W♥M (Archive)

Fanfarlo w/ Lillies on Mars - Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (07 April 2014) concert review

Poster Setlist Ghosts Life in the Sky Deconstruction Cell Song I’m a Pilot Bones Luna Vostok, I Know You are Waiting Comets Tunguska Landlocked A Distance Harold T. Wilkins or How To Wait For A Very Long Time -- Encore -- Let’s Go Extinct The Walls Are Coming Down Tour Dates 04/14 - Detroit, MI - Shelter 04/16 - Toronto, ON - Lee's Palace 04/17 - Montreal, QB - La Sala Rossa 04/19 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair 04/22 - New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom 04/23 - Brooklyn, NY - Rough Trade 04/25 - Philadelphia, PA - Underground Arts 04/26 - Washington, DC - U Street Music Hall Read More Fanfarlo Fanfarlo recently premiered their new video for "Cell Song" at VEVO. The single is taken from their latest album Let's Go Extinct, out now. Fanfarlo is currently on tour, stopping by Minneapolis this Monday, April 7th, at the Triple Rock …

Fanfarlo? …more like Fan Far Out!

The playful and eclectic Fanfarlo is currently out on tour, in promotion of their third and latest, Let’s Go Extinct (on Blue Horizon Ventures), that is a sort-of concept album on human evolution and possible futures. Though seemingly complicated in theme, the London band, led by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar, makes it all eminently palatable with hook-laden choruses and a relaxed delivery. This strange but pleasing amalgam of sounds made for an enjoyable evening earlier this week at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis.

Opening up the show was Lilies on Mars, an electro dream pop band from Sardinia, Italy (now London-based), in support of their debut, Dot to Dot (Saint Marie Records). The band consists of guitarist Lisa Masia and bassist Marina Cristofalo, who took turns in singing lead vocals, and would sometimes employ their laptop to mix in some unusual effects such as echoes and oscillations.

Lilies on Mars

Listening to the band on stage, they are somewhat reminiscent of early Lush, with space-age noises and ethereal layered vocals. While the majority of their set was lo-fi and downbeat, it changed noticeably for the better when they added Farfarlo's new drummer, Valentina Magaletti, and keys/guitarist, Cathy Lucas, on their last two songs. Cristofalo said that this was their first time in Minnesota, as an introduction to their song, "SFDA" (aka "So Far Dear America"), which was written after accepting an invitation to perform at SXSW in 2013.

It was hard to understand their thick Italian accents, but I believe the song asks "where is America?"... well, they've found America. Let's hope they'll return back here again.

Cathy Lucas on the musical saw

The five-piece Fanfarlo (named after a Baudelaire novella) began their 75 min. set with ‘Ghosts’, a dreamy mid-tempo number from their 2009 debut, Reservoir. The infecting quirkiness of the band’s sound is fleshed out by the fact that only the rhythm section sticks to their original instruments, while the others play everything from sax, to violin bow on saw, to trumpet, glockenspiel, and melodica. ‘Life in the Sky’ followed, from the new album, with its “far out” lyrics, “coming from afar and heading for the sun / I think of us when we were molecules.”

Fanfarlo

“Welcome to March Madness…even though it’s in April”, Balthazar remarked before ‘Cell Song’, after noticing one of several dancing ladies up front, screaming in approval. Newcomer Magaletti (who previously drummed for Bat for Lashes) started ‘I’m a Pilot’ with a concerted bass drum stomp, adding a somewhat different dynamic to the band, with Lucas on violin anchoring the bridge of the song. The addition of trumpet on tracks like ‘Luna’ and Balthazar occasionally playing sax, brings a classic and unrushed elegance to their songs, that is truly unique in soundscape.

‘Vostok, I know You Are Waiting’ is about an underground lake deep underneath the Antarctic ice and ‘Comets’ from Reservoir, with its “Look up, open the clouds; here comes the bombshell” lyric were themes that might intimidate other bands, but fearless for Balthazar and Fanfarlo.

Simon Balthazar

With current single, ‘Landlocked’, the tempo dramatically moved upward for the remainder of the set, Balthazar saying, “maybe you’ll even dance” to the somewhat subdued Monday night crowd. While trumpeter/keyboardist Leon Beckenham glided effortlessly between both instruments, Lucas was maybe the most versatile- switching between keys/synths, violin, and the musical saw, all while adding her angelic background and co-vocals.

The encore began as a gentle roll with the title track from their latest album, then finished with signature song, ‘The Walls Are Coming Down’; before which, Lucas had to remind Balthazar to plug the latest album, which he did in deadpanned style, “it’s very fresh…like a freshly baked cinnamon bun”.

Though the band has fallen off some hipsters’ radars, the new album reflects a noticeable growth in their complex sound that is genuinely rewarding and makes them as mandatory to listen to, as when they released their debut. Far out, man.

