W♥M (Archive)

Minneapolis: July 07 to July 08, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from July 07 to July 08, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Basilica Block Party The 20th Anniversary of the Basilica Block Party is taking place on Friday (July 11) and Saturday (July 12). I have mentioned before that it's not a great place to see music (because of the talkers.... Brandi Carlile After the first few songs, the band is joined on stage by none other than Brandi Carlile! Carlile actually sang backup on many of Ray's songs, including the encores. … Walk The Moon The latest song, "Shut Up And Dance" was the #1 song on Spotify charts... and it's a good indication of what's to come when they release their sophomore album on RCA Records later this year..…

BASILICA BLOCK PARTY
at Basilica St. Mary
07/07/17-07/08/17 (5pm/$60)
basilicablockparty.org

The annual Basilica Block Party starts next Friday, July 7th and spill over to Saturday. Tickets are $60 per day, or if you bought early bird tickets, they were discounted to $55.

We’re big fans of the event, with Basilica Block Party 2015 as one of our all-time favorite shows.

This year, fan-favorites Brandi Carlile and Walk The Moon will be taking the headliner stage.

Please note, there are three stages and their set time overlaps - so either be prepared to see only partial sets or “camp out” at your favorite stage.

Friday, July 7: Great Clips Stage Brandi Carlile NEEDTOBREATHE John Paul White The Roosevelts PreferredOne Stage The Shins Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness Cobi Star Tribune Stage Night Moves Jaedyn James & the Hunger Nick Jordan

Saturday, July 8: Great Clips Stage WALK THE MOON Gavin DeGraw Ben Rector Julia Brennan PreferredOne Stage AWOLNATION Walk Off The Earth Enemy Planes Star Tribune Stage Nooky Jones Jackson & The Roosters J.S. Ondara

Read More Bauhaus As you can see from his setlist (which does not list encores), he had wedged in three Bauhaus songs in the middle of his set. Those songs were well-received... as for most of the well-known songs. . .…

POPTONE
at First Avenue
Saturday 07/08/17 (8pm/$20)
first-avenue.com

Poptone is Daniel Ash and Kevin Haskins, of Bauhaus, Love and Rockets, and Tones on Tail. Joining the duo to form Poptone will be Haskins’ daughter Diva Dompé, formerly of the Los Angeles rock band Blackblack.

We’re obviously fans, so if you grew up in the same time period, you really need to be at First Avenue on Saturday.

For this retrospective tour, Poptone will play songs from all their previous bands, heavily leaning on the rare Tones On Tail songs. Expect to hear dance classics ‘Ok This Is the Pops’ and ‘Go!’

Transmission’s DJ Jake Rudh will play music videos before the show.

Tour Dates:

07/06 - St. Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall **
07/08- Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
07/09 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
08/03 - Asbury Park, NJ @ The Stone Pony **
08/04 - Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero Theatre **
08/05 - New York, NY @ Irving Plaza **
08/08 - Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club **
08/11 - Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage **

Read More Hippo Campus The crowd at the music stage began swelling very early on, as local favorites Hippo Campus played first, with a spirited 40 min. set that included new single, ‘South’ (EP out Oct 2 on Grand Jury Records) .…

HIPPO CAMPUS and POLIÇA
at Bayfront Park
Saturday 07/08/17 (4:30pm/$25)
bayfrontfestivalpark.com

This is a really solid event. If you live in Duluth, or willing to drive from Minneapolis, the show looks outstanding.

We previously have seen all headlining bands before, with Hippo Campus recently in March 2017 and noted, “The buzz for Hippo Campus at their homecoming show was simply amazing. As soon as the band took the stage, a hundred cellphones went up in the air to record every moment of the band. The audience was generally young teenagers, but that is expected for a semi-rare all-ages weekend show at First Avenue. The last time we saw Hippo Campus, they were definitely one of the key attractions to Rock the Garden 2016. Their RTG 50-min set “wowed the many in the crowd who were there to see them play a danceable mix of familiar and some yet-to-be-released songs.” Some of those preview songs are now available on their debut record landmark (Grand Jury Records). ”

This show is presented by First Avenue, The Current, and KUMD. Since this is an open area, so the show will go on rain or shine.

Lineup:

Hippo Campus

Polica

Low

Remo Drive

J.S. Ondara

Read More Haerts Also, as tradition goes, we stopped by the Leinie Lodge Bandshell to catch a little set from Texas-born, Louisiana-based Marcia Ball playing some old time rock and blues on her keyboard. …

Other shows in the area:

07/07/2017 Don’t know how is it that Chicano Batman hasn’t been sued by DC Comics, but the band is thriving with their recent release of Freedom is Free via ATO Records (Billboard consider the album as “Best Albums of 2017 So Far”). Khruangbin will open the Turf Club in St Paul... the event is sold out. Brainstory is also on the bill. 8pm, $20.

07/07/2017 Former Drive By Trucker’s Jason Isbell (billed as Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit) and The Mountain Goats will be at the new Palace Theatre in St Paul this Friday. The Mountain Goats’ Goths is out now on Merge Records. The show is sold out. 7pm, $49.50.

07/08/2017 Jared & The Mill and Canyon Spells will be playing the 7th Street Entry on Saturday. 8pm, $12.

07/08/2017 Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Michelle Branch will be headlining the Fine Line Music Café on Saturday, in support of her new Hopeless Romantic album from Verge Records. No opening band listed on the venue’s website, but her poster shows Haerts. 8pm, $30.

07/08/2017 Today, Philadelphia four-piece, by way of New York, Palm is headlining the Turf Club in St Paul. Their new EP Shadow Expert is out now on Carpark Records. Palberta will open. 8pm, $10.

