W♥M (Archive)

W♥M246: Keep Calm and Ringo Deathstarr

W♥M246: Keep Calm... (80 mins) Read More Ringo Deathstarr Ringo Deathstarr just announced their new EP called God's Dream, coming out March 25, 2014, on Neon Sigh / Noyes Records. Leading up to the release, expect the shoegazey … Babes in Toyland Since I love all-things Riot Grrrls, naturally I wanted to check out Babes in Toyland live. A little trivia, but the legendary Minneapolis band actually fired bassist Courtney Love in 1987. She, of course … Kitten Forever Third on the list is Minneapolis' own Kitten Forever, the riot trio features Corrie Harrigan, Laura Larson, and Liz Elton. … David Bowie 2016: PJ Harvey to release new album in spring 2016 New David Bowie album in early January … Glenn Frey Eagles found Glenn Frey passed away on January 18th. We first heard about it on social media and TMZ, but the band (including Don Henley) made it official and issued the statement on … Black We have just learned that Black (real name Colin Vearncombe) has recently died at the age of 53 on January 26th (today). He was previously placed in a medically-induced coma at the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital … Jefferson Starship The current Jefferson Starship (from the ashes of Jefferson Airplane) is led by co-founder Paul Kantner... and not to be confused with Starship (Mickey Thomas) ... .…

Emily and Vu from We Heart Music!

Babes in Toyland:

Babes in Toyland’s homecoming show at First Avenue (30 Jan 2016).

Opener Kitten Forever was a good fit for Babes.

Babe’s new bassist is Clara Salyer, from Whatever Forever, Prissy Clerks, Royal Brat and Total Babe.

Drama with Babe’s ex-bassist Maureen Herman and the reason why she’s not in the band.

Who’s Who in the audience at the Minneapolis show: Bruise Violet (band’s name is inspired by a Babes song), Stereo Confession, Arzu (from Pink Mink), etc.

Upcoming Shows:

Tongue Party (not Tom Hardy) at the Hexagon Bar (09 February 2016)

Diane Coffee (from Foxygen) at 7th Street Entry (14 February 2016)

Merchandise:

Coolest merch: handknit CD cozy by Kelly Deal of R. Ring for one of their singles.

Coolest merch: “Tom’s Diner” coffee mug from Suzanne Vega.

What Vu will buy: 7” singles and patches ($7 or less).

What Emily will buy: buttons and stickers.

T-Shirts must have cool designs.

Ash is still selling the same T-Shirts (“Rebel Scum” shirts) from 2002!

This Year in Death:

Death! Death! Death!! This is a bad year for musicians... and it’s only 31 days in! For a complete list, head over to Musicians Who Died in 2016.

Craig Strickland (from Backroad Anthem) died on a duck hunt, body found on 04 January 2016.

David Bowie is a master genius! He planned for it all, after learning about his cancer about a year ago. When his death was announced on 10 January 2016, his entire music catalogue went up the streaming charts and landed his latest Blackstar at the #1 on the USA charts!

Glenn Frey, from The Eages, wrote some of the best-selling and most memorable Eagles songs, including “Hotel California” and “Take It Easy”. He died on January 18th, just a week after Bowie’s death.

Glenn Frey, from The Eages, wrote some of the best-selling and most memorable Eagles songs, including “Hotel California” and “Take It Easy”. He died on January 18th, just a week after Bowie’s death.

Black (Colin Vearncombe), famous in the UK, died from a traffic accident at the age of 53.

Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner and Signe Toly Anderson, both died on 28 January 2016. NOTE: Jefferson Starship and Starship are two different bands (both came from Jefferson Airplane).

Song of the Show:

"Guilt" by Ringo Deathstarr

Ringo Deathstarr is on tour:

13 Feb Satellite Bar Houston, TX 18 Feb Lowbrow Palace El Paso, TX 19 Feb Rebel Lounge Phoenix, AZ 20 Feb Slide Bar Fullerton, CA 21 Feb Los Angeles CA 22 Feb Soda Bar San Diego, CA 23 Feb Third Space Art Collective - Davis, CA 24 Feb San Francisco CA

25 Feb Star Theater Portland Portland, OR 26 Feb Hindenburg Vancouver, BC, Canada 27 Feb Sunset Tavern Seattle, WA 29 Feb Salt Lake City UT 01 Mar Hi-Dive Denver Denver, CO 02 Mar Reverb Lounge Omaha, NE 03 Mar Turf Club, St Paul, MN 04 Mar Chicago, IL 05 Mar Canal Public House Dayton, OH

BONUS: Bands who stole their name: Gnarls Barkley (Charles Barkley), Joanna Gruesome (Joanna Newsome), Hoody Allen (Woody Allen), Flint Eastwood (Clint Eastwood), Gringo Star/Ringo Deathstarr (Ringo Starr) ♥ Prince will sue you, don’t even think about it ♥ Sia prefer to sing in the background, in disguise/costumes ♥ Kim Fowley’s abusive handling of The Runaways ♥ Favorite David Bowie songs.

--
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Archive of this show at archive.org. More information on podomatic.com. Recording of this podcast was made possible by Skype, CallGraph, and Audacity.

W♥M245: We Can Be Heroes (05 January 2016) Vu, John W♥M244: 2015 (03 January 2016) Vu, John W♥M243: Reader Meet Author (21 December 2015) Vu, Emily W♥M242: Love Me (11 December 2015) Vu, John W♥M241: Hello (01 December 2015) Vu, John, Langen W♥M240: Ben Sollee and Mother Falcon (31 October 2015) Vu, John

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

Minneapolis: February 7 to February 9, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from February 7 to February 9, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Martin Courtney After capping off 2015 with a sold-out album release show at National Sawdust in Brooklyn, Martin Courtney is pleased to announce a 2016 East Coast tour ... Real Estate Next up, Psychedlic surf pop straight from the heart of the Garden State, courtesy of New Jersey’s very own Real Estate. Real Estate are a super group of sorts, proudly counting ex members of Ducktails, and Silver Futures amongst…

MARTIN COURTNEY
with EZTV
at 7th Street Entry
Sunday, 02/07/16, 8pm ($12/$15)
first-avenue.com

New York’s Martin Courtney (of Real Estate) will be in town in support of his critically acclaimed solo album Many Moons (Domino Records). The shows will feature his full band - Jarvis Taveniere of Woods, Matt Kallman of Real Estate, Doug Keith and Aaron Neveu.

