W♥M

Rocktober: October 14, 2017

Read More Crocodiles We previously caught Crocodiles at the 7th Street Entry last year. It looks like the band is returning to the Twin Cities this Friday, November 15th, in support of their ….

Rocktober: Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on October 14, 2017.

Read more: Minneapolis Music Guide.

CROCODILES
+ Saint Pe
7th Street Entry
Saturday 10/14/2017 (8pm/$12)
first-avenue.com

Crocodiles is back in town. The last time we saw them at the 7th Street Entry, it was in June 2012 and we wrote, “The San Diego-based noise-pop band, Crocodiles, brought some amazing energy to their show last night at the Entry despite having just driven all the way from Vancouver where they had played the night before. Early in their set, singer Brandon Welchez joked that they were all pretty stinky and “would trade merch. for Lady Speedstick.””

Their touring partner is Saint Pé, aka Ian St. Pé. Ian is the longtime Black Lips and Diamond Rugs guitarist, and his recent debut album is Fixed Focus, out now on Ernest Jenning Record Co.

Tour Dates:

10/10 - Garrison - Toronto, ON *
10/11 - Lager House - Detroit, MI *
10/12 - The Hideout - Chicago, IL *
10/13 - Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI *
10/14 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN *
10/15 - Raccoon Motel - Davenport, IA *

* - w/ Saint Pé

Read More Queens of the Stone Age Queens of the Stone Age are currently on tour for their sixth studio album ...Like Clockwork, out now on Matador Records. Opening up for Queens will be Chelsea Wolfe, she's currently enjoying touring with Queens of the Stone Age … Royal Blood Royal Blood, a new duo comprised of Mike Kerr on lead vocals/bass guitar and Ben Thatcher on drums recently played Mill City Nights in Minneapolis, and showed the attending crowd, what the immediate …

QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
+ Royal Blood
The Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Saturday 10/14/2017 (7pm/$39.50)
first-avenue.com

The popular Queens of the Stone Age will be stopping by the Roy Wilkins Auditorium this Saturday in support of their new record Villains (Matador Records). We previously caught the band in 2014 and wrote, “Queens of the Stone Age also went through many musical changes, thanks mostly to their many, many contributors throughout the years (so many musicians involved, it actually has its own mini-section on Wikipedia). In many ways, Queens of the Stone Age is a supergroup republic, currently lead by Josh Homme.”

Be sure to show up early to check out Royal Blood. We’ve been following this British rock band with their headlining gig in September 2014 (the same year they opened up for The Pixies).

Royal Blood’s current single ‘Lights Out’ has reached No. 1 on the rock radio chart, this is the band’s second #1 song (their other hit song is ‘Little Monster’).

With How Did We Get So Dark? already out and debuted #1 on the UK album charts, the band came on the late night talk shows (including Late Night with Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Late Show with James Corden) to perform their hit single ‘Lights Out’.

Tour Dates:

10th Oct - Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO*
12th Oct - Peabody Opera House, St. Louis, MO*
13th Oct - Crossroads KC, Kansas City, MO*
14th Oct - Roy Wilkins Auditorium, St. Paul, MN*
15th Oct - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee, WI*
17th Oct - Fox Theatre, Detroit, MI*
18th Oct - Old National Centre, Indianapolis, IN*
21st Oct - Agganis Arena, Boston, MA*
22nd Oct - State Theatre, Portland, ME*
24th Oct - Madison Square Garden, New York, NY*

* dates with Royal Blood

Read More Zombie Pub Crawl In its tenth year, the Zombie Pub Crawl is at their biggest (and best) lineup so far. Remember the days when you can get into the crawl for free? Kiss that goodbye, because a few years ago, the organizers … Third Eye Blind 90s band Third Eye Blind recently issued its first album in six years called Dopamine. The band was recently in town with Dashboard Confessional. … The Safes Released last week (Sep 23th), the Safes' Sight of All Light EP are a great mix of rock n roller. Rolling Stones calls it "Atomic Pop", while Paste Magazine … The Old 97's We caught The Old 97s earlier this year at SXSW, and also last year at the Fine Line Music Café, in Minneapolis, which Emily described singer Rhett Miller's vocals as nothing short of "fantastic and passionate." ...

Other shows in the area:

ZOMBIE PUB CRAWL
featuring Third Eye Blind
Various Venues
Saturday 10/14/2017 (5pm/$20)
zombiepubcrawl.com

The popular Zombie Pub Crawl is this Saturday.

