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alt-J w/ Lovelife @ Myth, Maplewood, MN (31 Oct 2014)

Photo Gallery Lovelife Setlist alt-J Setlist alt-J: Thom Green alt-J: Cameron Knight Alt-J Setlist Hunger of the Pine Fitzpleasure Something Good Left Hand Free Dissolve Me Matilda Bloodflood Bloodflood Pt. 2 Interlude I: ❦ (Ripe & Ruin) Tessellate Every Other Freckle Taro Warm Foothills The Gospel of John Hurt -- Encore -- Lovely Day (Bill Withers cover) Nara Leaving Nara Breezeblocks Lovelife Setlist Tonight (We're Taking Our Own Lives) Angel Stateless Invisible Exhaler Nova The End of the World Your New Beloved Dying to Start Again Tour Dates 11/07/14 Austin, TX Auditorium Shores 11/10/14 Detroit, MI The Fillmore Detroit 11/11/14 Toronto, ON Kool Haus 11/12/14 Montreal, QC Metropolis 11/14/14 Upper Darby, PA Tower Theatre 11/16/14 New York, NY Beacon Theatre 11/18/14 Boston, MA Orpheum Theatre 11/19/14 Washington, DC Echostage 11/30/14 Indianapolis, IN Egyptian Room 12/01/14 Columbus, OH The LC Pavilion 12/02/14 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom 12/03/14 St. Louis, MO The Pageant 12/05/14 Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Park 12/06/14 St Petersburg, FL Vinoy Waterfront 12/12/14 San Diego, CA Valley View Casino 12/13/14 Oakland, CA Oracle Arena 12/16/14 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal 01/04/15 Busselton Sir Stewart Bovell Park 01/24/15 London The O2 - London 02/03/15 Brussels, Belgium Forest National 02/04/15 Paris, France Zenith Paris 02/05/15 Amsterdam Heineken Music Hall 02/07/15 Offenbach Stadthalle Offenbach 02/08/15 Cologne, Germany Palladium 02/09/15 Hamburg Sporthalle Hamburg 02/11/15 Berlin, Germany Columbiahalle 02/13/15 Winterthur Eishalle Deutweg 02/14/15 Assago, Italy Mediolanum Forum 02/15/15 Milan, Italy Alcatraz 02/16/15 Vienna, Austria Gasometer 02/17/15 Munich, Germany Zenith 02/19/15 Copenhagen, Denmark Tap 1 02/20/15 Stockholm Munchenbryggeriet 02/21/15 Oslo, Oslo Spektrum Arena ANS 03/30/15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden 07/09/15 Lisbon Passeio Maritimo De Alges Read More alt-J (∆) British band Alt-J (∆) have been consistently selling out all their Minnesota appearance, and their special Halloween show at the Myth Nightclub is no less. Typically Halloween shows are amazing .… Lovelife Opening up for Alt-J on the first leg of their tour will be Lovelife, a band that we previously mentioned was iTunes Single of the Week. Lovelife's latest release is called Silk Road EP, which is out now. …

A giant watermelon slice, killer clowns, panda bears, and astronauts- alt-J sure attracts some strange looking fans…

The Myth Audience

Okay, it may have had something to do with the fact that it was Halloween night (and their first Halloween show playing in the States) at the band’s recent sold-out show at Myth, in suburban Maplewood, MN.  The people watching became that much more interesting as a result, and the band did not disappoint the 3000+ party-ready fans that packed the venue for a rollicking evening.

Lovelife

London (via Los Angeles) five-piece band Lovelife opened this fifth night of the tour, in promotion of their three EPs (self-released and on National Anthem), including last year’s Stateless, with an upcoming full-length due soon.  The band has risen out of the ashes of former group Viva Brother, who put out a distinctive debut album (ironically called Famous First Words) only to flame out just a couple years later.

Lovelife as US Presidents

Fully into the Halloween spirit, the five entered to the sounds of Ray Parker’s ‘Ghostbusters Theme’; all dressed in black pants and white dress shirts, with each wearing a different U.S. Presidents (Obama, Clinton, Nixon, etc) mask.  Lee Newell and Ally Young (he, formerly of Mirrors) lead this up-tempo R&B-laced synth pop band, who is making their most of a second musical life.

Opening number, ‘Tonight’ had the spaced-out quirkiness of early MGMT, and the band deftly conquered initial feedback issues, to get the mostly younger crowd on their good side.  Unfortunately the masks were too hot to continue in (I felt the most sorry for the keyboardist with Nixon mask) and were shelved right after the second song.

