W♥M

Twin Cities: SPCO, ApplaudUs, Lee DeWyze

Read More SPCO Chamber Music Series: Introducing Lembit Beecher is described as “Lembit Beecher, the SPCO’s Music Alive composer-in-residence, curates and hosts this program which features his most recent string quartet …

THE SAINT PAUL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
thespco.org

After a long hiatus, the The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (often abbreviated to SPCO) is pleased to announced the return to live performances on September 10 and 11. Like with all the live venues around town, you are required to be vaccinated, or show proof of negative test results. Masks will also be required at the Ordway Center.

Here are the details:

After an almost unbearably long hiatus, the is thrilled to welcome audiences back to live performances with this season-opening program. Two works commissioned by the SPCO and premiered virtually during the pandemic will be heard for the first time by a live audience. Valerie Coleman’s wind quintet, Umoja, which means unity in Swahili, is a fitting celebration of our ability to gather once again for the communal experience of hearing live music. We offer a moment of reflection through Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air on the G String — the first piece SPCO musicians performed following the attacks of September 11 twenty years ago — before concluding the night with the titular Serenade for Strings.

Opening Weekend: Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings
Gioachino Rossini: Overture to II Signor Bruschino
Tyson Davis: Tableau No. X (SPCO commission)
Viet Cuong: Circling Back (SPCO commission)
Valerie Coleman: Umoja, The First Day of Kwanzaa
Osvaldo Golijov: Last Round for String Ensemble
Johann Sebastian Bach: Air on the G String from Suite No. 3
Pyotr Tchaikovsky: Serenade for Strings
Led by SPCO Musicians
Cassie Pilgrim, oboe
Lynn Erickson, trumpet
Sarah Lewis, cello

Dates and locations:
Friday, September 10, 8:00pm
Saturday, September 11, 8:00pm
Ordway Concert Hall, Saint Paul
Tickets: $12–$50 for adults; FREE for kids and students
Call 651.291.1144 or visit thespco.org

Read More Stageit I'm testing out video quality on Stageit, so I went to the next available show, which was for Austitron's "Austoberfest Part 4" show. …

APPLAUDUS
applaudus.com

Minneapolis’ ApplaudUs is launching globally on September 12, 2021. This company self-described itself as “a live video and audio streaming platform and music marketplace that connects musicians and music lovers.” Reading more into it, it sounds like it could be like StageIt … where fans can tip or pay for content from their favorite musicians. It could go even further, like some sort of fanclub where musicians can interact with their fans… I could be wrong in misreading it, I suggest find out more about them on their website.

They are currently looking for musicians to sign up.

If you’re in the Minnesota area, you can stop by their official launch party at Route 47 Pub & Grub in Fridley on September 12th from Noon to 10pm.

Here is an excerpt from their press release:

Announcing ApplaudUs, Launching globally September 12th 2021. ApplaudUs; A live video and audio streaming platform and music marketplace that connects musicians and music lovers. ApplaudUs; A new era in live music, offering a sustainable business model for Performing artists. ApplaudUs allows Artists to monetize their Art in a fair system that returns more to the artist while making that music easier to find for Fans.

…

Ticket buyers receive a virtual front row seat to live concerts from anywhere. During ApplaudUs live streams fans react to shows, tip artists, and purchase recordings. Artists receive real time feedback during their performances creating a truly immersive experience for the artist and Fans. Founder/CEO Paul Campbell says “This collected data feeds into the ApplaudUs Chart using our patent pending technology that sorts data in a way that truly places the music choices of the people at the top of the charts”. The music charts can filter down so that fans can even find, for example, the top pop song in their local regions as well as globally. Artists see their growth and audiences can discover emerging talents. “Trying to find new music by genre that is reliably of high quality on other platforms is like trying to find a needle in a haystack”, states Campbell”. Not so on ApplaudUs because the chart is always automatically updating giving fans the best of new music based upon the data that is dynamically updating 24/7.

Read More Lee DeWyze While fellow American Idol winner Phillip Phillips was just down the street opening for John Mayer, Season 9 winner Lee DeWyze entertained with a 40 min. …

LEE DEWYZE
leedewyzeofficial.com

I just wanted to quickly mentioned this upcoming show, which is taking place this week. We’ve already wrapped up our August concert previews (currently working all upcoming September shows – so send in your requests), and this show was missed.

So coming to 7th Street Entry is Lee DeWyze and D'Arcy on August 24, 2021.

We previously seen American Idol winner Lee DeWyze in Nov 2013 and wrote, “New songs like ‘Silver Lining’ and ‘Fight’ were well received, and the audience was mostly receptive to his humble and honest songwriting.”

Opening the show will be New York alternative act D’Arcy, touring in support of Hard to Kill EP.

2021 Tour Dates

8.24 - Minneapolis, MN
8.25 - Milwaukee, WI
8.26 - Madison, WI
8.27 - Ann Arbor, MI
8.28 - Lake Orion, MI
8.29 Spring Lake, MI
8.31 - Cleveland, OH
9.1 - Columbus, OH
9.2 - Akron, OH
9.3 Syracuse, NY
9.4 - Worcester, MA
9.5 - Pawling, NY
9.7 Buffalo, NY
9.8 Cambridge, MA
9.9 - Egremont, MA
9.10 Fairfield, CT
9.11 - Amagansett, NY
9.12 - New York, NY
9.14 - Sellersville, PA
9.16 - Vienna, VA
9.17 - Asheville, NC
9.18 - Atlanta, GA
9.19 - St Louis, MO
9.22 - Austin, TX
9.23 Woodlands, TX
9.24 - Denton, TX
9.25 - Dallas, TX
9.27 - Phoenix, AZ

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

Rocktober: October 19 to October 20, 2017

Read More Trombone Shorty Mardi Gras will continue at the Minnesota Zoo later this week as Trombone Shorty comes to town for an undoubtedly spirited show. Releasing his Grammy-nominated debut album, Backatown… Vintage Trouble One of the most exciting live bands of recent note, Los Angeles’ Vintage Trouble hits the road again, this time in promotion of their latest, 1 Hopeful Road (Blue Note Records). …

Rocktober: Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from October 19 to October 20, 2017.

