W♥M

Fitz and the Tantrums w St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Devon Gilfillian at GrindersKC (2022-06-21)

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS SETLIST OCD Complicated Spark Don't Go to Work it Out More Than Just a Dream Out of My League 123456 Sway Fool 6AM I Need Help! Livin' for the Weekend Moneygrabber ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES SETLIST Atlas 3000 AD Mass The Last Dance Flow With It Minotaur Sanctify Chicken Pox LivWithOutU Magnolia Trees Like a Mighty River Got it Bad > Sax solo of spottieottiedopaliscious by Outkast Apollo Grass Is Greener Convex Call Me DEVON GILFILLIAN SETLIST Even Though It Hurts High Unchained Come Back Baby What's Going On (Marvin Gaye cover) Love You Anyway Troublemaker Read More Fitz and the Tantrums There’s really no doubt left– Fitz and the Tantrums are no longer a secret locally; rather, are firmly established as a party-starting, crowd-inducing good time band that everyone now has their eye on. … St. Paul and the Broken Bones They may look like the company photo of your accountants or law team, but underneath that façade, St. Paul and the Broken Bones soulfully proves you can’t judge a book by its cover. …

Triple-digit heat index, lightning and rolling thunder, Tantrums and Broken Bones...Welcome to the first day of summer in Kansas City--

There was no shortage of drama as one of the concert season’s strongest bills (and certainly its most soulful) – Fitz and The Tantrums with St. Paul and The Broken Bones and Devon Gilfillian, played GrindersKC in downtown Kansas City to celebrate the longest day of the calendar year.

The evening began with a short but convincing set from Nashville (via Philly) blues/soul singer-guitarist Devon Gilfillian, who we first caught live back in 2019 as support for Michael McDonald and Chaka Khan. In both appearances, he seemed to persuade the audience enough by the end of the set, to gain many new fans, most of which probably hadn’t even heard his name prior.

Gilfillian has expanded his Grammy-nominated Black Hole Rainbow album into a deluxe version, and also promises additional new music coming this fall and also in the meantime cut a track-by-track cover of Marvin Gaye’s classic album What’s Goin’ On (with all proceeds to The Equity Alliance).

He started his set with “Even Though it Hurts” from Black Hole Rainbow and previewed a few newer songs, most giving him a chance to flex his guitar muscles as well and brought out Fitz and The Tantrums’ sax player and musical director, James King, to embellish the Marvin Gaye cover.

===

We’ve been fans of Birmingham, AL indie-soul band St. Paul and the Broken Bones since they formed just over a decade ago, still remembering their first Twin Cities visit in 2014 (with Lizzo guest appearance!) where they had sold out their biggest show to date.

The band’s look and sound has somewhat evolved since we saw them back then- all in short hair, sharp suits and wingtip shoes, with 2022 album The Alien Coast (on ATO Records) breaching more psych and dance inspiration, though singer Paul Janeway (now in a baseball cap and casual jacket) still vocally delivers like an Otis Redding/Wilson Pickett.

Their seventy-minute set was peppered with more conceptual tracks from the newest record and older songs including “Magnolia Trees”, a rarity about Janeway’s daughter they’d only performed live twice before.

“This is a lot like Birmingham” Janeway remarked early, feeling the heat and humidity, though never took off his jacket. Despite the abbreviated time, the set did allow each of the band members to at least briefly show their skills, including sax player Amari Ansari who borrowed part of a 1998 Outkast track as part of his late set solo.

During 2016’s “Sanctify” the restless Janeway announced “I’m comin’ out there to see you for a little bit” and walked amongst the crowd with hand held high, then made his way behind the soundboard and up the ladder to the structure’s roof to serenade everyone from where the high spotlights were located. 2014’s triumphant “Call Me” closed out their exhilarating set.

===

We can confidently say we’ve seen Fitz and The Tantrums in all kinds of weather and over a hundred-degree temperature range. We first caught the LA soul/dance-pop band in early Feb 2011 in a small Minneapolis club while sub-zero temps swirled outside and several more times over the next decade including some summer outdoor shows, though maybe none as warm as this night (something Fitz verbally noticed as being the hottest of the tour too).

The six-piece (Michael Fitzpatrick– vocals/keys; Noelle Scaggs– vocals/percussion; James King– sax/flute/keys; Joseph Karnes– bass; Jeremy Ruzumna– keys; John Wicks – drums) is still riding high on 2019’s fourth studio album, All The Feels (Elektra Records) and we saw them twice that Spring before the pandemic crept in and scuttled further touring. The good news is, in addition to being back on the road, they’ve just released new single, “Sway” a summertime ode and taste of the new album expected this September.

Arms swayed back and forth during 2013’s “6AM” while clouds gathered above and the sky gradually grayed, providing relief from the heat, but also a precursor to oncoming weather changes. Singer Scaggs said that “I Need Help” from the newest record had meant even more to her during the pandemic, helping her to focus on her own mental health and hopefully showing people that they are not alone in any day-to-day struggles. (Coincidentally, an altercation occurred up front during the song, with Scaggs noticing and calling for security to assist).

“It’s only Tuesday?! We’re just going to have to live vicariously through this song”, Fitz remarked before “Livin’ for the Weekend” an All the Feels song only available digitally. As increased lightning flashed above and clouds continued to gather, the band moved briskly to their breakthrough hit, “Moneygrabber”, just getting it in before the band was forced to stop with the bad weather approaching.

What was meant to be a delay, unfortunately turned into the end as winds picked up and rain would soon start, so the last five or six songs of the set were unfortunately not heard.

Despite the evening’s changing weather (high humidity and triple-digit heat into lightning, thunder and storms) and a shortened headlining set, the triple bill of Fitz and The Tantrums, St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Devon Gilfillian was an affirming and generally positive evening and a welcome way to officially start the Kansas City summer.

FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS TOUR DATES 23 JUN WALMART ARKANSAS MUSIC PAVILION (AMP) Rogers, AR * 24 JUN WATER WORKS PARK Des Moines, IA * 25 JUN HARRAH'S COUNCIL BLUFFS CASINO & HOTEL Council Bluffs, IA * 29 JUL KEY WEST AMPHITHEATER, TRUMAN WATERFRONT Key West, FL # 30 JUL HARD ROCK LIVE ORLANDO Orlando, FL # 31 JUL SEMINOLE HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO Tampa, FL # 02 AUG KOKA BOOTH AMPHITHEATRE Cary, NC # 03 AUG FILENE CENTER AT WOLF TRAP Washington, DC # 04 AUG SUMMERSTAGE, CENTRAL PARK New York NY # 06 AUG LEADER BANK PAVILION Boston, MA # 07 AUG CIGALE 2022 Québec, QC, Canada 09 AUG FREEMAN ARTS PAVILION Selbyville, DE # 11 AUG INTERLOCHEN CENTER FOR THE ARTS Interlochen, MI # 12 AUG RIVEREDGE PARK Aurora, IL # 13 AUG PALACE THEATRE St. Paul, MN # 14 AUG ST. LOUIS MUSIC PARK St Louis, MO # 17 AUG GERALD R. FORD AMPHITHEATER Vail, CO # 18 AUG SANDY AMPHITHEATER Sandy, UT # 20 AUG FORD IDAHO CENTER Nampa, ID # 21 AUG CHATEAU STE MICHELLE WINERY Woodinville, WA # 22 AUG KETTLEHOUSE AMPHITHEATER Bonner, MT # 23 AUG MCMENAMIN'S GRAND LODGE Forest Grove, OR # 25 AUG THE MOUNTAIN WINERY Saratoga, CA # 26 AUG GREEN MUSIC CENTER Rohnert Park, CA # 27 AUG THE GREEK THEATRE Los Angeles, CA # 15 OCT CHEVROLET MAINSTAGE Dallas, TX 19 NOV WONDERFRONT FESTIVAL WATERFRONT PARK San Diego, CA 17-21 FEB 2023 SAIL ACROSS THE SUN Miami, FL * = with St. Paul and the Broken Bones and Devon Gilfillian # - with Andy Grammer

ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES TOUR DATES JUN 23 Walmart AMP (Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion) Rogers, AR JUN 24 Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park Des Moines, IA JUN 25 Harrah's Council Bluffs Hotel & Casino Council Bluffs, IA JUL 7- 10 Northern Lights Festival Boréal Greater Sudbury, Canada JUL 11 Meyer Theatre Green Bay, WI JUL 12 St. Andrew's Hall Detroit, MI JUL 12 Saint Andrew's Hall Detroit, MI JUL 13 Thalia Hall Chicago, IL JUL 14 Thalia Hall Chicago, IL JUL 16 Overton Park Shell Memphis, TN JUL 20 Kesselhaus, Berlin JUL 21 Zuiderpark Live The Hague, NL JUL 22 Bataclan Paris, Île-de-France JUL 24 Paradiso Amsterdam, NL JUL 26 Brudenell Social Club Leeds, UK JUL 28 - JUL 31 Cambridge Folk Festival 2022 Cambridge, UK JUL 28 Electric Ballroom London, UK JUL 29 O2 Academy Bristol, UK AUG 2 Old Fruitmarket Glasgow, Scotland AUG 5 Magic City Blues Festival Billings, MT AUG 13 Phillips At The Backyard Victoria, BC AUG 14 Ambleside Festival West Vancouver, Canada AUG 25 The Pageant St Louis, MO AUG 26 Sacred Rose Bridgeview, IL AUG 27 Palace Theatre Saint Paul, MN SEP 15 Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival Fredericton, NB SEP 18 Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival Huddleston, VA SEP 22 Tennessee Theatre Knoxville, TN SEP 23 The Signal Chattanooga, TN SEP 29 The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA SEP 30 - OCT 2 Ohana Fest Dana Point, CA OCT 2 Oceans Calling Ocean City, MD OCT 13 Charleston Music Hall Charleston, SC

(click on any image to enlarge and see in full)

Devon Gilfillian

Devon Gilfillian

St Paul and the Broken Bones Setlist

Devon Gilfillian w/James King

St Paul and the Broken Bones

St Paul and the Broken Bones

St Paul and the Broken Bones

St Paul and the Broken Bones

St Paul and the Broken Bones

St Paul and the Broken Bones

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums

Fitz and the Tantrums at GrindersKC (2022-06-21)

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

We♥KC - June 15-21, 2022 Upcoming Shows (Kansas City / Lawrence KS)

Bon Iver with Bonny Light Horseman, June 15, Starlight Theatre Read More Bon Iver Bon Iver is teaming up with contemporary dance company TU Dance, as part of the 2017-2018 Liquid Music season. The shows all sold out, including a fourth late addition for a matinee show on Saturday. …

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Things are heating up! Both in terms of concerts and the weather (heat index already in triple-digits) with the weekend’s highlight being the two-day Boulevardia Festival, taking place now at Crown Center.  Thursday in particular, seems over-scheduled with several very worthy shows to pick from. Stay safe! Stay hydrated!

Here’s what’s happening in the Kansas City/Lawrence, KS June 15^th- 21st

(Several artists are still requiring precautions for entry, so check with the venue and/or assume vaccination proof, might still be required)

Wednesday June 15

Bon Iver with Bonny Light Horseman, Starlight Theatre. $30.50-$100.50

Wisconsin’s own Bon Iver returns with a 23-date US tour continuing in support of their 2019 album, i,i. The shows feature the latest iteration of the live band: Justin Vernon, Sean Carey, Jenn Wasner, Mike Lewis, Matt McCaughan and Andy Fitzpatrick, and we’ve seen Vernon often, either hanging out at Minneapolis shows or live in concert, like we did at 2017’s Rock the Garden. 

Openers Bonny Light Horseman include Anais Mitchell, creator of the Tony-award winning Hadestown, and who we saw solo just last month in MN

Thursday June 16

CANNONS at Bottleneck- Lawrence, (update:SOLD OUT)

We tipped you off to this LA-based electro dream-pop trio when we saw them as openers back in November and (no surprise to us), they’re returning as full headliners to the area, in support of their new full-length, Fever Dream (on Sony Music) which came out in late March.  We predict even bigger things ahead. 

Opener Windser is also Cali-based and aka Jordan Topf and has new single, “Memory” out now. 

CHVRCHES, Uptown, $35-$40

We remain big fans of this Scottish synth-pop band, still out in support of 2021’s Screen Violence album, and last caught them live back in 2018 in St. Paul and they’re nominated this year for NME’s Best Band in the World, so their adoration clearly continues. 

Femi Kuti and The Positive Force, Granada. $25

It’s a night of Nigerian Afrobeat in River City as Kuti and band come out in support of their 2021 release, Stop the Hate which was one of two recent collaborations with his son, Made. We caught them live back in 2016 and expect a night of activist-themed dancing and grooving.

Ambar Lucid at recordBar, $17.50

Twenty-one year old NJ singer songwriter out in support of 2020’s Garden of Lucid who names Alice Phoebe Lou, Willow Smith, and Kali Uchis as her artistic influences. 

Kip Moore w Drew Parker, Power and Light District, $20

Known for hit single, “Somethin’ Bout a Truck”, Moore’s latest to country radio is his re-recording of “Crazy One More Time” and his 2020 album Wild World, is still going strong. 

Margaret Cho, June 16-18, Comedy Club of Kansas City, $35-$45

The Asian comedienne is rightfully recognized as a groundbreaking influence, from her network sitcom American Girl to work on 30 Rock to five Grammy and one Emmy nominations and is in the new streaming series Fire Island. 

Friday June 17

Boulevardia Day One- $35-$145

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (9:40p), Jenny Lewis (8p), Hembree (6:40p), Dante Elephante (5:20p), more

The first big area multi-day festival of the season kicks off with a bang.  Tentative set times are listed above and there are multiple stages in addition to the main stage, to find entertainment.  We just caught Rateliff and the Night Sweats last weekend at another classic outdoor event Rock the Garden, so are assured they’ll put on a great performance. 