A$AP MOB
Skyway Theatre
Saturday 10/14/2017 (6:30pm/$35)
skywaytheatre.com

A$AP Mob, featuring Key!, A$AP Rocky, Cozy Boys, Asap Twelvyy, A$AP Nast, A$AP Ant, to take over the Skyway Theatre.

THE SAFES
Fraternal Order Of Eagles
Saturday 10/14/2017 (9pm/$7)
minneapoliseagles34.org

Lineup: Nato Coles (from Nato Coles and the Blue Diamond Band), TWINS (Iowa), The Safes (Chicago), Indonesian Junk (Milwaukee), New Rocket Union.

We actually wrote about the Chicago brothers The Safes in 2008 and said they had “a great mix of rock n roller.” The Safes’ Tasty Waves is out now.

OLD 97S
+ Lilly Hiatt
First Avenue
Saturday 10/14/2017 (8pm/$22)
first-avenue.com

Old 97’s is back with Lilly Hiatt. Hiatt just released Trinity Lane, a record produced by Shovels & Rope’s Michael Trent and engineered by Andy Dixon.

Tour dates:

10/13 – Iowa City, IA @ The Englert Theatre*
10/14 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue*
10/15 – Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium*
10/16 – Sioux Falls, SD @ Icon Lounge*
10/17 – Des Mouines, IA @ Wooly's*
10/18 – Kansas City, MO @ Knuckleheads Saloon*
10/19 – Wichita, KS @ The Cotillion*
10/20 – Lincoln, NE @ Bourbon Theatre*
10/21 – Palatine, IL @ Durty Nellies*
10/22 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre*
10/23 – Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird*
10/24 – Columbus, OH @ Skully's Music Diner*

*appearing with Lilly Hiatt

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

Minneapolis: May 22, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on May 22, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Chelsea Wolfe Just a reminder that Los Angeles' Chelsea Wolfe will be starting her US tour in two days, in support of her latest Abyss (which came out August 7, 2015 via Sargent House). .…

CHELSEA WOLFE
at Triple Rock Social Club
Sunday, 05/22/16, 7:30pm ($18/$20)
triplerocksocialclub.com

It is Morrissey’s birthday, what better way to celebrate the Mozfather than spending gloomy Sunday with Chelsea Wolfe. We’ve seen Wolfe a few times and can tell you that there’s a darkness in her music and style... and be sure to get your tickets soon, as the last time they played here, it was sold out.

New Zealand’s A Dead Forest Index to open. I believe this is their first North American tour, so show up early to check out this duo (brothers Adam Sherry on vocals/guitars and Sam Sherry on drums/keys). They will be playing tracks from their debut album In All That Drifts From Summit Down (Sargent House).

A Dead Forest Index’s tour Dates:

5/14 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Small’s Theatre
5/16 Montreal, QB - Theatre Fairmount
5/17 Toronto, ON - The Opera House
4/29 Dallas, TX - Trees
5/19 Detroit, MI - El Club
5/20 Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
5/21 Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
5/22 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
5/24 Omaha, NE - Slowdown
5/25 Denver, CO - Gothic Theatre
5/26 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
5/28 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall
5/29 Vancouver, BC - Imperial
6/1 San Francisco, CA - The Chapel
6/2 San Francisco, CA - The Chapel
6/7 Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom
6/8 Los Angeles, CA - Teragram Ballroom

Read More The Old 97's We caught The Old 97s earlier this year at SXSW, and also last year at the Fine Line Music Café, in Minneapolis, which Emily described singer Rhett Miller's vocals as nothing short of "fantastic and passionate." ... Heartless Bastards Heartless Bastards is back on tour, in support of their fifth album Restless Ones (Partisan). You may recall that Lara reviewed their The Mountain album, and described it as …

OLD 97s/HEARTLESS BASTARDS
at First Avenue
Sunday, 05/22/16, 7pm ($25)
first-avenue.com

May 22nd brings to end another busy Art-A-Whirl weekend in the Twin Cities; too much to do and not enough time! Allow me to make this one decision for you: go see Old 97s and Heartless Bastards with BJ Barham at First Avenue.

What I love most about alt-country heroes Old 97s (beyond their insanely enjoyable musical catalogue) is that they are constantly on tour. If I miss a gig and am not in a position to travel to one of the many Midwest dates they generously offer each tour, I can count on the 97s to be back in town the following year (sometimes in a matter of months!). Just seven months earlier, the band played an explosive show the Turf Club and now they’re back in town with fellow rock ‘n rollers Heartless Bastards. The band hasn’t released new material since 2014’s Most Messed Up but as recently as March they were holed up at Sonic Ranch Recording Studios in Tornillo, Texas recording. So, fingers crossed, maybe we’ll see a new record before the end of the year! Or perhaps they’ll test out a new song or two on fans in concert!

