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Flashback: The Faint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (14 Nov 2008)

Setlist Get Seduced Glass Danse Dropkick the Punks Take Me To The Hospital Forever Growing Centipedes Psycho Call Call Posed to Death Desperate Guys Machine In The Ghost Birth I Disappear I Treat You Wrong The Geeks Were Right Worked Up So Sexual Paranoiattack -- Encore -- The Conductor Southern Belles in London Sing Agenda Suicide Read More The Faint Modern synth/Dark Wave/Danse band The Faint just released their Capsule: 1999-2016. The retrospective collects their early classics with new classics from their 2016

This was the first time I saw The Faint, at First Avenue in Minneapolis on November 14, 2008. The group was closing out their North American tour for their fifth album, Fasciinatiion, and was about to head over the UK. I was already a big fan of their album Danse Macabre, so I was very much looking forward to seeing the group. Unfortunately, since the tour was for the new album, the band played a lot of new songs… not all of them were bad, but just that fans weren’t used to the new stuff.

Since then, I’ve seen the band numerous times, and they really put on a fun show. It’s all about creating a sort of dance light show, and Todd Fink usually is amazing to watch.

>>>
Minneapolis is the last stop for famed The Faint before heading off to Scotland, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain, before heading back stateside in mid-December. UK concert goers should be in for a real treat, as these guys put on a spectacular light show consisting of part rave, part Casio-crashing, part discotheque, but all fun.

Everyone in the band was dressed in dark clothing, except for singer Todd Fink, who came out with tinted circular glasses/goggles and dressed up as a mad scientist or chemist. He does his same dance he does for all the songs, smiling and laughing the whole time, while the rest of the band do their thing. I will have to say that "Dapose" rocked out pretty hardcore on the guitar.

There was a long experimental noise intro before "The Geeks Were Right", which was well-received, although I suspect fans weren't used to their new songs.

Speaking of which, and I won't spend too much time on this, the audience seem to be a lot of younger kids (with black marked "X" on their hands indicating they are under 21), and they all seem to be really into their hair.

Setlist

The ended their set with a three song encore, including the very last song, Agenda Suicide, which is not listed on their set list.

I should also mention the two warm-up band, His Mischief and Baby Walrus. His Mischief was a three piece band from St Paul, they sounded more power-pop/rock - like they might be more in their elements opening up for Motion City Soundtrack.

As for Baby Walrus, they are from Nebraska, and they seem to be more blues-influenced, with a bit of Ben Folds with the keyboard-thing. I don't know the song they ended their set, but it was really good.

The Faint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (14 Nov 2008)

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

The Faint at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (12 August 2019)

The Faint at Fine Line The Faint Setlist Quench the Flame The Geeks Were Right Desperate Guys Your Retro Career Melted Southern Belles in London Sing Mental Radio I Disappear Chameleon Nights Evil Voices Let the Poison Spill From Your Throat Skylab1979 Take Me to the Hospital The Conductor Young & Realistic Worked Up So Sexual Paranoiattack -- Encore -- Child Asleep Agenda Suicide Glass Danse Read More The Faint Modern synth/Dark Wave/“Danse” band The Faint just released their Capsule: 1999-2016. The retrospective collects their early classics with new classics from their 2016 … Ritual Howls Closeness and Ritual Howls to open. Tour dates: 8/4: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall 8/6: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop 8/7: Detroit, MI @ El Club … Closeness Personality Therapy CLOSENESS March 10, 2017 Label: Graveface Records & Curiosities Total Length: 29:01 …

Electro-pop/danse wave band The Faint headlined the Fine Line Music Café on August 12th.

Opening up the show was Closeness, the project from the Faint’s singer Todd Fink with his wife Orenda Fink. Their music isn’t quite like the Faint, but more like The Knife. For example, if you listen to their song “End of the Maze”, it’s not fast-paced electro-pop/dance that you would expect from the Faint’s singer… but it felt more experimental and even thoughtful.

Since their music isn’t quite the same, it also felt weird that the lighting was very similar to The Faint’s set (very frenetic and energetic).

Speaking of lights, in contrast, Detroit’s Ritual Howls played in blood red lighting throughout their set. I was quite impressed with their very dark goth music, which sounded a bit like Peter Murphy or maybe something like She Wants Revenge, thanks to the singer’s deep vocal style.

The trio (Paul Bancell, Ben Saginaw and Chris Samuels) did not have a live drummer, instead relying on a drum machine. From my understanding, this might be the band’s first time in Minneapolis… but at the end of their set, they promised to, “see you next year”, indicating they’ll be back shortly.

As for The Faint, they are truly a great live band. It is pretty amazing that the entire band ( Todd Fink, Graham Ulicny, Dapose, and Clark Baechle), dancing their hardest throughout their entire hour plus set.

Although the tour is for their new Egowerk album (Saddle Creek), looking over their setlist, they played quite a few older classic songs, such as crowd pleasers, “The Geeks Were Right” and “Desperate Guys”.

Most of their songs sounded like straight out of their studio recording, but there were a few that they mixed it up live. One of those songs was “Take Me to the Hospital”, which started surprisingly slow (but obviously does pick up as the song builds).

“Young & Realistic” was dedicated and is about Fink’s wife, Orenda. Even if you didn’t know that, the line “Do you know if this room's under Orenda” should clue you in.

The set ended with two of The Faint’s best songs, “Worked Up So Sexual”, which Fink said this is the song that they would always play, and “we hope you like it”. This combined with closer “Paranoiattack” was a pretty good combination. Unfortunately, about 50 seconds into the closing song, they messed up and had to restart. Fink shouted out, “we only play this song every 10 years!” as they restarted again. It was incredible satisfying to hear the entire crowd “Paranoia! Paranoia! Paranoia!”

For the encore, “Child Asleep” (new song from Egowerk) and fan-favorite “Agenda Suicide” with “Glass Danse” (the latter two are from The Faint’s most important and best-known album Danse Macabre).

