Star Tribune Twin Cities Critics Tally 2007

I turned in my top ten albums list in on time, but since I didn't make deadline with the rest of my response, I humbly post all my responses to the annual poll below.

My Best local albums of 2007

1. Ed Ackerson – self-titled
2. Stook – When the Needle Hits the Wax
3. Terry Eason – Sentimental Vanity
4. To Kill a Petty Bourgoisie –The Patron
5. James Buckley Trio - Stitches
6. Evening Rig – Never Been’r
7. Alarmists – Ghost and the Hired Gun
8. Glad Version – Make Islands
9. White Light Riot – Atomism
10. Twin Town High Music Yearbook - Various

My Best local songs of 2007

1. Baby Guts - Staplegun
2. Dance Band - Shake Your Baby Maker
3. Dan Wilson – Cry
4. Ed Ackerson – Wired Weird
5. Stook – Lovesick Firecracker

My Best live acts of 2007

1. Gospel Gossip
2. MC/VL
3. Mouthful of Bees
4. Dance Band
5. Big Trouble

My No. 1 sign the local music scene was alive and well in 2007:

The Mad Ripple Hootenany and catching such acts there as Golden Smog, Elvis Perkins, Marc & Janey, and many other fresh songwriters. Hearing Phil Solem of the Rembrandt’s perform “I’ll Be There For You” with Ryan Smith of the Melismatics was truly another 2007 “you shoulda been there” Hoot moment.


Read the entire report in the Star Tribune:

• Top Local albums article
  
• The critics ballots
• The vote totals
  

Google Street View

I finally got around to using Google Street View on my house. (Been busy, and it wasn't quite on my priority list.)

Well, it looks better than I thought, and we appear to have been home judging by what are clearly our cars parked in front of the house. I'm guessing this photo was taken between March and June of 2007.

Anyone slightly freaked that the Google camera car or truck passed right by your house while you were inside and you didn't even know about it? This article links to a photo of some fellas in Minneapolis leaving a strip club in broad daylight. Aaron Landry (S4xton) makes a cameo. (In the article, not in the linked photo.)

I haven't explored much yet, but once they get the whole world done, this should completely eliminate the need to travel anywhere ever again. Just sit on the couch and go to Amsterdam or poke around Paris while lying in bed.

Actually, despite possible sinister uses, for worldwide travelers, this could be used as a great service to see if those photos of the hotel you plan to stay at represent the place accurately, and you can also get a feel for the neighborhood.

Street view your own house, and share your reaction in the comments.

More here from Julio Ojeda-Zapata : Google Debuts Street View in the Twin Cities

Follow me

New Year's Resolution #1: Get to 100+ Twitter followers by Groundhog's Day.

Why? 'Cause my Twittering is my bestest work ever. (Or at least my most concise.)

http://twitter.com/howwastheshow

HowWasTheShow/Minneapoliscast CD Reviews for December, 2007

HowWasTheShow's special holiday podcast, featuring 9 songs and 8 guests.

1. Humanboy – “Something Familiar” – selected by Jason Nagel (http://www.myspace.com/humanboy)
2. Alicia Corbett/Tea & Sympathy – “1st & 3rd” – selected by Mei Young (http://www.myspace.com/corbettinorbit)
3. Terry Eason – “Megalomaniac” – Selected by David de Young (http://www.myspace.com/easonic)
4. Dreamland Faces – “Je Sais Comment” – Selected by Jon Behm (http://www.dreamlandfaces.com/)
5. Dance Band – “Shake Your Baby Maker” – Selected by Stacy Schwartz (http://www.myspace.com/mydanceband/
6. 757s – “Repeater” – Selected by Pat O’Brien (http://www.the757s.com)
7. Little Sister – “Fever” – Selected by Jen Paulson (http://www.myspace.com/littlesistermpls)
8. Sick of Sarah - “Hello Good Morning” – Selected by Andrea Myers (http://www.myspace.com/sickofsarah )
9. Trailer Trash – “Do You Hear What I Hear (You Really Got Me)” – Special Holiday extra (http://www.trailertrashmusic.com)


MP3 File

Utah Phillips Benefit Concert 12/15/07 at the Eagle's Club

Press Release:

Utah Phillips Benefit Concert
Saturday, December 15th - 6 PM
Eagle's Club - 2507 E. 25th St.