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

King Crimson at State Theatre, Minneapolis (26 June 2017)

King Crimson Setlist   Set 1 intro music Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One Neurotica Pictures of a City Radical Action III Cirkus Lizard -The Battle of Glass Tears (I) Dawn Song Lizard -The Battle of Glass Tears (II) Last Skirmish Lizard -The Battle of Glass Tears (III) Prince Rupert’s Lament Hell Hounds of Krim with three drummer solo Fallen Angel Islands Set 2 Indiscipline The ConstruKction of Light Easy Money Interlude The Letters Sailor's Tale Meltdown Radical Action II Level Five Starless -- Encore -- Heroes (David Bowie cover) 21st Century Schizoid Man Tour Dates 06/30/2017 Rochester, NY Kodak Hall 07/03/2017 Montreal, QC Festival International De Jazz 07/05/2017 Toronto, ON Massey Hall 07/07/2017 Quebec City, QC Centre Vidéotron 07/09/2017 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre 07/10/2017 Red Bank, NJ Count Basie Theatre 07/14/2017 Mexico City, MX Teatro Metropolitan 07/15/2017 Mexico City, MX Teatro Metropolitan 07/16/2017 Mexico City, MX Teatro Metropolitan 07/18/2017 Mexico City, MX Teatro Metropolitan 07/19/2017 Mexico City, MX Teatro Metropolitan Lineup Robert Fripp - Guitar Jakko Jakszyk - Guitar, Vocals Mel Collins – Sax/Flute Tony Levin - Basses, Stick, Backing Vocals Pat Mastelotto – Acoustic/ Electronic Percussion Gavin Harrison – Acoustic/ Electronic Percussion Jeremy Stacey – Acoustic/ Electronic Percussion/ Keys Bill Rieflin – Mellotron/Keyboards/Fairy Dusting Read More Crimson King In the Court of the Crimson King - 30th Anniv. Ed. As I stated earlier in a review of the "Salute to King Crimson"; I've finally found more of the music I listened to in my youth in the late '60's and early '70's. It brings me a warm feeling as …

Some shows attract a slightly different audience—

There are concerts and then there are concerts that other musicians want to attend- to marvel at the dexterity of the performers on stage, maybe learn a thing or two, and the type of show a working musician would happily take a night off, to experience. 

With bassist John (Semisonic, New Standards) Munson seated directly behind me, members of Boiled in Lead to my right, and various other musicians dotting the capacity crowd, the musical court of radical action was in session as King Crimson made a rare appearance in Minneapolis at the State Theatre.

The venerable progressive rock outfit (who last played the State in 1995) has been in existence since forming in London in 1968 and has had a somewhat rotating lineup in its on-again/off-again history, but the current eight-person double quartet formation featuring three drummers at the front of the stage, may be its most formidable and musically complex configuration yet. 

The “evening with…”performance consisted of two sets, the first being just over an hour, and the second (after a twenty-minute intermission) going ninety-minutes, stopped only by the venue’s hard curfew time.  Like an orchestra (and as well dressed as one- in suits, ties and vests of black and white) the octet entered and took a brief bow before beginning work. 

With the three drummers taking up the front, the remaining five members were on an elevated platform behind them; stalwart Tony Levin who deftly moved from Chapman stick, to upright, to his yellow Three of a Perfect Pair bass, was near center and leader/guitarist Robert Fripp huddled in the far right corner, with headphones on, often twiddling the knobs of his machinery. 

The eclectic setlist covered the bands forty plus years, beginning with 1973’s ‘Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part One’ earmarked by one of several Mel Collins’ exemplary solos, then jumped a decade later for the fluid ‘Neurotica’ with Fripp’s hyper-kinetic guitar riffs perched alongside a dizzying high tempo jazz beat. 

In classic Crimson form, longer instrumental passages eventually gave way to songs with lyrics and guitarist/vocalist Jakko Jakszyk ably covered tracks originally sung by the likes of Greg Lake, John Wetton, and Adrian Belew.

The band’s latest full opus is Radical Action to Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind (DGM Records), a box set of mostly live material from Japan 2015 with a few new passages (which also gives the current tour its name) and also a live Heroes EP which is, in part, a tribute to the late David Bowie. 

The uniqueness of seeing each of these seasoned musicians working is near indescribable and has to be experienced live, to fully embrace their vision--- think of eight master painters working in their own style, but on a common canvas, and you begin to get the idea of things. 

The drummers (Pat Mastelotto; Gavin Harrison; and Jeremy Stacey) alone were a marvel to behold- playing in synchronicity, finishing each other’s musical sentences, or providing their part to the whole, with precision and grace. 

Harrison (ex-Porcupine Tree) seemed to be doing more of the electronic work and standard drumming, while Stacey (Noel Gallagher, Sheryl Crow) split his time on the keys, and Mastelotto played the mad scientist, tinkering with strange instruments and trash metals to embellish the songs.

Longtime fans were thrilled to hear the back end of 1970’s Lizard, the band’s third album, with ‘Hell Hounds of Krim’ following, which showcased the percussion trio.  Keeping with a setlist mainly focused on songs from 1968-74, ‘Fallen Angel’ (of which Levin wrote a reminder on his setlist to make sure to come in on time) and 1971’s ‘Islands’ brought the first set to a close. 

If you didn’t get the message on the tickets, doors, and announcements about no cell phone use or photography, two signs on stage brought up front during the intermission, were also there to remind you. The band launched into its longer second set with the early ‘80s ‘Indiscipline’, sounding more jazz-based and experimental with this lineup before jumping into this century, with 2000’s ‘The ConstruKction of Light’.