Many Moons is available on CD, standard and limited edition LP. The limited edition LP (of 500) contains an alternate cover with an embossed jacket, featuring an artist logo designed by Robert Beatty and coke-bottle clear colored vinyl.

New York’s EZTV (not to be confused with the pirates EZTV or ETTV), to open.

Tour dates:

2/2+ - Philadelphia, PA - Boot and Saddle
2/3+ - Washington, DC - DC9
2/4+ - Columbus, OH - Ace of Cups
2/5+ - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop
2/6+ - Madison, WI - U of WI
2/7+ - Minneapolis, MN - 7th St. Entry
2/9+ - Chicago, IL - Schuba's
2/11+ - Detroit, MI - Majestic Cafe
2/12+ - Ithaca, NY - The Haunt
2/13+ - New York, NY - Baby's All Right
2/14+ - Boston, MA - Brighton Music Hall

*w/ Matt Kivel
+w/ EZTV

Read More Bora York Luckily, local dream-pop five-piece band Bora York jumped at the last-minute challenge, and opened the show with a short but satisfying set, in support of their latest ...

BORA YORK and MASS GOTHIC
with Mazed
at 7th Street Entry
Monday, 02/08/16, 7pm ($8/$10)
first-avenue.com

Massachusetts-bred, currently based in New York, Mass Gothic, will be stopping by Minneapolis in support of his forthcoming self-titled album, set for release on February 5, 2016, via Sub Pop Records.

Co-headliner of the night will be Bora York, who we previously saw with Kodaline in 2014.

Local Mazed to open.

Mass Gothic’s tour dates:

02/04/16 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda's
02/05/16 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop
02/06/16 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
02/08/16 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
02/11/16 Boise, ID Neurolux
02/12/16 Seattle, WA Columbia City Theatre
02/13/16 Portland, OR Bunk Bar
02/14/16 San Francisco, CA Rickshaw Stop
02/16/16 Los Angeles, CA Bootleg Theater
02/18/16 Denver, CO Lost Lake
02/19/16 Kansas City, MO The Riot Room
02/21/16 Louisville, KY Zanzabar
02/22/16 Cincinnati, OH Motr Pub
02/23/16 Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
02/25/16 Allston, MA Great Scott
02/26/16 Providence, RI Columbus Theater
02/27/16 Brooklyn, NY Palisades
03/10/16 Washington, DC Black Cat
03/11/16 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
03/12/16 Savannah Stopover

Read More Ancient Mariner Local band, by the way of Denver, Ancient Mariner started the evening off. The trio (Gabriel Jorgensen, Connor Davison, and Dan Stewart) played tracks from their In Solitude EP, but throwing in some new material, like "Brother" …

ANCIENT MARINER / VALLEY MAKER
with Savannah Smith
at Icehouse
Tuesday, 02/09/16, 9:30pm ($7)
icehousempls.com

Seattle's Valley Maker (singer-songwriter Austin Crane) is stopping by the Icehouse in Minneapolis, in support of his LP When I Was A Child (Brick Lane Records).

Spin called his record, “subtle, twanging strings and serene background noises convey a sense of a haunting warmness...”

Locals Ancient Mariner and Savannah Smith also on the bill. The two was previously on the same bill for Communion Minneapolis.

As usual with these Icehouse shows, the event starts really late (after business hours). First band is usually on at 10pm.

Valley Maker’s solo Midwest tour:

2/8: Davenport, IA @ Village Theatre
2/9: Minneapolis, MN @ Icehouse
2/10: Peoria, IL @ Midnight Espresso
2/11: Chicago, IL @ The Hideout
2/12 - St. Louis, MO @ Sugarfire Pie
2/13 - Indianapolis, IN @ Living Room Show*
2/15 - Cincinnati, OH @ The Comet
2/16 - Louisville, KY @ Living Room Show*

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

Minneapolis: February 6, 2016

Read More Lizzo Lizzo, The Grrrl Prty hip-hopper considered Rock the Garden a “some day” gig and was honored to open the event. We last saw her showing her impressive soul chops ...

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area on February 6, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

LIZZO
featuring DJ Sophia Eris
at First Avenue
Saturday, 02/06/16, 8pm ($20)
first-avenue.com

We’re very proud of local Lizzo making it “big” outside of Minneapolis. The grrrl recently premiered her single/music video for "Humanize" Video on the Guardian. Her album Big GRRRL Small World is out now on BGSW.

DJ Sophia Eris is listed to open. If the name sounds familiar, she’s with Grrrl Prty. Although only Eris is listed, in typical homecoming shows like this, expect an all-star guest appearance by other Grrrl, including DJ Shannon Blowtorch, etc.

Tour dates:

Feb 06 - First Avenue - Minneapolis
Feb 13 - MojaMoja Brunch - Los Angeles, CA
Feb 17 - Daytrotter Downs - Davenport, IA
Feb 18 - Subterranean - Chicago, IL ^
Feb 19 - Majestic Theatre - Madison, WI ^
Feb 20 - Turner Hall Ballroom - Milwaukee, WI ^
May 20 - 22 - Hangout Music - Gulf Shores, AL
May 27- 29 - Boston Calling Music - Boston, MA
Jun 09 - 12 - Bonnaroo - Manchester, TN

^ w/ Cavanaugh

Read More Wet I'll be honest, I'm not fond of the name Wet (not to be confused with hard rockers W.E.T.), the same uneasy feeling I get when I hear Moist or Pubes... which I'm sure are all …

WET
with Kelsey Lu
at 7th Street Entry
Saturday, 02/06/16, 8pm ($13/$15/Sold Out)
first-avenue.com

I’ve previously confessed to not liking the name Wet (not to be confused with hard rockers W.E.T.), but obviously that didn’t matter because the band has practically sold out their entire US tour.