The "Golden Voice of the Great Southwest" has a bum ticker:

U. Utah Phillips, a former NPR host who was blacklisted in the state of Utah after an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 1968 on the Peace and Freedom party ticket can be described as a raconteur extraordinaire, a radical historian well-versed in the sorrowful details of the bloodiest social justice struggles of the last century, a hobo, and one hell of a musician whose songs can break your heart and bring your blood to a boil.

Sadly, Utah Phillips has recently been forced to quit performing because of Cheyne-Stokes - a respiratory condition that causes severe disturbances in breathing and debilitating heart irregularities, leaving him with no means of support.

So on Saturday, December 15th, come join friends, admirers, and kindred misfits at the Eagle's Club (2507 E. 25th St) at 6 PM for a benefit concert featuring:

• Duluth's own favorite son, Charlie Parr (6 PM sharp)
• alt-country rocker Bernie King
• the sad folkie from North East, Gabe Barnett
• fiddle player Mary Dushane
• the mustachioed man who can tell you a story whilst entangling you in a lasso, Pop Wagner (& friends)
• the Joan Baez of the Twin Cities, Maureen McElderry
• a couple who actually hung out with Bob Dylan and aren't just making it up to sound cool, Judy Larson & Bill Hinckley
• classically-trained guitarist gone folkster, Phil Heywood
• the "pit bull of folk," Paul Metsa
• who's-your-daddy-Papa John Kolstad
• the mysterious bearded man who plays so well that it requires a different Hawaiian shirt each time, Dakota Dave Hull
• and Peter Lang whose talent needs no corny byline in a press release.

So come on down to the Eagle's and give a little back to a man whose part in the struggle for justice and whose gifts as a story teller and musician have kept the oral and musical traditions of resistance alive and kickin'!


This event is sponsored by the Twin Cities General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World

Bride of Frankenskate and Post-bout bash

The North Star Roller Girls kick off the first bout of their second season Saturday night, October 27th at 6:30 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. As Napalmer told us in this month's HowWasTheShow podcast, the most terrifying batch of women on eight wheels this side of the Mississippi outgrew their digs at the Cheapskate in Coon Rapids, where they skated for the 2006-2007 season, and have moved on up to the larger facility for season number two.

Doors for the bout, dubbed "Bride of Frankenskate," are at 6:30. The bout is at 7:30. Tickets are $10 advance, $12 at the door. (Buy your tickets in advance from Indie Tickets.) Halftime show music by Stockcar Named Desire. Bout DJs by Radio K.

Afterwards, come on over to Stasiu's in Northeast Minneapolis, where the girls will be winding down with Rank Strangers, The Slats, Action Versus Action, and The Revamps at a pre-Halloween party sponsored by HowWasTheShow.

When I wrote the press release for this party, I said this would be an out of hand event. Believe me, I was not exaggerating. Truly, I'm a little bit scared. But by all means, come on down!

Dan Israel and Stook! performance and Interview

For your listening pleasure, here is the third HowWasTheShow Artists Series Podcast. This month we feature Dan Israel and Stook!, who stopped by the HowWasTheShow studios recently to play some songs and talk about their upcoming CD Release Party at the Varsity Theater on Friday, October 26th, 2007.

This hilarious 34 minute audio interview includes live performances by both singer/songwriters.

MP3 File

Elvis Perkins plays the Mad Ripple Hootenany

As I mentioned yesterday, Elvis Perkins has been in town since Thursday. Friday evening he played the first of the second season of Mad Ripple Hootenanys (or is it Hootenanies?) at Java Jacks in South Minneapolis. Perkins played 4 songs, including the haunting "Doomsday," (first-come, first-served link to live recording of that song) which the songwriter said had been born of trouble he has remembering names, "Emile's Vietnam in the Sky," "Shampoo" and "While You Were Sleeping."

Also helping to kick off the first hoot were Jenny Dalton (who releases a new CD of remixes of songs from her last album Fleur de Lily at the Kitty Cat Klub on Friday, October 26th, Peter Lochner, guitarist from Stook's band The Jukes (Stook & The Jukes also release their new disc When the Needle Hits the Wax at the Varsity Theater, October 26th), and local singer/songwriter Carl Franzen. Of course, the Hoot was again headed up by it's instigator, Jim Walsh.

