for those television shows were made available on DVD via Tokyo Shock, but they are somewhat hard to find and is expensive for subtitled shows. I have a few of those Zatoichi television shows at home, but gave up on trying to collect the whole 100 episodes.

The cool thing is that you can now stream those Zatoichi shows on Tubi for free as of September 2024. Remember how I own a giant Vizio 65” TV? Tubi is one of the apps on Vizio! This is just perfect. If you don’t have a TV, you can download the free app or watch it via your web browser on your computer.

Since I do own the DVDs, I have watched the first few episodes, but let me tell you - I have no memory of it! It’s good to re-watch the first episode and remind myself of the old television aspect ratio (4:3) and how almost black-and-white and grainy it seems. They must have shot this on cheap film. I wonder if some company might re-master or enhanced the shows to add a little more color and saturation?

If you’re itching for more Zatoichi, you can purchase each film on Amazon for about $4.50 each.

Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance (2024) Read More Defiant Defiant (目中无人), aka Blind Sword, a 2022 Chinese movie, is clearly a rip off of Zatoichi. You know me, I love Zatoichi, I own all of Toho’s films on DVD and Bluray (thanks to the Criterion boxset), and even owning the …

Eye for an Eye 2
amzn.to

I was pretty sure I’ve seen the first movie, yet the title Eye for an Eye 2 didn’t sound familiar. It turns out that I’ve seen the first movie, but it was titled Defiant. Of course, it was also known as Blind Sword… so the film makers didn’t even know what to call the first movie. The film was eventually re-titled to Eye for an Eye: The Blind Swordsman when it was released on Bluray by Wells Go USA.

Just before the new year, Eye for an Eye 2: Blind Vengeance dropped on streaming through Hi-YAH! subscription, and unfortunately, because it came from the source, the film felt like it was heavily censored. There were some moments in the film that just abruptly cut into the next scene. It’s possible that the director isn’t very good and made some bad edits.

The other thing is that the trailer advertised part two as a prequel, which it is not. I wonder if something got lost in translation? If you watch the new film, there is a husband-and-wife kill team recognized the lieutenant and said they served under his direction (indicating that this happened after the first film).

Eye for an Eye 2 starts off with a good action sequence, which sees the blind swordsman kill a bunch of criminals. Then the film flashback and explains how (and why) the blind swordsman ended up there.

While the first film was China’s blatant rip off of Zatoichi, the second film doubles up and also rips off Lone Wolf and Cub. This time, the blind swordsman (I don’t think he’s given a name) is traveling the countryside with a child. The young girl (age 10?) wants revenge for the murder of her brother (?). The father-daughter bounty hunters tracks down all the people who were responsible for her brother’s death.

I find the whole child as an assassin unrealistic. For example, am I to believe that a small child can hold onto an item in a tug of war with a grown man and wins? That’s stupid. Just any scene with the girl fighting, it just looks so stupid. A small child, weighing like fifty pounds, there is absolutely no way can kill a grown man. In fact, any scenes with the girl, I absolutely hated.

I also didn’t like was the inconsistent skills of the blind swordsman. One moment, he’s clearing out a room full of deadly fighters … but in another scene he’s bumbling around and walking into tables. It doesn’t make any sense! I know they had those scenes for comedy relief, but I would take it out! That tone doesn’t belong in this serious movie.

The last thing is that the final boss feared the child assassin. He’s shaking! What??!? It’s a small kid, can’t you defend yourself against a small child? Then later he faces the blind swordsman, and he’s confident and becomes a masterful fighter that can stand his grounds against the blind swordsman. Again, it’s inconsistent.

The only thing good about Eye for an Eye 2 are the fight sequences. I think those scenes are done very well.

If they are going to make a Eye for an Eye 3, I hope they kill off the kid right away and that sets up a revenge plot. You don’t need a story, it’s all action and kills. Also, make use of more darkness/turning out the lights scenes, it’s always a hoot to see Zatoichi take advantage of darkness… it also leaves it up to the viewers’ imagination and saves on budget!

Read more Movies.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Peelander-Z at Nicollet Open Streets (28 Sep 2024)

28 Sep 2024 Peelander-Z at Ramen Kazama Peelander-Z Intro (Space Vacation) Go PZ Go Bike Bike Bike Mad Tiger Fun Fun Baseball/Take Me Out to the Ball Game P-Burger Armadillo So Many Mike See You Gator Ninja High School S.T.E.A.K 3.2.1. Girls Just Want to Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper cover) Tour Dates 09/30 xBK Live - Des Moines IA 10/02 Opolis - Norman, OK 10/03 Tulips - Fort Worth, TX 10/04 Far Out Lounge - Austin, TX Read More Peelander-Z Our favorite Japanese superhero band Peelander-Z is back in town to celebrate their 25th Anniversary of the band. They’re calling it “P-Party! Z-Party!”. If you’ve never seen a Peelander-Z show, do yourself a favor and check them out. …

Japanese/American punk band Peelander-Z is continuing their P-Party! Z-Party! tour, which started in September 2023, when we wrote, “If you’ve never seen a Peelander-Z show, do yourself a favor and check them out. They are one of the most interesting looking and creative bands you’ll ever see. And when you’re at the show, I can guarantee you that you’ll be singing (and possibly playing pots or drums) with the band.”

The Peelander-Z show was part of the Nicollet Open Streets event on September 28. The event is billed as “two miles of music and magic”, and is free and open to the public. The street block party (literally) blocks off Nicollet Avenue from 31st to 46th Street. We parked on 40th Street and ended up walking a few blocks to the Ramen Kazama Japanese restaurant on 34th. It is a long stretch of road, and organizers recommend bicycling in.

Between 40th and 34th, we were able to see, or got distracted by all sorts of pop-up events, like the Fabulous Everyday Zumba dance, David Cyr singing “Don’t Worry Be Happy”, Malamanya playing the Hola Arepa (with Salsa Brava between sets), skateboarding competition, open mic (complete with a drummer), and various food trucks and street vendors. There’s just too much going on, so if you didn’t have a schedule or guide, you’ll be lost in the two miles of entertainment.

We got to Ramen Kazama (which is own and run by Yuichiro Matthew Kazama, formerly of The Birthday Suits), a little early and caught the ending of Ray Barnard’s set.

Peelander-Z’s set time was advertised as 3pm, but the reality is that they didn’t even do soundcheck until 4pm. After testing out the mics and audio, Yellow’s running gag is “Bye, bye! Thank you for coming” and leaves, as if their whole show was only 5 minutes. We’ve seen it done before, it’s always funny. The show didn’t actually start until 4:25pm, and by this time, some fans had to leave due to other commitments.

We’ve seen Peelander-Z numerous times (eight times by my count), so we know what we’re talking about when we say this is one of the best live bands.

TokiDoki Burger mural by Peelander Yellow (May 2024)

Also, does it count if we saw a Peelander at a recent show? Apparently Yellow was in town to paint the Ramen Kazama’s wall mural in May (in celebration of the opening of TokiDoki Burger), and attended the Guitar Wolf show at the 7th Street Entry, which we did report that Peelander Yellow was in attendance.

