W♥M

Minneapolis: May 18, 2024

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

05/17 Portugal. The Man with Reyna Tropical at First Avenue Read More Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place …

05/17/2024 Friday

Portugal. The Man
with Reyna Tropical
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

05/18/2024 Saturday

Portugal. The Man
with Reyna Tropical
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Multi-platinum, GRAMMY® Award-winning rock band Portugal. The Man will be doing a two-night residency at First Avenue this May 17 and 18. The popular band’s latest album CHRIS BLACK CHANGED MY LIFE is the first release since their 2017 album Woodstock.

Portugal. The Man (10 June 2016)

We last saw the band in June 2016 and wrote, “Portugal. The Man was next on the bill, playing a full hour long set. It’s been a rather long time since we saw the Alaskan band in 2013 (when they were touring for their last album Evil Friends on Atlantic Records)... but based on seeing a hype man on stage (which we later learned that he is Chris Black), I can only speculate that their forthcoming Gloomin + Doomin will be more hip-hop based. This is confirmed because rapper Mac Miller and Mike D (from The Beastie Boys) were involved in making the new record.”

Reyna Tropical to open both nights.

Tour dates:

5/1/24 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amph

5/2/24 – Asheville, NC – Rabbit Rabbit

5/3/24 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium

5/6/24 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant

5/7/24 – Kansas City, MO – The Truman

5/9/24 – Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom

5/10/24 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room

5/11/24 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed

5/14/24 – Milwaukee, WI – The Riverside Theater

5/15/24 – Madison, WI – The Sylvee

5/17/24 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

5/18/24 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue

5/20/24 – Fargo, ND – Fargo Brewing

5/22/24 – Bozeman, MT – The ELM

5/23/24 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory

5/24/24 – Carnation, WA – Remlinger Farms

7/5/24 – Memphis, TN – Minglewood Hall

7/6/24 – Bentonville, AR – The Momentary

7/7/24 – Omaha, NE – Steelhouse

7/10/24 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre

7/11/24 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater

7/13/24 – Vail, CO – Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

7/17/24 – Missoula, MT – Kettlehouse Amphitheater

05/18 Neil Hamburger with Chris Crofton at Turf Club Read More Neil Hamburger America's favorite funnyman Neil Hamburger is coming back to Minneapolis at the Cedar Cultural Center this August 21st (additional details available at thecedar.org). I know a few fans who… Chris Crofton Opener will feature comedian Chris Crofton. Deer Tick 2017 Fall Tour 10/17 – Louisville, KY – Headliners Music Hall 10/19 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre 10/20 – Minneapolis, MN – Cedar Cultural Center 10/21 – Chicago, IL – Metro …

05/18/2024 Saturday

Neil Hamburger
with Chris Crofton
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

America’s Funnyman Neil Hamburger is headlining the Turf Club this May 18, 2024. We love Neil Hamburger, as we wrote about him in 2007: “Truly, the worst stand-up in the world, Neil Hamburger, a has-been comedian that should've retired 15 years ago. His jokes are intentionally off-timing, he spills his liquor all over, and he constantly coughs and clears his throat! But I guess that's part of the charm.”

Neil Hamburger (21 Aug 2015)

We did catch Hamburger in Aug 2015 and wrote, “In typical Neil Hamburger style, the drunken, badly done hair comb over, safety pinned suit, Hamburger came on stage gripping three drinks, wheezing and coughing. Stunned at the adoring standing ovation, Hamburger jokingly said he might as well leave now... but then continued telling his "gags". We've seen Neil Hamburger before and we know his materials aren't that funny, but it's more about his delivery and awkwardness that makes it so laughable. Moving away from jokes about his ex-wife, the America's $1 Funnyman mostly made fun of "Leeeegendary" famous musicians Grateful Deads, Blind Melon, Gene Simmons (Kiss), Paul McCartney (Beatles), and Ozzy Osbourne.”

Chris Crofton to open.

NOTE: There is an early show (6:30pm) and a late show (9:30pm).

Tour dates:

MAY 18 Turf Club St Paul, MN

MAY 30 The Pearl Vancouver, BC

SEP 06 Deep Cuts Medford, MA

SEP 08 Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA

05/18 Chicano Batman with Lido Pimienta at Uptown Theater Read More Chicano Batman Chicano Batman to open. The cape crusader was last seen at SXSW with their new song “Black Lipstick”, featuring back up vocals by Saudia Yasmein. …

05/18/2024 Saturday

Chicano Batman
with Lido Pimienta
at Uptown Theater
uptowntheatermn.com

Acclaimed psych-soul band and Los Angeles institution Chicano Batman is touring in support of their album Notebook Fantasy (ATO Records). The tour will stop in at the Uptown Theater, in Minneapolis, on May 18, 2024.

Lido Pimienta to open.

Tour dates:

5/3 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl*

5/4 Atlanta, GA Shaky Knees Festival

5/7 Richmond, VA The National*

5/8 Washington, DC 9:30 Club*

5/9 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Steel*

5/10 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club*

5/11 North Adams, MA Hunter Center Mass Moca

5/12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer*

5/15 Columbus, OH The Bluestone*

5/16 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue*

5/17 Chicago, IL Salt Shed*

5/18 Minneapolis, MN Uptown Theater*

6/20 Seattle, WA Moore Theatre*

6/21 Portland, OR Roseland Theater*

6/22 Boise, ID Knitting Factory*

6/24 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot*

6/25 Denver, CO Ogden Theatre*

6/26 Taos, NM Taos Mesa Brewing Mothership*

6/28 San Diego, CA Cal Coast Credit Union*

6/29 Los Angeles, CA The Kia Forum*^

6/30 San Francisco, CA TBA

8/29 Amsterdam, NL Tolhuistuin

8/31 Manchester, UK Manchester Psych Fest

9/3 London, UK Lafayette

9/4 Paris, FR La Maroquinerie

9/26 Guadalajara, MX C3 Stage

9/27 Queretaro, MX Foro Indie Rocks!

9/28 Mexico City, MX Auditorio BB

Openers:
* Lido Pimienta
^ The Red Pears

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Minneapolis: February 9 to February 13, 2018

Read More Black Rebel Motorcycle Club BRMC is in the middle of their US tour promoting their new album Specter At The Feast. As I will be missing them when they are in LA next month, it was imperative I catch them at the House of Blues in San Diego on Tuesday. … Night Beats Wooden Indian Burial Ground (with Night Beats headlining) are coming to Minneapolis this Sunday, May 12th. … May 12th - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry …

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from February 9 to February 13, 2018.

Read more: Minneapolis Music Guide.

B.R.M.C.
+ Night Beats
First Avenue
Sun 02/11/2018 (7pm/$25)
first-avenue.com

California-based band Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (often abbreviated to B.R.M.C.) will be at First Avenue’s mainroom this Sunday, February 11th. Their 7th studio album Wrong Creatures came out in January, and features singles “Little Thing Gone Wild” and “Echo”.

Night Beats (named after Sam Cooke’s classic album) have been announced as main support for BRMC’s 2018 tour. The band originally started as a duo (Danny Lee Blackwell and James Traeger), but now a trio with Jakob Bowden on bass. Night Beats’ latest Who Sold My Generation is out now.