Rainmakers w The Pic and Bow, Stagecoach Park - Olathe, Free

Bob Walkenhorst and band play a free show in the area, starting back in the 80s as bar band Steve Bob & Rich with numerous local 80s/90s radio hits and following the tragic news of Steve Phillips passing away in 2020 from Covid complications. The band inexplicably remains huge in Norway as well. 

Leonid & Friends, Ameristar. $35-$45

In just three short years, the Moscow-based band have an uncanny ability to capture the spirit and musicality of classic rock group Chicago. (To double up on that feeling, see the actual Chicago a few days later).

Adventure Club, Uptown. $30-$75

The Montreal DJ/production duo will no doubt have people moving to their visuals, dubstep, and electronic dance mix.  Latest album is February’s Love // Chaos on legendary dance label, Ultra and has also released a serious of mixes called Superheroes Anonymous. 

Thrice and Bayside with Anxious, The Truman. $30-$60

This co-headlining tour comes as an opportunity for Thrice to further support their last record, Horizons/East, which came out in September 2020 while Bayside released an acoustic EP, titled Acoustic Volume 3, in 2020.

Thrice drummer Riley Breckenridge says, “We had a blast on our Horizons/East headline tour last fall and can’t wait to get back on the road with Bayside and Anxious and share more of the record with you all.”

Riverdance, June 17-19, Starlight Theater, $16-$98

Riverdance 25th Anniversary Show is a reinvention of this beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy Award-winning score and the passion of its Irish and international dance.

Twenty-five years on, composer Bill Whelan has rerecorded his soundtrack while producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have completely re-imagined the show with innovative lighting, projection, stage and costume designs.

Big Jay Oakerson, KC Improv Comedy Club Postponed to Oct 28-29

Legendz of The Streetz feat Gucci Mane, Jeezy, Trina, T-Mobile Center CANCELED

Saturday June 18

Boulevardia Day Two-$35-$145

Dashboard Confessional (9:45p), Dayglow (8:05p), Valerie June (6:25p), The Far Side (5:05p), Daisy the Great (3:45p), Salvation Choir (2:25p), Glass Bandit (1:05p), more,

Another packed day of performers with Dashboard Confessional headlining, in support of February’s ninth studio album, All the Truth That I Can Tell.  Chris Carrabba and band still have massively loyal fans that know every lyric to every song, which is amazing to witness live. 

We caught Dayglow (aka Sloan Struble) late last year in Minneapolis and their memorable encore of a Tears for Fears cover, and are fans of Valerie June, catching her back in 2017 as fire alarms blared but had June carrying on very professionally. 

The Far Side was formerly The Pharcyde and make sure to arrive early enough for newcomers Daisy the Great, who were recently in the area with Half-Alive and we wrote, “are actually a Brooklyn-based duo, fronted by Kelley Nicole Dugan and Mina Walker who made waves last fall when they teamed with AJR on the song, “Record Player”, a re-worked version of their own 2017 folk-pop song.” Their newest single is “Easy”.

Welcome to Night Vale, Liberty Hall-Lawrence, $25-$50.

Live podcast event starring Cecil Baldwin, Symphony Sanders, Kate Jones and original music by Disparition.

Banda MS de Sergio Lizarraga, T-Mobile Center CANCELED

Sunday June 19

Carin Leon, Arvest Bank Theatre at the Midland. $42-$142

Leon brings the sound of his Mexican homeland on his first headlining US tour, hot on the heels of his appearance on Grupo Firmo's 'El Toxico'. Expect a show full of romantic tunes as Leon brings the sounds of ranchera, corrido, banda and sierreno music.

Monday June 20

Chicago and Brian Wilson, Starlight. $36-$300

Chicago and Brian Wilson, co-founder of the Beach Boys, with Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin are out on a co-headlining 25-city tour, both Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame inductees, and this looks like one of the outdoor concert season’s most revered events. 

Chicago is the highest charting US band in Billboard's Top 125 Artists of All Time and the first US rock band to chart Top 40 albums in six consecutive decades. Their 38th studio album, Born for this Moment, arrives on July 15 (via BMG) on the heels of the released first single “If This is Goodbye”.

Brian Wilson is a musical innovator who co-founded the Beach Boys, he is widely acknowledged as one of the most significant songwriters of the 20th century. We caught Wilson, Jardine and band outdoors at the MN Zoo a while back, and came away impressed with the depth of their hits and the musical professionalism displayed. 

Tuesday June 21

Fitz and the Tantrums and St. Paul and the Broken Bones, Devon Gilfillian, Grinders KC, $37-$80

We love all acts on this bill, having seen Fitz and the Tantrums many times in Minneapolis, the most recent being back in 2019.  Always fun live, the band continues out in support of 2019’s All the Feels album, though Fitz did put out a recent solo album as well.

Another great live band is Alabama’s St. Paul and the Broken Bones out in support of January’s The Alien Coast. Like Fitz and the Tantrums, the band started as retro/nu-soul but have morphed into a sound beyond. St. Paul killed it in Minneapolis in an early 2014 show we caught live. 

We also came away very impressed when we first saw Nashville’s Devon Gilfillian, opening for Chaka Khan in 2019.  The soul/blues artist covered Marvin Gaye’s complete What’s Goin’ On album in 2020 and it would be interesting to hear any of those songs transformed live.

Jeff Rosenstock, Bottleneck- Lawrence, $20

NY punk/power pop performer and producer comes to the area shortly after his cohorts PUP were here (both played together on a recent late night TV appearance) and we last caught him live back in 2016.

He’s a jack of many trades, playing in numerous bands, producing the new Bruce Lee Band’s ska record among others, runs a donation-based record label, and composed theme songs for Cartoon Network.  Nnamdi and Catbite to open.

Jimmie Vaughan, Knuckleheads. $29.50-$45

The famed Texas musician and Fabulous Thunderbird last year released The Jimmie Vaughan Story, a deluxe edition of 5-CDs, vinyl LP,  two singles, and 240-page book. Live, expect to hear his solo and band originals as well as covers from Howlin Wolf, Slim Harpo, T-Bone Walker, and more.

“Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, June 21-26, Music Hall, $36-$106

The smash Broadway musical follows The Temptations’ journey from Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts with 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 hitting number one.

Nominated for 12 Tony® Awards, the show tells their story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group's conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest.

Matchbox Twenty, Starlight POSTPONED to June 18, 2023

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

Love Is In The Air

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, here are some “love” music. Read more Sex Sells.

Read More Seratones Louisiana's Seratones is headlining the 7th Street Entry this September 6th. The band’s sophomore album is called Power. Tour Dates: 8/29 - San Francisco, CA @ Cafe Du Nord 8/31 - McMinnville, OR @ Walnut City Music Festival …

SERATONES
seratones.band

Shreveport, Louisiana’s Seratones announced their third album Love & Algorhythms, out on April 29th via New West Records. This album follows their breakout debut and sophomore records, which found the band performing on CBS Saturday Morning, NPR Music’s Tiny Desk, and more.