Anyway, although the band members have changed over the years (we still miss Peelander Red), the new band members always bring in a fresh energy and personality (for example Peelander Black was the “serious” one).

The new band member, we’re calling Peelander Leopard, we really like. He’s young and doing crazy stuff, like surfing on the Armadillo sign. Also, there might be a new Peelander Green (there’s already been two previous Green drummers), we’re not actually sure.

The two consisting band members are Peelander Yellow (Kengo Hioki) and Peelander Pink (Yumiko Kanazaki). Pink, who recently celebrated her birthday, have taken a step back from the stage … but can be seen doing backup vocals, running around and supporting the band. She did, however, take center stage and sang out the cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”, which has been the band’s set finale for a few years now.

Some of the highlights and stables of a Peelander-Z show are the pots and pans/fans taking over the music instruments, limbo under the rope, and just audience participations (asking all the Mikes in the audience to come on stage, because there’s “So Many Mikes”). I think with all Peelander-Z shows, they could benefit from a large participating audience, especially during those body surfing portion of the show.

Yellow climbed the roof of the Ramen Kazama for a photo opportunity… but man, I can tell that looks dangerous. He had to get some help getting him back down. Still, you don’t see that every day, especially at a noodle shop.

P-Party! Z-Party! is out now. Please come out to a Peelander-Z show, you’ll have a lot of fun.

PS, we’ve never had Ramen Kazama before, so it was a real treat to get to eat/slurp some Japanese noodles after the show. Now we’re interested in coming back in the area to try out the Japanese burgers. We’ve had the Asian burgers at a McDonalds in Japan and Singapore, so we’re very interested in seeing Kazama’s take on burgers.

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Peelander-Z at Nicollet Open Streets (28 Sep 2024)

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Rocktober: October 10, 2024

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

10 Oct 2024 BUNT. at Fine Line Read More BUNT. BUNT. Summer Session Curated by Bunt. A summer-themed playlist by BUNT. 35 SONGS • 1 HOUR AND 52 MINUTES …

10 Oct 2024 Thursday

BUNT.
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

German born DJ BUNT. is currently on tour, stopping by the Fine Line, in Minneapolis on October 10, 2024. His latest, “Crown” is out now via Arista Records.

Tour dates:

09/27 - Atlanta, GA - District

09/28 - Concord NC - Breakaway Festival Carolina 2024

09/29 - Kingston, ON - Stages Nightclub

10/04 - Montréal, QC - Sainte-Catherine Hall

10/10 - Minneapolis MN - Fine Line

10/11 - Madison, WI - Liquid

10/12 - Breakaway Festival Nashville 2024

10/16 - Toronto ON - Coda

10/17 - Toronto ON - The Axis Club

10/18 - New York NY - Webster Hall

10/19 - Boston, MA - Big Night Live

10/24 - Denver CO - Bluebird Theater

10/25 - Boulder CO - Fox Theatre

10/26 - Austin, TX - Freaky Deaky Festival

10/27 - Suwannee, FL - Hulaween Festival

11/01 - Philadelphia PA - The Ave Live

11/02 - Washington DC - Culture

11.06 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

11/07 - Seattle WA - Neumos

11/08 - San Francisco CA - 1015 Folsom

11/09 - Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre

11/10 - Tucson, AZ - DUSK Festival

11/13 - Vienna, Austria - Flex

11/14 - Copenhagen, Denmark - Pumpehuset

11/15 - Madrid, Spain - The Basement Club

11/16 - Bergen, Norway - Kulturhuset

11/21 - Frankfurt Germany - Zoom Frankfurt

11/22 - Amsterdam Netherlands - Melkweg

11/23 - London, United Kingdom - Colour Factory

11/24 - London, United Kingdom - Colour Factory

11/27 - Praha 1 Czechia - Roxy

11/28 - Hamburg Germany - Fabrik

11/29 - Segrate Italy - Circolo Magnolia

11/30 - Paris France - La Machine du Moulin Rouge

12/03 - München Germany - Technikum

12/04 - München Germany - Technikum

12/05 - Köln Germany - Die Kantine

12/06 - Brussels, Bellgium - Ancienne Belgique Club

12/07 - Trondheim Norway - HAVET

12/11 - Berlin Germany - Metropol

12/12 - Ponzań Poland - Klub Tama

12/13 - Stockholm Sweden - Slaktkyrkan

12/14 - Dublin Ireland - Opium Live

12/15 - Barcelona Spain - Pacha Barcelona

12/18 - Amsterdam Netherlands - Paradiso

10 Oct 2024 Wasia Project at 7th St Entry Read More Wasia Project Wasia Project is an English pop duo consisting of siblings Olivia Hardy and William Gao. The group released their debut single, "Why Don't U Love Me," in 2019. This was followed by their debut extended play How Can I Pretend? …

10 Oct 2024 Thursday

Wasia Project
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

London’s Wasia Project, the sibling duo of William G. Hardy and Olivia Hardy, will be headlining the 7th Street Entry on October 10, 2024. For their live shows, they add drummer Luca Wade and bassist Tom Pacitti to the band.

Their USA tour is largely sold out, despite the “strict 4 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 4 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice.”

William Gao, the brother, is known for his role as Tao Xu in the Netflix series Heartstopper.

Tour dates:

Sep 18, 2024 Reeperbahn Festival Hamburg, Germany

Sep 26, 2024 Terminal West Atlanta, GA

Sep 28, 2024 All Things Go Festival Columbia, MD

Sep 30, 2024 Irving Plaza New York, NY

Oct 1, 2024 The Foundry Philadelphia, PA

Oct 3, 2024 The Atlantis Washington, DC

Oct 4, 2024 Irving Plaza New York, NY

Oct 5, 2024 Brighton Music Hall Boston, MA

Oct 7, 2024 The Opera House Toronto, ON

Oct 9, 2024 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL

Oct 10, 2024 7th St. Entry Minneapolis, MN

Oct 12, 2024 Globe Hall Denver, CO

Oct 13, 2024 Soundwell Salt Lake City, UT

Oct 16, 2024 The Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA

Oct 17, 2024 The Fonda Theatre Los Angeles, CA

Oct 18, 2024 Bimbo's 365 Club San Francisco, CA

Oct 20, 2024 The Independent San Francisco, CA

Nov 3, 2024 Huxley's Neue Welt Berlin, Germany

Nov 4, 2024 Stadthalle Cologne, Germany

Nov 6, 2024 Le Botanique Brussels, Belgium

Nov 7, 2024 Bataclan Paris, France

Nov 8, 2024 Het Zonnehuis Amsterdam, Netherlands

Nov 10, 2024 Stylus Leeds, UK

Nov 12, 2024 O2 Forum Kentish Town London, UK

Nov 13, 2024 Academy 2 Manchester, UK

Nov 14, 2024 SWG3 (TV Studio) Glasgow, UK

Nov 17, 2024 Tramshed Cardiff, UK

Nov 18, 2024 SWX Bristol, UK

Nov 19, 2024 O2 Academy 2 Birmingham, UK

10 Oct 2024 Acid Mothers Temple with Spirit Mother at Turf Club Read More Acid Mothers Temple Acid Mothers Temple brand new mind-bending psychedelic LP “Holy Black Mountain Side”, featuring new tracks including a traditional piece woven into the signature Acid Mothers Temple soundscape. “Holy Black Mountain Side” …

10 Oct 2024 Thursday

Acid Mothers Temple
with Spirit Mother
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Japanese rock band Acid Mothers Temple, or otherwise known as Acid Mothers Temple & the Melting Paraiso U.F.O., will be headlining the Turf Club, in St Paul, on October 10, 2024.