Tour dates:

Feb 5 - Montreal, QC - Club Soda
Feb 6 - Toronto, ON - Rebel
Feb 7 - Detroit, MI - Majestic Theatre
Feb 9 - Columbus, OH - Newport Music Hall
Feb 10 - Chicago, IL - Vic Theatre
Feb 11 - Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue
Feb 12 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall
Feb 13 - Kansas City, MO - The Truman
Feb 15 - Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre
Feb 16 - Salt Lake City, UT - Metro Music Hall
Feb 18 - Portland, OR - Roseland Theater
Feb 19 - Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom
Feb 20 - Seattle, WA - The Showbox
Feb 22 - Oakland, CA - Fox Theater
Feb 23 - Pomona, CA - The Glass House
Feb 24 - Los Angeles, CA - The Fonda Theatre

Read More Flor 01/13/17 Great Good Fine OK and Flor will play 7th Street Entry. 01/14/17 Patti LaBelle will be at The State Theatre. … Handsome Ghost Handsome Ghost to open the show. Suspiciously dates around SXSW are left blank at the moment... but we suspect they’ll be down in Austin after March 12th. … Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place … Twin Peaks This is the Chicago Twin Peaks band... I wonder if they will get sued once Showtime start their David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks production in 2016? ... Kid Dakota Kid Dakota's third album "A Winner's Shadow," released March 11th, is an impressive effort that, while it could never be called poppy, on some occasions ... Thurston Moore Former Sonic Youth songwriter Thurston Moore, and his band billed as The Thurston Moore Group, headlined the sold-out Turf Club show in St Paul last Wednesday... Flint Eastwood 04/28/17 Flint Eastwood (not to be confused with Clint Eastwood) is headlining the 7th Street Entry. $10. 04/28/17 The Florists’ EP release show is at Triple Rock Social Club. $5. … Devata Daun Two local bands were special guests at the show. Darkwave band Devata Daun (aka Nikki Pfeifer) was first, playing some tracks from her album Look (Pytch Records). … Speak Low If You Speak Love Speak Low If You Speak Love started the show with their calm indie, acoustic-y, pop-punk sound. They sounded great but the crowd wasn't moving. I think it was a bit expected by … Creeper 02/23/17 Too Close To Touch will be headlining The Garage in Burnsville. Waterparks and Creeper to open. 02/23/17 Orlando, Florida's …

Other shows in the area:

FLOR
+ Handsome Ghost
7th Street Entry
Fri 02/09/2018 (7pm/$13)
first-avenue.com

California’s Flor (singer/guitarist Zach Grace, bassist Dylan Bauld, guitarist McKinley Kitts, and drummer Kyle Hill) will be in town with Handsome Ghost on Friday, February 9, at the 7th Street Entry.

Upcoming Tour Dates:

2/4 @ Kilby Court in Salt Lake City, UT
2/7 @ Globe Hall in Denver, CO
2/8 @ The Maintenance Shop in Ames, IA
2/9 @ 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis, MN
2/10 @ Subterranean in Chicago, IL
2/11 @ Basement in Columbus, OH
2/13 @ Pike Room in Pontiac, MI
2/14 @ Rivoli in Toronto, ON
2/16 @ Middle East Upstairs in Boston, MA
2/17 @ Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY
2/18 @ World Café Live in Philadelphia, PA
2/20 @ DC9 in Washington, DC
2/21 @ Local 506 in Chapel Hill, NC
2/22 @ The High Watt in Nashville, TN
2/23 @ Masquerade in Atlanta, GA
2/24 @ Social in Orlando, FL
2/26 @ White Oak in Houston, TX
2/27 @ Stubb’s Jr. in Austin, TX
2/28 @ Three Links in Dallas, TX

PORTUGAL. THE MAN
+ Twin Peaks
Palace Theatre
Fri 02/09/2018 (7:30pm/$25)
Sat 02/10/2018 (7:30pm/$25)
palacestpaul.com

Almost every double-night residency show at the Palace Theatre in St Paul sells out… and Portland based dance pop/rock group Portugal. The Man’s upcoming shows are no exception.

Chicago’s Twin Peaks (not to be confused with David Lynch’s cult television series) will open.

Portugal. The Man/Twin Peaks shows:

Feb. 9 - St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
Feb. 10 - St. Paul, MN @ Palace Theatre
Feb. 11 - Madison, WI @ Overture Hall
Feb. 13 - Iowa City, IA @ IMU Main Ballroom
Feb. 14 - Columbia, MO @ The Blue Note
Feb. 17 - Louisville, KY @ Louisville Palace
Feb. 18 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theater
Feb. 21 - Montreal, QC @ MTELUS
Feb. 22 - Providence, RI @ The Strand
Feb. 24 - Washington, DC @ The Anthem

THE ACCIDENTALS
+ Hailey Ward
Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant
Fri 02/09/2018 (7pm/$20)
dakotacooks.com

Sony Masterworks recording artists, The Accidentals (Sav Buist, Katie Larson and Michael Dause), will be playing the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis this February 9th. The group was named “Top 10 Bands to Watch in 2017” by Yahoo Music.

20-year-old indie-folk singer-songwriter from Williston, Vermont, Hailey Ward will open the show.

2018 North American Tour Dates

02/06 - Ann Arbor, MI. - The Ark
02/07 - Yorkville, IL. - Law Office Pub
02/08 - Chatfield, MN. - Chatfield Center for the Arts
02/09 - Minneapolis, MN. - Dakota Jazz Club
02/10 - Fremont, NE. - The Pioneer Theater
02/11 - Lincoln, NE. - TBD
02/12-02/18 - Folk Alliance International Showcase

KID DAKOTA
+ Alan Sparhawk (Low)
Icehouse
Sat 02/10/2018 (10:30pm/$10)
icehousempls.com

Minneapolis-based artist Kid Dakota is having a CD release party for his fifth album Denervation (Graveface Records). Alan Sparhawk from local heroes Low to open.

We wrote about Kid Dakota in 2008: “I'm the first to admit my shameless devotion to the Minneapolis music scene, but Kid Dakota deserves special consideration. The product of singer / songwriter / guitarist/ engineer / all-around- dynamo Darren Jackson on guitar, keyboard and vocals, Kid Dakota also features drummer Ian Prince (formerly of Houston and the Dames and currently of Story of the Sea). Jackson, a South Dakota native, is also a producer in his own right, running a recording studio built into his house, where he has worked on albums by the Owls, Ice Palace and Vicious Vicious.”

EMANCIPATOR
+ Flamingosis
Fine Line Music Cafe
Sat 02/10/2018 (8pm/$22)
finelinemusic.com

Classically-trained electronic producer Emancipator (Doug Appling) is headlining the Fine Line Music Café on Saturday, February 10, in support of his #1 iTunes Electronic album, Baralku (Loci Records).

Special guest Flamingosis to open.

2018 Tour Dates

2/7 - Milwaukee, WI @ Miramar Theatre
2/8 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
2/9 - Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall
2/10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe
2/14 - Birmingham, AL @ WorkPlay
2/15 - Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity
2/16 - Dallas, TX @ Trees
2/17 - Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
2/18 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
2/20 - St. Louis, MO @ Old Rock House
2/21 - Nashville, TN @ Exit In
2/22 - Charlotte, NC @ Underground
2/23 - Raleigh, NC @ Lincoln Theatre
2/24 - Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse

ENTER SHIKARI
+ Milk Teeth, Single Mothers
Amsterdam Bar and Hall
Sat 02/10/2018 (7pm/$20)
amsterdambarandhall.com

British post-hardcore band Enter Shikari is playing the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St Paul this Saturday. Their critically-acclaimed UK Top Five album The Spark is out now on Play It Again Sam/Ambush Reality.

Tour dates:

2/5/2018 Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmount
2/6/2018 Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
2/8/2018 Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Hall
2/9/2018 Chicago, IL @ Metro
2/10/2018 St Paul, MN @ Amsterdam Hall
2/11/2018 Winnipeg, MB @ Pyramid Cabaret
2/13/2018 Calgary, AB @ Commonwealth
2/14/2018 Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Ballroom
2/16/2018 Vancouver, BC @ Imperial
2/17/2018 Seattle, WA @ Neumo's
2/18/2018 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
2/20/2018 Santa Cruz, CA @ Catalyst Atrium
2/23/2018 Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
2/24/2018 Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
2/25/2018 San Diego, CA @ The Irenic
2/27/2018 Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom

FLINT EASTWOOD
+ NYDGE, Devata Daun
7th Street Entry
Fri 02/11/2018 (7pm/$10)
first-avenue.com

Originally billed with BRMC, Detroit’s Flint Eastwood (named after Clint Eastwood) will now be headlining the smaller 7th Street Entry stage. Flint Eastwood is the stagename to singer Jax Anderson. Anderson’s latest Broke Royalty came out April 14, 2017 on Neon Gold Records.