Other keyboard-based songs had the musical elegance of Keane or the just-disbanding The Knife and singer Newell slinked lithely about the stage like Suede’s Brett Anderson. Their satisfying 40 min. set included brand new single, ‘The End of the World’ with a hope that they return, once their full-length is finished.

alt-J: Gus Unger-Hamilton

Leeds, UK’s alt-J has always been a musically hard-to-pin-down band; from its experimental Radiohead-esque tempo changes, to a jazz/ jam band inventive way of constructing a song, to vocals that are sometimes indistinguishable.  This so called “folkstep” (a synthy blend of Mumford-esque folk and dubstep) has polarized many critics as a result, but the Mercury Music Prize-winning band has sold out every local appearance to date, and the capacity crowd in attendance was all in their corner, often with raised hands in the form of the band’s triangular A-shaped logo.

alt-J: Joe Newman

The four-piece [Joe Newman (guitar/lead vocals), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards/vocals), Thom Green (drums), and new member Cameron Knight (bass/guitar)] is out in support of their sophomore release, This is All Yours (Atlantic Records) and opened their 72 min. set with ‘Hunger of the Pine’ (complete with its Miley Cyrus sample), from the new album.  Each of the four were dressed in dark clothing, ensconced along the front edge of the stage, and were all in Kiss-like facepaint, with singer Newman ably pulling off a Peter Criss Catman look.

Numerous Vari-Lites and a light-patterned backdrop, illuminated an otherwise dimly-lit stage and the crowd rose, with second song, ‘Fitzpleasure’ and its hypnotic vocal harmonies.  ‘Left Hand Free’, the second single from the band’s new album, began the multi-panel patterns on their lighted backdrop that would continue for the rest of the show, and there was an overall exact precision to their playing the songs.

“Good effort!”, Hamilton called out, admiring all the varied costumes in the audience before the slower ‘Matilda’, which had the crowd shouting the chorus back to the band.  Newer songs like ‘Every Other Freckle’ and ‘Warm Foothills’ fit in nicely amongst the older tracks, the band expanding its ever-experimental sound palette to go beyond any typical alternative band’s musical description.  Not much was said between songs, other than the usual pleasantries, the band instead focused on the delivery of their music, and probably not trying to sweat the Kiss face paint off.

Even the encore, which started with new album hidden track, a turned-inside out cover of Bill Withers' ‘Lovely Day’ stretched out in a most relaxed way.  An abbreviated version of the album’s “song cycle” followed, with ‘Nara’ and ‘Leaving Nara’ played back to back, in an ode to the Japanese city of the same name.  ‘Breezeblocks’ from their debut album, and a song which went Top 10 on the Indie charts in America, closed the evening.

From the nodding heads and raised hands of the costumed watermelon slice, front row astronaut, and giant panda head, everyone in the crowd (costumed or not) was won over by the end, insuring no doubt another sellout show the next time the band comes to town.

After playing a handful of holiday radio shows, alt-J heads to bigger venues in Europe in 2015, before returning to the U.S. in late March for an impressive headlining gig at New York’s fabled Madison Square Garden.

alt-J at Myth, Maplewood (31 Oct 2014)

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

Phantogram w/ Lia Ices at Myth - Maplewood, MN (1 Oct 2014)

Photo Gallery Lia Ices Tour Poster Lia Ices Phantogram Setlist Phantogram Tour Poster Phantogram Setlist Nothing But Trouble Running From the Cops As Far as I Can See Black Out Days Turning Into Stone Bad Dreams Don't Move The Day You Died Bill Murray I Don't Blame You Fall in Love Howling at the Moon When I'm Small -- Encore -- Mouthful of Diamonds Celebrating Nothing Lia Ices Setlist Love is Won Thousand Eyes Magick Electric Arc Higher Creature Tell Me Love Ices Over How We Are Phantogram Tour Dates 10/11/14 Fayetteville, AR George's Majestic* 10/12/14 Austin, TX Zilker Park 10/14/14 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle * 10/15/14 Saxapahaw, NC Haw River* 10/17/14 Baltimore, MD Rams Head* 10/18/14 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer* 10/19/14 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer* 10/20/14 Washington, DC 9:30 Club * 10/24/14 Las Vegas, NV Downtown Las Vegas 10/26/14 Santa Ana, CA The Observatory 10/31/14 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso 12/30/14 Tahoe, CA Lake Tahoe Community 03/30/15 New York, NY Madison Square Garden * with Lia Ices Read More Phantogram This Sunday's show is sold out, marking Phantogram's triumphant return to Minneapolis, in support of their new album Voices. … Lia Ices Opening up for this First Avenue present show is Lia Ices, who is out touring in support of her third studio album Ices, out now worldwide via Jagjaguar. The new album was co-produced by Benny Sagittarius (the newly formed . …

