HowWasTheShow Blog

The 2011 Ivey Awards - "In Praise of Twin Cities Theater"

2011-09-24T04:58:00.007-05:00

The following is a guest article written by HowWasTheShow theater reviewer Janet Preus.

September 19, 2011 The 2011 Ivey Awards

by Janet Preus, howwastheshow.com

This is not a review of this year’s Ivey Awards show or even a recap. However, I will say that my partner and I (who is a musician, recording engineer and a tough critic) so completely enjoyed ourselves that I intend to gush about it. This event brings together the arts and entertainment community like no other—everyone, as they say, was there—the feeling of goodwill and camaraderie in the State Theater Monday evening was unmistakable and memorable.

This year the Iveys chose to highlight costumers and their work, which made for even more than the usual spectacle associated with this event, and those honored in every category clearly deserved recognition, which was especially satisfying. But more, it’s one heckuva show. I would say that it featured the very best that Twin Cities theater served up this last year, but honestly, they could have picked an entirely different group of shows and performers and still put on a dazzling show. The breadth and depth of talent in this town is simply staggering. I know this because I’ve been reviewing it for several years and I can’t possibly get to all the shows I’d like to see. It’s that good.

If I can encourage you in some way with this short article to see more live theater, that’s what I’d like to do. Every time you’re sitting on the fence about going out to see a play, I hope this pushes you off of it and sends you out the door. Maybe you’re not sure you’re going to like this play you’re considering. So what? Go! Then write the producing company afterwards and tell them what you did like, and tell them you’d like to see what they put up next time.

Maybe you’re afraid your companion won’t like it. So what? There will undoubtedly be something that you do like, so go! Nobody nails everything every time. This is live theater, not filmed perfection. That’s why it’s such a great shared experience. That vulnerability can’t be felt in front of a TV screen, or the larger screen, either. YOU are a part of this one and essential to the larger story.

Maybe you’re tired and just want to collapse in front of the tube and zone with something mindless. You’re allowed to do that once in a while, but not on a regular basis. While your brain is succumbing to mush, your friends in the theater are being taken to a new place, discovering a new perspective, connecting with a shared idea, laughing or crying, perhaps, getting annoyed, motivated, charmed or dismayed. But something is happening with them, and you can be a part of it.

You can find reviews of many shows right here – and not just the most high profile theaters. We cover a wide variety; the size of the theater or company does not determine our decision to review. We do this pretty much for one reason: we love theater.

Go see everything you possibly can in the coming season. Then go to the Ivey’s next September and you, too, will feel a part of the Twin Cities theater scene. It’s quite wonderful. Just go!

- Janet Preus

CD Review: Kevin Steinman's "Pre-Existing Condition"

2011-05-09T17:23:00.007-05:00

There’s a good chance you haven’t heard of Kevin Steinman yet. But with the release of his new full-length CD Pre-Existing Condition, I have a feeling 2011 is going to be the year Steinman becomes much more of a household name. Produced by Andy Thompson (Jeremy Messersmith), Steinman made every effort with this record to work with some of the best musicians The Twin Cities had to offer. The roster includes Chris Koza, Linnea Mohn & Luke Anderson of Rogue Valley (is it any surprise Rogue Valley will join Steinman at his CD Release show 5/14 at the Fine Line?) Also featured are on the album Ben Kyle of Romantica, Alicia Wiley and Brianna Lane.

With debts to Paul Simon and Jack Johnson nationally, and Halloween, Alaska here in Minnesota, intimate and honest are two adjectives that come immediately to mind to describe Steinman’s songs. He has a distinctive ear for the vocal line, perhaps partly stemming from his extensive of experience as a singer in an a capella group right after college. Pre-Existing Condition is crisp, clear and knows what it’s trying to say. Its tight production and slow pop confidence give this album mainstream appeal. (“Just in Time” could easily slip in amongst the Coldplay on Cities 97.) But “Pop is not an evil word,” as Steinman said in a recent radio interview. To say your parents might like this record as much as you do is no backhanded compliment. It just might be true.

The simple arrangement of the first of 11 tracks on the disc, “Moonlight Navigators,” (listen on bandcamp) grabs you right away and sets the tone for what's to come. “Understanding Eyes,” is tightly-written Elvis Costello-esque pop. “Straight of Georgia” is a pretty finger-picked ballad reminiscent of Chris Koza, and I can easily imagine the edgy, minor key “I Look for You” playing over the final credits of a major motion picture. If I had to pick a single from the album it would be that one, but perhaps as icing on the cake, Steinman includes a new version of one of his earlier best songs, “Wish.”

(Watch the video for "Wish".)

Hear Pre-Existing Condition in its entirety at a CD listening party Tuesday, May 10^th at Kings Wine Bar in Minneapolis (4555 Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis) at 9 p.m. (Steinman will also do a DJ set.) Then see Steinman perform live with his band at a CD Release Party at the Fine Line Music Cafe Saturday night, May 14^th. The May 14^th show is a duel CD release party with Farewell Milwaukee, also featuring Rogue Valley and Joey Ryan. Not to be missed.

Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2011 Compilation to be Released

2011-03-24T21:39:00.012-05:00

Voltage: Fashion Amplified, the Midwest’s premier rock and roll fashion show announces the release of its 2011 Limited Edition 10-track compilation CD featuring songs from the 2011 Voltage bands Pink Mink, Communist Daughter, Fort Wilson Riot, Phantom Tails and Me And My Arrow. The release of the CD will be celebrated with a listening party at Kings Wine Bar (4555 Grand Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55419, 612-354-7928, http://www.kingsmpls.com) on Tuesday, April 5th at 9 p.m. hosted by DJ Jake Rudh. The listening party will feature CD pack giveaways and chances to win event tickets to Voltage 2011 on Friday, April 15th.

VOLTAGE 2011 CD TRACK LISTING

Pink Mink – Black Door
Fort Wilson Riot – Forgotten Language
Me and My Arrow – LA Air
Phantom Tails – The Oven Of Romance
Communist Daughter – The Lady Is an Arsonist
Pink Mink – Earthquake on the Loose
Fort Wilson Riot – All My Friends
Me and My Arrow – TMND
Phantom Tails – All Good Things
Communist Daughter – Northern Lights

The CD was made possible through the generous support of Copycats Media and Rare Form Mastering, says David de Young, CD Producer and Voltage committee founding member. “Each time we put this out I feel it’s one of the strongest compilation CDs that comes out in Minnesota each year, and this year is no different.”

Voltage is a production of MNFashion and takes place April 15th at First Avenue in Minneapolis. Proceeds from sales of the CD will benefit MNFashion. (http://www.mnfashion.org.)

For more information on Voltage: Fashion Amplified visit www.voltagefashionamplified.com

Mercy Seat Lutheran Church Presents: Masses for the Masses

2010-09-24T10:46:00.005-05:00

For immediate release:

Mercy Seat Lutheran Church Presents:

Masses for the Masses
7 Liturgies by 7 Composers in 7 Weeks
Sundays at 5:00 pm
October 3 – November 14
Mercy Seat Lutheran Church
1500 6th st. NE
Minneapolis, MN

This fall Mercy Seat Lutheran Church of NE Minneapolis will showcase seven original setting of the Lutheran mass, each composed and performed by local artists. Every Sunday from October 3 through November 14, another composer will lead the congregation in a unique take the order of service.

Composers include Chris Koza of Rogue Valley, Ben Kyle of Romantica, John Hermanson of Story Hill & The Hopefuls, Scott Randall Munson, Wes Burdine of The Small Cities, and jazz composers Jon Pemberton (featuring Fat Kid Wednesdays) and Greg Schaeffer (featuring Dana Thompson). Their settings have ranged in tone from experimental Jazz to mournful alt-country; from Beach Boys-y pop to textured ambiance a la Sigur Ros.

Masses of Masses is presented by Mercy Seat Lutheran, a mission church in NE Minneapolis committed to the incubation of artistic expression. For more than four years Mercy Seat has given creative control of its worship to local songwriters, bringing into the church some of the best musicians The Cities have to offer. Mercy Seat meets Sundays at 5:00 pm inside the former Holland School building.

Schedule

October 3 - Greg Schaefer (w/ Dana Thompson)
October 10 - Chris Koza (Rogue Valley)
October 17- Jonathan Pemberton (w/ J.T. Bates and Mike Lewis of Fat Kid Wednesdays)
October 24 - John Hermanson (Storyhill, The Hopefuls, Alva Star)
October 31- Scott Randall Munson
November 7- Wes Burdine (The Small Cities)
November 14 - Ben Kyle (Romantica)

Lottery hosts free Minneapolis rock shows

2010-05-12T10:07:00.002-05:00

The Minnesota Lottery has put together a great set of free shows with many of HowWasTheShow's favorite bands on board. Check out the summary below. The Lottery has engaged social media marketers to reach the fans directly and has been successful in generating buzz about these top notch lineups. Check out the summary of May's events in the e-press release below.

