Summer is officially underway - an abundance of shows and parties

The large-breasted, bikini-clad, guitar-slinging girl on the cover of this week's City Pages indicates? A) That it truly is summer. B) That the City Pages will stop at nothing to get your attention. Or C) Probably both.

Seriously. Check inside this week's issue for Minnesota's Fifty Greatest Hits. You know you love lists. And you may be on this one or know someone who is.

Kudos on the HWTS anniversary/bday party show continue to roll in. Seems I wasn't the only one who had good time. I even had to turn down a review of my own performance because it was too shamelessly self-promoting, even by HowWasTheShow standards. Here's a humorourous excerpt from a review by HowWasTheShow contributor David Rachac:

"When music historians look back at the seminal events in alternative rock history, three things will immediately spring to mind: Television's first performance at CBGB's, Big Star's first album, and the debut of the David de Young Experience (hence referred to as DdYE) on Saturday, June 5th at the Turf Club. Eschewing normal conventions, such as actually practicing with the band, DdYE forged a new path in its two-song set, and may have changed music forever."

Okay, by popular demand I've posted David's review here but for reasons of editorial decorum (that some probably don't believe I have) I don't plan a link from the main site.

Ross Raihala weighs in on the Coldplay debate here in his weekly column in the Pioneer Press.

Friday

I'm truly torn. Robert Skoro w/ Travis Morrison Hellfighters at the Triple Rock ($8, 9PM) or Halloween, Alaska with Josh Scott at the Cedar. ($10/12, 8PM) Hmm. Both? It's gonna be tough, but at least the clubs are in close proximity.

Those two great local shows may help take a few people away from the Uptown Bar where Olympic Hopefuls play the first of two shows this weekend. From past experience I know: Olympic Hopefuls + low cover ($7) + Uptown Bar = hot, sweaty and packed.

Want something hard to warm you up for the night? Check out Blood Brothers, The Plot to Blow Up The Eiffel Tower, Big Business and the Chariots. At First Ave ($10/12 6PM AA)

Saturday



Divorcees's new CD Music For Cleanup Men, Breakdown and Inbetweeners will undoubtedly be on my top 10 of 2005. The new disk has the band sounding like themselves, with equal doses of The Beatles, Oasis, Lloyd Cole and a lot more of my favorites.

Quite simply, this is world-class songwriting.

Divorcee celebrates with a CD Release Show Saturday in the Entry ($6, 8PM)

Divorcees's first release Lovesick (2001) is one of the best pop records in the Twin Cities in the past 5 years, ranking up there with the Beatifics The Way We Never Were.

Here's the new lineup.

Ryan Seitz: vocals, guitar
Jon Herchert: guitar, vocals
Matt Novachis: drums
Cory Eischen: keyboards
Schoen Oslund: bass

Read Rob Van Alstyne's cover story in Pulse this week here.

Battle of the Bands for Underage Musicians

Also Saturday, Homegrown and the City of Champlin Parks and Recreation Department present the Father Hennepin Days Battle of the Bands Contest for Underage Musicians (20 and under)

WHEN: Saturday, June 11, 2005, 4-7pm

WHERE: Father Hennepin Days festival in Champlin (Mississippi Point Park, 651 West River Road, Champlin)

Six bands will compete for prizes including a live performance on the Homegrown show Sunday June 12th, 2 Days recording time with an engineer at Winterland Studios, and a CD package from Noiseland Industries.

For more information see the new Homegrown website at www.radiohomegrown.com.

Art and stuff


Painting by Ben Olson

My friend Ben Olson has a gigantic piece at the Open Door opening at Rosalux. The opening is from 7-11 PM. See his co-conspirator Emma Berg’s new website, www.mplsart.com that seeks to keep you informed of all the art openings all around the Twin Cities.

Over at the ArtTrujillo Gallery, join Dander "outside" for an early evening rock party for... "The Double Life Of Veronica" paintings by Veronica G. Ochoa. Dander plays at 8:45 PM. The ArTrujillo Art Gallery is at 349 13th Avenue NE. Opening acts include Glitterati, Cazadores, & DJ Jae-Lah.

Sunday

Stop by the Electric Fetus before the early evening Spoon show at First Ave to see Stephen Malkmus play a free in store show. (He plays the later show at First Avenue that night.) HowWasTheShow will be on hand for both and promises reviews.

Miscellany

Robotboy's new album is out. It's called "and there was no future." More info at www.robotboympls.com. The first single from the record Kebuted on Radio-K last Friday.