It’s kind of like watching your kids grow up…

The first and only previous time I’d seen Phantogram live, was on their debut national tour in early 2010, playing a cramped 7^th Street Entry with just core members Josh Carter (vocals, guitars) and Sarah Barthel (vocals, keyboards), who had hastily hung a white bedsheet along the back of the stage, to use to project accompanying visuals on.

Just four years later, the band has truly evolved –doubling in size for their touring version, further refining and polishing their already sleek and cool blend of electronica, and coming to town with one of the more impressive light rigs we’ve seen in a while. Phantogram has grown up.

Lia Ices

The evening began nicely with an opening set from Lia Ices, a Connecticut singer-songwriter based in Northern California, promoting her third and latest, Ices (on Jagjaguwar), which just came out last month.  Ices began her career in 2008 as more of a solo based piano artist, but like Phantogram, has evolved as well, leading an accompanying guitarist and drummer onstage, which brought a welcomed fuller sound to her heartfelt songs.

Donned in a sports jersey bearing her own name, Ices’ songs, (6 of the 9 were from the new record) were warmly received and an ideal musical fit to play with headliner Phantogram.

She reached back to previous album, Grown Unknown, for opening song, ‘Love is Won’ then moved onward to mostly newer songs with a musical style that would fit nicely on the shelf alongside Feist, Tori Amos, and Fiona Apple.

‘Thousand Eyes’ got a little psychedelic, catchy lead single, ‘Higher’ was done mid-set, and (sort of) namesake song, ‘Love Ices Over’ was saved for last, along with the worldly ‘How We Are’, which features an intro on the record, from a 72-string Persian santur.

Ices is also somewhat known for her cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ and counts Justin Vernon of Bon Iver as a fan and though we didn’t hear the Floyd cover this night, it serves as more a reason to see her again, ideally headlining a club show.

Phantogram's Josh Carter

The soundstage of Myth went dark and Phantogram entered to open with the first track from its newest album, Voices (Universal Republic), the moody ‘Nothing But Trouble’. Anyone troubled must be ‘Running from the Cops’, and that was appropriately next on the setlist, with Carter stalking the stage with guitar in hand, in dark shirt and ball cap, while Barthel played atmospheric keyboards, dressed in a black leather vest, hip-hugging bodysuit, and black/white patterned jeans.

“We’ve got a full house tonight, we’re f_ _ _ in’ pumped!” Barthel announced, clearly pleased at the 3000+ turnout. Describing their own sound as “street beat psych pop”, the duo crafts a highly palatable blend of Portishead-like trip hop, adding some ambience and classic rock influences and often with a hip-hop beat (think J Dilla) foundation, to meld it all into something distinctive that simultaneously looks forward and back, at the same time.

Acoustics were clear and well-mixed (as usual) standing near the soundboard and the crowd was expectedly skewed younger (and slightly more female) at this suburban venue. The chorus of “keep your body still” during mid-set’s ‘Don’t Move’ (from 2011’s Nightlife) was completely ignored as the crowd shook and bobbed for the whole song, clapping along at the song’s break.

‘Bill Murray’ never looked so good—the song, not the actor.  For this slower number, Barthel donned a mirrored cloak atop a centerstage riser, which reflected the yellow lighting everywhere, like a human disco ball, as Carter added trance-like guitar atmospherics and background vocals for a show highlight.

Phantogram's Sarah Barthel

After a stirring ‘When I’m Small’ ended the main set, the band re-emerged with Barthel declaring, “Minneapolis/St. Paul is our favorite place to play in the United States” and recalled that show at the Entry just a few years ago.

“Let’s sweat a little more”, Barthel prefaced, going into their initial hit, ‘Mouthful of Diamonds’ and closing with the bottom heavy breakbeat of ‘Celebrating Nothing’, which also proved to be a contradiction; as for the last 75 min, the crowd seemed to celebrating everything.

Phantogram w/Lia Ices continues their tour through October then the duo starts 2015 impressively- supporting Alt-J at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Phantogram has definitely grown up.