The trio was previously in Minneapolis at the 7th Street Entry in 2014, after supporting Sohn, but the 2016 tour is officially their first headlining tour.

Look for their debut album Don’t You in stores today (January 29th) via Columbia Records.

Wet's new single "All The Ways" premiered on Apple Music's Beats 1 'World First' with Zane Lowe and can be streamed now on Apple Music, Spotify and Vevo.

Cellist, now singer/songwriter, Kelsey Lu to open the show.

Tour dates:

1/29 - Rough Trade - Brooklyn, NY
1/30 - Boot & Saddle - Philadelphia, PA
2/01 - The Sinclair - Cambridge, MA
2/02 - Le Ritz PDB - Montreal, QC
2/03 - The Drake Hotel - Toronto, ON
2/05 - Schubas Tavern - Chicago, IL
2/06 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
2/09 - Barboza - Seattle, WA
2/10 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC
2/12 - Mississippi Studios - Portland, OR
2/14 - The Independent - San Francisco, CA
2/15 - The Lyric - Los Angeles, CA
2/16 - The Echo - Los Angeles, CA
5/16-5/19 - Firefly Music Festival - Dover, DE

Read More Caspian Caspian's performance on Thursday night at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis was one that affirmed the group's stance within the instrumental rock world as a force … O'Brother O Brother, where are thou? Why, they’re on tour, opening along with Big Business, for The Sword. An Atlanta-based five-piece …

CASPIAN
with O'Brother
at Triple Rock Social Club
Saturday, 02/06/16, 8pm ($15)
triplerocksocialclub.com

The last time we saw Caspian, it was in 2012 at the Varsity Theater. The band has returned, this time playing at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis next Saturday, February 6th, touring in support of their latest Dust and Disquiet (Triple Crown Record).

The New York Times wrote that the new album “...builds patient, immersive, epic builds that would fit perfectly on a Christopher Nolan soundtrack; the band's eventual furious, vengeful climaxes are more exhilarating than any Inception button.”

Atlanta’s O’Brother, who we previously caught in 2014 and 2013, will open the show. Their currently-untitled forthcoming album is coming out this year, but they’ve previewed “Bloodlines” on their website.

Although Defeater is listed on this current 2016 tour, the band will join them starting February 8th. Fear not, the band was previously in town on September 2015.

Tour dates:

2/03/16 – Cleveland, Oh @ Grog Shop*
2/05/16 – Dekalb, Il @ The House Café*
2/06/16 – Minneapolis, Mn – @ Triple Rock*
2/08/16 – Grand Rapids, Mi @ Pyramid Scheme
2/09/16 – Pittsburgh, Pa @ Cattivo*
2/10/16 – Rochester, Ny @ Montage Music Hall
2/11/16 – Burlington, Vt @ Higher Ground
2/12/16 – Portland, Me @ Port City Music Hall
2/13/16 – Pawtucket, Ri @ The Met

*Without Defeater

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

RIP Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane)

Read More Jefferson Starship The current Jefferson Starship (from the ashes of Jefferson Airplane) is led by co-founder Paul Kantner... and not to be confused with Starship (Mickey Thomas) ... .…

According to rollingstone.com, Paul Kantner, from Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, has died at the age of 74 as a result of “multiple organ failure and septic shock”.

Jefferson Starship was still fresh on our mind because of their upcoming show with Blue Oyster Cult at Medina Entertainment Center (the venue also previously booked Scott Weiland, who died in the Minnesota area in December 2015).

For updated list, head over to Musicians who died in 2016.

[28 Jan 2016] Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane), 74, multiple organ failure

[26 Jan 2016] Black, 53, traffic accident

[24 Jan 2016] Jimmy Bain (Rainbow), 68, pneumonia

[23 Jan 2016] Cadalack Ron, 34, unknown

[22 Jan 2016] Alec Wishart (Hogsnort Rupert), 76, lung cancer

[20 Jan 2016] Lee Abramson, 45, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

[18 Jan 2016] Glenn Frey (Eagles), 67, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia

[18 Jan 2016] Pablo Manavello, 65, unknown

[18 Jan 2016] Andy Dog (artist for The The), 57, brain tumor

[17 Jan 2016] Mic Gillette (Tower of Power), 64, heart attack

[17 Jan 2016] Dale Griffin (Mott the Hoople), 67, Alzheimer's disease

[17 Jan 2016] Blowfly, 76, liver cancer

[16 Jan 2016] Hubert Giraud, 94, unknown

[16 Jan 2016] Carina Jaarnek (Frösöflickorna), 53, cerebral haemorrhage

[16 Jan 2016] Gary Loizzo (The American Breed), 70, pancreatic cancer

[15 Jan 2016] Pete Huttlinger, 54, stroke.

[14 Jan 2016] René Angélil (Celine Dion's manager/husband), 73, throat cancer

[14 Jan 2016] Franco Oppo, 80, unknown

[10 Jan 2016] David Bowie, 69, cancer

[10 Jan 2016] John Berry (Idaho), 51, natural causes

[10 Jan 2016] Hernán Gamboa (Serenata Guayanesa), 69, cancer

[09 Jan 2016] Robert McAllister (Iron Chic), 36, unknown

[09 Jan 2016] Jānis Vaišļa (Pirates of the Sea), 46, cardiac amyloidosis

[08 Jan 2016] Brett Smiley, 60, HIV and hepatitis

[08 Jan 2016] Otis Clay, 73, heart attack

[08 Jan 2016] Red Simpson, 81, heart attack

[07 Jan 2016] Kitty Kallen, 94, unknown

[07 Jan 2016] Troy Shondell, 76, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease

[06 Jan 2016] Nicholas Caldwell (The Whispers), 71, heart problems

[04 Jan 2016] Craig Strickland (Backroad Anthem), 29, hypothermia (Body found on January 4)

[04 Jan 2016] Long John Hunter, 84, natural causes

[04 Jan 2016] Robert Stigwood (manager of The Bee Gees, Cream), 81, unknown

[04 Jan 2016] Achim Mentzel, 69, stroke

[03 Jan 2016] Jason Mackenroth (Rollins Band, Blue Man Group), 46, prostate cancer

[02 Jan 2016] Michel Delpech, 69, cancer

Read more: Musicians who died in 2015.