The band formed in 1995 by Makoto Kawabata, originally known as Acid Mothers Temple Soul Collective, with a debut album set for 1997. By 2017, the group had released 80 albums.

Spirit Mother to open.

Tour dates:

Sep 27 San Diego, CA, US Casbah

Sep 28 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Lodge Room

Sep 29 Santa Cruz, CA, US Moe's Alley

Oct 1 Sacramento, CA, US Starlet Room

Oct 3 Seattle, WA, US Tractor Tavern

Oct 4 Portland, OR, US Aladdin Theater

Oct 8 Denver, CO, US Bluebird Theater

Oct 9 Kansas City, MO, US recordBar

Oct 10 St. Paul, MN, US Turf Club

Oct 11 Milwaukee, WI, US Cactus Club

Oct 12 Chicago, IL, US Sleeping Village

Oct 13 Madison, WI, US High Noon Saloon

Oct 15 Newport, KY, US Southgate House

Oct 16 Cleveland Heights, OH, US Grog Shop

Oct 17 Buffalo, NY, US Iron Works

Oct 18 Providence, RI, US Alchemy

Oct 19 Ridgewood, NY, US TV Eye

Oct 20 Philadelphia, PA, US MilkBoy

Oct 21 Baltimore, MD, US Metro Baltimore

Oct 23 Atlanta, GA, US The Masquerade

Oct 25 Mobile, AL, US The Merry Widow

Oct 26 New Orleans, LA, US Siberia

Oct 31 Austin, TX, US

Nov 3 Phoenix, AZ, US The Rebel Lounge

Nov 4 Costa Mesa, CA, US The Wayfarer

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Melt-Banana at Fine Line, Minneapolis (30 May 2024)

05/30 MELT-BANANA with The Flying Luttenbachers, Tomato Flower and babybaby_explores at Fine Line The Flying Luttenbachers Setlist setlist courtesy of Robert  Demonic Velocities II Omnicide Mass Manslaughter, Ma'am Excruciation Fury of the Delusion The Void pt. 1 Tomato Flower Setlist setlist courtesy of Robert  Destroyer Radical Boudica (demo) High Cult Sally & Me No Temple of the Mind Truth Lounge Down Jem Tour Dates May 31 - High Noon Saloon - Madison, WI ($, #, %) June 01 - Bottom Lounge - Chicago, IL ($, #, %) June 02 - Grog Shop - Cleveland Heights, OH ($, #, %) June 04 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA ($, #, %) June 05 - Elsewhere Hall - Brooklyn, NY ($, #, %) June 06 - Underground Arts - Philadelphia, PA ($, #, %) June 07 - Metro Gallery - Baltimore, MD ($, #, %) June 08 - The Broadberry - Richmond, VA (#, %) June 09 - Eulogy - Asheville, NC (#, %) June 10 - Terminal West - Atlanta, GA (#, %) June 12 - Chelsea's Live - Baton Rouge, LA (#, %) June 13 - White Oak Music - Houston, TX (#, %) June 14 - Deep Ellum Art Co. - Dallas, TX (#, %) June 15 - Empire Control Room - Austin, TX (#, %) June 18 - Meow Wolf - Santa Fe, NM (#, %) June 19 - The Rebel Lounge - Phoenix, AZ (#, %, +) June 20 - Music Box - San Diego, CA (#, %, +) June 21 - El Rey Theatre - Los Angeles, CA (#, %, +) June 22 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA (#, %) With TOMATO FLOWER (noted as: #)・BABYBABY_EXPLORES (noted as: %)・ THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS (noted as: $)・SQUIDPISSER (noted as: +) Read More Melt-Banana Japanese noise band Melt-Banana is coming to Minneapolis on Wednesday, October 23rd, at the Triple Rock Social Club. The duo (Yasuko Onuki and Ichirou Agata) is currently in the U.S. to do a "2 do what 2 fetch" tour … babybaby_explores Next up was Rhode Island’s babybaby_explores, an odd low-tech trio (Lids B-day, Sam M-H, and Gabe C-D). Lids does most of the singing and funky dance moves, while Sam in the hat, plays electric guitar, and rounding out Gabe on the drum machine. …

Japanese duo Melt-Banana brought a very unique lineup on their latest tour, in support of their forthcoming album 3+5. The Fine Line show featured a very diverse lineup, featuring everything from shoegazing to noise to no wave to experimental to instrumental to punk. You don’t find this kind of weird musical genre in many shows.

Opening up the show, on this quadruple rock show was Baltimore’s Tomato Flower (Mike Alfieri, Ruby Mars, Jamison Murphy, Austyn Wohlers), playing a dreamy psychedelia set.

Vocal duties were shared between Jamison Murphy and Ruby Mars. Murphy described how he met Ruby and Austyn Wohlers, at a summer camp in Georgia, where they were studying English, but with an audio engineering minor. They all got along very well, and soon enough met Mike Alfieri at an experimental music festival called High Zero… and the rest is history.

The band released two EPs (Construction and Gold Arc) in 2022, and their debut album No came out in March 2024. Songs on their set were mostly from No, including the title track.

New demo song “Boudica” was also included. They were really excited about this new song, because it’s one of “the longer songs” and it’s a challenge for them to pull off.

babybaby_explores (31 May 2023)

Next was Rhode Island’s babybaby_explores, who we previously saw with Japan’s Buffalo Daughter in May 2023 and described them as: “babybaby_explores, an odd low-tech trio (Lids B-day, Sam M-H, and Gabe C-D). Lids does most of the singing and funky dance moves, while Sam in the hat, plays electric guitar, and rounding out Gabe on the drum machine. Not really sure if you can classify the band’s music… let’s just say they’re quirky. Their music doesn’t flow how you would expect and often it makes an abrupt left turn, but you just go with it.”

Since the last time we saw them, they’re still strange and Lids has even funkier dance moves. What’s new is that Gabe has been replaced with Ramona Cano-Daly, and they have a new release called Hair. I think the year that they spent on the road really helped them with their performance, Lids encouraging the audience to participate (with good response) and they seem really comfortable on stage.

Unfortunately, in the middle of their set, they had a dead mic and they spent a few minutes trying to figure it out. Eventually, they were given another live mic and the show continued. They were going to drop their last song on their set, due to running out of time because of the dead mic… but the audience demanded them to play it - so they played their last song “really fast”.

New York (by the way of Chicago)’s The Flying Luttenbachers said they’ve been around since 1991, but they sure don’t show their age. The “spectral warriors” were all instrumental and I would describe them as a little metal-jazz (if that’s a thing) and a little punk.