Phantogram at Myth, Maplewood (1 Oct 2014)

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

Foster the People w/ NONONO at Myth, Maplewood (04 Aug 2014)

Foster the People Setlist Best Friend Life on the Nickel Helena Beat Waste Coming of Age Houdini Goats in Trees Pseudologia Fantastica I Would Do Anything Call It What You Want Are You What You Want to Be? A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon Never Mind The Truth -- Encore -- Pumped Up Kicks Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) NONONO Setlist (intro) Human Being Jungle Like the Wind Love Hungry Eyes Pumpin Blood Fire Without a Flame Tour Dates 08/08/14 Squamish, BC Logger Sports Grounds 08/09/14 Troutdale, OR McMenamins Edgefield 08/23/14 Reading, UK Richfield Avenue 08/24/14 Leeds, UK Bramham Park 08/28/14 Anchorage, AK Moose's Tooth Pub 08/30/14 Edmonton, AB Northlands Grounds 08/31/14 Calgary, AB Fort Calgary Historic Park 09/01/14 Seattle, WA Seattle Center 09/05/14 University Park, PA Bryce Jordan Center 09/06/14 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion 09/07/14 Raleigh, NC Walnut Creek Amph 09/08/14 Pittsburgh, PA Stage AE 09/10/14 Ottawa, ON Hog's Back Park 09/11/14 Buffalo, NY Canalside 09/12/14 Columbus, OH The LC Pavilion 09/13/14 Milwaukee, WI Eagles Ballroom 09/27/14 La Jolla, CA RIMAC Arena 09/28/14 Tempe, AZ Tempe Beach Park 09/30/14 Las Cruces, NM Pan American Center 10/02/14 Oklahoma City, OK OKC Downtown 10/03/14 Austin, TX Zilker Park 10/05/14 Mobile, AL Downtown Mobile 10/08/14 Columbia, MO Downtown Columbia 10/08/14 Columbia, MO Blue Note 10/10/14 Austin, TX Zilker Park 10/16/14 Miami Beach, FL Fillmore Miami Beach 10/18/14 Orlando, FL Hard Rock Cafe 10/20/14 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace Theatre 10/24/14 New York, NY United Palace 10/25/14 New York, NY United Palace 11/01/14 Mexico Cardines De Parque Fundidora 11/08/14 Oakland, CA Fox Theater 11/10/14 Sacramento, CA Memorial Auditorium 11/14/14 Los Angeles, CA Shrine Aud & Expo Hall 11/15/14 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl Read More Foster the People Foster the People made a name for themselves with the release of the super catchy Pumped Up Kicks. They’ve created their own ‘Foster the People’ sound, something that you can listen to for hours while relaxing on the sofa… NONONO Another trio, Sweden’s NONONO opens the show, consisting of production team Astma & Rocwell and singer Stina Wäppling and are in support of their first full-length, We Are Only What We Feel …

Los Angeles-based Foster the People brought more than a few “pumped up kids” out to the suburbs of Maplewood for their all-ages show at Myth.

NONONO: Astma & Rocwell and singer Stina Wäppling

A Swedish trio (that doubled into six for their touring version) NONONO, opened the show with a brief but bouncy half hour of danceable alt-pop.  The main three in the band (production team Astma & Rocwell and singer Stina Wäppling) were humble but thrilled to be in Minneapolis for the first time, in support of their first full-length, We Are Only What We Feel (Warner Music) and have caught the country’s attention with single, ‘Pumpin Blood’ which has been everywhere, including the soundtrack for a Samsung commercial.

NONONO

As a moody instrumental intro played, the band came out and played in minimal lighting, getting the crowd to clap along from the very first verse. ’Human Being’ was dark but danceable, and their sound seemed very based on percussive rhythms with keyboard and guitar flourishes, as Wäppling’s voice rose like a restrained Florence Welch, to drive the tracks.

The band only turned up the lights briefly near the end of their set to introduce the members, with Wäppling apologizing to the audience for being somewhat so hard to see. ‘Pumpin’Blood’, a “song you might have heard”, indeed “had the whole world whistling” or at least the throng that was in attendance at Myth.  A headlining set in a smaller room would only be better, so let’s hope they return soon.

Amidst a two-level stage embellished with small glacier-like artifices which lit up in tandem and rows of footlights, Foster the People took the stage for their 85 min. set, starting smartly with newest radio hit, ‘Best Friend’.

The band is out in support of Supermodel (Columbia Records), which was helmed by big-time producer Paul Epworth, (Adele, Paul McCartney, Coldplay) and the live version of the band, like NONONO, expanded two-fold, with three additional members joining Mark Foster (vocals, a little of everything else), "Cubbie" Fink (bass), and Mark Pontius (drums).