To close, the Faint’s fanbase is very dedicated and have supported the band throughout the years. Singer Todd Fink was very humble, stating that he would love to personally meet and talk to everyone at the show and sounded like he really meant it. If they didn’t have to go back on the tour bus for a long drive to their next venue, they would probably handshake everybody at the show.

Closeness

Closeness

Closeness

Ritual Howls

Ritual Howls

Ritual Howls

The Faint

The Faint

The Faint at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (12 August 2019)

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

Minneapolis: August 10 to August 13, 2019

The Faint at Fine Line Read More The Faint Modern synth/Dark Wave/“Danse” band The Faint just released their Capsule: 1999-2016. The retrospective collects their early classics with new classics from their 2016 …

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from August 10 to August 13, 2019.

Read more: Minneapolis Music Guide.

THE FAINT
+ Closeness, Ritual Howls
Fine Line Music Cafe
Mon 08/12/2019 (7pm/$20)
finelinemusic.com

We’ve seen electro-pop/danse wave band The Faint before, and we can say that they are one of the best live acts we’ve ever seen. We saw them in Sep 2016 and wrote, “To me, the Faint are the musical equivalent of hanging yourself upside down and letting all the blood rush to your head; the warm, sparkly disorientation that follows is exactly what I felt listening to Danse Macabre all those years ago. Now, 15 years later, this great band can still give me that tingly sensation.”

The group is back with a new studio album (their first in four years) called Egowerk (Saddle Creek).

Local Closeness and Ritual Howls to open.

Tour dates:

8/4: Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
8/6: Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
8/7: Detroit, MI @ El Club
8/9: Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
8/10: Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave ll
8/12: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
8/13: Kansas City, MO @ Madrid Theatre
8/15: Dallas, TX @ Gas Monkey Live!
8/16: Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn

Other shows in the area:

Whitey Morgan at First Avenue Kamasi Washington Bird and Bee at Turf Club Beth Bombara/Sway Wild at 7th Street Read More The Bird and the Bee We’re kind of excited to hear that The Bird and The Bee is back with a new cover album Interpreting the Masters Volume 2: A Tribute to Van Halen (available August 2 on No Expectations…

WHITEY MORGAN
+ Red Shahan
First Avenue
Sat 08/10/2019 (8pm/$27)
first-avenue.com

Whitey Morgan is back in Minneapolis on Saturday, August 10th. The last time he was touring, he was billed as Whitey Morgan and the 78.

Red Shahan to open.

Tour dates:

08/09/2019 Joe's Live Rosemont, IL
08/10/2019 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
08/16/2019 Off Broadway Nightclub St. Louis, MO
08/17/2019 Off Broadway Nightclub St. Louis, MO
08/23/2019 Newport Music Hall Columbus, OH
08/24/2019 Capitol Theatre Flint, MI
08/30/2019 Temple Live Fort Smith, AR
09/19/2019 Iron City Birmingham, AL
09/20/2019 Soul Kitchen Mobile, AL
09/21/2019 Varsity Theatre Baton Rouge, LA
10/05/2019 Amos' Southend

KAMASI WASHINGTON
First Avenue
Sun 08/11/2019 (7pm/$30)
first-avenue.com

Kamasi Washington is currently on a Summer tour with legendary pianist and composer Herbie Hancock… and between those shows, Washington decided to do a few side shows - one of which is this Sunday’s Kamasi Washington headlining show at First Avenue.

We saw Washington at Rock the Garden 2018 and mentioned, “Kamasi Washington introduced us to his father (Rickey Washington) on soprano sax for the jazzy song “The Rhythm Changes” (featuring Patrice Quinn on vocals). Quite fitting, especially on Father’s Day weekend.”

As of this writing, no opening band listed.

Tour Dates

08/4 Philadelphia, PA The Met
08/6 Toronto, ON Roy Thompson Hall
08/7 Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center
08/8 Detroit, MI Aretha Franklin Amph
08/9/10 Chicago, IL Huntington Bank Pavilion
08/11 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
08/14 Denver, CO Mission Ballroom
08/16 Seattle, WA Marymoor
08/17 Portland, OR Oregon Zoo
08/23 Berkeley, CA The Greek

THE BIRD AND THE BEE
+ Alex Lilly, Samantha Sidley
Turf Club
Sun 08/11/2019 (7pm/$17)
turfclub.net

American duo The Bird And The Bee is back in the area at the Turf Club this August 11th. As previously mentioned, only singer/bird Inara George is touring. Her musical partner, the bee, Greg Kurstin famously does not tour/refuse to tour. With their last appearance in town, George will likely call Greg and have him say hi to the audience via facetime.

Alex Lilly and Samantha Sidley to open. It’s good to see Lilly’s name again, as she previously toured and opened up for the Bird and Bee in November 2015.

Tour dates:

08/11/19 - St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club *
08/12/19 - Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village *
08/14/19 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre *
08/15/19 - Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre *
08/16/19 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live *
08/17/19 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere *
08/20/19 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle *
08/21/19 - Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5 *
08/22/19 - Birmingham, AL @ The Saturn *
08/24/19 - Dallas, TX @ Trees *
08/25/19 - Austin, TX @ Parish *
08/28/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom *
08/29/19 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah *
08/30/19 - San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop *

* = support from Samantha Sidley and Alex Lilly

BETH BOMBARA and SWAY WILD
+ Meg Kirsch
7th Street Entry
Tue 08/13/2019 (7pm/$10)
first-avenue.com

St Louis’ Beth Bombara and Northwest’s Sway Wild (featuring Mandy Fer & Dave McGraw) will be co-headlining the 7th Street Entry this Tuesday, August 13th.

Meg Kirsch to open.