02.06 - Columbus, OH @ The Basement %
02.08 - Nashville, TN @ The High Watt %
02.09 - Indianapolis, IN @ Hi-Fi %
02.10 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's %
02.11 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry %
02.13 - Cincinnati, OH @Ballroom at Taft Theatre %
02.15 - Atlanta, GA @ The Buckhead Theatre *
02.16 - Richmond, VA @ The National *
02.17 - Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom *
02.21 - Providence, RI @ The Strand *
02.22 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE *
02.23 - Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues *
02.24 - Grand Rapids, MI @ Intersection *
02.26 - St Louis, MO @ Delmar Hall *
02.27 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave/Eagles Club *
02.28 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theatre *

% NYDGE supports
* supporting Pvris

THURSTON MOORE
+ DJ Matthew St-Germain
Uptown VFW Post
Mon 02/12/2018 (8pm/$16)
uptownvfw.org

The great Thurston Moore, formerly of noise band Sonic Youth, will be at Uptown VFW Post on Monday for his show, Thurston Moore: Music + Radio Radieux : Film.

NECK DEEP
+ Creeper, Seaway, Speak Low If You Speak Love
First Avenue
Tue 02/13/2018 (5pm/$22)
first-avenue.com

Wrexham pop-punks Neck Deep will be headlining this all-ages show at First Avenue’s mainroom.

Show up early to this “The Peace And The Panic Tour” to check out Seaway, among other openers, as they replaced their previously announced headlining “American Vacation” Tour, because the opportunity to join this tour was too good to pass up. They made the right call because the first half of the “The Peace And The Panic Tour” has sold out.

Upcoming U.S. Tour Dates w/Neck Deep

02/05 - Rochester, NY @ Anthology
02/06 - Montreal, QC @ Club Soda
02/07 - Ottawa, ON @ Bronson Centre
02/08 - Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
02/09 - Detroit, MI @ The Majestic
02/10 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
02/12 - Chicago, IL @ Concord
02/13 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
02/14 - Kansas City, MO @ The Truman
02/16 - Denver, CO @ The Ogden Theatre
02/17 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Complex
02/20 - Calgary, AB @ MacEwan Ballroom
02/21 - Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall
02/23 - Vancouver, BC @ The Vogue Theatre
02/24 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
02/25 - Portland, OR @ Roseland Ballroom
02/27 - San Francisco, CA @ The Regency Ballroom
02/28 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Henry Fonda Theatre

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

Minneapolis: March 22 to March 23, 2017

Here are some concerts taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from March 22 to March 23, 2017.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place …

PORTUGAL. THE MAN
at First Avenue
Wednesday 03/22/17, 7pm ($25)
first-avenue.com

Atlantic recording group Portugal. The Man is back on tour to preview some tracks from their forthcoming album Woodstock. We’ve seen the Alaska band numerous time, and each time we were wondering if they had a new album since 2013’s Evil Friends.

Singer John Gourley talked about recording the forthcoming record, “We worked with so many rad people on this album, but ended up with just the four of us in a basement at 4am trying to say something that mattered. Trying to write music that would help people feel they’re not alone, even if they’re angry or feeling lost. This video is our way of saying that we’re all in this together.”

So why the title Woodstock? Apparently, Gourley’s dad attended the original 1969 Woodstock Music Festival, and it inspired Gourley to throw out all their music they’ve been working on since 2013 and started new and fresh and exciting direction.

19 year old Hip-Hop HDBeenDope to open.

Tour Dates:

03/11/17 Las Vegas, NV Brooklyn Bowl 03/13/17 San Francisco, CA Independent 03/14/17 Los Angeles, CA Bahia 03/16/17 San Diego, CA Observatory North Park 03/17/17 Tucson, AZ Rialto Theatre 03/18/17 Albuquerque, NM Sunshine Theater 03/19/17 Aspen, CO Belly Up Aspen 03/21/17 Omaha, NE Slowdown 03/22/17 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue 03/23/17 Des Moines, IA Wooly's 03/24/17 Madison, WI Majestic Theatre 03/25/17 Detroit, MI The Majestic Theatre 03/27/17 Millvale, PA Mr. Small's Theatre 03/28/17 New Haven, CT College Street 03/30/17 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 03/31/17 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer 04/01/17 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 04/02/17 Washington, DC 9:30 Club 04/04/17 Richmond, VA The National 04/06/17 Charleston, SC Charleston Music Hall 04/07/17 Orlando, FL Plaza Live Orlando 04/08/17 Saint Petersburg, FL Jannus Live 04/10/17 Fort Lauderdale, FL Culture Room

04/11/17 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL Ponte Vedra Hall 04/13/17 New Orleans, LA Joy Theater 04/14/17 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Live 04/15/17 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre 04/16/17 San Antonio, TX The Aztec Theatre 05/12/17 Shaky Knees Music Festival 06/01/17 Boston, MA House Of Blues Boston 06/02/17 Albany, NY Palace Theatre 06/03/17 Field Trip Music 06/06/17 New York, NY Terminal 5 06/07/17 New York, NY Terminal 5 06/09/17 Bonnaroo 06/11/17 St. Louis, MO The Pageant 06/13/17 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater 06/14/17 Chicago, IL Riviera Theatre 06/16/17 Kansas City, MO Arvest Bank Theatre 06/17/17 Denver, CO Bluebird Theater 06/18/17 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre 07/20/17 Seattle, WA Paramount Theatre 07/21/17 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge 07/22/17 Troutdale, OR McMenamins Edgefield 07/27/17 Anaheim, CA House Of Blues 07/28/17 Berkeley, CA Greek Theatre

Read More Jay Som The show was opened up by Jay Som from San Francisco, California. Her sweet and quiet demeanor was met with cute songs about real life events such as riding a bus. ... The Courtneys Opening up the show will be Vancouver's The Courtneys, touring in support of their debut self-titled LP and Brooklyn's My Midnight Heart (singer and songwriter Angélica Allen). … Wetter The 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on Saturday night, July 9th. Opening up the show with a brief 30-min set was local Wetter, playing their third ever live show. …

JAY SOM & THE COURTNEYS
at 7th Street Entry
Wednesday 03/22/17, 7:30pm ($10)
first-avenue.com

Jay Som is back in town. We previously saw her last October 2016 and noted that she was working on her debut record. The debut album is called Everybody Works and it is available now on Polyvinyl Records. Pitchfork called it “Best New Music”.

We’re also excited to see Vancouver’s power pop trio The Courtneys as co-headliner. The Courts previously opened up for Tegan and Sara and was in town in 2014.

The Courtneys’ second album is called The Courtneys II and it is available now via Flying Nun Records (their first non-New Zealand act).

Wetter to open.

The Courtneys Tour Dates:

3/14: Vancouver, BC @ The Biltmore
3/16: Calgary, AB @ Broken City
3/17: Edmonton, AB @ Brixx Bar & Grill
3/18: Saskatoon, SK @ Amigos Cantina
3/19: Winnipeg, CA @ The Good Will
3/20: Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
3/21: Madison, WI @ The Frequency ^
3/22: Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St Entry ^
3/23: Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club ^
3/24: Chicago, IL @ Schubas ^
3/25: Cleveland, OH @ Mahall's ^
3/27: Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz
3/26: Toronto, ON @ The Garrison ^
3/28: Allston, MA @ The Great Scott ^
3/29: Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right ^
3/31: Philadelphia, PA @ Boot & Saddle ^
4/1: Washingston, DC @ DC9 ^
4/2: Pittsburgh, PA @ Cattivo
4/4: Omaha, NE @ Milk Run
4/6: Denver, CO @ Lost Lake City ^
4/7: Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court ^
4/8: Boise, ID @ Neurolux ^
4/10: Portland, OR @ Doug Fir ^
4/11: Vancouver, BC @ The Cobalt ^
4/12: Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile ^
4/14: San Francisco, CA @ Brick & Mortar
4/15: Los Angeles, CA @ Resident

^ - w/ Jay Som

Read More The Apache Relay Nashville's The Apache Relay returned to Minnesota after only a few weeks, previously supporting (Jenny Lewis at First Avenue). Singer Michael Ford, Jr. …

Other shows in the area:

03/22/17 Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes to be at Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant. Southside Johnny has long been regarded as “the Grandfather of the New Jersey Sound”, obviously Jon Bon Jovi is a big fan.