Second-half songs like ‘Easy Money’ and main set closing ‘Starless’ brought to mind who much the prog rock world misses John (Asia, UK) Wetton, the original singer of those songs, so impactful in his couple years with the group, sadly felled by colon cancer this January.

Songs from 1971 would soon give way to much newer pieces, including the new ‘Meltdown’ (co-written by Jakszyk and Fripp) and 2001’s spanning ‘Level Five’.  With a “hard curfew time” for the venue looming, unfortunately two songs (‘Larks' Tongues in Aspic, Part Two" & ‘The Court of the Crimson King’) were trimmed from the encore, but the unmissable wailing drone of Fripp’s guitar on their cover of ‘Heroes’, reprising his work on the Bowie original forty years ago, made everything right in the world. 

A song written in 1969 has become as much or more relevant today (and unfortunately fitting), as ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ would close the evening, a perfect soundtrack to the upside-down world that was just beyond the venue doors.  The standing crowd roared in approval as the octet bowed, with Fripp and Levin taking crowd pictures, leading many to finally get out their cell phones for that picture they’d been waiting all night to take. 

The musicians around me all stood clapping joyously, a sign that this was one of those musician’s musicians’ concerts and that the performers on stage truly impressed what could have been a more critically judging audience. And with Fripp’s recent radical action to re-invent the group approaching its fiftieth year as a juggernaut double quartet formation, King Crimson continues to successfully re-define the boundaries of progressive rock. 

King Crimson, photo by Spike Mafford, provided by the band

Audience, photo courtesy of Tony Levin

King Crimson setlist and set times courtesy Tony Levin

King Crimson Mpls State 062617 setlist courtesy Tony Levin

King Crimson at State Theatre, Minneapolis (26 June 2017) Photo by Spike Mafford, provided by the band

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

R.I.P. Dave Rosser (Afghan Whigs)

Read More The Afghan Whigs Surely, you remember the high-drama swagger of the Afghan Whigs, the 90s rock act reuniting after eleven years, who invoked both hard rock and soul into their moody arrangements.…

Guitarist Dave Rosser from the Afghan Whigs died after a battle with cancer, according to vanyaland.com, “Rosser, who also played with Twilight Singers, Mark Lanegan, Marc Broussard, and others, was diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer last October. A GoFundMe launched around the time of his diagnosis generated more than $65,000, and a series of benefit shows were organized by Greg Dulli in December.”

We caught Afghan Whigs (with Rosser) in 2012 and noted, “Adding to the joyful noise with the three original Whigs were a talented trio: Twilight Singers member Rick Nelson who played keyboards and strings, Gutter Twins member and rhythm guitarist Dave Rosser and Cully Symington, an impressive drummer from bands such as Okkervil River and Cursive.”

The Afghan Whigs' recently announced their US tour in September (read about it on news.weheartmusic.com) in support of In Spades (out now on Sub Pop).

Below are more deaths for the month of June - for the full death list: Musicians who died in 2017.

June (33)

[28 Jun 2017] Dave Rosser (American guitarist for Afghan Whigs), 50, cancer

[27 Jun 2017] Geri Allen (American jazz pianist, composer), 60, cancer

[26 Jun 2017] Jimmy Chi (Australian playwright and composer of Bran Nue Dae), 68

[23 Jun 2017] Nick Knowlton (American musician from Katahdin and Katfish), esophageal cancer

[22 Jun 2017] Gunter Gabriel (German singer, musician and composer), 75, fall

[22 Jun 2017] Jimmy Nalls (American rock guitarist for Sea Level), 66, Parkinson’s Disease

[21 Jun 2017] Ludger Rémy (German harpsichordist and conductor), 68

[21 Jun 2017] Eddie Olivares Sr (creator of Texas Jazz Festival), 86, caller.com

[21 Jun 2017] Belton Richard (American cajun musician), 78, pneumonia

[20 Jun 2017] Prodigy (American rapper from Mobb Deep), 42, sickle cell anemia

[19 Jun 2017] Noel Neal (American blues musician for Kenny Neal, bassist for James Cotton), 54, heart attack

[18 Jun 2017] Chris Murrell (American jazz singer), 61

[17 Jun 2017] Sonny Knight (American soul singer, singer of Sonny Knight & The Lakers), 69, cancer

[17 Jun 2017] Thara Memory (American jazz trumpeter), 68, oregonlive.com

[15 Jun 2017] Sheila Raye Charles (American singer-songwriter), 53, breast cancer

[15 Jun 2017] Jacques Charpentier (French composer and organist), 83

[14 Jun 2017] Luis Abanto Morales (Peruvian singer and composer), 93

[13 Jun 2017] Anita Pallenberg (Italian actress, muse for The Rolling Stones), 73, theguardian.com

[13 Jun 2017] Keith Dominick (American singer from The Keith Dominick Band), 53, justifiable homicide

[13 Jun 2017] Philip Gossett (American musicologist), 75

[11 Jun 2017] Rosalie Sorrels (American folk singer), 83

[11 Jun 2017] Corneliu Stroe (Romanian drummer and percussionist), 67, heart attack

[11 Jun 2017] Dr. Brandon Rogers (American singer and doctor on America's Got Talent), 29, car accident

[08 Jun 2017] Ivan Horn (Danish guitarist, played with C.V. Jørgensen), 67, bt.dk

[08 Jun 2017] Norro Wilson (American country music songwriter and record producer), 79, heart failure

[08 Jun 2017] Prince Udaya Priyantha (Sri Lankan artist and singer), 48

[07 Jun 2017] Jan Høiland (Norwegian singer), 78

[06 Jun 2017] Vin Garbutt (British folk singer), 69, complications from heart surgery

