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Saturday, January 24, 2009

Aby Wolf CD Release Party tonight - two bonus Aby Wolf live MP3s

Aby Wolf (photo by Jenn Barnett) releases her new CD Sweet Prudence with a show tonight (Saturday, January 24th, 2009) at the Cedar Cultural Center.  Sharing the stage with Aby will be Black Blondie and Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles.


This past week, Andrea Swensson of the City Pages ran a feature article as well as a blog posting about the show, the blog posting featuring two MP3s HowWasTheShow recorded when Aby peformed at the Mad Ripple Hootenanny on Thursday, January 15th.

At that Hoot, Aby performed a total of 5 songs.  As a bonus, here are two additional live tracks not included in the City Pages blog entry.



For tonight's CD, doors are at 7, the show is at 8.  $10/12.


Stone Arch Festival of the Arts taking musician and performer applications

Stacy Schwartz over at Cake in 15 is also the booker for The Stone Arch Festival of the Arts. She asked that we let you know she's now accepting applications for bands, singer-songwriters, dancers, theater and any other type of  family-friendly performances for this year's Stone Arch Festival of the Arts.  


The Stone Arch Festival attracts around 100,000 people each year and takes place June 20 - 21 along the Minneapolis Riverfront (by St. Anthony Main).  It runs 10am - 6pm both days.

If you're a blogger, Stacy asked if you would please repost this info, as well as a link to the performance application.

This year Stacy is booking four of the five stages.  One stage is reserved for acoustic music, one for kids/family performances, and two for rock.  More information can be found on the application. 

Last year's performers included Chris Koza, Chastity Brown, Spaghetti Western String Co., Gospel Gossip, The Absent Arch, The Wars of 1812, Bella Koshka, and many others.

If you have any questions whatsoever, email stacy at stonearchperformance@gmail.com.  

The deadline is Monday, March 30, so please apply early.  

More information about the festival can be found at www.stonearchfestival.com or www.myspace.com/stonearchfestival.  

Monday, January 19, 2009

Tony Nelson Also Rocks!

Many Twin Cities music fans are familiar with Tony Nelson's fantastic photography of music, roller derby, and much more, but did you know he also plays electric guitar in a band? It was actually news to me recently to find out that Tony leads a secret life as a member of local old-school rock outfit Street Hassle. They play punk-influenced rock with its heart in the right place and cite Guided By Voices, The Stooges and The Stones among their influences.

Thursday night, Street Hassle is playing a show at Club Underground along with Sepia Tone - now that sounds like a band named by a photog - and Yellow Minnow. Street Hassle plays at 9:30, so if you high-tail it straight from the Hoot, you can make it.

Twin Cities music photogs, you should like totally go, and like, you know, take photos!

Check out Tony's ongoing photo chronicle of the Mad Ripple Hootenanny here.

Voltage Fashion Amplified 2009 open model call

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Voltage Fashion Amplified invites Twin Cities area models for an open call. We are looking for female models with runway experience who are at least 18 years of age and 5'7" or taller. Models that are selected to be a part of the show will be in 2009's Voltage Fashion Amplified runway and rock show at First Avenue on Friday, April 24th. Other time commitments will include fittings with a local designer (scheduled by the designer), and a dress rehearsal on Sunday, April 19th. Models who fit these requirements and are available should email voltage.models@gmail.com to RSVP for the open call.

Open Call:

When: Saturday, February 7th, 2009

Time: 12pm to 3pm

Where: Vision Management Group, Inc.

111 Washington Ave N. STE 200

Downtown Minneapolis

To attend the open call, please arrive in a fitted shirt, skinny jeans and heels. We will be taking measurements over your clothes as well as a snap shot. Please bring a current photo (body shot, or head shot) that we may keep.

Because this show benefits non-profit organizations MNfashion (www.mnfashion.org) and Springboard for the Arts', your participation would be considered a donation of your time and talent. Please visit the website at www.voltagefashionamplified.com for information about the show.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

New Gary Louris/Mark Olson track previewed on Spin.com

Spin.com reports on the new Gary Louris/Mark Olson album Ready for the Flood due out on January 27th.  Jayhawks's fans will rejoice in the duo's first recorded work together in 13 years.


Read the whole story here and listen to the exclusive streaming track "Turn Your Pretty Name Around."

[Via Spin.com.  Photo by Darren Ankenman.]

Also, look for an upcoming interview in the City Pages with Gary Louris.  Via Twitter, I learned that Andrea Swensson just interviewed Gary this morning, and Gary made it a point to share that it's 55 degrees where he is today.


Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Solid Gold with Lookbook at The Turf Friday + dual CD giveaway

Two of the hottest Twin Cities bands of 2009 and the "Midwest Coast's" hottest DJ take to the Turf Club stage on Friday night, and something tells me this show may just sell out, so buy your tickets now. 

HowWasTheShow plans to be on hand to take photos and write about how you're going to wish you'd been there if you don't go, so don't make that mistake.

LOOKBOOK
DJ GIGAMESH

Friday at the Turf Club + 

Solid Gold/Lookbook CD Giveaway!