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

Umami / Bayonne / Beasthead at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (27 January 2016)

Read More Umami Listed as co-headliner is local Umami, described as "an Electro-Psych band". .... Bayonne Bayonne, the new moniker of Austin-based Roger Sellers, will be making a stop at the 7th Street Entry on Wednesday, January 27th. The artistic style .... Beasthead Closing out the bill will be Beasthead, a four-piece electronic indie rock band who formed in 2013. Beasthead previously appeared with Canadian band Royal Canoe ....

The Umami and Bayonne co-headlining show just took place last night, January 27th, at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.

Bayonne

Bayonne is a musician from Austin, TX. No, scratch that, he is more than just a musician, he's a true entertainer. Bayonne completely blew me away last night. He had more than enough energy to keep me captivated by not only his live music, but also his stage presence. None of the bands that played last night were boring in any way but Bayonne had more energy and charisma on stage than the other two bands put together.

His set up was simple, or at least it looked kind of simple. It was just a table with a bunch of cords, pedals and some sample pads on it. He had a snare, tom and a cymbal lined up next to it but that was it. There were no guitars, there wasn't a huge drum kit, it was literally just a dude with some cords and some drums. I didn't think he would be exciting to watch. I was bracing myself for impact when he took the stage. I know all of the press about Bayonne says he is "not a DJ" but still, with the setup he had going, I could not help but assume that it was going to be just like one of the annoying "wub wub" techno DJ's that put me to sleep. Good God I was wrong. It was impossible to look away from the stage as he would wander around and figure out what he was going to do next.

It almost seemed like he didn't have set music to play. He seemed to attack the various pedals and sample pads that were strewn across the table. It was as if you could see him thinking about what to do next. You could see him shaking his head or clenching his jaw as he pressed the next button. He hit every button with a purpose. Even though it seemed like he was just kind of making it up as he went, everything he did was done with conviction.

His music was a mix of almost "wub-wub" music (aka techno) but it had a heavy indie rock influence in it. It was upbeat but his lyrics seemed dark and had an intense echo on them that Bayonne then played around with using the pedals and what not. The music he played wasn't my scene but the entertainment that is Bayonne in a live setting was more than enough to make me fall in love. Plus, any musician that sells hot sauce automatically wins me over!

Umami was the last band of the night. They were great but Bayonne was such a hard act to follow. Honestly, I was still in awe of Bayonne's set and it seemed like Umami just could not keep my attention. That being said, if you like strange, almost electronic at times but also rock at other times, music, then you definitely need to check these guys out. I saw them open up for Yeasayer about three years ago and they blew me away. I wish they wouldn't have closed out the show last night so I was able to give them the attention that they deserve. That being said, they definitely weren't bad last night and I will definitely be keeping an eye on their calendar so I can see them again. Look for Umami's upcoming new album from Totally Gross National Product.

Beasthead

The show was opened by Beasthead. These guys were strange but in the best way possibly. (Actually, looking back on it, all of the music last night was strange.) The best part about these guys is it seems like they know that they are kind of boring on stage so they had some visuals going on around them.

There was your classic white bed sheet along one of the walls in the venue. There was a computer set up with what looked like a soundboard and a camera next to it. What happened next is super hard to explain. There were video clips being played but they were super distorted. I caught clips of The Wizard of Oz and Donnie Darko but the rest was pretty unrecognizable. There were also times where the crowd and musicians were being projected onto the sheet. But again, everything was super distorted and colorful.

When you take this and add the indie-rock electronic sound that is Beasthead, you are given a truly great experience. Like the other bands, the music really isn't my scene but the fact that they took the time to figure out something to entertain everyone while they play is something that I truly appreciate. That's not to say that they wouldn't have been fine with just the music and them on stage. They were talented and clean and unique, but the fact that they had the visual made them a stand out local act for me.

Bayonne is currently on the road to getting people excited about his upcoming debut album Primitives is coming out on March 25th, 2016, via Mom+Pop Music. Catch Bayonne at the Sasquatch Music Festival this May 27-30.

Umami at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (27 January 2016)

langen ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Prince in 2016: New Music, Distribution, and PPAD: The Time, and Back in Time

Prince Piano and Mic-Photo courtesy Princestagram Read More Prince Though he and band 3rd Eye Girl managed some hit-and-run random concert dates, mostly in Europe and there were sporadic gigs back home at Paisley Park … Judith Hill Midnight: members of the invited media (Star Tribune, Fox9, City Pages, The Current) are escorted back to Paisley’s Studio A, for what turns out to be an introduction to singer Judith Hill, a preview of her new music, and some Q+A. …

“So Far, So Pleased” –  not only a song title from a 1999 album, but the general way most Prince fans (or fams as they are called) are feeling of late, about the Purple One’s output to start this calendar year.

New Music

After releasing HITnRUN Phase One (NPG/Univeral Records) last September, an electronic-tinged album collaboration with producer Joshua Welton that was met with mixed reviews, the follow-up and 39^th (!) studio album, HITnRUN Phase Two (NPG Records) was more of a solo affair and return to the rock, funk, and brass sound most recognize him most  from.

Released digitally in mid-December, Phase Two was met with generally positive reviews, with Rolling Stone calling the record “his most consistently engaging album in years” and embodying “what he does best”.