MINNEAPOLIS – Free rock will be on tap at local venues in May, courtesy of a new concert-themed scratch game from the Minnesota State Lottery. The shows are open to anyone 18 years and older:
Sunday, May 16, 8 p.m. – Triple Rock Social Club: Red Pens with BNLX and Voytek. (Facebook event - http://bit.ly/bJ4I3C)
Wednesday, May 19, 8 p.m. – Fine Line Music Café: Melismatics with Alarmists and The Idle Hands. (Facebook event - http://bit.ly/9E5FX9)
Thursday, May 27, 8 p.m. – Varsity Theater: Rogue Valley with the Jason Shannon Band and Strangelights. (Facebook event - http://bit.ly/dCdyk8)
Cash & Concerts is a concert-themed Scratch Game that features music downloads and VIP concert tickets, in addition to cash prizes. Details for the shows and the new game at LuckyMN.com/rock.

Chasing the Sun: The Best of The Honeydogs

2010-05-04T19:32:00.004-05:00

Just in time for them to help First Avenue celebrate its 40th Birthday on Saturday, The Honeydogs are releasing a digital compilation of some of their best songs of the past 15 years.

The Honeydogs play First Avenue Saturday night, May 8th along with Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles and Anders Ponders. The 18+ show starts at 6PM. (Tickets and details here.)

Kings Wine Bar will be hosting a special listening party for the Honeydogs with members of the band on hand to help celebrate featuring rare live tracks and studio outtakes on Wednesday, May 5th. That event gets underway at 9:30 p.m.

I was honored to be asked to write the "liner notes" for the digital release of the record:

There aren't many Twin Cities bands or contemporary bands, for that matter, who would dare (or even could) assemble a “best of” album 35 tracks deep, but from the first song on the new Honeydogs compilation "Chasing the Sun: The Best of The Honeydogs,” you will find yourself swimming in an ocean of smart, catchy songs selected from their nine studio albums since 1995, and you won’t see the shore for more than two hours.

They aren’t all obvious singles like “Rumor Has It” (the opening track) or “I Miss You,” two of the Honeydogs most recognizable songs; but you can’t throw a dart at this collection and hit anything that even comes close to being considered filler. This truly is an “essential” Honeydogs collection.

Drawing on some of the best pop of the last 50 years (Elvis Costello, Merle Haggard, Brian Wilson, Harry Nillsson, Dylan, Bacharach, Randy Newman, Serge Gainbourg, Brazilian Tropicalia,and Nick Drake)“Chasing the Sun” delivers pop, country, rock, jazz, boss nova, and occasional middle eastern seasoning, showcasing the broad spectrum of musical styles the band has not just dabbled in, but mastered over the years. However you cut it, this is addictively listenable music: pop with a conscience, and proof that brainy rock can be fun.

- David de Young (April, 2010)

Voltage Band Spotlight #5: Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps

2010-04-14T21:29:00.007-05:00

Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps - Photo by Amanda Johnson

Band members: Caroline Smith (guitar, vocals), Arlen Peiffer (drums), Jesse Schuster (bass) and Colin Hacklander (keyboards)

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/carolinesmithmusic

Caroline Smith is going places. Literally. Smith and her three piece band band The Good Night Sleeps, which consists of Colin Hacklander (Something With Kites) on keyboards, Jesse Schuster (Lucy Michelle) on bass and Arlen Peiffer (Cloud Cult, The Wapsipinicon) on drums, will hit the Voltage Fashion Amplified stage a week after a tour of the Midwest and the East Coast that takes them from Iowa City to Brooklyn and back again. As soon as Voltage winds up, the band will be back out on the road less than a week later to Madison, Chicago and South Bend, Indiana.

Smith’s folk/pop debut Backyard Tent Set came out in 2008. Often compared to Lucy Michelle, with whom she shares bassist Jesse Schuster, for her Billie Holiday/Joanna Newsom-like vocals, Caroline Smith played First Avenue’s Best New Bands showcase in 2008. On her Myspace page, Smith cities an exceedingly diverse list of influences, from Ben Gibbard, to Wilco, to Carly Simon and The Pixies. It all adds up to a listen that is always engaging, often tender and accessible whichever direction your musical taste runs.

What strikes me most about Smith is her poise. She’s a performer fully aware and fully in control while on stage. Her songs are often troubling, but matter of fact stories. Check out “Closing the Doors” as an exemplary song.

Smith released Live At The Cedar in January, and the band is currently working on a full length album due out later in 2010.

For Voltage, Caroline Smith and her band will be outfitted by Calpurnia Peach, the designer team of Luci Kandler and Ashley Wokasch. (In the publicity photo above, Smith is wearing one of their dresses.)

Voltage is Friday, April 16th at First Avenue. Buy your tickets now!

Head over to our Voltage partner, L'etoile Magazine for this week's designer profiles on Emma Berg and Kevin Kramp.

Voltage Band Spotlight #4: Red Pens

2010-04-07T14:26:00.008-05:00

(Red Pens - Photo by Stephanie Colgan)

Band Members: Howard W. Hamilton III (guitars, effects) Laura F. Bennett (drums)

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/redpensband

Guitarist and drummer two-piece rock bands have appeared on the local and national scene in the past whom I have wished would get a bass player. Red Pens is not one of those bands. The duo of Howard W. Hamilton III and Laura F. Bennett have no trouble filling rooms (even First Avenue’s main room, where they played the most recent “Best New Bands” showcase) with their powerful, feedback and emotionally-drenched dissonant sound. The band holds the stage with the energetic presence often reserved for three and four-piece ensembles.

Bennett (drums) and Hamilton (guitars, effects) are both veterans of the Twin Cities music scene, Hamilton most recently a member of The Busy Signals, and Bennett the former drummer for the Mood Swings. Red Pens won the coveted “Picked to Click” designation from the City Pages in 2009 even before their debut album, Reasons hit the streets. Reasons was released in February on the Grain Belt Records label, and vinyl aficionados will delight the album was also released in limited edition 12-inch format with a record release party a couple weekends ago at the Hexagon.

Red Pens’ moody, sonic attack is best experienced live; though Reasons does a terrific job of representing the range of sound the band is capable of. The band toured earlier this spring, playing venues from Chicago to New York City. Both Hamilton and Bennett give it their all when they perform live, Bennett often smiling from behind the drums balancing Hamilton’s stern visage. It’s the perfect balance of yin and yang.

If you like Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine or the Velvet Underground, you’ll likely find much to love about Red Pens, who will bring fuzzy, art-rock intensity to Voltage 2010.

For Voltage, Red Pens will be outfitted by Red Shoe Clothing Company, a design group founded by Kerry Riley in 2002.

Voltage Band Spotlight #3 - Mayda

2010-04-02T20:30:00.005-05:00

Mayda

Band Members: Mayda Miller (vocals, guitar), Michael Bland (drums),Cory Eischen (keyboards, samples), Andy Mark (bass), Jacob Hanson (guitar)

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/imaydasong

St. Paul’s Mayda Miller (or simply Mayda) comes to Voltage hot on the heals of her 2009 EP Eyes on the Water which was released digitally on Michael Bland’s Sonic Matrimony Collective label in November. (Bland, Mayda’s drummer, is best known as the drummer for Prince during The New Power Generation years and even more recently as the drummer for Soul Asylum.)

I first encountered Mayda when she played acoustically at the Mad Ripple Hootenanny in 2009. Those who were seeing her for the first time that night will never forget when she strapped on her blue guitar for the wonderfully risqué “Good Girls,” which appears on her latest EP. (That song is a great starting point for a new listener, and you should check it out here.)

Though “Good Girls” is an catchy and clever acoustic ditty, Mayda is known for tearing it up at electric shows: exact, energetic and in control, she is an attention-getter and attention-keeper.

I’m proud of myself for making it halfway through this profile without mentioning Mayda is a petite and unassuming 4 foot10 inch tall Korean woman, but seems at least twice that tall when she hits the stage. In person she exudes a calm and gentle confidence.

CD Baby recommends Mayda to music lovers who like Black Eyed Peas, Grace Jones, or Prince, and that’s a start. Her power pop, and both acoustic electric alternative hip-hop have mainstream appeal, but are more than engaging and intriguing enough to endear her to the most critically-minded music fan as well.

Of all the other comparisons I’ve read in reviews, perhaps Mark Brenden put it best in the fall in the Minnesota Daily when describing her new EP, saying it contains “the vocal prowess and Aretha Franklin-level emotion” as well as the “guitar goddess-ness of Nancy Wilson.”

However you describe her, Mayda and her band are a brilliant addition to the Voltage line-up bound to add cutting-edge flair to their segment of the show that’s bound to get the heads of the crowd bobbing.

Mayda and her band will be outfitted for Voltage by veteran local designer Laura Fulk.

See also this week, Juleana Enright’s Voltage Spotlights on designers Raul Osorio and Elena Mercurio.