I had made a resolution to get to the Hoot earlier this year and made it in time tonight to get a front row seat, and it was literally a row of comfy theater chairs right by the stage, which made for a prime vantage point for a few photos.

View a slideshow of my Hoot pictures here, or view the set at the link below:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/howwastheshow/sets/72157602286006897/detail/

Elvis Perkins in Minneapolis

There are some people out there who still don't know who Elvis Perkins is. And I've talked to some people who had heard he is the son of Anthony Perkins (true) but weren't aware of what a truly awesome songwriter and performer he is in his own right, all ties to familial fame aside. Elvis Perkins is the real deal.

Perkin's debut album, Ash Wednesday, has been out since early 2007 on XL Recordings and it's one of my favorite national releases this year. Fans of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen will surely enjoy him, but I think it's fair to say he really found his own distinct voice early in his career, and I hope there's a lot more to come.

Elvis Perkins is in Minneapolis tonight and tomorrow for shows at the Fine Line (tonight) and 400 Bar tomorrow. You will kick yourself later if you missing seeing him.

I caught up with Elvis Perkins at the Borderline in London this summer (see above photo) and in case my photo set got buried in the rest of my travel images, I provide this link to that set here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/howwastheshow/sets/72157600994381317/

Note in my photo Elvis is playing a guitar called "Kid Harpoon." Where it came from, no one seemed to know. It just turned up on stage after Perkins started having technical difficulties with his pickup early in the set. Here's to Kid!

Also on that London bill was an up and coming band called The Wallbirds, who provided a perfectly complimentary yet distinct set and who are selling out shows all over England now after an appearance at the Reading/Leeds Festival in August.

Jeaneen Gauthier of Jan podcast now available on HowWasTheShow

On Thursday, September 27th Jan (aka Jeaneen Gauthier) will release her new EP "Everything Must Go” on Guilt Ridden Pop. She's been celebrating all month with a residency at the Nomad World Pub where she's been joined by some of her friends in the local music scene including The Cates, David Beckey of the Autumn Leaves, The Mad Ripple and more. On Thursday, she'll be joined by her own band, which includes Jacques Wait on bass (who also produced the record) and drummer Nick Hook. Also on the bill Thursday will be Colonial Vipers Attack and Deep Pool.

Jeaneen stopped by HowWasTheShow this week to talk about her new EP and graced us with a yet-to-be-released song in our studio, which in this particular case meant my living room.

This podcast includes the songs "Summer Slips Away" (a shimmery live in-studio recording) and "Heaven" from her new EP.

Visit the podcast page here, or listen or download this 20 minute podcast from this direct link: http://www.howwastheshow.com/podcasts/jan_hwts_podcast.mp3

Mercedes Benefit - Transmission Live - Sunday night at the Fine Line

Transmission LIVE - Fine Line - 5:30 PM Sunday, September 23rd, 2007

If you haven't seen this event promoted, you haven't been on the internet lately, but just in case you haven't, I'm re-printing all the various links of online and press coverage that DJ Jake Rudh sent out to his mailing list today.

Here's the bare minimum of what you need to know about this benefit to raise money for Jake's fiance Mercedes Gordon who was severely injured August 1st when she was on the 35W Bridge when it collapsed:

Transmission LIVE
A benefit for I-35W bridge survivor Mercedes Gorden
Doors at 5:30 / Music @ 6:00
$15 minimum donation at the door / 21+

Hosted by Mark Wheat (The Current) and Brian Oake (Cities97)

featuring:
Tapes 'N Tapes
The Ocean Blue
The Melismatics
So It Goes
The Deaths
Coach Said Not To

Silent auction featuring music, electronics, travel and leisure-related items. A portion of all proceeds will be given to the MN chapter of the American Red Cross.