Tour Dates

08/04 Mile of Music Festival 2019 Appleton, WI, US
08/08 City Winery Nashville, Nashville, TN
08/09 Old Rock House, St Louis, MO
08/11 Winnebago, Madison, WI, US
08/13 7th St Entry, Minneapolis, MN
08/15 Hey Nonny, Arlington Heights, IL
08/16 Park Theatre, Holland, MI
08/22 Pageant, St Louis, MO
08/29 Knuckleheads, Kansas City, MO, US
09/30 Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC, US
10/25 Pianos, New York, NY, US

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

The Faint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (29 Sep 2016) (Updated)

The Faint Setlist Southern Belles in London Sing Victim Convenience Desperate Guys Skylab 1979 Take Me to the Hospital The Conductor The Geeks Were Right Help in the Head Your Retro Career Melted Worked Up So Sexual Evil Voices Posed to Death Damage Control Dropkick the Punks Young & Realistic I Disappear Agenda Suicide -- Encore -- Let the Poison Spill From Your Throat Paranoiattack Glass Danse Gang of Four Setlist Anthrax Where the Nightingale Sings Not Great Men I Parade Myself Damaged Goods I Love a Man in a Uniform Isle of Dogs Natural's Not in It At Home He's a Tourist To Hell With Poverty Read More The Faint Modern synth/Dark Wave/“Danse” band The Faint just released their Capsule: 1999-2016. The retrospective collects their early classics with new classics from their 2016 … Gang of Four UK's Gang of Four will be heading to the US in support of their latest album What Happens Next, set for release on February 24, 2015, via Metropolis Records in the USA and Canada, and Membran ... Pictureplane We’re also excited to see Gang Of Four and Pictureplane as opener in this all-star touring bill. Tour dates: 09.29 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue * 09.30 - Chicago, IL @ Metro * ...

Last Thursday night in Minneapolis offered yet another evening bursting with musical activity and for those of you out there who struggle with indecision... well, you have my sympathies, but the right choice was pretty clear. There in the mainroom of First Avenue legendary post-punk quartet Gang of Four (featuring sole original member and influential guitarist Andy Gill) and early 00's dance-punks The Faint put on one of the most exhilarating shows of the year.

Fans who arrived early to the venue enjoyed music videos from DJ Jake Rudh. If you’ve ever been to his “Transmission” dance nights, then you know what he likes to play: a lot of 70s/80s bands (surprisingly a lot of David Bowie videos).

Opening up the show was Pictureplane (aka Travis Egedy) from Brooklyn, New York. He was a one-man DJ / singer / producer, playing for about 45 minutes, starting with one of his biggest hit song ‘Breath Work’.

Though Gang of Four has largely consisted of new faces since 2008, the current line-up of drummer Jonny Finnegan, lead vocalist John "Gaoler" Sterry and bassist Thomas McNeice more than capably fill the very large shoes of their musical forefathers. This ain't no tribute act; these guys are professionals and they have excellent chemistry with Gill. What I love most about Gang of Four's music is the funky groove of bass and drum - listen to any of those early singles like "Not Great Men" and "Damaged Goods" and try not shaking your head or wiggling your hips.

Finnegan and McNeice brought those sexy, vibrant rhythms to life; McNeice especially, who was playfully thrusting his hips towards the crowd (even members of band aren't immune it!) Sterry was working insanely hard, racing between all three mics when he wasn't straddling the speakers near the lip of the stage.

The most mesmerizing presence, of course, was Gill who, at the beginning of the set, strolled out on stage and proceeded to hammer at his guitar. The result was a fuzzy, squealing feedback, a sound that did not seem to please Gill all that much as he chucked the guitar to the ground. He grabbed it and threw it down for a second time as his bandmates took to the stage beside him.

The band then launched into the drone-y "Anthrax" and the next 50-some-odd minutes were a wet dream of hits: "At Home He's a Tourist" and "Natural's Not in It" from the band's much hailed 1979 debut Entertainment!, the sarcastic military kiss-off "I Love a Man in Uniform" from 1982's Songs of the Free (check out the 2005 re-recorded version of this featuring Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O) and new gems from last year's What Happens Next (2015). Though Gill had a stare that could send you to an early grave (maybe he was just concentrating really hard?), he could raise the dead with that needling guitar sound.

Before the First Avenue crowd could catch their breath, Omaha-natives The Faint landed on stage and turned the humble club's innards into a freaky rave-up complete with trippy visuals, seizure-inducing strobe lights and one hell of an energetic performance from the band themselves.

Being that this was the first date on their North American tour and also on the heels of the digital release of their career-spanning compilation CAPSULE:1999-2016 (physical copies of the album will be released on Saddle Creek October 28th), the foursome (Clark Baechle, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, and Todd Fink) were in top form and sharply dressed to boot (Fink's hat deserves its own spotlight).

The setlist had a healthy selection of fan favorites: "Worked Up So Sexual" from 1999's Blank-Wave Arcade, "Agenda Suicide", "The Conductor" and encore tracks "Let the Poison Spill Down Your Throat" and "Glass Danse" all from their breakout 2001 record Danse Macabre and plenty from the follow-up Wet From Birth including opener "Southern Belles in London Sing" and "Desperate Guys." But it was wicked new single "Skylab1979" that turned a transfixed audience into a good old-fashioned mosh-pit.

To me, the Faint are the musical equivalent of hanging yourself upside down and letting all the blood rush to your head; the warm, sparkly disorientation that follows is exactly what I felt listening to Danse Macabre all those years ago. Now, 15 years later, this great band can still give me that tingly sensation.

Remaining tour dates:

10.05 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *
10.06 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall *
10.07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre *
10.08 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
10.10 - Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge *
10.11 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage *
10.13 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues *
10.14 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall *
10.15 - Austin, TX @ Emo's *
10.17 - Scottsdale, AZ @ LiveWire *
10.18 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park *
10.20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater *
10.21 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl *
10.22 - 10.23 - Santa Ana, CA @ Beach Goth V
10.23 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom *
10.25 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox *
10.26 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
10.28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *
10.29 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
10.31 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium *

* with Gang Of Four & Pictureplane

Pictureplane

Gang of Four Setlist

The Faint Setlist

Gang of Four

The Faint

The Faint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (29 September 2016)

emily +vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ podcast.weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: September 29, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on September 29, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More The Faint Todd Fink, singer of The Faint told the crowd mid-set after a rare misstep of forgetting some lyrics. But as the crowd howled in protest, the band re-booted the song … Gang of Four UK's Gang of Four will be heading to the US in support of their latest album What Happens Next, set for release on February 24, 2015, via Metropolis Records in the USA and Canada, and Membran ...