Fanfarlo at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (07 April 2014)

vu + john () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ oncemusical.com

The Toadies with the Supersuckers and Battleme at First Avenue 04/11/14

Tour Poster Tour Dates 04/12/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar 04/13/14 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom 04/15/14 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom 04/16/14 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue 04/17/14 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's 04/18/14 Detroit, MI Magic Stick 04/19/14 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop 04/21/14 Pittsburgh, PA The Altar Bar 04/23/14 Boston, MA Royale Nightclub Boston 04/24/14 New York, NY Irving Plaza 04/25/14 Asbury Park, NJ Stone Pony 04/26/14 Philadelphia, PA Theatre/Living Arts 04/27/14 Washington, DC Black Cat 05/07/14 Corpus Christi, TX Brewster Street 05/08/14 Helotes, TX Josabi's 05/09/14 Houston, TX House Of Blues 05/10/14 Homegrown Music & Arts Festival 05/11/14 New Orleans, LA Tipitina's Uptown 05/13/14 Nashville, TN Exit / In 05/14/14 Atlanta, GA Heaven At The Masquerade 05/15/14 Tampa, FL The Ritz Ybor 05/16/14 Fort Lauderdale, FL Culture Room 05/17/14 Lake Buena Vista, FL House Of Blues 06/12/14 Oklahoma City, OK Diamond Ballroom 06/13/14 Brazos Nights 06/14/14 Austin, TX Stubb's Bar-B-Q Read More Toadies “Are you gonna save me? Can you save me?” so asks an unhinged Vaden Todd Lewis on “Mister Love” one of the many excellent moments from Rubberneck, The Toadies’ hard rock classic which celebrates its 20 year anniversary. …

Downtown Minneapolis was bursting with serious activity Friday night. Amongst the various sports events, all three theaters hosting performances and the usual nightcrawlers roaming the streets, Toadies fans had to endure quite a climb to reach their designated downtown danceteria.

Portland foursome Battleme started things off with a dirty psych-rock stomp. Lead singer and guitarist Matt Drenik, who looks like the lovechild of Joseph Arthur and Frank Zappa, stalked the stage, trying to rev up an attentive, but far-too-polite Minneapolis crowd. Thankfully, Drenik is a confident performer and the band had lots of energy. So while the crowd response might have seemed lackluster, it wasn’t on account of the band. Near the end of the set, the drummer and bassist left the stage and Drenik and his other guitarist dedicated a cover of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black)” to Chris "Chango" Von Streicher’ (the Supersuckers drummer) whose dog had recently passed away.

Speaking of Supersuckers - plenty of rock bands site ZZ Top as a major influence on their sound, but nobody seemingly carries the torch quite like Tuscan’s veteran country-punk quartet Supersuckers. Their live show playfully blurred the line between tongue-in-cheek and utter earnestness; the songs were fast, the guitars were huge and the antics were over-the-top. (Singer/bassist Eddie Spaghetti and guitarists Dan “Thunder” Bolton and "Metal" Marty Chandler would stand in formation at the front of the stage and swing and thrust their instruments in unison like a rock ‘n roll chorus line) The band’s breathless set included an awesome Motörhead-style cover of Depeche Mode’s “Never Let Me Down Again.” Eddie mentioned that it was Chris’ birthday and listed all the gifts we, the audience, could offer to him: Booze, money and street drugs. Although I was skeptical at first, Supersuckers eventually won me over and I was nodding my head and pumping my fist with everyone else.

By the time the Toadies took the stage a short time later, fans were revved up and ready for what would be the most epic and slightly disturbing sing-alongs I’ve ever participated in. The current lineup consists of original members drummer Mark Reznicek, guitarist Clark Vogeler, vocalist/guitarist Vaden Todd Lewis and, replacing original bassist Lisa Umbarger, Doni Blair. The band sounded solid as they effortlessly ran down the Rubberneck tracklist starting with the blistering album opener “Mexican Hairless.” Playing an album in its entirety is bound to get boring, even for the most enthusiastic musician, but the Toadies seemed to relish in the performance and even looked stunned at the crowd’s violently happy reaction.

Rubberneck’s music is so driving and infectious, that standing still was simply impossible. And dark anthems like “Tyler” and the righteous “I Come From the Water” had even the most intoxicated folks singing in sync with Lewis and acknowledging all the rhythmic cues. “Possum Kingdom,” that monumental rock radio staple, a song I’ve probably heard more than any other song in my life, still packs a punch, especially when 1500 people are yelling, “Do you wanna die?” Even more bizarre and amusing was hearing fans screaming the searing verses “You hurt me you f***!” and “You hurt me you c***!” from “Velvet” and watching the space in front of the stage erupt into a mosh pit. My favorite tracks on the album, “Backslider” and the simmering “I Burn,” sounded phenomenal. The latter bolstered the percussive breakdown in the middle of the song with a two guys smashing an extra pair of floor toms and snare drums set up behind Lewis.

Lewis is such an unassuming fellow; dressed in a salmon button-down shirt and sporting Buddy Holly frames and closely cropped graying hair, Lewis looks like the science teacher I secretly crushed on in high school whose almost hidden tattoos hinted at a more wilder existence. Fittingly, Lewis’ passionate vocals roar like a friendly darkness summoned and channeled from his soul. Time and again, he’s proven himself to be one of hard rock’s great underrated vocalists.

Rubberneck’s music is so driving and infectious...

The post-Rubberneck set contained songs that are “less than 20 years old,” as Lewis joked. Tracks from the band’s excellent and much-delayed 2001 follow-up, Hell Below/Stars Above, such as “Push the Hand” and the punchy “Little Sin” gave Lewis an opportunity to show fans how to properly stab guitar strings and kept the energy levels high.

The highlight of the evening came as things were winding down. Lewis gently beat out a rhythm on the body of his guitar as Voleger strummed out the melody that would blossom into “Dollskin,” a slow-burning jam off of Hell Below/Stars Above and one of my favorites. No doubt plenty of people came to this gig for nostalgia’s sake. But the Toadies used this opportunity to prove that they are much more than just a great 20 year old record.