03/22/17 Trivia for Cheaters is a fundraiser for Mid-Continent Oceanographic Institute at the Turf Club on Wednesday ... hosted by Jana Shortal.

03/23/17 Las Cafeteras is headlining Ordway Center For The Perf. Arts (Saint Paul). The band will also appear at College of St. Benedict & St. John's University on March 17th.

03/23/17 Airpark will be playing the 7th Street Entry. The Nashville-based duo is brothers Michael and Ben Ford, formerly of known as The Apache Relay. Locals Lazy Scorsese to open and Daniel & The Real Feels to close out the show.

03/23/17 LoCash is headlining The Cabooze. Michael Tyler and Ryan Follese to open.

03/23/17 John McCutcheon will be performing at Cafe 318 in Excelsior.

03/23/17 Dirt Train, The Fontanelles, and Holy Hootenanners will be at the Turf Club in St Paul.

03/23/17 Railroad Earth will be at First Avenue. Billy Strings will open.

03/23/17 Webster is playing Cedar Cultural Center.

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

Cage the Elephant at U.S. Bank Theater, Minneapolis (10 Jun 2016)

Setlist Cry Baby In One Ear Spiderhead Take It Or Leave It Aberdeen Too Late to Say Goodbye Cold Cold Cold Trouble Ain't No Rest for the Wicked Mess Around Punchin' Bag Telescope Back Against the Wall It's Just Forever Come a Little Closer -- Encore -- Cigarette Daydreams Shake Me Down Teeth Tour Dates 06/11/16 In The Venue Salt Lake City, UT 06/14/16 Crocodile Cafe Seattle, WA 06/15/16 Hawthorne Theatre Portland, OR 06/17/16 Slim's San Francisco, CA 06/18/16 Troubadour West Hollywood, CA 06/21/16 House of Blues San Diego, CA 06/24/16 House of Blues Dallas, TX 06/25/16 House of Blues Houston , TX 06/28/16 12th & Porter Nashville, TN 07/16/16 Elitch Gardens Denver, CO Read More Cage the Elephant Cage the Elephant – Come a Little Closer Apparently there’s no rest for the wicked, as the KY band is back on tour. They’ll be stopping by the U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center on June 10th, in support of their fourth studio album Tell Me I’m Pretty. … Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place … Twin Peaks This is the Chicago Twin Peaks band... I wonder if they will get sued once Showtime start their David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks production in 2016? ...

Grammy-nominated rock band Cage the Elephant just headlined the U.S. Bank Theater (inside the Target Center) in Minneapolis on Friday night, June 10th.

Twin Peaks

Opening the show was Chicago’s Twin Peaks. The band joked, “We used to play across the street all the time [referring to their various 7th Street Entry appearances], so we’re not used to this small place.”

Since we last saw the band at the 7th Street Entry, they had a lot more songs, especially because they now have three albums under their collective belts: Sunken (Autumn Tone), Wild Onion (Grand Jury), and their latest Down In Heaven (Grand Jury).

Majority of their 30-min set consists of Down In Heaven songs, including their latest single, ‘Butterfly’. Also, once again, lead vocals were traded by the three guitarists: Cadien, Clay, and Jack.

Portugal the Man

Portugal. The Man was next on the bill, playing a full hour long set. It’s been a rather long time since we saw the Alaskan band in 2013 (when they were touring for their last album Evil Friends on Atlantic Records)... but based on seeing a hype man on stage (which we later learned that he is Chris Black), I can only speculate that their forthcoming Gloomin + Doomin will be more hip-hop based. This is confirmed because rapper Mac Miller and Mike D (from The Beastie Boys) were involved in making the new record.

There weren’t any ‘hip hop’ styled songs on this set, so we’re not sure if they previewed some new songs... many of their songs were of the dance-variety from Evil Friends, such as ‘Hip Hop Kids’ and closer ‘Purple Yellow Red and Blue’.

Cage the Elephant

Since we saw Cage the Elephant last year, we described singer Matthew Shultz as something of “a younger Mick Jagger or Scott Weiland”. As with their last appearance, Shultz never stopped moving or dancing or jumping up and down. His energy was so impossibly high that it’s hard to believe he’s human! This is especially impressive, because Shultz maintained an amazing vocal output.

New songs from their fourth studio album Tell Me I’m Pretty were sprinkled in with fan favorite tracks like ‘Take It or Leave It’ (done early in the set) and personally I feel was their biggest hit song ‘Ain't No Rest for the Wicked’ (done midset).

New songs like ‘Too Late to Say Goodbye’ and ‘Cold Cold Cold’ were surprisingly well-received from the fans, as you can clearly see them singing along to the catchy lyrics.

By the time their latest hit song ‘Mess Around’ was played, the mostly younger audience started taking their chance with body surfing for the remaining show.

Cage the Elephant proved that they are one of the best live bands touring today, thanks to Matthew Shultz’ impressive high-energy performance and their many catchy hit songs (all those #1 singles on the Billboard charts can’t be a coincidence).

Tell Me I’m Pretty is out now on RCA Records.

Cage the Elephant at US Bank Theater, Minneapolis (10 Jun 2016)

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

Minneapolis: June 8 to June 10, 2016

Here are some shows taking place in the Minneapolis/St Paul area from June 8 to June 10, 2016.

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Read More JMSN Los Angeles' Christian Berishaj, or otherwise known as his stage name JMSN ('Jameson') released his JMSN (Blue Album) last December 9, 2014, via White Room Records. …

JMSN
at 7th Street Entry
Wednesday, 06/08/16, 8pm ($12/$14)
first-avenue.com

Detroit-born, Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/producer JMSN (aka Christian Berishaj) is touring in support of his latest album It is (White Room Records).

We have already previously mentioned his self-titled album (affectionately known as ‘the Blue Album’) and that 2015 tour in January 2015, but this time, he’ll be touring in the Summer instead of the harsh Winter.

Tiffany Gouché will open.

North American Tour Dates:

05/31/16 Montreal, QC Theatre Fairmount
06/01/16 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
06/03/16 Detroit, MI Populux Music Hall
06/04/16 Cleveland, OH Beachland Tavern
06/05/16 Pittsburgh, PA Club Cafe
06/06/16 Indianapolis, IN The Hi Fi
06/08/16 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
06/09/16 Chicago, IL Double Door
06/10/16 St. Louis, MO The Demo
06/11/16 Springfield, MO The Outland
06/12/16 Oklahoma City, OK 89th Street
06/14/16 Denver, CO Lost Lake Lounge
06/15/16 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
06/16/16 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
06/17/16 Boise, ID Reef
06/18/16 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
06/19/16 Seattle, WA The Crocodile
06/20/16 Vancouver, BC Alexander Gastown
06/22/16 San Francisco, CA The Independent
06/24/16 Santa Cruz, CA The Catalyst

Read More Royal Canoe There is a complexity to their music, such as in the album’s title track or the single, ‘Bathtubs’ that still comes off as easy and palatable to the ear, despite the “everything including …

PLANTS AND ANIMALS
at 7th Street Entry
Thursday, 06/09/16, 8pm ($12)
first-avenue.com

Plants and Animals’ first album in four years Waltzed In From The Rumbling (Secret City Records) came out earlier this year. All the critics have agreed that the new record is “something beautiful”, “wildly and wonderfully”, and “beautiful clarity”.