Singer and activist A.J. Haynes is known for her powerhouse live performance… the band will be touring with other W♥M favorites like Fitz and The Tantrums and St. Paul & The Broken Bones.

Tour dates:

Mar 5 Denton, TX - She Rock 2022 Festival
Mar 15 - 20 Austin, TX - SXSW
Apr 23 Waverly, AL - Standard Deluxe Festival
May 7 New Orleans, LA - JAZZ Fest
May 13 New York, NY - WFUV Party
Jun 1 Asheville, NC - Rabbit Rabbit *
Jun 3 Nashville, TN - Ascend Amp *
Jun 4 Wilmington, NC - Riverfront Amp *
Jun 5 Richmond, VA - Meadowbrook Park *
Jun 7 Burlington, VT - Shelburne Museum Green *
Jun 8 Portland, ME - Thompson's Point *
Jun 10 New Haven, CT - Westville Bowl *
Jun 11 Asbury Park, NJ - Stone Pony *
Jun 12 Bethlehem, PA - Steelstacks *

*notes dates with Fitz and The Tantrums + St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Read More Tove Styrke The good thing about this three-act evening was that the early arrivers were awarded with a short but entertaining performance by Swedish dance pop artist Tove Styrke, in support of latest full-length, Sway (RCA/ Sony Records) ...

TOVE STYRKE
tovestyrkemusic.com

Swedish forward-thinking pop star Tove Styrke recently released a new sexy single “Show Me Love” on Columbia Records.

New single “Show Me Love” was co-written and produced with Elof Loelv (Rihanna) and Sophia Somajo, inspired by classic pop songs from the 50´s-70’s. Talking about the new single, Tove says: “I wrote it for someone I was madly in love with. Every word went directly from emotional parts of me, that I usually keep hidden, straight into the mic. It’s rare for me to write without any hesitation like that. We chew up love like fast food, yet when we truly fall for someone it’s always the same big, amazing, dangerous thing. Slow love. Hard love. It grows, it hurts and it bends and it breaks. These feelings are like candy paste and cement at the same time. We’ve got that fun, fast food, easy side to it but it can also evolve into a war. I’m scared and obsessed with it.”

North American tour 2022 – supporting MARINA

14 Feb Minneapolis, MN Orpheum Theatre
15 Feb Chicago, IL Chicago Theatre
17 Feb Detroit, MI The Fillmore
18 Feb Toronto, ON Rebel
19 Feb Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE
21 Feb Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre
22 Feb Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Opera
24 Feb Washington, DC The Anthem
25 Feb New York, NY Terminal 5

Read More Halsey We were lucky enough to have caught Halsey with the Kooks in 2014 and with Imagine Dragons in June 2015. Hot on the heels of her acclaimed Room 93 EP, Halsey will release ...

HALSEY
loveandpower.com

Multi-platinum, genre-bending artist Halsey announced their Love and Power Tour in support of their critically acclaimed, Grammy nominated album, If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power.

Halsey's Love and Power Tour Dates

Tour dates:

5/17/2022 West Palm Beach, FL iThink Financial
5/19/2022 Tampa, FL MIDFLORIDA
5/21/2022 Gulf Shores, AL Hangout Music Festival
5/24/2022 Nashville, TN FirstBank Amphitheater
5/27/2022 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion
5/29/2022 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Music Theatre
6/1/2022 Boston, MA Xfinity Center
6/3/2022 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center
6/5/2022 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage
6/8/2022 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
6/11/2022 New York, NY The Governors Ball
6/16/2022 Seattle, WA White River Amphitheatre
6/18/2022 Portland, OR RV Inn Style Resorts
6/21/2022 Los Angeles, CA Hollywood Bowl
6/24/2022 Mountain View, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre
6/26/2022 Phoenix, AZ Ak-Chin Pavilion
6/28/2022 Dallas, TX Dos Equis Pavilion
6/30/2022 Atlanta, GA Cellairis Amphitheatre
7/2/2022 Milwaukee, WI Summerfest
7/3/2022 Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre
7/6/2022 Denver, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
7/9/2022 Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre

Read More Kids On A Crime Spree Kids On A Crime Spree is Mario Hernandez's latest project, with Bill Evans and Becky Barron. If Mario's name sounds familiar, that's because he's the one-man band behind From Bubblegum …

KIDS ON A CRIME SPREE
kidsonacrimespree.com

Today Bay Area band, Kids On A Crime Spree recently released Fall In Love Not In Line via Slumberland Records.

It’s been over a decade since We Love You So Bad was released (yes, we wrote about them in 2011). Since then Kids On A Crime Spree have released a handful of solid noise-pop singles — “Creep The Creeps” in 2013, and two 7″ splits with Burnt Palms and Terry Malts in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Fall In Love Not In Line Track List:

1. Karl Kardel Building
2. When Can I See You Again?
3. NOYC
4. Vital Points
5. All Things Fade
6. Goods Get Got
7. Boomdoom
8. Overtaken By The Soil
9. Steve, Why Are You Such A Liar?
10. We’re So Good

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

Minneapolis: October 26, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on October 26, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Andrew WK First Avenue, to take a peek at Andrew WK's insane party show. He was playing all the songs off his I Get Wet album, I half expected his nose to start bleeding on stage… .…

ANDREW WK
at Turf Club
Wednesday, 10/26/16, 7pm ($25/Sold Out)
turfclub.net

Here is the preview for Andrew WK’s upcoming Turf Club show: Party party party party party party.

I think this show may actually be Andrew WK talking about “The Power of Partying”. Read: no live band. Also: It’s sold out.

If you’re a fan, check out Andrew WK’s first ever official smartphone app for Apple and Android users: “The Party Hard Bloody Nose App”. This app allows users to add a bloody nose to any photo.