Toadies at First Avenue, Minneapolis (04/10/14)

emily () ♥ weheartmusic.com

Run River North @ Rockwood Music Hall, New York 04.10.14

Setlist In the Water Monsters Calling Home Lying Beast Run River Run Growing Up Beetle Foxbeard Banner Tour Dates 04/15 Jammin Java Vienna, VA 04/16 Vinyl Atlanta, GA 04/17 Ponte Vedra* Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 04/18 Beau Rivage Theatre* Biloxi, MS 04/19 3rd & Lindsley* Nashville, TN 04/21 Lyric Theatre * Lexington, KY 04/22 City Winery* Chicago, IL 04/23 Pasant Theater* East Lansing, MI 04/25 Finkelman Auditorium* Middletown, OH 04/27 Meyer Theatre* Green Bay, WI 04/30 The Baby Grand* Wilmington, DE 05/02 Ortlieb’s Philadelphia, PA * The Otis Midnight Sessions, with Goo Goo Dolls Read More Run River North Making a stop in Texas for a few SXSW performances, California band Run River North will make their way to the east coast now to promote their debut self-titled album released in February. The six-piece …

L.A. band Run River North graced the Rockwood Music Hall stage Thursday night with their folk rock sounds.

Well-known for their folk, singer-songwriter type gigs, Rockwood Music Hall is a fitting venue for RRN. Though the vocals could have been a bit higher, especially to hear the soothing harmonies, the acoustics at Stage 2 overall catered and nurtured RRN’s sound to be crisp and smooth.

Daniel Chae (guitar/violin)

Formerly named Monsters Calling Home, Run River North is comprised of Alex Hwang (vocals, guitar), Sally Kang (vocals, keyboard), Daniel Chae (guitar/violin), Jennifer Rim (violin), Joseph Chun (bass), and John Chong (drums). After recording a music video for single, “Fight to Keep,” in their Hondas, the Honda company decided to surprise the band by giving them a slot on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2012. (See video here.) Since then, RRN has been building a steady and dedicated fan base.

RRN aerial view

With a sold out show at Rockwood, RRN expressed gratitude that was as sincere as their music.

“We’re from L.A. and the fact that we sold out here in the east coast,” said RRN’s lead singer/guitarist Alex Hwang, thanking the audience (especially one from Ashville, NC) for coming to see them. Though the crowd hardly moved to the music, for a room of roughly a hundred people, it was quite impressive how quiet it was in between songs. It was clear people were fans and/or into the set.

Playing from their debut self-titled album released earlier this year, RRN’s music is familiar in the way that folk music is and the genuineness in each song is palpable, even more so live. From the quieter, build-up song “Growing Up” to the slightly more raucous “Beetle,” their sound can calm you even when the music becomes more folk rock. RRN’s stage manner really shows the band’s charm aside from their music. They talk and act in front of the audience as if they were playing for friends: slightly awkward from the spotlight, but nonetheless easy chatter, or as Hwang calls it, “tuning banter.”

Sally & Alex

“Keep talking Sally,” Hwang said to Kang as he tinkered with his electric guitar (which was apparently giving him some trouble), which Kang responded by slowly listing the merchandise they have, garnering laughter.

Run River North not only has the musical talent to go far, but their down-to-earth personalities make you want them to succeed, you want the good guys to win. Catch them on tour and pick up their album, which all six will gladly pass around and sign.

Run River North @ Rockwood Music Hall, New York (04/10/14)