Here are the links:

• http://www.finelinemusic.com/event.cfm?id=139
• www.caringbridge.org/visit/mercedesgorden
• www.howwastheshow.com/mercedesinfo
• http://www.startribune.com/10204/story/1438998.html
• http://wcco.com/ (click on pic of her car on the right side of screen)
• http://nenorthnews.com/CurrentNews.asp?view=695&paperID=1&month
• http://kstp.com/article/stories/S183391.shtml?cat=1
• http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=263816
• http://www.kqrs.com/article.asp?id=480481&SPID=6546
• http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/music_blog/
• This one is classic! - http://www.lupientbpg.com/MiscPage_8
• http://www.theoceanblue.com/
• http://www.tapesntapes.com/shows
• http://www.myspace.com/thedeaths
• http://www.coachsaidnotto.com/
• http://www.myspace.com/soitgoesmusic
• http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=3798799&blogID=310948888
• http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/page/news/45286-eno-grizzly-bear-prefuse-beach-house-do-lola-fest/page_3
• http://vita.mn/event_detail.php?event_id=45824
• http://backstage.reveillemag.com/2007/09/03/mercedes-gorden/
• http://calendar.citypages.com/section/alist/
• http://www.carney.com/
• http://www.mnspeak.com/mnspeak/archive/post-3697.cfm
• http://www.fm1071.com/ianmargery/index.shtml
• http://www.thisisfakediy.co.uk/articles/6772/Tapes-n-Tapes-Play-Benefit-Show.html

Twin Town High Volume 9 CD Release Show Tonight!

The Twin Town High Music Yearbook Vol. 9 is ready to go!

Celebrate the release at First Avenue, tonight (Friday, September 21st, 2007) with performances by Mark Mallman, Seymore Saves the World, Ice Palace, Zibra Zibra, and MC/VL. Doors are at 8 P.M. The show is 18+ and costs is $8.

Want a friend? Be a friend: http://www.myspace.com/twintownhigh


Here is the track listing:

01 Haley Bonar – “The Queen of Everything”
02 MC/VL – “Get Up!”
03 Cloud Cult – “May Your Lives Be Long (Demo)”
04 Retribution Gospel Choir – “For Her Blood”
05 Jeremy Messersmith – “Light Rail”
06 Mandrew – “Wake of Destruction”
07 ZibraZibra – “Arcade Catastrophe (Kid Z Remix)”
08 Little Sister – “The Fever”
09 The Sunny Era – “Azbidel’s Life: Causing Ruin and Destruction”
10 Switzerlind – “Prince Vince”
11 Little Man – “Child’s Eye”
12 Heiruspecs – “I Know”
13 The Alarmists – “We’re Taking ‘Em On”
14 Brian Just – “Blue”
15 White Light Riot – “Tin Soldiers”
16 Ice Palace – “Houseboat”
17 Mark Mallman – “Remember the 20th Century”
18 National Bird – “No Comedy”
19 Crossing Guards – “Pretty Little Problem”
20 Seymore Saves the World – “The Lake (Remix)”

Vampire Hands at Big V's

It's almost 9 p.m., and if you are reading this and are still home, there's still time to save your night.

Vampire Hands won't take the stage at big V's for well over an hour. And with STNNNG, Gay Beast (last show for a while with keyboardist Dan Luedtke, who is leaving town to play keyboards in the band TWIN) and Daughters of the Sun, you'd be nuts to stay in.

Download these 7 great live tracks recorded by Schedule Two of Vampire Hands at the 7th Street Entry on November 18th, 2006. Or grab individual tracks Moscow Flowers, Stunning Blonde and Wolf Skin Pose.

If you're in that neck of the woods (University & Snelling), it's handy to note that Little Man is celebrating his return from tour with a show at The Turf Club with guests Romantica and Captain Yonder.

HowWasTheShow Podcasts ready for prime time!

The September, 2007 HowWasTheShow.com CD Review Podcast recorded for Minneapoliscast.com is now available for your listening pleasure. Each month, the HowWasTheShow staff gathers to share new local music and talk about why they like it. Fortunately for you, they record these conversations so you can listen in.

Listen to the latest edition of the podcast here.

If I don't say so myself (I act as host), the September edition really shows the HowWasTheShow staff getting the hang of this "radio on the internet" thing.

Songs played and discussed this month:

“Solstice” by The Dale Hush Hush, “Happyhappyhappy” by Rich Mattson, “In The Movies” by Glorious Monster, “Eisenhower is the Father” by Best Friends Forever, and "An Imagined Civil State” by Fort Wilson Riot.

Also, the HowWasTheshow podcast interview with Fort Wilson Riot about their indie-rock opera Idigaragua is still available here.

Don't touch that dial! There's a lot more excitement planned for the coming months.