[06 Jun 2017] Sandra Reemer (Dutch singer), 66, breast cancer

[05 Jun 2017] Skipp Pearson (American jazz musician), 79, complications from bone cancer and organ failure

[03 Jun 2017] Educated Rapper (American rapper for UTFO), 54, cancer

[02 Jun 2017] Sir Jeffrey Tate (British conductor, heart attack), 74

[02 Jun 2017] Aamir Zaki (Pakistani guitarist), 49, heart failure

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

Minneapolis: July 05 to July 06, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from July 05 to July 06, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Big Thief Brooklyn’s Big Thief to open. The band was previously in Minneapolis with Here We Go Magic last November 2015. Big Thief’s Masterpiece will be out May 27th, 2016, on Saddle Creek. ... Twain Opening up the show was Twain, a band that we previously mentioned was led by Mt. Davidson. Joining him were two helpers, Peter Pezzimenti & Ken Woodward. The Minneapolis show ...

BIG THIEF
at Cedar Cultural Center
Wednesday 07/05/17 (7pm/$12)
thecedar.org

Big Thief is back on a massive tour in support of their sophomore record Capacity (Saddle Creek). We’ve previously seen the Brooklyn-based group several times and mentioned that their singer, Adrianne Lenker, is quite shy.

Twain, no relationship to Shania Twain, to open. The Brooklyn trio features Mt. Davidson, Peter Pezzimenti & Ken Woodward. They were last in town with Kishi Bashi on October 12, 2016.

Tour Dates:

June 27 - Montreal, QC @ Bar Le "Ritz" P.D.B.
June 28 - Toronto, ON @ Horseshoe Tavern
June 29 - Buffalo, NY @ Traif MusicHall
June 30 - Toledo, OH @ Ottawa Tavern
July 1 - Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell's Eccentric Cafe
July 2 - Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
July 3 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon
July 5 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center
July 7 - July 9 - Winnipeg Folk Festival
July 10 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
July 11 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
July 12 - St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
July 13 - Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
July 14 - Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre
July 14 - July 16 - Forecastle Festival
July 17 - Chicago, IL @ Millennium Park
July 20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Celebrate Brooklyn!
July 22 - Los Angeles, CA @ FYF Festival
July 28 - Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
July 29 - Boston, MA @ Blue Hills Bank Pavilion
July 30 - Portland, ME @ Thompson's Point

[ More dates available on their website ]

Read More Now, Now Now, Now (formerly known as Now, Now Every Children) will be doing a co-headlining tour with Chris Walla's Trans- Records label mates The Lonely Forest. Some selected shows Now, . .… Dem Yuut Opening up the show was Dem Yuut (Jeremy Hanson, Don House, Danny O'Brien, Jef Sundquist), who drew in a pretty good crowd, especially for relatively new band on the bill. . .…

NOW, NOW
at 7th Street Entry
Thursday 07/06/17 (7pm/$12)
first-avenue.com

It’s been over three years since Now, Now (formerly Now, Now Every Children) play live. We previously caught the band in April 2013 and wrote, “Once settled, their 60 min. set came off as mostly casual and familial - the running joke being about tech/roadie Kevin getting called out every time he rushed on-stage for an instrument change, with all band members - Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar, keybd/bells), Hale (drums, backing voc.), and Jess Abbott (guitar, vocals, bells) – quipping about re-naming the band ‘Kevin’, calling the new album ‘Kevin’, etc.”

Currently, Now, Now is a duo, consisting of singer / guitarist KC Dalager and drummer Brad Hale.

Dem Yuut to open. We saw this band on June 21st, 2016 and said that the band drew in a large crowd on their “second full set in Minneapolis”. Lots of buzz for this opening band.

Trivia: Now, Now’s former guitarist, Jess Abbott, is playing under the stagename Tancred ... we caught her in October 2016.

Tour Dates:

07/06/2017 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
07/07/2017 Lincoln Hall Chicago, IL
07/08/2017 Pike Room Pontiac, MI
07/10/2017 Boot & Saddle Philadelphia, PA
07/11/2017 Sonia Cambridge, MA
07/12/2017 Rough Trade Brooklyn, NY
07/15/2017 Rough Trade Brooklyn, NY
07/16/2017 Rickshaw Stop San Francisco, CA
09/09/2017 High & Low Festival San Bernardino, CA

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

The Dandy Warhols in Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Read More Transformers Having said that… Transformers 2 was bad. I ended up buying the DVD from Target because the custom case transforms into Bumblebee. I would've liked to buy the Bluray version, but the DVD was much cheaper . ...

With the recent Transformers: The Last Knight in theaters this week (June 21, 2017), Best Buy is selling exclusive steelbook versions of all the previous Transformers films. I actually own three of the film DVD or Blu-Ray already (all in Target’s exclusive “transforming” case), but I didn’t have Transformers: Dark of the Moon so I recently picked that up. I like the glossy steelbook so much that I might end up re-buying the entire series on steel for easy access (the transforming case is cool but is not standard size).

Anyway, hilariously enough, Shia Labeouf’s music posters:

Transformers: The Strokes and Green Day (2007)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The Smiths (2009)

Transformers: Dark of the Moon: The Dandy Warhols (2011)

If you look closely, you’ll noticed that The Dandy Warhols “Welcome to the Monkey House” tour poster is even autographed by the band!