Voltage Band Spotlight #2: Blue Sky Blackout

2010-03-25T19:38:00.007-05:00

Blue Sky Blackout - photo by Kate Iverson

This is the second in a series of Voltage 2010 band spotlights we'll be running here on the HowWasTheShow blog, one each week up until the week of the show. (Last week we profiled Ruby Isle, who will also be playing Voltage 2010 at First Avenue on Friday, April 16th.)

Blue Sky Blackout

Band Members: Jon Hunt, Christian Erickson, Marc Iwanin, Mykl Westbrooks, Tim Ritter, and Brandon Dalida.

Listen: http://vimeo.com/9734324

If there’s such a thing as good cholesterol, perhaps there’s such a thing as good testosterone. Every time I see the six members of Blue Sky Blackout on stage, I can’t help but think: damn, that’s a lot of dudes. And cool, fashionable dudes at that, who know how to rock.

Blue Sky Blackout was conceived by Jon Hunt (Shatterproof, Landing Gear, Medication) in 2009 and played their first show in July 2009 with a lineup that reads like a veritable super group of Twin Cities rock: Christian Erickson (Astronaut Wife) provides lead vocals, Mykl Westbrooks (Landing Gear) and Brandon Dalida (Mercurial Rage, The TV Sound) both play lead guitar in addition to the guitar by Hunt himself. The band is rounded out by Tim Ritter (Astronaut Wife) on bass and drummer Marc Iwanin of Basement Apartment. Blue Sky Blackout proves beyond a shadow of doubt that there are times in life when three guitars is exactly what the rock doctor ordered.

Blue Sky Blackout plays heavy, catchy Brit rock with hooks and attitude that literally spills from the stage. The songs are fresh yet somehow familiar. I don’t believe anyone in this band would dare claim they are doing anything particularly new; my take is they are just doing something extremely cool that they are all very good at that no one else on the local scene is doing right now. The result is a whole helluvalot of fun.

But don’t take my word for it. Check out this teaser of “Somebody Said That You Loved Me” from their upcoming Susstones 3-side, to be released in April and I believe you’ll instantly see what I mean. Blue Sky Blackout are sure to bring a rock star touch to Voltage this year.

Blue Sky Blackout will be outfitted by Steve Kang of BlackBlue for Voltage 2010. For more on menswear designer and boutique owner Kang, check out this interview L’etoile did with him last fall.

Also this week, check out L’etoile’s Voltage designer spotlights on Brianne Jones and Christine Carmichael.

Voltage Band Spotlight #1: Ruby Isle

2010-03-18T10:48:00.008-05:00

Ruby Isle, publicity photo

This is the first in a series of Voltage 2010 band spotlights we'll be running here on the HowWasTheShow blog, one each week up until the week of the show. Our first band profile is of Ruby Isle, who will be playing Voltage 2010 at First Avenue on Friday, April 16th.

Ruby Isle

Band Members: Mark Mallman (vocals, guitar), Dan Geller (bass, vocoder) and Aaron Lemay (drums)

Listen: http://www.myspace.com/rubyisle

Twin Cities/Athens, GA electro rock band Ruby Isle (who may or may not be named after a shopping center in Brookfield, Wisconsin) is at SXSW this week debuting their take on Guns ‘N Roses “Appetite for Destruction,” which they recently covered in its entirety.

Ruby Isle’s MySpace page claims they are a singing trio of brothers, though those in the know realize this is completely fictitious. Even those who don’t will begin to doubt that when they read on to hear that in 2008 the trio of brothers were asked to defend the Mexican village of Santo Poco from a bandit named El Guapo. Or who knows, maybe it's all true!

In any case, the band, who call themselves “the party band for the apocalypse” (if so, it almost makes you wish those four horsemen would gallop faster) come from three separate well-respected bands, Mark Mallman (Mark Mallman), I Am The World Trade Center (Dan Geller) and International Espionage (Aaron Lemay.)

Known for their electro dance covers of songs by bands like the Decemberists, Fleet Foxes, Animal Collective and Bon Iver (see the videos for several of these on their MySpace), the band will bring some of their originals like “So Damn High” and “Night Shot” to Voltage 2010 and the result is bound to be an explosive set you won’t want to miss.

At Voltage, Ruby Isle will be outfitted by Anthem Heart, who will also be designing this year's limited edition t-shirts for the Voltage event (available at the show.)

Ruby Isle covers Appetite for Destruction for 2010 release, performs project at SXSW!

2010-03-05T10:37:00.005-06:00

Ruby Isle - Publicity photo

When I first heard Ruby Isle was slated to cover not just a song or two but the entirety of Gun's N' Roses Appetite for Destruction I thought someone was pulling my leg. I quickly remembered that Mark Mallman is a key member of this project and changed my thinking from "can't believe it" to "can't wait to hear it." At the time of writing, I have not yet had a listen, but am hoping I will get my chance soon.

Read full details about the Guns 'N Roses cover project and about where you can catch Ruby Isle at SXSW this year in the full press release below.

Ruby Isle will also be appearing at Voltage Fashion Amplified 2010.

PRESS RELEASE

Electro cover machine Ruby Isle has announced that they are unveiling their latest cover project in early 2010. The “party band of the apocalypse”, known best for dance floor versions of Animal Collective, Decemberists and Bon Iver, has been re-recording Guns N’ Roses’ 1988 LP Appetite for Destruction. The project is nearing completion and the band will debut their take on GNR at SXSW 2010.

What started as a straightforward electronic adaptation of GNR’s debut slowly evolved into a spaced-out experiment incorporating both live and electronic instrumentation. Ruby Isle vocalist Mark Mallman commented, “In the beginning of recording everything just seemed too obvious. We decided to go into the studio and bring in musicians with diverse musical backgrounds to make this thing a little more interesting.” The extended sound palette includes a jazz quartet, French female vocals, live strings and a guest appearance from Har Mar Superstar on “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”

While the sonic direction of the LP is a huge departure for the electro-arena rock leaning trio; the members of Ruby Isle all agree that Appetite for Destruction was an easy choice as they were all very familiar with it from spending their formative years in bowling alleys of the Midwest. Says Ruby Isle’s Dan Geller, “It is my older brothers’ favorite LP of all time, when he hears what we did to it, he is probably going to kill me.” Dan’s brother Kevin was unavailable for comment.

Ruby Isle will debut their new project live at SXSW 2010 and the LP will follow later this year.

Ruby Isle SXSW 2010 – Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction Sets

03/17/10 - Lambert’s - Green Room Music Source Official SXSW Showcase - 7:00PM
03/20/10 - The Side Bar - The 40 Watt SXSW Day Party - 6:00PM

Voltage Fashion Amplifed 2010 tickets now on sale

2010-02-28T11:52:00.002-06:00

Voltage Fashion Amplified 2010 tickets are now on sale.

Where: First Avenue Mainroom

When: April 16, 2010

Show starts at 8pm

Ticket Price:

$25 in advance

$30 at the door

Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2010 Tickets are on Sale!

Ticket Price Includes:

Voltage Lookbook

CD Download Card of the 2010 Compilation CD

Tickets can be purchased online at:

http://www.first-avenue.com/event/4713/voltage-fashion-amplified

Heiruspecs Scholarship Fund Concert at St. Paul Central High School

2010-02-27T15:05:00.002-06:00

Heiruspecs Scholarship Fund Concert from Meredith Westin on Vimeo.

Heiruspecs staged a benefit on behalf of the Saint Central High School Foundation (Facebook group link) to create a scholarship fund at the school in the schools' auditorium on Thursday evening.

Meredith Westin was there and got this great set of shots of the concert, backstage, and the crowd which she posted to Vimeo. the movie is set to Heiruspecs' “I Know.”

We recommend you watch the video full screen.

Online Marketing for the Creative Industries and Small Businesses

2010-02-17T23:38:00.008-06:00

Podcast:

Christian Erickson of Zeus Jones along with Kate Iverson and Kristoffer Knutson talk about how creative people and small businesses are using online media to rewrite the rules of marketing.

The event was sponsored by MNFashion, the non-profit organization which provides resources and professional development to Minnesota Fashion Designers. MNFashion is also the parent organization of Voltage Fashion Amplified. The event was held in MNFashion's Northeast Minneapolis studio and was recorded for presentation by HowWasTheShow.

This podcast includes a 1 hour presentation + 50 minutes of discussion.

(Christian has posted the full accompanying slide deck to this presentation in a Facebook photo album here so you can follow along with the audio.)

Open player in new window | Download

Free download of "The War on The Terror And The Drugs" by Ike Reilly

2010-02-16T12:49:00.004-06:00

In honor of Ike Reilly and the Assassination’s impending Twin Cities Residency in March (read more about that here), HowWasTheShow is proud to offer a free download of the first single from Reilly’s latest release, Hard Luck Stories. The track is called “The War on The Terror and the Drugs” featuring Shooter Jennings.

