Howwastheshow's Photo of the Week Makes its debut



This month, How Was The Show's Photo of the Week makes its debut. Each week we will feature a photo taken by those of you who roam the trenches of the music scene equipped with your digital cameras.

To contribute photos for consideration, email photos@howwastheshow.com. If your picture is chosen, you will be elligible for your pick of prizes including DVD's,CD's, concert tickets and other promotional items from howwastheshow.com sponsors.

Please submit original recent or vintage photographs of bands in action, preferably local and preferably live, but all subject matters will be considered. Make sure you have rights to distribute the photograph and give full credit to the photographer. Photos should be at least 640x480 in resolution and preferably in JPG format. We will publish your email address and a link back if you like.

Check out our first photo taken of John Solomon of Friends Like These captured in concert at the 400 Bar by Anna Lee last Spring. Friends Like These has their "T-Shirt Release Show" at the 400 Bar on Saturday, January 31st with Tapes n Tapes and Candystore before heading off on a tour of the East Coast.

Voltage: Fashion Amplified Date Set

The date has been set. Voltage: Fashion Amplified, a collaboration between local fashion designers and rockers will take place on Tuesday May 25th, 2004 at First Avenue. Voltage seeks to raise funds and awareness for Youth In Music, a non-profit organization supporting local music education ensembles.

Howwastheshow.com is proud to be a sponsor of this event, which which will feature a runway show intertwined with rock from bands Faux Jean (who will be returning with their brand new full lineup), Revolver Modele, The Melismastics, Shadow Box, Friends Like These, Coach Said Not To and more. The members of the bands will wear clothing created specially for them by local designers.

Anna Lee of Ruby3 heads up the committee that organized the first Avenue benefit. "I am excited about the proposals we are are starting to get," Lee said earlier this week. "There are so many talented designers in this town!" Lee noted the deadline for designer submissions has been extended to February 2nd, and the full line-up of contributing designers will be announced in mid-February. (Applications for submissions are available from the Voltage website at http://www.voltagefashionamplified.com.)

Youth In Music, the organization for which Voltage seeks to raise money, is a Minnesota non-profit focused on creating sustainable music education ensembles in the Twin Cities metro area. Persistent funding shortages in music education led to the formation of the organization. Their trio of programs helps sustain existing music education programs and recreate those that have lost funding. The Ensembles Creation Program facilitates extra-curricular ensembles by providing instruments, rehearsal space and instruction. The Ensemble Enhancement Program funnels donations to existing ensembles to ensure their future. And due to burgeon in 2004 is the Music In Service Program which funds public performances.

For further information on this event or to volunteer or contribute, visit the Voltage website.

MMA Annual Meeting and Show at the Turf Club

Though the 2004 Minnesota Music Academy meeting in the Clown Lounge, downstairs at the Turf Club last night was a real snoozer, it was probably at least as exciting as President Bush's State of the Union Address which was going on concurrently, and I do think it gave the 25-30 people in attendance (just under a third of which were current board members) a better idea of the inner workings of this organization. Those who attended should applaud themselves for taking the initiative and showing their commitment to this well-intentioned organization.

Co-presidents Dave Russ and Mick Spence and other board members shared accomplishments for the past year including the new website, new office facilities, and a well-received 23rd annual awards show. The reduced cost of having the 2003 awards show at O'Gara's helped the organization to find itself in the black as January ends, something that they could not claim in recent years. One goal this year is to triple funds to allow for broader venue options again in years to come.

After somewhat exhausting debate about whether to expand the board to accommodate all new nominees for 2004 (board members serve a two year term) the board was left at its current size and just 3 new board members were voted in to replace outgoing members.

Upstairs after the meeting, the Mammy Nun's, featuring the Turf Club's own Rob Rule kicked off an evening of music that would also include acoustic sets from members of Big Ditch Road and a headlining solo show by Faux Jean himself, Matty Schindler.


Big Ditch Road's Brian O'Neil helps Darin Wald model my "I Lost to Kurt..." t-shirt


The Mammy Nuns, featuring Rob Rule on bass kick off the evening's music with a fun and rocking set.

Annual Minnesota Music Academy Meeting Tuesday!

Come on down for the meeting and stay for the show. It's worth coming just to see if Big Ditch Road's Darin Wald sports my "I Lost to Kurt Jorgenson at the 2003 MMA Awards" t-shirt during his set like he told me he would if I brought it.

The Minnesota Music Academy will be holding its annual meeting on TUESDAY JANUARY 20th, 7pm in the CLOWN LOUNGE (downstairs at the Turf Club.) It is open to the public. This is your opportunity to get your yearly membership (at a mere $15), vote for board member positions, and hear some great music. Hell, if you want to be ON the board, this is your chance. If you've ever had any questions about the MMA, want to get to know the people behind it, or just want some more information, this meeting is for YOU.