THE FAINT
at First Avenue
Thursday, 09/29/16, 7pm ($27/$30)
first-avenue.com

Modern synth/Dark Wave/“Danse” band The Faint just released their Capsule: 1999-2016. The retrospective collects their early classics with new classics from their 2016 record Young & Realistic single. It is basically their greatest hit record.

We’re also excited to see Gang Of Four and Pictureplane as opener in this all-star touring bill.

Tour dates:

09.29 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue *
09.30 - Chicago, IL @ Metro *
10.01 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music*
10.02 - Toronto, ON, Canada @ Danforth Music*
10.05 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club *
10.06 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall *
10.07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre *
10.08 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
10.10 - Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge *
10.11 - Atlanta, GA @ Center Stage *
10.13 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues *
10.14 - Dallas, TX @ South Side Music Hall *
10.15 - Austin, TX @ Emo's *
10.17 - Scottsdale, AZ @ LiveWire *
10.18 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park *
10.20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Mayan Theater *
10.21 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl *
10.22 - 10.23 - Santa Ana, CA @ Beach Goth V
10.23 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom *
10.25 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox *
10.26 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom *
10.28 - Salt Lake City, UT @ In The Venue *
10.29 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre *
10.31 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium *

* with Gang Of Four & Pictureplane

Read More Eden Hailing from Dublin, 20-year-old vocalist/producer/multi-instrumentalist EDEN kicks off his North American headline tour today in support of his recently released EP ....

EDEN
at 7th Street Entry
Thursday, 09/29/16, 7pm ($17/Sold Out)
first-avenue.com

Dublin’s Eden is touring in North America in support of his i think EP (Astralwerks). There is so much hype and talk about Eden that he’s sold out the 7th Street Entry.

Classically-trained pianist Elohim to open. She is also high on the hype radar, having been dubbed “LA’s brightest new hitmaker” from the NME and achieving over 1 million streams on Spotify - thanks to support from BBC Radio 1, Beats 1, and Sirius XM’s Alt Nation, etc.

Tour dates:

Sept 25 Houston, TX @ House of Blues
Sept 27 St. Louis, MO @ Firebird
Sept 29 Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Oct 1 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
Oct 4 Toronto, Ontario @ Mod Club Theatre
Oct 5 Montreal, Quebec @ La Sala Rossa
Oct 7 New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Oct 10 Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
Oct 11 Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Oct 13 Washington, DC @ Rock & Roll Hotel
Oct 14 Charlotte, NC @ Visulite Theatre
Oct 15 Atlanta, GA @ Vinyl
Oct 17 Jacksonville, FL @ Jack Rabbits Live
Oct 20 Orlando, FL @ The Social
Oct 21 Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum
Oct 22 Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room

Read More Warpaint Stefanie was kind enough to send in some photos from the Warpaint show, with Cate Le Bon as opener, at First Avenue in Minneapolis last night (03/29/14). …

WARPAINT
at Fine Line Music Cafe
Thursday, 09/29/16, 7pm ($21.50)
finelinemusic.com

All-girls band Warpaint (guitarist Emily Kokal, bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg, drummer Stella Mozgawa, and guitarist Theresa Wayman ... all takes turn on vocals) has reunited earlier this year to record their new album Heads Up.

I believe we caught their very first Minneapolis appearance in 2009, when I noted that “I actually quite enjoyed Warpaint, who wowed me with their melodic music as all three girls took turns singing their part. They seem like a lot of fun, and they seem really happy that a lot of people showed up early to see them play.”

As of this writing, no opening band is listed.

Tour dates:

09/24 Long Beach, CA Music Tastes Good
09/25 Las Vegas, NV Life is Beautiful
09/27 Englewood, CO Gothic Theatre†
09/29 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe†
09/30 Chicago, IL Thalia Hall†
10/01 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall†
10/03 Toronto, ON Danforth Music Hall†
10/04 Washington, DC 9:30 Club†
10/06 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club†
10/07 Brooklyn, NY Warsaw†
10/08 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom†
10/09 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer†
10/12 San Francisco, CA Fillmore*
10/13 Los Angeles, CA Fonda Theatre*
10/22 Bristol, U.K. Simple Things Festival
10/23 Edinburgh, U.K. Queens Hall
10/24 Manchester, U.K. Albert Hall
10/26 Liverpool, U.K. e Dome
10/27 London, U.K. Roundhouse
10/29 Paris, France Pitchfork Festival
10/30 Cologne, Germany Live Musik Hall
11/1 Berlin, Germany Astra
11/2 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso
11/4 Reykjavik, Iceland Iceland Airwaves
11/10 Atlanta, GA Terminal West‡
11/11 Chattanooga, TN Revelry Room‡
11/12 Nashville, TN 3rd & Lindsey‡
11/14 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack’s‡
11/16 Houston, TX Warehouse Live ‡
11/17 Austin, TX Emo’s‡
11/18 Dallas, TX Trees‡
11/22 San Diego, CA Observatory North Park‡

*with Facial and Goldensuns
†with Facial
‡with Goldensuns and VS Colour

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

Minneapolis: April 11 - April 12, 2015

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from April 11 to April 12, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Who's Bad As part of their tenth anniversary as a band, Who's Bad, the Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band, stopped by Minneapolis' Mill City Nights on Saturday, April 19th. You have to keep ....

WHO'S BAD?
at Mill City Nights
Saturday 04/11/15, 9pm ($20)
millcitynights.com

Who's Bad at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (19 April 2014)

We caught the Michael Jackson tribute band Who's Bad at Mill City Nights last year, and it was one of the best cover band we've ever seen. They are really dedicated, evening having two Michael Jacksons (a younger and older version) and they play all the hits... including some Jackson Five.

Who's Bad will be returning to Minneapolis this Saturday, April 11th. Get your tickets now, as it will likely sell out.