Jan, The Delaminators, The Cates, David Beckey and more - Something to do Thursday

Here's something extremely cool to do Thursday.

The band Jan, featuring Jeaneen Gauthier, begins their month-long residency for Minneseries, sponsored by 89.3 the Current, Reveille Magazine and The Minnesota Music Academy at the Nomad World Pub.

This month Jan celebrates the release of the new album, Everything Must Go (Guilt Ridden Pop, 2007.)

Jaeneen Gauthier was recently interviewed for Reveille Magazine by Jim Walsh. Read that here.

Download some of Jan's older songs, "My Real Family Lives in Canada" or "Fred Rogers." Or click over to her MySpace page to hear "Dumb Guy."

The Nomad World Pub is located on Minneapolis' West Bank @ 501 Cedar.

Indie press covers indie-rock opera - Idigaragua premiers at the Bedlam Theater

Idigaragua, the ambitious indie-rock opera by local band Fort Wilson Riot debuted last night at the Bedlam Theater on the West Bank. The musical and theatrical event, directed by Jeremey Catteron, has quickly become one of the must see events of the next couple weeks. The show runs through September 16th. (See the schedule of performances here.)

Online indie music press sites HowWasTheShow and Reveille Magazine have provided exhaustive coverage of the show. Here's some of what they've assembled:

• HWTS: Podcast interview with Fort Wilson Riot and Jeremey Catterton
• Reveille: Interview and show preview feature
• Reveille: Complete lyrics to the show
• HWTS: Review of preview performance at the Bedlamn 9/6

Song of the Day - "Complicated Fun" by the Suicide Commandos

See you at the Fair on Sunday? Remember it's not only gonna be awesome, it's gonna be free! (Minus your Fair entry, of course.)

"Complicated Fun" by the Suicide Commandos (Rhapsody free play link)

Jim Walsh interviews Steve Almass
Pat O'Brien promises he won't show up at your door to threaten you into going (but he'd like to.)

June 21st, 1977

June 21st, 1977

Elvis stopped, twice; grinning sidelong
That toothy, twinkling, contagious smile,
Then continued on. “Unchained Melody.”

That night he held the world in his arms and squeezed.
“I need your love, I need your love.”
Six Tuesdays later he was still squeezing,

But on Wednesday I got up, and Elvis did not.
It’s 30 years later. We should remember
Our mothers. We should sing for them

While we can.

by David de Young, 8/20/07

Related link:

Youtube Video of "Unchained Melody" from a Rapid City, South Dakota performance taped for the CBS-TV special: Elvis In Concert, June 21st, 1977.

Kari Tauring Book Release Party continues despite bridge collapse

Kari Tauring signs a copy of The Runes: A Human Journey for Maren Amdal

(Minneapolis, Minnesota - August 1st, 2007)

The book release for Kari Tauring's The Runes: A Human Journey took place tonight at Ingebretsen's Scandinavian Gifts on Lake Street in Minneapolis. At about 6:30 p.m. I got into my car and onto 35W heading north. I wondered what was up with the Minneapolis skyline. It was hazy, almost smoky looking, and I thought to myself that the air quality must be particularly bad this evening. Upon arriving at Ingebretsen's I soon found out there was an entirely different cause, that the haze was the result of vehicles burning on the collapsed 35W bridge over the Mississippi River. (It's interesting to note on that Wikipedia link that the entry is being updated minute by minute at this point as the death toll continues to rise.)

Ingebretsen's was abuzz with the news, but all we had at the store was an internet connection and a radio. No TV. I also immediately noticed I had no cell phone service due to the carriers being jammed with people calling their loved ones to see if they were okay. No doubt, you are familiar with the rest of this story from the news as it became the lead story internationally, front page on websites from cnn.com to bbc.co.uk.

This was the backdrop for our celebratory event, a party to mark the release of Kari Tauring's first major book release.

Kari's group Huldre, assisted by dancer Tamara Rogers, performed first outside on Lake Street and then inside Ingebretsen's. Nearly everyone in attendance bought a copy of the new book, and Tauring signed many for attendees.

Below are a few photos from the event. Click here for the full set.

White Light Riot CD Release at The Fine Line

White Light Riot's CD Release Party for their long-awaited album Atomism was such a blowout of a rock show and so packed that the band sent out an apology via MySpace bulletin to fans who were turned away at the door.