This track sees its official physical release today.

Download MP3 of "The War on The Terror and the Drugs"

Reilly kicks off a 4 night stand in Minneapolis March 16th with a solo acoustic show at Bryant Lake Bowl followed by 3 full band shows at the Turf, 7th Street Entry and Triple Rock on the 17th, 18th and 19th of March.

Also, starting today, Amazon is offering a free 10 song catalog collection of Ike Reilly music.

Link to Amazon's free 10-song Ike Reilly Catalog.

Listening Party for The Mad Ripple's "Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships" tonight at Kings Wine Bar

2010-02-16T10:44:00.009-06:00

I'm proud to call music writer Jim Walsh a good friend. The degree and varying types of support he has lent to the Twin Cities music community over the past 25-30 years of his life (more actually) is beyond compare. He has fostered musicians and other writers in that time, including me, in both capacities. Over the past few years of covering his Mad Ripple Hootenanny's at various locations throughout the Twin Cities as both a photographer and journalist, I have frequently found myself on stage with him and the crew, playing my own original creations alongside some of the best musicians in this town. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I am also honored to be able to invite the public to Kings Wine Bar, my favorite South Minneapolis restaurant for a listening party tonight for Walsh's new Eclectone Records release, Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships. The album's title comes from one of the album's tracks, "For Banjo Lisa Wherever You Are," a song which even occasional Hootenanny attendees over the past couple of years are bound to have heard at least once.

These songs are sexy and honest; modern folk tunes, if you will; songs which get stuck in your head and just won't leave. I hope you can come down tonight and join us as we play Jim's new record, and expect to find yourself singing along before the night is through.

What: Listening Party for The Mad Ripple's Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships
Where: Kings Wine Bar, 4555 Grand Avenue South, Minneapolis (46th and Grand)
When: 9PM to 11

RSVP on Facebook here.

More detail below:

Fast facts about The Mad Ripple’s sophomore sweetheart Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships:

“There are real songs here, about love, life, bars, mortality, lust, sorrow, growing up,” said writer/singer/songwriter Jim Walsh (aka The Mad Ripple), about the nine tunes that comprise Ships, many of which were first heard at The Mad Ripple Friday Night Hootenanny, a rotating collection of songwriters that happens regularly at various Minneapolis locales. “The songs are personal, but the CD itself is something of a document of the community and magic that has sprung up around the Hoot.”

The Eclectone Records release was produced by Walsh and Stook! and recorded at Caleb Garn’s Five Watt Studios in Eagan, Minnesota. The tracks feature back-up vocals by Ashleigh Still, Brianna Lane and Shawn Gibbons; bass guitar and mandolin by Marc Perlman (Jayhawks, Golden Smog, Janey & Marc, Polara); drums by Richard Medek (Molly Maher & Her Disbelievers) and Jordan Carlson (Stook! & The Jukes); guitars by Stook! and Jim and Jay Walsh; electric dulcimer by Drew Miller (Boiled In Lead); harmonica and keyboards by Terry Walsh (Belfast Cowboys, St. Dominic’s Trio); keyboards by Pete Christensen, and violin and banjo by Eliza Blue. Mr. Medek did all his drum tracks in one night, a few days after his recording session for actor Kevin Costner’s CD. Ms. Still did her vocals with her two kids crawling all over her (no babysitter).

The CD title is taken from “For Banjo Lisa Wherever You Are,” a tribute to “Banjo” Lisa Zwier, owner of Banjo Jim’s on 9^th and Avenue C in Greenwich Village, NYC, which hosted a seven-night Hoot stand last summer.

The video for the song “Death Bed Bride,” filmed at Kings Wine Bar in Minneapolis in November, can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1MuYfjWJRg

Upon hearing “Ballad Of The Tin Star Sisters,” a paean to the act of loving and losing your favorite local band, Minneapolis songwriter/writer Jay Hurley (Landing Gear) commented, “That’s the best lost Go-Betweens song I’ve ever heard.”

Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships is the follow-up to The Mad Ripple’s well-received debut CD Sink and/or Swim, which americana-uk.com called, “a ramshackle gem.” The Mad Ripple is currently at work on a follow-up long-player, with a little help from his friends Tom Herbers and Romantica’s Ben Kyle. Coal Miner’s Grandson (working title) will be available in the spring.

From Electric Arc Productions, a New Radio Variety Show: PowderKeg Live!

2010-02-16T10:30:00.003-06:00

Fans of the Electric Arc Radio Show should mark their calendars for a new production, PowderKeg Live! brought to you by some of the same folks coming up in March, April and May at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.

Twin Cities Music fans will note an appearance by Chris Koza on March 6th, and a rare appearance from light pop maestros Work of Saws on April 3rd. Read more in the full press release below.

From the creators of the Electric Arc Radio Show comes PowderKeg Live!—a variety show to be recorded live at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. Shows at 1 p.m. on March 6, April 3, and May 8. Tickets: $12 in advance, $14 at the door, purchased at the Ritz Theater Box office (345 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis) or online.

PowderKeg Live! is hosted by non-married domestic partners Geoff Herbach and Stephanie Wilbur Ash, who live, tell stories, entertain special guests, showcase characters, and (gulp) raise a family, all in the PowderKeg neighborhood. Featuring original songs and sounds from the "dynamite" PowderKeg Men's Glee Club (David Salmela, John Munson, and Ken Chastain), PowderKeg Live! documents this community in story and song, including the ramblings of a neighborhood historian (Andy Sturdevant), the complaints of an erudite old lady (Jenny Adams), the sound logic of a Mexican neighbor (Kurt Froehlich), the beltings of a musical theater guy (Joel Liestman), the comic stylings of writer Molly Priesmeyer, and so much more.

Special guests for this three-shows-only run include Chuck and Sean from Trivia Mafia (they’ll run the 5-Minute Game Show each episode), and comedian Mary Mack. Musical guests include Chris Koza on March 6, and Work of Saws on April 3. Writer James Norton of the Heavy Table will drop by on May 8.

Even better: Free supervised childcare will be provided for kids aged 4 – 10, with cool films just for them screening in the Ritz lobby during the show.

Sponsors
PowderKeg Live! is sponsored by the Modern Café and 89.3 The Current. Foley artist Ken Chastain is sponsored by Bierbrauer Chiropractic. Films for kids are curated and provided by Isabelle Harder and Deb Girdwood of the Childish Films Series.

About the PowderKeg
The PowderKeg is the kind of deep density, mixed use, urban neighborhood where the people you see look familiar, like maybe you went to middle school with them, or maybe you are just recognizing them from the gym. And you wonder what they’re doing with their lives, and if it’s anything like what you’re doing, or better, more like it is on TV. It’s home to a Mexican bakery, a saddle shop, a light rail station, and a yoga studio on the same block. Residents have invented many enterprising ways to snow blow their sidewalks and recycle their unwanted large appliances.

About Electric Arc Productions
Electric Arc Productions is the creative collective behind PowderKeg Live!, the Electric Arc Radio Show, the original musical Don’t Crush Our Heart!, and other projects for radio, stage, and screen.

Patches & Gretchen Listening Party for Sugar Head Pie at Kings Tuesday

2010-02-01T19:46:00.006-06:00

Join us at Kings Wine Bar (4555 Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis) on Tuesday, February 2nd at 9PM as we spin the brand new record from Patches & Gretchen, Sugar Head Pie.

Gretchen Seichrist and members of her band will be on hand to help celebrate. Click here to RVSP to the invite on Facebook.

(Also, don't miss Patches & Gretchen at the 400 Bar, Saturday, January 16th.)

David Wynn, From The London Underground Rail says:

'Sugar Head Pie' is the second album from Minneapolis webcam video maker extraordinaire, artist, performer, poet, painter and any damn thing else she chooses ,the selfstyled sexy songstress Gretchen Seichrist and her band Patches and Gretchen.

Electric Fetus Tornado Benefit set for Friday, February 26th

2010-02-01T14:04:00.005-06:00

(Carl Atiya Swanson of Cakein15.com made this awesome poster with cutout paper.)

What: Tornado Benefit for The Electric Fetus
When: Friday, Feb. 26th
Time: Doors at 7, music at 7:30
Where: First Avenue Mainroom & Entry
Cost: $16 advance/$20 door
18+

Who's playing? (bold = mainroom)

7 PM DOORS
7:30 entry:Peter Wolf Crier
8:00 MR: Cloud Cult
9:00 MR: Roma Di Luna
9:30 entry: Total Babe
10:00 MR: Jeremy Messersmith
10:30 entry: Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps
11:00 MR: Trailer Trash
11:30 entry: Ruby Isle
12:00 MR: Unknown Prophets
12:30 entry: Bill Mike Band
*with awesome DJ sets by the likes of DJ Jake Rudh, Chris Riemenschneider & other friends of the Fetus!