Tour dates:

04/02/15 Hanover, MD Maryland Live! Casino
04/03/15 Bethlehem, PA Musikfest Cafe
04/04/15 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
04/10/15 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
04/11/15 Minneapolis, MN Mill City Nights
04/17/15 Little Rock, AR Rock Town Distillery
04/18/15 Norwood, MA Norwood Theatre
04/25/15 Hopewell, VA The Beacon Theatre
04/26/15 New York, NY HighLine Ballroom
04/30/15 Hilton Head Island, SC Rooftop Bar
05/01/15 Florence, SC Downtown Florence
05/02/15 Farmville, VA Farmville Regional Airport
05/08/15 Vancouver, BC Fortune Sound Club
05/09/15 Winnipeg, MB Club Regent Casino
05/22/15 Pensacola, FL Vinyl Music Hall
05/30/15 St. John's, NL Holy Heart Theatre
06/03/15 Bensalem, PA TD Bank Amphitheater
06/05/15 Pittsburgh, PA The Rivers Casino
06/12/15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club

Read More Caribou Merge Records is releasing Caribou's Our Love this October 7th. The lead track "Can't Do Without You" has already racked up well over 3.5 million plays across Soundcloud, Spotify and.....

CARIBOU w/ Egyptrixx
at First Avenue
Sunday 04/12/15, 7pm ($17)
first-avenue.com

We previously mentioned that Merge Records was releasing Caribou's Our Love last year... if you haven't bought it yet, the good news is that a new Digital Expanded Version of Our Love came out last month.

In support of the Expanded Edition, Caribou is stopping by First Avenue's mainroom next Sunday, April 12th.

David Psutka, aka Egyptrixx, will be opening up the show.

Caribou Live Dates:

09 Apr Pioneerville, US, Pappy & Harriets
10 Apr Indio, US, Coachella
11 Apr Chicago, US, The Metro
12 Apr Minneapolis, US, First Avenue
13 Apr Winnipeg, CA, Garrick Centre
14 Apr Saskatoon, CA, O'Brians Event Centre
15 Apr Edmonton. CA, Union Hall
16 Apr Calgary, CA, Flames Central
17 Apr Indio, US, Coachella
28 May Milan, IT, Magnolia
29 May Nimes, FR, This Is Not A Love Song
30 May Barcelona, ES, Primavera
04 June Porto, PT, Primavera Porto
05 June Halluin, FR, Heartbeats
06 Jun London, Field Day
07 Jun Manchester, Parklife
13 Jun Toronto, CA, Bestival Toronto
14 Jun Manchester, US, Bonnaroo
25 Jun Werchter, BE, Rock Werchter
27 Jun Paris, FR, Solidays
28 Jun Ljubljana, SK, Flow Festival
29 Jun Vienna, AT, Full Hit of Summer
16 Jul Ostrava, CZ, Colours of Ostrava Festival
17 Jul Suffolk, UK, Latitude Festival

Read More Reptar Reptar, an Athens, GA-based five-piece got their 45 min. set started with a generous helping of new songs from a yet-untitled forthcoming album, as well as selections from its six-year back..... Icky Blossoms Icky Blossoms has that dance electro-pop sound that gets the party going. As they start the set, onlookers from the crowd.....

REPTAR w/ Icky Blossoms
at 7th Street Entry
Sunday 04/12/15, 8pm ($12)
first-avenue.com

Athens' Reptar will be playing the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis this April 12th, in support of their sophomore album Lurid Glow (out now on Joyful Noise).

We previously saw Reptar with The Faint in 2014 and described them as sounding like "everything-including-the-kitchen-sink sound that has a blend of alternative, emo rock, tribal/reggae and more".

Opening up the show will be electronic pop trio Icky Blossoms, who we also previously saw with The Faint in 2012.

Tour dates:

04.01 // Raleigh, NC @ King's Barcade
04.02 // Washington DC, DC @ U Street Music Hall
04.03 // Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Night Bazaar
04.04 // Boston, MA @ Great Scott
04.07 // Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
04.08 // Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi
04.09 // Chicago, IL @ Abbey Pub
04.10 // Madison, WI @ The Frequency
04.11 // Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club
04.12 // Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
04.14 // Omaha, NE @ Slow Down
04.16 // Lawrence, KS @ Bottleneck
04.17 // Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
04.18 // Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
04.19 // Boise, ID @ Neurolux
04.21 // Seattle, WA @ Tractor Tavern
04.22 // Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
04.24 // San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
04.25 // Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theatre
04.26 // San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar
04.27 // Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
04.29 // Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress
04.30 // El Paso, TX @ Lowbrow Palace
05.01 // Dallas, TX @ Sons of Hermann Hall
05.02 // Austin, TX @ Stubb's Jr.
05.03 // Houston, TX @ Fitzgerald's Downstairs
05.09 // Tampa, FL @ Big Guava Music Festival
05.14 // Asheville, NC @ The Mothlight
05.15 // Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
05.16 // Nashville, TN @ The High Watt
06.06 // Ozark, AR @ Wakarusa Music Festival

Read More Mr. Gnome Mr. Gnome new album, Roaring Madness In Miniature, is coming out October 25th, 2011, via El Marko Records. They are offering a free single, "Bit of Tongue" available on Soundcloud (as well as elsewhere). ....

MR GNOME
at Nomad Pub
Sunday 04/12/15, 8pm ($10)
nomadpub.com

Cleveland duo Mr. Gnome will be in Minneapolis this Sunday, April 12th at the Nomad Pub (right across the Cedar Cultural Center), in support of their recent album The Heart of a Dark Star.

You may recall we reviewed their self-titled album in 2008 and Derek wrote, "I would think that Mr. Gnome would be an excellent album to introduce fans of "ethereal" music to harder, more intricate acts like Porcupine Tree, Canvas Solaris, and perhaps even Tool.".