The stellar bill at the Fine Line Saturday night, June 22nd, also featured The Alarmists and Chicago's Villains of Verona, who both put staged killer opening sets, making this a night to remember.

WLR's encore featured Jessy Greene on violin. And the show stopper, a cover of The Who's "My Generation" which featured front man Mike Schwandt stage diving into the crowd. "I almost hit the floor," he told me after the show. But this was no Jack Black splat. This was the real thing, and something you don't often see from relatively new local bands.

White Light Riot has been dubbed "commercial sounding" by some, but their musical integrity remains entirely intact as they seem both determined break the mold even while somehow still fitting into it perfectly.

See my full photo set from the show here, that include's Schwandt's leap into the crowd. Also, see Stacy Sandstrom's photos from the entire night.

The Runes: A Human Journey - Book Release Party August 1st

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Book Release Party for:
The Runes: A Human Journey by Kari C. Tauring

When: Wednesday, August 1st, 2007, 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Ingebretsens Scandinavian Gifts & Foods
1601 E. Lake Street, Minneapolis
612-729-9333
http://www.ingebretsens.com



Minneapolis musician and educator, Kari C. Tauring began her rune explorations in 1989. She creates, uses, studies and teaches the runes and other Nordic Roots materials at events and workshops in the Twin Cities and abroad. Her first publication, The Runes: A Human Journey is now available for purchase from Lulu.com (http://www.lulu.com/content/685144) and will soon be in area stores and available internationally through Amazon.com.

Wednesday, August 1st from 7-9 p.m., Tauring will be on hand at Ingebretsens Scandinavian Gifts & Foods in Minneapolis for a book signing party. Enjoy meade and smoked fish, runes to eat, runes to wear, and runes to hear with a special performance. Copies of the book will be available for purchase.

“Asking where the runes come from,” Tauring says, “is a bit like asking in what year did Adam and Eve leave the Garden of Eden? Yet, they are connected questions. Linguistically, the runes come from Phoenician roots that split into Greek and Italic to eventually form the runes with Hebrew and Arabic on the other side of the family tree. In this book you will find the stories of Norse mythology, Eastern philosophy, and even Native American traditions. It is all connected, and this book attempts to weave these myths and traditions back together.”

Tauring wrote The Runes: A Human Journey with the support of her friend and colleague, Minneapolis writer David de Young, who served as editor for the book and wrote the introduction. de Young has called the book “a sort of guidebook for the human spirit.”


The Runes: A Human Journey $15.95
ISBN: 978-1-4303-2339-6
Publisher: Lulu.com, 104 pages, illustrated.
Copyright: © 2007 by Kari Tauring Language: English
Country: United States

Playlist from the Spins, June 5th, 2007

I celebrated my birthday last night by iJockying a short set at HowWasTheShow.com's bi-weekly "Spins" at the Nomad World Pub.

Here's what I played:

The National - "Fake Empire"
Wilco - "Impossible Germany"
Los Campesinos - "You! Me! Dancing!"
The Fratellis - "Creepin' Up The Backstairs"
Just Jack - "Starz in Their Eys"
Divorcee - "Writer"
The Hold Steady - "Stuck Between Stations"
Slade - "My Oh My"

Here's what Bob played.

And the poster....

And the posters for the HowWasTheShow 5th Anniversary party, designed by the most-awesomest Steve McPherson.

HowWasTheShow's 5th Anniversary Lineup Announced

It's that time of year again, folks, and time for a party that might be alternatively called my 4th annual 39th birthday (if I was still counting such things.)

HowWasTheShow.com is excited to announce the lineup for our 5th Anniversary Party, which is scheduled to take place Saturday, June 9, 2007, at the Turf Club in St. Paul. The show will be sponsored by Radio K.

It's been five years since HowWasTheShow.com founder David de Young first started a blog to archive his reviews of live shows. Since then, HowWasTheShow.com has blossomed into a website that archives hundreds of reviews of the best local and national music to come through the Twin Cities, interviews with bands, pictures by the Cities' best up-and-coming concert photographers, and an active forum where musicheads gather to share music news and updates.