Read more: Minneapolis Music Guide.

TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
+ Vintage Trouble
Pantages Theatre
Fri 10/20/2017 (7:30pm/$37)
palacestpaul.com

Trombone Shorty is led by singer, songwriter and horn-blower born Troy Andrews. His new album is called Parking Lot Symphony and is available on Blue Note Records.

Show up early to see our favorite Vintage Trouble. We first saw the explosive band at the now-defunct Nether Bar in 2013 and wrote, “Beginning with the One/Two punch of 'Hard Times (They are Coming)' and 'Blues Hand Me Down', the crowd was immediately in a frenzy; asked all evening to call-and-respond, clap along, move front to back, and generally become a part of the show. Vocalist/frontman Ty Taylor has come a long way from his Rockstar:INXS days, morphing into a mesmerizing and charismatic showman that spins, juts, and shakes in a way that would make James Brown proud. Drummer Richard Danielson and bassist Rick Barrio Dill more than ably held down the bottom end, while band 'secret weapon', guitarist Nalle Colt (looking like a dapper Viggo Mortenson) impressed with roaring riffs and stretched out solos.”

Tour dates:

10/14 – Terminal 5 – New York, NY
10/20 – Palace Theater – St. Paul, MN
10/21 – Riviera Theatre – Chicago, IL
10/23 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, Canada
10/24 – Danforth Music Hall – Toronto, Canada
10/26 – The Fillmore – Detroit, MI
10/27 – Egyptian Room – Indianapolis, IN

Read More LÉON Fresh from an appearance a few days before on The Late Late Show with James Cordon, Swedish singer LÉON found herself along the banks of Lake Minnetonka, for a promotional ... Wrabel Also on the bill: We The Kings, Wrabel, Cobi and Hailey Knox. Gavin DeGraw’s tour dates: 11/17 Minneapolis, MN Cities 97 Sampler 12/03 Nashville, TN Nashville Christmas Parade 12/08 Denver, CO Alice in Winterland ...

LÉON
+ Wrabel
Fine Line Music Cafe
Fri 10/20/2017 (8pm/$17.50)
finelinemusic.com

LÉON (aka Lotta Lindgren) is back with her sophomore EP Surround Me. She returns to North America on her second headlining tour this October.

We previously caught the Swedish singer/songwriter at her first “proper” concert (we also previously saw her at a brief five-song promo event) in Minneapolis at her sold-out show at 7th Street Entry in, February 2017, and wrote, “With still only the four-song Treasure EP (Columbia Records/Sony) released, fans remain patient waiting on the full-length, but were treated to a headlining set just short of fifty-minutes, which should give good indication on how the album will sound. Music is in the blood for the woman born Lotta Lindgren (the daughter of a composer and a cello player) and backed by three musicians, her stage presence seems natural and relaxed.”

Wrabel to open.

Tour dates:

10/14/2017 Seattle, WA Crocodile
10/16/2017 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
10/17/2017 Denver, CO Globe Hall
10/19/2017 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar
10/20/2017 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Café
10/21/2017 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall
10/23/2017 Toronto, ON Velvet Underground
10/25/2017 Boston, MA Paradise
10/27/2017 New York, NY Le Poisson Rouge
10/28/2017 Philadelphia, PA The Foundry
10/29/2017 Washington, DC U Street Music Hall

Read More Gavin DeGraw Multi-platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw (best known for his album and title track "Chariot" and the theme song to One Tree Hill) released his new single "Best I Ever Had" … SPCO The Nufonia Must Fall show is part of the Walker Art Center and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music series (now in the middle of its fourth season) …

Other shows in the area:

GAVIN DEGRAW
First Avenue
Thu 10/19/2017 (7pm/$40.50)
first-avenue.com

Gavin’s new album Something Worth Saving is out now on RCA Records.

MILKY CHANCE
Skyway Theatre
Thu 10/19/2017 (8pm/$31.50)
skywaytheatre.com

German duo Milky Chance’s new video and single is called ‘Blossom’, from Republic Records.

Tour dates:

10/17 - Egyptian Room - Indianapolis, IN
10/18 - The Rave - Milwaukee, WI
10/19 - Skyway Theater - Minneapolis, MN
10/21 - The Wilma - Missoula, MT
10/22 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
10/23 - Showbox Sodo - Seattle, WA
10/24 - The Commodore - Vancouver, BC

THIS IS KIT
+ Rogue Valley
Turf Club
Thu 10/19/2017 (7pm/$15)
turfclub.net

This Is The Kit and Rogue Valley to play the Turf Club on Thursday.

PINEGROVE
+ Florist, Lomelda
7th Street Entry
Thu 10/19/2017 (7pm/$16/Sold Out)
first-avenue.com

Pinegrove is touring with Florist and Lomelda (aka Hannah Read). The show is sold out.

Tour dates:

10/14 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10/16 - Iowa City, IA @ Gabe's *
10/17 - Sioux Falls, SD @ Total Drag Records
10/18 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
10/19 - Minneapolis, MN@ 7th St Entry
10/20 - Milwaukee, WI@ The Back Room

ALT-J
+ Bishop Briggs
The Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Fri 10/20/2017 (7pm/$39.50)
theroy.org

Alt-J is back in town.