Foster was at center, dressed in a fitted black leather jacket, black pants, penny loafers (no socks) and an odd t-shirt from Berlin of a Wall painting of USSR’s Brezhnev kissing then-East German leader Honecker.  The other band members were spread about the stage, often staying in their same corners, but occasionally converging near Pontius’ drum kit, which also had keyboards and other instruments in the immediate area.

Foster the People

Foster didn’t address the crowd for the first several songs; instead letting the music do the talking, which was more than all right with this mostly-younger crowd, who were very excited to be there (with the exception of a Jeff “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” Spicoli look/sound-a-like in a Summer Set shirt near me, who was too enamored by his own loud voice).  Foster impressed, moving about the stage and switching instruments almost every couple of songs.

“Thanks for coming out on a Monday night”, he remarked after an upbeat ‘Helena Beat’ from the band’s debut, “it’s always great to be back”. ‘Waste’ slowed things down a bit, but still had that distinctive FTP bassline as its foundation and the band’s highly-polished alt-pop translates well from studio-to-concert, similar to French band Phoenix, who has a equally smooth and eminently likeable sound.

First single from Supermodel, ‘Coming of Age’ brought things up again with the audience clapping along at the bridge, then things got a little trippy mid-set with ‘Pseudologia Fantastica ‘, a song that evokes images as wild as the album’s cover art.  “It’s warming up in here”, Foster remarked, ditching his jacket while shuffling in his penny loafers in a way that was mildly Michael Jackson reminiscent.

The three songs that ended the main set (‘Beginners Guide/Never Mind/The Truth’) seemed to flow together neatly (although they are not in that order on the new album), and seemed more conceptual in nature, when played live back-to-back.

Foster the Setlist: "Miss You" not played

The encore turned out to be abbreviated, as ‘Miss You’ was on the setlist, but…err, missed, with the band launching forward into their biggest hit, ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, which was more than ok with a crowd that had been waiting all night to hear the song.

‘Don’t Stop’ from first album, Torches, closed the night with aplomb, with the audience hoping the band wouldn’t stop, though the all-ages curfew time was fast approaching. Pumped up from the show, everyone was released back into suburbia, waiting until the band comes to town again.

Foster the People at Myth, Maplewood (04 Aug 2014)

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com

Counting Crows w/ Toad the Wet Sprocket, Myth Nightclub - Maplewood, MN (25 July 2014)

Counting Crows Setlist Sullivan Street Untitled (Love Song) (The Romany Rye cover) I Wish I Was a Girl Come Around Mr. Jones God of Ocean Tides Start Again (Teenage Fanclub cover) Omaha Richard Manuel Is Dead Scarecrow Sessions Round Here (Earthquake Driver/Private Archipelago version) Possibility Days A Long December Hanginaround -- Encore -- Palisades Park Rain King Holiday in Spain Toad the Wet Sprocket Setlist Whatever I Fear The Moment Good Intentions Something's Always Wrong New Constellation Windmills Crazy Life Come Down California Wasted Come Back Down All I Want Fall Down Walk on the Ocean Daniel and the Lion Setlist Death Head Need You Flash Flood On Berlin Free Love Forever Tour Dates 07/30/14 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Live 08/01/14 Catoosa, OK Hard Rock Casino 08/02/14 Durant, OK Choctaw Casino Resort 08/04/14 Socorro, TX Socorro Entertainment Center 08/06/14 Tucson, AZ Anselmo Valencia Tori Amph 08/07/14 Phoenix, AZ Comerica Theatre 08/09/14 Del Mar, CA Del Mar Racetrack 08/10/14 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Beach 08/12/14 Redmond, WA King County's Marymoor 08/13/14 Portland, OR Arlene Schnitzer Concert 08/15/14 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre 08/17/14 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre * all dates with Toad the Wet Sprocket Read More Counting Crows ‘Wonderland’ is arriving early... … or at least a slice of it. Counting Crows have again decided to spend their summer on the road, in early promotion of their next upcoming album … Toad the Wet Sprocket Monty Python are due to reunite shortly for a series of shows in London, and California four-piece Toad the Wet Sprocket (who are named after a band in a Python skit) are back on the road, in support of their …

Suburban Minnesotans got a taste of California sunshine as two very West Coast bands brought their sounds to Myth in nearby Maplewood, MN over the weekend.

