W♥M (Archive)

The GOASTT at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (30 May 2014)

Setlist Too Deep Xanadu Animals Midnight Sun La Carotte Bleue Jardin Du Luxembourg Golden Earring Johannesburg Poor Paul Getty Moth to a Flame Devil You Know The World Was Made For Men Long Gone (Syd Barrett cover) Read More The GOASTT The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (aka GOASTT) is fronted by Sean Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl. I'm told that when they play live, it's going to be a full five-piece electric band. Opening up for…

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger (or more commonly abbreviated to The GOASTT) just played to a very, very sold out 7th Street Entry show in Minneapolis last night, May 30th. The majority of fans were seemingly Beatles fans (as seen on their T-Shirts), and many of them saw their Conan O'Brien appearance.

This is my third time seeing Sean Lennon, the son of John & Yoko, so I have enjoyed seeing this versatile musician go from experimental to indie-rock and currently, along with his significant other, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, is playing more psych-rock. The two met at Coachella in 2006, formed The GOASTT in 2008, and released their debut album called Acoustic Sessions in 2010, and they are back with Midnight Sun (Chimera Music) in 2014.

Photo of Setlist

As you can see from their setlist, the majority of cuts are taken from the new album with the exception of the single "La Carotte Bleue", "Jardin Du Luxembourg" with "The World Was Made For Men" from Acoustic Sessions, and a cover of Syd Barrett's "Long Gone."

Singing duties were shared by both Lennon and Muhl, with Muhl playing mostly bass until she took out the glockenspiel for "The World Was Made For Men."

For Sean Lennon, who is probably used to being in the spotlight, he is seemingly shy on stage. When he speaks, it's quite soft-spoken, almost whispering at times. When he jokes, they seem to be private jokes, only understood by Muhl. For example, Lennon said you can tell Muhl is from Georgia by her pronunciation of "America," which, as an audience member, we never heard her say, so we can only imagine Muhl saying, "'merica."

Also, the band decided to ditch the tried-and-true encore, instead incorporating the final two songs into their set without any awkward break.

The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger is currently on tour for their latest album Midnight Sun. Fans of psychedelic music should check out their show... especially because with the exciting news is that the band will be opening up for Beck, starting June 19th.

The GOASTT North American Tour Dates:

05/31/14 Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon #
06/01/14 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall #
06/03/14 Toronto, ON @ The Hoxton #
06/04/14 Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rossa #
06/05/14 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom #
06/06/14 Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s #
06/07/14 Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall #
06/08/14 Hunter, NY @ Mountain Jam Festival #
06/19/14 Cleveland, OH @ State Theatre *
06/20/14 Columbus, OH @ LC Pavilion *
06/21/14 Louisville, KY @ Zanzabar
06/22/14 Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Café
06/24/14 Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art *
06/25/14 Montreal, CAN @ Place Des Arts *
06/27/14 Toronto, CA @ Sony Centre for the Performing Arts *
06/28/14 Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre *
06/30/14 New York, NY @ Hammerstein Ballroom *

* supporting Beck
# with Syd Arthur

The GOASTT at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (30 May 2014)

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

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

Please read more: Lions, King of the Jungle, Lions, Tigers, and Bears, oh my!, and When Animals Attack!

THE JANOSKIANS
thejanoskians.com.au

The Janoskians (Just Another Name Of Silly Kids In Another Nation) are a YouTube comedy entertainment group from Melbourne, Australia (but currently based in Los Angeles).

The group recently announced that they've teamed up with Lionsgate for a feature length film based on their "social disturbance comedy."

Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-President Erik Feig comments, "Since they refused to allow us to become members of their group, we have no choice but to help them make a movie. We are thrilled to be working with The Janoskians, Danny Lee, Jeremy Skaller, and Brian Robbins and exploring new frontiers along the way!"

Janoskians member Beau Brooks add, "In our wildest dreams we never thought we would end up working with a company like Lionsgate. They take risks, break rules, and make epic movies. We can't wait to take our pranks and jokes to the next level. We know we are lucky, and we will make the most of it, we promise you!"

Recently, the Janoskians unleashed their first song for Republic Records, "Real Girls Eat Cake," which is now available on iTunes an all digital retailers.