Each year the website continues to grow as a resource for music fans, and this past year we were awarded our first Minnesota Music Award for our efforts. We are still going strong and have lots of reasons to celebrate, so we gathered up the best talent this town has to offer to help us throw our 5th Anniversary bash! Here are the details:

HowWasTheShow.com 5th Anniversary Party featuring:

First Communion Afterparty - myspace.com/firstcommunionafterparty
The Slats - myspace.com/theslats
Jeremy Messersmith - myspace.com/jeremymessersmith
Mouthful of Bees- myspace.com/mouthfulofbees
Estate - myspace.com/dotcommunists

Saturday, June 9th
Turf Club, 9pm, $5, 21+

No RSS for the wicked?

Finally, RSS returns to HowWasTheShow. And this time it's automated!

Check out our new feed now in beta testing at http://www.howwastheshow.com/rss/ and never miss a feature story, review or interview again.

Our forum has always been RSS'ified. You can simply point your favorite RSS reader at http://www.howwastheshow.com/forum/ to pick that one up and be notified of each new post (though not each new response, unless you subscribe specifically to the thread using your forum account.)

I am an internet phenomenon

On Tuesday, May 1st, I'll be on the panel of Becoming an Internet Phenomenon at the Walker Art Center with a few friends and ironically enough, one of my own father's former students (Mike Fotis of Ferrari McSpeedy.) Come see me spout whatever it is I may say. Wisdom maybe? Fear not. You'll definitely get what you paid for; it's free!

Tuesday, May 1
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Walker Art Center Cinema
$$Free$$

Quote:

Hear from artists and organizations that have had success getting their work seen and heard on the Internet. This panel discussion, moderated by Chris Roberts and Carolyn Petrie, will be useful to individual artists of all disciplines and arts organizations who want to utilize the web as part of their career or marketing strategy. Moderators: Carolyn Petrie, freelance theatre critic and writer and Chris Roberts, host of “The Local Show” on Minnesota Public Radio Panelists: Kathleen Kvern (mnartists.org), Hans Eisenbeis (The Current), David DeYoung (Howwastheshow.com), Emma Berg (mplsart.com), Nate Schroeder (Walker Art Center), Mike Fotis (Ferrari McSpeedy) and Chuck Olson (filmmaker, mnstories and Blogumentary). Becoming an Internet Phenomenon is a coproduction of Springboard for the Arts and mnartists.org.

Details: http://calendar.walkerart.org/event.wac?id=3841

HowWasTheShow monthly podcast now available on Minneapoliscast.com

The April Edition of the monthly HowWasTheShow does Minneapoliscast.com is online now!

This month's songs:

* Charley Dush - “Two Lonely Travellers” (selected by Dave Rachac)
* Walker Kong - “We Are the Falling Stars” (selected by Jen Paulson)
* Baby Guts - “Staple Gun” (selected by David de Young)
* Western Fifth - “Lose Yourself” (selected by Pat O'Brien)
* Abzorbr - “Sleepy Dreamer” (selected by Andrea Myers)

Showpage:

http://minneapoliscast.com/2007/04/13/howwastheshowcom-april-cd-reviews/

Direct podcast link

(Did you somehow miss last month's show? Tony over at Minneapoliscast kindly has left the old shows archived. Listen to March's HowWasTheShow podcast here.)

Voltage was absolutely fabulous

The folks at HowWasTheShow have a thread which is collecting some of the press and photo highlights from Voltage 2007.

If you have anything to add, links, your 2 cents, whatever, head over here and share it.

Get the Spins w/ HowWasTheShow.com

THIS Tuesday, March 27 from 9pm-12am come down to the Nomad World Pub (4th & Cedar) for The Spins: HowWasTheShow.com writers spinning our favorite records while you dance/drink/hang out with us.

And there are drink specials! In honor of our first ever Spins party, the Nomad crew will be celebrating with mystery beer night.

This is a new, bi-weekly event hosted by HowWasTheShow.com and the Nomad World Pub. See you there!

Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2007 CD and listening party

Date: March 21st, 2007
From: VOLTAGE: Fashion Amplified

Contact: press@voltagefashionamplified.com
www.voltagefashionamplified.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Voltage: Fashion Amplified Announces the Release of the 2007 Compilation CD and Transmission Listening Party

Minneapolis, MN, March 2007 – Voltage: Fashion Amplified is excited to announce the release of the 2007 Voltage Compilation CD. Voltage has brought together one of the most diverse group of musical acts yet for this year's show, and some of their best songs are captured on this compilation. The CD will celebrate its official release at Transmission by Jake Rudh at Club Jaeger in downtown Minneapolis on Wednesday, April 4th.

