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Minneapolis: Varsity Theater, Koo Koo Kanga Roo, and MNIVA

Read More Varsity Theater Back in 2009, I would jump at any chance to go to the Varsity Theater… this was my favorite venue at the time. … Aretha Franklin We’ve heard the rumors about Aretha Franklin on her deathbed, but when it was announced today that the Queen of Soul has died, it was still hard to take. ... Koo Koo Kanga Roo Koo Koo Kanga Roo was, as usual, a riot. I don't think I've ever been to a show with so many children, but it's perfect for the music of Koo Koo Kanga Roo. Helping them dance were two helpers, one dressed ...

Minneapolis’ Varsity Theater updated their marquee to honor the legacy of “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin.

Genius: Aretha

The marquee reads: “All Hail The Queen #GeniusAF 3.21.21.” referencing National Geographic’s double-stacked episodes of Genius: Aretha, beginning Sunday, March 21, at 9/8c. The premiere episodes will be available the next day on Hulu, with all eight episodes available to stream by Thursday, March 25.

National Geographic will also be donating to Crew Nation, a global relief fund launched by Live Nation and powered by nonprofit partner Music Forward Foundation that provides financial support for live music crews impacted by the global pandemic and beyond.

The GENIUS: ARETHA will feature a marquee takeover on the outside of some of the nation’s most iconic venues for ten days. The venues include:

The Aretha Franklin Amphitheatre, Detroit, MI

The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit, MI

Gramercy Theatre, New York, NY

Irving Plaza, New York, NY

The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA

Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, CA

The Met, Philadelphia, PA

Warner Theatre, Washington D.C.

The Fillmore Silver Spring, Silver Spring, MD

Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA

The Fillmore Charlotte, Charlotte, NC

Louisville Palace, Louisville, KY

The Fillmore New Orleans, New Orleans, LA

Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, Chicago, IL

The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, CO

Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN

Varsity Theater, Minneapolis, MN

House of Blues Houston, Houston, TX

The Aztec Theatre, San Antonio, TX

The Observatory North Park, San Diego, CA

August Hall, San Francisco, CA

We love Koo Koo Kanga Roo, these guys have to be seen live to really appreciate what they do. They are simply fun to watch, and their shows often inspires their audience to dance and participate with their performance.

Anyway, Slow Clap is Koo Koo Kanga Roo’s upcoming album, set for release on May 21, 2021. I noticed that they collaborated with Minneapolis producer Lazerbeak and Doomtree’s Sims… which actually didn’t surprise me, considering that they’re well-versed in the local rap/hip-hop scene (see Doomtree Zoo 2015).

With Slow Clap, I am hoping by the time the album is out, that we’ll be over this COVID-19 pandemic… and finally catch live music with Koo Koo Kanga Roo.

I’m ready to boogie with Koo Koo, are you?

It kills me, that in my 30 years of going to concerts and enjoying live shows… that for the first time since March 2020, that I had to put a long hiatus on staying indoors and in quarantine, no thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic. I am itching to head back to see live music… and I can almost see the light at the end of the tunnel, as people are getting vaccination shots.

Of course, I shouldn’t be complaining, as the venues have suffered this past year. There are efforts like Save Our Stages, thanks to all the local venues (including First Avenue, The Cedar Cultural Center, and others) and MNIVA (Minnesota Independent Venue Alliance).

The federal Save Our Stages Act passed to help save our local venues, but from my understanding is that Minnesota venues are still waiting for federal relief funding to flow in. The local venues are mostly shut down, or running at very reduced capacities.

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Doomtree at CHS Field, St. Paul (19 August 2016)

Setlist No Way Uh Huh (Sims song) Grime (Cecil Otter song) Slow Burn (Sims/Mike Mictlan song) Punch-Out Black Rose (Cecil Otter song) Prizefight (Mike Mictlan w/ Lazerbeak song) Bangarang Doomtree Tour Dates 09/09/16 Dubh Linn Irish Pub Duluth, MN 09/10/16 Sanctuary Events Center Fargo, ND 09/17/16 Middle Waves 2016 Fort Wayne, IN P.O.S. Tour Dates 08/24/16 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN 09/24/16 Downtown Long Beach Long Beach, CA 09/24/16 Music Tastes Good Festival! Dessa Tour Dates 08/25/16 Wellmont Theatre Montclair, NJ 09/03/16 Red Herring Lounge Duluth, MN 09/09/16 O'Shaughnessy, St. Paul, MN 04/15/17 Orchestra Hall Minneapolis, MN Read More Doomtree Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree is on the road to SXSW 2015! The tour is also to promote his upcoming full-lenth album All Hands, due January 27, 2015 on their own Doomtree Records. ....

Half a band, half a set, and drenching rain… but it didn’t matter- Doomtree was in the building.

The event was part of the celebration of the formal announcement so many local sports fans had waited for as the Minnesota United FC soccer team, was moving from the North American Soccer League (NASL) to the much larger Major League Soccer.

A $200+ million-dollar soccer-specific stadium that seats 21,500 in St Paul is due to break ground to be ready in 2018, with the team playing at TCF Bank Stadium until their building is ready.  After speeches by team owner Bill McGuire, Mayor Chris Coleman, and others, the music was set to begin.

DJ Shannon Blowtorch spun the tunes in-between, playfully crafting a mash-up of Milli Vanelli’s ‘Blame it on the Rain’ and Eurythmics’ ‘Here Comes the Rain Again’ as the rain continued to come down and Doomtree members Sims, Cecil Otter, Mike Mictlan, and Lazerbeak took to the stage.

The collective was missing a few members due to other commitments, but the faithful were still there to support as the quartet broke into opener ‘No Way’ and beginning lyric, “We got cracks in our armor, got cracks in the ceiling” as the rain worsened, saying  “It’s always raining when we’re playing outside”.

“I’m gonna do one song in the rain” Sims declared after getting security to remove all the stage barriers, jumping into the middle of the soaked crowd for the rapid-fire lyrical spitting of his ‘Uh Huh’.  Cecil Otter took the spotlight next with ‘Grime’ and its dark but memorable lyric, “We’re lying in a minefield of dreams.  We count those sheep as they scream”.

Sims returned with ‘Slow Burn’ as he and Mike Mictlan stalked the stage as the rain continued and had now somewhat dangerously collected on the roof of the stage, causing the tented ceiling in two areas, to severely buckle.

Stage crew noticed this and frantically used the bottom end of music stands and anything else they could find, to literally try and raise the roof to push the water off, all as the band continued.  “Have you ever seen a breach birth before? – it’s about to happen”, they said, looking at the swelling ceiling.

After a searing ‘Prizefight’, the set ended and their promise of “we’ll see you again- hopefully” came true sooner than later, as the scheduled second set was cancelled (as was Astronautalis’ performance) but the collective quickly returned to the stage for a single-song encore of ‘Bangarang’, as people shook off the drenching rain by head bobbing or moving and dancing to the song.

Though rain in some superstitions is considered a sign of good luck to come- a symbol of new starts, unity and renewal, which fans hope it translates to a successful soccer team and season;  luck wasn’t on the side of music fans on this day, just hoping for a longer and additional set from Doomtree.

Shannon Blowtorch

Lazerbeak

Cecil Otter

Mike Mictlan

Sims

Doomtree at CHS Field, St. Paul (19 August 2016)

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Doomtree at Sociable Cider Werks, Minneapolis (10 July 2016)

Read More Doomtree Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree is on the road to SXSW 2015! The tour is also to promote his upcoming full-lenth album All Hands, due January 27, 2015 on their own Doomtree Records. ....

The best thing about the music scene here in the Twin Cities? No matter what's going on around us, there is always a place where you can escape to. You will be surrounded by friends and strangers. There will be no violence, no drama, just music and the feeling you get from being at a live show. Sunday night was no different.

Doomtree played a free show yesterday at Sociable Cider Werks in Saint Paul. It was a day full of friends, music, cider and gorgeous weather. It was a perfect getaway from the craziness of the world we live in.

ZuluZuluu was the sole opener for the show. Their music was very chill and soothing. People seemed to enjoy it as they all crowded into the few shady areas to escape the heat. The music was very ambient at times but at other times had very complex rhythms and sounds.

Doomtree photo: John

After an hour long set, it was time for Doomtree to set up. I glanced around the parking and realized just how many people had come out to the event. There were all kinds of people there. Like many of the free festivals that happen here in the cities, there was a good mix of people who were there for the music and people who probably just lived in the area and wanted to see what was going on.

Doomtree started with a couple of new songs but quickly moved into a medley of about five old songs that the crowd went crazy over. Their whole set was full of just Doomtree songs which was a bit different than the previous times I have seen them.

Dessa photo: John

Let me break it down Doomtree for you, they are a hip-hop collective of seven individuals (Cecil Otter, Dessa, Lazerbeak, Mike Mictlan, Paper Tiger, P.O.S and Sims), each member has a solo or side project that they work on when Doomtree isn't active (although it seems like they're always active). The previous times I have seen them each member performs one of their own songs while the other members hang in the background. Last night was the first time I have seen them when each song was a Doomtree song... there were no Dessa songs, no Sims songs... just Doomtree and it was truly a show of just how much talent this group has.

Doomtree took 30 seconds of silence to honor the fallen and the recent events. The crowd respected those 30 seconds and took the time to do what they felt needed to be done whether it was pray, take a sip of beer, stare at the ground in order in keep your balance... whatever. It was respectful and it was a much needed 30 seconds of silence. The members of Doomtree didn't force an opinion on the crowd, hell they didn't even bring up on specific event. It was the most beautiful 30 seconds of the night.

Doomtree with Har Mar Superstar photo: John

The show ended with one last hoorah as Doomtree sang their hit song ‘Bangarang’. I had noticed Har Mar Superstar walking around the crowd earlier in the night so it was no surprise to see him on stage with Doomtree as they all danced like fools. It was a perfect ending to a perfect afternoon.

The show was the first part of Sociable Cider Werk’s Summer Concert series. They will be hosting one show each month this summer. The next show’s announced will be Charles Bradley and His Extraordinaires (with 4ontheFloor and Eleganza) on August 21st. Full details on their website sociablecider.com ... make sure you snatch up a free ticket early!

Doomtree at Sociable Cider Werks, Minneapolis (10 July 2016) photo: John

langen ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ‚ô• facebook.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Pizza Luce Block Party 2015

Lineup 12pm Rogue Valley 1pm L'Assassins 2pm Tiny Deaths 3pm Frankie Teardrop 4pm Pink Mink 5pm Dillinger Four 6pm The Blind Shake 7pm Retribution Gospel Choir 8pm Sims & Mike Mictlan 9pm Har Mar Superstar Read More Pizza Luce Also, the 8th Annual Pizza Luce Block Party is this Saturday, August 14th. I've been to a few of these, they only promise a few things: pizza, brats, beer, and music. What more are you asking for ? .... Dillinger Four It's Independence Day, if you're not out observing fireworks, check out this giant punk show of Against Me! and Dillinger Four. .... Doomtree Minneapolis hip-hop collective Doomtree is on the road to SXSW 2015! The tour is also to promote his upcoming full-lenth album All Hands, due January 27, 2015 on their own Doomtree Records. ....

Har Mar Superstar

I looked up in the sky before we left the Pizza Lucé Block Party. The backdrop was the beautiful skyscrapers of Minneapolis with a giant stage on the ground and thousands of people surrounding me. That's when it hit me. I made the right choice moving to Minneapolis, why would anyone ever leave?

Last Saturday was the Pizza Lucé Block Party. It was a full day of great pizza, cold beer, good friends, and amazing music... everything that makes me fall in love with this city more and more day after day.

You could not beat the line-up. There was everything from Doomtree rappers Sims and Mike Mictlan to, the local punk heroes, Dillinger Four. There was something there for everyone.

I went to McNally Smith College of Music up here in the Twin Cities. It is a small music school that employees some of the most experienced people in the music industry. I looked up on stage right when we got there and playing drums was my booking and promotions teacher. In between bands was my hip hop history teacher curating that whole festival. How awesome is that? I feel like that is something that only happens up here. The teachers I had really are in the industry. I have yesterday to prove that.

The crowd was a mixed bag of old and young. Regardless of age, everyone was a having a great time just enjoying the music and the beautiful Minneapolis summer day. There was a handful of people who seemed to be there for just one of the musical acts but over all, it seemed like people wanted to see it all.

Dillinger Four

I have been wanting to see Dillinger Four for a while now. Every year they play D4th of July at the Triple Rock. D4 is an outdoor festival held over the 4th of July weekend that Dillinger Four puts on and headlines. It seems like every year, I have the best of intentions to go to D4 but it never happens. I always regret not going because they are a staple in the Minneapolis punk scene. Well, yesterday I finally got to see them for free and it was amazing. The crowd seemed a bit tame for a punk show but like I mentioned, people were just there for a good time, not necessarily because they were diehard fans. There was a small pit that broke out during their set. I'm pretty sure that in said pit, people were saying "excuse me" as they lightly pushed other people around. How's that for 'Minnesota nice'?

Sims was the highlight of the day for me. Sims is a member of Doomtree, that rap collective I always talk about. He is by far, one of my favorite members of the group. I love his lyrics and his energy and, come on, he's super cute! Cute enough for me to apparently tweet at him, "Marry me?" Yes, I was a little bit drunk by beer number 7. The fact that he actually replied to my drunk tweet is yet another reason I love him. Here he is, Sims, a world famous rapper who just got back from an European tour. Sims, a Minneapolis native that has gone further than that rapper from your hometown. Sims replied to my tweet saying he is taken but I could be his "safety." Yeah, that all sounds dumb, and I was pretty drunk but the fact that he tweeted me back.. that's what the Minneapolis music scene is all about.... musicians are in the community, they still talk to their fans in their hometown no matter how big and successful they get.

All of the other bands were great. My slice of Athena pizza from Lucé (Minneapolis) tasted absolutely amazing. The cold Summit (Saint Paul) beer kept me cool and drunk throughout the day. Everything about yesterday screamed local and that's what I loved.

Minneapolis is a beautiful city. I wear my Minnesota tattoo proudly because of days like yesterday.

Sims & Mike Mictlan at Pizza Lucé, Minneapolis (08 Aug 2015)

langen ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic ♥ itunes.apple.com

Minneapolis: August 8 to August 9, 2015

Read More Jack Garratt British singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Jack Garratt recently released a new song called "The Love You're Given" to all digital retailers. The song sampled the voice of acclaimed vocalist Lisa Fischer (20 Feet From Stardom) … Mumford & Sons After a brief health-related delay that caused them to miss Bonnaroo, UK band Mumford and Sons has resumed their Summer arena/amphitheatre Tour, to great reviews and sold out shows. … MS MR NYC duo MS MR came to Minneapolis “for the first time as a band and as people” ...and ‘rocked it like a ‘Hurricane’. ‘Hurricane’, of course, refers to their infectious single of the same name…

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from August 8 to August 9, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

JACK GARRATT
at 7th Street Entry
Saturday, 08/08/2015, 8pm ($13)
first-avenue.com

British singer, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jack Garratt is currently on tour with Mumford and Sons, but on his off days with the massive band, he's booked a few smaller side gigs - including one at 7th Street Entry on Saturday, August 8th.

We've already mentioned Garratt when we spotlighted him at this year's SXSW so we're pretty excited to get this great opportunity to check out this one-man show at this tiny venue in Downtown Minneapolis.

Madison's Electronic Pop duo Oh My Love to open the show.

Tour dates:

08/06 Nashville, TN The High Watt
08/07 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
08/08 Minneapolis, MN 7st St. Entry
08/11 Edmonton, AB Rexall Place*
08/12 Calgary, AB Scotiabank, Saddledom *
08/14 Walla Walla, WA Gentleman of the Road
08/15 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
08/17 Inglewood, CA The Forum*
08/18 Inglewood, CA The Forum*
08/21 Salida, CO Gentleman of the Road
08/23 Montauk, NY Surf Lodge

* w/ Mumford & Sons

Supporting MS MR:

10/05 Boston, MA Royale
10/08 New York, NY Terminal 5
10/10 Toronto, ON Danforth Music Hall
10/12 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
10/17 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre
10/20 Seattle, WA Neptune Theatre
10/23 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
10/25 San Diego, CA House of Blues
10/27 Los Angeles, CA The Wiltern

Read More Pizza Luce Also, the 8th Annual Pizza Luce Block Party is this Saturday, August 14th. I've been to a few of these, they only promise a few things: pizza, brats, beer, and music. What more are you asking for ? .... Har Mar Superstar Har Mar Superstar (aka Sean Tillmann) is taking a slight detour from his co-headline tour with Macaulay Culkin's The Pizza Underground (who we previously talked about), flying all ....

PIZZA LUCE BLOCK PARTY
at Pizza Lucé Downtown
Saturday, 08/08/2015, 12pm (FREE)
pizzaluce.com

The 12th annual Pizza Lucé Block Party is taking place next Saturday, and, as usual, feature a lot of good local talents.

While you're there enjoying the music, go ahead and grab a pizza by the slice, bratwursts (including vegan brats), and Izzy's Ice Cream!

Schedule:

9pm Har Mar Superstar
8pm Sims & Mike Mictlan
7pm Retribution Gospel Choir
6pm The Blind Shake
5pm Dillinger Four
4pm Pink Mink
3pm Frankie Teardrop
2pm Tiny Deaths
1pm L'Assassins
12pm Rogue Valley

Read More Irish Fair The free annual Irish Fair will start next Friday, August 7th and ending on Sunday, August 9th, at Harriet Island. Headliner for the first two nights will be Los Angeles' Young Dubliners ....

IRISH FAIR
at Harriet Island
08/06/2015 - 08/09/2015, 12pm (FREE)
irishfair.com

We've already mentioned that the Young Dubliners was headlining the Irish Fair 2015, but in case you missed it - below is the entire music schedule for this year's Irish Fair.

Schedule:

Friday, 06 Aug 2015
• Tim Malloys
• Socks in the Frying Pan
• Screaming Orphans
• Wild Colonial Bhoys
• Young Dubliners

Saturday, 07 Aug 2015
• Cherish the Ladies
• Sweet Colleens
• Finbar Furey
• Screaming Orphans
• Wild Colonial Bhoys
• Young Dubliners

Sunday, 08 Aug 2015
• Socks in the Frying Pan
• Cherish the Ladies
• Finbar Furey
• Screaming Orphans
• Katie McMahon

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