Dinosaur Jr. Photos by Erik Hess from First Avenue

HowWasTheShow sent Erik Hess to First Avenue Wednesday night to capture images from the Dinosaur Jr. show.

Erik submitted the following report:

Dinosaur Jr. roared through First Avenue on a chilly November night, bringing new and old songs to an almost sold-out crowd. Fans at the show covered a pretty wide range; from hip 30- and 40-somethings to a younger crowd that weren't even born before J Mascis started his 25-plus year musical career.

Psych-folkers MV & EE opened up the night with a sleepy blend of acid-tinged folk. It was an odd match for Dinosaur Jr's sound and the crowd appeared to be a bit restless during their performance. Dinosaur Jr. took the stage with the down-tempo "Thumb", continuing from the lethargic tone set by the openers. While the set started with slower tunes like "Plans" it ramped up heavily mid-set when they brought out the classic, "Feel the Pain". By the time "Little Furry Things" came on the crowd, young and old, were well into their groove. While some crowd favorites were left off the set list (which is difficult to avoid with such a prolific career) the newer material from "Farm" stood up quite nicely to the older, often more energetic material from earlier works.

See higher resolution versions of these photos and more of Erik's music photography on his Flickr page.

Dinosaur Jr. Set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/560/sets/72157622714595021/

MV & EE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/560/sets/72157622838958162/

The Mad Ripple - "Death Bed Bride" video now available

Directed by Jennifer Prill and filmed on location at Kings Wine Bar (yes, I mention that wonderful place yet again), Jim Walsh's video for "Death Bed Bride" is now streaming exclusively on the HowWasTheShow YouTube Channel.

How many Kings regulars and employees can you identify? Featured prominently, of course, are Hootenanny staples Shawn Gibbons, Brianna Lane and Eliza Blue. And there is the requisite cameo by Martin Devaney (dressed up like Santa Claus.)

And I'm in it too. (I'm the guy at the end of the bar drinking wine and fiddling with my iPhone. And no, I was not acting. I really was checking my Twitter feed.)

"Death Bed Bride" is from the Mad Ripple's forthcoming album.

What's cooking at Kings in November

Technically I don't work at Kings Wine Bar, but November has some really exciting stuff on the schedule that I feel compelled to spout off at the mouth about.

Trivia Mafia starting a residency at Kings on Monday, November 16th is just the start of the fun. On Thursday, November 19th, Mayda does her official EP Release listening party for her new EP Eyes on the Water. (I'm honored to have had a hand in setting that up.) I'm also a founding member of the Kings Wine Bar Book Club (Facebook group link) which will meet on November 29th to discuss our second book selection, Jim Walsh's The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting.

Kings is at 4555 Grand Avenue South in South Minneapolis's Kingfield neighborhood. HowWasTheShow records its monthly CD review podcast there and provides local music for the all-Minnesota-music-all-the-time playlist that Kings features on its sound system from brunch through closing time at midnight.

Voltage 2010 Band Lineup and Runway Designers announced

Blue Sky Blackout at Clubhouse Jaeger in September


Voltage Fashion Amplified just released the band line-up and runway designer list for 2010, and it's awesome.

Bands include Blue Sky Blackout, Ruby Isle, Mayda, Red Pens and Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps.

Click here for the full press release and runway designer list.

Me and My Arrow: Two free MP3s from new EP and big show at Uptown October 28th

Me and My Arrow are out on tour right now, but will be returning to Minneapolis to release their second EP (appropriately titled "EP2") on Wednesday, Oct 28th, at the Uptown bar.

HowWasTheShow is pleased to provide you with two free MP3s from the upcoming EP.

Song 1 Download Link

Song 2 Download Link


On 10/28, there will be six bands on the bill, with music starting at 6:30. Schedule as follows:

• Alicia Wiley
• Death Cube
• Speeds the Name
• Chooglin'
• Story of the Sea
• Me and My Arrow

The show is just $6, and no cover is charged until 9.