VOLTAGE FASHION AMPLIFIED, MN FASHION WEEK AND L'ETOILE MAGAZINE PRESENT VINTAGE VOLTAGE

2010-01-31T12:15:00.003-06:00

VOLTAGE FASHION AMPLIFIED, MN FASHION WEEK AND L'ETOILE MAGAZINE PRESENT VINTAGE VOLTAGE

Voltage and the 501 Club are hosting "Bands of Voltage Past" pre-parties for Voltage 2010 every first Sunday in February and the last Sunday of March through April." Shows start at 8 p.m. sharp.

We're posting the schedule below. (Note, more bands will be added in TBA spots and we'll pass those details along as soon as we get them. Follow Voltage on Twitter for up to the minute reports: http://twitter.com/voltagefashion.)

Sunday 2/7 - The Melismatics, First Communion Afterparty, Black Blondie + L'etoile Magazine DJ Sets
Sunday 3/7 - Maria Isa, Dance Band, Neil Z (of Zibra Zibra) + L'etoile Mag DJ Sets
Sunday 3/28 - Mercurial Rage, Blue Sky Blackout (special preview appearance), TBA + L'etoile Mag DJ sets
Sunday 4/4 - Gospel Gossip, The Mood Swings, TBA + L'etoile Mag Dj sets

Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2010 will be held on Friday, April 16, 2010 in the First Avenue Mainroom.

Bands playing at this year’s show include: (in alphabetical order)

Blue Sky Blackout
Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps
Mayda
Red Pens
Ruby Isle

Gimme Shelter: A Benefit for Haiti

2010-01-21T11:59:00.003-06:00

City Pages, Gimme Noise, and First Avenue present:

GIMME SHELTER
A Benefit for Haiti

Featuring co-headliners
Solid Gold and Mark Mallman

Peter Wolf Crier
Zoo Animal
Jimmy2Times and Mike 2600

Saturday, February 6, 2010

First Avenue

18+ / $12 / 6 p.m. doors

Gimme Noise (http://www.gimmenoiseblog.com) is rallying the troops for a concert benefiting victims of the Haiti earthquake, and we've invited two of last year's City Pages cover subjects to step out of the pages and onto the stage to play sets for the cause. Mark Mallman and Solid Gold will co-headline Gimme Shelter: A Benefit Concert for Haiti on Saturday, February 6 in the First Avenue Mainroom with openers Peter Wolf Crier and Zoo Animal, and DJs Jimmy2Times and Mike 2600 will keep the party going between sets. Hosted by City Pages’ Andrea Swensson and Jen Boyles.

All proceeds from the show will be split evenly between two organizations that are proving especially helpful during these trying times: the Red Cross Haiti Relief & Development Fund and Architecture for Humanity.

We're also inviting some of the city's coolest local artists to occupy the merch area of the club and come sell their pieces for affordable prices. All proceeds benefit the charities. Chuck U and Anthem Heart are two we can confirm now.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan. 23 and will be available at all First Ave ticket outlets, First Avenue, and Ticketmaster: http://www.first-avenue.com/buy/ticket-outlets

Flyer design donated by Burlesque of North America.

Questions? Please contact us at gimmenoise@citypages.com.

The Twilight Hours listening party at Kings Wine Bar

2010-01-17T14:17:00.010-06:00

Kings Wine Bar (4555 Grand Avenue South) and local music go together like macaroni and cheese. Recently, Kings began hosting CD listening parties for Minnesota musicians. The events are curated by HowWasTheShow's David de Young (full disclosure, that would be me), who also maintains the all local playlist at the South Minneapolis restaurant. To date Kings has played host to Mayda and Romantica. (Patches & Gretchen and music writer - and Kings' employee - Jim Walsh's The Mad Ripple are on tap for February.)

This Tuesday, January 19th at 9PM, Kings welcomes The Twilight Hours and will spin Stereo Night, the band's 2009 debut, a record that is a favorite among Kings staff and ranked at number 4 in the Star Trib's annual critics' poll.

Personally, the ballot I cast in that poll placed the album at the number 1 spot. The songs have a blend of strength and fragility that stuck with me from my first listen. When I heard the record on beautiful cherry red vinyl for the first time, it was the tipping point; it's been a while since my choice for album of the year was so easy. (BTW, if you're trying to think of the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your sweetheart, I'm betting a copy of Stereo Night on red vinyl would score you more points than a box of chocolates or flowers.)

The Twilight Hours' Matt Wilson and John Munson will be on hand for the event at Kings on Tuesday. Join us then, and visit their website for details on upcoming live dates.

Varsity Theater announces postponement of Low concert on 1/15

2010-01-15T00:33:00.005-06:00

MINNEAPOLIS – The Varsity Theater announces that its scheduled performance by the Duluth-based band Low on Fri., Jan. 15 has been postponed due to illness. The Varsity and Low are working to reschedule the concert and hope to have a new date announced shortly. Tickets that had been purchased for the postponed concert will be honored at the rescheduled date and, if desired, refunds will be available at the point of purchase.

Celebrating its fifth year, The Varsity Theater has garnered a nationally-renown reputation for its innovative and eclectic programming. Housed within its art-deco confines in the heart of Minneapolisʼs thriving Dinkytown district, The Varsity presents the best in music (on the local, national, and international levels), live theatre, film, and dance, as well as being one of the most sought-after venues for weddings, private parties, corporate events, and more. For more information about The Varsity, log on to www.varsitytheater.org.

Voltage Fashion Amplified 2010 Open Model Call

2010-01-14T14:32:00.003-06:00

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 2010's Voltage Fashion Amplified runway and rock show at First Avenue on Friday, April 16th.

Other time commitments will include fittings with a local designer (scheduled by the designer), and a dress rehearsal on Sunday, April 11th. 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 6th, 2010

Time: 12pm to 3pm

Where: MNfashion Studio

79 13th Ave NE #212

Minneapolis, MN 55413

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 organization MNfashion (www.mnfashion.org), 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.

Two videos of The Brutes

2010-01-11T18:03:00.003-06:00

Ever since I got a copy of The Brutes debut self-titled EP a couple months ago from their frontman Gregg Garvey, combined with a tip from the Beatifics Chris Dorn that they were a band to watch, I'd been looking forward to a chance to see them live. I got my chance Saturday night at the Nomad Pub. Here are two videos, "Money Ghost" and "Take You Out" that give you an idea of the energy of their live shows.

Check out a few more of their songs here.

Local Musicians Maria Isa and Harley Wood to appear in Twin Cities Production of Rent

2010-01-04T12:15:00.004-06:00

(Maria Isa as Mim and Harley Wood as Roger)

(January 4th, 2010) - Casting was announced today for the upcoming production of Rent, which opens at The Lab (700 North First Street in the Warehouse District) on February 3rd. The short run will close February 21st.

According to a press release, the production features several local musicians as cast members, most notably independent hip hop musician Maria Isa and Harley Wood of Minneapolis rock band Far From Falling.

Having seen Power Balladz at the Lab, I can attest this is a great venue in which to experience a live music theater in a concert-like atmosphere.

Tickets for Rent are $46.50 and can be purchased at www.rentminneaplislive.com.

More info:

Cardinal Theatricals Announces Local Casting For RENT, Broadway’s Revolutionary Rock Musical

For a limited run - February 3 through 21 at The Lab in the Warehouse District.

Minneapolis, Minn. – Cardinal Theatricals announces today complete casting for the first locally produced professional staging of RENT which opens at The Lab in Minneapolis beginning February 3.

The new production features several cast members from the Twin Cities independent music scene, as well as a cast of young, hip veterans of professional stages around town. Harley Wood, lead vocalist of the Minneapolis rock band Far From Falling will appear as Roger alongside Independent Hip Hop musical artist, Maria Isa, as Mimi. Reid Harmsen who has appeared on local stages with Theatre Latte Da, The Guthrie and CTC will appear as the budding filmmaker, Mark. Guthrie, Ordway and Penumbra alum and original member of the Grammy award-winning Sounds of Blackness, Jamecia Bennett, will join the cast as Joanne.

The company boasts an impressive lineup of additional musical artists including American Idol top 5 finalist Paris Bennett, along with Ordway and Guthrie alum Colleen Somerville as Maureen. The cast rounds out with newcomers Lorin Yenor (Collins), Kinaundrae Lee (Angel), Kortland Jackson (Benny), Margeaux Davis, AJ Eskridge, Katie Hawkinson, Andy Lamp, and Brian McCormick.

RENT at The Lab is directed by 29 year-old independent producer Andrew Rasmussen (Minnesota native and Director of THE WILD PARTY), with musical direction by Dennis Curley (POWER BALLADZ) and George Maurer. This production is staged in an open theatrical setting at the 6,000 square foot warehouse space, providing a unique "rock concert" atmosphere and a fresh directorial take on the hit rock musical.

TICKET INFORMATION - Tickets are $46.50 for bohemian “rock concert style” seating and on sale now at www.rentminneapolislive.com.