Distribution

Ever a believer in artist’s creative rights and eliminating the middleman where possible, Phase Two was initially released digitally to paid subscribers of the Jay Z-led streaming online site, Tidal, where Prince had already contributed the upload of most of his catalogue, a Purple Pick song of the Week, and partial live stream of a Rally4Peace concert.

After being disappointed with sales numbers and record company distribution efforts for Phase One, he turned to Twitter to ask fans’ opinions on a new way of distributing the current album to those waiting for a physical copy and has taken a street level, targeted approach to getting the hard copies out in the wild.

Yesterday, they were delivered to a local Minneapolis record store and NPG has also allowed select members of the Purple Community to buy in-bulk wholesale, to resell at a fair price to their friends and contacts.

Results of this experiment are yet to be determined, but odds are he will also cut a direct deal with a few major chain stores (Target, Best Buy, both HQ’d locally) to eventually sell there as well.

Paisley Park After Dark

What started out as a semi-regular series of late night affairs of dance party get-togethers at Paisley Park in suburban Chanhassen, MN spotlighting local and a few national artists (always overshadowed by a “will-he-or-won’t-he-play” mystery); for 2016, these PPAD nights have been more organized and defined.

The usual mystique of learning of a show often on the day-of, has thankfully been replaced by actual advance notice, even with several weeks heads-up regarding his recent Piano and a Microphone performances on a Thursday January night, that allowed the ever-faithful appropriate time to book travel and hotel, many coming over from Europe and the Far East.

A planned European solo tour of this configuration was scuttled in lieu of scalpers selling tickets at inflated prices before they had even gone on sale, and the Paris attacks on Bataclan, which shook music goers everywhere.

The result was Prince announcing two solo special performances at his own place with the early and late solo shows being very different, stark, and intimate. The earlier 8pm show had songs being played in a (mostly)linear timeline and was perhaps his most personal and revealing set ever, though both shows received glowing reviews.

The Time and Back in Time

Following up those piano shows with performances from Larry Graham and local prog-funk outfit PHO as well as a DJ night, THIS FRIDAY continues the PPAD series with a rare appearance at Paisley Park from the current incarnation of Morris Day and the Time as well as rising songstress and Grammy winner Judith Hill, who had her debut album, last year’s Back in Time, recorded at Paisley and was produced by Prince.

Advance sales (once unheard of for these gatherings) are available at new site paisleyparkafterdark.com which uses the reliable and trustworthy Songkick/Crowdsurge software to process these ticketless transactions, and from all reports at the piano shows, was problem-free at check-in.

The Future

What else is to come in 2016? Only the Purple Yoda knows, though he’s off to a good start – it’s often hard and requires patience to be an ongoing Prince fan (or fam), but 2016 is paying off in dividends so far.

john ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic

Minneapolis: February 4 to February 5, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from February 4 to February 5, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Guster Target's website lists "13 free tracks", there are actually 14. Below are the full tracklisting of Target's The Christmas Gig album: "Tiny Tree Christmas" by Guster …

GUSTER
with Vetiver
at First Avenue
Thursday, 02/04/16, 7pm ($31)
first-avenue.com

San Francisco natives Veviter, will be opening for Guster Thursday, February 4th at First Avenue. Veviter is on tour in support of their sixth album Complete Strangers. These guys have toured with the likes of The Shins, Fleet Foxes and Wilco. Now they can add Guster to that list!

Guster is an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. These guys released their seventh studio album Evermotion last year and continue to captivate audiences across the globe.

Are you looking for a chill night out with your friends with some great drinks and great music? This is your show!

Tour dates:

01/26/16 Winston-Salem, NC Ziggy's
01/27/16 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
01/28/16 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom
01/29/16 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
01/30/16 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
02/02/16 Kansas City, MO Madrid Theatre
02/03/16 Des Moines, IA Wooly's
02/04/16 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
02/05/16 Omaha, NE Slowdown
02/06/16 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
02/09/16 Tempe, AZ The Marquee
02/10/16 Los Angeles, CA Teragram Ballroom
02/11/16 Los Angeles, CA Teragram Ballroom
02/12/16 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
02/13/16 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
06/17/16 Firefly Music Festival

Read More Joey Ryan I randomly saw Joey Ryan & The Inks a few years ago at a bicycle-thing. The band is about about to release their [pause] EP. …

BUHU
at Amsterdam Bar and Hall
Thursday, 02/04/16, 9pm (Free)
amsterdambarandhall.com

I am told that Austin’s Buhu (a band that has been compared to Minus the Bear) will be playing the Amsterdam on February 4th, but I actually could not find any listing for this show (since I have to look up pricing and time schedule and opening band information).

The only thing listed for Feb 4th is “Winter Cycling Congress Party”, which is all about winter bicycling. Maybe these guys will be the entertainment?

Buhu’s new LP Relationshapes is out now on FMF Records and is said to capture a flash-frozen portrait of the struggles of youthful love.

UPDATE: Buhu is indeed playing, here is the schedule:

Joey Ryan: 9pm
Joey Ryan writes catchy pop tunes that feel like 60s sunshine.

BUHU: 10 PM
BUHU write the summery love songs of 80's babies and thrift store sytnth junkies.