The Outlaw Roadshow Tour featuring Santa Barbara reunited four-piece Toad the Wet Sprocket and Bay Area alt-rockers Counting Crows hit town, showcasing both new songs and the late ‘80s/early ‘90s hits that made them famous.

Daniel and the Lion

The night began with a bit of regional flavor as Madison, WI-born band Daniel and the Lion, opened with a solid set that ran just shy of thirty minutes.  The group, now based in Nashville, was handpicked by Crows’ frontman Adam Duritz to open the tour, and is in support of its two latest releases, last year’s full-length Death Head and last fall’s follow up EP, Final Night (Rotown Records).

The band, led by duo Daniel Pingrey  and Jimmie Linville is not a Christian rock group, as their name might infer (though it is a reference to the Bible's Book of Daniel) and plays a melodic blend of folk pop that fit it well with the other two bands on the bill.  The audience did seem to pay attention, which is often rare with a band third on the bill, and in spite of singer Linville wearing an opposing Green Bay Packers cap, that a fan in front even tried to rip from his head.

Toad the Wet Sprocket

Toad the Wet Sprocket next took the stage for a performance just shy of an hour, efficiently managing to play thirteen songs in that time, blending selections from their recent album New Constellation (on the band’s own Abe’s Records-their first new material in sixteen years), alongside the older familiar songs that first put them on the map.

Changing it up from their previous setlists, the band opened with ‘Whatever I Fear’ from 1997’s Coil before launching into the new ‘The Moment’, with singer Glen Phillips prefacing it by saying, “We’re gonna play you a song from THIS century, if that’s cool.” The band [Glen Phillips (vocals/guitar), Todd Nichols (guitars), Dean Dinning (bass), Randy Guss (drums)] is clearly still having a good time reuniting and bringing their music to fans, new and old.

Hits ‘Good Intentions’ and ‘Something’s Always Wrong’ followed, and grabbed the crowd’s attention, many of whom were clearly there more for Toad, than the other acts. Guitarist Nichols took over lead vocals for the swaying ‘Crazy Life’ and the band was more than ably backed by Jonathan Kingham on keyboard, steel guitar, and mandolin.

Glen Phillips

‘Come Back Down’ from the 1990 release, Pale, was a setlist surprise and the band closed with three timeless alt-radio hits, ‘All I Want’, ‘Fall Down’, and best-known song, ‘Walk on the Ocean’, with my only complaint being the vocals set a little low in the mix, which especially made Phillips’ comments between songs, a little hard to understand amidst some audience conversations.

Vocal volume wasn’t an issue during Counting Crows’ 104 min. set, as singer Adam Duritz’ mic (once it arrived on stage, as he went to sing the first song and it wasn’t there) was in front of their mix and clearly heard.  The seven-piece is out in pre-promotion of their upcoming  Somewhere Under Wonderland (Capitol Records) due out Sept, 2^nd, playing a generous helping of the new songs, along with an ever-rotating setlist incorporating many of their previous hits.

The band entered to the intro music of ‘Lean on Me’, with Duritz sporting a profane Nine Inch Nails t-shirt, and reached back to their 1994 debut, August and Everything After, for the set-opening and somewhat somber ‘Sullivan Street’. A cover of a song by The Colour offshoot band, The Romany Rye followed, with tempo gradually building on ‘I Wish I Was a Girl’ and the bouncy ‘Come Around’.

First and biggest hit, ‘Mr. Jones’ had even the most casual fans nodding their heads in a fairly straight-forward version of the song, and the new ‘God of Ocean Tides’ (the first song written for the upcoming album) fit in well amongst the older tracks.

Counting Crows

The remainder of the band, David Bryson (guitar), Charlie Gillingham (accordion, keyboards), Dan Vickrey (guitar), David Immerglück (guitar, banjo, mandolin), Jim Bogios (drums) and Millard Powers (bass), kept up with Duritz’ (who had also since changed into a vintage T-Rex t-shirt) tempo/key changes and slight improvs with Gillingham taking center stage on accordion for early classic, ‘Omaha’, which had the crowd shouting the chorus back to the band.

Adam Duritz

An extended ‘Round Here’ was a mid-set highlight, adding in elements of new song, ‘Earthquake Driver’ and Duritz’ former band, Sordid Humor’s ‘Private Archipelago’. After the new ‘Possibility Days’, Duritz moved to piano, again accentuated by Gillingham’ accordion for hit, ‘A Long December’ before a buoyant ‘Hanginaround’ ended the main set.