Indie Tickets, Solid Gold and Lookbook have teamed up to offer a special giveaway to fans at the January 16th show at The Turf Club in Saint Paul, MN. All customers who purchase advance tickets for this event before January 15th will be entered into a raffle. 1 lucky winner will recieve a copy of BOTH the new Solid Gold and the new Lookbook record. Winners will be notified via email, with additional instructions.

(Fine print: Contest limited to one entry per customer. If you place multiple orders for this event, you will only be entered in the contest once. The winners will receive their Solid Gold/Lookbook prizes at the event.)

Friday, January 09, 2009

Colonial Vipers return from space and land in Two Harbors

Meet the new band, same as the old band, but with a new name. Twin Cities Ian Brown and Oasis-influenced rockers Colonial Vipers Attack have rebranded themselves as Two Harbors, in what for a band from Minnesota clearly seems a reference to the northern city on Lake Superior.

Singer and guitar player Chris Pavlich says they changed the name because though "Colonial Vipers Attack really rolls off the tongue quite nicely . . . Two Harbors fits the vibe much better."

The old band name was a reference to a type of spaceship used by the humans in the Battlestar Gallactica TV series.

The band plays their first show as Two Harbors at The Turf Club" on Friday, January 23 with Mercurial Rage, We Became Actors and Farewell Milwaukee.

Their CD Release Show is set for March 14th at the Uptown Bar.

Read about Colonial Vipers Attack appearance at Sussedtacular at the Varsity Theater in November, 2008 here.

To see more details about the Turf Club show and to RSVP on Facebook click here:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=114080165391

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Hip Hop AGAINST Homophobia

In addition to providing great coverage of Twin Cities music, you'll notice more and more local blogs offering up sponsorship of music events in 2009. Why? Music blogs are hype machines, and there's often no better way to get the word out.

My friend Chris over at Culture Bully.com alerted me to a show they are sponsoring later this month that is bound to have the West Bank hopping. It's Hip Hop Against Homophobia January 23rd at the Nomad World Pub. HWTS is helping to spread the good word.

Below is the press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hip Hop Against Homophobia: Friday, January 23 at the Nomad World Pub
Twin Cities hip hop artists—gay and straight alike—come out to support LGBTQ rights

On Friday, Jan 23, the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis will host "Hip Hop Against Homophobia," a show sponsored by music blog CultureBully.com, local record label Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records, Join the Impact Twin Cities, the Twin Cities Avengers and OutFront MN. Performers include some of the Twin Cities' most successful hip hop acts, representing both the LGBTQ community and its straight allies: Maria Isa, Toki Wright, Alicia Leafgreen, DeeJay Blowtorch, Kredentials, Tish Jones, See More Perspective and the show's lead organizer, Kyle "El Guante" Myhre.

"This is important for a number of reasons," Myhre says. "First, it's raising money for a great organization. It's also building a bridge between two communities that should be working together more often. On top of that, it's sending a message to hip hop fans, activists and anyone who will listen: hip hop as a whole is often viewed as homophobic, but there are a hell of a lot of artists and fans who want to actually do something about that."

Proceeds from the show will benefit Join the Impact Twin Cities, the coalition of activists that organized the anti-Proposition 8 rally on Nov 15 that drew 2,000 people. Another rally, planned for Jan 10, promises to be even bigger, and more events are in the works.

"As a queer activist and hip hop fan, it has been a dream come true to work on this show," says Jessica Rosenberg of Join the Impact TC and the Twin Cities Avengers. "We're promoting amazing artists to new audiences, creating a unique platform for hard-working organizations doing important work, and building new and exciting coalitions. And on the 23rd, we'll prove that activism can still be a damn fun time."

Myhre, a recent Twin Cities transplant, Minneapolis poetry slam champion, writer for CultureBully.com and long-time social justice activist, sees a lot of space for cooperation between not only the LGBTQ and hip hop communities, but between artists and activists in general too.

"The beautiful thing is that there are a bunch of artists we couldn't fit onto the bill or weren't able to contact who are still very much down for this cause," Myhre says. "Hopefully we can do this again, maybe even make it a regular thing."

Contact:
Kyle "El Guante" Myhre | elguante@gmail.com

Summary:
Hip Hop Against Homophobia w/ Maria Isa, Kredentials, El Guante & See More Perspective, Toki Wright, Alicia Leafgreen & DeeJay Blowtorch; hosted by Tish Jones.
Friday, January 23 at the Nomad World Pub | doors at 9pm. 21+ $5

Chad Weis Benefit at First Avenue on Saturday, January 17th


Switchblade Comb has more details on this upcoming benefit concert for Mason Jennings sound engineer and tour manager, Chad Weis. The show on Saturday, January 17th will feature Mason Jennings, Cloud Cult, Trampled by Turtle, Haley Bonar and The Pines.

Chad recently underwent surgery for a serious illness and racked up some enormous medical bills. Proceeds from the show will help to pay those bills.

Visit Switchblade.com for a message from Mason Jennings concerning Chad's situation.

Benefit show
Saturday, January 17th
First Avenue Mainroom
5:30 PM
$15/20, 18+