The Lab is located at 700 North First Street in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis.

For more information and full biographies, visit the press page at www.rentminneapolislive.com.

Mark Mallman New Year's Eve 2009 at the Varsity Theater Poster

2009-12-28T14:05:00.000-06:00

End 2009 the way you started 2009, at the Varsity waiting to see what Mark Mallman will do next.

Mark Mallman w/ White Light Riot, Koo Koo Kangaroo and DJ set by Attitude City
Doors 8PM
$12, 18+
Sponsored by HowWasTheShow.com

Buy tickets here.

Minnesota Albums released in 2009

2009-12-17T15:59:00.004-06:00

As I prepare to file my ballot to the Star Tribune for their annual Twin Cities Critics Poll, it's become a custom on my part to share the list that Chris Riemenschneider assembles annually to help jog our memories on what albums came out this year. This list is vaguely in alphabetical order and as extensive as it is, it is still not comprehensive. I share it in hopes people will post in the comments the names of albums that have been left off the list. I also share it to demonstrate yet again just how much great music comes out of Minnesota every single year. (Bolded items only indicate albums I have in my own personal collection or that I have listened to in full.)

Ada Jane, “Again … Again”
The Alarmists, "The Overhead Left”
Anders Ponders, “Nodes of Overtones”
Arms Akimbo, “You Want To”
Aquarelle, “Slow Circles”
The Arrest
Avenpitch, "Cast Off"
Banner Pilot, “Collapser”
Chris Bates, Jay Epstein & Chris Olson, “Framework”
Bill Mike Band, “Truce”
Birds of Virginia, “Trees at Dusk”
Bitch N’ Brown (self-titled)
BK-One, “Rádio do Canibal.”
Erik Brandt, "Sometimes”
Brother Ali, “Us”
Brother Ali, “The Truth Is Here” EP
Brutal Becomings, "White Lodge"
James Buckley, "Knowing and Losing"
Bunny Clogs, "More! More! More!"
The Chord and the Fawn, “This Has To Be Meant To Be”
Ben Connelly, “The Great I Don't Know Why”
Big Quarters, "From the Home of Brown Babies & White Mothers."
Black Blondie, "Do You Remember Who You Wanted to Be"
Capitol Sons, “Dirty Neon”
Tim Casey & Martyrs, “Boom”
Casanatra, "Death Ride"
The Chord and the Fawn, “M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I,”
The Chambermaids, “Down in the Berries.”
Chastity Brown, “Sankofa”
Chooglin’, “Sweet Time”
Crossing Guards, “Revenge of the Tall Boys”
The Danforths, "Amphibian"
Daughters of the Sun, "Rings,"
Desdamona, "Inkling"
Doomtree, “False Hopes XV”
Jay Epstein, Anthony Cox & Bill Carrothers, “Easy Company”
The Evening Rig, "Is Doing Stuff"
Eyedea & Abilities, "By the Throat"
Farewell Milwaukee, “Autumn Rest Easy”
Franz Diego, s/t
Galactic Cowboy Orchestra, “Lookin’ for a Little Strange”
Gay Beast, "Second Wave,"
Gay Witch Abortion, “Maverick”
John Gorka, “So Dark You See”
Gospel Gossip, "Dreamland" and “Drift” EPs
Grey Skies, “New Leaf”
Guante and Big Cats, “An Unwelcome Guest”
Gypsymania, “Hot Club Swing Jazz”
Halloween, Alaska, "Champagne Downtown"
Grant Hart, “Hot Wax”
Nancy Harms, “In the Indigo”
Haunted House, “Guess Who’s Not Coming To Dinner”
Heatbox, “System”
His Mischief, “The Perfect Lover”
Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank, “Traveling Show”
Honeydogs, “Sunshine Committee”
Ice Palace, “Wonder Softly Crushing Us”
Idle Hands, "The Hearts We Broke on the Way to the Show"
Ingo Bethke (self-titled)
Maria Isa, “Street Politics”
Dan Israel, "See the Morning Light"
Roger James Quartet, “Pink and Green Blues”
Mason Jennings, “Blood of Man”
Roger Johnson, “Stag Cotillion”
Junkyard Empire, “Rebellion Politik”
Kill to Kill, “Fighter”
Kill the Vultures, “Ecce Beast”
Koerner & Glover, "Live @ the 400 Bar"
Lonesome Dan Kase, "So Glad I'm Livin'"
Lookbook, “Wild at Heart”
Gary Louris & Mark Olson, “Ready for the Flood”
Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, “Special Party Time for Everyone”
Lusurfer, “Vulgar Display of Reverb”
Lynhurst, “Field Day”
Kill the Vultures, "Ecce Beast"
Mark Mallman, "Invincible Criminal"
Mally, “The Passion”
Man Is Doomed, “Escape to Europa”
Marvelle, “Marvelle”
Mayda, "The Interrogation"
Mercurial Rage, “Cascade”
Paul Metsa & Sonny Earl, “No Money Down”
Paul Metzger, “Anamnestic Tincture”
Military Special, “Civil Union”
Sam Miltich & Dave Karr, “Darn That Dream”
Monroe Crossing, “Heartache & Stone”
Mood Swings, “Recessionista”
More Than Lights, “The Electric Prescription for All Your Funky Illz”
Chris Morrissey, “The Modern World”
Mouthful of Bees, s/t
New Congress, “Anguish, Love & Romance”
Nicholas Mrozinski, "Together We're Stronger"
Willie Murphy, “A Shot of Love in a Time of Need”/“Autobiographical Notes”
No Bird Sing, “No Bird Sing”
Keri Noble, “Keri Noble”
Omaur Bliss, "Dirty v2.0" & Dirty v3.0"
Orange Mighty Trio, "Infrastructure"
Owl City, "Ocean Eyes"
P.O.S., “Never Better”
Pert Near Sandstone, “Out on a Spree”
Peter Wolf Crier, “Inter-Be”
Pictures of Then, "The Wicked Sea”
The Pines, “Tremolo”
Andres Ponders, “Nodes of Overtones”
Prince, “Lotus Flow3r”/“Mplsound”/“Bria Valente”
Prof and St. Paul Slim, "Recession Music."
Red Pens, “Reasons”
Quietdrive, “Close Your Eyes”
Sara Renner, "All for Love"
Rivet, self-titled
Rockford Mules, "From Devil's Spit to Angel Tears,"
Room for Gray, "The Next Step."
Tina Schlieske, "Evil Gal Blues”
Brad Senne, "Aerial Views,"
757s, "Freeway Surrender"
So It Goes, "The Quick Fix,"
Six Mile Grove, "Steel Mule"
Slug w/ Murs & Aesop Rock, “Felt 3: A Tribute to Rosie Perez”
Speed’s the Name, “Swell”
Spiritual Mansions, “Touched”
Starfolk/Typsy Panthre, “Lemon-Lime EP”
Story of the Sea, "Lunar Co."
The Tisdales, "Baker's Dozen”
Total Babe, “Heatwave EP”
Trio Tipo, “Costa Del Sol”
20 Dollar Love, “High Dr.”
Trio Tipo, “Costa del Sol”
The Twilight Hours, “Stereo Night”
Two Harbors, “All the Places We Would Rather Be”
UltraChorus, “Ultra-Def”
Unknown Prophets, “Le System D”
Valley Few, self-titled EP
Vampire Hands, “Hannah in the Mansion”
Various, “TC Electropunk, Vol. 5,”
Various, “Headwater Blues, Vol. 1”
Various, “The Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 1”
Vibro Champs, “Mr. International”
We Are the Willows, “A Collection of Sounds and Something Like the Plague”
Wild Colonial Bhoys, “Live … What’s It to Ya?!”
Alicia Wiley, “Halfway Home”
Aby Wolf, "Sweet Prudence"
Wooldridge Brothers, "Days Went Around."
Toki Wright, “A Different Mirror”
Xross, "Tell 'Em tha Truth"
Yeltzi, "Snow in August"
Michael Yonkers/Blind Shake, “Cold Town/Soft Zodiac”
Zebulon Pike, “Intransience”
Zoo Animal, “Young Blood”

HowWasTheShow to sponsor Mark Mallman's 2009 NYE show at the Varsity

2009-12-17T11:49:00.003-06:00

Mark Mallman has won New Year's Eve the past several years running now with his out of this world party at The Varsity Theater. This year is sure to be no exception, and HowWasTheShow.com has jumped on board as a web sponsor of this year's event.

Check out this fabulous video Mark and friends put together to promote this year's event.

Join us NEW YEARS EVE at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis for the GREATEST NEW YEARS SHOW ON EARTH - Featuring MARK MALLMAN, WHITE LIGHT RIOT, FIRST COMMUNION AFTERPARTY, and KOO KOO KANGAROO!!! with special DJ playlist by ATTITUDE CITY. Sponsored by Summit Beer, The Onion, and Howwastheshow.com. this 18+ is 12.00 tickets available at http://www.varsitytheater.org/ - btw this song is originally by "The Cure" ... and if you didn't know that, boy are you missin out!