The Janoskians "Got Cake Tour" North American Dates:

09/19 Ft Lauderdale, FL//Revolution 09/21 Lake Buena Vista, FL//House of Blues 09/22 Atlanta, GA//The Tabernacle 09/23 Charlotte, NC//The Fillmore Charlotte 09/25 Louisville, KY//Mercury Ballroom 09/26 Indianapolis, IN //Deluxe 09/27 Detroit, MI//The Fillmore Detroit 09/28 Chicago, IL//House of Blues 09/29 Chicago, IL//House of Blues 09/30 Minneapolis, MN//Varsity Theater 10/02 Cincinnati, OH//Bogart's 10/03 Cleveland, OH//House of Blues 10/05 Toronto, ON//Kool Haus 10/07 Montreal, QC//Metropolis

10/09 Upper Darby, PA//Tower Theatre 10/10 Montclair, NJ//The Wellmont Theatre 10/11 New York, NY//Irving Plaza 10/12 New York, NY//Irving Plaza 10/14 Boston, MA//House of Blues - Boston 10/15 Silver Spring, MD//The Fillmore Silver Spring 10/19 Dallas, TX//House of Blues - Dallas 10/20 Houston, TX//House of Blues - Houston 10/23 San Diego, CA//House of Blues - San Diego 10/24 Anaheim, CA//House of Blues - Anaheim 10/25 Los Angeles, CA//The Wiltern 10/27 San Francisco, CA//The Fillmore 10/29 Vancouver, BC//Vogue Theatre 10/30 Seattle, WA//Showbox at the Market

SEVEN LIONS
facebook.com/sevenlions

Santa Barbara-based artist and producer, Seven Lions (aka Jeff Montalvo), released his latest EP Worlds Apart on the iTunes Dance Album Chart at #1 last month.

Seven Lions tells Rolling Stone that "It's been a long time in the making, and I am really proud of the collaborations [Ellie Goulding, Kerli, Myon and Shane 54 & Tove Lo]. It's more experimental than the last EP and the focus is on songwriting instead of pure dance-floor aggression."

Worlds Apart is available now on Casablanca Records.

Tracklisting:

1. "Don't Leave" w/ Ellie Goulding
2. "Worlds Apart" w/ Kerli
3. "Nepenthe"
4. "Strangers" w/ Myon and Shane 54 & Tove Lo
5. "Keep It Close" w/ Kerli

LEON ELSE
leonelse.com

UK Pop artist Leon Else will be releasing his debut EP River Full of Liquor on July 8th, 2014, via Skitzophonic Records, fast on the heels of his first single "Protocol" in the UK in January, where it was picked up by Radio 1 BBC Introducing. Zane Lowe of BBC Radio 1 championed Leon as his "Next Hype."

Recently, Leon Else just played a gig at Radio 1's Big Weekend at George Square and Glasgow Green, alongside Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, Sam Smith and many more.

Hear the title track "River Full of Liquor" now:

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

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

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

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

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

Reptar Setlist

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

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

Reptar

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

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

The Faint

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

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

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

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

The Faint Setlist

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

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

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

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

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

The Muffs: Up And Down Around

Read More The Muffs I came across this song via The Muffs, a fuzzy pop-punk band from the early 90s from Southern California. Although they have stated in interviews that they have not broken up, it's hard to ignore that they've been pretty much inactive since …

"I wanna be with the rock n' roll girl!"

Those are the words that I think of when I think of the Muffs, because that rock & roll girl sounds so cool! I first heard that "Rock & Roll Girl" song from punk/pop group the Muffs, as she sang on their The Beat cover via Freedom of Choice compilation in 1992 (the song would later be compiled on 2000's Hamburger).

The Muffs are back, their first record in ten years, called Whoop Dee Doo, out on July 29, 2014, on Burger Records. At the moment you can hear their first new single called "Up And Down Around" on soundcloud.com. It's good to hear singer Kim Shattuck's unique vocals once again on something new.

With "Up And Down Around," you do hear that tight melodies that the Muffs are known for... and even sounds like it's one of those "one-take" sessions (particularly with hearing Shattuck saying "okay" right before recording the song).

It's all very exciting news, hopefully we'll see the Muffs doing more of a national tour, in the meantime they are 'up and down around' California:

07/06/14 Oakland, CA @ Burger Boogaloo
07/26/14 - San Diego, CA @ The Casbah
08/02/14 - Santa Ana, CA @ Burger a-Go-Go

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

Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed

Obsessed Comedy Central Records Tour Dates May 30 Route 66 Casino Albuquerque, NM May 31 Riverwind Casino Norman, OK Jun 7 Sony Center Toronto, ON Jun 7 Sony Center Toronto, ON Jun 13 Horseshoe Tunica Robinsonville, MS Jun 14 Harrah's Cherokee Cherokee, NC Jul 11 Private Event St. Louis, MO Jul 19 Meadow Brook Music Festival Rochester Hills, MI Jul 26 Seneca Allegany Casino Salamanca, NY Jul 27 Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier Montreal, QC Aug 9 Wolf Trap Vienna, VA Aug 16 Borgata Casino Atlantic City, NJ Aug 16 Borgata Casino Atlantic City, NJ Aug 17 Fairgrounds Coliseum Indianapolis, IN Sep 13 Grand Theater Mashantucket, CT Read More Jim Gaffigan I saw Jim Gaffigan last night (Oct 13th) at the Orpheum Theater. He's really popular here in Minneapolis and have sold out at least two shows, so he added a few more dates due to popular demand (four shows in total).…

Grammy-nominated comedian and multiplatinum-selling father of five, Jim Gaffigan, recently released Obsessed, his fourth Comedy Central one-hour special on April 27th (filmed at Boston's Wilbur Theater on January 18th, 2014.) The uncensored audio (available on CD, Vinyl, and digital) and video (available on Blu-ray, DVD and on-demand) was made available shortly on April 29, 2014.

Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis (03/18/06) Ticket Stub Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis (10/13/07) Ticket Stub

I've been following Jim Gaffigan for a few years now, having seen the 'fat dad' twice now, in 2006 and 2007. Both times, Gaffigan's jokes were the same (including opening comedian Rich Brooks, who only had a 15 minute standup routine), and it wasn't until 2009's King Baby (which was actually pretty enjoyable), did I started noticing new jokes about 'inside voices' and bacon... but dropping off his famous 'hot pocket' jokes. Speaking of which, I believe he may have retired his 'hot pocket' jokes, as that joke was not available on Obsessed as well.

If you are not familiar with Jim Gaffigan, I will tell you what I like about this stand-up comedian. His jokes are generally clean with no profanities. His dirtiest joke on Obsessed is about how Gaffigan used to be a stripper, "I was so good, they paid me to put my clothes on."

Also, Gaffigan's jokes are usually on subjects that I can relate to... which is all about eating and food. It is obvious to me, hearing Gaffigan's jokes, that this guy eats a lot... everything from Kobe beef to 'disgusting' kale to unrecognized fruits to fortune cookies to lobstaaaaar (lobster) to fried bread/frybread.

Even if you're a health nut, you'll still find a lot to like about Gaffigan's jokes. He has this way telling jokes in various voices (like the old lady) and often in a very deadpan style.

Jim Gaffigan: Obsessed is out now on Comedy Central Records in a variety of formats. Gaffigan is currently on tour.

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

For the Love of the Music: the Club 47 Folk Revival

For the Love of the Music: The Club 47 Folk Revival Ezzie FIlms Details This music-filled documentary explores the rich history of Club 47, the iconic Cambridge, Massachusetts folk-music mecca, from 1958-1968. Narrated by Peter Coyote, this fascinating story explores the magic that emerged when a small group of talented musicians came together in a tiny coffeehouse and altered the course of American music. From the 60s folk revival to the dawn of the "singer-songwriter era," the story is told through personal recollections by Club 47 performers, including Joan Baez, Taj Mahal, Judy Collins Tom Rush, Maria Muldaur, Geoff Muldaur, Jim Kweskin, Jackie Washington, Jim Rooney, Peter Rowan, and many more. "For the Love of the Music" also features previously unreleased audio recordings and photographs of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Eric Von Schmidt, inspiring new performances by many of Club 47's original stars, as well as fresh songs from today's young folk performers -- proving that folk music never stops evolving Starring: Scott Alarik, Taj Mahal, Joan Baez, Geoff Muldaur, Banana, Maria Muldaur, Joyce Chopra, Ellis Paul, Judy Collins, Jim Rooney, John Byrne, Cooke, Peter Rowan, Debbie Green, Tom Rush, Carolyn Hester, Betsy Siggins, Jim Kweskin, Bob Siggins, Everett Lilly, Jon Taplin, Everett Alan Lilly, Elijah Wald, Byron Linardos, and Jackie Washington Landrón And featuring performances by: Judy Collins, Hayley Reardon, Antje Duvekot, Jim Rooney, Meg Hutchinson, Peter Rowan, The Jim Kweskin, Jug Band, Tom Rush, Geoff Muldaur, Jackie Washington Landrón, and Ellis Paul With never-before released recordings of: Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, Geoff Muldaur, Maria Muldaur, and Mel Lyman Read More Bob Dylan I attended a Bob Dylan tribute event last night at the Red Stag Supper Club, in Minneapolis. The event was also a listening party for Dylan's 33rd studio album …

I just saw a terrific documentary on Club 47 called For the Love of the Music: the Club 47 Folk Revival.

In any good documentary, there is usually a focus and it tries to show the viewing audience why the subject is important, and that's what For the Love of the Music: the Club 47 Folk Revival delivered.

Currently, the venue is called Club Passim and it's located in the Harvard Square area of Cambridge, Massachusetts... however originally, in 1958 it was called Club 47, based on its address of 47 Mount Auburn Street. I wasn't familiar with this historic folk music venue, but having watched For the Love of the Music: the Club 47 Folk Revival, I had a full understanding of the important role the venue played in the great folk music revival of the 60s.

What the directors/producers (Todd Kwait and Rob Stegman) got right was tracking down the important people involved in Club 47, including Joyce Chopra (who co-founded Club 47) and Betsy Siggins (served as Executive Director for many years). Some key figures like Paula Kelley (co-founder) could not be tracked down and author Eric Von Schmidt (who documented the Cambridge folk scene with Jim Rooney in their book Baby, Let Me Follow You Down: The Illustrated Story of the Cambridge Folk Years) passed away in 2007.