As you can see from their setlist, they only played six songs… but each song is very long and they easily just killed their 45-min set in a blink of an eye. Almost all the songs were from their latest album Spectral Warrior Mythos 2, which came out Summer 2024 via GOD Records, Austria.

The new album was described as an uneasy transitional album, since the original guitarist, Weasel Walter, relocated to Chicago and reformed The Flying Luttenbachers. The new band features Charlie Werber (from Lovely Little Girls and Guzzlemug) and “Wildman” Luke Polipnick (of Abhorrent Expanse).

Finally, Japanese noise artists Melt-Banana closed out the show. Since forming in 1991 (originally called Mizu, but the name was changed to Melt-Banana a year later), the band came to fame when they were offered a record deal on KK Null’s record label.

By 1996, Melt-Banana found themselves touring Europe, and John Peel became a massive fan and asked them to record a Peel Session in 1999. Peel described the band as “Simply one of the most extraordinary performances I have ever seen and ever heard.”

Melt-Banana (25 Nov 2000)

Melt-Banana (23 Oct 2013)

It was in Nov 2000, when we first saw the band, as four-piece “proper band”… but since 2013, the band dropped their bassist and drummer. When we saw them in 2013, at Triple Rock, we wrote, “Currently the live band only consists of singer/programmer Yasuko Onuki and guitarist Ichirou Agata. The rest of their music comes from a laptop full of drum samples and samples, a colorful programmed keypad that Yasuko uses throughout the show, and about five or six very large speakers and amps that they bring on tour with them. For just two people, they produced some of the loudest sound I've heard at live shows.”

Based on Melt-Banana’s Fine Line performance, I can tell you that their forthcoming 3+5 is very energetic and upbeat. The band seemed really excited to play their new songs.

Among their hour-long set, the band played a Devo cover “Uncontrollable Urge”, and a lengthy encore set, which seemed to have at least eight or nine songs.

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Melt-Banana at Fine Line (30 May 2024)

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Minneapolis: May 20, 2024

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

05/20 Guitar Wolf with Hans Condor and CELICA at 7th St Entry Read More Guitar Wolf Our favorite noisy, coolest Japanese rock ‘n roll band Guitar Wolf will be returning to Minnesota next Thursday, September 1st at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St Paul. Guitar Wolf’s 12th studio album T-Rex From a Tiny Space Yojouhan .…

05/20/2024 Monday

Guitar Wolf
with Hans Condor and CELICA
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

The World’s coolest band Guitar Wolf is back in the USA. The Japanese band is touring in support of LOVE&JETT (Third Man Records), their 13th album. The new album is the first to feature Bass Wolf (IV), Gotz, who joined the band in 2018.

Guitar Wolf (26 May 2019)

We have heard LOVE&JETT in May 2019: “Their thirteenth and most recent release is this year’s LOVE&JETT (Guitarwolf Records, issued by Third Man) and the band started their forty-five minute set (all dressed in head-to-toe black leather, no matter the temperature) with Seiji and Gotz each chugging a beer quickly to get started, with a small mosh pit quickly forming near the left side of the stage. Their music is snarling, fast, and unapologetic, (for example, the new record is 10 songs over just 26 minutes) getting fans frothing early with the new, ‘Sex Jaguar’ and with Seiji pointing to the sky during 2002’s ‘UFO Romantics’, it wouldn’t have been the least surprising to have something come down and beam them up. New bassist Gotz proved as frantic as his predecessors, half swallowing his mic and diving head first into the pit area, to be surfed about, and the title track of the new album, anchored by a fast Tōru bass drum was played late in the set, before one last flash leveled anyone in the crowd whose mouth was not already agape.”

What’s more exciting is that this upcoming North American tour will debut the trio’s new Drum Wolf, Takuro.

Also note, Guitar Wolf also promoting a Kickstarter for Wild Zero II, a film starring Guitar Wolf, of course. As you know, we love the original film, and even got the band to autograph the Synapse DVD when we saw the band nearly a decade ago.

Introduction via Kickstarter: “Together let's make Wild Zero 2, packed with zombies, UFOs, rock 'n' roll, motorcycles, explosions, retro special effects, and love! Let's rock 'n' roll and shatter the tired, cookie cutter world of cinema! This is project aims to raise funds for the production of the sequel to the classic zombie movie Wild Zero, featuring Japanese, Jet Rock'n Roll trio, Guitar Wolf.”

Tour dates:

May 11 Atlanta - 529

May 12 Nashville - Sun Cobra

May 13 Ashville - Fleetwoods

May 14 Charlotte - Snug Harbor

May 15 Philadelphia -Philamoca

May 16 Washington DC - Black Cat

May 17 NYC - Elsewhere

May 18 Toronto - Lee'S Palace

May 19 Chicago -Avondale Music Hall

May 20 Minneapolis - 7th St Entry

May 22 Denver - Bluebird

May 23 Salt Lake City - Aces High Saloon

May 25 Las Vegas - Punk Rock Bowling

May 26 San Francisco - Bottom Of The Hill

May 28 San Diego - Casbah

May 30 Long Beach - Alexs Bar

May 31 Phoenix - Rebel Lounge

Jun 1 Albuquerque - Launch Pad

Jun 2 Oklahoma City - Grand Royale

Jun 4 Dallas - Trees

Jun 5 Austin - Come And Take It

Jun 6 Houston - Scout Bar

Jun 7 New Orleans - Poor Boys

Jun 8 Memphis - Hernando'S Hideaway

05/20 The Longest Johns with Seán Dagher, voice of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag at Fine Line Read More The Longest Johns Evans probably heard it from Bristol-based a cappella musical group The Longest Johns, who recorded their version on their album Between Wind and Water. … Assassin’s Creed Recently, I purchased one of the biggest Triple-A game called Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, mostly thanks to enjoying Ubisoft’s previous two releases, Assassin’s Creed Origins and Assassin’s Creed…

05/20/2024 Monday

The Longest Johns
with Seán Dagher, voice of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com

Bristol’s The Longest Johns (Andy Yates, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Robbie Sattin), famous for their version of “Wellerman”, will be headlining the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on May 20, 2024.

Longest Johns (09 Mar 2022)

We did catch Longest Johns in Mar 2022 and wrote, “The Longest Johns has some of the most diverse fanbase, from very old fans to the youngest fan (a 10 year old boy with his dad) to teenagers. The dancefloor was completely packed. While the group had a drummer and guitarist, the most important instruments seems to be their vocals, which Andy Yates, Dave Robinson, Jonathan "JD" Darley, and Robbie Sattin were happy to display for us.”

Seán Dagher (billed as “voice of Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag”) to open. As you know, I’m a big fan of Assassin’s Creed games. Thumbs up from the Weekend Gamer.