Cincinnati foursome Heartless Bastards are the perfect road companions for the Old 97s with a scorching blues-infused sound that begs to be absorbed by ears and eyes in a live setting. The band, made up of vocalist/guitarist Erika Wennerstrom, guitarist Mark Nathan, bassist Jesse Ebaugh and drummer Dave Colvin (drums), have five excellent full-length albums under their belt including their latest effort, Restless Ones (2015). As noted in the review of the Heartless Bastards performance last July, Wennerstrom is gifted with one of the most extraordinary voices in music, a powerful combination of Ann Wilson and Lucinda Williams.

The night will kick off righteously with North Carolina singer/songwriter BJ Barham, frontman for American Aquarium. Barham is dropping his first solo album Rockingham on August 19th.

Don’t miss this killer triple bill!

Old 97’s tour dates:

5/13 - Boston, MA - Royale Boston%
5/14 - Philadelphia, PA- Union Transfer%
5/15 -Buffalo, NY - Traif Music Hall%
5/16 - Toronto, Ontario - Lee's Palace%
5/18 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom%
5/19 - Cincinnati, OH - The Woodward Theater%
5/20 - Cincinnati, OH - The Woodward Theater%
5/21 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall%
5/22 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue%
5/24 - St. Louis, MO - The Ready Room%
5/25 -Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom%

% = with Heartless Bastards

Read More Matt Corby It’s here again already? Groovin the Moo, our favourite regional touring festival is about to take off around Australia.... The Maccabees, Matt Corby, Muscles, Mutemath, .…

MATT CORBY
at Varsity Theater
Sunday, 05/22/16, 7pm ($20/$24)
varsitytheater.org

Australian singer-songwriter Matt Corby will be touring the US in support of his debut album Telluric (Elektra Records). Corby will be bringing his full live band for this tour.

Entertainment Weekly called the record as “…Groovy ‘70s choogle from Down Under, served with an extra side of Steely Dan,” while NYLON says its “Moving, impassioned, and totally calming.”

As of this writing, no opening band is listed for this show.

Tour dates:

May 21—Chicago, IL—Vic Theatre
May 22—Minneapolis, MN—Varsity Theatre
May 24—Boulder, CO—Boulder Theatre
May 26—Vancouver, BC—Commodore Ballroom
May 28—George, WA—Sasquatch! Music Festival
May 29—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom
June 1—San Francisco, CA—The Fillmore
June 4—Los Angeles, CA—The Wiltern
June 8—Dallas, TX—Trees
June 9—Austin, TX—Hogg Auditorium
June 11—Atlanta, GA—The Buckhead Theatre
June 13—Washington DC—9:30 Club
June 14—Philadelphia, PA—Union Transfer
June 16—New York, NY—Terminal 5
June 18—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall
June 19—Montreal, QC—Corona Theatre
June 20—Boston, MA—Paradise Rock Club

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

Minneapolis: February 1 - February 3, 2015

Read More The Old 97's We caught The Old 97s earlier this year at SXSW, and also last year at the Fine Line Music Café, in Minneapolis, which Emily described singer Rhett Miller's vocals as nothing short of "fantastic and passionate." ...

Here are some shows taking place in Minneapolis/St Paul from February 1 to February 3, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

RHETT MILLER
at Turf Club
Sunday 02/01/15, 7pm ($20)
turfclub.net

Band leader/singer of The Old 97's Rhett Miller will be at the Turf Club on February 1st, 2015, with Salim Nourallah. Nourallah previously produced a few Old 97's albums, and he's normally in a band called Happiness Factor.

Rhett Miller has a few solo albums, the last release was The Dreamer in 2012 and the companion album The Dreamer (Acoustic Version) in 2013.