Tour dates:

10/13/17 - Doug Mitchell Thunderbird - Vancouver, BC
10/15/17 - Winspear Centre - Edmonton, AB
10/16/17 - Winspear Centre - Edmonton, AB
10/17/17 - Big Four Building - Calgary, AB
10/18/17 - The Wilma - Missoula, MT
10/20/17 - Roy Wilkins Auditorium - St. Paul, MN
10/21/17 - Murat at the Old National Centre - Indianapolis, IN
10/23/17 - Riverside Theater - Milwaukee, WI
10/25/17 - Express Live! - Columbus, OH
10/27/17 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ONT
10/28/17 - Massey Hall - Toronto, ONT
10/29/17 - Place Bell - Montreal, QC

TY DOLLA $IGN / TINASHE
+ Coin
Univ. Of Minnesota
Fri 10/20/2017 (7pm/$25)
homecoming.umn.edu

Ty Dolla $sign and Tinashe to headline Homecoming at University of Minnesota. Nashville pop/rock band COIN will open. COIN’s sophomore album How Will You Know If You Never Try is out now.

DEER TICK
+ Chris Crofton
The Cedar Cultural Center
Fri 10/20/2017 (7pm/$22.50/Sold Out)
thecedar.org

Deer Tick is on their Twice Is Nice Tour. The show will start with a a stripped-down, acoustic performance, then a break, and then a full-on electric set. Opener will feature comedian Chris Crofton.

Deer Tick 2017 Fall Tour

10/17 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall
10/19 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
10/20 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center
10/21 – Chicago, IL – Metro
10/22 – Bloomington, IN – The Bluebird
10/24 – Maquoketa, IA – Codfish Hollow Barn
10/25 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
10/27 – Colorado Springs, CO – The Black Sheep
10/28 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
10/31 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge

LA FEMME
+ Jacques
Turf Club
Fri 10/20/2017 (8pm/$16)
turfclub.net

La Femme really impressed us with their recent appearance at Desert Daze. Be sure to check them out at the Turf Club this Friday.

RON POPE
+ Ages And Ages, The Heart Of
First Avenue
Fri 10/20/2017 (7pm/$20)
first-avenue.com

Ron Pope's new album Work is out now on Brooklyn Basement Records. Rolling Stone Country called him one of the “10 New Country Artists You Need To Know” while Uncut called Pope “Atlanta’s answer to The Boss” going on to say that “Work finds Pope more in thrall with the E Street Band than ever on vivacious blue-collar anthems.”

Tour dates:

10/14 - Atlanta, GA - Buckhead Theatre
10/16 - Cincinnati, OH - Bogart’s
10/17 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic
10/19 - Milwaukee, WI - Turner Hall Ballroom
10/20 - Minneapolis, MN - First Ave
10/21 - Chicago, IL - Park West
10/22 - Indianapolis, IN - Deluxe
10/28 - Stockholm, SE - Fryshuset (Klubben)
10/29 - Oslo, NO - Parkteatret
10/30 - Copenhagen, DK - DR Koncerthuset
10/31 - Hamburg, DE - Terrace Hill
11/1 - Amsterdam, NL - Bitterzoet
11/2 - Cologne, DE - Artheater
11/3 - Munich, DE - Ampere
11/5 - London, UK - The Garage
11/6 - Manchester, UK - Academy 3

SPCO: Introducing Lembit Beecher
Capri Theater
Fri 10/20/2017 (7pm/$15)
thecapritheater.org

Chamber Music Series: Introducing Lembit Beecher is described as “Lembit Beecher, the SPCO’s Music Alive composer-in-residence, curates and hosts this program which features his most recent string quartet, written in 2016 and inspired by his love of Schubert. The ideas of repetition and obsession, combined with a sense of nostalgia and longing, inhabit all the works on the program.”

SPCO (Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra) is also hosting “The SPCO at Icehouse: SCHUBERT” at the Icehouse on October 19th ($20, 6pm)

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

Kid Koala: Nufonia Must Fall at the McGuire Theater, Minneapolis (02 April 2016)

Credits Music: Kid Koala Director: K.K. Barrett Producer: Ryhna Thompson Set Designer: Benjamin Gerlis Puppet Designers: Clea Minaker, Patrick Martel, Felix Boisvert, Karina Bleau Director of Photography/Camera Operator: AJ Korkidakis String Arrangements/Music Director/Sound Engineer: Vid Cousins Puppeteers: Patrick Martel, Tyson Houseman, Veronica Barron Music Performers: Kid Koala, The Cecilia String Quartet Video Editor: Ben Knight Technical Director/Stage Manager: Olivier Gaudet-Savard Tour Manager: Patrick Hamou Additional Set Designer: Corinne Merrell Assistant Set Designers: Jeremy Gordoneer, Marie-Pier Fortier Modelmakers: Maude-Emelie Bourque, Dan Buller, Clara Gonzalez, Kyle Purves Puppet Technical Designer: Patrick Marrtel Assistant Puppet Builders: Isabelle Chretien, Jesse Orr, Christine Plouffe, Veronica Poirier Additional Production: Patricia Boushel, Colin Mackenzie, Alexandre Gagnon, Pamela Fillion Read More Kid Koala This is a book, completely written and drawn (with accompanying soundtrack) by Kid Koala, called "Nufonia Must Fall". It's a love story between a lonely office girl and an out-of-work robot. … Liquid Music The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series, now in its third season, offers performances by artists who bend the distinctions between classical music and other genres, and take their music in new and unique .....