The big moment in folk music (or as some people in the documentary called it, "old timey music") was when folk crossed over into mainstream. Artists like Bob Dylan and the Carpenters, etc., were finding themselves regularly in the charts, and in many ways thanks to Club 47 for booking these type of folk rock musicians. While similar artists like Suzanne Vega and Joni Mitchell were welcomed with open arms by the venue, the Lovin' Spoonful and Bruce Springsteen were not.

Anyway, in between the narrative by Peter Coyote and interviews with various folk singer/songwriters and music historians, were some great live footage of folk musicians. The music didn't go too long and used sparingly, except for the final section of the documentary which featured a full song "Stand Together" by Hayley Reardon, showcasing the 'next generation' of folk musicians.

Soundtrack Kingswood Records

If you have a passion for folk music, the new documentary For the Love of the Music: the Club 47 Folk Revival is a must-see for you... whether you are from that generation or this generation, it's worth understanding the significance of Club 47. The DVD (or Blu-Ray) came out May 13th, and also available is the companion soundtrack, featuring full audio tracks by Tom Rush, Jack Landrón, Peter Rowan, Red Heart The Ticker, Tripping Lily, and many others.

Joyce Chopra

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

Minneapolis Music Guide: June 1 - June 7, 2014

Here is a guide of some Minneapolis (and Saint Paul) live shows and events taking place next week: June 1 - June 7.

Greetings from St. Paul and the Broken Bones Read More News: St. Paul and the Broken Bones Half The City, the debut album from powerhouse soul septet St. Paul & The Broken Bones has moved up to #56 on the Billboard Top 200, selling 6,185 copies this past week on the heels of their NPR …

SUNDAY, JUNE 1
VARSITY THEATER
St. Paul and the Broken Bones

They may look like the company photo of your accountants or law team, but underneath that façade, St. Paul and the Broken Bones soulfully proves you can’t judge a book by its cover.

The seven-piece Birmingham, AL band formed just two years ago, and has been gathering increasing buzz with a retro-soul sound that harkens back to the honest and pure songs of the 1960’s Staxx and Atlantic Records catalogs. Vocalist Paul Janeway sounds at times like vintage Otis Redding and leads the rising band that unfortunately has no connection to St Paul, MN, though does play across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis (now sold out), as one of the stops on its summer tour in support of their debut full-length, Half the City (Single Lock Records).

St Paul and the Broken Bones Tour Dates:

05/29/14 Nelsonville Music Festival
05/30/14 Evanston, IL SPACE
05/31/14 Milwaukee, WI Shank Hall
06/01/14 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
06/03/14 Kansas City, MO The Record Bar
06/05/14 Wakarusa Festival
06/06/14 Ozark, AR Mulberry Mountain
06/13/14 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
06/18/14 Wilmington, NC Ziggy's By The Sea
06/19/14 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
06/20/14 Richmond, VA Brown's Island
06/24/14 Los Angeles, CA El Rey Theatre
06/28/14 Meadow Lark Festival
06/29/14 Mountain Stage Radio Show
07/12/14 Master Musicians Festival
07/18/14 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
07/27/14 Interstellar Rodeo
07/30/14 Mankato, MN Vetter Amphitheater
08/10/14 Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center Plaza
08/24/14 Southern Brewers Festival
10/25/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium

Conor Oberst at First Avenue Read More Conor Oberst Surely you remember Conor Oberst (aka Bright Eyes)? His Nebraska 5-piece band Desaparecidos is heading out on tour. They also have a new 7" single "Te Amo Camila Vallejo" …

MONDAY, JUNE 2
FIRST AVENUE
Conor Oberst w/ Dawes

Bright Eyes, brighter future.

Omaha singer-songwriter Conor Oberst is back on the road, with an acclaimed new solo album, Upside Down Mountain (Nonesuch Records), a Laurel Canyon inspired release co-produced by Jonathan Wilson and is bringing California band Dawes with him, that act both as opener and as Oberst’s backing band. A return to his earlier, more personal approach to songwriting, expect the prolific songsmith to pepper older Bright Eyes and Mystic Valley Band songs into his set, as well as the more recent solo work.

Dawes, the California foursome that considers Minneapolis as its strongest market, is still in support of its latest, Stories Don’t End (Red/Hub Records), and will no doubt add extra ‘oomph’ to Oberst’s songs, as well as an hour-long set of their own blend of folk/Americana, for a ‘can’t miss’ show.