RSVP facebook.com

Tour dates:

27 Jan 2016 SoundPony Tulsa, OK
28 Jan 2016 The Riot Room Kansas City, MO
29 Jan 2016 The Zoo Bar Lincoln, NE
30 Jan 2016 Reverb Lounge Omaha, NE
31 Jan 2016 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, IA
02 Feb 2016 DG's Tap House Ames, IA
03 Feb 2016 Ed's No Name Bar Winona, MN
04 Feb 2016 Amsterdam Bar and Hall St. Paul, MN
05 Feb 2016 The Frequency Madison, WI
06 Feb 2016 Riverwest Public House Milwaukee, WI
07 Feb 2016 Emporium Chicago, IL
09 Feb 2016 The Mad Frog Cincinnati, OH
10 Feb 2016 FooBAR Nashville, TN
11 Feb 2016 Vino's Little Rock, AR
12 Feb 2016 Logon Cafe Beaumont, TX
13 Feb 2016 The Waughford Houston, TX

Poster by Philip Lesicko Read More Meat Wave Chicago trio Meat Wave (Joe Gac, Chris Sutter & Ryan Wizniak) will stop by 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis next Thursday, July 2nd, on tour in support of Brother (Brace Yourself Records). …

MEAT WAVE
with Rad Payoff and Chinchees
at 7th Street Entry
Friday, 02/07/16, 8pm ($8/$10)
first-avenue.com

Chicago’s Meat Wave is back in Minneapolis... this time in support of their latest Delusion Moon, which came out September 18, 2015.

We previously mentioned that they are a trio (Joe Gac, Chris Sutter & Ryan Wizniak) and their previous album was called Brother, available on Brace Yourself Records.

Fellow Chicagoan Rad Payoff is also on the bill. Their latest Slow & Weird came out last year.

Local The Chinchees to open.

Tour dates:

2/04- The Frequency- Madison, WI
2/05- 7th Street Entry- Minneapolis, MN
2/06- The Hawk's Nest- Fargo, ND
2/07- The Railyard- Billings, MT
2/09- Sunset Tavern- Seattle, WA
2/10- Bunk Bar- Portland, OR
2/11- Brick & Mortar Music Hall- San Francisco, CA
2/12- Bootleg Theatre- Los Angeles, CA
2/13- Soda Bar- San Diego, CA
2/16- Valley Bar- Phoenix, AZ
2/17- The Dog House- Albuquerque, NM
2/19- Hi Dive- Denver, CO
2/20- Reverb Lounge- Omaha, NE

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

RIP Black

Read More Morrissey It is weird that after Morrissey announced that he was dropped by his record label, Harvest Records, that he is still out promoting World Peace is None of Your Business. The latest single .…

We have just learned that Black (real name Colin Vearncombe) has recently died at the age of 53 on January 26th (today). He was previously placed in a medically-induced coma at the intensive care unit of Cork University Hospital after being involved in a car accident on January 12th in Ireland.

Although Black's music never made its way to America, his debut 1987 album Wonderful Life landed at #3 in the UK charts with over 1.5 million units sold. AllMusic described Black as "smoky-voiced singer/songwriter, whose sophisticated jazz-pop songs and dramatic vocal delivery place him somewhere between Bryan Ferry and Morrissey."

Black's official website made the announcement:

We’re deeply saddened to announce the death of Colin Vearncombe (aka Black) earlier today, Tuesday 26th January 2016. Colin never regained consciousness following a road traffic accident sixteen days ago. He died peacefully surrounded by his family who were singing him on his way.

His wife Camilla and his three sons paid tribute to the staff at the Intensive Treatment Unit of Cork University Hospital saying; “Colin received the best possible care from the expert and highly professional staff there and we are deeply grateful for everything they did”.

The funeral will be a private one, but we will be holding a memorial service for him in Liverpool in the near future as we know there are many, many people who will want to celebrate Colin’s life and work. The date and time will be announced in due course, along with details of a charity to which any donations in memory of Colin can be made.

No need to laugh or cry
It’s a wonderful, wonderful life

Also worth noting is Jimmy Bain (from the band Rainbow) died of pneumonia at the age of 68 on January 24th.

Not a musician, but actor Abe Vigoda (who starred in "The Godfather") also recently passed away today, at the age of 94.

2016 has been a terrible year for deaths, so far we've lost these musicians. For updated list, head over to Musicians who died in 2016

JANUARY (35)

[28 Jan 2016] Paul Kantner (Jefferson Airplane), 74, multiple organ failure

[26 Jan 2016] Black, 53, traffic accident

[24 Jan 2016] Jimmy Bain (Rainbow), 68, pneumonia

[23 Jan 2016] Cadalack Ron, 34, unknown

[22 Jan 2016] Alec Wishart (Hogsnort Rupert), 76, lung cancer

[20 Jan 2016] Lee Abramson, 45, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

[18 Jan 2016] Glenn Frey (Eagles), 67, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Ulcerative Colitis and Pneumonia

[18 Jan 2016] Pablo Manavello, 65, unknown

[18 Jan 2016] Andy Dog (artist for The The), 57, brain tumor

[17 Jan 2016] Mic Gillette (Tower of Power), 64, heart attack

[17 Jan 2016] Dale Griffin (Mott the Hoople), 67, Alzheimer's disease

[17 Jan 2016] Blowfly, 76, liver cancer

[16 Jan 2016] Hubert Giraud, 94, unknown

[16 Jan 2016] Carina Jaarnek (Frösöflickorna), 53, cerebral haemorrhage

[16 Jan 2016] Gary Loizzo (The American Breed), 70, pancreatic cancer

[15 Jan 2016] Pete Huttlinger, 54, stroke.

[14 Jan 2016] René Angélil (Celine Dion's manager/husband), 73, throat cancer

[14 Jan 2016] Franco Oppo, 80, unknown

[10 Jan 2016] David Bowie, 69, cancer

[10 Jan 2016] John Berry (Idaho), 51, natural causes

[10 Jan 2016] Hernán Gamboa (Serenata Guayanesa), 69, cancer

[09 Jan 2016] Robert McAllister (Iron Chic), 36, unknown

[09 Jan 2016] Jānis Vaišļa (Pirates of the Sea), 46, cardiac amyloidosis

[08 Jan 2016] Brett Smiley, 60, HIV and hepatitis

[08 Jan 2016] Otis Clay, 73, heart attack

[08 Jan 2016] Red Simpson, 81, heart attack

[07 Jan 2016] Kitty Kallen, 94, unknown

[07 Jan 2016] Troy Shondell, 76, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease

[06 Jan 2016] Nicholas Caldwell (The Whispers), 71, heart problems

[04 Jan 2016] Craig Strickland (Backroad Anthem), 29, hypothermia (Body found on January 4)

[04 Jan 2016] Long John Hunter, 84, natural causes

[04 Jan 2016] Robert Stigwood (manager of The Bee Gees, Cream), 81, unknown

[04 Jan 2016] Achim Mentzel, 69, stroke

[03 Jan 2016] Jason Mackenroth (Rollins Band, Blue Man Group), 46, prostate cancer

[02 Jan 2016] Michel Delpech, 69, cancer

Read more: Musicians who died in 2015.