justina ♥ weheartmusic.com

The Julie Ruin, Lincoln Hall, Chicago - April 9, 2014

Lincoln Hall marquee courtesy of The Julie Ruin Setlist VGI Friendship Station Lookout Breakout A-Town Kids in NY South Coast Plaza This is Not a Test Just My Kind Radical or Pro-Parental Girls Like Us Oh Come On Eau d’Bedroom Dancing Goodnight Goodbye Cookie Road -- Encore -- Run Fast Tour Dates 6/18-06/22: Calgary, AB @ Sled Island Music Festival 7/19: Chicago, IL @ Pitchfork Music Festival 7/20: Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock 7/23: Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club 7/25: Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom 5/17: Hamburg, Germany @ Kampnagel - KMH 5/18: Berlin, Germany @ Bi Nuu 5/20: Brussels, Belgium @ Les Nuits de Botanique 5/22: London, England @ Tufnell Park Dome 5/24: Leeds, England @ Brudenell Social Club 5/26: Brighton, England @ Coalition 5/27: Paris, France @ La Flèche D'Or 5/30: Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound Festival Read More The Julie Ruin It's hard to believe it's been 17 years since Kathleen Hanna released her post-Bikini Kill solo album and feminist classic, Julie Ruin. Since that time things went a little off-course. Hanna had planned to put together a band … I last saw Kathleen Hanna intoxicate a Chicago crowd in 2005. That was with her electro-pop band Le Tigre. During the intervening 9 years, Kathleen was kept out of action by a debilitating battle with Lyme Disease. At its worse, she decided to give away all her old Riot Grrl writings to NYU, wrapping up her life because she didn’t think she’d be around much longer. Thankfully, she received treatment for the disease and is now fully recovered and able to resume her career as pop music’s Feminist Laureate. Sara Landeau, The Julie Ruin This time around it’s not with Le Tigre, but rather with The Julie Ruin – a new band named after her 1998 solo album and consisting of Kenny Mellman (of Kiki and Herb) on keyboards, former Bikini Kill bandmate Kathi Wilcox on bass, Sara Landeau on guitar and Carmine Covelli on drums. While they don’t quite pack the same musical punch as Le Tigre or Bikini Kill, that doesn’t really matter, because this is really a celebration of Kathleen Hanna’s return to the stage. Kathleen Hanna - The look of love. From the moment Kathleen walked onstage, dressed in a denim leotard and white tights, this wasn’t simply a show, it was a celebration. Kathleen’s between song banter was hilarious – as when she referred to her outfit as being “Norma Rae up top and soft porn below” – and the crowd also felt comfortable to interact with her. At one point a woman suggested that The Julie Ruin could be called “Adult Angst”. Kathleen mused upon that with approval: “Adult angst. I like that. Cuz we’re, like, grown-ups, right?” Kathi Wilcox, The Julie Ruin The set list was mostly composed of songs from the classic Julie Ruin solo album (“VGI,” “Radical or Pro-Parental,” “Breakout a Town”) and the recent Julie Ruin album Run Fast, but they also snuck in a Bikini Kill song (“This is Not a Test”) and a pair of Le Tigre songs (“Eau d’Bedroom Dancing” and “Friendship Station”) for good measure. There was something to leave every Hanna fan smiling. And smile we did, as Kathleen danced and smiled and laughed with high energy throughout the show. But there was no mistaking the fact that this wasn’t the Kathleen Hanna of yore. This was an older and wiser punk singer. As one would expect, her close brush with death has resulted in lyrics that reflect on her past. In “Run Fast,” she sang about the struggles and triumphs of her Riot Grrl days: “Years later we’d be told that we weren’t real punks by boys in bands who acted like our dads when they were drunk / And they can all brag now ‘bout how they were there when we took over the stage and we took our fair share / But whatever the truth in the end we made tiny islands where we didn’t always have to be afraid /And an X will forever mark the spot where we decided we had just about enough.” Kathleen Hanna – Joie de Punk. The importance of Grrl Power was emphasized when Hanna told the story of how she met guitarist Sara Landeau at a Girls Rock Camp. She told a funny tale of how the two of them were roadies for a girl band performance and how people watching them plug in the equipment and set-up the amps, etc. assumed they were bitchy stage moms, but “No, we’re roadies!” And she explained how during band camp, the girls write their own song and then perform it, and this band’s song was called, “Good Luck, You Suck”: “It was really good. We should cover it.” She was visibly touched when she was told that a couple of the teenage girls in attendance were current rock campers, and she talked about how she believes that the younger generation has their act together so much better than her generation – but that she hopes that her generation did a thing or two that will inspire the younger generation too. Another rock camp story introduced the song “Goodnight Goodbye”. Kathleen explained that she had written the chorus but didn’t have verses for the song, so she took it to a lyric-writing class at rock camp and asked the girls to think of what the verses should be about. One girl said, “It’s about a boy wanting to go all the way and you’re like, ‘Goodnight, Goodbye!’” The verses that Hanna chose to write are among her sharpest ever – looking back on Bikini Kill from the perspective of a middle-aged woman: “It happens when you’re not 20 but 41 / And you have to sink it to the you you’ve now become / Will the teenage sneer you so cultivated / Sneer back at you and make you feel so hated?” If the show was any indication, the answer to that is a resounding NO! The teenagers (and kids too!) in the audience revere Hanna and she loves them just as much in return. As “Run Fast,” a song about her own teenage years, wound down the show she looked at the girls from rock camp and smiled with such admiration at them that it was hard not to get a bit choked-up. Rarely do you see pioneers so eager to pass the torch to the next generation. But thankfully Hanna still has a lot left to give. Screaming Females guitar hero Marissa Paternoster, in a rare quiet moment Another inspiration for the young girls in the audience – hell, for the old girls in the audience too! – is Marissa Paternoster, whose band Screaming Females opened the show. I’d never heard of her before, but from the second she stepped onstage looking like a young David Johansen in a black dress, I was captivated. Although she doesn’t play my type of music – at least live, the band is far more heavy metal than punk – Paternoster is an amazing guitarist. Her lightning fast shredding blows away the average metal guitarist, although sadly the mix was so poor that her vocals were completely inaudible in all but the quietest songs. Oh, and did I mention that she’s super cute? Maybe, just maybe, my crush-o-meter hit a 10 during her performance. Between Marissa the Guitar Hero and Kathleen the Punk Singer, this night offered a hell of a lot for young rocker grrls to look up to. Can’t wait to see the next generation give it a go! angela ♥ weheartmusic.com The Julie Ruin at Lincoln Hall, Chicago (04/09/2014)

Cold In July

Cold in July IFC Films Details USA Limited Theatrical Release: 23 May 2014 Runtime: 1 hr 49 min (109 min) Genres: Drama | Thriller Storyline: In 1980s East Texas, two fathers pitted against each other in revenge must band together to uncover a darker truth. Read More Films While I did not love the first movie, I found that Captain America: The Winter Soldier was one hundred times better. It is because the main plot is in the modern age (but yes, we do get flashback from the 40s …

*Disclaimer: author has not read the novel

Originally a novel written by Joe R. Lansdale, Cold in July begins with a burglary at the Danes’ residence in 1980s Texas. After shooting the intruder Freddy Russell dead, Richard Dane feels so uncomfortable with the fact that he has killed a person that he goes to watch Russell’s burial only to encounter Freddy’s father, Ben. Having the set on getting revenge, Ben aggressively antagonizes Dane’s family, particularly threatening Dane’s son. When Dane discovers that the man he shot was not in fact Freddy Russell, he and Ben go on a manhunt to find Freddy and figure out what the police is hiding. Joined by Ben’s old friend, Jim Bob, the three are thrown into one thrilling scenario after another.