The Montreal band will tour in support of the new album in the USA this June.

Winnipeg’s six-piece ensemble Royal Canoe to open. We previously caught the Canadian band in June 2014 and wrote, “There is a complexity to their music, such as in the album’s title track or the single, ‘Bathtubs’ that still comes off as easy and palatable to the ear, despite the “everything including the kitchen sink” sound of it all, that is more than a little outside most simplistic pop on mainstream radio. Successfully received at last fall’s Iceland Airwaves, these experimental sound benders are worthy of further attention.”

Royal Canoe will release Something Got Lost Between Here and the Orbit on September 16, via Nevado Music (home to Deap Vally, The Dead Ships, Gringo Star and more). Expect a preview of those new songs on this upcoming tour.

US Tour Dates:

June 8 - Chicago, IL @ Schubas
June 9 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th Street Entry
June 13 - Edmonton, AB @ Starlite Room
June 14 - Calgary, AB @ Marquee Beer Market and Stage
June 15 - Nelson, BC @ Spiritbar at the Hume Hotel
June 16 - Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial
June 17 - Victoria, BC @ Sugar Nightclub
June 18 - Seattle, WA @ Sunset Tavern
June 21 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
June 23 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
June 24 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bootleg
* All shows with Royal Canoe

Read More Cage the Elephant Cage the Elephant – Come a Little Closer The rising Kentucky band in support of third album Melophobia (RCA Records), has embarked on an extensive North American Spring tour… Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place … Twin Peaks This is the Chicago Twin Peaks band... I wonder if they will get sued once Showtime start their David Lynch and Mark Frost's Twin Peaks production in 2016? ...

CAGE THE ELEPHANT
at U.S. Bank Theater (Target Center)
Friday, 06/10/16, 6pm ($29.50 - $45)
targetcenter.com

What can I say? Grammy-nominated rock band Cage the Elephant has made it to the big times years ago... but I’ll been praising the band since 2009 when I was blown away at how great their debut self-titled album was... citing ‘Ain't No Rest For The Wicked’ as one of my favorite song of 2009.

Apparently there’s no rest for the wicked, as the KY band is back on tour. They’ll be stopping by the U.S. Bank Theater at Target Center on June 10th, in support of their fourth studio album Tell Me I’m Pretty. The lead single ‘Mess Around’ landed the band #1 on the Alternative chart (their sixth #1). Other bands that achieved more than five #1 includes Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Green Day, R.E.M.... so they are in really great company.

Cage The Elephant consists of singer Matt Shultz, guitarist Brad Shultz, bassist Daniel Tichenor, and drummer Jared Champion.

Portugal. The Man is a great choice as opener. We previously saw the band in 2013 and wrote, “If you like dancing, check out Portugal. The Man on tour.”

Chicago’s Twin Peaks is also on the bill. Their latest record Down In Heaven is out now.

Cage the Elephant tour dates:

6/3 Louisville, KY @ KFC Yum! Center^
6/4 Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica^
6/5 Columbus, OH @ EXPRESS LIVE!^
6/7 Chicago, IL @ UIC Pavilion%
6/8 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave%
6/10 Minneapolis, MN @ U.S. Bank Theater ^
6/11 Madison, WI @ Coliseum^
6/14 Calgary, AB @ Calgary Stampede Corral^
6/15 Edmonton, AB @ Shaw Conference Centre^
6/17 Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum^
6/18 Portland, OR @ McMenamins Edgefield^
6/19 Seattle, WA @ WaMu Theater^
6/21 Los Angeles, CA @ Shrine Auditorium%
6/22 San Diego, CA @ Valley View Casino Center%
6/23 San Francisco, CA @ Bill Graham Civic%
6/25 Las Vegas, NV @ The Joint ^
6/26 Phoenix, AZ @ Gila River Arena^

*with Portugal. The Man + Broncho
^with Portugal. The Man + Twin Peaks
%with Portugal. The Man

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

Minneapolis Music Guide: August 17 - August 23, 2014

Here is the weekly guide of some Minneapolis live concerts and events from August 17 to August 23.

Read More Kiss Gene Simmons, the man behind KISS and is a franchise king, has opened up a restaurant called Rock & Brews, with impresario Michael Zislis and concert promoter Dave Furano. …

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
Target Center
Kiss / Def Leppard / The Dead Daisies

“You wanted the best, you got the best!”, so is the classic stage intro for Kiss, who come to town alongside fellow hard rock legends, Def Leppard.  At least two of the best anyway, as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons lead the now-Rock Hall inducted band in what will no doubt be a highly pyrotechnic and entertaining show.

Though Def Leppard’s  guitarist Vivian Campbell continues to bravely battle Hodgkin's lymphoma, he refuses to let it sideline him and expect him and the band to play all the 80s/90s classics during their hour+ set.

Down Under-formed band The Dead Daisies begins the evening, featuring ex-INXS singer Jon Stevens and an A-list of supporting players.

Best of all, KISS and Def Leppard jointly are supporting members of the armed services by partnering with numerous military organizations for the tour.

Tour dates:

08/15/14   East Troy, WI  Alpine Valley Music Theatre
08/16/14   Tinley Park, IL  First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
08/17/14   Minneapolis, MN  Target Center
08/20/14   Des Moines, IA  Wells Fargo Arena
08/22/14   Noblesville, IN  Klipsch Music Center
08/23/14   Clarkston, MI  DTE Energy Music Theatre
08/24/14   Burgettstown, PA  First Niagara Pavilion
08/26/14   Cuyahoga Falls, OH  Blossom Music Center
08/28/14   Maryland Heights, MO  Verizon Wireless Amph. St. Louis
08/29/14   Tulsa, OK  BOK Center
08/31/14   The Woodlands, TX  The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Read More Summer Set Music Festival Summer Set 8/15, 8/16, 8/17 Wu Tang, Big Gigantic, Bassnectar …

SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
SOMERSET AMPHITHEATER
Summer Set Music & Camping Festival

Summer Set Music Festival, not to be confused with the band The Summer Set, is wrapping itself up over the weekend (August 15-17), in, where else?, Somerset, Wisconsin.

Too many bands on the bill, but the big headliners that played were recently-reformed Wu-Tang Clan, Chromeo and Cults.

Sunday's bands:

Bassnectar
Umphrey's McGee
Chance The Rapper
Datsik
Flying Lotus
Cedric Gervais
Green Velvet
The Floozies
ProbCause
Kids Like Us
The Main Squeeze
R.A.S. Movement
Aer

Read More The Polyphonic Spree The Polyphonic Spree just played the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis, near the start of their 2013 tour for their upcoming album, Yes, It's True (coming out August 6th). …

MONDAY, AUGUST 18
CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
The Polyphonic Spree

Time to “reach for the Sun”!

Dallas-based choral symphonic rock band The Polyphonic Spree is back on the road for their Psychphonic Tour in support of last year’s Yes, It's True and just-released  remix album Psychphonic (Kirtland Records). Expect a gang of robed singers to crowd the small Cedar Cultural Center stage and an unavoidable feeling of glee to fill the audience.

The oddly named Catbath opens, composed of former members of Nightosaur, Hot Rash, and Skipper, as well as a current member of MiddlePicker—what’s that mean?—arrive early to find out.