What: MMA Annual Meeting
Where: Turf Club - Clown Lounge: St. Paul
When: Tuesday January 20th
7:00pm - Meet & Greet
7:30pm - Meeting Called to Order
9:30pm - Meeting Adjourned
9:30pm - Close: MUSIC IN THE TURF CLUB FROM THE MAMMY NUNS, BIG DITCH ROAD and FAUX JEAN (solo)
Admission: FREE, but we encourage everyone to get their yearly membership!

www.minnesotamusicacademy.org

PRESS RELEASE - This weekend! "Cash Only" Tribute at the Cabooze

Minneapolis, Minnesota, January, 16-17, 2004 - For thirty years Bob Wootton was the man behind the "man in black", playing lead guitar for Johnny Cash from 1968 to 1998. Bob's first album with Cash was the 1969 live concert at San Quentin. If you listen closely you can hear one of the inmates call out to Cash, "Where's Luther, Johnny?" Cash explains to the man that Luther Perkins had died seven months before and a new guitar player from Tulsa, Oklahoma joined the group. That man was Bob Wootton.

Wootton was part of The Tennessee Three, along with W.S. Holland on drums and Marshall Grant on bass. Wootton played with Cash through the group's last public tour in 1998. Along the way he played the famous Madison Square Garden concert and The Houston Astrodome. At that time Cash's show included Carl Perkins, The Statler's and The Carter Family. Wootton's time with Cash included appearances on Austin City Limits, at The White House, before the Queen of England, on the Johnny Cash Show and countless other venues including numerous prison shows. Few people know Cash and his work as closely as Wootton.

In January, Wootton is coming to Minnesota to play in the "Cash Only" event at the Cabooze in Minneapolis, the 16th and 17th. He will also perform on Sunday, January 18th at the Hexagon Bar in Mpls at 8 PM. He will be backed by local upstart Six Mile Grove; whose lead singer's voice is a cross between an angelic twang and gritty hush, while the other four players veer back and forth between rock, bluegrass, country and punk, sometimes all at once.

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The 4th annual tribute to Johnny Cash, “Cash Only IV,” will close a year of sorrow with a glorious tribute to the five decades-long career of the larger than life Man In Black. Cash’s legacy transcends generations of fans and will undoubtedly keep building for many years to come. We have another outstanding and diverse group of local talent this year, and they’re pumped up to give the grand ol’ master his due. This year’s lineup brings back some favorites of past Cash Only shows, and at the same time welcomes some great new acts as well. Honoring us this year on both nights will be legendary guitar player Bob Wootton of Johnny Cash’s Tennessee Three (1968-99), bringing his signature “Boom Chucha Boom” sound. He will be backed by local roots rock act Six Mile Grove. Closing the shows for the fourth year running is The Tennasota 4 (Dan Neale of Martin Zellar’s Hardways, Nate Dugan of Trailer Trash, Nick Ciola of the Hardways & Gear Daddies, Noah Levy of the Honeydogs and Dan Gaarder of Trailer Trash). Each show also features performances by Ol’ Yeller and Rich Matson (winner of last year’s Sounds & Looks Most Like Cash Award), and past favorites The Dagnabits. Rounding out Friday will be Hillbilly VooDoo Dolls, Lazy Ike & the Dare Devils and a long awaited performance by Janis Figure, the first since lead-singer Billy Bisson became ill. Saturday promises just as much revelry with Kevin Bowe & the Okemah Prophets, the country’s most celebrated Johnny Cash tribute show performed by Sherwin Linton, and one surprise guest who will be announced the night of the show. Ram-rodding the cattle drive of talent will be Twin Cities cult favorites Viva & Jerry of MTN’s Viva & Jerry’s Country Music Videos.


Date: Friday, January 16th & Saturday, January 17th
Venue: The Cabooze
917 Cedar Avenue Mpls., MN
(612) 338-6425
www.cabooze.com


Bands Appearing:

Friday - Hillbilly VooDoo Dolls, Lazy Ike & the Dare Devils, Dagnabits, Janis Figure, Ol’ Yeller, Bob Wootton “The Man Behind The Man In Black” with Six Mile Grove and The Tennasota 4

Saturday – Dagnabits, Kevin Bowe & the Okemah Prophets, Ol’ Yeller, Sherwin Linton, Bob Wootton “The Man Behind The Man In Black” with Six Mile Grove, The Tennasota 4 and a surprise guest to be announced.

Tickets: $10.00 Advance & $12.00 At The Door
Doors: 8:00 PM
Music: 9:00 PM
Age: 21+

Ticket Available at:

The Joint: 913 Cedar Ave Mpls PH: 612.338.6425
Electric Fetus: 2000 4th Ave So. Mpls. PH: 612-870-9300
Know Name: 1309 SE 4TH St Mpls, PH: 612-627-9680
Treehouse Records: 2557 Lyndale Ave., S. Mpls, PH: 612-872-7400
O'gara's: Snelling & Dale in St Paul, 651.644.3333
All Ticket Master Outlets & www.ticketmaster.com