Tour dates:

May 7 Cambridge, MA, US The Sinclair

May 8 New York (NYC), NY, US Le Poisson Rouge

May 10 Ardmore, PA, US The Ardmore Music Hall

May 11 Alexandria, VA, US Birchmere

May 12 Alexandria, VA, US Birchmere

May 13 Asheville, NC, US The Orange Peel

May 14 Atlanta, GA, US Buckhead Theatre

May 17 Nashville, TN, US Brooklyn Bowl

May 20 Minneapolis, MN, US Fine Line

May 21 Chicago, IL, US Thalia Hall

May 23 Toronto, ON, Canada The Horseshoe Tavern

May 24 Ottawa, ON, Canada Bronson Centre

May 25 Montreal, QC, Canada Théâtre Beanfield

Aug 15 Outdoor Ottery St Mary, UK Beautiful Days Festival

Aug 16 Perranporth, UK The Watering Hole

Aug 23 Shrewsbury, UK Shrewsbury Folk Festival

Sep 20 Fort Collins, CO, US Aggie Theater

Sep 21 Boulder, CO, US Boulder Theater

Sep 22 Steamboat Springs, CO, US Strings Music Pavilion

Sep 25 Salt Lake City, UT, US Soundwell

Sep 27 Portland, OR, US Wonder Ballroom

Sep 28 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile

Sep 29 Vancouver, BC, Canada Rickshaw Theatre

Oct 2 San Francisco, CA, US Great American Music Hall

Oct 4 West Hollywood, CA, US Troubadour

Oct 5 San Diego, CA, US House of Blues San Diego

Oct 8 Phoenix, AZ, US Crescent Ballroom

Oct 12 Dallas, TX, US Majestic Theatre

Nov 7 Leicester, UK De Montfort Hall

Nov 8 Brighton, UK Brighton Dome

Nov 10 Aylesbury, UK The Waterside Theatre

Nov 11 Ipswich, UK Ipswich Regent Theatre

Nov 12 Bristol, UK Bristol Beacon

Nov 13 Oxford, UK New Theatre Oxford

Nov 14 Nottingham, UK Royal Concert Hall Notts

Nov 15 Harrogate, UK Harrogate Convention Centre

Nov 16 Sheffield, UK Sheffield City Hall

Nov 18 London, UK London Palladium

Nov 19 Plymouth, UK Plymouth Pavilions

Nov 20 Cardiff, UK Utilita Arena Cardiff

Nov 21 Bath, UK Bath Forum

Nov 22 Birmingham, UK Symphony Hall

Nov 23 Gateshead, UK Glasshouse International

Nov 24 Liverpool, UK Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Nov 25 Manchester, UK The Bridgewater Hall

Nov 26 Cambridge, UK Cambridge Corn Exchange

05/20 Gregorian at The Fitzgerald Theater Read More Gregorian How funny is this: Gregorian Monks singing "Losing My Religion" - oh the irony! First of all, this particular band (simply Gregorian) are not real monks, but a couple of guys from Germany, who transform modern pop music to …

05/20/2024 Monday

Gregorian
at The Fitzgerald Theater
first-avenue.com

We originally announced Gregorian to play in October 2023, but the show was rescheduled to May 20, 2024. Unfortunately, this date is a very busy date.

>>>
UPDATE: Gregorian: Pure Chants Tour at The Fitzgerald Theater on November 2, 2023 has been rescheduled and will now take place on May 20, 2024. All tickets purchased for the original show will be honored.

Those famous Gregorian Monks (or simply Gregorian) are on their very first American tour! It’s unbelievable that over 20 years and with million of fans, that they’ve never toured here.

“The World’s Most Successful Choir” has a new album Pure Chants, that just came out on BMG.

Those Rockin’ Monks (vuart)

I wrote about the Gregorian Monks in May 2007: “How funny is this: Gregorian Monks singing "Losing My Religion" - oh the irony! First of all, this particular band (simply Gregorian) are not real monks, but a couple of guys from Germany, who transform modern pop music to Gregorian chant-style singing. They spawned quite a few copycat chant-style groups, so just be aware of which albums they've release.”

Tour dates:

May 5 Mexico City, Mexico Auditorio BB

May 8 Guadalajara, Mexico Teatro Diana

May 15 Arlington, TX, US Arlington Music Hall

May 17 Pelham, TN, US The Caverns

May 20 St. Paul, MN, US Fitzgerald Theater

May 21 Lincoln, NE, US Rococo Theatre

Jan 18 2025 Oberhausen, Germany Rudolf Weber-ARENA

Jan 19 2025 Erfurt, Germany Messehalle Erfurt

Jan 20 2025 Saarbrücken, Germany Saarlandhalle Saarbrücken

Jan 21 2025 Frankfurt, Germany Alte Oper Frankfurt, Grosser Saal

Jan 22 2025 Mannheim, Germany Mozartsaal, Rosengarten

Jan 24 2025 Kempten, Germany bigBOX Allgäu

Jan 25 2025 Stuttgart, Germany Beethovensaal, Liederhalle

Jan 26 2025 Chemnitz, Germany Stadthalle Chemnitz

Jan 27 2025 Dresden, Germany Konzertsaal im Kulturpalast Dresden

Jan 29 2025 Koblenz, Germany Rhein-Mosel-Halle

Jan 30 2025 Aachen, Germany Eurogress Aachen

Jan 31 2025 Nuremberg, Germany Kia Metropol Arena

Feb 1 2025 Berlin, Germany Uber Eats Music Hall

Mar 5 2025 Rostock, Germany StadtHalle

Mar 6 2025 Halle, Germany Georg-Friedrich-Händel-Halle

Mar 7 2025 Zwickau, Germany Stadthalle

Mar 8 2025 Magdeburg, Germany GETEC Arena Magdeburg

Mar 9 2025 Leipzig, Germany Quarterback Immobilien Arena

Mar 11 2025 Bremen, Germany Metropol Theater Bremen

Mar 12 2025 Bielefeld, Germany Stadthalle

Mar 13 2025 Bochum, Germany RuhrCongress

Mar 15 2025 Freiburg, Germany Konzerthaus Freiburg

Mar 16 2025 Augsburg, Germany Kongress am Park

Mar 17 2025 Cologne, Germany LANXESS arena

Apr 9 2025 Hamburg, Germany Saal 1, Congress Center

Apr 10 2025 Kiel, Germany WUNDERINO ARENA

Apr 13 2025 Vienna, Austria Wiener Stadthalle

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Minneapolis: March 6 to March 7, 2024

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

03/06 Beach Weather with Phoneboy & Rec Hall at Amsterdam Bar & Hall Read More Beach Weather Everything about last night was calm and chill. The opening band, Beach Weather, was awesome. The Maine sounded great. Nothing happened during the show …

03/06/2024 Wednesday

Beach Weather
with Phoneboy & Rec Hall
at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
amsterdambarandhall.com

American alternative pop-rock band Beach Weather has re-united, with their biggest hit song “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” (certified Platinum in May 2023). Their debut album Pineapple Sunrise came out last year on Arista Records. What an amazing story, as the band originally formed in 2015 to open for The Maine… and after burning bright for a few years, the band faded into “indefinite hiatus” status.