Tour dates:

08/15/14 Academy Of Contemporary Music
08/16/14 St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill's Duck Room
08/17/14 Milwaukee, WI Turner Hall Ballroom
08/18/14 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
08/19/14 Evanston, IL SPACE
08/21/14 Cincinnati, OH Taft Theatre
08/22/14 Ferndale, MI Magic Bag
08/23/14 Cleveland, OH Music Box Supper Club
08/25/14 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
08/26/14 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl
08/27/14 Philadelphia, PA Prince Music Theatre
08/28/14 Washington, DC Black Cat
08/29/14 Carrboro, NC ArtsCenter
08/30/14 Atlanta, GA Loft At Center Stage
08/31/14 Jefferson, LA Southport Hall
11/01/14 Dallas, TX Gilley's Dallas

Read More Lewis & Clarke Lewis & Clarke since 2009's Light Time EP, but having previously worked with the likes of Bat For Lashes’ Natasha Khan and Strand Of Oaks’ Timothy Showalter, Rogai has not been dormant during his time away from the spotlight. …

TUESDAY, AUGUST 19
7TH STREET ENTRY
Strand Of Oaks w/ Christopher Denny

Strand of Oaks can attest to the healing power of music.

The project is essentially singer-songwriter Tim Showalter who plays somewhat dark folk rock and was sidelined last Christmas as Showalter and his wife were involved in an icy car accident with two semis that left him concussed with all broken ribs on his right side.  The resulting HEAL (Dead Oceans Records) is a revelatory insight into Showalter’s near-death trauma.

Southern pre-country blues folk singer Christopher Denny to open the show.

Tour dates:

08/15/14 Bloomington, IN Russian Recording
08/16/14 Goshen, IN Ignition Music Garage
08/17/14 Chicago, IL Schubas Tavern
08/18/14 Milwaukee, WI Pabst Theater
08/19/14 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
08/21/14 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway Nightclub
08/22/14 Kansas City, MO Riot Room
08/23/14 Denver, CO Hi-Dive
08/24/14 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court
08/26/14 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
08/27/14 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret
08/28/14 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
08/30/14 San Francisco, CA Independent
08/31/14 Santa Cruz, CA The Crepe Place
09/03/14 Los Angeles, CA Echo
09/04/14 San Diego, CA The Casbah
09/05/14 Phoenix, AZ Last Exit Live
09/07/14 Dallas, TX Three Links Event Center
09/08/14 Austin, TX Waterloo Records
09/09/14 Austin, TX Lamberts Downtown Barbecue
09/10/14 Birmingham, AL BottleTree
09/11/14 Atlanta, GA The EARL
09/12/14 Nashville, TN High Watt
09/13/14 Durham, NC The Pinhook
09/14/14 Washington, DC DC9
09/15/14 Brooklyn, NY Rough Trade
09/17/14 York, PA Central Market House
09/18/14 Arden, DE Arden Gild Hall
09/19/14 Philadelphia, PA Boot & Saddle
09/20/14 Philadelphia, PA Boot & Saddle
12/01/14 Toronto, ON The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
12/03/14 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer

Read More Kingmaker (UK) Kingmaker were a British indie rock group, founded in Kingston upon Hull in 1990. The group was formed during their gap year by school friends Loz Hardy and Myles Howell.…

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
THE GARAGE
Kingmaker w/ Seeker, Widow

When I saw that Kingmaker were playing at the Garage in Burnsville, Minnesota, I was really excited. After all, we haven't heard much from this British band since the 90s (they broke up in 1995 but reformed in 2010). But alas, this Kingmaker band is a hardcore band from Chicago.

With the recent Sleeper at Studio B at the Skyway Theatre because fans of Louise Wener may be disappointed to find out that, this Sleeper is actually a Minneapolis DJ.

I suppose there's only so many names to go around, but still...

Anyway, Kingmaker are touring with Seeker, a metal band from Dallas, and Widow, a metal band from Houston.

Tour dates:

08/15 Haysville, KS - KC's Too
08/16 Salina, KS - Indian Lodge
08/17 Oamha, NE - THe Hideout
08/18 Des Moinse, IA - Underground Rock
08/19 Cudahy, WI - Metal Grill
08/20 Burnsville, MN - Garage
08/21 Barrington, IL - Penny Road
08/22 Evansville, IN - The Hatch
08/23 St Loise, MO - Fubar

Read More Psychostick Wrapping up their "'Merica F*ck Yeah Tour'" this week w/ Dog Fashion Disco and The Bunny The Bear, Psychostick are taking a break in July to reboot and get back on the road ..

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
FIRST AVENUE
Psychostick

What's next after Psychostick's "'Merica F*ck Yeah Tour'"? Starting today (Friday 08/15), the band is back on the road for "The Blood, Guts, and Sprinkles Tour" in August with One Eyed Doll and Wild Throne. What's next? Possibly "Touring 'Til We're Dead! Tour".... Whatever the tour is, they sure look like a lot of fun.

The Blood, Guts And Sprinkles Tour w/ One Eyed Doll, Wild Throne:

08/15 - Newport, KY @ Thompson House
08/16 - Beckley, WV @ Muncheez
08/17 - South Bend, IN @ Cheers Pub
08/19 - Chicago, IL @ Reggie's Rock Club
08/20 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
08/21 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
08/22 - Eau Claire, WI @ Hipps Pub-N-Grub
08/23 - Missouri Valley Fair Grounds
08/24 - Williston, ND @ DK's Lounge
08/25 - Minot, ND @ 'O'riginal Bar
08/26 - Fargo, ND @ The Aquarium
08/28 - Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews
08/29 - Pontiac, IL @ Freaksters Roadhouse
08/30 - New Albany, IN @ The Rustic Frog
08/31 - Knoxville, TN @ The Concourse
09/02 - Raleigh, NC @ The Maywood
09/03 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos Southend
09/04 - Destin, FL @ Club LA
09/05 - Orlando, FL @ Bombshells
09/06 - Jacksonville, FL @ Aqua In
09/07 - Tallahassee, FL @ Atmosphere

Read More Minnesota State Fair It's that time of the year again: the Minnesota State Fair! We went last year to see Wilson Phillips at the Leinie Lodge Bandshell inside the State Fair. As we mentioned, the MN ...

AUGUST 21-SEPTEMBER 1
MINNESOTA STATE FAIRGROUND
Toby Keith, Aretha Franklin, Kid Rock, more

Good news: The Minnesota State Fair is here!

That’s somewhat bad news as well, as it signals the end of what’s been a very pleasant summer, but the Grandstand has a few noteworthy acts on their main lineup, starting with the opening weekend which brings in tastes of country, classic soul, and straight-up rock.

Food on a stick, the great outdoors, and music filling the air- sounds like a good way to enjoy summer’s last days.

Acts this week:

Thu., Aug. 21- Toby Keith with special guest Colt Ford

Fri., Aug. 22- Aretha Franklin with special guest The Four Tops

Sat., Aug. 23- Kid Rock with special guest Blackberry Smoke

Read More Portugal. The Man For a show that was reportedly had a pre-sale of 800 tickets, it sure felt really sold out as bodies crushed us in the front at Portugal. The Man's show at First Avenue in Minneapolis ...

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23
LORING PARK
Cultivate Festival

How much would you pay to see Portugal. The Man, Grouplove, The Mowgli's, and Vintage Trouble together on one bill? How about FREE, courtesy of Chipotle. This is an unbelievable deal! If you've never seen these bands, get there early for a good spot. Bring fold-able chairs or blankets. Let's hope it doesn't rain.

Although this will be Minneapolis' first Cultivate Festival, the festival started in 2011 in Chicago. 2014 is the first time the Denver-based burrito chain is expanding to Minneapolis.

Spokesman Chris Arnold said festivals in other cities have drawn between 25,000 and 40,000 people... but based on seeing the turnout for the Internet Cat Video at Walker Art Center last night, I would think higher!

Read More Making Movies Anyway, the concert I was referring to was for Kansas City's Making Movies, a band that sings in both English and Spanish. They played at this tiny coffeehouse called The Beat Coffee ...

SATURDAY, AUGUST 23
CEDAR CULTURAL CENTER
Making Movies

After attending the Cultivate Festival, you still have enough time to head over to the Cedar Cultural Center for their "The Cedar's 25th Anniversary Dance Party", free courtesy of Target.

Headlining the show will be Making Movies, who I've previously seen and described them as "a band that sings in both English and Spanish".