Tessa’s Posters

Starting in Transformers: Age of Extinction, the film dropped Labeouf’s character (Sam Witwicky), in favor of another lead: Mark Wahlberg as Cade Yeager... so we can’t continue the music evolution of Witwicky. However, a brief scene with Cade’s daughter, Tessa (played by Isabelle Cornish), we see that she’s a SXSW, Divine Fits, and Kat Lane fan.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as Carly Spencer)

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

Minneapolis: July 01 to July 04, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from July 01 to July 04, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Chastity Belt One of Seattle's most talked-about bands Chastity Belt will be in Minneapolis at the Cedar Cultural Center next Wednesday, June 24, in support of their sophomore album Time to Go Home, out now on Hardly Art. …

CHASTITY BELT
at 7th Street Entry
Saturday 07/01/17 (8pm/$12)
first-avenue.com

Chastity Belt is back in town to support their new album I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone (Hardly Art) at the 7th Street Entry on Saturday, July 1st. We previously saw the all-girls band (Julia Shapiro, Gretchen Grimm, Lydia Lund, Annie Truscott) at Triple Rock Social Club in June 2015 and wrote, “Songs like ‘Drone’ and ‘IDC’ showcased some sophisticated guitar work as well as some snarky lyrical commentary. They were also often endearingly introduced by Truscott who would look over at Shapiro and Lund, grinning, and say something like, ‘This is a song about sluts. Cool sluts.’”

Darren Hanlon to open.

Tour Dates:

06/25/2017 The Mothlight Asheville, NC
06/27/2017 Purgatory Atlanta, GA
06/28/2017 Drkmttr Nashville, TN
06/29/2017 Off Broadway Nightclub St. Louis, MO
06/30/2017 Gabe's Iowa City, IA
07/01/2017 7th Street Entry Minneapolis, MN
07/29/2017 Obsidian Olympia, WA
07/30/2017 Outer Space Arcata, CA
07/31/2017 Arlene Francis Center Santa Rosa, CA
08/02/2017 Strummer's Fresno, CA
08/03/2017 Teragram Ballroom Los Angeles, CA
08/04/2017 Space San Diego, CA
08/07/2017 Constellation Room Santa Ana, CA
08/08/2017 Velvet Jones Santa Barbara, CA
08/09/2017 The Crepe Place Santa Cruz, CA
08/11/2017 Star Theater Portland, OR
08/12/2017 Roebling Point Ent Covington, KY
09/14/2017 The Garage London

Read More Bleachers Anyway, Charli XCX is doing a co-headlining tour with Bleachers this summer, stopping by the Cabooze Plaza in Minneapolis next Tuesday. …

GO FEST ‘17
at Cabooze Plaza
Sunday 07/02/17 (1pm/$29.96)
cabooze.com

This year’s Go Fest is taking place at the outdoor Cabooze Plaza with headliner Bleachers. Please note that the event starts at 1pm and closes out around 9pm due to noise ordinance from the city.

We saw MuteMath in April 2016 and it was one of the most entertaining and memorable shows we’ve seen that year.

Lineup:

Bleachers

MuteMath

The Unlikely Candidates

The Naked And Famous

Muna

Local stage will feature:

Step Rockets

Whosah

Jeanne Taylor

Music between sets will be by

Miles the DJ

Read More Miike Snow Miike Snow is touring in support their latest LP, Happy to You. The record is now available via Downtown Records/Universal Republic on iTunes and Amazon. …

MIIKE SNOW
at First Avenue
Monday 07/03/17 (7:30pm/$25)
first-avenue.com

Swedish pop band Miike Snow is headlining First Avenue, kind of a side-gig from their current Phantogram shows.

The band was previously in town last year, July 2016, as part of the Go Fest show.

Miike Snow’s latest album iii, came out in 2016. It’s rare (and not to mention costly) for these bands from Europe to come over to the U.S. for touring, so make the effort to see them live. However, it’s really too bad that the band book the show on a July 4th weekend... where, at least locally, many fans will be at their cabins on a long 4-day getaway.

Show up early to check out Norway’s Klangstof and find out why the band was named Best Alternative Act at the Edison Awards in Holland (the Dutch equivalent of the GRAMMY Awards).

Tour Dates:

06/25/2017 Wooly's Des Moines, IA
06/29/2017 Ogden Amphitheater Ogden, UT
06/30/2017 Grand Sierra Resort & Casino Reno, NV
07/01/2017 Greek Theatre Berkeley, CA
07/03/2017 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
07/04/2017 Summerfest Milwaukee, WI

Read More Journey I briefly mentioned that Journey had a new Filipino singer called Arnel Pineda (who they discovered him on youtube) on the Terrordactyls article - ONLY because the Terrordactyls …

Other shows in the area:

07/01/2017 Journey and Asia will be at Treasure Island Casino on Saturday. If the $55 is too much for you, no worries, there is a free outdoor annual Island Block Party... which features Walker McGuire and Parmalee. 8pm, $55.

07/01/2017 The last time we heard from post-rock band <PIG>, frontman Raymond Watts was promoting his then-new The Gospel album on Metropolis Records. The band will be headlining their “Prey and Obey Tour” at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St Paul, with support from Julien-K and Ghostfeeder. 8:30pm, $15.

07/01/2017 The annual D4th of July is taking place on Saturday, starring cult-favorite local punk band Dillinger Four. The event packs a million local bands (this year featuring The Dopamines, Neighborhood Brats, Vacation, Royal Brat, Color TV, Murf, Edge Break, etc.) and is so popular that it usually sells out... so get your tickets now. 6pm, $20.

07/01/2017 Ed Sheeran will be at the Xcel Energy Center. If you’re a girl under the age of 26, Sheeran needs no introduction. His new album ÷ is out now. James Blunt to open. 6:30pm, $39.50 .

07/04/2017 Independence Day.