After having read several reviews of the novel, director Jim Mickle’s film adaptation of Cold in July seems to follow the novel’s quick plot changes. Mickle says in a press release that what stuck out for him about Cold in July was the way it did not fit the mold, it did not declare “what kind of movie… [it was] going to be in the first 10 minutes,” unlike many other stories. This is refreshing and the twists and turns in the plot definitely do not stick to any molds created; however, the flow of each situation lacked room to develop. It was as if you were listening to a five-year-old talk about his/her first day of school: this happened, then this happened, and then Richard got shot in the ear! (Hopefully that last part was never said by your imaginary kindergartener.)

It was hard to imagine, for instance, when Dane (played by Michael C. Hall), showed Ben (Sam Shepard) the burglar’s dead body to prove it was not Freddy, that their relationship would all of a sudden ignore the fact that just the day before, Ben had hid in Dane’s crawl space with the intention to hurt Dane’s son. If it were not for all the actors’ subtle and toned down performances, these characters would not be very believable. Each actor, even Don Johnson’s portrayal of “RED BTCH” Jim Bob, was well done, particularly Johnson’s for his could have definitely become cartoonish. If anyone was worried that Hall’s performance of Dane would just be Dexter with a mini mullet, there is no need to be. Hall’s acting is unique to the character and even when Dane wiped the blood from the wall, traces of Dexter were nowhere to be found.

Aside from the acting, there were other factors that redeemed the film. The hard synthesizer/electronic music in the film coinciding with the scenes preparing for violence is reminiscent of Quentin Tarantino’s style of incorporating more electronic, pumping music to create an alternative adrenaline tension to thriller films. The quick punches of humor throughout the film, though made it a bit more difficult to take the movie seriously, were in themselves funny and comic relief. Mickle’s meticulous use of objects within the camera’s edges to frame the subjects like when Dane’s car window acted like a border of a photo to introduce the subject, Ben, is distinct and continuous throughout.

If anything, Cold in July is commendable for its unconventional story telling.

Sam Shepard (Russel), Michael C. Hall (Richard Dane), and Don Johnson (Jim Bob) in Jim Mickle’s COLD IN JULY. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films release.

justina ♥ weheartmusic.com

Little Tours

Tunnel Vision Capitol Records Read More Terraplane Sun I've previously mentioned Terraplane Sun before, stating that they were a five-piece blues rock band from California. The band recently released a new song …

Read more Little Bands and Little Small Tiny Things.

LITTLE DAYLIGHT
littledaylight.com

After recently opening for Charli XCX, Bastille and The Neighbourhood, Little Daylight will be releasing a debut album on Capitol Records. In the meantime, you can grab their EP called Tunnel Vision, which is out now.

Little Daylight will be at the Triple Rock this Saturday 04/12. Other bands on the on the bill are Flagship and Terraplane Sun.

Tour dates:

04/10/14 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom
04/11/14 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge
04/12/14 Minneapolis, MN Triple Rock Social Club
04/14/14 Denver, CO Marquis Theater
04/15/14 Salt Lake City, UT Shred Shed
04/17/14 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
04/18/14 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
04/21/14 San Francisco, CA The Independent
04/23/14 West Hollywood, CA Troubadour
04/24/14 San Diego, CA Club 5th Avenue

Nabuma Rubberband Loma Vista Recordings Read More Little Dragon We like Little Dragon, covered them a few times here. Haven't heard much from the band lately, it's probably because the USA isn't their main focus right now. …

LITTLE DRAGON
little-dragon.net

Little Dragon just kicked off their U.S. tour last night, April 10th. The band is back in America because of Coachella, so they've decided to do a mini-tour. We've seen the band before, we like what we saw.

Little Dragon's latest release is Nabuma Rubberband and it is coming out May 13, 2014, via Loma Vista Recordings.

Tour dates:

04/13/14 - Coachella 2014 - Indio, CA
04/16/14 - Pappy & Harriet's - Joshua Tree, CA
04/20/14 - Coachella 2014 - Indio, CA
05/10/14 - Toronto, ON - Canadian Music Week
06/07/14 - South Side Music Hall - Dallas, TX
06/08/14 - Fitzgerald's - Houston, TX
06/10/14 - Republic - New Orleans, LA
06/11/14 - The Orpheum - Tampa, FL
06/12/14 - Grand Central - Miami, FL
06/14/14 - Variety Playhouse - Atlanta, GA
06/15/14 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN
06/17/14 - Music Farm - Charleston, SC
06/18/14 - The Orange Peel - Asheville, NC
06/20/14 - Terminal 5 - New York, NY

Pocketknife Harvest Records Read More News: Mr Little Jeans Mr Little Jeans' hit single, "Good Mistake" gets the remix treatment from Dutch visual and musical artist Young & Sick. Following up the release of her debut LP, Mr Little Jeans will be heading on a US tour with SOHN next month, dates below. …

MR LITTLE JEANS
mrlittlejeans.com

Mr Little Jeans, otherwise known as Monica Birkenes, has a new album called Pocketknife, out now on Harvest Records.

She will be heading out on tour with SOHN in May, in the meantime, she'll be appearing at the Red Bull Sound Select on April 24th.