Description from the Cedar:

A night of regional world music goodness, ticket giveaways and other fun. Featured acts are Making Movies (Kansas City, MO), De La Buena (Milwaukee, WI), and Worldwide Discotheque (Minneapolis, MN).

As a thank you to all who have kept us going through the past 25 seasons, and with help from Target, this event is free and open to all!

Beer specials: $4 Pabst tallboys!

Grand Prize: One lucky winner will go home from this event with our first ever Cedar Passport! We will be selecting one random winner (must be present to win) during the course of the evening. The Cedar Passport winner will gain free access for themself and a +1 to all on-site Cedar events in the 26th Season (certain restrictions will apply; non-transferable, no cash value).

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

Portugal. The Man at First Avenue, Minneapolis (06/22/13)

Setlist Tour Dates 06/23 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant 06/25 Dallas, TX - House of Blues 06/26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues 06/27 Houston, TX - House of Blues 06/28 San Antonio, TX - Josabi's 06/29 El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls 07/02 Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe Sol 07/03 Telluride, CO - Telluride Conference 07/04 Aspen, CO - Belly Up 07/05 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amph 07/06 Park City, UT - Park City Live 07/10 San Diego, CA - House of Blues 07/11 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues 07/12 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern 07/13 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater 07/16 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom 07/17 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo 07/18 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom 09/26 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre 09/27 New York, NY - Terminal 5 09/29 Boston, MA - House of Blues 10/01 Silver Springs, MD - The Fillmore 10/02 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore 10/03 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle 10/05 Austin, TX - ACL Music Festival 10/08 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues 10/09 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live 10/12 Austin, TX - ACL Music Festival 10/13 Mexico City, MX - Corona Capital 2013 10/15 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom 10/16 Columbia, MO - Mojo's 10/18 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater 10/19 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 10/22 Reno, NV - Knitting Factory 10/23 Ventura, CA - Ventura Theatre 10/26 Las Vegas, NV - Life Is Beautiful Festival Read More Portugal. The Man Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place …

For a show that was reportedly had a pre-sale of 800 tickets, it sure felt really sold out as bodies crushed us in the front at Portugal. The Man's show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Saturday, June 22nd.

Starting the show was Guards, who we previously covered as Richie Follin in Cults (live band), with Deer Tick in 2011, and, most recently, with Palma Violets in April.

GUARDS

Songs on their set was, as expected, mostly from their album In Guards We Trust released in February via Black Bell Records. They played "Silver Lining" early in, before announcing the band's names and brief introduction to their new album with "Nightmare". According to Follin on stage, their "slowest song" is called "Not Supposed To", even though it didn't feel slow at all.

I think the highlight for me was when Follin asked the lights to be turned off at the start of "Sail It Slow", which actually from their 2011 self-titled EP.

PORTUGAL. THE MAN

By the time Portugal. The Man took the stage to their introductory song The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody", the First Avenue floor was packed. At least it sure felt packed in the front, as bodies crushed us in anticipation for the band to play.

As you can see from the setlist, most of the songs are from the new album, Evil Friends ("Purple Yellow Red and Blue", "Evil Friends", "Atomic Man", "Modern Jesus", "Hip Hop Kids", "Creep In A T-Shirt", and the first encore song "Sea of Air"). From what I've heard live, particularly near the end with "Hip Hop Kids" and "Creep In A T-Shirt" combo, the fans loved dancing to this. This may have something to do with the new record was collaborated with Danger Mouse, who brought a fresh alternative electronic hip hop to their new sound.

Rounding out the rest of the set were odds and ends with the majority of last year's major label Atlantic's In the Mountain in the Cloud ("So American", "Share with Me the Sun", "Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)", and "Sleep Forever").

Best audience reaction (prior to the encore), was probably "People Say", which is a relatively older song from Portugal. The Man.

Encore was "Sea of Air" followed by a medley of "The Devil" and the Beatles' "Helter Skelter".

What can I say? If you like dancing, check out Portugal. The Man on tour. Sadly, if you live in Spain, I don't see them playing in your country this year. Anyway, the Portland-based band is currently out supporting their the new record Evil Friends, out now on Atlantic Records.

Portugal. The Man at First Avenue, Minneapolis (06/22/13)

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ portugaltheman.com ♥ portugaltheman.com

Red, Light, and Cabooze

As we march closer to America's Independence Day (July 4th), I will be posting some "Red, White, and Blue" articles. If your band has one of those colors, please send me a note. I will need biography, news, tour dates, etc., when you send in your submission. Please follow the guidelines.

Read More Portugal, The Man Toyota is sponsoring its fifth year at CMJ with Toyota's Free Yr Radio! They will be broadcasting interviews and live performances from such bands as Atlas Sound, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Portugal, The Man.…

PORTUGAL. THE MAN
portugaltheman.com

Portugal. The Man recently shared this Two Inch Punch's remix of "Purple Yellow Red & Blue" (available on Soundcloud.)

Hear the song:



Portugal. The Man's frontman John Gourley recall working on his seventh album, Evil Friends , as a collaboration with Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). According to Gourley, "I walked into his [Danger Mouse] place, and it wasn't going to happen. He was like, 'Hey, man, just so you know, I don't really want to record a rock band.' And I was a little relieved. We'd done this by ourselves before, and we knew we could do it by ourselves again."

Finally, after a year, Portugal. The Man finished the recording and released it two weeks ago (June 4th) on Atlantic Records. The band also started their tour in support of the album two days ago… They arrive in Minneapolis this Saturday, June 22nd, the same date that W♥M team will also covering Snowden at Sound Gallery and Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin at 7th Street.

Tour information:

06/20 Chicago, IL - House of Blues 06/21 Milwaukee, WI - Pabst Theatre 06/22 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue 06/23 St. Louis, MO - The Pageant 06/25 Dallas, TX - House of Blues 06/26 New Orleans, LA - House of Blues 06/27 Houston, TX - House of Blues 06/28 San Antonio, TX - Josabi's 06/29 El Paso, TX - Tricky Falls 07/02 Santa Fe, NM - Santa Fe Sol 07/03 Telluride, CO - Telluride Conference 07/04 Aspen, CO - Belly Up 07/05 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amph 07/06 Park City, UT - Park City Live 07/10 San Diego, CA - House of Blues 07/11 Anaheim, CA - House of Blues 07/12 Los Angeles, CA - The Wiltern 07/13 Oakland, CA - Fox Theater 07/16 Vancouver, BC - Commodore Ballroom

07/17 Seattle, WA - Showbox SoDo 07/18 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom 09/26 Montreal, QC - Corona Theatre 09/27 New York, NY - Terminal 5 09/29 Boston, MA - House of Blues 10/01 Silver Springs, MD - The Fillmore 10/02 Charlotte, NC - The Fillmore 10/03 Atlanta, GA - The Tabernacle 10/05 Austin, TX - ACL Music Festival 10/08 Lake Buena Vista, FL - House of Blues 10/09 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Revolution Live 10/12 Austin, TX - ACL Music Festival 10/13 Mexico City, MX - Corona Capital 2013 10/15 Tulsa, OK - Cain's Ballroom 10/16 Columbia, MO - Mojo's 10/18 Boulder, CO - Boulder Theater 10/19 Denver, CO - Ogden Theatre 10/22 Reno, NV - Knitting Factory 10/23 Ventura, CA - Ventura Theatre 10/26 Las Vegas, NV - Life Is Beautiful Festival

Read More Nico Vega I actually had no idea Nico Vega was on the bill, but it was a pleasant surprise because I actually like these guys. This is my third time seeing them. Yes, Aja is shoeless on stage, and based on previous shows - this one was the best. .…

NICO VEGA
www.nicovega.com

You know I love Nico Vega, the band is always fun to see live, although I'm sad to see Minneapolis isn't part of their itinerary. This new tour is with Crash Kings. I'm not entirely sure what the tour is in support of, since their Lead to Light album is not released yet… but expect to see their hit single "Beast" and "Lead to Light" (from their EP Fury Oh Fury) on the upcoming album.