When I first bought the graphic novel/soundtrack of Kid Koala’s Nufonia Must Fall in 2003, I never imagined it as a live puppet show. Having just experienced the wonderful show at the sold-out McGuire Theater (at the Walker Art Center) on Saturday night, this was always what Eric San (Kid Koala) had always envisioned his story to be seen and heard. The graphic novel was, perhaps, just the storyboard to the actual live film we just saw at the Walker Art Center.

The Nufonia Must Fall show is part of the Walker Art Center and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music series (now in the middle of its fourth season), with the idea of providing these incredible shows in very unique presentation formats.

Before Nufonia Must Fall started, Koala warmed up the crowd by doing what he does best: scratching two records to what he called “Canadian Bingo”. Unfortunately, the Bingo game was cut short when, after five images were displayed, we had at least three winners! So ended the world’s fastest Bingo game (under a minute).

As for Nufonia Must Fall, this is simply one of the most magical and adorable show you’ll ever see. Everything you see on the giant screen, directed by K.K. Barrett (with only a few pre-recorded footage) was created live for our show. This included the puppetry, special effects, lighting, and, of course, the live orchestra soundtrack. You can’t help but sometime glancing down at the puppeteers and spoiling yourself as you see how it’s done or by the nature of the layout and characters, what is coming up next.

Malorie and T4 robot

What made our shows special is that the art directors and designers made some special additions to their sets like adding very specific Minneapolis things: the Target flag, the Surly Brewing Co. sign, the Purple Rain movie, the Pizza Lucé reference, etc. Every time the audience saw one of these Easter eggs, they laughed and cheered. Clearly, each Nufonia Must Fall show must be unique to the cities they perform in.

The whole story never felt long or dragged on, and before you knew it, the camera panned over the “The End” sign over the airport landing strip. A thunderous standing ovation broke out and continued well over the credits and after the performers took their bows.

After the show, the audience was invited to come take a closer look at the puppets and sets. They slowly lined up and generally really curious about the magical production.

Of course, with the much-needed room on stage for the 10 (or more) mini-sets and filming rigs, these Nufonia Must Fall shows strictly limited to certain type of venues. If they are playing in your area, make the effort to check out the show, it’ll be worth it.

04/08 OCCC Visual - Oklahoma City, OK
04/22 Hult Center, Eugene, OR
04/28 Further Future Music Festival Las Vegas, NV

Kid Koala: Nufonia Must Fall at the William and Nadine McGuire Theater, Minneapolis (02 April 2016)

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

Olga Bell w/ Angel Deradoorian - Krai World Premiere, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (13 Feb 2014) concert review

Olga Bell: Origin/Outcome Program Book Angel Deradoorian setlist Duduk for Two Voices Expanding Flower Planet Grow Komodo Violet Minded Olga Bell, Krai setlist Krasnodar Krai Altai Krai Perm Krai Stavropol Krai Krasnoyarsk Krai Primorsky Krai Zabaikalsky Krai Khabarovsk Krai Kamchatka Krai Liquid Music Series Schedule 03/21/14-03/22/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 05/06/14 Daniel Bjarnason and Nadia Sirota 06/03/14 Ethel: Documerica Read More Liquid Music The acclaimed Liquid Music Series from Saint Paul’s Chamber Orchestra continues its second season, bound and determined to “expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects … Olga Bell This Thursday welcomes Moscow-born, Brooklyn-based composer/performer Olga Bell (best known for her work with Dirty Projectors) as she world premieres Krai, a nine-movement song cycle described as a sonic love letter … Deradoorian The two-set evening will begin with an intimate collaborative set by Bell and special guest vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Angel Deradoorian, to be followed by Krai. …

Welcome to the Edge.

The word Krai in Russian refers to the “edge, brink, border, or frontier”, and that is what Dirty Projectors member Olga Bell chose to sonically interpret, as the world premiere of Bell’s nine-song cycle was performed last week at the Walker Art Center, as part of the continuing Liquid Music Series, which is co-presented with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the American Composers Forum.

Angel Deradoorian

Bell, and cohort Angel Deradoorian (formerly of Dirty Projectors) and a ten-piece ensemble presented two sets of avant-garde music, keeping in theme with the mission statement of the Liquid Music Series, “to expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats”.

Deradoorian & Bell

Deradoorian began the evening with a 30 min. set of newer compositions, including the opening ‘Duduk for Two Voices’, a stark new acapella piece performed with Bell, inspired by the Armenian instrument of her heritage.

Eschewing selections from her 2009 EP, Mind Raft (Love Pump United), the vocalist/keyboardist instead unveiled lush new works that brought both a modern sound, and tip of the hat to the traditional folk base of her family’s culture, with Bell leading the background vocalists in Kate Bush-like siren hums and wails. The soothing closer, ‘Violet Minded’, with steady but slow percussion, crept quietly then transformed into a revved-up crescendo, to end the set with flourish.

After a brief intermission, the ensemble re-appeared, with Bell taking over the lead role, to debut the 45 min. sonic love letter to her Russian homeland, backed by the sweeping, sometimes fragmented visuals of artist Alejandro Crawford (who has previously worked with MGMT).

The entire performance, deemed Origin/Outcome meant to celebrate the “human vernacular- the music to which we dance, eat, grieve and live”, and was inspired by the country where Moscow-born Bell spent her early childhood.

Considered a mosaic of impressions rather than any political or music-ethnographic statement, each song in the cycle takes geographic inspiration from Russia’s nine regional frontiers. The divergent accompanying visuals both gave the audience a look into life there, and enhanced the performed live soundtrack.