The 11-song compilation produced with the support of Noiseland Industries and Rare Form Mastering includes Dance Band's booty movin' grooves, Black Blondie's sounds of soul filled trip hop jazz, and the powerhouse indie rock sound of The Plastic Constellations. And that's only three of the six bands featured.

David De Young, who coordinated the CD this year had this to say: "The 2007 Voltage compilation is the third I've worked on, and even more than the previous discs, this one really kicks you in the pants. Not only does it rock harder, it also excels in diversity by including fun vocal-based sing-along's from the God Damn Doo Wop Band, a killer yet-to-be-released track from The Mood Swings, and some of my favorite songs from the Alarmists' first EP."

The CD can be purchased for ($10) at select Twin Cities independent music stores such as Roadrunner Records, Electric Fetus and Treehouse Records, or at Voltage on April 11th at First Avenue. Proceeds go to benefit Springboard for the Arts "Artist's Access To Healthcare Program."

The 2007 Voltage Compilation CD Track listing:

1. The Alarmists – "She Will Love Again (Hey Kid)"
2. The Plastic Constellations – "Phoenix and the Faultline"
3. The Mood Swings – "Finest Line"
4. Dance Band – "Pedal Power"
5. God Damn Doo Wop Band – "Talk Too Much"
6. The Alarmists – "New Romans"
7. The Plastic Constellations – "We Came To Play"
8. The Mood Swings – "Simple Things"
9. Dance Band – "Best Dance Alliance (featuring Best Friends Forever)"
10. God Damn Doo Wop Band – "Rooftops of Bangor"
11. Black Blondie - "Knife Fights and Xmas Lights"

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Voltage: Fashion Amplified is the Midwest's premier rock and fashion show. Through its annual events, Voltage seeks to foster collaboration, engender community and unite music and fashion while providing a national forum for local talent.

North Star Roller Girls "Heartbreaker-Hers Ball" Pre-Bout Bash fe: Ouija Radio, Screamin' Cyn Cyn and the Pons, The Slats, and Action Vs. Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What: North Star Roller Girls "Heartbreaker-Hers Ball" Pre-Bout Bash fe: Ouija Radio, Screamin' Cyn Cyn & the Pons, The Slats, and Action Vs. Action

When: Friday, February 16^th, 2007 9 p.m. $5, 21+

Where: Uptown Bar, 3018 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis 612-823-4719

Skater-owned and operated flat-track derby league, The North Star Roller Girls, have been rolling their way into Minnesotans’ hearts since they kicked off their inaugural season in October, 2006. Their next bout, Heartbreak-Hers Ball is scheduled for Saturday, February 24th at Cheap Skate Roller Rink in Coon Rapids.

To gear up for the event, the NSRG teams of The Kilmore Girls, Violent Femmes, The Banger Sisters, and Delta Delta Di want to show you they know how to rock as well as roll by hosting a pre-bout bash at the Uptown Bar Friday, February 16th.

Sponsored by HowWasTheShow.com, the evening will feature a great lineup of local talent: Ouija Radio, Screamin' Cyn Cyn and the Pons (Madison), The Slats, and Action Vs. Action. In between bands there will be derby ticket giveaways and drawings for free merch from the girls.

Come out for rock and rollergirls at the Uptown on Friday, February 16!

Pre-Bout Bash band info:

● Ouija Radio: http://www.myspace.com/ouijaradio

● Screamin’ Cyn Cyn and the Pons: http://www.myspace.com/cyncyn

● The Slats: http://www.myspace.com/theslats

● Action Vs. Action: http:// www.myspace.com/actionvsaction

Bout info:

● What: The North Star Roller Girls Present "Heartbreak-Hers Ball"

● When: Saturday, February 24th - Doors at 7pm, Bout at 7:30

● Where: Cheap Skate Roller Rink - 3075 Coon Rapids Blvd.

● Tickets $10 in Advance, $12 at the Door. Ages 10 and under free.

More information at www.northstarrollergirls.com or email info@northstarrollergirls.com

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