Tour dates with SOHN:

05/07/14 - Washington DC / Rock & Roll Hotel
05/08/14 - Philadelphia PA / Johnny Brenda's
05/09/14 - New York NY / Bowery Ballroom
05/10/14 - Brooklyn NY / Rough Trade
05/12/14 - Boston / The Sinclair
05/13/14 - Montreal Canada / Il Motore
05/14/14 - Toronto Canada / Horseshoe Tavern
05/15/14 - Pontiac MI / Crofoot Ballroom
05/16/14 - Chicago / Bottom Lounge
05/17/14 - Minneapolis / First Avenue
05/20/14 - Vancouver Canada / Fortune Sound Club
05/21/14 - Seattle WA / The Crocodile
05/22/14 - Portland OR / Holocene
05/24/14 - San Francisco / The Independent
05/25/14 - San Diego CA / Casbah

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

Minneapolis Music Guide: April 13 - April 19, 2014

Here is a guide of some Minneapolis (and St Paul) shows next week: April 13 - April 19.

Voices Universal Republic Read More Phantogram Thursday, Phantogram will be in Minneapolis at First Avenue. Phantogram has been very busy since their set at 2012 Bonnaroo Festival, writing and recording new music. …

APRIL 13: FIRST AVENUE
Phantogram w/ Teen

This Sunday's show is sold out, marking Phantogram's triumphant return to Minneapolis, in support of their new album Voices.

Opening up will be TEEN, who we previously saw a few times live.

Tour dates:

04.10 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre
04.11 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theatre
04.12 Madison, WI Majestic Theatre
04.13 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
04.15 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre
04.16 Salt Lake City, UT In The Venue
04.18 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre
04.19 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater
04.21 Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom
04.23 Dallas, TX South Side Music Hall
04.25 Houston, TX Warehouse Live
04.27 Atlanta, GA Counterpoint Festival
05.23-25 George, WA Sasquatch! Festival
06.20-22 Dover, DE Firefly Music Festival

Update: New tour dates announced:

06.16.14 New York, NY Terminal 5
06.19.14 Burlington, VT Higher Ground
06.21.14 Boston, MA House of Blues
06.23.14 Dover, MD Firefly Music Festival
06.24.14 Norfolk, VA The Norva
06.25.14 Charlotte, NC The Fillmore
06.26.14 Charleston, SC Music Farm
06.27.14 Orlando, FL Beacham
06.28.14 Miami, FL Grand Central
06.29.14 Tampa, FL Ritz Yabor

Superstar Canvasback/ATL Read More The Men The Men, not to be confused with JD Samson's MEN or the 90s pop band The Men, this "The Men" is a punk band from the New York area (ex-Brooklyn). The Men will be releasing their new album …

APRIL 14: 7TH STREET ENTRY
The Men w/ Silver Palms

Georgia-based indie-rockers Silver Palms will be at 7th Street Entry on April 14, opening up for The Men.

Silver Palms' latest release is a single for "Superstar", which is out now on Canvasback Records.

What's interesting about Silver Palm is that the band consists of twin brothers Adam (guitar) and Dalton Drury (vocals/guitar).

Tour dates:

Apr 10 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba
Apr 12 – Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen
Apr 14 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
Apr 16 – Missoula, MT @ VFW
Apr 18 – Seattle, WA @ El Corazon
Apr 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Milk Bar
Apr 21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Satellite
Apr 22 – San Diego, CA @ Hideout
Apr 23 – Phoenix, AZ @ Pub Rock
Apr 27 – Austin, TX @ Lamberts
Apr 28 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
Apr 29 – New Orleans, LA @ Circle Bar

W♥M213: Britpop Vu-And-Tell

W♥M213: Britpop Vu-And-Tell (36 mins) Read More Britpop April 2014 is the 20th anniversary of Britpop, according to BBC6 and Radio 1. This whole month, we are devoting W♥M Radio to our love of Britpop. …

April 2014 is the 20th anniversary of Britpop, so all month we're dedicating our show to the wonderful movement.

NOTE: This was originally shot on video, so if you want the visuals, you'll have to see it on YouTube. Because of YouTube's overly aggressive copyright policies, the music portion was taken out. Absolutely no thanks to Geffen Records.

Here's the Britpop timeline for consideration:

Suede: Suede (Mar 1993); Dog Man Star (Mar 1995)

Blur: Modern Life is Rubbish (May 1993); Parklife (Apr 1994)

Pulp: His n Hers (Apr 1994); Different Class (Oct 1995)

Lush: Split (Jun 1994)

Echobelly: Everyone's Got One (Jul 1994)

Oasis: Definitely Maybe (Aug 1994); Morning Glory (Oct 1995)

S*M*A*S*H: Self Abused (Sep 1994)

Shed Seven: Change Giver (Sep 1994)

Sleeper: Smart (Jan 1995)

Elastica: Elastica (Mar 1995)

Salad: Drink Me (May 1995)

These Animal Men: (Come on Join) The High Society (May 1995)

Gene: Olympian (Mar 1995)

Supergrass: I Should Coco (May 1995)

Cast: All Change (Oct 1995)

Bluetones: Expecting to Fly (Feb 1996)

Marion: This World and Body (Feb 1996)

Space: Spiders (Sep 1996)

Ash: 1977 (Jun 1996)

60ft Dolls: The Big 3 (Jan 1997)

Catatonia: International Velvet (Feb 1998)

Here is the video:

--
W♥M Radio is available on iTunes, please subscribe!

Subscription Options
Subscribe on iTunes
Subscribe via RSS
Add to Google
Add to Yahoo
____
Archive of this show at archive.org. More information on podomatic.com

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

Born to be Wild

Read More TMBG In honor of the amazing concert They Might Be Giants put on last night at First Avenue, I wanted to show off my photo of myself with John Flansburgh and John Linnell. …

THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS
theymightbegiants.com

You know we're big fans of They Might Be Giants (or short TMBG). The band recently announced their latest compilation album called Idlewild. Described as "not a best of" or a "rarities" album, the 17-track compilation will hit stores on May 27th via Idlewild Recordings.