Conor Oberst US Tour Dates:

05/29/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
05/30/14 Chicago, IL Metro / Smart Bar
05/31/14 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater
06/01/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/02/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/04/14 Omaha, NE Sokol Auditorium
06/05/14 Columbia, MO The Blue Note
06/06/14 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium
06/07/14 Lexington, KY Buster's
07/02/14 Kansas City, MO The Crossroads
07/03/14 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck
07/04/14 80/35 Festival
07/27/14 Newport Folk Festival
07/29/14 Central Park Summerstage
07/31/14 Grand Rapids, MI Frederik Meijer Gardens
08/01/14 Cooperstown, NY Brewery Ommegang
09/14/14 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden
09/16/14 Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
09/18/14 Tulsa, OK Cain's Ballroom
09/19/14 Houston, TX House Of Blues
09/20/14 Austin, TX Stubb's Bar-B-Q
09/21/14 Dallas, TX Strauss Square
09/23/14 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theatre
09/24/14 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen
09/25/14 Bellvue, CO Mishawaka Amphitheatre
09/27/14 Boise, ID Knitting Factory Concert House
09/28/14 Knitting Factory Concert House
09/30/14 Seattle, WA The Showbox
10/01/14 Portland, OR McMenamins Crystal Ballroom
10/05/14 Los Angeles, CA Greek Theatre

Band of Skulls Tour Read More Band of Skulls Band of Skulls will be releasing their second album, Sweet Sour exclusively on iTunes on February 7th via Electric Blues Recordings (under license in the U.S. to Vagrant Records). The digital version will include a bonus track …

TUESDAY, JUNE 3
FIRST AVENUE
Band of Skulls w/ Deap Vally

These are the kind of “Nightmares” you want to embrace.

English trio Band of Skulls is on the road in support of its third full-length, Himalayan (Psycollective/Kobalt Records) and its current single, ‘Nightmares’. The new album curiously also features a song titled, ‘I Feel Like Ten Men, Nine Dead and One Dying’ inspired by a phrase from guitarist Russell Marsden’s grandfather, and another called ‘Toreador’, inspired by Ernest Hemingway’s 1932 novel Death In The Afternoon.

The epic-invoking name of the new album’s title, (which was helmed by legendary producer Nick Launay [INXS, The Cribs, Midnight Oil, Nick Cave]), raises the bar of expectations in terms of the band’s live performance. The trio also just performed a special show with a string quartet in Los Angeles, but expect more rocking for the remainder of their tour dates.

Band of Skulls North American Tour Dates:

05/28/14 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
05/29/14 Victoria, BC Sugar Nightclub
05/31/14 Calgary, AB Commonwealth Bar & Stage
06/01/14 Edmonton, AB Union Hall
06/03/14 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
06/05/14 Chicago, IL Park West
06/06/14 Detroit, MI St. Andrews Hall
06/07/14 Columbus, OH Newport Music Hall
06/09/14 Louisville, KY Headliners Music Hall
06/10/14 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
06/11/14 Lawrence, KS Granada Theatre

SpringCon 2014 re-cap / Minneapolis Comic Wars aftermath

W♥M216: Comic Book Summer (36 mins) Read More Comic Books Just two weekends after the first-ever Wizard Minneapolis Comic Con, the 26th Annual MCBA SpringCon Comic Book Celebration takes place this Saturday and Sunday at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds …

When the 26^th annual SpringCon ended over the previous weekend and the dust settled, it became the largest attended in the group’s history and ended the so-called Minneapolis Comic Convention Wars with a “win-win” outcome.

SpringCon, brought to life by the all-volunteer Midwest Comic Book Association, faced some additional pressure and competition after Wizard World Minneapolis, the area’s inaugural pop culture convention, came to town for the first time, scheduling itself just two weekends prior to the homegrown, more comic book-focused show.  Boasting over 100,000 square feet of floor space and more than 250 creators in attendance, Saturday’s headcount on a balmy warm weather day set a record, with Sunday staying fairly active as well.

Longtime supporting creators and regional dealers all attended SpringCon to show their backing of the local show and had a (mostly) ‘silent embargo’ against attending the larger Wizard World Minneapolis, which was conspicuously scheduled over Free Comic Book Day; an industry event now in its 12^th year, that supports local retailers and encourages new readers with a bevy of free offerings and associated promotions available at your local comic book shop.

Dan Jurgens, Adam Hughes, Bill Willingham, Jeff Parker, Steve Lieber, and others, were among the marquee guests at SpringCon, which also included panel discussions, a cosplay costume contest, and charity art auction, with all proceeds going to the Lupus Foundation and industry-supported Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Ecto-1

The move by the MCBA in 2010 to shift their two-day event from the Fall to the Spring, has had both good and bad effects as a result.  Weather in Minnesota in mid-May (vs. mid-October) is generally good, with people eager to get out and find events to attend, after what’s usually a harsh winter.  The main downside of scheduling in mid-May is that it is at a peak of Convention season, with many other large shows happening that weekend or in close proximity-to, making securing more A-list guests and larger national dealers, much harder to accomplish.

In the end, both conventions were successful in terms of the promoters’ expectations and so much so, that 2015 has already been scheduled by both sides within again, the same two weekends of each other.  The MCBA returns before that though, with its “one day wonder”, FallCon, scheduled for Saturday October 4^th in a smaller building in the State Fairgrounds.