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

DC Comics to Films (and TV) in 2016

Read More Superman I finally got around to watching Jon Schnepp's The Death of "Superman Lives": What Happened? documentary on what happened to the film "Superman Lives". The doomed film would have been directed by Tim Burton … Batman Friday was the first full day of Wizard World Chicago Comic Con, held at the Donald J. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL, just outside Chicago, and there were plenty of onsite activities to keep busy. … Justice League Interested in getting your hands on the Justice League: Gods & Monsters Soundtrack? The CD will be out August 11, 2015, and is limited to only 1,000 units. It is exclusively available only at La-La Land Records. …

As a former hardcore comic book collector (currently I am still buying some random flimsies and will still buy hardcovers), I am pretty excited about all these comic book super heroes coming to the silver screen and television.

In the past few years, Marvel Comics has been enjoying its success with Avengers, Captain America, Iron Man, Ant-Man, Guardian of the Galaxy, Thor, Hulk, Fantastic Four, Ghost Rider, Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV). DC Comics, on the other hand, had nothing but failures, including The Losers, Jonah Hex, Green Lantern, The Dark Knight Rises (the worst of the Nolan films), and the terrible Man of Steel film.

DC's last film was the space-invader Superman film in 2013, and after a three year break, DC is finally getting their act together with some exciting announcements: Batman v Superman and Suicide Squad (with Wonder Woman and Aquaman sometime in 2017).

I'm going to break down these upcoming 2016 titles.

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
batmanvsuperman.dccomics.com

I really hate the title Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. I can understand it, it tells us that Batman will be fighting Superman... and somehow it involves the Justice League. Based on the first trailer of the film, like so many other fans, I have come up with the storyline: Lex Luther introduced Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne. They later duke it out. Then they have to team up to fight Doomsday... but is saved by Wonder Woman. I hope there's more to it than that... and since it's directed by Zack Snyder, I'm sure it'll look great.

We already know that Snyder is a big Frank Miller fan, having directed 300, so I'm assuming Snyder will also be paying homage to Miller's work from his The Dark Night Returns 1986 work (featuring an aging Batman fighting Superman). The Dark Night Returns, along with Miller's Batman: Year One, is possibly the most influential Batman story. With some other titles, including Alan Moore's Watchmen (which Snyder also adapted and directed), The Dark Knight help launched the so-called "grim and gritty" era that followed it.

I just hope that these upcoming films won't be so 'dark and gritty', but all evidence (including Man of Steel) kind of point us in that direction.

Read More Comic Books FallCon 2013 just took place on Saturday, October 5th. The turnout to this 25-year-old comic book convention was impressive, despite that FallCon for this year, was the smaller of the two cons (its sibling SpringCon …

SUICIDE SQUAD
suicidesquad.com

I am super-excited for this upcoming Suicide Squad film. Everyone is talking about how great the new Joker looks, but the obvious standout is clearly Harley Quinn, who is the comedy relief of the picture.

If you didn't know or follow the comic book, the current version of the group first appeared is at the end of John Ostrander and John Byrne's Legends cross-over limited series that introduced the (then) new Justice League in 1987. I remember attending a comic book convention and we asked why a vendor was selling Legends #7 for $75 and he told us it was because of Suicide Squad. We couldn't believe it.

Since newer fans may not know who is actually in Suicide Squad, here is a list of characters:

Amanda Waller: Portrayed in the comic book as an overweight and very rude black woman. I didn't follow Checkmate! that closely, but I believe she's also in charge of that division of the government.

Rick Flag: A military officer, team leader of "Task Force X" (aka Suicide Squad). Apparently Tom Hardy was originally cast for this role.

Katana: She's in this film as part of Flag's crew, she's a hero from her days with Batman and the Outsiders.

Deadshot: A Batman villain and assassin, known for his expert marksman. I have often confused him with Deathstroke and Deadpool.

Captain Boomerang: An Australian villain from The Flash comics. He kills people with deadly boomerangs... not really sure why he's all that deadly.

El Diablo: I don't keep up with the current DC's 52, but this villain has pyrotechnic abilities.

Killer Croc: A Batman villain, this half-man, half-crocodile is the strongman of the group.

Harley Quinn: One of the few characters that did not come from comic books. Her origin is from Batman: The Animated Series. She's come a long way from being the Joker's sidekick to a true fan favorite.

Enchantress: A very different look on the character from her comic book appearance (green hat, etc). Based on the trailer, it seems she can control men.

The Joker: He is actually not in the Suicide Squad team, but the trailers seems to show that he has a big role in the film. I'm assuming he's the villain, or at least has a part in the big threat of the film.

Read More Arrow Arrow : Although I watched the first few seasons (mostly for Deathstroke, the Terminator), I have given up on the show for its mediocre melodrama. …

DC'S LEGENDS OF TOMORROW
cwtv.com

With TNT recently decided to pass on Teen Titans the TV show, we're left with only CBS' Supergirl (which debut in November 2015) and this 2016 show called Legends of Tomorrow.

I just saw the Legends pilot episode, and it is pretty good... although I suspect I will eventually stop watching the show, as I have dropped Arrow and The Flash. Legends suffers from all The CW programming: melodramatic acting, "teenish" editing, and boring storyline.

There are big stars in this series, including Prison Breakers Dominic Purcell (Heat Wave) with Wentworth Miller (Captain Cold), and Superman returner Brandon Routh (Atom). The large cast of characters and villains might be problem for new fans, as you need a "who's who" guide to tell you what is going on. Hopefully, with so many characters, the writers won't have a problem writing a compelling story spotlighting and building up these characters.