Tour starts next week:

4/09/15 Grand Rapids MI @ The Pyramid Scheme
4/10/15 St. Louis MO @ Demo
4/11/15 Madison WI @ The Frequency
4/12/15 Minneapolis MN @ Nomad
4/14/15 Omaha NE @ Reverb Lounge
4/15/15 Kansas City MO @ Mini Bar
4/16/15 Denver CO @ Marquis Theater
4/17/15 Salt Lake City UT @ Bar Deluxe
4/18/15 Boise ID @ Neurolux
4/21/15 Spokane WA @ The Pin
4/22/15 Walla Walla WA @ Gesa Power
4/24/15 Seattle WA @ Columbia City Theater
4/25/15 Portland OR @ Star Theater
4/28/15 San Francisco CA @ Bottom of the Hill
4/29/15 Santa Cruz CA @ The Catalyst
4/30/15 Los Angeles CA @ Bootleg Theater
5/01/15 Tucson AZ @ The Flycatcher
5/02/15 Albuquerque NM @ The Launchpad
5/04/15 Oklahoma City OK @ The Conservatory
5/05/15 Dallas TX @ Club Dada
5/06/15 Austin TX @ Stubb’s Jr.
5/15/15 Chicago IL @ Subterranean
5/16/15 Cleveland OH @ Beachland Ballroom
5/21/15 Newport KY @ Southgate House Revival
5/22/15 Dayton OH Blind Bob's Bar
5/23/15 Columbus OH @ The Basement
5/27/15 Durham NC @ The Pinhook
5/28/15 Nashville TN @ The End
5/29/15 Pensacola FL @ The Handlebar
5/30/15 Atlanta GA The Drunken Unicorn

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

The Faint w / Reptar at Fine Line Music Café, Minneapolis (24 May 2014) concert review

The Faint: Doom Abuse Tour Poster The Faint Setlist Animal Needs The Geeks Were Right Desperate Guys Mental Radio Your Retro Career Melted Victim Convenience Posed to Death I Disappear Evil Voices Let the Poison Spill From Your Throat Damage Control Take Me to the Hospital Dropkick the Punks The Conductor Help in the Head Dress Code Agenda Suicide Scapegoat Worked Up So Sexual -- Encore -- Lesson from the Darkness Paranoiattack Glass Danse Reptar Setlist Daily Season Cable Rainbounce No One Will Ever Love You Ice Block In Through the Eyelids, Out Through the Mouth Houseboat Babies Particle Tour Dates 05/30 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune 05/31 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater 06/01 - San Francisco, CA @ Independent 06/05 - Santa Ana, CA @ Observatory 06/06 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Roxy Theatre 06/11 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot 06/12 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre 06/13 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium Read More The Faint Just two weekends after the first-ever Wizard Minneapolis Comic Con, the 26th Annual MCBA SpringCon Comic Book Celebration takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds … Reptar Hailing from the greater Athens-Atlanta-Asheville area, Reptar is at SXSW 2012 March 15 Cedar Street Courtyard: Reptar (2pm), Band of Skulls (3pm), Kaiser Chiefs (4pm), Keane (5pm) … The Show is the Rainbow I missed The Show is the Rainbow when they came through town (Minneapolis), so I've decided to give their album a review. The Show is the Rainbow is basically Darren Keen, and his album Tickled Pink …

“You know you risk my brain f**k again…”

Todd Fink, singer of The Faint told the crowd mid-set after a rare misstep of forgetting some lyrics. But as the crowd howled in protest, the band re-booted the song and carried on with its infectiously brooding and danceable electro-indie rock, earlier this week at The Fine Line Music Café in Minneapolis.

Due to set times being incorrect on the venue’s website, we only caught the end of electronic oddity, Darren Keen, an Omaha native who also sometimes tours under the guise of The Show is the Rainbow. Set up on the floor in front of the main stage in near-darkness and sans shirt and shoes, Keen weaved an eclectic mix of electronica, ambient rock and hip-hop, that mostly served as a soundtrack for people’s conversations, or for them to stand back to take in Keen’s unique soundscapes.

Reptar Setlist

Reptar, an Athens, GA-based five-piece got their 45 min. set started with a generous helping of new songs from a yet-untitled forthcoming album, as well as selections from its six-year back catalogue, including 2012’s Body Faucet (Vagrant Records).

The band kind of employs an everything-including-the-kitchen-sink sound that has a blend of alternative, emo rock, tribal/reggae and more, and features the wails of singer Graham Ulicny, who seems to stick his tongue out a lot while singing (a la Michael Jordan?).

Reptar

The group (playfully named after a Rugrats character) seems to have a loyal core following (mostly frat boy looking) who even brought custom silk-screened posters to hold up, in hopes of further inciting the rest of the crowd. New single ‘Daily Season’ warmly started things, with older song, ‘Rainbounce’ probably getting the most response from the faithful up front, who pogo’d in place to the band which features duel percussionists.

Amidst intro music that sounded like Darth Vader breathing over air raid sirens, monochromatic Vari-Lites flashing, five LED background panels cued, and dry ice smoke filling the stage area, indie dance-punk/synth band The Faint stormed on for a 90 min. performance that warmed the small club with little ventilation, to near sweltering temperatures.

The Faint

The Omaha, NE four-piece (which even counts Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst as an early member) recently released its first studio album in six years, Doom Abuse (Sqe Music), which signals a return to more of a post-punk influence showing through the wall of retro-synth keyboards.

New song ‘Animal Needs’ started their set with dark and raw energy, and the crowd responded immediately, moving as singer Fink peeked through the dry ice haze and bobbed along with guitarist Michael “Dapose” Dappan, who shook his sweaty hair to and fro so persistently, that his actual face was rarely seen.

Electro-bass throbbed and rumbled all night from keyboardist Jacob Thiele’s consoles, with the band rarely stopping much between songs or talking to the crowd; somewhat rushed, but also keeping important momentum going. Fink looked more than casual, dressed in a loose t-shirt and floppy scarecrow hat, but rarely kept still on the small Fine Line stage, darting in and out of the fog, and in between the colored spotlights.

Anything from their notable 2001 album, Danse Macabre, including ‘Your Retro Career Melted’ and ‘Let the Poison Spill From Your Throat’ was immediately recognized by most in the crowd, who would respond in kind; while newer tracks like ‘Mental Radio’ and ‘Evil Voices’ brought forward more of a basic guitar/bass/drum dynamic that lent itself well to the live versions.