Some suggestions to make both shows better and here’s to another battle brewing in May 2015:

Wizard World Minneapolis-

1. Re-schedule Your Date- a different month/weekend would not as directly compete with local show SpringCon and would not be over Free Comic Book Day weekend—this would free up more disposable income for spending fans, make the calendar more bearable in terms of events, and not alienate every retailer that counts on FCBD weekend as their best-selling event of the year.  
   
   
2. Re-establish yourself as a more comic book-centric convention – while wrestlers and TV stars appearing are somewhat interesting, a lack of overall comic book creators and dealers in this first year, hurt the show’s core audience.  Comic book talent that did appear at Wizard World Minneapolis were contracted to appear at several national shows by the company, and unfortunately did not draw much activity. 
   
   
3. Embrace the local fan community – known more for its predatory tactics, Wizard World should actively reach out to the local fanbase and better support the pop culture its show brings, to create more of a camaraderie with area fans, instead of the impression that the industry’s 800lb. gorilla is coming to town, to bury the longtime local show. 
   
   

MCBA SpringCon/FallCon-

1. Use the competition aspect to attract more star creator guests – Heroes Con in NC is a marvelous example of a homegrown fan-friendly convention that attracts a multitude of top flight creators.  When Wizard moved into that area with its own show, creators and fans rallied to insure Heroes Con would flourish and the show and its reputation, has grown exponentially ever since.
   
   
2. Better highlight the show’s overall value - $12 for two days ($11 w/food donation) is an absolute steal in terms of rising prices, especially when compared with more national multi-media shows (Wizard and others) which can be $50-100 per day at the door. The overall nature of this local show, allows creators to be met in a one-on-one and relaxed manner that the major shows can’t offer.  The charity art auction is not only for a good cause, but often means that a unique piece of original artwork can be had for a fraction of its true worth.
   
   
3. Bring more old/new talent to town – While the larger shows only seem interested in the ‘hottest’ creators of the moment, MCBA has had a history of uniquely bringing more old and new creators to town, and needs to do more of this.  Older comic veterans like Joe Staton, Rich Buckler, Ernie Chan, and Silver Age legend Russ Health have all graced the show, as well as early appearances by then up-and-comers Michael Turner and Frank Cho among others. The show needs to re-dedicate itself to booking more of the old and new, that rarely appear elsewhere, to attract more out-of-area attendees.
   
   

SpringCon, Minnesota State Fairgrounds (17-18 May 2014)

john () ♥ weheartmusic.com

An Unexpected Journey: Chelsea Wolfe and Eels at the Fitzgerald Theater 5/25/14

Tour Dates 05/28 Montreal, QC Virgin Mobile Corona* 05/29 Boston, MA Berklee Performance* 05/30 Philadelphia, PA Keswick Theatre* 05/31 Washington, DC Lincoln Theater* 06/01 New York, NY Apollo Theater* 06/03 Detroit, MI Royal Oak* 06/04 Madison, WI Barrymore Theater* 06/07 Seattle, WA Moore Theater* 06/08 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater* 06/10 San Francisco, CA Palace of Fine Arts* 06/11 Los Angeles, CA Orpheum Theater* 06/15 Oxford, UK New Theatre 06/16 Manchester, UK Bridgewater Hall 06/17 Glasgow, UK Academy 06/18 Cambridge, UK Corn Exchange 06/19 Bexhill, UK De La Warr Pavillion 06/21 Linz, Austria Posthof 06/22 Vienna, Austria Konzerthaus 06/24 Berlin, Germany Tempodrome 06/25 Amsterdam Het Koninklijk 06/26 Amsterdam Het Koninklijk 06/27 Rottendam Concertgebouw De Doelen 06/28 Eindhoven Naked Song Festival 06/30 London, UK Royal Albert Hall 07/01 Dublin, Ireland Olympia 07/02 Dublin, Ireland Olympia 07/04 Werchter Festival 07/05 Groningen Stadsschouwburg 07/06 Montreux Montreux Jazz Festival 07/07 Zurick, Switzerland Kongress Haus 07/08 Luxembourg Grand Theatre 07/10 Paris, France Days Off Festival 07/11 Toulouse, France Bikini * Chelsea Wolfe opening Read More Eels Today marks the release of the Eels’ album The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett. This is the band’s 11th full length record in 18 years, since first hitting the alternative music scene with 1996’s Beautiful Freak. … Chelsea Wolfe So starting sharply at 7:30pm was Chelsea Wolfe. Wolfe's band played in complete darkness for about half a minute before Wolfe made her grand entrance.…

On Sunday, St. Paul’s gorgeous Fitzgerald Theater played host to a lovely and unforgettable night of music with ethereal opener Chelsea Wolfe, headliner Eels and one very special guest.