Solo tour dates:

Jan 30 Soiled Dove Denver, CO
Feb 01 The Turf Club St Paul, MN
Feb 02 Off Broadway St Louis, MO
Feb 04 SKETCHFEST San Francisco, CA
Mar 03 Sellersville Theater Sellersville, PA
Mar 04 Jammin' Java Vienna, VA
Mar 05 World Cafe Live Wilmington, DE

Read More Periphery The legendary traditions of progressive rock are not without critics. Detractors say the otherwise celebrated style lacks spirit. It lacks emotion. But Periphery smashed this misconception to bits across two full-length …

PERIPHERY
at Varsity Theater
Monday 02/02/15, 6pm ($19)
varsitytheater.org

American progressive metal band Periphery are back with a new record called Juggernaut... the record is so big that it was split into two albums, Juggernaut: Alpha and Juggernaut: Omega, both coming out next week, January 27th, via Sumerian/Century Media.

The Juggernaut tour kicked off last week, January 10th and will continue to V-Day, February 14th. The band is coming to the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, courtesy of The Noise and 93x, this February 2nd, along with their guests: Nothing More, Wovenwar, and Thank You Scientist.

Juggernaut tour:

01/20/15 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
01/21/15 Mesa, AZ Club Red East Theater
01/22/15 West Hollywood, CA House Of Blues
01/23/15 Santa Ana, CA Yost Theater
01/26/15 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
01/27/15 Portland, OR Hawthorne Theatre
01/28/15 Seattle, WA El Corazon
01/31/15 Denver, CO Summit Music Hall
02/02/15 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
02/03/15 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
02/04/15 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
02/06/15 Toronto, ON Opera House
02/07/15 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile
02/08/15 Clifton Park, NY Upstate Concert
02/09/15 Rochester, NY Water Street Music Hall
02/11/15 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club
02/12/15 New York, NY Irving Plaza
02/13/15 Silver Spring, MD Fillmore Silver Spring
02/14/15 Philadelphia, PA District N9NE
04/01/15 London, UK O2 Academy Islington
04/25/15 Welcome To Rockville
05/02/15 Carolina Rebellion
05/17/15 Rock On The Range

Read More London Grammar London Grammar is Hannah Reid, Dot Major and Dan Rothman, and their new EP is called Metal & Dust, coming to America on June 25th via Columbia Records. The EP collects their latest singles, "Wasting My Young Years" .... Until the Ribbon Breaks British trio Until the Ribbon Breaks (Pete Lawrie-Winfield, James Gordon, and Elliot Wall) are currently in the USA, on tour with London Grammar ... on the long road to SXSW 2015 and Coachella 2015 ....

LONDON GRAMMAR
at First Avenue
Tuesday 02/03/15, 7pm ($22)
first-avenue.com

Due to schedule conflicts, London Grammar were forced to postponed their November 2014 tour dates to January/February 2015 ... so if you've already purchased tickets to the original First Avenue show last November 22nd, you can use it to gain entrance to this upcoming February 3rd show.

The British electronic pop trio are out promoting their certified platinum record If You Wait, which came out in 2013 via Metal & Dust Recordings Ltd.

Opening up for London Gammar is another trio Until the Ribbon Breaks, who I previously mentioned were out on tour to promote A Lesson Unlearnt (1405 Records), a record that lands in shops today (January 20th).

Tour dates:

01/21/15 Toronto, ON Sound Academy
01/23/15 Montreal, QC Olympia de Montreal
01/24/15 Portland, ME State Theatre
01/26/15 Boston, MA House Of Blues Boston
01/27/15 New York, NY Terminal 5
01/29/15 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
01/30/15 Philadelphia, PA Electric Factory
02/02/15 Indianapolis, IN Deluxe
02/03/15 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
02/06/15 Portland, OR Roseland Theater
02/07/15 Oakland, CA Fox Theater
03/05/15 Perth International Arts Festival
03/05/15 Perth, Australia Red Hill Auditorium
03/07/15 Brisbane, Australia Brisbane Riverstage
03/09/15 Newtown, Australia Enmore Theatre
03/12/15 Moore Park, Australia Hordern Pavilion
03/14/15 West Melbourne, Australia Festival Hall

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

Minneapolis Music Guide: June 15 - June 21, 2014

Here is a guide of some Minneapolis (and St Paul) live concerts and events taking place next week: June 15 - June 21.

Read More Prince Prince hopped a plane to Coachella last weekend to watch Outkast with Janelle Monae perform, but he’s back in Minnesota and has again opened the fabled doors of Paisley Park to continue the series …

SUNDAY, JUNE 15
STATE THEATRE
Maxwell

Call it a good sign of Summer.

The formerly reclusive R&B crooner, Maxwell is back on the road, with his first tour in four years.  He was last seen on the road in 2009, touring for BLACKsummers’night (Columbia Records), the first in what was promised to be a trilogy of albums; the remaining two are yet to be released, though hopefully this is a good sign of more to come.