The three-song encore started with current single, ‘Pallisades Park’, an epic new number dotted with Duritz’s familiar lyrical references of funhouses, trains, sky rockets, and carnivals. ’Rain King’ and ‘Holiday in Spain’ ended the evening, with Duritz staying on stage to direct the singing crowd as the closing outro music of The Mamas & Papas’ ‘California Dreamin’ filled the speakers.

California had indeed come to Minnesota… for the evening anyway.

Counting Crows at Myth Nightclub, Maplewood (25 July 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Why Jimi Hates the Myth Nightclub

Read More The Myth Seemingly nothing, but bands from those three cities and their different, yet well-matched-together sounds, combined forces for a crunchy, charged evening to a packed crowd at The Myth in suburban Maplewood, MN....

In this latest episode of "Sh** I Think About", Jimi talks about why he will never attend another show at The Myth Nightclub in Maplewood, Minnesota. Among the many reasons (drinks spilling on him, misprinted time, over zealous securities), the worst was when he was rejected from the venue because he had too many keys.

Here are some upcoming Myth shows:

06/22/14 The Fray
07/06/14 Gavin DeGraw / Matt Nathanson
07/23/14 Three Days Grace
07/25/14 Counting Crows / Toad The Wet Sprocket
08/04/14 Foster The People
09/12/14 Primus
09/16/14 The Used / Taking Back Sunday
09/25/14 Porter Robinson / Lemaitre
10/01/14 Phantogram
10/24/14 Black Veil Brides
10/31/14 Alt-J
11/08/14 The 1975

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

Cage the Elephant and Foals w/ J. Roddy Walston and The Business at Myth in Maplewood, MN (15 May 2014) concert review

Cage the Elephant/Foals Spring 2014 Poster Cage the Elephant Setlist Spiderhead In One Ear Aberdeen Take It Or Leave It Cigarette Daydream Ain't No Rest For the Wicked Halo Telescope Back Against the Wall Black Widow It's Just Forever Teeth Come a Little Closer -- Encore -- Shake Me Down Sabertooth Tiger Foals Setlist Prelude Total Life Forever Olympic Airways My Number Blue Blood Providence Spanish Sahara Red Socks Pugie Late Night Inhaler Tour Dates May 17 | Denver, Colorado | Ogden Theatre May 18 | Salt Lake City, Utah | The Complex May 20 | Oakland, California | Fox Theater * * indicates Foals is headlining Read More Cage the Elephant Cage the Elephant – Come a Little Closer The rising Kentucky band in support of third album Melophobia (RCA Records), has embarked on an extensive North American Spring tour… Foals "Are you ready? Because you don't sound f****ing ready!," yelled Foals' singer Yannis Philippakis as he worked the crowd. Foals rocked hard at First Avenue in Minneapolis last night to a group of young British rock music fans. … J Roddy Walston J. Roddy Walston played piano for his entire set, his band The Business did a great job in playing and singing backup. They sang rock and roll music like "Full Growing Man", "Don't Break The Needle", and "Sweatshop" …

What do Cleveland, Tennessee; Oxford, England; and Bowling Green, Kentucky have in common?

Seemingly nothing, but bands from those three cities and their different, yet well-matched-together sounds, combined forces for a crunchy, charged evening to a packed crowd at The Myth in suburban Maplewood, MN.

J Roddy Walston and The Business

The show started with an all-too-brief set from Tennessee rockers, J Roddy Walston and The Business, in promotion of their breakthrough, Essential Tremors (ATO Records). The band, who has been around in some form for 12 years, has been receiving increasing buzz and considers Minneapolis one of its strongest markets; playing to previously sold out headlining gigs, a State Fair residency last year, and had even volunteered to play a radio gig the next morning in the early AM, which alone shows true commitment.

Bathed in mostly red lighting, Roddy’s energetic piano stomping and crowd inciting, were particularly lively on songs like opener ‘Sweat Shock’, ‘Heavy Bells’, and radio hit, ‘Take it As It Comes’. Be hopeful for another local headlining gig, so the band can properly stretch its musical wings in a longer set, again soon.

Foals

Oxford’s Foals then took the stage as co-headliners with the instrumental, ‘Prelude’, begun solo by guitarist Jimmy Smith, then joined by the rest of the five-piece, for the song’s roaring crescendo. Their third and latest album, Holy Fire (Warner Bros/Transgressive) could also be used to describe the incendiary hour-long performance that convinced anyone in the audience that may not have been familiar with the band’s catalog. Singer/guitarist Yannis Philippakis literally walked on the edge, as he hopped mid-song from the stage, onto the narrow side railing to balance his way from one end of the venue then back, as awe-stricken audience members watched.