The Guthrie's 2009 A CHRISTMAS CAROL by the numbers

2009-12-11T12:04:00.004-06:00

Photo: Peter Michael Goetz (Ebenezer Scrooge) and James Ramlet (Ghost of Christmas Present) in the Guthrie Theater production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens, adapted by Barbara Field, directed by Gary Gisselman, set design by Neil Patel, original costumes by Jess Goldstein, additional costumes by David Kay Mickelsen, lighting design by Marcus Dilliard. November 19 - December 31, 2009.
2009 © Michal Daniel

I've always loved these "by the numbers" type of wrap-ups as they often give you a realistic sense of the scope of a production. Plus they are fun.

We didn't do a full review of this year's show on HowWasTheShow but we did see it opening night. That made the third or fourth time I've now seen the production during it's 35 year run. (The first time was back in 1989 when I was actually a Guthrie employee for a short time.)

The biggest difference between this year's production and when I saw and reviewed it in 2007 is that it now runs without intermission and is shortened somewhat (run time 95 minutes). For many theater-goers on week nights, this is a good thing as you get out much sooner. For the kids, however, it might be a bit of a stretch. (The Guthrie will admit well-behaved children as young as 5, but recommends 8 years as the guideline.)

As usual, the sets dazzled. And despite the continuing silliness with the Christmas goose in the feast scene, this is a pretty difficult show to ever grow tired of.

Here are the results of Christmas Carol by the numbers from the big G.

2009 CAST AND CREW OF GUTHRIE THEATER’S
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
ADD IT ALL UP … WITH SOME SURPRISING RESULTS!

ANNUAL GUTHRIE TRADITION CONTINUES THROUGH DECEMBER 31

A Christmas Carol: 2009 By the Numbers

2 trap doors used in the show

3 real candles used in each performance (plus 47 fake ones)

4 days from the final performance of The Importance of Being Earnest to the conclusion of setting up the set for A Christmas Carol

9 cubic feet of fake snow needed for the run of the show

9 consecutive years director Gary Gisselman has helmed the Guthrie production

20 backstage staff for each show (4 on the deck, 2 spotlights, 2 board ops, 3 stage managers, 4 dressers, 2 wigs, 1 wardrobe, a crew supervisor and a wardrobe supervisor)

20 years the longest performing A Christmas Carol actor (Nathaniel ‘Nat’ Fuller) has been in the Guthrie production

25 wigs used in the show

26 years the longest working crew member (Stage Supervisor Brian Crow) has been involved with the show

28 simultaneous “quick changes” (costume changes done in under 2 minutes) following the Fezziwig scene

30 fake food items used onstage

36 actors in the show (16 adults, 11 children and 9 Londoners/Party Guests/Vagrants)

40 distance of the conricopter (used for the entrance of the Ghost of Christmas Present) from the stage floor at full height in feet

47 fake candles used each performance

52.5 height of this year’s shortest performer (Kyle Feller/Tiny Tim) in inches

151 costumes in the show

161 links in the chains used by the Ghost of Jacob Marley

163 light cues (that’s approximately one every 33 seconds)

700 pounds of dry ice used each week to create the fog effects

800+ number of actors that have appeared in the Guthrie’s production of A Christmas Carol over the years

1843 year Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol

… another fun fact: The prop building plans that Young Jacob Marley shows to Young Ebenezer are actually architectural plans for the new Guthrie building.

About the Guthrie’s 35th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol

A Minnesota tradition since 1975, the holiday classic will feature legendary stage and screen actor Peter Michael Goetz in his fourth Guthrie appearance as Ebenezer Scrooge, alongside a cast of 26 Twin Cities actors in a fresh, 90-minute adaptation by Barbara Field. Director Gary Gisselman returns for his ninth consecutive year at the helm of this perennial favorite. Filled with music, magic and holiday spirit, this classic tale of redemption and the true meaning of the festive season has brought joy to thousands of theatergoers since the Guthrie’s first staging. A Christmas Carol continues through December 31 on the Wurtele Thrust Stage. Single tickets start at $34 and are now on sale through the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224, toll-free 877.44.STAGE and online at www.guthrietheater.org.

For more information, visit http://www.guthrietheater.org/whats_happening/shows/2009/christmas_carol

Hootenanny and staving concert breaks out at Dusty's during Eliza Blue Cookie Exchange

2009-12-11T08:56:00.014-06:00

Joel Bremer and Eliza Blue

Jim Walsh and friends hoot.

Eliza Blue held a cookie exchange and concert at Dusty's in Northeast Minneapolis Thursday night with her friend Joel Bremer, a fiddle player from Sweden.

Jim Walsh and Kari Tauring were both on hand which ultimately turned the event into part Hootenanny, part Norwegian staving concert.

The casual atmosphere gave me a perfect chance to test out the new live UStream app for the iPhone and spontaneously broadcast part of the show over the internet. (Jason DeRusha from WCCO was one of the viewers.)

You may have tuned in to see Kari Tauring staving along to the Norwegian song, "Vem Kan Segla" which she learned from a Norwegian camera man named Martin when she was a contestant on the Norwegian reality tv show "Alt for Norge!" in early 2009.

And if you were lucky, you stayed tuned in long enough to see this, Joel Bremer playing a Swedish Christmas Carol.

Or this, Joel and Eliza performing reprising The Replacements song, "Here Comes a Regular," which they had played at the Replacements Tribute at First Avenue a couple weeks ago.

Later on, Brianna Lane showed up. Here's another Replacements song, "Skyway," performed with Jim Walsh and Joel Bremer, captured by Kari on my FlipCam.

Dinosaur Jr. Photos by Erik Hess from First Avenue

2009-11-19T19:31:00.005-06:00

HowWasTheShow sent Erik Hess to First Avenue Wednesday night to capture images from the Dinosaur Jr. show.

Erik submitted the following report:

Dinosaur Jr. roared through First Avenue on a chilly November night, bringing new and old songs to an almost sold-out crowd. Fans at the show covered a pretty wide range; from hip 30- and 40-somethings to a younger crowd that weren't even born before J Mascis started his 25-plus year musical career.

Psych-folkers MV & EE opened up the night with a sleepy blend of acid-tinged folk. It was an odd match for Dinosaur Jr's sound and the crowd appeared to be a bit restless during their performance. Dinosaur Jr. took the stage with the down-tempo "Thumb", continuing from the lethargic tone set by the openers. While the set started with slower tunes like "Plans" it ramped up heavily mid-set when they brought out the classic, "Feel the Pain". By the time "Little Furry Things" came on the crowd, young and old, were well into their groove. While some crowd favorites were left off the set list (which is difficult to avoid with such a prolific career) the newer material from "Farm" stood up quite nicely to the older, often more energetic material from earlier works.

See higher resolution versions of these photos and more of Erik's music photography on his Flickr page.

Dinosaur Jr. Set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/560/sets/72157622714595021/

MV & EE: http://www.flickr.com/photos/560/sets/72157622838958162/

The Mad Ripple - "Death Bed Bride" video now available

2009-11-15T03:25:00.005-06:00

Directed by Jennifer Prill and filmed on location at Kings Wine Bar (yes, I mention that wonderful place yet again), Jim Walsh's video for "Death Bed Bride" is now streaming exclusively on the HowWasTheShow YouTube Channel.

How many Kings regulars and employees can you identify? Featured prominently, of course, are Hootenanny staples Shawn Gibbons, Brianna Lane and Eliza Blue. And there is the requisite cameo by Martin Devaney (dressed up like Santa Claus.)

And I'm in it too. (I'm the guy at the end of the bar drinking wine and fiddling with my iPhone. And no, I was not acting. I really was checking my Twitter feed.)

"Death Bed Bride" is from the Mad Ripple's forthcoming album.

What's cooking at Kings in November

2009-11-12T20:42:00.006-06:00

Technically I don't work at Kings Wine Bar, but November has some really exciting stuff on the schedule that I feel compelled to spout off at the mouth about.

Trivia Mafia starting a residency at Kings on Monday, November 16th is just the start of the fun. On Thursday, November 19th, Mayda does her official EP Release listening party for her new EP Eyes on the Water. (I'm honored to have had a hand in setting that up.) I'm also a founding member of the Kings Wine Bar Book Club (Facebook group link) which will meet on November 29th to discuss our second book selection, Jim Walsh's The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting.

Kings is at 4555 Grand Avenue South in South Minneapolis's Kingfield neighborhood. HowWasTheShow records its monthly CD review podcast there and provides local music for the all-Minnesota-music-all-the-time playlist that Kings features on its sound system from brunch through closing time at midnight.

Voltage 2010 Band Lineup and Runway Designers announced

2009-10-28T15:26:00.005-05:00

Blue Sky Blackout at Clubhouse Jaeger in September

Voltage Fashion Amplified just released the band line-up and runway designer list for 2010, and it's awesome.