The Summer Solstice Tour is set for 37 cities through mid-August, with a weekend stop in downtown Minneapolis at the State Theatre.  Fingers are crossed that the smooth songster will be previewing new material from his next release, as well as expect the classics that have had women swooning for the last fifteen years.

The Summer Solstice Tour Dates:

06/14/14 Milwaukee, WI Riverside Theatre 06/15/14 Minneapolis, MN The State Theatre 06/18/14 Broomfield, CO 1stBank Center 06/19/14 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen 06/21/14 Tacoma, WA Emerald Queen Casino 06/23/14 Saratoga, CA Mountain Winery 06/24/14 Modesto, CA Gallo Center 06/26/14 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl 06/27/14 Los Angeles, CA Staples Center 07/02/14 Ravinia Festival At Ravinia Park 07/05/14 Toronto, ON Massey Hall 07/06/14 Festival International De Jazz 07/08/14 Pittsburgh, PA Heinz Hall 07/09/14 Albany, NY Palace Theatre 07/11/14 Mashantucket, CT Foxwoods Resort 07/12/14 Boston, MA Blue Hills Bank Pavilion 07/16/14 Bethlehem, PA Sands Bethlehem 07/17/14 Syracuse, NY Crouse-Hinds Theater

07/19/14 Cincinnati, OH The Shoe 07/20/14 Columbus, OH Palace Theatre 07/22/14 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace Theatre 07/23/14 Nashville, TN Schermerhorn Symphony 07/25/14 Norfolk, VA Chrysler Hall 07/26/14 Durham Performing Arts Center 07/29/14 North Charleston Perf. Arts Center 07/30/14 Columbia, SC Township Auditorium 08/01/14 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall 08/02/14 Orlando, FL Bob Carr Perf. Arts Centre 08/03/14 Jacksonville, FL Moran Theater 08/06/14 Jackson, MS Thalia Mara Hall 08/09/14 Montgomery, AL Garrett Coliseum 08/10/14 Baton Rouge, LA Performing Arts Theatre 08/12/14 San Antonio, TX Majestic Theatre 08/13/14 Austin, TX The Long Center 08/15/14 Shreveport, LA Municipal Auditorium 08/16/14 OKC Downtown Airpark 08/17/14 Albuquerque, NM Route 66 Casino

Read More Tegan And Sara Both before and after their recent sold-out First Avenue gig, Tegan and Sara graced the airwaves of two local Minneapolis radio stations, in support of their 7th full-length, Heartthrobs. …

MONDAY, JUNE 16
FIRST AVENUE
Tegan and Sara w/ The Courtneys + My Midnight Heart

Tegan and Sara are back with their "Let's Make Things Physical Tour."

The last time we saw the Quin sisters at First Avenue last year, they played practically every song from their latest album Heartthrobs. I'm assuming with this current tour, that the duo will likely dip in to their older catalog for some fan favorite songs.

Speaking of non-physical, digital copies of their Heartthrob Magazine are available now as a free download via iTunes.

Opening up the show will be Vancouver's The Courtneys, touring in support of their debut self-titled LP and Brooklyn's My Midnight Heart (singer and songwriter Angélica Allen).

Let's Make Things Physical Tour:

06/16 First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN ^# 06/17 The Vic Theatre - Chicago, IL ^# 06/18 The Vic Theatre - Chciago, IL ^# 06/19-06/22 Firefly Festival - Dover, DE 06/22 Toad's Place - New Haven, CT ^# 06/24 Hammerstein Ballroom - New York, NY ^# 06/26 SaskTel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival 06/28 Meijer Gardens Amphitheater^# 07/03 RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest 07/06 Sasquatch - Quincy, WA 09/09 Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC* 09/10 Rogers Area - Vancouver, BC* 09/12 Moda Center - Portland, OR* 09/13 Tacoma Dome - Tacoma, WA*

09/16 Honda Center - Anaheim, CA* 09/17 Honda Center - Anaheim, CA* 09/19 STAPLES Center - Los Angeles, CA* 09/20 STAPLES Center - Los Angeles, CA* 09/22 SAP Center - San Jose, CA* 09/23 SAP Center - San Jose, CA* 09/25 Jobing.com Arena - Glendale, AZ* 09/26 MGM Grand Garden Arena - Las Vegas, NV* 09/29 EnergySolutions Arena - Salt lake City, UT* 09/30 Pepsi Center - Denver, CO* 10/02 American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX* 10/03 American Airlines Center - Dallas, TX* 10/05 FedEx Forum - Memphis, TN* 10/06 BOK Center - Tulsa, OK* 10/08 New Orleans Arena - New Orleans, LA*

SXSW 2014: March 12

Read More SXSW South by Southwest (SXSW) Music is next week: March 11-16th. Since March 1st, I've received about 200 emails with the subject header of "SXSW" …

Day three (March 12) of SXSW.