Andrew W.K.'s The Power of Partying Speaking Tour

Oct 21 — Norman, OK — Opolis
Oct 22 — Wichita, KS — Barleycorn’s
Oct 23 — Omaha, NE — Waiting Room
Oct 24 — Sioux Falls, SD — Icon Lounge
Oct 25 — Fargo, ND — Sanctuary Events
Oct 26 — Saint Paul, MN — Turf Club
Oct 27 — Madison, WI — High Noon Saloon
Oct 28 — Des Moines, IA — Temple Theater
Oct 29 — St. Louis, MO — The Ready Room
Oct 30 — Little Rock, AR — Revolution Music Room
Oct 31 — Baton Rouge, LA — Manship Theatre
Nov 1 — Oxford, MS — Proud Larry’s
Nov 3 — Nashville, TN — Marathon Music Works
Nov 4 — Birmingham, AL — Saturn
Nov 5 — Athens, GA — 40 Watt Club
Nov 6 — Tallahassee, FL — Club Downunder
Nov 7 — West Columbia, SC — New Brookland Tavern
Nov 8 — Carrboro, NC — The ArtsCenter
Nov 9 — Richmond, VA — Capital Ale House
Nov 10 — Charleston, WV — Labelle Theatre
Nov 11 — Louisville, KY — Zanzabar
Nov 12 — Bloomington, IN — Rhino's Youth Center
Nov 13 — Detroit, MI — Masonic Temple Chapel
Nov 14 — Cleveland, OH — Capitol Theatre
Nov 16 — Philadelphia, PA — Trinity Center
Nov 17 — Washington, D.C. — Black Cat
Nov 18 — Baltimore, MD — Soundstage
Nov 19 — Arden, DE — Gild Hall
Nov 20 — Brooklyn, NY — Music Hall
Nov 21 — Asbury Park, NJ — House of Independents
Nov 25 — Burlington, VT — First Unitarian Church
Nov 26 — Portland, ME — SPACE Gallery
Nov 27 — Portsmouth, NH — 3S Artspace
Nov 28 — Boston, MA — Paradise
Nov 29 — Hamden, CT — The Space
Nov 30 — Providence, RI — Columbus Theatre

Read More St. Paul and the Broken Bones They may look like the company photo of your accountants or law team, but underneath that façade, St. Paul and the Broken Bones soulfully proves you can’t judge a book by its cover. …

ST PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES
at First Avenue
Wednesday, 10/26/16, 7pm ($25)
Thursday, 10/27/16, 7pm ($25)
first-avenue.com

St Paul is coming to Minneapolis... St. Paul and The Broken Bones (led by singer Paul Janeway) that is. The incredible popular band will be taking over First Avenue in Minneapolis for a few nights.

St Paul and the Broken Bones’ new album Sea of Noise is out now.

Diane Coffee to open.

Tour dates:

October 21 – Birmingham, AL – Boutwell Auditorium
October 25 – Omaha, NE – Sokol Auditorium
October 26,27 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
October 30 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room
November 1 – Chicago, IL – Chicago Theatre
November 2 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore
November 3 – Toronto, ON – Danforth Music Hall
November 5, 6 – Boston, MA – Royale
November 10 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
November 11 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
November 18 – Atlanta, GA – The Fox Theatre

Read More Fruit Bats If you are looking for a laid back collection of summer tracks then I suggest you look no further than The Ruminant Band by the Fruit Bats. …

FRUIT BATS
at 7th Street Entry
Wednesday, 10/26/16, 7pm ($15)
first-avenue.com

Fruit Bats is back in town. The Chicago band (really just singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson) will kick off the tour in Minneapolis next Wednesday. He will likely play some new songs from his 2016 record Absolute Loser.

Courtney Marie Andrews to open. Her album Honest Life came out in August 2016 and her voice has been compared to Margo Price and Nikki Lane.

Tour dates:

Oct 26 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry ◦
Oct 27 – Milwaukee, WI – Back Room ◦
Oct 28 – Evanston, IL – SPACE ◦
Oct 29 – Champaign, IL – The Accord ◦
Oct 30 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon ◦
Nov 1 – Louisville, KY – Zanzabar ◦
Nov 2 – Cincinnati, OH – Taft Theatre ◦
Nov 4 – Omaha, NE – Reverb
Nov 5 – Boulder, CO – The Fox Theater ▴
Nov 26 – Portsmouth, NH – 3S Artspace ▪︎
Nov 28 – Boston, MA – Middle East ▪︎
Nov 29 – Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts ▪︎
Nov 30 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom ▪︎
Dec 1 – Baltimore, MD – Metro Gallery
Dec 2 – Carborro, NC – Cats Cradle ▿
Dec 3 – Charlottesville, VA – Southern ▿
Dec 4 – Asheville, NC – The Mothlight ▿

◦ w/ Courtney Marie Andrews
▴ w/ The River Arkansas
▪︎ w/ Mail the Horse
▿ w/ Skylar Gudasz

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

Imagine Dragons w/ Metric, Halsey at Xcel, St Paul (09 June 2015)

Imagine Dragons Setlist Shots Trouble It's Time Forever Young (Alphaville cover) Smoke and Mirrors Polaroid I'm So Sorry Summer Gold Bleeding Out Demons Dream Hopeless Opus Amsterdam Release On Top of the World Friction I Bet My Life Radioactive -- Encore -- The Fall Metric Setlist Stadium Love Too Bad, So Sad Speed the Collapse Help I'm Alive Cascades Synthetica Gold Guns Girls Breathing Underwater The Shade Halsey Setlist Castle Empty Gold Hold Me Down Ghost Hurricane Tour Dates 06/13/15 Milwaukee, WI BMO Harris Bradley 06/15/15 Rosemont, IL Allstate Arena 06/16/15 Louisville, KY KFC Yum! Center 06/18/15 Columbus, OH Nationwide Arena 06/19/15 Pittsburgh, PA Consol Energy Center 06/22/15 Cleveland, OH Quicken Loans Arena 06/23/15 Auburn Hills, MI Palace Of Auburn Hills 06/24/15 Buffalo, NY First Niagara Center 06/27/15 Philadelphia, PA Wells Fargo Center 06/29/15 Newark, NJ Prudential Center 06/30/15 Brooklyn, NY Barclays Center 07/01/15 Boston, MA TD Garden 07/03/15 Montreal, QC Bell Centre 07/04/15 Toronto, ON Air Canada Centre 07/06/15 Washington, DC Verizon Center 07/07/15 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena 07/08/15 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena 07/10/15 Tampa, FL Amalie Arena 07/11/15 Sunrise, FL BB&T Center 07/13/15 Memphis, TN FedExForum 07/14/15 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena 07/16/15 Houston, TX Toyota Center 07/17/15 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center 07/18/15 Stateline, NV Lake Tahoe Outdoor 07/20/15 Anaheim, CA Honda Center 07/21/15 San Diego, CA Viejas Arena 07/24/15 Inglewood, CA Forum 07/25/15 Phoenix, AZ US Airways Center 07/27/15 Denver, CO Pepsi Center 07/28/15 Salt Lake City, UT EnergySolutions 07/30/15 Vancouver, BC Rogers Arena 07/31/15 Tacoma, WA Tacoma Dome 08/01/15 Boise, ID Taco Bell Arena Read More Imagine Dragons With over 14,000 fans in attendance at Imagine Dragons last appearance in Minnesota, I can tell you that the band has massive appeal to a younger demographic. … Metric I've seen Metric twice (four times if you count Emily Haines solo or Broken Social Scene), so you know I love this little Canadian band. Their Rock the Garden's set was very similar to their … Halsey Halsey (stagename for Ashley Frangipane) has a debut EP Room 93 is set for release on October 28th via Astralwerks. W♥M fans will know ...

Over 13,000 fans showed up to see Imagine Dragons return to the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul last Tuesday, June 9th. The Las Vegas band is currently on their Smoke + Mirrors Tour.