Entirely sung in Russian, it was sometimes difficult to truly understand Bell’s vision during the performance, and while there was a translation printed in the program, it was dark enough in the hushed theater, that following along was not a possibility.

Drawing on Russian folk traditions and the modern indie-pop that bands like her Dirty Projectors favor, the past/present dichotomy was best served in second movement, ‘Altai Krai’, which featured a drone-like, low throat-singing vocal.

Bell even collaborated with her mother (who was in the audience) on a few songs, including ‘Perm Krai’, lyrics taken from a traditional Cossack ballad amidst some manic drumming and soaring background vocals, including Deradoorian’s.

The audience was in rapt attention throughout, and respectful of the performers, staying silent except for the occasional sneeze or cough. The acoustics in the venerable McGuire Theater were perfectly suited to the performance, the room crisp enough to hear even the slight clink of Bell’s metal water bottle as she set it down between songs.

Stage lighting was kept to a minimum, putting the attention on the screen visuals and ensemble as a whole, rather than particular details.

Olga Bell

Bell, who began nervously (probably due to its first performance and all the family and friends in the audience) seemed to settle in with fourth movement, ‘Stavropol Krai’, a mid-tempo’d song with traditional text anchored by electronic and traditional jazz-like percussion.

London multi-instrumentalist Tom Vek, who collaborates with Bell in the side-project, Nothankyou, was initially scheduled to perform as well, but unfortunately was unable to make it, and would have no doubt, rounded out the compositions even more.

Closing pieces ‘Khabarovsk Krai’ and ‘Kamchatka Krai’ were also steeped in traditional themes with a modern sensibility; the former beginning with a raw door knocking-like percussion to be followed by a pulsing electronic beat, the latter more folkish and indigenous sounding with its low singing style and sometimes disjointed vocal and percussive elements.

Bell

Highly personal and very different from her 2011 solo debut Diamonite under the name Bell, Olga Bell succeeded in paying homage to her Russian and Alaskan upbringing through song, while stretching the musical boundaries of her own sound.

While the piece might have been better served as a continuous performance with better transitions and electronic percussion slightly dialed down in the live mix, it did bring a taste of the Russian hinterlands into a Minnesota audience that can definitely relate to any harsh and cold elements.

Engaging, sonically interesting, and knocking down boundaries associated with traditional classical music, score another win for the Liquid Music Series.

Olga Bell at Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (13 Feb 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Olga Bell: Origin/Outcome at Walker Art Center (preview)

Olga Bell Liquid Music Schedule 02/14/14-05/11/14 S/S/S 03/21/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 03/22/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 05/06/14 Daniel Bjarnas and Nadia Sirota 06/03/14 Ethel: Documerica Read More Olga Bell Half-way through BELL’s set Kate admitted that the smiley singer’s stage persona was sort of unsettling (because she seemed happy and to be enjoying herself), a sad statement on today’s … Dirty Projectors Dirty Projectors' sixth album, Swing Lo Magellan, will be out next week, July 10th. It is currently streaming on NY Times. The band's been around since 2002 and has since lost 16 band members… Deradoorian Bassist, singer, and sometime keyboarder, Angel Deradoorian, simply known as Deradoorian, from the New York-based band, Dirty Projectors, released her debut EP …

Maybe ask your Valentine this year if they want to get “Liquid”..!

The acclaimed Liquid Music Series from Saint Paul’s Chamber Orchestra continues its second season, bound and determined to “expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats”.

And that is exactly what we’ve witnessed, the handful of times W♥M has been on hand to witness what is no doubt the most curiously eclectic and always-interesting music series in the Upper Midwest.

This Thursday welcomes Moscow-born, Brooklyn-based composer/performer Olga Bell (best known for her work with Dirty Projectors) as she world premieres Krai, a nine-movement song cycle described as a sonic love letter to her Russian homeland; perfect and timely with the Sochi games in progress and Valentine’s holiday approaching.

The two-set evening will begin with an intimate collaborative set by Bell and special guest vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Angel Deradoorian, to be followed by Krai.

Expect echoes of traditional folk music, alongside modern electronica with accompanying projections by video artist Alejandro Crawford, who has worked with MGMT. “Origin/Outcome is a celebration of the hot-blooded human vernacular—the music to which we dance, eat, grieve, and revel.” ....sounds like a sweetheart of a show.

Co-presented by Walker Art Center, the SPCO’s Liquid Music series, and the American Composers Forum.

Olga Bell: Origin/Outcome at Walker Art Center
Date February 13, 2014
Time 8 pm
Place McGuire Theater
Price $20 ($18 Walker members)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ bellinspace.tumblr.com

Hilary Hahn and Hauschka - Liquid Music series at Aria, Minneapolis (12 Jan 2014) concert review

Hilary Hahn & Hauschka at Aria Poster Minneapolis (01/12/14) Liquid Music Schedule 02/13/14 Olga Bell: Origin/Outcome 02/14/14-05/11/14 Sisyphus 03/21/14-03/22/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 05/06/14 Daniel Bjarnason and Nadia Sirota 06/03/14 Ethel: Documerica Read More Liquid Music With the current cold snap, maybe the series should be re-titled “Frozen Music”… The advent of a chilly new year puts us at the midway point of this second season of Liquid Music …

This wasn’t your grandmother’s classical music.

The second season of the very successful Liquid Music series continued this past weekend with a compelling and sold-out performance from American violin virtuoso Hilary Hahn and German “prepared pianist” Hauschka (aka Volker Bertelmann) at Aria (the former Jeune Lune Theater) in Minneapolis, as co-presented by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and Schubert Club’s Mix.