All live SXSW photos and brief notes are written by Dan.

Quiet Life at Sailor Jerry House Wednesday, March 12

QUIET LIFE
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 12:59pm

Quiet Life from Portland. Alt-Country with a really good guitar player.

Quiet Life are currently supporting their sophomore LP, Wild Pack. We previously covered their appearance with the sold-out tour with The Head and the Heart.

Rhett Miller at ATO Day Party Wednesday, March 12

RHETT MILLER
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 4:10pm

Rhett Miller from the Old 97's. Judy and I both agreed we don't get him. He is smarmy and over-the-top for my tastes. He was plugging the new Old 97's CD coming on ATO.

One song was about being a motherf***** and he has no problems singing it in front of little kids.

Sorry that was a hour of my life I won't get back.

Emily saw the Old 97's last year in Minneapolis and said "Rhett Miller is a fantastic and passionate vocalist".

Jessica Lea Mayfield at ATO Day Party Wednesday, March 12

JESSICA LEA MAYFIELD
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 4:13pm

Jessica Lea Mayfield, singer-songwriter.

She is why we sat through Rhett Miller. I loved the last LP (Tell Me), but she has gone into a heavy metal phase. Lots of chorus and distortion on her guitar.

Not sure what she was trying for, but I still like her.

Let's hope the new LP (Make My Head Sing) isn't as loud...

The Strypes Wednesday, March 12

THE STRYPES
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 5:03pm

The Strypes. They were interviewed in a bar we were walking by. 16 year olds from Ireland and on the list to hopefully see later.

The 4-piece rhythm & blues band from Cavan, Ireland, is currently signed to Virgin/EMI Records. They are stopping by Minneapolis' Triple Rock Social Club on March 25th, for Minnesotans interested in checking out the young band for yourself. Probably the only time you will get to see them at a smaller club venue.

Save Your Breath at British Music Embassy Wednesday, March 12

SAVE YOUR BREATH
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 5:04pm

Save Your Breath from Wales. Too loud for me and Judy, so outside we go to sit and enjoy the weather.

UK pop-punks, Save Your Breath, recently released There Used To Be A Place For Us via Animal Style Records LP. The band recently wrapped up a tour in the UK with We Are The In Crowd.

Wytches at British Music Embassy Wednesday, March 12

WYTCHES
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 7:31pm

Wytches at the British British Music Embassy. Psychic rock with a touch of grunge. Man, it was loud.

The Magic Numbers at SXSW Hotel Second Play Stage Wednesday, March 12

THE MAGIC NUMBERS
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 7:37pm

Highlight of the day. The Magic Numbers, who I absolutely love, and thought their free showcase was tomorrow. Imagine my surprise when in search of BBQ, I stuck my head in the bar at the Hilton and knew right away it was the Magic Numbers.

Highlights beyond their harmonies were "Forever Lost" with audience participation and "Take A Chance" which turned into Fleetwood Mac's "Rihanna".

They are ready to try and make a go in the states, which is good news, and I put the plug in for 'come to Minneapolis'. They still remember the Minnesota State Fair gig with the Flaming Lips. Torrential rain kept them to just two songs.

RAMS' POCKET RADIO
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 at 4:18pm

Rams' Pocket Radio. Irish lead singer. Well-polished, and knows how to play for the crowd.

We are at the British Embassy showcase and I'm use to bands that are nervous and just starting out... but not the case here. Young, but very tight. The sound is something close to early Keane. Easy comparison with the piano player being front and center.

Rams' Pocket Radio at SXSW 2014, The British Music Embassy, Austin (03/12/14)

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

The Old 97s with Trapper Schoepp and the Shades and Ryan Traster Fine Line Music Cafe 11/12/13

Tour Dates 12/27/13 – Antone’s – Austin, TX 12/28/13 – Antone’s – Austin, TX 12/31/13 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX Read More The Old 97s Veteran alt-country quartet The Old 97s have twenty rocking years behind them and nine albums under their belts but, to paraphrase frontman Rhett Miller (and Dylan Thomas), they will not be going gently ..…

Dallas’ the Old 97s kindly stopped by the Fine Line Tuesday night to help folks shake off the early work-week blues and get people pumped for the release of their new album (which should be out soon!).