As soon as Sacramento-native Chelsea Wolfe stepped out on stage, she immediately conjured up some supple darkness with her mysterious, almost tribal music. It’s an intoxicating combination of folk and goth with Wolfe’s vocals invoking elements of Bjork. I caught Chelsea Wolfe a few weeks earlier, opening for high desert rockers Queens of the Stone Age and, sadly, her set was swallowed up by the Roy Wilkins’ unforgiving walls. Thankfully, the Fitzgerald boasts a superior sound system and Wolfe, accompanied by a keyboardist and violinist/backup vocalist, were really able to shine. Most of her songs feel very ominous, but tunes like “We Hit a Wall” from her most recent album Pain is Beauty saw her wailing mournfully over a drum machine beat, echo-y guitar and the sad, sinuous hum of the violin. It’s both meditative and beautifully unsettling.

A curtain of tiny, white twinkle lights acted as the backdrop for an already intimate-feeling stage. It was a cozy arrangement of instruments underneath dimmed stage lights made cozier by the band themselves. Eels mastermind Mark Oliver Everett (also known as E) and his whimsically named bandmates Knuckles (drums), Upright Al (upright bass), P-Boo (trumpet and guitar) and Everett’s right hand man The Chet (playing guitar and the “sad machine,” pedal steel guitar) received rapturous applause as they walked on stage. Everett set up at the piano and the band eased into “Where I’m At,” the first track of the brand new Eels record The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, followed by a sweet rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “The Morning,” from 2010’s Tomorrow Morning. “It’s good to be back in Lake Wobegon!” Everett declared before warning us that he was taking us on a journey. “A bummer journey.”

The new songs sounded phenomenal; somber meditations “Lockdown Hurricane,” “Gentlemen’s Choice,” next to the quicker tempoed, revelation-filled “Where I’m From,” “Mistakes of My Youth” and “Where I’m Going.” My favorite song off the new album, “Parallels,” was stunning, utilizing that powerful, soul-penetrating pedal steel and encouraging the waterworks in me much sooner than I anticipated.

Everett sounded fantastic; his voice was the right amount of gruff and croon. He’s an easy going and charming performer. And while the band kept the music coming at a steady pace, Everett talked to and joked with the audience in his very dry way. Noticing four empty seats at the front of the stage, Everett suggested that they be filled by any “cute girls,” noting, “I’m available, you know.” It didn’t take long for the seats to be taken (in the balcony, there was quite a lot of excitement with a handful of women scrambling down the stairs to claim the coveted seats), but not before a brave gentleman tried his luck. Everett saw him and simply said, “No.”

A spritely block of classic Eels made up the second half including “A Daisy Through Concrete,” “Grace Kelly Blues,” and fan-favorite “I Like Birds” from 2000’s Daisies of the Galaxy. A loungy take on Beautiful Freak’s “My Beloved Monster” (no one reimagines his own tunes quite like Everett!) was preceded by a song that feels like true love and smells like spring, “Fresh Feeling” off of 2001’s Souljacker. Knuckles worked the shaker in one hand while keeping time on the drums with the other as Upright Al showcased that sweet, low throb of his upright bass. Later, during the first encore’s “I Like The Way This is Going,” he took a bow to his bass and, as my concert companion pointed out, made it sound like a whole other instrument.

Following “Where I’m Going” was the first of THREE encores, a fan’s dream come true: “I Like The Way This is Going,” delicate lullaby “Blinking Lights (For Me)” and “Last Stop: This Town” in which Knuckles whipped out the sleigh bells and showered the theater in melodious chime. For the second encore, Everett came back out solo, sat down at the piano and dedicated a playfully tender cover of “I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You” to “the nineteen girls I’ve hugged tonight.” And, surely in an effort to make me swoon, the band closed with Harry Nilsson’s “Turn On Your Radio.” Nice. Cue the vapors.

Throughout the course of the night, Everett had been dropping little hints about what was to come later on. He kept making references to journeys, saying something like “It’s not the destination, it’s the journey.” I thought that he was just commenting on the nature of the new album and the theme of the performance. When the band came out for a third and final time, people were anticipating some kind of special guest (my guess was Bob Dylan), but I don’t think anyone could have predicted who would grace that stage. After a brief intro about “you’ve heard him on the radio, probably several times already today,” Everett introduced none other than Steve Perry, the powerhouse vocalist formerly of Journey. There was a moment of confusion and disbelief and then as Perry confidently strode out to join the band for an incredible version of “It’s a Motherfucker,” the floodgates just tore open and the theater exploded. Even the ushers were freaking out! Perry confessed that he loved the song and joked that Eels never perform any Journey songs. Everett challenged, “We were just waiting for you!”