Halsey photo: Jayme Halbritter

The show started with a technical difficulty that pushed Halsey (an anagram of singer Ashley) to start six minutes late. I didn't think they actually fix the problem with the video screen until Metric came on stage... As a result of the late start, the band had to drop two songs from their set list to maintain the strict music schedule.

Joining Halsey on stage was jazz keyboardist Greg Spero (who had family in Minnesota) and drummer Nate Lotz. Strange, but absent on stage were her guitarists when we first saw Halsey on her first ever tour with the Kooks.

Halsey previewed some songs ("Castle", "Hold Me Down", and "Ghost") from her forthcoming Badlands album, set for release August 28, 2015, on Astralwerks.... however, she ended her set with her most popular song "Hurricane".

Metric photo: Jayme Halbritter

Our favorite Canadian band Metric was up next, with a high energy dance-centric set, consisting of only newer material: 2009's Fantasies ("Stadium Love", "Help I'm Alive", and "Gold Guns Girls"), 2012's Synthetica (Title track, "Speed The Collapse", and "Breathing Underwater"), and from the forthcoming Pagans in Vegas ("Too Bad, So Sad", "Cascades", and "The Shade").

Singer Emily Haines is always fun to watch, often doing her rollerskate and hands waving dancing moves. My favorite was for "Cascades", Haines brought out a shawl or cape and stood over the upflowing fan to create this nice visual flowing cloth dance.

The message was clear, Metric love writing and performing music... otherwise they wouldn't have done this for the past 17 years. Haines also joked that the music help her look 26.

While I love the band, I fear that the days of them doing old favorites from Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? are long gone. The current Metric band, as it is, will only play newer material. Which I can understand, musicians have to change and grow.

When Pagans in Vegas comes out in September 2015, hopefully Metric will be stopping by Minneapolis on their headline tour.

Dan Reynolds photo: Jayme Halbritter

As soon as Imagine Dragons entered the room to a dramatic gigantic moving display, the entire audience immediately stood up to a thunderous cheer.

We've been watching and covering Imagine Dragons since their early days at smaller club shows (Triple Rock, Varsity Theater), and we're incredibly happy to see them do so well with these big stadium shows. The band is incredibly thankful and grateful for everyone in their lives for making them such a success, calling out Cities97's Paul Fletcher and singer Dan Reynolds thanking his wife (Aja Volkman of Nico Vega).

In the seven years that Imagine Dragons toured as a band, this is the first tour that they've incorporated lasers into their shows... and they utilized the lasers near the end of the set. Combining with the smoke machine, the lasers created an unforgettable look and feel to their show.

The band ended their set with their most popular song "Radioactive", which got the biggest audience reaction and sing-alongs... however, I felt the highlight of their set was for their encore song "The Fall", which featured images of trees and falling leaves... complete with flowing confetti from the ceiling!

Imagine Dragon's second studio album Smoke + Mirrors is out now on Interscope Records/KIDinaKORNER.

Imagine Dragons at Xcel Energy Center, St Paul (09 June 2015) photo courtesy of Jayme Halbritter Photography, jaymehalbritter.com

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

Minneapolis Music Guide: July 27 - August 2, 2014

Here is the weekly guide of some Minneapolis (and St Paul) live concerts and events from July 27 to August 2.

Read More Pigeon John Pigeon John talks like a guy freshly arrived on the scene instead of an artist with a five-album catalog, a string of hits and a passionate following that spans two continents ...

SUNDAY, JULY 27
7TH STREET ENTRY
Pigeon John

Pigeon John's summer tour kicks off tomorrow in St Louis at Gramophone. He'll be stopping by 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on Sunday, July 27th.

With six albums under his belt, Pigeon John (real name: John Kenneth Dunkin) confessed that he's "still trying to find my voice. That's always been the mission — getting deeper, shedding off the layers — and that’s never really stopped."

His latest release, Encino Man is said to be more rock 'n roll and even pop rock (influenced by "everything from Phil Collins, Depeche Mode, De La Soul, Madonna and the Beasties"), but an underlying in hip-hop, and again, Pigeon John stay true to what he said - that he's reinventing his music.

Tour dates:

July 26: St. Louis, MO @ Gramophone
July 27: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
July 28: Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub
July 29: Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
July 30: Asheville, NC @ One Stop
July 31: Raleigh, NC @ King’s Barcade
Aug 1: Murfreesboro, NC @ Zakk’s Coffeehouse
Aug 2: Birmingham, AL @ Secret Stages Festival
Aug 3: Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness

 

Read More Kate Tucker We've previously written about Kate Tucker a few times. Since they raised enough money to record their new album The Shape The Color The Feel (nine films, eight filmmakers, seven cities) …

MONDAY, JULY 28
THE 400 BAR
Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden

Since the closing of the 400 Bar, we've been waiting in anticipation of their rebirth at the Mall of America. One of the very first show booked at the brand new 400 Bar will be Kate Tucker & The Sons Of Sweden, fresh off their successful Kickstarter to record their latest record The Shape The Color The Feel.

It's good to see the 400 Bar back.

UPDATE: twincities.com notes that the 400 Bar's grand re-opening has been "delayed indefinitely." Two shows booked (Kate Tucker and the Sons of Sweden and Denny Laine) were moved to Midwest Music Museum, as a result.

Tour Dates:

07/25/14 St. Louis, MO Koken Art Factory
07/26/14 Terre Haute, IN The Verve
07/27/14 Chicago, IL Elbo Room
07/28/14 Minneapolis, MN Midwest Music Museum
07/29/14 Lincoln, NE Vega
07/30/14 Denver, CO Herman's Hideaway
07/31/14 Salt Lake City, UT Club Metro
08/01/14 Boise, ID Neurolux
08/02/14 Spokane, WA The Bartlett
08/04/14 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
08/05/14 Portland, OR The Secret Society
08/06/14 Eugene, OR Cozmic Pizza
08/07/14 San Francisco, CA Neck Of The Woods
08/08/14 Los Angeles, CA Three Clubs
08/10/14 Sedona, AZ Oak Creek Brew Co.
08/11/14 Albuquerque, NM Ned's
08/13/14 Oklahoma City, OK The Conservatory
08/14/14 Fort Worth, TX Lola's Sixth
08/15/14 Austin, TX Swan Dive
08/16/14 Houston, TX Jet Lounge
08/19/14 New Orleans, LA Gasa Gasa
08/20/14 Birmingham, AL BottleTree
08/21/14 Atlanta, GA The Music Room
08/22/14 Charlotte, NC Evening Muse

 

Read More Melted Toys After three years of radio silence from San Francisco psychedelic popsters, Melted Toys announce their return with the release of their self-titled debut album this summer! …

TUESDAY, JULY 29
ORGAN HAUS
Melted Toys

San Francisco quartet Melted Toys just released their self-titled debut album last week (July 15) via Underwater Peoples. The new record was mixed by Rusty Santos, (the engineer behind the controls for Animal Collective's Sung Tongs, Panda Bear's Person Pitch and numerous Warp Records releases).