Minneapolis-bred, Portland-based Ryan Traster took to the stage first. The singer-songwriter had an excellent band with him and they played a twenty minute or so set of easy-going folk rock. The atmosphere on stage seemed relaxed (the backup singer and bassist were grooving around the stage and the lead guitarist was tearing it up on the other end) but Traster seemed bored and annoyed. In between songs, he asked the sparse crowd to “buy some sh*t” so he can get back to Portland. Later, however, Traster made a crack favoring Minneapolis, likening the city to the color red and calling Portland gray.

TRAPPER SCHOEPP photo by Kristin Miller

The band to follow, Milwaukee’s young, but accomplished Trapper Schoepp and the Shades, would turn the Fine Line completely on its head. Now, dear readers, I have been seriously blessed with some truly excellent opening acts these last few shows: I saw Sons of Hippies pummel, Strange Names seduce and had the pleasure of seeing Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss charm the pants off the good folks awaiting Mark Lanegan in Chicago. Trapper Schoepp and his outfit of rock and roll wild ones were no exception. In fact, they are probably my favorite live acts this year. Bands like this serve as a gentle reminder as to why I go to shows so early: to get a good spot (near the stage, of course) and, hopefully, to make a new discovery. I admit, when the band hit the stage, I was immediately taken with the Schoepp brothers’ (Tanner plays bass) luxurious locks. I made the Harry Styles association (sorry fellas) but it was trivial, short lived detail; Trapper plunged his guitar pick deep into those silver strings and the Shades’ free-wheeling, raucous performance began. Their sound has an instantly likeable Tom Petty jangle, with lots of swaggering blues-rock à la Faces or modern bar band predecessors Marah and a heavy dose of crunchy 70’s power pop. Trapper has played the Twin Cities frequently solo and with the Shades - his next gig is scheduled with Austin Lucas at the Nether Bar in Mill City Nights December 1st and I highly recommend checking him out.

If the Shades brought the crowd to an enthusiastic boil, then the Old 97s turned the place into an outright volcano of excitement. Bassist Murry Hammond strode out on stage, followed by drummer Philip Peeples sporting a fantastic ‘stache, singer/guitarist and dreamboat extraordinaire Rhett Miller and lead shredder Ken Bethea and they launched into a breathless two-hour set starting with the sing-along classic “Barrier Reef” from the band’s 1997 offering Too Far to Care. The Old 97s have acquired quite a following in their 20-year career and you couldn’t ask for a better audience; the energy off stage was just as potent as the energy on stage. Grown men and women were giggling like schoolchildren, grins plastered on their faces and all eyes adoringly on one of the greatest live bands ever. Miller mentioned several times how much he loved the Twin Cities (he was in St. Paul last month for Wits) - so much that, half way through the set, they unveiled a new song Miller jokingly called “high art.” It’s title? “Let’s Get Drunk And Get it On.” Another toast to the Cities came in the form of a reworked Bob Dylan song; Miller rewrote “Desolation Row” with new lyrics and called it “Champaign, IL,” to Dylan’s approval.

The setlist touched on each era of the band’s catalogue: newer barn-burners like The Grand Theatre’s “I’m a Trainwreck” and “Every Night is Friday Night (Without You)” next to with classic cuts from the band’s early outings like “Doreen” (that featured insane guitar work from Bethea) “Four Leaf Clover,” and “Big Brown Eyes.” My favorite records, 1999’s Fight Songs and 2001’s Satellite Rides, were generously represented: the bruising “Lonely Holiday,” a Hammond-fronted stomper “Can’t Get a Line” and a louder, full-band treatment on the acoustic ballad “Question.” They even honored a fan request, the jangle-pop gem “Rollerskate Skinny” which saw Miller really working his trademark hip-sway/guitar strum; a seductive move that elicited squeals of delight from the females in the front row.

Miller is a fantastic and passionate vocalist

Now, bass player Murry Hammond is a tall, lean gentleman with salt and pepper hair and round Lennon-esque eye glasses and he plays his bass so fast and so precisely, you are likely to lose your mind watching him. When he’s not singing, he’s standing with his legs apart, Pete Townsend-style power stance, then he smoothly glides from upstage and downstage and up again, almost like he’s doing a two-step with his bass. Sometimes he’ll hold his bass up like it’s a rifle and playfully shoot the notes in the audience. Miller is a fantastic and passionate vocalist, but I love Hammond-led tunes like “West TX Teardrops” and “Iron Road,” a song he penned during the band’s session with the legendary outlaw himself, Waylon Jennings. And when Miller and Hammond sing together… well, those are harmonies that will lift your heart into your throat and then throb to the bottom of your feet.