Beach Weather (03 Sep 2015)

And yes, we saw them in Sep 2015: “Everything about last night was calm and chill. The opening band, Beach Weather, was awesome. The Maine sounded great. Nothing happened during the show. There were no fights, nothing really to note. Usually I would chalk that up to a boring and bad night. Last night was anything but boring and bad. It was chill and I had a great time.”

If you missed them out the first time (2015-2017), go see them in 2024 on “Pineapple Sunrise” tour. Original band leader, singer, and rhythm guitarist Nick Santino (A Rocket to the Moon), with Reeve Powers (bass), Ian Holubiak (lead guitar) and Austin Scates (drums).

Beach Weather will stop by the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, in St Paul, with Phoneboy and Rec Hall, as support.

Tour dates:

Feb 16 Tampa, FL, US Gasparilla Music Festival

Mar 1 Toronto, ON, Canada The Opera House

Mar 2 Ferndale, MI, US The Loving Touch

Mar 3 Columbus, OH, US Bluestone

Mar 5 Chicago, IL, US Lincoln Hall

Mar 6 St. Paul, MN, US Amsterdam Bar

Mar 8 Milwaukee, WI, US The Rave

Mar 9 Cleveland, OH, US House of Blues

Mar 10 Indianapolis, IN, US HI-FI

Mar 11 Nashville, TN, US The Basement East

Mar 13 Atlanta, GA, US The Masquerade

Mar 14 Durham, NC, US Motorco Music Hall

Mar 15 Harrisburg, PA, US XL Live

Mar 16 Pittsburgh, PA, US Mr Smalls Theater

Mar 17 Philadelphia, PA, US The Foundry

Mar 19 Washington, DC, US The Atlantis

Mar 21 New York (NYC), NY, US Gramercy Theatre

Mar 22 Uncasville, CT, US Wolf Den

Mar 23 Boston, MA, US Brighton Music Hall

Apr 17 Phoenix, AZ, US Crescent Ballroom Apr 19 Austin, TX, US The Domain

Apr 20 Fort Worth, TX, US Tulips

Apr 21 Oklahoma City, OK, US Beer City Music Hall

Apr 23 Denver, CO, US Summit Music Hall

Apr 24 Salt Lake City, UT, US The Complex

Apr 26 Boise, ID, US Shrine Basement

Apr 27 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile

Apr 30 Roseville, CA, US Goldfield Trading Post

May 1 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Teragram Ballroom

May 3 San Diego, CA, US Music Box

May 24 Boston, MA, US Boston Calling

03/06 Chelsea Cutler with Yoke Lore at Palace Theatre Read More Chelsea Cutler Platinum Certified singer, songwriter, and producer Chelsea Cutler’s latest single, “You Can Have It” came out recently and is about, “embracing your confidence … Yoke Lore Yoke Lore with girlhouse at Fine Line Yoke Lore is headlining the Fine Line Music Café on August 30th, as part of his “Holy Havoc Tour”. ….

03/06/2024 Wednesday

Chelsea Cutler
with Yoke Lore
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Platinum-Certified singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and engineer Chelsea Cutler is heading out on tour in support of her new album Stellaria.

The 2024 headline tour titled “The Beauty Is Everywhere Tour” is kicking off in Atlanta on February 16th, and will stop in St Paul, at the Palace Theatre, on March 6, 2024.

Yoke Lore (18 Oct 2019)

Yoke Lore to open. We caught the singer in Oct 2019 and wrote, “If you didn’t know, Adrian Galvin (his brother is actor and singer Noah Galvin), was a member of Walk the Moon and Yellerkin, before striking out on his own under the stagename Yoke Lore. Clearly, he had bigger ambition of being a musician, as well as dancer (in the dance group Boomerang), visual artist, and song writer.”

The Beauty Is Everywhere Tour:

February 16 Atlanta, GA The Eastern*
February 17 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore Charlotte*
February 19 Charlottesville, VA The Jefferson*
February 20 Washington, D.C. Echostage*
February 22 Philadelphia, PA The Met Philadelphia*
February 23 New York, NY Radio City Music Hall*
February 24 Boston, MA MGM Music Hall at Fenway*
February 26 Montreal, QC Beanfield Theatre*
February 27 Toronto, ON The Danforth Music Hall*
February 29 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit*
March 1 Grand Rapids, MI GC Live at 20 Monroe*
March 2 Chicago, IL Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom*
March 5 Madison, WI The Sylvee*
March 6 Minneapolis, MN Palace Theatre*
March 8 Denver, CO Fillmore Auditorium*
March 9 Salt Lake City, UT The Union
March 11 Boise, ID Knitting Factory*
March 12 Spokane, WA Knitting Factory*
March 14 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo*
March 15 Portland, OR Roseland Theater*
March 17 Sacramento, CA Ace Of Spades*
March 19 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl*
March 21 San Francisco, CA The Masonic*
March 22 Los Angeles, CA The Hollywood Palladium*
March 24 San Diego, CA SOMA*
March 25 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren*
March 27 Dallas, TX South Side Ballroom*
March 28 Austin, TX Stubbs Waller Creek Amphitheater*
March 30 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium*

* Yoke Lore as support

03/06 Matisyahu with Cydeways at First Avenue Read More Matisyahu Matisyahu will be back in Minneapolis next Saturday, October 24. Billed as "An Intimate Evening with Matisyahu", expect this to be slightly toned down compared to his Live at Stubb's album …

03/06/2024 Wednesday

Matisyahu
with Cydeways
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, and alternative reggae rock musician Matisyahu is on tour in 2024 in support of his new EP Hold the Fire, just released February 2nd via his own label, Fallen Sparks Records.

Matisyahu (24 Oct 2015)

We saw Matisyahu in 24 Oct 2015 and wrote, “We've seen Matisyahu before, but Saturday's show was possibly the best show we've ever seen - and it's thanks to clearly hearing every note from his very excellent live band, away from the distractions of a regular "rock" show where fans are constantly talking. Unfortunately, fans weren't used to the sit-down environment of the "theater style" shows. At first everyone was respectful (with some dancing fans going to the back to dance away without obscuring someone's view of the stage). Of course, all that changed when the second set of Matisyahu when everyone stood up (with encouragement from the singer).”

Cydeways to open.

Tour Dates

January 31 – Pensacola, FL @ Vinyl Music Hall
February 1 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
February 2 – St. Petersburg, FL @ Jannus Live
February 6 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
February 7 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
February 8 – New Orleans, LA @ House of Blues
February 9 – Houston, TX @ Rise Rooftop
February 10 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s Waller Creek
February 14 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
February 15 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theatre
February 16 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
February 17 – Petaluma, CA @ Mystic Theatre
February 21 – Felton, CA @ Felton Music Hall
February 22 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
February 23 – Stateline, NV @ Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
February 24 – Bend, OR @ The Domino Room
February 26 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
February 27 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune Theatre
February 29 – Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
March 1 – Aspen, CO @ Belly Up Aspen
March 2 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
March 6 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
March 7 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater
March 8 – Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
March 9 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
March 10 – Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
March 13 – Portland, ME @ State Theatre
March 14 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Ballroom
March 15 – Salisbury, MA @ Blue Ocean Music Hall
March 16 – Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
March 20 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
March 21 – Richmond, VA @ The National
March 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl
March 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel

03/07 Otoboke Beaver with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir at First Avenue Read More Otoboke Beaver Kyoto’s Otoboke Beaver (おとぼけビ～バ～), a four-piece all-girls punk/rock band (singer/guitarist Accorinrin, guitarist Yoyoyoshie, bassist Hirochan, and drummer Kahokiss) ...

