Minneapolis: May 14 - May 16, 2015

Read More Dan Deacon I've already spotlighted Dan Deacon and his America album, so I'll just quickly mention that he's got an app on iTunes and Android. Apparently, during the show .... Prince Rama I've previously mentioned that Prince Rama were two real-life sisters, Taraka and Nimai Larson. The big news for this Brooklyn-based band is that they just released their album, Top Ten Hits ....

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area for May 14 to May 16, 2015.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

DAN DEACON w/ Prince Rama
at Cedar Cultural Center
Thursday 05/14/15, 7pm ($15)
thecedar.org

Maryland's Dan Deacon is back in Minneapolis next week, May 14th. We last saw him with Arcade Fire at Target Center in 2014, which John wrote:

Dan Deacon, known for his crowd-interactive DJ sessions followed, involving the entire general admission floor into a dance circle and contest, including a giant-headed masked Win Butler, who was shaking and moving with the pack on the floor.

Sister act Prince Rama (Taraka Larson and Nimai Larson) set to open the show. We haven't heard from them since the Top Ten Hits Of The End Of The World album in 2012.

Tour dates:

05-07 Vancouver, BC - Electric Owl
05-08 Seattle, WA - Neumos
05-09 Boise, ID - The Shredder
05-10 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
05-12 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theater
05-13 Omaha, NE - The Slowdown
05-14 Minneapolis, MN - Cedar Cultural Center
05-15 Madison, WI- High Noon Saloon
05-16 Chicago, IL- Thalia Hall
05-17 Louisville, KY - Zanzabar
05-19 Detroit, MI - Magic Stick
05-20 Toronto, ON - Phoenix Concert Theatre
05-21 Montreal, QC - Theatre Fairmount
05-22 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw
05-23 Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall

Read More Stephin Merritt Be warned: you may be slightly discomforted at the sounds of the deep, deep vocals of Stephin Merritt. I am still not entirely used to his singing style. .... Owen Ashworth Owen Ashworth, the bearded electro-troubadour behind Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, made sure the audience at the Mercury Lounge knew he was not quitting music. ....

STEPHIN MERRITT
at Cedar Cultural Center
Friday 05/15/15, 7pm ($25)
thecedar.org

Sadly, we noticed Stephin Merritt was absent at Future Bible Heroes' shows in Los Angeles (08 July 2013) and Minneapolis (16 July 2013). It has lead me to believe that Merritt is a bit of a recluse... so imagine my surprise to learn that Merritt is right in the middle of a rare US solo tour!

For this tour, Merritt will perform exactly 26 songs with each song title starting with a different letter of the alphabet and running in alphabetical order. Quick, what "X" song has Magnetic Fields done? How amazing is that? Merritt is such a genius, he can do no wrong.

Advance Base, aka Owen Ashworth (previously known as Casiotone for the Painfully Alone), has been confirmed to open the show.

Randomly: Ryan and I had a great time talking about the Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs in our 69-minute podcast, you should listen.

Tour dates:

05/08 Masonic Lodge - Los Angeles, CA
05/09 Masonic Lodge - Los Angeles, CA
05/10 Independent - San Francisco, CA
05/12 Aladdin Theatre - Portland, OR
05/13 Nordstrom Recital Hall - Seattle, WA
05/15 Cedar Cultural Center - Minneapolis, MN
05/16 Wexner Center for the Arts - Columbus, OH
06/09 Sinclair - Cambridge, MA
06/24 Spiegeltent - Annandale on Hudson, NY

Read More Kodaline Kodaline then took the stage (amid the rabid screams of “marry me!” from the all-too-faithful) for a sweeping 75 min. set that already had most of the crowd in their corner before a single note was played. ...

KODALINE w/ Gavin James
at Varsity Theater
Saturday 05/16/15, 6:30pm ($20/Sold Out)
varsitytheater.org

I believe every time Irish rock band Kodaline played in Minnesota, they have sold out all their shows. We've been covering the band since they started coming here... even scheduling in to see them last October, but unfortunately, due to the bassist's arm injury, they had to cancel their tour.

Now the band is back, rescheduled the show at the Varsity Theater next Saturday... and, of course, it is sold out.

The group is back in tour in support of their sophomore album Coming Up For Air, out now via RCA Records.

Dublin's Gavin James set to open the show. James (recently signed to Capitol US/Good Solider for Europe) released his latest single "The Book of Love", which reached #1 in Ireland, Top 10 in Holland, etc. Be sure to show up early to catch this up-and-coming 22-year-old songwriter.

Tour dates:

05/08 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom
05/09 Seattle, WA Neptune
05/10 Vancouver, BC Commodore Ballroom
05/12 Calgary, AB Flames Central
05/13 Edmonton, AB Starlite Room
05/15 Winnipeg, MB Pyramid Cabaret
05/16 Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
05/18 Chicago, IL House of Blues
05/19 Columbus, OH Newport

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