The phenomenal encore saw guitarist Bethea bringing the goods. While Miller howled about a cheating lover on “Salome,” Bethea stalked the stage and strummed those melancholy surf-influenced chords in his yellow “Chick Magnet” t-shirt. Another great Fight Songs’ cut “Nineteen” followed, but when Too Far to Care’s “Timebomb” finally dropped, the venue went ballistic. Bethea perched on one of the monitors at the lip of the stage and yanked out the song’s memorable psychobilly intro. Folks were jumping, yelling and dancing while Peeples’ walloping drums rattled the walls and Hammond and Miller joined Bethea at the edge of the stage, showering everyone with their sweat, spit and spirit.

The Old 97s at the Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (11/12/13) photo by Kristin Miller

emily ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ old97s.com

The Grand

Tour Dates 11/08/13 – Madison Theater – Covington, KY 11/09/13 – Minglewood Hall – Memphis, TN 11/11/13 – The Majestic Theater – Madison, WI 11/12/13 – Fine Line Music Café - Minneapolis, MN 11/13/13 – Metro – Chicago, IL 12/27/13 – Antone’s – Austin, TX 12/28/13 – Antone’s – Austin, TX 12/31/13 – House of Blues – Dallas, TX

THE OLD 97s
old97s.com

Veteran alt-country quartet The Old 97s have twenty rocking years behind them and nine albums under their belts but, to paraphrase frontman Rhett Miller (and Dylan Thomas), they will not be going gently into that good night. Their last studio album, The Grand Theatre, was put together while the band played a week-long residency at Sons of Hermann Hall in Dallas, Texas. Released in two parts (Volume One in 2010 and Volume Two in 2011) the albums garnered acclaim and yielded several singles including the infectious “Every Night is Friday Night (Without You).” Last year, Omnivore Records thrilled fans by reissuing an expanded fifteenth anniversary edition of the band’s second album Too Far to Care. In October, the band released an EP featuring demos cut with country legend Waylon Jennings originally recorded in 1996.

The Old 97s are crafters of fantastic records, but they’re truly in their element on stage. In fact, rarely does a year go by that doesn’t find the band on the road. And when the band isn’t working together, their individual projects keep them quite busy - Miller has recorded four solo records and has guested on the radio comedy show, Wits, and in 2008 bassist Murry Hammond released his own solo, I Don't Know Where I'm Going But I'm on My Way.

According to the band’s website, Miller spoke to Rolling Stone and divulged some details about the band’s recently completed new LP - namely that the songs are more adult-oriented (“a lot of cursing, a lot of drinking and lots of sex”) and Replacements’ and Guns ‘n Roses’ bassist Tommy Stinson makes a very special appearance!

Catch the Old 97s on their 11-date November jaunt. They will be making a stop in Minneapolis at the Fine Line next Tuesday!

SON OF DAVE
sonofdave.com

Son Of Dave (featuring Benjamin Darvill, formerly of Crash Test Dummies), just released Blues At The Grand on November 4th via Kartel. As usual with these things, he's set to head out on tour in the UK in support of the record.

Check out "Hot Summer Nights" via soundcloud.com.



UK Tour

11/08/13 Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
11/09/13 Nice n' Sleazy, Glasgow
11/21/13 Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
11/23/13 Borderline, London
11/27/13 Komedia, Brighton
11/28/13 Deaf Institute, Manchester
11/29/13 Bodega, Nottingham
11/30/13 East Village Club, Liverpool

GRAND OLD GRIZZY
grandoldgrizzly.com

Grand Old Grizzly is a quartet (Will Thomas, Paul Beebe, Mark Riddell, and Chris Lewis) from Houston, Texas. The Houston Press nominated the band for “Best New Act” and “Best Folk/Americana,” so I you are into that sort of thing, check them out.

Grand Old Grizzly (GOG for short), recently opened up for roots rockers Blackberry Smoke at a sold out concert at the House Of Blues (November 2nd), where they played tracks from their 2012 self-titled album (Quenby Records).

Listen to "Sundowners" by clicking here: grandoldgrizzly.com.

vu + emily () ♥ weheartmusic.com