The series aims to "expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats" and that was certainly the case with this improvisational duo that comes separately from very different backgrounds, but meets in the middle with a collective sound that is urgent, flowing, and alive in the ether with a newborn freshness.

Hahn & Hauschka

The 80 min. performance was only inspired by their collaborative 2012 album Silfra (Universal/Deutsche Grammophon) rather than a live interpretation of. Instead, most of the evening bore the fruit of new and spontaneous improvisations which seemed to excite and keep on-edge the two performers creating the work, as much as the audience witnessing it all.

Hilary Hahn

Hahn, a two-time Grammy-winning precise protégé who began playing violin via the Suzuki method at age 3, is no stranger to boundary-pushing and collaboration, working in 2005 with singer-songwriter Tom Brosseau, who in turn, introduced her to Hauschka.

The album, Silfra was recorded in Iceland in 10 days, after more than two years of preparation and produced by Valgeir Sigurðsson, who has worked with Bjork, Sigur Ros, and Tim Hecker, among others.

Hauschka

Hauschka inexplicably began his musical career in a hip-hop duo with his cousin, continuously exploring sounds and music, and after becoming frustrated, started putting random objects into and between piano strings, hammers, and dampers, and manipulating that with digital technology, to create something bigger.

Currently touring separately, both met in Minneapolis for this rare live collaborative experiment, akin to two artists painting on the same canvas or each working with divergent ephemera to create something new. Results, as with any improvisation were slightly mixed, yet always interesting to witness and felt overall as very “in-the-moment”.

"found objects"

A slightly unsettling point came just over halfway through, with Hauschka dis-assembling and discarding most of the “found objects” inside his piano used to create the manipulated sound; bottle caps, wooden sticks, string, and wadded tape were strewn about the stage after their use was done, as Hahn gently had bow to string, as a soundtrack.

The rest of the performance had Hauschka chiefly relying on his core skills on the Steinway (which were no less impressive), with both still displaying a jaggedness and immediacy to the remainder of their set. In the end, the live experiment was much more satisfying than not, and a treat to see these two seemingly so different musicians, come together on one stage to create something so unique, right before our eyes.

The Liquid Music series continues next with Olga Bell and friends, Thursday Feb. 13th at the Walker Art Center.

Hilary Hahn and Hauschka at Aria, Minneapolis (12 Jan 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ hilaryhahn.com ♥ hauschka-net.de

Tomorrow: Liquid Music presents Hilary Hahn and Hauschka: Silfra

Hauschka and Hilary Hahn photo credit: thespco.org Details Liquid Music presents: Hilary Hahn and Hauschka: Silfra January 12, 2014 – 7:00 PM at Aria in the Warehouse District in Downtown Minneapolis The event is currently sold out, though some standing room tickets will be available for $15 at the door. Read More Hilary Hahn & Hauschka The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series and Schubert Club Mix is presenting the upcoming Hilary Hahn & Hauschka show at Aria (in the Warehouse District …

With the current cold snap, maybe the series should be re-titled “Frozen Music”…

The advent of a chilly new year puts us at the midway point of this second season of Liquid Music, a concert series presented by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra that "expands the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats."

This weekend brings American violinist Hilary Hahn and Volker Bertelmann, the German master of prepared-piano known as Hauschka, to Minneapolis to perform selections from their collaborative effort, Silfra (released in 2012 by Universal / Deutsche Grammophone).

The duo, introduced to each other by folk musician Tom Brosseau, concocted their album of improvisations in Iceland (speaking of cold places) and is marked by a unique exploration of how to co-exist in each other’s soundspace.

Both have previously expanded the boundaries of their own sound; Hahn, the protégé violinist has previously worked with Josh Ritter and …And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, and Hauschka has previously worked with Calexico and múm.

Together, their performance promises a lively, yet precise look into their shared world.

john ♥ weheartmusic.com

Europe: Peggy Sue, Cate Le Bon, Peter Morén, Hauschka, and Rebecca Ferguson

Read More Peggy Sue I can't help but think of Buddy Holly when I think of Peggy Sue, but clearly this Brighton-based band doesn't sound anything like Buddy. For one thing, they are supposed to sound…

PEGGY SUE
peggywho.com

I caught Peggy Sue in 2010 at the 400 Bar (RIP). The folky British band (Rosa Slade and Katy Young and drummer Olly Joyce) will be returning with a new album Choir of Echoes on January 28th on Yep Roc Records. In the meantime, the band released their new single, "Idle" on their Soundcloud account:



They explained that the song, "[is] about being unemployed and incurably thoughtful. The opening and closing parts are a kind of troubled gospel song—a prayer for purpose in the knowledge that the purpose will probably not be a ‘good’ one. It’s about impatience and distractions and thinking about things too much..... and of course it’s about a boy."

The band will begin a full UK tour in support of the new album:

01/27/14 - London, St Pancras Old Church
03/27/14 - Copenhagen - Ideal Bar @ VEGA
03/28/14 - Hamburg - Kulturhaus III & 70
03/30/14 - Berlin - Privatclub
03/31/14 - Munich - Kranhalle
04/01/14 - Cologne - Blue Shell
04/02/14 - Brussels - Botanique (Witloof Bar)
04/03/14 - Utrecht - Ekko
04/07/14 - Brighton - Green Door Store
04/08/14 - Coventry - The Tin
04/09/14 - Manchester - Soup Kitchen
04/10/14 - Glasgow - Broadcast
04/11/14 - Liverpool - Leaf
04/12/14 - Sheffield - The Harley
04/14/14 - Bristol - The Old Bookshop
04/15/14 - London - Oslo

Read More Cate le Bon Remember Cate le Bon? I saw her play live earlier this year, and I reported that she has a "haunting voice". Well she's back in the news again with a couple of news items …

CATE LE BON
catelebon.com

Welsh singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon’s new album, Mug Museum, is her first recorded outside of her homeland – deep in the dark heart of the entertainment empire at Seahorse Sound Studios, Los Angeles.