Yannis Philippakis

“We’re Foals from the UK, and we’re glad in be here in Minnesota, or St. Paul, or wherever we’re at”, Philippakis began, before the band launched into the title track of its previous release, ‘Total Life Forever’ as the full crowd clapped along. Amidst the backdrop of striking cobra snakes coming forth from a buddha and the flashing strobe lights, things really kicked in with second single from the new record, ‘My Number’ and its bouncy synth beat.

The band’s sound is hard driving, percussive and beat driven, yet is also danceable with a shiny pop fringe. Sonically, the venue accentuated this perfectly, as the sound system at Myth remains one of the most impeccable in the metro area, with each channel heard clearly and well-suited to its room size. ‘Spanish Sahara’ slowed things briefly until the song could properly build, but the mostly younger crowd clapped along in unison, as the song reached momentum.

Dedicating it to “all the mothers out there”, ‘Late Night’ simmered like a rolling fog with its pleading “stay with me” refrain, and the band closed its hour with the lead single from Holy Fire, ‘Inhaler’. “We’re a long way from home, so it’s nice to get a welcome like this”, Philippakis said before the song’s distinctive guitar riff kicked off with a righteous groove and high-pitched vocals that accelerated into something very Soundgarden-esque, to end a very well-received set.

Matthew Shultz: Shirtless

With its own hour-long set, Kentucky’s Cage the Elephant took little time to err, uncage itself in a furious, headlong ride through 15 songs in only sixty minutes. Lead singer Matthew Shultz and band took to the stage more like they were walking in a park than playing to a mass of ready fans, but it was all a clever ruse as the southern band put on its rock game face after the quiet intro of opener, ‘Spiderhead’. Shultz moved like a mix of a younger Mick Jagger or Scott Weiland and rarely kept not moving, having dived into the crowd by the second song and returning shirt off for the remainder, by the third.

The band’s third and newest release, Melophobia (RCA Records) has pushed them into an even larger spotlight and the night seemed especially celebratory, as a result of being brother and guitarist Brad Shultz’ birthday. CTE’s sound is one of deceptively simple southern rock n’ roll – Kings of Leon on Red Bull, the Black Crowes sped up and smoking less, or even a less sludgy Molly Hatchet, but is distinctive enough to be individual as well as is completely memorable in concert, with Matt Schultz’ constant gyrating and interacting with the stagediving, overstuffed crowd.

“Let’s make it a special one, all right?” Schultz mentioned, referring to his brother’s birthday before starting the grungy ‘Aberdeen’ from previous album, Thank You, Happy Birthday. The mid-tempo and rhythmic ‘Take It or Leave It’ with its jangly, melodic guitar intro, would not have been out of place in Foals’ set, while early hit ‘Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked’ was a sing and clap-a-long for a main floor crowd that barely had room to move the crowd surfers above them, much less clap above their heads.

In response to the bevy of cellphones going up, Schultz implored, “I would like to spend a lot of time with you guys out there, but if you guys are trying to take pictures for Instagram… it doesn’t work. Instagram will be there tomorrow, we’ll have an experience tonight”, a feeling many bands in this age of modern immediate technology would no doubt, echo. Guitarist and birthday boy Brad Shultz mostly kept his head down, except to dive into the crowd himself and sidemen Daniel Tichenor, Jared Champion, and newest addition, guitarist Nick Bockrath all played with admirable passion, hair flying everywhere with body parts jerking to each beat.

The rockabilly tinged ‘It’s Just Forever’ morphed into ‘Teeth’, a song described by Schultz as about “feeling the energy of music changing”, which includes his own band planting a bigger footprint on things. Rock radio hit ‘Come a Little Closer’ finished the main set; the new album’s more-than-successful lead single has crossed over multiple radio formats and was inspired by the beauty of a Brazilian morning as seen from a São Paulo hotel window.

Packed crowd at The Myth

‘Shake Me Down’ with its very relatable and ultimately positive refrain of “Even on cloudy day, I’ll keep my eyes fixed on the sun” was a perfect encore opener and the revving, almost punk-like ‘Sabertooth Tiger’ took all the remaining energy of the already rabid crowd, for one last burst of unbridled release.

So what happens when Tennessee, England, and Kentucky mix? Spontaneous combustion obviously… and the audience couldn’t be more pleased to join along.

Cage the Elephant at Myth, Maplewood (15 May 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com