Also, you still have time to enter TMBG's make a music video for "Am I Awake". Contest ends this Saturday, April 12. Download the song on Soundcloud so you can use it in your video. Good luck. They Might Be Giants described the contest:

They Might Be Giants is making a new compilation album called Idlewild and it includes the magnificent, but often overlooked track “Am I Awake?” To help raise awareness of this great song, there is a video contest open to all video people-–film people and general visually-minded people–-who are open to the challenge! We suspect this includes YOU! There will be 3 winners and a $1000 cash prize for each winner.

Also, if you're in Washington, DC, don't miss TMGB at these two shows. They promised both shows will be different, so get there early for a good seat:

04/26: Washington, DC @ USA Science & Engineering Festival, 1pm
04/26: Washington, DC @ USA Science & Engineering Festival, 4pm

Read More Lucius As far as Twitter names go, the one that Brooklyn five-piece buzz band Lucius uses is more than appropriate for the hundreds that braved the elements and their own personal safety …

LUCIUS
ilovelucius.com

Brooklyn's Lucius just recently released their debut LP Wildewoman internationally via Play It Again Sam (PIAS). The European release includes a bonus track, new recording of the fan favorite, "Genevieve."

Following the band's first headlining European tour, Lucius will return to the US to support Tegan and Sara and The Head and the Heart. W♥M are big fans of Lucius, having covered the band twice now.

Lucius tour dates:

04/09: Cologne, DE @ Genaude 9
04/10: Munich, DE @ Atomic Café
04/11: Berlin, DE @ Magnet
04/12: Hamburg, DE @ Molotow Club
04/13: Utretcht, NL @ Festival Tweetakt
04/16: London, UK @ Oslo
04/18: Manchester, UK @ Night & Day Café
04/19: Dublin, IE @ The Workmans Club
04/20: Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
05/06: Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note #

05/07: Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom #
05/08: Covington, KY @ The Madison Theater #
05/10: Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room #
05/12: Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works #
05/13: Chattanooga, TN @ Track 29 #
05/14: Charleston, SC @ Music Farm #

05/15: Atlanta, GA @ The Buckhead Theatre #
05/16: Jacksonville, FL @ Ponte Vedra #

05/19: Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore #
05/20: Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel #
05/21: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
05/22: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club #
05/25: Quincy, WA @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
05/28: Kalamazoo, MI @ The State Theatre ^
05/29: Cleveland, OH @ Masonic Auditorium ^
05/30: Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE ^
05/31: Nelsonville, OH @ Nelsonville Music Festival
06/02: Richmond, VA @ The National ^
06/03: Richmond, VA @ The National ^
06/04: Baltimore, MD @ Ram’s Head Live ^
06/07: Randall’s Island, NY @ Governors Ball
06/08: Hunter Mountain, NY @ Mountain Jam
06/19-6/22: Dover, DE @ Firefly Festival
07/04: Toronto, ON @TURF Festival
07/06: Ottawa, CA @ Ottawa Bluesfest
07/12: Greenfield, MA @ Green River Festival
07/20: Louisville, KY @ Forecastle Festival
07/26: Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
08/01: Chicago, IL @ Lollapalooza
08/29-08/31: Salisbury, UK @ End of the Road Festival

# = w/ Tegan and Sara
^ = w/ The Head and the Heart

Read More RNDM Power trio RNDM’s name and a similar image was plastered on drummer Richard Stuverud’s kick drum. Guitarist and lead singer Joseph Arthur, bassist Jeff Ament and Stuverud walked on stage dressed head to toe in blaze orange …

JOSEPH ARTHUR
josepharthur.com

Joseph Arthur first came onto the music scene when Peter Gabriel 'discovered' him and quickly signed him to his record label, Real World. Since then, Arthur released 10 albums and joined various bands, such as Fistful of Mercy and RNDM. Arthur's latest album is a tribute to Lou Reed, simply titled Lou. The record is coming out on May 13th on Vanguard Records.

Check out the first track, a cover of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side":



Joseph Arthur Tour Dates:

04/19 - Ringwood, NJ – House Concert
04/30 - Philly, PA – Tin Angel
05/01 - Baltimore, MD – WTMD
05/06 - Chicago, IL – City Winery
05/08 - New York, NY – City Winery
05/10 - Tampa, FL – Heatfest
05/12 - Saratoga, NY – Café Lena
05/14 - Quebec City, QC – Theatre Petit Champlain
05/16 - Eastman, QC – Cabaret Eastman
05/17 - Lavaltrie, QC – La Chasse Galerie
05/22 - Madrid, Spain – Boite Live
05/23 - Santander, Spain – Escenario
05/24 - Sarautz, Spain – Cinema/Theatre Modelo
05/26 - Brussels, Belgium – Les Nuits du Botanique
05/27 - Paris, France – Trabendo