The band has announced a run of Summer tour dates, including shows with Devon Williams, Free Time and Fresh & Onlys. Full tour dates listed below.

They list Minneapolis as one of their stop at Organ Haus. I go to a lot of shows around Minneapolis, but I have absolutely no idea where this venue is. I suspect it is a residency, which unfortunately, for legal reasons, we cannot cover the show... but if you're brave enough, check with their website for the correct address. I don't know it.

If you're looking for something more official, Mimicking Birds is set to play the 7th Street Entry on this date, more details at The Bird and the Mouse.

Tour dates:

07/25 New York, NY - Cake Shop
07/26 Cleveland, OH - Happy Dog
07/28 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
07/29 Minneapolis, MN - Organ Haus
07/30 Lawrence, KS - Replay Lounge
07/31 Denver, CO - Hi Dive
08/02 Boise, ID - The Crux
08/03 Portland, OR - East End

Read More Sharon Van Etten "Hey Minneapolis. There you are! It's been too long, thanks for coming out tonight," Sharon Van Etten commented at the nice turnout for her show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Wednesday, July 16th. …

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30
7TH STREET ENTRY
Tiny Ruins

New Zealand singer-songwriter Tiny Ruins, aka Hollie Fullbrook, is currently touring North America. Her latest album Brightly Painted One is out now on Flying Nun Records.

Later this year, she will join Sharon Van Etten on her fall tour (in October). We recently caught Van Etten, and will be interested in checking out Tiny Ruins (especially because we previously missed her New Zealand's CMJ 2013 Showcase!)

North American tour dates:

07/25 Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Musical Festival
07/26 Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Music Festival
07/27 Calgary, AB - Calgary Folk Music Festival
07/29 Winnipeg, MB - The Park Theatre
07/30 Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry
07/31 Iowa City, IA - Trumpet Blossom Cafe
08/01 Chicago, IL - Hideout
08/04 Toronto, ON - The Garrison
08/05 Montreal, QB - Casa del Popolo
08/06 Allston, MA - Great Scott
08/07 Washington DC - DC9
08/09 New York, Ny - Mercury Lounge (early show)
08/10 Brooklyn, NY -Baby's All Right
Wed 10/08 Detroit - Loving Touch *
Thu 10/09 Columbus - Wexner *
Mon 10/13 Iowa City - Gabe's Oasis *
Tue 10/14 Champaign - High Dive *
Wed 10/15 St. Louis - Luminary Arts *
Fri 10/17 Dallas - Kessler Theatre *
Sat 10/18 Austin - Mohawk *
Mon 10/20 Atlanta - EARL *
Tue 10/21 Asheville - Grey Eagle *
Thu 10/23 Carrboro - Cat's Cradle *
Fri 10/24 Charlottesville - Jefferson *
Sat 10/25 Baltimore - Ottobar *

* with Sharon Van Etten

St. Paul and the Broken Bones w/ John & Jacob at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (01 June 2014) concert review

Varsity Theater Marquee Setlist Chicken Pox (Booker T and the M.G.’s cover) Don't Mean a Thing Sugar Dyed Honey Pants Dixie Rothko I'm Torn Up Shake! (Sam Cooke cover) Half the City That Glow Broken Bones & Pocket Change 99 1/2 Like a Mighty River Let It Be So Down in the Valley (Solomon Burke/Otis Redding cover) It's Midnight River Song Call Me Grass Is Greener Make it Rain (Tom Waits cover) -- Encore -- A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke cover) w/ Lizzo Hey Jude (The Beatles cover) w/ Lizzo, Caroline Smith Tour Dates 06/05/14 Wakarusa Festival 06/06/14 Wakarusa Festival 06/13/14 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival 06/18/14 Wilmington, NC Ziggy's By The Sea 06/19/14 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's By The Sea 06/20/14 Richmond, VA Brown's Island 06/24/14 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre 06/28/14 Meadow Lark Festival 06/29/14 Mountain Stage Radio Show 07/12/14 Master Musicians Festival 07/18/14 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall 07/27/14 Interstellar Rodeo 07/30/14 Mankato, MN Vetter Amphitheater 07/31/14 St Paul, MN Amsterdam Hall and Bar 08/10/14 New York, NY Damrosch Park 08/24/14 Southern Brewers Festival 10/25/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium Read More St. Paul and the Broken Bones They may look like the company photo of your accountants or law team, but underneath that façade, St. Paul and the Broken Bones soulfully proves you can’t judge a book by its cover. …

St. Paul officially killed Minneapolis.

This wasn’t another Twin Cities-area border battle- Birmingham, Alabama soul upstarts, St. Paul and the Broken Bones hit town at the Varsity Theater earlier this week and all but literally blew the roof off the place.

“…Oh S#*t!” someone up front in the crowd shouted, early in the band’s 90min. show-stopping set.  Vocalist Paul Janeway heard the comment and responded, “Oh S#*t is Right!  It’s gonna be a good night!”

John & Jacob

John & Jacob, a fellow Birmingham, Alabama duo w/band, opened the evening with a generous 50 min. set, ahead of their debut full-length release, due out August 12^th.  The alt-country/rock duo already has a self-titled/self-released EP out and aims for bigger success with melodic new songs such as ‘Oh Melissa’ and ‘Breaking the Law’, which has been getting some airplay on CMT.

John Davidson & Jacob Bryant

EP song ‘Be My Girl’ was recently featured on ABC’s Nashville and the five-piece will continue on the road, with a support slot for Kacey Musgraves, ahead of the album’s release. One of the distinguished trademarks of their good time, good ol’ boy sound, is Jacob Bryant picking up the trumpet for several songs, and the shared harmonies with counterpart, John Davidson.  With Davidson’s cousin, Jake Thrasher on bass, it’s mostly a family affair and was well received by the crowd.

Janeway

St. Paul and the Broken Bones’ debut album is called Half the City (Single Lock/Thirty Tigers Records) and while they have no connection to our Silver City, the title can certainly be interpreted as a nod.   Six of the seven Broken Bones members took to the stage for the opening Booker T. cover- including trumpet and trombone players and led by guitarist Browan Lollar, while singer Janeway patiently waited in the wings.

The first words from Janeway’s voice on ‘Don’t Mean a Thing’ drew excited yelps from the audience; he, dressed in a cufflinked white shirt, matching white shoes, and dark suit (with red Alabama pin), prowled the stage, shaking and shimmying from end-to-end.

Janeway has a gospel-tinged delivery like his heroes Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, and the band proudly wears their 60’s-era Staxx and Atlantic Soul influences on their sleeve.  ‘Sugar Dyed Honey Pants’ and ‘Dixie Rothko’ were both full-fledged retro-soul dynamite, with Janeway dropping to his knees, and getting on the good foot, much like James Brown would do in the day.

In front of the “biggest crowd we’ve ever played to as a headlining show”, the band felt an immediate warm welcome and fed off of the electricity.  “A Sam Cooke song done in an Otis Redding style”, ‘Shake’, took the crowd back to 1964, while tempo slowed to a simmer for the album’s title cut and ‘That Glow’, before building again with ‘Broken Bones & Pocket Change’.