Taking such a unique talent and placing it in the heart of Autotuneland was an alarming prospect to those who have come to love her dark indie songcraft. However, a first listen of Mug Museum reveals that the new record is as eclectic and darkly ethereal as ever. Producer Noah Georgeson (Joanna Newsom/Devendra Banhart) adds a subtle polish to the songs without detracting from their Velvet Underground / Television / Nico influenced indie sparkle.

Cate and her band are hitting the road next week to promote Mug Museum on a North American tour that kicks off at the Rickshaw Stop in San Francisco on December 3rd and winds up at the Soda Bar in San Diego on February 1st.

Cate Le Bon's tour dates:

12/03 San Francisco, CA - Rickshaw Stop ~ 12/05 Portland, OR - Doug Fir Lounge ~ 12/06 Seattle, WA - Barboza ~^ 12/07 Boise, ID - Neurolux ~ 12/09 Salt Lake City - Kilby Court ~ 12/11 Denver, CO - Larimer Lounge 12/13 Phoenix, AZ - Pub Rock Live ~ 12/14 Los Angeles, CA - Bootleg Bar ~ 01/07 Dallas, TX - Three Links 01/08 Houston, TX - Fitzgerald's 01/09 New Orleans, LA - The New Orleans Mint 01/10 Birmingham, AL - The Bottletree 01/11 Decatur, GA - Eddie's Attic 01/12 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle Back Room 01/14 Charlottesville, VA - The Southern 01/15 Washington DC - DC9

01/16 New York, NY - Mercury Lounge 01/17 Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle 01/18 Boston, MA - Middle East Upstairs 01/20 Montreal, QC - Il Motore 01/21 Toronto, ON - The Drake Hotel 01/22 Pontiac, MI - Pike Room at The Crofoot 01/23 Chicago, IL - Schubas 01/24 Madison, WI - The Frequency 01/25 Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry 01/27 Kansas City, MO - Record Bar 01/28 Norman, OK - The Opolis 01/29 Austin, TX - The Mohawk 01/31 Tucson, AZ - Club Congress 02/01 San Diego - Soda Bar ~ = w/ Kevin Morby, ^ = w/ Basia Bulat

Read More Peter Bjorn and John Much of this was attributed to the band’s infectious, sometimes corny enthusiasm. In his powder blue suit, Peter Morén, flaunted Bowie-inspired dance moves while guitarist Björn Yttling …

PETER MOREN
petermoren.com

Peter Morén (The Peter in Sweden's Peter, Bjorn, & John) will be releasing a series of EPs, starting with Broken Swenglish Vol. 1, a four song release.

I know you're wondering, whatever happened to PB&J? Since the band had a breakthrough hit album in 2006 with Writer's Block (hey, even Kanye sampled "Young Folks"!) the band's been distracted with various side projects and such.

The band's last album Gimme Some was released in 2011 and spawned a hit song "Second Chance", which was used for CBS' 2 Broke Girls.

Since then Morén concentrated on his third solo album Pyramiden (his second all Swedish album), which was released last year in Sweden. One of the reason why the album never resurfaced in England or America is because all the songs were written and sung in Morén's native tongue, Swedish. Of course, it was considered some of his best work, thanks to his new found freedom of expressing his music.

Look for Broken Swenglish Vol. 1 on December 9th on Ingrid. The release marks Morén’s first solo release in the US since 2008’s full-length studio album The Last Tycoon.

Read More SPCO's Liquid Music How appropriate it was that Saturday night’s concert at the McGuire Theater in the Walker Art Center was co-presented with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series, as “liquid music” was one of the most …

HILARY HAHN & HAUSCHKA
hahnandhauschka.com

The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series and Schubert Club Mix is presenting the upcoming Hilary Hahn & Hauschka show at Aria (in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis) on January 12th. They will be playing music from Silfra. Tickets are $25, and you can find out more details at thespco.org/liquidmusic.

This is a rare treat to have two-time Grammy-winning* American violinist Hilary Hahn and German pianist/composer Volker Bertelmann (known simply as Hauschka) together in Minneapolis. Last year, the two got together at Greenhouse Studios in Reykjavík to record Silfra, which was mostly inspired by the Silfra rift in Iceland. The recording, as improvised, was never meant to be played live... so for the very first time, thanks to Liquid Music, the two will be brought together to play live renditions of Silfra.

Bertelmann explains, "Silfra and the performances that are based on the record, which also represent a state of mind, are for me always extraordinary and thrilling. To perform this in this exceptional concert series and in Minnesota, where I will perform for the first time, makes me excited, and I hope we can give something back."

Trivia: Hahn both won best solo violinist for her works in Brahms & Stravinsky Violin Concertos (2001) and Schoenberg: Violin Concerto; Sibelius: Violin Concerto (2008).

REBECCA FERGUSON
rebeccaofficial.com

Rebecca Ferguson is a British singer-songwriter, who rose to fame by becoming the runner-up to the seventh series of UK's "The X Factor". She didn't leave empty-handed, of course, having inked a joint record deal with Syco Music and Epic Records in the UK and later to Columbia Records in the U.S.