03/07/2024 Thursday

Otoboke Beaver
with Drinking Boys and Girls Choir
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Japanese all-girls band Otoboke Beaver will be headlining First Avenue on March 7th, 2024… their biggest stage in Minneapolis, yet!

Korean band Drinking Boys and Girls Choir to open.

Tour dates

Feb 3 Osaka, Japan SOCORE FACTORY
Feb 8 Kyoto, Japan Takutaku (磔磔)
Feb 20 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile
Feb 21 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile
Feb 22 Portland, OR, US Wonder Ballroom
Feb 24 San Francisco, CA, US The Fillmore
Feb 25 Santa Cruz, CA, US The Catalyst
Feb 27 Santa Ana, CA, US The Observatory
Feb 28 San Diego, CA, US House of Blues San Diego Feb 29 Pioneertown, CA, US Pappy + Harriet's
Mar 2 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Belasco
Mar 4 Salt Lake City, UT, US Metro Music Hall
Mar 5 Englewood, CO, US Gothic Theatre
Mar 7 Minneapolis, MN, US First Avenue
Mar 9 Chicago, IL, US Thalia Hall
Mar 10 Chicago, IL, US Thalia Hall
Mar 12 St Louis, MO, US Delmar Hall
Mar 14 Pittsburgh, PA, US Spirit Hall
Mar 15 Cleveland, OH, US House of Blues
Mar 16 Detroit, MI, US Saint Andrew's Hall
Mar 17 Toronto, ON, Canada The Opera House
Mar 19 Montreal, QC, Canada Théâtre Beanfield
Mar 21 Boston, MA, US Royale Boston
Mar 22 Queens, NY, US Knockdown Center
Mar 23 Philadelphia, PA, US Union Transfer
Mar 24 Washington, DC, US 9:30 CLUB
Mar 26 Carrboro, NC, US Cat's Cradle
Mar 27 Charlotte, NC, US The Underground
Mar 28 Nashville, TN, US Eastside Bowl
Mar 28 Madison, TN, US Eastside Bowl
Mar 29 Atlanta, GA, US The Masquerade
Mar 30 Orlando, FL, US The Beacham
Jul 25 Noblesville, IN, US Ruoff Music Center
Jul 30 Maryland Heights, MO, US Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

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

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Atarashii Gakko! at Amsterdam Bar & Hall, St Paul (16 Nov 2023)

Atarashii Gakko Setlist SEISHUN WO KIRISAKU HADO saisyu jinrui CANDY The Edge Suki Lie Fantastico Pineapple Kryptonite (Yohji Igarashi Remix) Tokyo Calling Otona Blue WOO! GO! NAINAINAI -- Encore -- Free Your Mind Read More Atarashii Gakko! Japanese all-girl group Atarashii Gakko!, the known as the full Japanese name as Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders (新しい学校のリーダーズ), translated to mean “The New School Leaders”. ....

J-Pop all-girls group Atarashii Gakko! (新しい学校のリーダーズ and stylized as ATARASHII GAKKO!) just wrapped up their first-ever North American tour… stopping by the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, in St Paul, on Thursday night (November 16).

This was a sold-out show, meaning that when you first arrive to the venue, you had to get in line. The line goes up a flight of stairs in the building… so we were directed to take the elevator to the sixth floor and then find the line on the stairs. It’s an awkward way waiting to get in the door… but it beats standing outside in the winter.

There was also no opening band, so there was a long wait time until the show begins. The dance floor quickly filled up with eager young fans who rush to the front of the stage for a good viewing spot. Many of them brought idol lights or were dressed up with the Atarashii Gakko’s official socks.

Since there was such a long wait time, some fans brough balloons with LED micro blinking lights and had some fun bouncing it around. When it ultimate pop, there was a huge gasp from the audience. Fear not, another balloon would soon go.

Atarashii Gakko finally came on stage and the crowd went wild. The “New School Leaders” are four girls: Mizyu, the cute but fierce one, Rin, the funky one, Suzuka, the glass-wearing wildcard, and Kanon, the graceful one.

As with these K-Pop/J-Pop/T-Pop bands, it’s not so much the catchy pop songs, but it’s all about the dance choregraph. It’s really a visual show with some crazy dance moves and sometime it’s acrobatic!

The fans are passionate and enthusiastic, often singing along or participating whenever the band would take a moment to ask the crowd questions… such as “Do you know Japan?”

If you are not familiar with Korean Pop or Japanese Pop groups, you should do yourself a favor and attend a show (if it’s not sold out yet). You’ll have as much fun watching the show as it is to experience it with their fanbase.

Update 11/21: Photos were finally approved.

Atarashii Gakko!

Atarashii Gakko! Atarashii Gakko! Atarashii Gakko! (Vuart)

Atarashii Gakko! at Amsterdam Bar & Hall, St Paul (16 Nov 2023)

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Minneapolis: November 16 to November 17

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11/16 Atarashii Gakko! at Amsterdam Bar & Hall

11/16/2023 Thursday

Atarashii Gakko!
at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
amsterdambarandhall.com

Japanese all-girl group Atarashii Gakko!, the known as the full Japanese name as Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders (新しい学校のリーダーズ), translated to mean “The New School Leaders”.

The group formed in June 2017 under Victor Entertainment with the single “Dokubana”. Currently, they are signed under 88rising since 2021. Their new EP is called Maningen (マ人間) which came out August 16, 2023.

All four girls, Mizyu, Suzuka, Kanon, and Rin, will be heading to St Paul at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, as part of their first headlining tour: “We're very excited to announce THE SEISHUN TOUR, our first ever headline tour. We are excited to see you.”

If you’re into J-Pop, with a mix of Jazz and punk energy, this looks like a very fun show.

Tour dates:

Nov 7 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Fonda Theatre
Nov 8 San Francisco, CA, US The Regency Ballroom
Nov 10 Brooklyn, NY, US Music Hall
Nov 13 Toronto, ON, Canada Axis Club
Nov 16 St. Paul, MN, US Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Nov 17 Mexico City, Mexico Festival Corona Capital

11/16 The Tenors at The Fitzgerald Theater Read More The Tenors International vocal group The Tenors, but wanted to first showcase the red carpet arrivals and the numerous celebrity attendees that showed their support. …

11/16/2023 Thursday

The Tenors
at The Fitzgerald Theater
first-avenue.com

Internationally renowned award winning vocal group The Tenors is on tour in support of their new holiday album Christmas with The Tenors.

The Tenors (15 July 2018)

We saw The Tenors in 15 July 2018 and noted, “Canadian trio The Tenors made a return appearance to the gala, themselves just recently back from one of Starkey’s transformative missions in Zambia, to open the evening with their hit, ‘The Prayer’.”