Challenge accepted! What came next was nothing short of magic - Eels kicked into two Journey hits, “Open Arms” and my very favorite Journey song, “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’.” There are videos on Youtube of this absolutely spectacular performance and anyone who is a fan of either band needs to watch them. Perry has been out of the spotlight for nearly two decades, living quietly in California, keeping that golden voice of his under wraps. And let me tell you, it’s a voice that still soars and pierces. It effortlessly filled every corner of the Fitzgerald theater and raised all the little hairs on every person’s arms. When the “Na-na-na-na-na” part of “Lovin’” came around, the crowd, drunk with giddiness, aided Perry and a massive sing-along ensued. Maybe it’s because I was sitting up on the balcony, but I swear the building gently lifted off the ground and levitated. Oh, the power of music.

Eels (with Steve Perry) at the Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul (25 May 2014

emily () ♥ weheartmusic.com

PlayStation 4

PlayStation 4 Box Description PlayStation®4: The Best Place to Play™ The PlayStation®4 system opens the door to an incredible journey through immersive new gaming worlds and a deeply connected gaming community. PS4™ puts gamers first with an astounding launch lineup and over 180 games in development. Play amazing top-tier blockbusters and innovative indie hits on PS4™. Developer Inspired, Gamer Focus. PlayStation®4. Greatness Awaits™ Read More PlayStation 4 My friends know that I am interested in the gaming consoles, so with the new PS4 and Xbox One coming out this holiday, I'm looking to buy one or the other. I've made up my mind already, but if you're not so hip …

I couldn't wait, that's just the story of my life.

I was going to wait until Sony update their PlayStation 4 (PS4) to support video playback and DLNA, but when they released Wolfenstein: The New Order, I had to play it on the 'next-gen' console... so I saw it in stores and bought it.

I've had a full 24 hours with the PS4 and I'll address the three biggest disappointment in this new system:

(1) Lack of Games: There aren't any games worth playing on the PS4. Trust me when I tell you that I have downloaded all of Sony's PS4 demos, which I can count the numbers on my hand. I'll have to look closer at the retail stores, I will likely pick up Bound by Flames, but I've read terrible reviews on it... so I'm still on the fence about it.

(2) No Media Support: While the PS3 is pretty awesome about playing back your local video files via USB, CD-Rom, or DLNA, the PS4 does not currently support video file playback. It is not able to read USB, it does not recognize a CD Data disc, and it doesn't know what DLNA is. This is incredibly lame, especially because I know the Xbox and PS3 can easily play back your local media.

(3) No YouTube App: There is no YouTube app on the PS4. To be fair, the YouTube app appeared on the PS3 very late in its life cycle, but that was the one 'killer app' that I love on the PS3. I used the YouTube app all the time, so it felt like the PS4 is missing such a key feature (at least for me). Fortunately, there is a workaround by accessing YouTube via the PS4 Browser using the link: youtube.com/tv.

Yeah, I understand that many of these problems I have will be addressed in future updates, but come on, it's been six months already.

PS4's one saving grace is that it's much faster than its predecessor. It's quite noticeable when you switch application or launch application. Applications like Crackle and the music video Vidzone launches almost instantly and videos look better (at least to my eyes). Plus games runs smoother. Load time seems faster, but not completely gone. Game updates are done in the background (while you play!). This is important because it addressed a problem I had with the old PS3: when I start a game and there is a update, I will have to wait for the system to download and install the update before I play. Sometime the download is so large that I just give up and not start the game.

On Xbox news, Microsoft will be selling a Kinect-less system for the same price as the PS4 ($399) in June. They are also going to allow its users to play YouTube and Netflix without having to pay Microsoft another $80 a year for Gold Membership. That's about time, MS, unfortunately it's too little, too late, in my opinion. Xbox One also need to do something about their games can only play at 720p vs PS4's ability to play games at full 1080p.

However, if PS4 doesn't do anything to update their media playback, then come June when Xbox One's pricing is more competitive (and changing their Xbox Gold structure and working closer with developers to get games at 1080p), it will be hard to recommend the PS4.

If you are looking for a media machine, I still recommend last generation's PS3 - it will do everything that the PS4 cannot... for even less money. If you are just looking for a gaming machine, then the PS4 may be for you (even though there aren't any games for the system at the moment). The PS4 is the number one selling next-gen system, which probably mean that developers will be interested in producing games for this system.

PROS Controller is awesome, with triggers Controller charges even when console is turned off 1080p gameplay Powerful hardware Not an Xbox Multitasking (cannot run two games at the same time, but can run multiple apps and games in suspension mode). Social sharing / Facebook / Twitch integration (I'm not interested in this, but many young gamers love showing off their gaming videos) Easy to upgrade the default 500GB drive Supports SSD (user upgrade)

CONS Cannot turn off controller's lightbar Not backward compatible No Remote Controller No MP4, MP3, AVI, media support No CD-R support No USB support Did not try external HD, but I believe this is not supported either if it fails to recognize a USB No YouTube App Online gaming requires PlayStation Plus Lack of games to showoff PS4's power

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