Tour dates:

July 11 - San Diego, Calif. - The Griffin
July 12 - Las Vegas, Nev. - Hard Rock Café
July 13 - Salt Lake City, Utah - Bar Deluxe
July 14 - Denver, Col. - Bluebird Theater
July 16 - Kansas City, Ks. - Riot Room
July 18 - Dallas, Texas - The Door
July 19 - Austin, Texas - Stubb's Jr.
July 20 - Houston, Texas - The Studio
July 22 - Orlando, Fla. - The Social
July 23 - Jacksonville, Fla. - Jack Rabbits
July 25 - Atlanta, Ga. - Vinyl
July 26 - Columbia, S.C. - New Brookland Tavern
July 28 - Baltimore, Md. - Ram's Head Live
July 31 - New York, N.Y. - Bowery Ballroom
Aug. 1 - West Chester, Penn. - The Note
Aug. 2 - Columbus, Ohio - The Basement
Aug. 5 - Nashville, TN - Exit/In
Aug. 6 - St. Louis, Mo. - Old Rock House
Aug. 8 - Chicago, Ill. - Abbey Pub
Aug. 10 - Cleveland, Ohio - Wendy Park
Aug. 11 - Pittsburgh, Penn. - Altar Bar
Aug. 13 - Syracuse, N.Y. - Westcott Theatre
Aug. 14 - Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - The Loft
Aug 16 - Cambridge, MA - The Sinclair

Read More Gogol Bordello but I saw a movie called Everything Is Illuminated, that stars the singer from Gogol. I think this was before he was more known for being in this band. I guess, like Flea in Suburbia? .…

GOGOL BORDELLO
gogolbordello.com

Start wearing purple, wearing purple! Gogol Bordello is back with Pura Vida Conspiracy, coming out July 23, 2013, on ATO/Casa Gogol Records.

Check out this RollingStone.com feature (and video) on the band

Excerpt:

Ahead of the July 23rd release of Gogol Bordello's hotly anticipated sixth album, Pura Vida Conspiracy, the gypsy-punk collective is offering a glimpse at the project's creation. In this exclusive video chronicle of the group's studio time at the Sonic Ranch in Texas, frontman Eugene Hütz shares the album's overall message: "Borders are scars on the face of the planet."

You've all seen photos and videos to know that this gypsy band is known for their live shows so expect to see them this summer (all confirmed tour dates are listed below; more dates will be announced soon).

Gogol Bordello will be in Minneapolis at the Cabooze on August 2nd.

06/21/2013 Scheeßel - Hurricane Festival 06/22/2013 Neuhausen ob Eck - Southside 06/23/2013 Rotterdam - Rotterdamse Schouwburg 06/27/2013 Norrköping, Sweden - Bråvalla Festival 06/28/2013 Stord, Norway - Stordfest 06/29/2013 Kristiansand, Norway - Ravnefest 06/30/2013 Paris, France - Solidays 07/03/2013 Hradec Kralove - Rock For People 07/05/2013 St Denis de Gastine - Foin De La Rue 07/06/2013 Saint Prouant - Feux de l'Eté 07/07/2013 Kontich - Rock Werchter 07/20/2013 Greenfield, MA - Green River Festival 07/21/2013 Providence, RI - Lupo's Heartbreak 07/25/2013 Floyd, VA - FloydFest 07/26/2013 Philadelphia - Theatre of the Living 07/27/2013 Bristow, VA - Jiffy Lube Live 07/28/2013 Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE 07/30/2013 Columbus, OH - LC Indoor Pavillion 07/31/2013 Urbana, IL - Canopy Club 08/1/2013 Iowa City, IA - Blue Moose Tap House 08/02/2013 Minneapolis, MN - Cabooze 08/03/2013 Bonner Springs, KS - Cricket Wireless 08/05/2013 SLC, UT - In The Venue 08/07/2013 Portland, OR - Roseland Theater 08/08/2013 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre 08/09/2013 Seattle, WA - Neptune Theatre 08/10/2013 Squamish, BC - Squamish Valley 08/12/2013 Edmonton, AB - Union Hall 08/13/2013 Calgary, AB - Flames Central

08/15/2013 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amph 08/16/2013 Omaha, NE - Slowdown 08/17/2013 Chicago, IL - Congress Theatre 08/19/2013 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall 08/20/2013 Toronto, ON - Danforth Music Hall 09/21/2013 Rio de Janeiro - Rock in Rio 09/23/2013 Porto Alegre - Opinião 09/24/2013 Curitiba - Master Hall 09/25/2013São Paulo - HSBC Brasil 11/19/2013 Paris - Le Bataclan 11/20/2013 Cologne - E-Werk 11/21/2013 Hamburg - Docks 11/22/2013 Berlin - Astra Kulturhaus 11/23/2013 Vienna - Gasometer 11/25/2013 Munich - Tonhalle 11/26/2013 Zurich 457 - Komplex 11/27/2013 Milan - Alcatraz 11/29/2013 Rome - Orion 11/30/2013 Bologna - Estragon 12/01/2013 Villeurbanne - Transbordeur 12/03/2013 Copenhagen - Store Vega 12/04/2013 Stockholm - Debaser Medis 12/05/2013 Oslo - Sentrum Scene 12/06/2013 Brussels - Ancienne Belgique 12/08/2013 Norwich - Nick Rayns 12/09/2013 Bristol - O2 Academy 12/11/2013 Leeds - O2 Academy 12/13/2013 London - O2 Academy Brixton 12/14/2013 Manchester - Academy 12/15/2013 Glasgow - O2 Academy

vu () ♥ weheartmusic.com

CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2011: Preview

CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2011: Preview
October 18 – 22, 2011
New York

Free Download CMJ: September 2011 Playlist CMJ brings you FreePlay, a new monthly music sampler that lives up to its name by bringing you free tunes. Enter your email or like us on Facebook to download the new September mixtape featuring music from Stepkids, Grace Jones, VHS Or Beta and more. Subscribers, enter your code to download CMJ FreePlay: September 2011 here.

The College Music Journal’s (CMJ) annual showcase of rising talent in both music and film is a veritable wet dream for musicians and pop culture nerds alike. Five days of so-hot-you-haven’t-heard-of-them-yet bands, music themed films, and panel discussions with industry bigwigs doesn’t even begin to describe the CMJ experience. Between the shows and the parties there is little time to dawdle, eat, or even sleep. The festival organizers are determined to keep their attendees stimulated, and they should: at $475 for full-access admission* ($280 for students), this ain’t your parents’ Woodstock. But for many, the experience is priceless—think Disney’s “Magic Your Way” vacation package for music lovers. With less than a month to go before the kick-off, now’s the time to start pooling your beer money, kids.

This year’s lineup is a cross-cultural mix of the obvious (Neon Indian, Free Energy, Gang Gang Dance), the less obvious-but still obvious (Handsome Furs, Portugal. The Man, Dum Dum Girls), and the international wild cards (CSS, Zola Jesus, and South Africa’s Parlotones). Hip-hop fans will appreciate the inclusion of Talib Kweli, former Organized Konfusion rapper Pharoahe Monch, Brooklyn’s Smif-N-Wessun, and local girl made good/probable X-Men enthusiast Jean Grae. And this is just the tip of the iceberg; CMJ has maintained a reputation as being the prime venue for emerging artists to “make it,” so you can imagine that every indie band with Pitchfork aspirations is going to be there.

For a full lineup, visit www.cmj.com/marathon. You can also purchase festival passes and view a list of hotel partners. Stay tuned to the website, as more bands will be announced in the upcoming weeks. Weheartmusic will continue to post pertinent updates and will also be covering select CMJ events.

* $149 buys you a CMJ “Show Pass,” which allows access to all Music Marathon showcases and film festival screenings (but does not include panels, seminars, or other conference-related events).

lara () ♥ www.cmj.com