The Faint Setlist

“I’ll take the blame for that one… I feel like we should just move on”, Fink said after dropkicking some lyrics on ‘Dropkick the Punks’, but quickly decided to give the people what they wanted, and re-started the song again perfectly. The main set ended with an exclamation as ‘Worked Up So Sexual’ accomplished its mission of frothing up the mostly younger crowd into a sweaty mess on the floor, as those in the balcony looked on.

The bleak lyrics of new ‘Lesson from the Darkness’ (“Have you seen the silent tyrant? Swollen underneath his skull”) started the three-song encore, which belied its peppy Goth synth beat, while ‘Paranoiattack’ from 2004’s Wet from Birth simply invited pure movement.

Show closer, ‘Glass Danse’ was the culmination of building a near rave-like atmosphere the band and crowd had been working toward for the previous hour and a half; and despite the ominous overtones, doom and gloom dancing never felt so bright to the capacity crowd.

The Faint at Fine Line Music Café, Minneapolis (24 May 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Minneapolis Music Guide: May 18 - May 24, 2014

Here is a guide of some Minneapolis (and Saint Paul) live shows and events taking place next week: May 18 - May 24.

Art-A-Whirl at 331 Club Poster Read More Art-A-Whirl The corporate-ish website of Art-A-Whirl does a terrible job showcasing what's going on this weekend in Northeast Minneapolis. Art-A-Whirl, this year, seems more focused on food and music (and less about art and, er, pottery).…

MAY 16-18
VARIOUS NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS
Art-A-Whirl

Art-A-Whirl... yeah, it's a dumb name, but what can you do?

It's that time of the year again, the NEMAA (Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association) is putting together their annual Art-A-Whirl show. The event is free and open to the public and takes place May 16 to May 18 at various places throughout the Northeast Minneapolis area.

Event schedule:

Friday, May 16th - 5:00-10:00 p.m.
Saturday, May 17th - Noon-8:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 18th - Noon-5:00 p.m.

Some highlights:

Anchor Fish & Chips

Sat 05/17 at 8pm: Marijuana Deathsquads

Sun 05/18 at 7pm: Romantica

Grumpy's

Sat 05/17 at 9pm: The Blind Shake

Indeed Brewing Co

Fri 05/16 at 4:35pm: Little Man

612 Brew

Sun 05/18 at 4pm: Botzy

331 Club

Fri 05/16 at 9pm: Mark Mallman

Sat 05/17 at 8pm: Metallagher

Sun 05/18 at 5:30pm: Davina & the Vagabonds

Read More MCBA Meanwhile, the SpringCon is taking place a few weeks after Wizard's convention: May 17-18 at the usual Minnesota State Fairgrounds. I have been going on and off for many years, from that hotel near Mall of America …

MAY 17-18
MINNESOTA STATE FAIRGROUNDS
Springcon

Comic Convention Wars continue in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area.

Just two weekends after the first-ever Wizard Minneapolis Comic Con, the 26th Annual MCBA SpringCon Comic Book Celebration takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds inside the Grandstand. Hours are 10AM to 5PM both days with tickets only available at the door, and a savings if non-perishable food item(s) are brought to donate.

The friendly and longtime show (which was scheduled well in advance of Wizard’s date) is more comic book than “pop culture” oriented (i.e. no wrestlers attending) and features 100,000 square feet of dealer space and some 250 different local and national comic book creators, along with dealers from all over the United States, free panel discussions/programs, costume contests, and an art auction.

Notable comic book creator guests include Dan Jurgens, Adam Hughes, Bill Willingham, Pablo Marcos, Carlos D’Anda, Ale Garza, and many more.

Factoids! Things You Should Know:

GUEST CREATOR PANELS - will be running all on both days! It's a great way to get up close and personal with some of your favorite comic book creators and best of all no extra ticket is required and all SpringCon Guest Creator Panels are FREE!

FREE PARKING! Follow the signs when entering the fairgrounds via the Snelling Avenue main entrance.

FREE GRAB BAGS - st 500 Attendees on Saturday & 1st 250 on Sunday!

FREE Creator Autographs!

ONCE AGAIN, the MCBA will be supporting three charities at SpringCon. They are the Minnesota Lupus Foundation lupusmn.org & the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund cbldf.org and the Minnesota Food Shelves 100% of all proceeds go directly to these charities!

Blood Red Shoes US Tour Poster Read More Blood Red Shoes UK rock duo Blood Red Shoes will be returning to North America this May in support of their self-titled album, which is out this week (March 11, 2014) via Jazzlife/[PIAS] America. .…

MONDAY, MAY 19
7TH STREET ENTRY
Blood Red Shoes w/ Radkey and BNLX

Blood Red Shoes are a UK rock duo (Steven Ansell & Laura-Mary Carter), currently touring the U.S. in support of their new self-titled album, out now via Jazzlife/[PIAS] America. The record is available in standard and deluxe version.

Opening up for the Minneapolis date are Radkey and BNLX.

Tour dates:

5/16/2014 - Toronto, ON @ The Garrison*
5/17/2014 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas*
5/18/2014 – Madison, WI @ The Frequency*
5/19/2014 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry*
5/21/2014 - Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room*
5/22/2014 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge
5/23/2014 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
5/26/2014 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah*
5/27/2014 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo*
5/28/2014 - San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar*
5/30/2014 – Seattle, WA @ Barboza*
5/31/2014 – Portland, OR @ Bunk Bar*

* with Radkey

Living in Synth

Read More Information Society A few things why this album is important to me. It was my first compact disc ever so it spent a lot of time on my CD player (since I didn't really own a lot of other albums). …

There are a couple of things on news.weheartmusic.com this week that I'm super excited about. Since there are a million news item, I actually just going to highlight some bands. This week's theme is synth-y music.

INFORMATION SOCIETY
informationsociety.us

I'm actually really excited about hearing this. Information Society is back with a new album. It's said to be a return to the "classic" sound of their debut album (the one with the massive hit song, "What's on Your Mind (Pure Energy)").

You can hear their new 'longform single' "Land of the Blind", coming out March 4th, 2014 on HAKATAK International, on YouTube.