Tour dates:

11/03/23 Westbury, NY NYCB Theater at Westbury
11/05/23 Ridgefield, CT The Ridgefield Playhouse
11/06/23 Portsmouth, NH Music Hall
11/08/23 Glenside, PA Keswick Theater
11/09/23 Boston, MA The Wilbur
11/10/23 Newton, NJ The Newton Theater
11/12/23 Warren, OH Robins Theater
11/15/23 Chicago, IL Athenaeum Theater
11/16/23 St. Paul, MN The Fitzgerald Theater
11/18/23 Fort Hall, ID Shoshone Bannock Hotel
11/19/23 Airway Heights, WA Northern Quest Resort
11/23/23 Victoria, BC Royal Theatre
11/24/23 Courtenay, BC Sid Williams Theatre
11/26/23 Vancouver, BC Queen Elizabeth Theatre
11/27/23 Edmonton, AB Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
11/28/23 Calgary, AB Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
11/30/23 Regina, SK Casino Regina
12/01/23 Winnipeg, MB Club Regent Event Centre
12/14/23 Windsor, ON Caesars Windsor
12/16/23 Ottawa, ON Southam Hall
12/17/23 Peterborough, ON Peterborough Memorial Centre
12/18/23 Toronto, ON Roy Thompson Hall
12/20/23 Kitchener, ON Centre in the Square
12/23/23 Montreal, QC Théâtre Outremont

11/17 Kota the Friend at The Lyric

11/17/2023 Friday

Kota the Friend
at The Lyric
skywaytheatre.com

American rapper, singer, and record producer Kota the Friend is on tour, stopping by the Lyric (inside the Skyway Theatre), in Minneapolis, on Friday, 11/ 17th. The tour, titled “Kota the Friend Presents: Flowers For My Friends Tour” is in support of his album Protea.

Recently, the acclaimed Brooklynite appeared on PBS’s NewsHour television program, where he was interviewed by special correspondent Christopher Booker for a documentary on Jay-Z’s ‘Book of Hov’ NYC exhibit.

The exclusive interview is part of PBS’s arts and culture series, Canvas, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.

Tour dates:

Fri Oct 20 — Pittsburgh, PA — Roxian Theatre
Sat Oct 21 — Philadelphia, PA — Union Transfer*
Sun Oct 22 — Silver Spring, MD — The Fillmore Silver Spring
Wed Oct 25 — Atlanta, GA — Buckhead Theatre
Thu Oct 26 — Tampa, FL — The Ritz Ybor*
Sat Oct 28 — Dallas, TX — South Side Music Hall*
Mon Oct 30 — Phoenix, AZ — The Van Buren
Tue Oct 31 — San Diego, CA — The Observatory North Park
Wed Nov 01 — Los Angeles, CA — The Belasco Theatre
Sun Nov 05 — San Francisco, CA — The Fillmore
Tue Nov 07 — Seattle, WA — Neumos
Fri Nov 10 — Portland, OR — Crystal Ballroom*
Sat Nov 11 — Vancouver, BC — Hollywood Theatre
Wed Nov 15 — Denver, CO — Summit
Fri Nov 17 — Minneapolis, MN — The Lyric at Skyway Theatre*
Sat Nov 18 — Chicago, IL — Patio Theatre*
Sun Nov 19 — Detroit, MI — St. Andrew’s Hall
Mon Nov 20 — Toronto, ON — The Danforth Music Hall
Wed Nov 22 — Boston, MA — Paradise Rock Club
Sat Nov 25 — New York, NY — Irving Plaza

*Not a Live Nation Date

11/17 Liz Phair with Blondshell at Palace Theatre Read More Liz Phair Iconic American singer and songwriter Liz Phair returned to the sold-out Turf Club show in St Paul, on Monday, to bring us her “Girly Sound to Guyville” show. .… Blondshell Starting January 18th, Los Angeles’ Blondshell (aka Sabrina Teitelbaum), will take over as support. Blondshell is still very new, having only released four singles, her debut “Olympus,” “Cartoon Earthquake” ....

11/17/2023 Friday

Liz Phair
with Blondshell
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

90s icon Liz Phair is son tour in celebration of 30 years of Exile In Guyville.

Liz Phair (04 Jun 2018)

We saw Phair in 04 Jun 2018 and said, “Nineties feminist iconic (and potty-mouthed) singer Liz Phair came on stage with guitarist Connor Sullivan. Off stage was her guitarist tech Wyatt, who did a great job pre-tuning and getting Phair’s various guitars ready from song to song. The “Girly Sound to Guyville” show was a little stripped down for my liking, but Phair promised a full band setup on the upcoming tour (incidentally her forthcoming September show at First Avenue is sold out as well).”

Blondshell to open.

Tour dates:

11/07 - The Magnolia - San Diego, CA
11/08 - Rialto Theatre - Tucson, AZ
11/10 - The Wiltern - Los Angeles, CA
11/11 - Masonic Auditorium - San Francisco, CA
11/13 - Revolution Hall - Portland, OR
11/14 - Moore Theater - Seattle, WA
11/17 - Palace Theater - Minneapolis, MN
11/18 - Chicago Theater - Chicago, IL
11/19 - The Masonic Temple - Detroit, MI
11/21 - Roadrunner - Boston, MA
11/22 - Franklin Music Hall - Philadelphia, PA
11/24 - Kings Theater - Brooklyn, NY
11/25 - Anthem - Washington, DC
11/27 - The Ryman - Nashville, TN
11/28 - Woodruff Arts Center - Atlanta, GA
11/30 - Orpheum Theater - New Orleans, LA
12/01 - Moody Theater - Austin, TX
12/03 - Majestic Theater - Dallas, TX

11/17 Liz Phair with Blondshell at Palace Theatre Read More Don McLean When news of his death came out, music icon Don McLean (famous for “American Pie”), shared his story about Alex Trebek. It was Trebek’s longtime dream to have McLean perform at his Christmas party ...

11/17/2023 Friday

Don McLean
at Dakota Jazz Club
dakotacooks.com

Legendary songwriter Hall of Famer, Don McLean is on his American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour… and he’s stopping by the intimate Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis on November 17th.

It’s hard to explain just how important the song “American Pie” is. The iconic song can be heard in so many films, such as the Black Widow 2021 film, or was even the subject of the documentary The Day the Music Died/American Pie in 2022.

What is even incredible is that it’s not a typical pop rock song, the song clocks in over eight minutes long… yet radio station will make an exception and play this hit song.

If you love this song, you need to see Don McLean on this special tour.

Tour dates:

Oct 13 - Rutland, VT - Paramount Theatre
Oct 14 - Concord, NH - Chubb Theatre
Oct 19 - Florence, SC - Francis Marion University PAC
Oct 27 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse
Oct 28 - Union, NJ - Kean University – Wilkins Theatre
Nov 04 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum
Nov 05 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum
Nov 10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead
Nov 11 - Warren, PA - Struthers Library Theatre
Nov 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota
Dec 02 & 03 - Honolulu, HI - Blue Note Hawaii

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

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