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

Don Henley w/ JD and the Straight Shot at Xcel Energy Center, St Paul (18 June 2017)

Don Henley Setlist Seven Bridges Road (Steve Young cover) Dirty Laundry Sunset Grill That Old Flame Witchy Woman (Eagles song) When I Stop Dreaming (The Louvin Brothers cover) New York Minute One of These Nights (Eagles song) It Don't Matter to the Sun (Garth Brooks [as Chris Gaines] cover) Peaceful Easy Feeling (Eagles song) The End of the Innocence The Last Resort (Eagles song) The Heart of the Matter Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Tears for Fears cover) The Boys of Summer -- Encore -- Life in the Fast Lane (Eagles song) Hotel California (Eagles song) Wasted Time (Eagles song) Desperado (Eagles song) All She Wants to Do Is Dance JD and the Straight Shot Setlist Glide Redemption Train Nature's Way (Spirit cover) Perdition Violet's Song Moonlight Ballyhoo Better Find a Church (Little Feat cover) Let It Roll Don Henley Tour Dates 07/15/2017 Los Angeles, CA "Classic West" 07/22/2017 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center 07/29/2017 New York, NY "Classic East" JD and The Straight Shot Tour Dates 06/22/17 City Winery New York, NY 10/31/17 Barbican York, UK 11/03/17 O2 Academy Glasgow, Scotland 11/04/17 O2 Academy Manchester, UK 11/08/17 CIRQUE ROYALE Brussels, Belgium 11/11/17 Vaerket Randers, Denmark Read More Don Henley The boy of summer is back ... You know we love The Eagles and Don Henley, so this is a show that you can’t miss. He will be playing hits from the past four decades. … JD & The Straight Shot JD & The Straight Shot’s sound is steeped in the quiet fire of Americana with distinctive elements of roots music topped off with a dash of classic rock. The band is currently working on their forthcoming …

Father’s Day evening in the Twin Cities was made even better, with an appearance from one of the musical fathers of The Eagles—

That band’s co-founder and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Don Henley played the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, with a two-hour set of music that covered his more than forty-two years in the music business. 

The challenging task of introducing yourself and your music to an audience that was mostly unaware of them was given to openers JD and the Straight Shot, an Americana blues and roots rock group, out in support of their fifth studio album, Ballyhoo!, which was self-released in 2016.

The group is led by guitarist/vocalist Jim Dolan and filled with seasoned musicians (featuring Byron House [Robert Plant, Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton] on upright bass; Erin Slaver [Martina McBride, Rod Stewart] on fiddle/violin and Marc Copely [B.B. King, Rosanne Cash] on guitars) and rose to that challenge by huddling close to each other and made the cavernous arena, seem like a small barn for their intimate 45min. set. 

Performing as an acoustic six-piece live, the group eased into their set with opening number, ‘Glide’, with Dolan’s noteworthy raspy vocals sounding like a mix of Randy Newman, Tom Waits, and Dr. John.  Several songs played could also be heard in films, such as ‘Perdition’ (from Janie’s Got a Gun) and ‘Violet’s Song’ (from August: Osage County). With the title track to the Ballyhoo! album, Dolan donned a tall hat and burgundy coat, looking like a New Orleans medicine man with the band grooving accordingly and they even worked in snippets of ‘Paint it Black’ and ‘Whole Lotta Love’ into their own ‘Let it Roll’ toward the end. 

It was only after the lights came up, could you see several radios of all vintages, suspended from the ceiling over the stage.  Lights again darkened and the spotlights shone on each of the radios (maybe 42 in all?) as an audio portion was played to give the audience a history lesson of events or music of the times from the post-war era onward.  Then, the stage shone bright as Don Henley and band appeared and began acapella, singing ‘Seven Bridges Road’ at the front of the stage. 

Henley is still out in support of his country-tinged album, Cass County (Past Masters Holdings/Capitol Records), though the night was also a musical celebration of his forty-two years as a musician. While he did play a handful of the newer songs, Henley thankfully chose not to “over countri-fy” any of his earlier classics and most were played as people were familiar with. 

And like previous shows on the tour (including last fall at the State Fair), Henley insisted on no audience cameras whatsoever (thus, our stock photos), with security chasing and shoulder-tapping anyone with a cellphone in the air, trying to get a quick still frame or shoot quick video.

“As you can see, I brought a few people with me” Henley and his dry wit quipped after ‘Sunset Grill’ , referring to the whopping fifteen people on stage with him, including a five piece horn section and crack band including drummer Scott Crago and guitarist Steurt Smith (who The Eagles hired to replace Don Felder in 2001). 

Politics were largely on the backburner for the evening, though there were a few indirect references and Henley seemed to sing again-poignant songs like ‘The End of the Innocence’ with a little extra vigor. 

Henley recognized that Minnesota had a Cass County (one of nine states to have one), and the new songs often featured one of the three backup singers, who each held their own vocally, against his signature tenor.  ‘Witchy Woman’ was a new arrangement of the 1972 Eagles song, “the way we should have done it in the first place” Henley said, and The Eagles’ ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ was dedicated to Glenn Frey, who performed the unmissable lead vocals on the recorded hit.

One of the musical highlights of the night was 1976’s ‘The Last Resort’, the closing track on the Hotel California album that was rarely played live, due to the complexity the song required to be performed- “I have the personnel now”, Henley said.  “We’ve been doing this song for therapy”, Henley said, introducing his faithful cover of Tears for Fears’ ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World’, a song we heard the original duo play in this very building, just a month before. 

After a rolling ‘Boys of Summer’, Henley split the five-song encore, beginning it with an amped-up ‘Life in the Fast Lane’ which featured a stirring dueling guitar solo. Though known as The Eagles’ drummer, Henley never sat behind the kit this evening, but occasionally banged on the basic snare/cymbals set-up, next to the drums.