Typhoon - Metro, Chicago, 4/3/14

Show Poster Setlist Artificial Light Common Sentiments Young Fathers Morton’s Fork Possible Deaths Summer House Prosthetic Love Dreams of Cannibalism The Lake CPR / Claws Pt. 2 Hunger and Thirst -- Encore -- The Honest Truth Caesar Reed Road Tour Dates Apr 07 The Blue Moose Tap House Iowa City, IA Apr 08 Waiting Room Lounge Omaha, NE Apr 10 Bluebird Theater Denver, CO Apr 11 Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT Apr 12 The Knitting Factory Boise, ID Read More Typhoon Typhoon ripped through One Eyed Jacks in the New Orleans French Quarter last Saturday (3/15/14) and unloaded a sonic storm on local eardrums. The eleven piece band from Portland, known for beautiful arrangements and radical … Lady Lamb the Beekeeper I’d never heard of Lady Lamb the Beekeeper when I was asked to cover her forthcoming show in Chicago, so I threw on her debut album Ripely Pine to see what the fuss was about. …

Do you remember the first time you saw Arcade Fire perform “Wake Up” live and at the beginning when the crowd all join together to do the “Aaaah-aaaaah” section, how the hair stood up on the back of your neck and you felt like you were part of something bigger than yourself? Maybe you even got a little tear in your eye or a chill down your spine? And you thought, “THIS is why I love music”? Okay, well, maybe that’s just me… but I had that feeling again last Thursday night while watching an 11-member band from Portland, Oregon called Typhoon. Trust me on this one, if you’re jaded with what you’re listening to, they will make you fall in love with music all over again.

Kyle Morton Typhoon

First the backstory, if you’re not familiar with it: Typhoon songwriter Kyle Morton spent his adolescence in and out of hospitals as he suffered through a devastating battle with Lyme Disease, contracted when he was 12 years old. He ended up needing an emergency kidney transplant when he was 16. Although he’s no longer at death’s door, the prolonged illness scarred him both physically (in addition to damaging his organs, his growth was stunted), and psychologically. He found that songwriting is the best therapy for processing his trauma – and luckily for us, it turns out he’s a brilliant songwriter. His deeply personal songs about mortality and struggle are somehow incredibly uplifting, and his band have the rare ability to take these fragile little songs and turn them into full-blown, all horns blaring anthems.

Kyle Morton - “having fun in Chicago” Typhoon

During Typhoon’s show at Metro in Chicago, they strode onstage to great applause before hushing the crowd with the opening track off their latest album White Lighter (album of the year, people!), “Artificial Light”. The skill of the band is amply demonstrated on this track, which goes from off-kilter opening verses, through a rocking, shouting horn-laden middle section, before it changes tempo and becomes a gentle love song. Then Kyle stands before us and sings the final lines: “The light goes off / hope it comes back on / I’ll be here in my familiar haunts / with a broken jar / and a stolen song / wait for the light / to come back… “ And the entire band sings the word “on” in unison (more like “oooooooooooooooooon”) and the whole room is lifted. It’s that Arcade Fire feeling! And just the first of many – in fact, in the middle of the next song, “Common Sentiments,” the crowd joins in and we all sing along with the “Aaaaaahhhhhhhh” before the horn flourish.

With 11 members there is plenty going on in every song. Two drummers, two violinists (who also provide the female vocals), two trumpet players. But at all times there’s no doubt that Kyle Morton is the one in charge. He confidently banters with the crowd, smiling even as he sings some of the most tragic songs of recent times. In “The Lake” he recalls contracting his illness and how it led to estrangement from his sister; in “Morton’s Fork” he sings of the fear of death; in “CPR / Claws Part 2” he sings of the weariness of living with illness: “I wanna live but I don’t wanna live.”

Ryan McAlpin Typhoon

But despite the heaviness of the subject matter, the mood is sky high throughout the show. As with Belle and Sebastian and The Decemberists, the girls in the band – violinist/vocalists Shannon Steele and Jen Hufnagel – are much beloved and when they take their vocal turn in “Young Fathers” the crowd whoops and hollers enthusiastically. At the end of “Summer House” – a song in which Morton is singing about trying to hold onto life to see another summer – a man in the crowd shouts, “F*** Yeah!!!” to much laughter and obvious delight from the band.

The emotional apex of the show came eight songs in when Morton insisted we all join him with a sing-along during “Dreams of Cannibalism”. “Unhand me, I am not a criminal,” we all sang, in another Arcade Fire moment. “And If I am I paid the man, just let me go / Soon enough you will be dancing at my funeral”. And we carried that final note and continued to rise and rise until our voices all flew off into the cold Chicago sky and we collapsed in breathless laughter. Laughing, smiling, to a line like that. That’s the Typhoon experience in a nutshell. Seriously, if you haven’t checked them out yet, please do! In a just world, they soon won’t be playing any venues as small as the Metro.

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper

Opening for Typhoon were the new-wave sounding Wild Ones and, to my delight, the also-quite-amazing Lady Lamb the Beekeeper (the musical alias of Aly Spaltro). Looking a bit like the Olsen twins’ hip indie cousin, Spaltro lit up the stage during her too-short eight song opening set. I would provide a setlist but she played quite a few songs I didn’t recognize, including two brand new songs. I was delighted that she also included excellent versions of “Bird Balloons,” “Aubergine,” and “You Are the Apple” off her debut album Ripely Pine. When she was getting ready to end the set due to the time pressures of a curfew at the venue, she was convinced by her bandmates that there was enough time for a lovely solo banjo rendition of “Regarding Ascending the Stairs”.

As I listened to her powerful, emotive voice I thought to myself how it’s ironic that so many people waste their time with talent shows like American Idol when there are real, vibrant talents like Aly’s out here in the world, waiting for the masses to take notice. I can only hope that Lady Lamb the Beekeeper and Typhoon both become household names in the near future.

Typhoon at Metro, Chicago (04/03/14) Left to Right: Shannon Steele, Jen Hufnagel, and Dave Hall

angela ♥ weheartmusic.com