Who's Who:

Rip Hunter: A time traveler, from Jack Kirby's Challengers of the Unknown. Later in the 90s, he got his own series called Time Masters, however the 1991 series Challengers of the Unknown left out Hunter.

Firestorm: I'm familiar with the original Nuclear Man, featuring a white "jock" and a professor. The new Firestorm swap out the white jock for a black one, but the concept is still the same: youth stupidity and seasoned smarts of a learned professor. Personally speaking, I think Firestorm is visually the coolest superhero.

Atom: Like Marvel's Ant Man, the Atom's new origin has a similar story: he's the inventor of a power-suit capable of shrinking down to the size of an atom.

White Canary: Basically the same character as Black Canary (who often teamed up with Green Arrow). Based on the explanation in the pilot, she was paying tribute to Black Canary (obviously I didn't keep up with the Arrow series).

Hawkman / Hawkgirl: Ask anyone who follow the Hawkman/Hawkgirl timeline, it is a mess. A few years ago, Geoff Johns tried to unify their origin by explaining that they reincarnations of ancient Egypt (which I feel still doesn't explain the Hawkmen of Planet Thanagar). Still this series follow the current Hawkman reincarnation story.

Heat Wave / Captain Cold: The two villains in this heroes-group, both are Flash villains. No one (including the fans) knows why they are part of the group... only perhaps I have jokingly said that they needed a job, and this is a good fit for them.

Vandal Savage: The immortal is the villain of the series. Personally speaking, I don't really understand why he is such a threat. Outside of being immortal, he doesn't really have any other super powers. Even his nemesis (?) Resurrection Man is able to come back to life with the powers that killed him. Savage, on the other hand, is just amassing power and weapons throughout history. I really don't think Savage is all that scary.

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

Lower Dens, w/ Invisible Boy at 7th St, Minneapolis (23 Jan 2016)

Tour Dates 01/28/16 Vancouver, BC Rickshaw Theatre 01/29/16 Seattle, WA Neptune 01/30/16 Portland, OR Revolution Hall 02/01/16 San Francisco, CA Fillmore 02/02/16 Santa Ana, CA Observatory 02/03/16 Los Angeles, CA Fonda 02/05/16 El Paso, TX Lowbrow Palace 02/06/16 San Antonio, TX Paper Tiger 02/07/16 Austin, TX Emo's 02/08/16 Houston, TX Numbers 02/09/16 Dallas, TX Trees 02/11/16 New Orleans, LA Republic 02/12/16 Birmingham, AL Saturn 02/13/16 Nashville, TN Exit / In 02/14/16 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel 02/16/16 Richmond, VA The National 02/17/16 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 02/18/16 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 02/19/16 New York, NY Irving Plaza 02/20/16 New York, NY Irving Plaza Read More Lower Dens The Baltimore-based band Lower Dens is currently on tour for their latest record Escape from Evil (Ribbon Music). We previously saw singer Jana Hunter with Sharon Van Etten ...

Lower Dens, an indie-pop band from Baltimore, Maryland, packed the 7th Street Entry on Saturday night. It definitely helped that the opening band was the side project of Chris Bierden from the popular local group Poliça but judging the crowd, it seemed like these people just wanted a night out full of some good indie-pop music. That is exactly what they all got.

Lower Dens, as I mentioned, is an indie-pop band from Baltimore, Maryland. These guys really came out of nowhere as far as I know. I had never really heard of them or heard their music but they still packed the place Saturday night even with a huge local showcase show going on in the main room upstairs from us.

These guys have three full length albums with the newest one, Escape from Evil, being released just this past March on Ribbon Music. Singer Jana Hunter has a voice that emits so much emotion it makes it hard to turn away. The music is upbeat at times but Jana's voice brings it back down before it turn into a straight up pop music. Her voice is dark and deep but it's clear and full of energy at the same time.

The band behind Jana really didn't stand a chance. They were great but it was just so hard to take my eyes off of Jana. The keys were in the forefront of the music but, unfortunately, they were tracked and not played live. I'm sure that majority of the people in the crowd didn't care and honestly, it sounded great, but as a pianist, I was a bit bummed that it wasn't being performed live. I will say that they fooled me. Being that it was a packed show, it was hard for me to see the entire stage. I kept getting on my tip toes trying to see the keyboard player. It took me awhile to figure out that there was not one and they were just tracked.

All in all, these guys were great and the crowd seemed to be truly enjoying the night. These guys are sure to be a huge band soon so make sure you check them out!

Invisible Boy

Poliça is an extremely popular synthpop/alternative rock band from right here in Minneapolis. These guys took the scene by storm and can easily sell out any venue up here in the Twin Cities. They literally have three shows in a row in March (including a free sold out show at the Lowertown Line next, next Thursday) and all three of them are already sold out. That right there shows what a big deal it is that Chris Bierden's (bass/ vocals of Poliça) side project, Invisible Boy, was playing on such an intimate stage.

The side-project is a great way for Chris to showcase his talent. Granted he is showcased quite a bit in Poliça and kills it every time, it's just nice to see him be the front man for a band. He definitely has the charisma and talent that it takes.

Chris' voice is absolutely beautiful. It's unnaturally high but doesn't sound forced. It's one of those voices where the second you hear it, you know exactly who it is. The band behind him was just as amazing. One of Chris's guitar strings broke within the first song. He was forced to leave the stage and deal with it while the band was left on the stage. This was an opportunity for the band to do a little open jam session and they kept the crowd entertained the whole time as Chris was fixing the string.

Invisible Boy doesn't seem to play much so when they do, it's a huge deal. I know this was their last show for a while due to the upcoming Poliça show but you best believe that when they play again I will be there.

Lower Dens at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (23 January 2016)

langen ([email protected]) ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com/weheartmusic