The newer Eagles song ‘Wasted Time’ became a male-female duet with backup singer Lara Johnston, the chorus of ‘Desperado’ sounded like a church choir with the combined power of the band and audience voices, and ‘All She Wants to Do Is Dance’ gave everyone one last chance to move about after some two hours. 

Though his stage presence wasn’t that much to take in, Don Henley succeeded on the sheer magnitude of the band’s technical sharpness and all those familiar songs everyone knows by heart, destined to still have airplay, for decades to come. Realizing that the songs are why the people keep coming out and anchoring his show with so many classics, this musical father knows best. 

Photo courtesy of JD and The Straight Shot

Photo courtesy of Don Henley

 

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

Minneapolis: June 27 to June 30, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from June 27 to June 30, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Alex G Alex G (Alex Giannascoli - not to be confused with singer/songwriter Alex G) just released Beach Music... his seventh full-length album, and his first Domino release. He’s obviously not used to recording in a studio, saying, “I was … Japanese Breakfast Opening will be singer Michelle Zauner, of Philadelphia indie punk band Little Big League, under the solo moniker of Japanese Breakfast. The music showcases Zauner's dark ...

(SANDY) ALEX G
at 7th Street Entry
Tuesday 06/27/17 (7pm/$14)
first-avenue.com

First Avenue’s website lists (Sandy) Alex G as headliner. Alex G’s eight album Rocket is available now on Domino. We last saw him in August 2016 and noted, “The evening’s festivities commenced with a 45-minute set by Alex G. Most of the song titles in his catchy indie catalog consist of only one word.”

Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner) is touring in support of their forthcoming record Soft Sounds From Another Planet (due for release July 14th via Dead Oceans Records).

We caught the band accidentally with Slowdive in May 2017 and discovered why they had a deep relationship with local band Strange Relations.

Brooklyn indie rock quartet Cende to open... the band debut album is called #1 Hit Single (Double Double Whammy).

Tour Dates:

6/22 - Portland, OR @ Holocene *
6/24 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court *
6/25 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
6/27 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry *
6/28 - Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge *
6/29 - Columbus, OH @ Double Happiness *
6/30 - Lakewood, OH @ Mahall's *
7/1 - Detroit, MI @ El Club *
7/2 - Toronto, ON @ Velvet Underground *
7/4 - Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PDB *
7/5 - Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair *
7/6 - Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
7/7 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
7/8 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
7/15 - Brooklyn, NY @ Union Pool ~
7/27 - Halifax, NS @ Rebecca Cohn Auditorium ^
7/28 - Portland, ME @ State Theatre ^
7/29 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom ^
7/31 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues ^
8/2 - Covington, KY @ Madison Theater ^
10/23 - Cologne, DE @ Blue Shell
10/25 - Berlin, DE @ Badenhouse
11/2 - Brighton, GB @ The Joker
11/6 - Leeds, GB @ Headrow House
11/7 - London, GB @ The Dome Tufnell Park

* w/ (Sandy) Alex G & Cende
^ w/ Tegan & Sara
~ Free Record Release Show w/ Yohuna (Starts at 2PM)

Read More MisterWives NYC indie-pop-soul band Misterwives got things started with a brief but energetic set; petite singer Mandy Lee (who has also sang with Boyce Avenue) has pipes at least twice her size …

MISTERWIVES
at First Avenue
Thursday 06/29/17 (5pm/$26.75)
first-avenue.com

New York City’s MisterWivesis back on tour to support their sophomore record Connect The Dots(Republic Records/Photo Finish).

The Greeting Committee and Bell The Band to open. The latter Bell The Band (vocalist / multi-instrumentalist Caitlin Marie Bell, drummer Jared Saltiel, upright bassist Gab Bowler, and guitarist Harper James) will experience their first-ever U.S. tour.

Miles The DJ to MC and spin between sets.

Note, this is an all-ages Go Show and starts at 5pm.

MisterWives Confirmed US Tour Dates

06/21 @ The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA
06/23 @ Crofoot in Pontiac, MI
06/24 @ Mamby on the Beach in Chicago, IL
06/25 @ Bogart’s in Cincinnati, OH
06/28 @ Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI
06/29 @ First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN
07/01 @ Ogden Theatre in Denver, CO
07/21-07/23 @ Karoondinha Festival in Centre Hall, PA

The Connect The Dots Tour

09/21 @ Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, TN
09/23 @ Center Stage in Atlanta, GA
09/24 @ Beacham Theatre in Orlando, FL
09/26 @ Emo’s in Austin, TX
09/27 @ House of Blues in Dallas, TX
09/29 @ The Van Buren in Phoenix, AZ
09/30 @ The Observatory in Santa Ana, CA
10/03 @ The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, CA
10/04 @ The Fox Theatre in Oakland, CA
10/06 @ Crystal Ballroom in Portland, OR
10/07 @ Showbox SoDo in Seattle, WA
10/17 @ House of Blues in Cleveland, OH
10/18 @ Phoenix Theatre in Toronto, ON
10/20 @ House of Blues in Boston, MA
10/25 @ Terminal 5 in New York, NY

Read More Joseph Arthur Joseph Arthur first came onto the music scene when Peter Gabriel 'discovered' him and quickly signed him to his record label, Real World. Since then, Arthur released 10 albums … Johnny Cash There is a hidden Johnny Cash song ("Houston Hash") at the end of the EP. It is a really fun song about a truck driver who does whatever it takes to get home for some Houston Hash. The coolest part is the recipe that's mentioned in the song: ....

