Two new websites of note: MNspeak and Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2005

MNspeak.com (http://www.mnspeak.com) launched earlier this week. MNSpeak is the brainchild of Chuck Olson (Blogumentary) and Rex Sorgatz (fimoculous.)

Sorgatz says MNSpeak is “a culture/media/politics/community site made specifically for Twin Cities residents.” He says some people will want to call it a blog, but they think it is more than that. It seeks to address two questions:

1) What are people in the Twin Cities talking about today?
2) What is going on around town tonight?

Sorgatz says look for an official launch party sometime this summer, but in the meantime (and to be sure to get your invite) signup for daily emails here and be sure to check out the nifty Twin Cities Blog Aggregator here. (Save time and view all the headlines from the best Minneosta-themed blogs on one page!)

Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2005 site fully live



Ya gotta love the journalistic conflict of interest--I’m also the Voltage publicist-- but the 2005 rev of the Voltage site, developed by Barrett and Melanie Haroldson of skycrusher.com, is up and running. It’s both informative and gorgeous (especially if you like pastels.) The site features details on the designers, and a media player where you can preview selections by all 8 Voltage 2005 bands. On the news page you can find out where you can read about Voltage in other publications, notably in this month’s MPLS St Paul and Industry Magazines. Look for future articles in Rift and Pulse Twin Cities.

Gigs

Tonight:

Faux Jean plays the Turf Club with The Owls playing the middle slot. Deep Pool plays first and features Jeff Kearns of the Hang Ups in front and Freddie Votel (Cows, Seawhores, TVBC) on drums. This is Faux Jean’s last show in town till the Minnesota Rollergirl Championship Derby in Coon Rapids.

Saturday:

"Spring’s New Leaves" by Kari Tauring and Friends at the Varsity Theater


Photo by Jack Bartholomew at rehearsals for "Spring's New Leaves" 2005

Where can you hear mystical Huldre cow calling, old German Madrigals, original folk rock jams, Fiddles in Hardanger tuning, spoken word by Desdemona, traditional Mary hymns and Buddhist chants all in one event?

That would be at a special afternoon show by Kari Tauring and friends at the Varsity Theater on Saturday. The show will also feature work by designers Anna Lee, Candy Kuehn, Margaret Mousley and Jo Hiner, and David de Young (yeah, me) playing the cowbell.

Tauring told me in an email, “I truly think this is the best show I have put together yet.” Arrive at 11 a.m. to check out the many vendors, and the show starts at 1. More info at http://www.karitauring.com

Ike Reilly rumored to play special solo show Saturday at the Nomad

I heard a rumor (but I have it on good authority or I would not be mentioning it) that Ike Reilly will be playing solo (with just his guitarist Phil Karnatz) at the Nomad World Pub, on Saturday night (April 30th) at 9 p.m.

Reilly is in town for a show with his full band Sunday, May 1st at the newly re-opened Varsity Theater with Sensation Junkies (Seattle) and Hang Ups (this is the Hangups first show since Halloween.) That is an early show with 7pm doors and music at 8. If you are reading this sentence, HowWasTheShow still has a few pairs of tickets to that show to give away. (Just email iwantafreepairofiketickets@howwastheshow.com to win. When this sentence is gone, so are the free tickets.)

Read more about Reilly in this Star Tribune article published today.

Great Girls Blouse will release its 3rd CD called "147471" Saturday at Terminal Bar. In Pictures and Shamus 73 open and Nel Harrison hosts the event.

Next Week

At London’s Calling next Wednesday at Mario's Kellar Bar it’s Raven’s Birthday, music featuring Apryl Electra. No cover, and Raven will spin British music from each decade of his life- the 1950's to the present.

Miscellaneous

The Deaths in Spin

I’ve been reading Spin Magazine more frequently since Melissa Maerz defected to the New York-based publication. I admit to feeling a little hometown pride when I was reading a review in the April issue by Chuck Klosterman and he parenthetically referenced a Minneapolis show at First Avenue out of the blue. Speaking of Minnesota references, in the there is a blurb about The Deaths on page 40 of the May 2005 issue of Spin, yeah the one with Trent Reznor on the cover.