Ferguson's second studio album Freedom will be release this December 2013, and a March 2014 headlining UK tour dates were recently announced:

03/16/14 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
03/18/14 Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
03/19/14 Brighton Dome
03/20/14 Cardiff St David’s Hall
03/22/14 Edinburgh Usher Hall
03/23/14 Liverpool Echo 2 @ Echo Arena
03/24/14 Manchester Bridgewater Hall
03/26/14 Ipswich Regent Theatre
03/27/14 Birmingham Symphony Hall
03/28/14 Bristol Colston Hall

angela + vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Tim Hecker / Oneohtrix Point Never - Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (11/16/13) concert review

Liquid Music Schedule 01/12/14 Hilary Hahn and Hauschk: Silfra 02/13/14 Olga Bell: Origin/Outcome 02/14/14-05/11/14 S/S/S 03/21/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 03/22/14 Timo Andres: Work Songs 05/06/14 Daniel Bjarnas and Nadia Sirota 06/03/14 Ethel: Documerica Read More SPCO Liquid Music The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series is in its second season. The program was designed to expand the world of classical music through unique presentation formats. … How appropriate it was that Saturday night’s concert at the McGuire Theater in the Walker Art Center was co-presented with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra’s Liquid Music Series, as “liquid music” was one of the most apt definitions of the soundscapes emanating from electronic artists, Tim Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never. The SPCO’s Liquid Music Series, now in its second season, has a mission statement to “expand the world of classical music through innovative new projects, boundary-defying artists, and unique presentation formats”, and that’s exactly what it did during the two artists’ 45 min. each, separate performances. For the early show, Hecker went on first followed by Oneohtrix Point Never and for the late show (that we attended) the order was reversed, which turned out to be very suitable, given the late show time. Oneohtrix Point Never (aka Daniel Lopatin) is a Brooklyn-based ambient minimalist who was joined on stage by visual artist Nate Boyce, supplementing the audio with his CGI animation works, originally shown in the Museum of Modern Art in 2011. The images were of forms, shapes and text; both everyday and unknown, rotating, melting, and morphing into others, while Lopatin manipulated “found sounds” and staccato samples concocted into a merged palette that was both simultaneously cold and pristine, and warm and familiar. Boyce, in dark clothing, planted on the left of the stage, with the dimmed light of his laptop screen the only thing making his profile evident as he kept one eye on the big screen. Lopatin was surrounded by machinery on the right also in near darkness, with only a single light near his controls and small random red bulbs glowing from his equipment. Promoting his latest, R Plus Seven (on Warp Records), Lopatin’s style was the more accessible of the two; chilled and at times symphonic and chamber-like, similar to Autechre, or some of Daft Punk’s soundtrack for Tron: Legacy. Following a short break, Tim Hecker’s show was prefaced by a hazy rolling fog introduced into the entire room, courtesy of the smoke machines on stage. Hecker’s set left all the visuals to one’s imagination as he played center stage in complete darkness—so much so, I wondered how he could even see the knobs on his own equipment. Based in Montreal, Hecker leaned heavily on his latest, Virgins (on Kranky) with layered, immersive static sounds of foreboding that sounded more metropolitan in nature (i.e. the bustle of hurried lives in the city), echoing and slowly building into a church sounding apocalyptic denouement. Both seemed purposely vague as to the exact interpretations of their works, but that is also part of what successful art accomplishes—the ability to seed a thought or an idea with visuals, sounds, or another medium, to prompt a response or an emotion as a result. the most quiet and respectful crowd I’ve been a part of… maybe ever The crowd for the late show, mostly younger art/music indie-types and older Walker regulars, was the most quiet and respectful crowd I’ve been a part of… maybe ever – in complete silence for both acts and reverent of the work being presented to them (oh, where were you for the recent Mazzy Star and James Blake shows?!). This was not only most appreciated by everyone, but left no errant distractions and put the focus solely on the performances, which is how more shows should be. The SPCO Liquid Music Series continues with six more performances in this 9-concert season and is definitely worth investigating for their varied genres of ‘outside the box’ musical performers that will no doubt have you widening your awareness and boundaries of definition-challenging music. john ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ pointnever.com ♥ sunblind.net

Oneohtrix Point Never and Tim Hecker

Read More SPCO Liquid Music The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's Liquid Music series is in its second season. The program was designed to expand the world of classical music through unique presentation formats. … THIS should be interesting… Two leading international electronic experimentalists share an aurally adventurous evening of light and shadow that dips deep into drone, ambient, distortion, and beyond. The Walker Art Center, co-presenting with the SPCO’s Liquid Music series brings electronic artists Tim Hecker and Oneohtrix Point Never (aka Daniel Lopatin) for likely one unforgettable collage of investigative sound and vision. Montreal-based Hecker is touring in support of his latest, Virgins (on Kranky) and Brooklyn’s Oneohtrix Point Never has recently released R Plus Seven (on Warp Records). The 8pm show (nearly sold-out, save some standing room tix) begins with Hecker and closes the performance with a special collaboration between Oneohtrix Point Never and with media artist Nate Boyce, with the 10:30 late performance reversing the order. Also note that the performances will include strobe lighting and haze effects. Details: ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER AND TIM HECKER Two leading international electronic experimentalists, Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never) and Tim Hecker share an aurally adventurous evening of light and shadow that dips deep into drone, ambient, distortion and beyond Sat, Nov 16 (8PM SHOW IS SOLD OUT) 10:30PM SHOW JUST ADDED! William and Nadine McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center Tickets: $18 "Few modern performers manipulate sound quite as aggressively or effectively as Tim Hecker and Daniel Lopatin.” – National Public Radio john ♥ weheartmusic.com