Other shows in the area:

06/27/2017 Joseph Arthur is performing Redemption’s Son in its entirety on Tuesday at the Turf Club. Allison Pierce (half of The Pierces) will open the show. Pierce’s solo album Year Of The Rabbit is available now. 7pm, $15.

06/27/2017 Jack and Sharon Osbourne are big fans of Otep... who is performing at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St Paul this Tuesday. No opening band listed as of this writing. 7pm, $20.

06/28/2017 Bluegrassy The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band is headlining the Turf Club on Wednesday. They aren’t really a big band... kind of like there are no women in Bare Naked Ladies. Dumpy Jug Bumpers to open. 7:30pm, $12.

06/29/2017 If you love Johnny Cash, check out Cash’d Out (a tribute band consisting of Douglas Benson vocals, Kevin Manuel guitar, George Bernardo drums, and Stephen Rey bass) at the Turf Club on Thursday. John David & the Jerks to open. 7pm, $13.

06/30/2017 The Cedar Cultural Center is hosting a few events on this Friday. At 11am, there is a free show at the Plaza featuring Harbi and Rahmo Rose Band. Later in the evening, experience Alma Afrobeat Ensemble with Harbi as opener. 11am/7pm, FREE/$15.

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

The Slants

Read More The Slants I decided to pick up a few of The Slants' albums after hearing about their ongoing case with the Supreme Court. Their music is a ton of fun, a mix of post-punk rock and synthy-pop dance. …

Oregon-based The Slants recently won a nearly eight-year court battle over the use and trademark of their name. You can view the interview with Ronny Chieng at the Daily Show on cc.com.

To me, since The Slants consists of Asian men (vocalist Ken Shima, guitarist Joe X. Jiang, drummer Yuya Matsuda, bassist Simon “Young” Tam, and sound tech Peter Cho), they get a free pass. The same can be said for the all-black members of N***** With Attitudes (NWA) and the all-women band The Slits. I don’t have a problem with this, because the band members know and understand what these words means to them.

What is not cool are four white men calling themselves Viet Cong. After numerous protests from the Vietnamese community, the Canadian band changed their unintentionally racist name to Preoccupations in 2016. I also behind the rejection of the Washington Redskins. I empathize with American Indians who finds the name (and that Mohawk hand chomp) rather offensive.

Anyway, it’s good news for The Slants, they will be heading out on tour in support of their The Band Who Must Not Be Named album:

6/25/17 - World Beat Festival - Salem, OR
7/14/17 - Tokyo in Tulsa - Tulsa, OK
7/15/17 - Tokyo in Tulsa - Tulsa, OK
7/21/17 - Ash Street Saloon - Portland, OR
7/28/17 - MechaCon - New Orleans, LA
8/10/17 - Otakon Matsuri - Washington, D.C.
8/11/17 - Otakon Matsuri - Washington, D.C.
8/12/17 - Otakon Matsuri - Washington, D.C.
8/13/17 - Otakon Matsuri - Washington, D.C.
9/28/17 - Supreme Court IP Review Conference @ Kent College of Law - Chicago, IL

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

Tom Walker at Charlie's on Prior, Prior Lake, MN (15 June 2017)

Setlist Rapture Radioactive (Imagine Dragons cover) Just You and I Fly Away With Me Play Dead (The 4AM mix) Me Myself and I Shaking Tour Dates 06/23/2017 Pilton UK Glastonbury Festival 08/20/2017 Gampel, Switzerland Open Air 08/27/2017 Portsmouth, UK Southsea Seafront Read More Tom Walker Blessings - EP [Explicit] Tom Walker May 12, 2017 Copyright: (P) 2017 Relentless Records under exclusive licence to Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited Record Company ....

“Manchester” wasn’t “by the sea”—

…but instead along the banks of Prior Lake, as Manchester, UK singer-songwriter Tom Walker made a brief stop in the Twin Cities suburb, to perform a short acoustic set and introduce himself during his first time in the area.

The musician, originally from Glasgow and now based in London, recently released his debut EP, Blessings (Relentless/Epic Records) was selected as Elvis Duran’s Artist of the Month appearing on the Today Show and single ‘Just You and I’ has topped 12 million Spotify streams.  After a sold out stint opening for George Ezra, Walker is on a brief radio promotional tour and joined local station Cities 97 as part of their Live on the Lake series that features local musicians, developing artists, and some established names, playing at a lakeside establishment on Thursday afternoons over the summer.

“We’ve come all the way from rainy England” Walker remarked, doing some last minute tuning as he and his percussionist started their half hour set with ‘Rapture’, from the EP.  The happy hour outdoors crowd was typically over-boisterous but slowly came more around as Walker continued, next with his stripped version of Imagine Dragons’ ‘Radioactive’, something he hopes his songs will become in the States.

‘Just You and I’ would follow, with Walker in hat and sunglasses, taking in the dockside view as the blustery wind swept things about, and swelled water currents.  ‘Play Dead’ was originally recorded in the middle of the night (thus being dubbed the 4AM mix) and ‘Me Myself and I’ was not the De La Soul song, but a Walker original that recalls his bus rides in London that took him to mysterious places, sometimes without a way back.

“If you fancy a little moving… why not?!” Walker mentioned before closing with a skiffle sounding ‘Shaking’, a surefire toe-tapper though the crowd found it hard to move on the narrow deck area.

Walker has released a new single, ‘Heartland’ with full-length presumably on the way soon, and plays to a much bigger audience back home in England this weekend, taking part in the massive Glastonbury Festival in Pilton, UK, but we hope to see him back locally for a full-length proper gig, once the album is released.

Tom Walker at Charlie's on Prior, Prior Lake, MN (15 June 2017)

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