Setlist

‘Let it Be So’ was the band’s “one love song” for the evening, then was followed by a stomping cover of ‘Down in the Valley’. “What’s this one called? ...Call Me!’” shouted Janeway, as the band launched into the debut single from the new album, which had the audience clapping, with heads above heads.  After a triumphant closing, ‘Make It Rain’, the band saved the best for last and the encore.

Watching off-stage for the whole show, no one seemed to have a better time than locals Caroline Smith and Lizzo, who joined the band for a hothouse Sam Cooke cover and Beatles-done-in-a-Wilson-Pickett-version of ‘Hey Jude’.  Lizzo, known more for her hip-hop skills, slayed on the ever-soulful, ‘A Change is Gonna Come’, playfully dueling vocally as she and the Broken Bones singer traded verses. Smith joined on-stage for harmonies on the final number, with the crowd dutifully playing its part in singing the acapella “na na na na’s” as one.

And with that, St. Paul had conquered Minneapolis.  The advice is to run and not walk, to get tickets to see the band’s next area appearances in late July – with Jason Isbell outdoors in Mankato, or back in town at the inexplicably smaller venue, Amsterdam Hall, where St. Paul and the Broken Bones will no doubt kill St. Paul as well.

St. Paul and the Broken Bones at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (01 June 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Minneapolis Music Guide: June 1 - June 7, 2014

Here is a guide of some Minneapolis (and Saint Paul) live shows and events taking place next week: June 1 - June 7.

Greetings from St. Paul and the Broken Bones Read More News: St. Paul and the Broken Bones Half The City, the debut album from powerhouse soul septet St. Paul & The Broken Bones has moved up to #56 on the Billboard Top 200, selling 6,185 copies this past week on the heels of their NPR …

SUNDAY, JUNE 1
VARSITY THEATER
St. Paul and the Broken Bones

They may look like the company photo of your accountants or law team, but underneath that façade, St. Paul and the Broken Bones soulfully proves you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The seven-piece Birmingham, AL band formed just two years ago, and has been gathering increasing buzz with a retro-soul sound that harkens back to the honest and pure songs of the 1960’s Staxx and Atlantic Records catalogs. Vocalist Paul Janeway sounds at times like vintage Otis Redding and leads the rising band that unfortunately has no connection to St Paul, MN, though does play across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis (now sold out), as one of the stops on its summer tour in support of their debut full-length, Half the City (Single Lock Records).

St Paul and the Broken Bones Tour Dates:

05/29/14 Nelsonville Music Festival
05/30/14 Evanston, IL SPACE
05/31/14 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
06/01/14 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
06/03/14 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar
06/05/14 Wakarusa Festival
06/06/14 Ozark, AR Mulberry Mountain
06/13/14 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/18/14 Wilmington, NC Ziggy's By The Sea
06/19/14 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
06/20/14 Richmond, VA Brown's Island
06/24/14 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
06/28/14 Meadow Lark Festival
06/29/14 Mountain Stage Radio Show
07/12/14 Master Musicians Festival
07/18/14 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
07/27/14 Interstellar Rodeo
07/30/14 Mankato, MN Vetter Amphitheater
08/10/14 Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center Plaza
08/24/14 Southern Brewers Festival
10/25/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

Conor Oberst at First Avenue Read More Conor Oberst Surely you remember Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes)? His Nebraska 5-piece band Desaparecidos is heading out on tour. They also have a new 7" single "Te Amo Camila Vallejo" …

MONDAY, JUNE 2
FIRST AVENUE
Conor Oberst w/ Dawes

Bright Eyes, brighter future.

Omaha singer-songwriter Conor Oberst is back on the road, with an acclaimed new solo album, Upside Down Mountain (Nonesuch Records), a Laurel Canyon inspired release co-produced by Jonathan Wilson and is bringing California band Dawes with him, that act both as opener and as Oberst’s backing band. A return to his earlier, more personal approach to songwriting, expect the prolific songsmith to pepper older Bright Eyes and Mystic Valley Band songs into his set, as well as the more recent solo work.

Dawes, the California foursome that considers Minneapolis as its strongest market, is still in support of its latest, Stories Don’t End (Red/Hub Records), and will no doubt add extra ‘oomph’ to Oberst’s songs, as well as an hour-long set of their own blend of folk/Americana, for a ‘can’t miss’ show.

Conor Oberst US Tour Dates:

05/29/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
05/30/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
05/31/14 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater
06/01/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/02/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/04/14 Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium
06/05/14 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
06/06/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
06/07/14 Lexington, KY Buster's
07/02/14 Kansas City, MO The Crossroads
07/03/14 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
07/04/14 80/35 Festival
07/27/14 Newport Folk Festival
07/29/14 Central Park Summerstage
07/31/14 Grand Rapids, MI Frederik Meijer Gardens
08/01/14 Cooperstown, NY Brewery Ommegang
09/14/14 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden
09/16/14 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
09/18/14 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
09/19/14 Houston, TX House Of Blues
09/20/14 Austin, TX Stubb's Bar-B-Q
09/21/14 Dallas, TX Strauss Square
09/23/14 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
09/24/14 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen
09/25/14 Bellvue, CO Mishawaka Amphitheatre
09/27/14 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
09/28/14 Knitting Factory Concert House
09/30/14 Seattle, WA The Showbox
10/01/14 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
10/05/14 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

Band of Skulls Tour Read More Band of Skulls Band of Skulls will be releasing their second album, Sweet Sour exclusively on iTunes on February 7th via Electric Blues Recordings (under license in the U.S. to Vagrant Records). The digital version will include a bonus track …

TUESDAY, JUNE 3
FIRST AVENUE
Band of Skulls w/ Deap Vally

These are the kind of “Nightmares” you want to embrace.

English trio Band of Skulls is on the road in support of its third full-length, Himalayan (Psycollective/Kobalt Records) and its current single, ‘Nightmares’. The new album curiously also features a song titled, ‘I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine Dead and One Dying’ inspired by a phrase from guitarist Russell Marsden’s grandfather, and another called ‘Toreador’, inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s 1932 novel Death In The Afternoon.

The epic-invoking name of the new album’s title, (which was helmed by legendary producer Nick Launay [INXS, The Cribs, Midnight Oil, Nick Cave]), raises the bar of expectations in terms of the band’s live performance. The trio also just performed a special show with a string quartet in Los Angeles, but expect more rocking for the remainder of their tour dates.

Band of Skulls North American Tour Dates:

05/28/14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
05/29/14 Victoria, BC Sugar Nightclub
05/31/14 Calgary, AB Commonwealth Bar & Stage
06/01/14 Edmonton, AB Union Hall
06/03/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/05/14 Chicago, IL Park West
06/06/14 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
06/07/14 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
06/09/14 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
06/10/14 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
06/11/14 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre