W♥M

Coco & Clair Clair at the Varsity Theater (2024-10-06)

06 Oct 2024 Coco & Clair Clair with SadBoi at Varsity Theater Tour Dates 10/8 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck 10/09 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall 10/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell 10/14 - San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom 10/15 - Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall 10/16 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos 10/19 - Phoenix, AZ @ VIVA PHX 10/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ Fonda Theatre 10/24 - Dallas, TX @ The Echo Lounge 10/25 - Austin, TX @ Emo’s 10/27 - Houston, TX @ House of Blues 10/29 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl 10/30 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground 11/01 - Washington, D.C. @ Howard Theatre 11/02 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza 11/06 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club 11/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts 11/09 - Atlanta, GA @ Buckhead Theatre 11/11 - Fort Lauderdale, FL @ Revolution Live 11/12 - Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues Read More Coco & Clair Clair “Last Christmas” is the new holiday single from duo Coco & Clair Clair. The song is reimagined as a trap bass song with an 80s snare. I think my favorite part of the song is the whispering of “Happy Christmas” that starts …

It was a young crowd and decidedly female at the Varsity Theater for Coco & Clair Clair and their Girl Tour.

Opening the night was SadBoi aka Ebhoni Jade Cato-O’Garro. She is from Toronto, Canada and has been writing songs since she was eleven. She came on the stage dressed in a peach-colored yoga outfit,draped in a full-length fur coat. She had the look and the poise to pull off the outfit for she is also a professional model, previously working with Adidas and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty line.

SadBoi asked the crowd if they liked to party and told them to get ready to dance as she sang “Complicated” before the empowerment of “Bitches over Boys” and finishing with a fan favorite “Baddies.”

After a dance remix of Crosby Stills Nash and Young’s “Our House” for an intro, Coco & Clair Clair took the stage.

Taylor Nave (Coco) and Claire Toothill (Clair Clair) are from the suburbs of Atlanta, GA and bonded with their love of Drake. During the pandemic they forged a union and have released two studio albums: Sexy in 2022 and Girl in August of 2024.

They have a merry and relaxed (chill) stage presence. Between songs like “Pop Star”, “Kate Spade” and “Martini”, they worked their way to DJ table to sip their adult beverages and chat with each other or with members in the crowd, almost creating a talk show setting that involved:

Signing an album for a fan that had followed them to Minneapolis, MN after attending their previous show in Chicago, IL.

Singing happy birthday to someone in the crowd who may or may not have been celebrating a birthday.

Opening up the floor for request: “Tbtf’.

Then they signed Concert T’s for a few fans before dropping the disco ball for “Pretty” and singing a fan favorite “My Girl”. And as they added their names to the shirts, Clair Clair started singing Suzanne Vega’s “Tom’s Diner”.

I’m not sure if this was by chance or a sly nod, because the song played a prominent role in “Untamed Heart”, a movie about a shy busboy (Christian Slater) who falls in love with a waitress (Marisa Tomei). It was filmed just down the street from the Varsity Theater at a (now defunct) diner called Joe’s Coffee Shop.

Coco & Clair Clair (Vuart)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Staves at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (16 Apr 2024)

The Staves Setlist Failure I Don't Say It, But I Feel It Best Friend Black And White Make It Holy All Now Fundamental Memory In the Long Run Nothing's Gonna Happen I'll Never Leave You Alone So Gracefully Careful, Kid Great Wave Satisfied Good Woman You Held It All -- Encore -- Mexico Teeth White Read More The Staves England’s The Staves is a sister trio (Emily, Jessica, and Camilla Staveley-Taylor). If there’s one thing we know about family bands - they have natural harmonizing talents. The Staves’ latest EP ....

England folk now-duo, The Staves (sisters Jessica and Camilla Staveley-Taylor), headlined the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on April 16. The sisters’ new album All Now is out now on Communion Records.

According to Brody, the “killer show was packed.” Members of Bear’s Den was their backup band. During the show, the drummer got engaged.

Bear’s Den with Staves (25 Jan 2017)

The Staves/Bear’s Den crossover shouldn’t surprise fans, as the two were touring together a few years ago, and during Bear’s Den show in Jan 2017, “Returning to the stage, [guitarist Andrew] Davie explained their custom of doing a cover of a song of local significance on every stop of this tour, then brought out UK sisterly trio, The Staves (recent transplants now living in the metro) out help to sing harmonies on Prince’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ (though done more in the Sinead O’ Connor style). The groups were very familiar with each other from their Austin to Boston tour a few years ago, involving five VW camper vans, which was subsequently turned into a documentary film.”

Lomelda opened the show.

Remaining Tour Dates:

Apr 19 Seattle, WA, US Tractor Tavern

Apr 20 Portland, OR, US Doug Fir Lounge

Apr 22 San Francisco, CA, US Great American Music Hall

Apr 24 West Hollywood, CA, US Troubadour

May 8 Berlin, Germany Heimathafen Neukölln

May 9 Cologne, Germany Stadtgarten

May 10 Amsterdam, Netherlands Tolhuistuin

May 12 Rotterdam, Netherlands LantarenVenster

May 13 Paris, France Petit Bain

May 15 Nottingham, UK Rescue Rooms

May 16 Leeds, UK Brudenell Social Club

May 17 Cambridge, UK Mash

May 19 Brighton, UK Concorde 2

May 20 London, UK KOKO

May 21 London, UK KOKO

May 22 Bristol, UK SWX

May 24 Liverpool, UK Arts Club Liverpool

May 25 Edinburgh, UK Assembly Rooms

May 26 Manchester, UK Academy 2

May 28 Belfast, UK Mandela Hall

May 29 Limerick, Ireland Dolans Warehouse

May 31 Dublin, Ireland The Button Factory

Jun 1 Dublin, Ireland The Button Factory

Jun 2 Cork, Ireland Live at St Luke's

Jun 14 Tunbridge Wells, UK Black Deer Festival

Jul 21 Hatfield, UK Folk By The Oak

Aug 30 Birmingham, UK Moseley Folk

Mar 28 2025 Canceled Brighton, UK Resident Music

Dec 31 2025 Canceled Brighton, UK Resident Music

The Staves at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (16 Apr 2024)

brody ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Chelsea Wolfe at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (20 Mar 2024)

03/20 Chelsea Wolfe with Divide and Dissolve at Varsity Theater Chelsea Wolfe Setlist Whispers in the Echo Chamber Everything Turns Blue House of Self‐Undoing Tunnel Lights 16 Psyche The Culling Feral Love House of Metal Survive Salt Unseen World Eyes Like Nightshade Place in the Sun Dusk They’ll Clap When You’re Gone Flatlands Be All Things The Liminal Misty Mountains (Howard Shore cover) Tour Dates March 22 - Denver, CO @ The Gothic Theatre March 23 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot March 25 - Seattle, WA @ The Neptune Theater March 26 - Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theater March 27 - Portland, OR @ The Roseland Ballroom March 29 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore March 30 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Novo April 18 - Tilburg, NL @ Roadburn Festival April 21 - London, UK @ Heaven May 29 - Villeurbanne, FR @ Transbordeur May 30 - Biarritz, FR @ Atabal May 31 - Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Festival June 1 - Dudingen, CH @ Kilbi Festival June 2 - Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby June 4 - Paris, FR @ Elysee Montmartre June 6 - Koln, DE @ Die Kantine June 7 - Berlin, DE @ Astra June 8 - Gdansk, PL @ Mystic Festival June 10 - Vilnius, LV @ Kablys June 11 - Riga, LT @ Tu Jau Zini Kur June 12 - Tallinn, EE @ Paavli Kultuurivabrik June 13 - Helsinki, FIN @ Sideways Festival June 15 - Stockholm, SE @ Slaktkyrkan June 16 - Oslo, NO @ Rockefeller June 17 - Bergen, NO @ Rokeriet June 18 - Stavanger, NO @ Folken June 20 - Gothenburg, SE @ Pustervik June 21 - Copenhagen, DK @ Copenhell June 22 - Hamburg, DE @ Gruenspan June 23 - Prague, CZ @ Meet Factory June 25 - Vienna, AT @ Arena June 26 - Munich, DE @ Technikum June 27 - Brussels, BE @ AB Ballroom June 29 - Clisson, FR @ Hellfest Read More Chelsea Wolfe Today, “goth crooner” Chelsea Wolfe is touring in support of She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She (Loma Vista). The tour will stop in at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, on March 20, 2024. .. Divide and Dissolve Divide and Dissolve, the Melbourne, Australia duo of T//R and S//N (Takiaya Reed –guitar/sax; Sylvie Nehill- drums) who asked for quiet as they began, then Reed went into a verbal diatribe decrying worldwide white ....

American goth rock, doom, folk singer and songwriter, Chelsea Wolfe, is currently on tour in support of She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She (Loma Vista). The tour stopped by the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on Wednesday, March 20th.

Melbourne’s Divide and Dissolve opened the show.

Divide and Dissolve (21 Feb 2018)

This is the third time we’ve seen the duo, and the first time we saw them in Feb 2018, we said that singer/guitarist Takiaya Reed “went into a verbal diatribe decrying worldwide white supremacy, seeking to empower black and indigenous people, and reminding the mostly white audience, that this was not their land.”

The second time we saw them, in June 2022, Reed had similar statements, about “abusive police power, worldwide white supremacy, seeking to empower black and indigenous people. They reminded us that the land we are on belongs to the Dakota people and that we should give it back.”

So, it should be no surprise that about 18 minutes into their set, Reed took a little time to remind us that we are on indigenous land. She mentioned that she’s both black and Cherokee and that it’s very important to her. The speech was updated to include ending the Palestinian genocide (and just any genocides in general).

It appears that her original percussionist, Sylvie Nehill, has been replaced with another drummer. I am assuming the role is a temporarily one, as the new drummer is not officially announced anywhere.

Divide and Dissolve third album, and their latest, is called Systemic.

marquee

Fans lined up early under the glow of the beautiful Varsity Theater marquee, on a school night. The Varsity sits next to the University of Minnesota, so there’s always young college kids in the area.

It’s good to see such a healthy turnout to see Chelsea Wolfe, whose music bordering doom metal, folk, earth, and gothic rock, appeals to the large college fanbase that lives in the Dinkytown area.

This is the fifth time we’ve seen Wolfe: Cedar (22 Sep 2013), Roy Wilkins (06 May 2014), Fitzgerald Theater (25 May 2014), Triple Rock Social Club (31 Aug 2015), and Triple Rock Social Club (22 May 2016) … so we’re big fans.

Vuart (31 Aug 2015)

Every time we see Wolfe, it’s been pretty memorable, with a few standing out: her appearance made national news at the Fitzgerald Theater because Eels debut the return of Journey’s vocalist Steve Perry, and I broke my camera’s lens, so I was forced to draw her: “Apparently, I've dropped my camera one too many times and the lens no longer extends or detracts.”

If you’ve never seen Chelsea Wolfe before, it’s a great, dark, foggy experience. She creates such a great atmosphere, and she sings mostly in the dark, so you can really hear her notes.

Recently, her music can be heard on the A24 film X (we wrote about X and A24 here). While that music was created with 70s score in mind, her new album She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She is a little more on electronica and trip hop, as well as the usual goth rock. This is possibly due to being produced by TV on the Radio guitarist Dave Sitek, whose music is more dance and commercial, in my opinion. It’s mostly received positive reviews from critics, who called the album ambitious and adventurous.

Chelsea Wolfe’s She Reaches Out To She Reaches Out To She is out now on Loma Vista.

1 / 6

2 / 6

3 / 6

4 / 6

5 / 6

6 / 6

Chelsea Wolfe at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (20 Mar 2024)

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

David Kushner at Varsity Theater

09/21 David Kushner with Chance Peña at Varsity Theater David Kushner Setlist Dead Man Cigarettes Mr. Forgettable Georgia Rain Burn Miserable Man Look Back & Laugh oooWooo Hero Cannon Beach A Little More Time Elk Grove Daylight Tour Dates 9/23 - Bluebird Theater - Denver, CO 9/25 - The Fonda Theatre - Los Angeles, CA 9/26 - Great American Music Hall - San Francisco, CA 9/29 - Wonder Ballroom - Portland, OR 9/30 - Fortune Sound Club - Vancouver, BC, Canada 10/1 - The Showbox - Seattle, WA Read More David Kushner Singer/songwriter David Kushner is headlining the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on September 21st. Show up early to check out rising singer-songwriter …

“Is this where the parents sit?”

It was a fair question. I was in the upper level of Varsity Theater, sitting on one of the comfortable sofas when a woman sat down next to me with a beer in hand. She was from Bismarck, ND, she drove her teenage daughter and some of her daughter’s friends to the Minneapolis show.

She wasn’t the only one to make a long distance commitment. Outside I met a mother from Duluth, MN and inside a grandmother from Madison, SD. The reason for the chaperones was the average makeup of the audience member was a teenage girl.

“I get it,” said the mother from Duluth. For her it was The New Kids on the Block. For her daughter it wasn’t a boyband with slick dance moves. It was two singer/songwriters with introspective lyrics wrapped in soulful, gospel-tinged music.

Chance Peña opened up the sold-out show. A Tyler, TX, native, he burst onto the music scene in 2015 by making coach Adam Levine’s team on season nine of The Voice as a 15-year-old prodigy. In 2020 he helped co-write John Legend’s “Conversations in the Dark” which was the lead single to the Grammy winning album Bigger Love.

He released his first EP this summer, Lovers to Strangers and played the four songs from the EP along with unreleased songs like “Cruel World,” “Thaw” and “Love You Right” which he said he wrote in three minutes with his roommate and right-hand man on stage, Wes.

Peña finished the set with two really nice songs: “I’m Not Who I Was” and “In My Room” which he wrote in his room in his parents home, which captures a moment in time that isn’t sad or pensive but fleeting.

David Kushner is having a moment right now. One that involves being strapped to a rocket of a hit single “Daylight” and launching into the stratosphere of fandom.

Just to enter the Varsity Theater involved getting in a line that almost circumvented the Dinkytown block. The mood of the young crowd inside was palpable as they sang along to d4vd’s “Here With Me” while the stage was being set. And when it was go time, the screaming was on a level that I have never quite experienced. It was loud, it was sustained and it was louder than the actual music.

Like Peña, Kushner’s music is thoughtful, quiet and subtle and throughout the set the crowd sang along to the lyrics if they weren’t screaming at the top of their lungs. And when Kushner said the first song he wrote “Miserable Man” was also his personal favorite, the crowd completely lost it.

It was certainly a dichotomous moment: introspective songs about death “Cigarettes” and Alzheimer’s “Mr. Forgettable” met with applause usually reserved for a K-Pop band. But I think Kushner has an understanding for the incongruity as he told Poptized:

Yeah, so like in a way that music makes me feel alive and in a way I think that’s why a lot of people relate to my music, because it makes them weirdly feel alive in a strange way that really helps them connect to me and my music and what I have to say.

Chance Peña Marquee Chance Peña

Chance Peña

David Kushner David Kushner David Kushner

David Kushner at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (21 Sep 2023)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Sun Room at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (19 Sep 2023)

09/19 Sun Room at Varsity Theater Sports Team Setlist The Game Here It Comes Again Happy (God's Own Country) R Entertainment Dig! Camel Crew M5 Fishing The Drop Here's the Thing Read More Sun Room Opening the show was California’s Sun Room. The four-piece features Luke Asgian (lead vocals & guitar), Ashton Minnich (guitar), Max Pinamonti (bass), and Gibby Anderson …

California’s Sun Room headlined the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis on Tuesday, September 19th, in support of their latest EP Outta Their Minds.

The first opener was Canadian-born Colin Bracewell, but currently based in Minneapolis. The talented singer is influenced by the sound of Bon Iver, Jeff Buckley, and Hippo Campus.

He said he will be playing First Avenue on November 3rd, opening for Guytano.

The crowd-pleasing fun London-based alternative rock band Sports Team features the lead vocalist Alex Rice, with rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rob Knaggs, lead guitarist Henry Young, bassist Oli Dewdney, drummer Al Greenwood, and keyboardist Ben Mack. The Guardian newspaper described their songs as “romanticise Middle England.”

The English band combines the best of Franz Ferdinand (sounds), Blur (lyrics), and Kaiser Chiefs (stage presence).

Sun Room (24 Mar 2023)

We saw Sun Room earlier in 24 Mar 2023, and wrote, “Opening the show was California’s Sun Room. The four-piece features Luke Asgian (lead vocals & guitar), Ashton Minnich (guitar), Max Pinamonti (bass), and Gibby Anderson (drums). From what we’ve heard, it’s no-nonsense rock ‘n roll. They seemed influenced by Oasis and The Rolling Stones, based on their cover of “Get Off Of My Cloud”.”

Holy Smokes Batman, Sun Room is basically the Allah-Las meet the Beach Boys! Super sounding surf guitar riffs and vocals from the young San Diego band. And great shirt, Luke!

Sun Room’s Outta Their Minds is out now.

Remaining Tour Dates:

September 22 - Chicago, IL - Thalia Hall %
September 23 - Detroit, MI - El Club %
September 24 - Columbus, OH - Skully’s Music Diner %
September 26 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mr. Smalls Theatre %
September 28 - Toronto, ON - Axis Club Theatre %
September 29 - Montreal, QC - Le Belmont %
September 30 - South Burlington, VT - Higher Ground Ballroom %
October 3 - Boston, MA - Royale %
October 5 - New York, NY - Webster Hall %
October 6 - Washington D.C. - 9:30 Club %
October 7 - Asbury Park, NJ - Asbury Lanes %
October 8 - Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts %
October 10 - Charlottesville, VA - Jefferson Theater %
October 12 - Raleigh, NC - Lincoln Theatre %
October 13 - Charleston, SC - Charleston Music Hall %
October 14 - Surf City, NC - Ocean Fest
November 2 - Houston, TX - Warehouse Live - Studio #
November 3 - Austin, TX - Scoot Inn #
November 4 - Dallas, TX - The Echo #
November 7 - Boulder, CO - Fox Theatre #
November 8 - Denver, CO - Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom #
November 10 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Complex - Grand $
November 11 - Boise, ID - The Olympic $
November 13 - Vancouver, BC - Hollywood Theatre $
November 14 - Seattle, WA - Neumos $
November 15 - Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom $
November 17 - San Francisco, CA - August Hall $
November 18 - Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst $
November 19 - Ventura, CA - Majestic Ventura Theater $
November 22 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues $
November 28 - Phoenix, AZ - The Van Buren $
November 29 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre $

^ Little Cowboy
& Venus & the Flytraps
% Sports Team
# Sarah & the Sundays
$ Surf Trash

Sports Team

Sun Room Colin Bracewell Sports Team Sun Room Sun Room

Sun Room at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (19 Sep 2023)

craig ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

The Drums at Varsity Theater (08/09/2023)

08/09 The Drums with Cold Hart at Varsity Theater The Drums Setlist Are U F***ed Heart Basel Best Friend What You Were Days Let's Go Surfing Plastic Envelope/Protect Him Always Book of Revelation I Hope Time Doesn't Change Him / I Wanna Go Back / Down by the Water In the Cold I Need a Doctor Obvious Money -- Encore -- I Don't Know How to Love Better I Want It All Tour Dates Aug 16 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom Read More The Drums The Drums are New York’s current triple F. Says who? Says your momma. The lads live in Brooklyn but claim 50s surf culture as the main source of inspiration. Summertime! is full of sunny ...

The Drums were in town last night at the Varsity Theater. And when it came to last being in Minneapolis, the founder, lead singer and songwriter, Jonathan Pierce said: “It has been a minute.”

Cold Hart aka Jerick Quilisadio opened the evening with an energetic set.

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, he was a skateboarder who listened to various musicians ranging from Nick Cave and The Cure to rappers Speaker Knockerz and Chief Keef. A co-founder of GothBoiClique, his style is described by his record label Epitaph as: “The spirit of punk, of hip-hop, of rock n’ roll…” His lyrics and subject tend to reside in the worlds of emo and goth and a couple of the crowd favorites fit into the vein:

“Nick Cave In”
Let’s take this night and let’s waste it
I’m in too deep, I might cave in

“CANDL3LIGHT”:
Do you wanna die, baby do you wanna fly I can bring your body down, in the candle light

Quilisadio dedicated his last song “Me and You” to a fellow GothBoiClique rapper, Little Peep. It was a song they recorded together and holds even more meaning for Quilisadio after Little Peep passed away from a drug overdose in 2017.

The Drums took the stage with the first song being a question: “Are you F*cked”.

There is a firm foot that resides in the realm of 80’s synth pop with this band. For most of the evening there was that jangly, pulsating interplay between the rhythm guitar and base that kept the dance beat grooving.

After a couple of band iterations, Pierce with childhood friend and drummer, Jacob Graham, started The Drums in 2010 with a self-titled debut that won praise from Clash and Pitchfork. In 2017 Graham left the band and Pierce has continued on with the musical project. He even plans to release a new album Jonny Out on October 13th.

With music infused by The Smiths, New Order and The Cure, Pierce languidly moved around the stage bathed in saturated light. There was almost a point during the song “Days” where he almost disappeared into a sea of blue. And it was at that moment I noticed the crowd swaying in unison.

The band, the singer, the lights, the audience all in sync.

Pierce did not talk between the songs, but did open up midway through to admit that in the past he did not feel comfortable being on stage. But through therapy and acceptance he says it feels good to no longer disassociate when being on stage and was quite grateful that he could be in the moment with the crowd.

And before Pierce went on to finish with a string of crowd pleasers, he sang a medley of songs, the last being “Down by the Water,” a song that took him back further in the form of a 50’s Doo-wop love ballad.

It was a pleasant surprise to see a musician not much concerned about chasing the latest fad, but instead taking what has come before and making it his own.

Cold Hart Cold Hart Cold Hart

The Drums The Drums The Drums

The Drums at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (09 Aug 2023)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Asian Invasion at the Varsity Theater

Read more Asian Invasion.

09/06 Boris and Melvins at Varsity Theater Read More Boris Lauren talked about working on the song, “I’ve been a long-time fan of Boris's work and ‘New Album’ has been particularly influential on my musical style. When this came up, Atsuo from the band proposed I … The Melvins Second to play Sunday night was The Melvins. These guys have a huge following in Minneapolis. I truly thought they were from here but apparently that's not true ...

Boris
borisheavyrocks.com

Experimental Japanese band Boris is teaming up with American rock band Melvins for a co-headlining tour. The tour will find their way to the Varsity Theater this September 6th.

Boris (12 Aug 2014)

We saw Boris in Aug 2014 and wrote, “It's hard for someone like me trying to describe Boris to you. While most people will put them into the drone category, when you see them live, they go beyond that. From experimental to a little sludge to metal to shoegaze ... and unexpectedly even a little pop rock!”

Boris + Melvins, on tour:

August 24 Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco Theater
August 25 Pomona, CA @ Glass House
August 26 Fresno, CA @ Strummer’s
August 27 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
August 28 San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
August 29 Petaluma, CA @ Mystic Theatre
August 31 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
September 1 Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
September 2 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
September 3 Bozeman, MT @ The ELM
September 5 Fargo, ND @ The Hall at Fargo Brewing
September 6 Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
September 7 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave II
September 8 Chicago, IL @ The Metro
September 9 St. Louis, MO @ Red Flag
September 11 Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
September 12 Grand Rapids, MI @ Pyramid Scheme
September 13 Detroit, MI @ St. Andrews Hall
September 14 Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom
September 15 Pittsburgh, PA @ Roxian
September 16 Maspeth, NY @ DesertFest NYC
September 18 Albany, NY @ Empire Live
September 19 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
September 20 Bethlehem, PA @ MusicFest Cafe
September 21 Philadelphia, PA @ Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia
September 22 Washington, DC @ The Howard Theatre
September 23 Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27
September 24 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
September 26 Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl Nashville
September 27 Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse
September 28 Savannah, GA @ District Live
September 29 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
September 30 New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
October 2 Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live - Studio
October 3 Austin, TX @ Mohawk
October 4 Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
October 5 Oklahoma City, OK @ Beer City Music Hall
October 6 Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
October 7 Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
October 9 Denver, CO @ Summit
October 11 Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater
October 13 Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
October 14 San Diego, CA @ House of Blues

12/08 Atsuko Okatsuka at the Varsity Theater

Atsuko Okatsuka
atsukocomedy.com

American (of Taiwanese decent) stand-up comedian/actress Atsuko Okatsuka is on her “Full Grown Tour” this year. She will be stopping by the Varsity Theater on December 8th. The show sold so well that they’ve added an additional show.

Tour dates:

Sep 15 Vancouver, BC, Canada Vogue Theatre
Sep 15 Vancouver, BC, Canada Vogue Theatre
Sep 16 Outdoor Portland, OR, US Aladdin Theater
Sep 16 Outdoor Portland, OR, US Aladdin Theater
Oct 5 Seattle, WA, US Moore Theatre
Oct 6 Seattle, WA, US Neptune Theatre
Oct 6 Seattle, WA, US Neptune Theatre
Oct 20 Toronto, ON, Canada Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct 20 Toronto, ON, Canada Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Oct 21 Washington, DC, US Lincoln Theatre
Oct 21 Washington, DC, US Lincoln Theatre
Nov 10 Boston, MA, US Wilbur Theatre
Nov 10 Boston, MA, US Wilbur Theatre
Nov 11 New York (NYC), NY, US Town Hall
Dec 8 Minneapolis, MN, US Varsity Theater
Dec 8 Minneapolis, MN, US Varsity Theater
Dec 9 Milwaukee, WI, US Turner Hall Ballroom
Jan 11 2024 San Francisco, CA, US Palace of Fine Arts
Jan 12 2024 San Francisco, CA, US Palace of Fine Arts
Jan 12 2024 San Francisco, CA, US Palace of Fine Arts
Jan 13 2024 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Wilshire Ebell Theatre
Jan 14 2024 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US The Wiltern

08/06 Band-Maid at the Varsity Theater

Band-Maid
bandmaid.tokyo

Five-piece Japanese rock band Band-Maid is on their 2023 10th Anniversary Tour. The tour will find its way to the Varsity Theater on August 6th.

Tour Dates:

Aug 3 Chicago, IL, US Park West
Aug 6 Minneapolis, MN, US Varsity Theater
Aug 8 Denver, CO, US Summit Music Hall
Aug 9 Salt Lake City, UT, US The Depot
Aug 11 Portland, OR, US McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
Aug 12 Spokane, WA, US Bing Crosby Theater
Aug 14 Sacramento, CA, US Ace of Spades
Aug 15 Anaheim, CA, US House of Blues - Old Location
Aug 18 Mexico City, Mexico Pabellón del Palacio de los Deportes

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

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

Ava Max at Varsity Theater (06/30/2023)

Ava Max Setlist Diamonds & Dancefloors My Head & My Heart Who's Laughing Now Hold Up (Wait a Minute) Kings & Queens Weapons Maybe You’re the Problem Ghost Cold as Ice Belladonna Not Your Barbie Girl Salt One of Us Dancing’s Done Sleepwalker Million Dollar Baby -- Encore -- Sweet but Psycho The Motto (Tiësto cover) Scarlet Opera Setlist Riot The Place To Be What's Love Got to Do With It (Tina Turner cover) That Kind of Woman I've Been Waiting For You Big City Thing Alive Band of Silver Setlist Chasing a Stranger Shopping For Problems Living In the Future Artificial Intelligence Machine Running in Place Shake Up Real Connection Read More Ava Max RIAA multi-platinum certified global pop sensation Ava Max will be headlining the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis this June 30th, as part of her Ava Max On Tour (Finally), her global headline tour to celebrate her critically ....

It was an all-age show with kids under ten and parents in toe. One parent, the size of a football coach, escorted his two daughters to the Varsity Theater. The girls were bespeckled from head to toe with glitter, pink and excitement, and their dad had a list of rules as one of the girls replied: “Yes, I know how to say please and thank you.”

Good advice for they were heading to the “meet and greet” line to have an audience with their hero.

Ava Max is having quite the tour. Like a lot of artists, she had planned on touring to promote her debut album Heaven & Hell, but the pandemic hit and put everything on hold. Well, not everything, Max still continued to produce songs and videos and soon blew up on the internet, bringing more interest to her debut tour.

Band of Silver opened the evening with a lively set of 80’s influenced rock. They are a three-piece group from Nashville, TN, all siblings with Avery Silvernagle on lead vocals, Alex on guitar and Evan on drums. They started as a band in high school and have been quite active, releasing eleven LP’s and EP’s since their debut Always in 2020.

They played a brief set with highlights being “Shopping for Problems” and “Artificial Intelligence.” Then Avery said that the next song “Machine” was a little more personal for it was about having to deal with chronic illnesses, which she alluded to having along with her brother Alex.

The Scarlet Opera was up next and they started off in dramatic fashion with “Riot.”

They are a glam rock band from LA formed when Luka Bazulka (lead vocals) hit it off with Colin Kendrick (Piano) at a warehouse party. Along with Daniel Zuker on bass, Justin Siegal on drums and Chance Taylor on guitar, they started a band as Perta before changing their name when releasing their EP Comedy this year.

Their new name is a nod to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, but Bazulka seemed to channel the great Freddy Mercury of Queen with a big voice and the presentation of a flamenco dancer/matador. A highlight was a cover of “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” made famous by Tina Turner. They also finished with “Alive,” a stirring anthem for the LGBTQ+ community.

Ava Max was up next and what a show. The Varsity was sold out and it felt like she could have easily filled a bigger venue. Still, it was fun to see dad’s hoisting their young daughters on their shoulders so they could peer over the crowd, while others danced to the embarrassing glee of their kids.

Ava Max aka Amanda Koçi is promoting her latest album Diamonds & Dancefloors, but there were plenty of songs from her debut album, which Billboard described as: “[Max] simply sounds like she’s having a blast while skipping across bangers like “Kings & Queens” and “Who’s Laughing Now.”

And she upped the ante with Rolling Stone describing her latest album as: “She shows off her signature electro-pop melodies with some Nineties synths and a touch of disco.”

It was a set of pure pop and pure fun with great dancing and an audience enthralled to (finally) see Max on her first tour, which officially ended in Minneapolis. And among the frivolity and glitter there were also messages of empowerment for those girls in the audience like “Maybe You’re the Problem” “Not Your Barbie Girl” and “Kings and Queens”:

To all of the queens who are fighting alone
Baby, you're not dancin' on your own

P.S. My apologies for no photos due understandable security concerns, evolving photo policies and my camera setup.

Photos courtesy of Ava Max (8:05 PM · Jun 29, 2023): Only ☝️ more show left of the tour!!!!! How did it fly by?!!! I love you so much!!!! See you in Minneapolis tomorrow night 💘🥰ps car keys comes out tonight too 🥲

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Wilder Woods at Varsity Theater (04/29/2023)

04/29 Wilder Woods at Varsity Theater Wilder Woods Setlist Light Shine In Criminal Patience Someday Soon Heavenly Light Sure Ain’t Go Ahead Mary, You’re Wrong Feel Make Your Own Mistakes Get Back (The Beatles cover) Be the Man Cochise (Audioslave cover) Be Yourself Supply and Demand -- Encore -- Maestro (Tears Don’t Lie) Heartland Tour Dates May 1 Kansas City, MO, US Madrid Theatre & Cafe May 2 Denver, CO, US Bluebird Theater May 4 Austin, TX, US 3TEN Austin City Limits Live May 6 Dallas, TX, US The Echo Lounge May 11 Seattle, WA, US The Crocodile May 12 Portland, OR, US Wonder Ballroom May 14 San Francisco, CA, US The Independent May 16 West Hollywood, CA, US The Roxy Theatre Jul 8 Outdoor Morrison, CO, US Red Rocks Amphitheatre Sep 9 Chattanooga, TN, US Moon River Festival Read More Wilder Woods Frontman of Needtobreathe, Wilder Woods (aka Bear Rinehart) will be stopping by the Fine Line Music Café this Tuesday, September 24th, in support of his self-title debut album. … Abraham Alexander with Abraham Alexander at First Avenue first-avenue.com Excerpt Going for Gold XXXI: Grammy Award-winning R&B recording artist and songwriter Leon Bridges will be releasing Gold-Diggers Sound on July 23, 2021, on Columbia Records. …

Wilder Woods aka Bear Rinehart aka William Stanley Rinehart II played to a sold out crowd at the Varsity Theater in support of his sophomore album FEVER/SKY, a personal record that Rolling Stones describes as “vibrant, upbeat with freewheeling positivity”. Rinehart, front man for NEEDTOBREATHE, describes his latest solo effort as a cross-country road trip. “… a journey where I’m happy to be in a car, driving forward.”

Abraham Alexander opened the evening with a solo set, featuring songs from his recently released debut album SEA/SONS. 

Alexander is having quite a debut, reaching #42 on Billboard’s Top Current Albums, scoring guest appearances from Mavis Staples and Gary Clark Jr. He just played on CBS Saturday Mornings concert series and will be playing in front of much bigger crowds this summer at the Newport Folk Festival and Bonaroo. 

Although his parents are from Nigeria, Alexander was born in Greece. At age 11 his parents made the decision to immigrate to the United States, settling in Fort Worth. Alexander joked that his parents wanted to find the best place to raise their black sons. So they moved to Texas.

SEA/SONS is a testament to a journey that involves moving to a foreign country, the sudden death of her mother at the hands of a drunk driver, the abuse from his father and working through all that pain and struggle, as found in his song, “Blood Under the Bridge”.

Scars do not blind me
Silver Lining
I wear them proudly on my sleeve

Wilder Woods took the stage with a rip-roaring, foot-stomping, hand-clapping set that was one part neo-soul, one part gospel revival with a lot of Southern rock.

Rinehart kicked off the evening with “Light Shine In” and kept the evening going in with an endless amount of energy, only dialing it back with songs like “Patience”, “Heavenly Light” and his personal favorite from his new album, “Make Your Own Mistakes”, a love letter to his sons. .

Varsity marquee (29 Apr 2023)

Rinehart said Minneapolis has a special place in his heart for he played the Varsity fourteen years before and it was after that concert that he met Minneapolis native, Tyler Burkum, who would go on to become his lead guitarist and wingman. He said it took a couple of years of courting to woo Burkum. He said he wished he would have had a better pickup line at the start.

Rinehart also said it will be twenty years in August that he has been married. His wife was in the audience and you could sense that being back at a place where he met Rinehart with his wife present and reaching a major milestone in his personal and professional life that, yes, he was a little sentimental. But it was time to crank it up.

Alexander joined the band on stage during The Beatles’ “Get Back” with Burkum sounding like vintage Steve Cropper on his guitar solos. Rinehart then introduced his backup singer, April Rucker, as the best part of the band and let her take the stage with a rousing rendition of Audioslave’s “Cochise”.

The highlight of the evening was his joyous hit “Maestro”, a song that makes one think Rinehart may have a fine backup career as a gospel preacher. In fact, for the last song, “Heartland”, he waded into the audience of true believers to finish the evening with only his acoustic guitar and raspy voice.

Wilder Woods

Abraham Alexander

Abraham Alexander

Wilder Woods

Wilder Woods

Wilder Woods

Wilder Woods

Wilder Woods

Wilder Woods at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (29 Apr 2023)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Superorganism at Varsity Theater (10/09/2022)

Superorganism Setlist The Prawn Song World Wide Pop Put Down Your Phone SPRORGNSM Night Time Crushed.zip Black Hole Baby / Into the Sun / It's All Good Nobody Cares Flying Don’t Let the Colony Collapse Oh Come On Relax Everything Falls Apart Everybody Wants To Be Famous On & On Solar System Teenager -- Encore -- Something for Your M.I.N.D. Read More Superorganism London-based eight person collective Superorganism will be headlining First Avenue’s mainroom on May 2nd… a massive upgrade to their previous appearance at the 7th Street Entry. … Blood Cultures Blood Cultures to open. Tour dates: Sep 6 Berlin, Germany Hole 44 Sep 7 Warsaw, Poland Praga Centrum Sep 9 Prague, Czech Republic Lucerna Music Bar Sep 10 Vienna, Austria Das Werk …

Superorganism stopped by Varsity Theater promoting their sophomore album World Wide Pop.  But before the concert the lead singer, Orono Noguchi, needed a burger from Matt’s Bar, home of the Jucy Lucy.

Blood Cultures started off the evening with a brief, but lively set.  Based out of New Jersey, they are an anonymous music collective who perform in hooded masks.  From a distance they might look like a Bedouin tribe with samplers.  Up close the trio warmed up the gathering crowd with a techno-industrial a tribal vibe of pounding drums and synthesizers marching the crowd off to war or to at least dance on the spacious floor. 

Superorganism brought a more laid-back, but danceable beat.  They are in the truest terms a global art collective, made from genesis of a band from New Zealand (The Eversons’ Harry and Tucan), musicians from London (B) and South Korea/New Zealand (Soul) with a lead singer from Tokyo, who while attending high school in Bangor, Maine sent the audition song  “Something for Your M.I.N.D.”  The song got her a gig with the newly formed band.

Superorganism kicked of the set with the “Prawn Song” from their self-titled debut album:

You do you, I'll do me
Chillin' at the bottom of the sea

Noguchi’s dad is a huge Weezer fan and she loves Pavement, and she has adopted the laid-back, care-less, Southern, California 90’s sound with low-key singing that almost sounds like she is talking.

Noguchi apologized for the low-energy for she was fighting a cold and completely congested.  “Not Covid,” she assured.

What energy was lacking in the lead singer was buttressed by B and Soul on either side, dancing and singing throughout the set, creating an interesting counterbalance of an inert center surrounded by infectious energy.

Fun Fact:  There is a town west of Minneapolis on the sprawling Lake Minnetonka called Orono, which is the same name as the lead singer.  Are the two related?

Well, Noguchi was named after the town her parents attended as foreign exchange students while studying at the University of Maine. 

The town of Orono, Maine is named after the famous Penobscot Indian Chief, Joseph Orono.

George Brackett, the 6^th mayor of Minneapolis, had a lake home on Lake Minnetonka and named the newly formed town after his hometown in Maine. 

What’s this all mean?  Noguchi has a pretty cool first name.  She is also a pretty cool performer, working the crowd by asking if someone could go get her another Jucy Lucy; singing “Everything Falls Apart” specifically to one audience member by the name of Jess; thanking the audience after every song; encouraging the audience to: “Go off and go hard”, and finishing the set with a new song she said: “Still freaks me out.”  The song entitled “Teenager.”

Remaining Tour Dates:

Oct 11 Denver, CO, US Meow Wolf Denver
Oct 12 Salt Lake City, UT, US The Urban Lounge
Oct 14 Portland, OR, US Wonder Ballroom
Oct 15 Seattle, WA, US Neumos
Oct 16 Vancouver, BC, Canada Rickshaw Theatre
Oct 19 San Jose, CA, US The Ritz
Oct 20 San Francisco, CA, US August Hall
Oct 21 Los Angeles (LA), CA, US Regent Theater
Oct 22 San Diego, CA, US Music Box
Oct 24 Phoenix, AZ, US Crescent Ballroom
Oct 25 Santa Fe, NM, US Meow Wolf
Oct 27 Austin, TX, US Scoot Inn
Oct 28 Houston, TX, US White Oak Music Hall
Oct 29 Dallas, TX, US Dada Dallas
Nov 1 Atlanta, GA, US Terminal West
Nov 2 Nashville, TN, US The Basement East
Nov 3 Durham, NC, US Motorco Music Hall
Nov 4 Washington, DC, US 9:30 Club
Nov 5 Philadelphia, PA, US Union Transfer

Blood Cultures

Blood Cultures

Superorganism Setlist

Blood Cultures

Superorganism

Superorganism

Superorganism

Superorganism at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (09 Oct 2022)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com