Me and My Arrow on Myspace: http://myspace.com/meandmyringostarr

RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147268731175#wall_posts

Fantastic Merlins release new CD, A Handful of Earth October 30th

The Fantastic Merlins will celebrate the release of their new album Handful of Earth on October 30th. It's an album of world class jazz that should be in every Minnesota music fans collection this year, one I've been enjoying personally, one your dad will probably like too, and one that has been popular since I squeezed it into rotation at Kings Wine Bar in South Minneapolis which now spins only local music (more on that great news in a future post.)

Read more about the Fantastic Merlins and sample some tracks below.

For Immediate Release

St Paul, MN—

Fantastic Merlins, will be performing live on Friday, October 30 from 8:00 - 11:00 PM at the Black Dog. Concert will include performances from special guests, Desdemona and Carnage.

-- Fantastic Merlins, a trio of tenor saxophone (Nathan Hanson), bass (Brian Roessler), and drums (Pete Hennig), create a mysterious blend of jazz and chamber music by bringing together the visceral power of Charles Mingus and the sparse textures of Steve Reich through original compositions and improvised pieces - producing sounds that are intriguing, energetic, and positive.

A Handful of Earth, their latest CD, has been garnering notice and favorable reviews in the US and Europe, including “three stars” from Jazzman in France.

Fantastic Merlins will celebrate the release of A Handful of Earth with a concert at the Black Dog in St. Paul. Special guests Desdemona and Carnage, of Ill Chemistry, will join them onstage. Copies of the CD will be available for sale at the concert. All ages, No cover.

The band is available for interview and live radio performance spots prior to the event. Review copies of the release are available by request.



Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar

308 Prince St.

St. Paul, MN 55101

651-228-9274



www.fantasticmerlins.com

CD Details and Sound Clips:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/fantasticmerlins3

The Final Days of the Uptown Bar

As local media everywhere prepares stories reminiscing about the days gone by at the Uptown Bar, here's a handy list of what's still in the future. And no, it's not your imagination that there are some killer good lineups on here.

*Mon October 19: Repo + Gallactic Cannibalism + The Running Scared - 9pm doors, no cover

*Tue October 20: Switzerlind + Butcher's Bag + Phil Solem (of The Rembrandts) - 9pm doors, no cover

*Wed October 21: The Deaths + Nightinghales + Bloodshot - 9pm doors, no cover

*Thu October 22: Alpha Consumer + Tarlton + This City Defects (Calgary, AB) + Ghostband + Shegeki - 8pm doors, no cover

*Fri October 23: Dumpster Juice + Spittin' Cobras + Spacewolf - 9pm doors, $tba

*Sat October 24: The Show Is The Rainbow (Lincoln, NE) + Super 8-Bit Bros (ex-Mindless Self Indulgence) + Unicorn Basement - 9pm doors, $5 cover

*Sun October 25: Prozac Rat (CD Release) + Sherbetty + Koo Koo Kanga Roo + John Snell The Tenth - 8pm doors, no cover

*Mon October 26: Where Astronauts Go To Hide + The Invincible Kids + At Any Speed + Nallo - 9pm doors, no cover

*Tue October 27: The Evening Rig + Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo + tba - 9pm doors, $tba

*Wed October 28: Me and My Arrow (CD Release) + Story Of The Sea + Chooglin' + Speed's The Name + Alicia Wiley + Death Cube - 6pm doors, no cover before 9pm, $6 cover after 9pm

*Thu October 29: Faux Jean (original line up) + John Swardson and Get Gone + Luke's Angels - 9pm doors, $8 cover

*Fri October 30: Janis Figure + The Rockford Mules - 9pm doors, $10 advance/$12 at the door. Advance tickets are available online. At http://uptownbar.indietickets.com or at the bar.

*Sat October 31: Lusurfer + Zebulon Pike + Buildings - 9pm doors, $tba

*Sun November 1: The Day of The Dead: The Hawaii Show and Friends. More information on the final show will be released as the day gets closer.