As much as I love their debut album, personally, between you and me, I am more keen on their Hack album. The reason is because this was my very first Compact Disc and I listened to this all the time at that time period. As you can see, the album made it on my top ten greatest albums.

Anyway, I am really looking forward to checking out their new album _Hello World, which is set to for Summer 2014. As of this writing, I don't have any album or single artwork to show you. This is still early days, be sure to check back for more information on Information Society.

Read More The Faint The Faint is the best of both worlds: blending some horror atmospheric themes with danceable rhythms. Aside from some early technical difficulties, the Faint starts off with some songs from…

THE FAINT
thefaint.com

I saw these guys last year, when they were touring for their Danse Macabre album. Having already seen them a couple of other times, I have to say that this is a great band live. They know their fanbase, they play the hits, but they are not afraid to experiment as well.

The Faint just announced their sixth album Doom Abuse, set for April 8 via SQE Music. Of course, they're also returning on the road in support of the new record.

I cannot speak for the other venues, but just looking at the Minneapolis date, this is a smaller-sized venue (The Fine Line Music Cafe). This will likely sell out in no time, so if you're a Faint fan, do yourself a favor and buy a ticket now. You'll thank me later when it sells out.

The Faint's Upcoming Tour Dates

April 24 - Des Moines, IA @ Wooly's
April 25 - Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre
April 26 - St. Louis, MO @ The Ready Room
April 27 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
April 30 - Tulsa, OK @ The Vanguard
May 1 - Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
May 2 - Austin, TX @ The Belmont
May 3 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live - Ballroom
May 6 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ The Culture Room
May 7 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues
May 9 - Jacksonville Beach, FL @ Freebird Live
May 10 - Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade - Heaven
May 13 - Philadelphia, PA @ The Trocadero Theatre
May 14 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Willamsburg
May 16 - Boston, MA @ Royale NightClub
May 17 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
May 19 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
May 20 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
May 22 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
May 23 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
May 24 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Café
May 27 - Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
May 28 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
May 30 - Seattle, WA @ Neptune
May 31 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
June 1 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
June 5 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
June 6 - Los Angeles,, CA @ The Roxy Theatre
June 11 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
June 12 - Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre
June 13 - Omaha, NE @ Sokol Auditorium

Pull My Hair Back Hyperdub Read More Cut/Copy Cut Copy is currently on a worldwide tour to promote their third album, Zonoscope. Already they have played sold out shows in New York and Washington DC. On April 8th they play to a packed house …

JESSY LANZA
jessylanza.com

Jessy Lanza sold out most of her headlining in January. Like so many bands currently on the road, they are really on their way to Austin's massive SXSW music festival (this year registering over 2,200 official bands).

After SXSW, you can catch Jessy Lanza on tour with synth/dance band Cut/Copy. Lanza will be playing tracks from her debut record, Pull My Hair Back, was released in September 2013 on Hyperdub.

Jessy Lanza 2014 North American Tour Dates

03.05.14 - Spice Factory - Hamilton, ON
03.08.14 - Der Rathskeller - Madison, WI
03.09.14 - Off Broadway - St. Louis, MO
03.13.14 - Resident Advisor Showcase
03.13.14-03.15.14 - SXSW - Austin, TX
03.19.14 - Marathon Music Works - Nashville, TN #
03.20.14 – Echostage - Washington, DC #
03.21.14 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY #
03.22.14 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY #
03.24.14 - Corona Theater - Montreal, QC #
03.25.14 - Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY #
03.26.14 - Newport Music Hall - Columbus, OH #
03.31.14 - House Of Blues - San Diego, CA #
04.01.14 - Hollywood Palladium - Los Angeles, CA #

# with Cut Copy

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

The Faint play Danse Macabre (First Avenue, Minneapolis 12/13/12)

Read More The Faint I got a chance to listen to the remastered Danse Macabre on high quality MP3, courtesy of the record label, Saddle Creek, and I have to say it was nice to revisit the album. I don't have golden ears …

Faint play Danse Macabre 12-13-12
with Trust and Icky Blossoms (First Ave)

ICKY BLOSSOMS

Icky Blossoms has that dance electro-pop sound that gets the party going. As they start the set, onlookers from the crowd join in from the back of the club. Each upbeat tempo coincides with the light show. Each drum snare has its color, each bass riff has its hue, and the vocals have its own saturation of vividness. Icky Blossoms sets the atmosphere to electro dance party.

TRUST

As Trust comes on, it's a whole other beast. Channeling his inner Robert Smith, Robert Alfons flails around like no-one is watching. Deep clouds of fog punctuates each movement. As if he is rising from the cloud of smoke. With his ghastly vocals carrying his movements, as if his body was a marionette. With deep industrial rhythms that set the more somber horror mood.

The Faint is the best of both worlds: blending some horror atmospheric themes with danceable rhythms. Aside from some early technical difficulties, the Faint starts off with some songs from Wet From Birth and Fasciination. Then came the joy of hearing Danse Macabre in its entirety from front to back. This is such a solid album, and so ahead of its time when released in 2001. It was the album that changed my taste. At the time of this release, I only listened to three-chord punk rock and a few alternative bands. I remember so clearly the first time I heard the Faint. It was so different from anything at the time. A year or two later will come the Killers that would get the mainstream attention.

Regardless, Danse Macabre would be on my list of albums I would bring if I was on a deserted island, other albums would include Weezer's Blue album. After concluding the Danse Macabre, they cover Sonic Youth's "Mote" and ends their set with my favorite Faint song (weird that my favorite Faint song is not on Danse Macabre) "Worked Up So Sexual" from Blank-Wave Arcade EP.

Who would've thought 10-11 years ago that this album would finally get its recognition it deserves and be remastered and re-released? By the way, who would've even thought that one of the Faint's songs would be playing on a Kohl's commercial. Oh how the times have changed.

The Faint ends their Danse Macabre tour at their sold out show in their hometown, Omaha at Sokol Auditorium today, December 14th.

The Faint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (12/13/12)

jimi ♥ thefaint.com ♥ ickyblossoms.com ♥ ttrustt.com