Bands include Blue Sky Blackout, Ruby Isle, Mayda, Red Pens and Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps.

Click here for the full press release and runway designer list.

Me and My Arrow: Two free MP3s from new EP and big show at Uptown October 28th

2009-10-23T15:19:00.009-05:00

Me and My Arrow are out on tour right now, but will be returning to Minneapolis to release their second EP (appropriately titled "EP2") on Wednesday, Oct 28th, at the Uptown bar.

HowWasTheShow is pleased to provide you with two free MP3s from the upcoming EP.

Song 1 Download Link

Song 2 Download Link

On 10/28, there will be six bands on the bill, with music starting at 6:30. Schedule as follows:

Alicia Wiley
Death Cube
Speeds the Name
Chooglin'
Story of the Sea
Me and My Arrow

The show is just $6, and no cover is charged until 9.

Me and My Arrow on Myspace: http://myspace.com/meandmyringostarr

RSVP on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147268731175#wall_posts

Fantastic Merlins release new CD, A Handful of Earth October 30th

2009-10-19T16:24:00.003-05:00

The Fantastic Merlins will celebrate the release of their new album Handful of Earth on October 30th. It's an album of world class jazz that should be in every Minnesota music fans collection this year, one I've been enjoying personally, one your dad will probably like too, and one that has been popular since I squeezed it into rotation at Kings Wine Bar in South Minneapolis which now spins only local music (more on that great news in a future post.)

Read more about the Fantastic Merlins and sample some tracks below.

For Immediate Release

St Paul, MN—

Fantastic Merlins, will be performing live on Friday, October 30 from 8:00 - 11:00 PM at the Black Dog. Concert will include performances from special guests, Desdemona and Carnage.

-- Fantastic Merlins, a trio of tenor saxophone (Nathan Hanson), bass (Brian Roessler), and drums (Pete Hennig), create a mysterious blend of jazz and chamber music by bringing together the visceral power of Charles Mingus and the sparse textures of Steve Reich through original compositions and improvised pieces - producing sounds that are intriguing, energetic, and positive.

A Handful of Earth, their latest CD, has been garnering notice and favorable reviews in the US and Europe, including “three stars” from Jazzman in France.

Fantastic Merlins will celebrate the release of A Handful of Earth with a concert at the Black Dog in St. Paul. Special guests Desdemona and Carnage, of Ill Chemistry, will join them onstage. Copies of the CD will be available for sale at the concert. All ages, No cover.

The band is available for interview and live radio performance spots prior to the event. Review copies of the release are available by request.

Black Dog Coffee and Wine Bar

308 Prince St.

St. Paul, MN 55101

651-228-9274

www.fantasticmerlins.com

CD Details and Sound Clips:
www.cdbaby.com/cd/fantasticmerlins3

The Final Days of the Uptown Bar

2009-10-19T15:38:00.002-05:00

As local media everywhere prepares stories reminiscing about the days gone by at the Uptown Bar, here's a handy list of what's still in the future. And no, it's not your imagination that there are some killer good lineups on here.

*Mon October 19: Repo + Gallactic Cannibalism + The Running Scared - 9pm doors, no cover

*Tue October 20: Switzerlind + Butcher's Bag + Phil Solem (of The Rembrandts) - 9pm doors, no cover

*Wed October 21: The Deaths + Nightinghales + Bloodshot - 9pm doors, no cover

*Thu October 22: Alpha Consumer + Tarlton + This City Defects (Calgary, AB) + Ghostband + Shegeki - 8pm doors, no cover

*Fri October 23: Dumpster Juice + Spittin' Cobras + Spacewolf - 9pm doors, $tba

*Sat October 24: The Show Is The Rainbow (Lincoln, NE) + Super 8-Bit Bros (ex-Mindless Self Indulgence) + Unicorn Basement - 9pm doors, $5 cover

*Sun October 25: Prozac Rat (CD Release) + Sherbetty + Koo Koo Kanga Roo + John Snell The Tenth - 8pm doors, no cover

*Mon October 26: Where Astronauts Go To Hide + The Invincible Kids + At Any Speed + Nallo - 9pm doors, no cover

*Tue October 27: The Evening Rig + Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo + tba - 9pm doors, $tba

*Wed October 28: Me and My Arrow (CD Release) + Story Of The Sea + Chooglin' + Speed's The Name + Alicia Wiley + Death Cube - 6pm doors, no cover before 9pm, $6 cover after 9pm

*Thu October 29: Faux Jean (original line up) + John Swardson and Get Gone + Luke's Angels - 9pm doors, $8 cover

*Fri October 30: Janis Figure + The Rockford Mules - 9pm doors, $10 advance/$12 at the door. Advance tickets are available online. At http://uptownbar.indietickets.com or at the bar.

*Sat October 31: Lusurfer + Zebulon Pike + Buildings - 9pm doors, $tba

*Sun November 1: The Day of The Dead: The Hawaii Show and Friends. More information on the final show will be released as the day gets closer.

Videos and photos of Red Pens (and more) at Jagerfest

2009-09-29T16:40:00.009-05:00

HowWasTheShow will be playing and discussing Red Pens on the October HowWasTheShow Podcast being recorded tomorrow, but seeing as Red Pens just clinched the City Pages 2009 "Picked to Click" contest with almost twice as many votes as the also awesome first runner up Zoo Animal, I thought it would be fitting to share all the videos and photos we took this weekend when Red Pens played a killer set at Clubhouse Jager as part of the at the 3rd Annual Jagerfest.

Photos of the entire event are also available on the HowWasTheShow Flickr page. Click the photo of Red Pens' Howard Hamilton below for the full set. (Videos of Blue Sky Blackout and Astronaut Wife also playing Jagerfest are on the HowWasTheShow Youtube.)

Reasons (title song from first album)

Cave Something

Blue Lighters

Hung Out

Baby Alligator

Street Issue

Children and the Kids

Brianna Lane phones in from Hubbard Square

2009-09-26T12:03:00.002-05:00

Brianna Lane had two shows tonight and a somewhat nerve-wracking ride today (Friday, September 25th.)

Played with Liz Stahler last night. Liz and Brianna will go on tour together in less than two weeks.

Tomorrow's the last day on the bikes, and Brianna is a bit sad about that. Tune in for one of the last few audio blogs as the tour wraps up.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane Goes Candlepin Bowling and gushes about Peter Mulvey

2009-09-24T18:40:00.002-05:00

Opens with strains of Peter Mulvey in rehearsal at the Lizard Lounge.

Brianna reports on Candlepin bowling and gushes about Peter Mulvey with whom she has been performing on this tour. Mulvey has a new record out called Letters from a Flying Machine. Find out more at http://www.petermulvey.com/

MP3 File

Brianna Lane updates from Boston

2009-09-24T18:31:00.002-05:00

Brianna Lane is still in Boston, calling in from at brunch at Alfresco in Davis Square. This episode features appearance by Gillian, Brianna's roommate from Minneapolis, and Nicole who is hosting Brianna while she's in Boston.

They planning a candle pin bowling expedition soon, and they play tonight at The Lizard Lounge.

Email Brianna at briannalanemusic@gmail.com to let Brianna know where you are listening to this podcasts an what you think.

MP3 File

Brianna phones in from a hot tub in Boston

2009-09-23T13:19:00.003-05:00

Brianna Lane audio blogs from a hot tub in Boston as she's about to get a massage in this newsy and fun report.

She reflects again on the ride in from Vermont and New Hampshire (which she mentions again is too hilly, and that there there are more up hills than down hills.)

They threw a party at the Massachusetts state line. (Photo at left of "Welcome to Massachusetts" sign.

Tomorrow they play the Lizard Lounge and Friday at Club Passim.

They are sore and loving it all. They can't believe it's winding down.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane biked all the way to Massachusetts

2009-09-22T18:34:00.002-05:00

Brianna Lane reports that they made it to Massachusetts. On their bicycles! Part of New Hampshire was grueling, however.

They are almost to Boston. Their next shows aren't until Thursday and Friday so they get a day or two off. They plan to find some hot tubs and get massages.

Listen here for much more.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane checks in from Saratoga Springs, NY

2009-09-20T11:33:00.003-05:00

Brianna Lane checks in from close to Saratoga Springs at a diner they came across. She says one of the nice things about riding so far every day is they allow themselves to eat whatever they want and as much of it as they want.

Brianna says Peter Mulvey and Brianna have aptly begun covering "Bicycle" by Mark Olson & Gary Louris.

Tonight they play at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs. (http://www.caffelena.org/)

MP3 File

Brianna Lane phones in from Syracuse, NY

2009-09-18T15:28:00.001-05:00

Brianna Lane is now in Syracuse, NY after logging 64 miles by bike today.

She points out that she didn't do much training before they started, and days have been of varying degrees of difficulty, pain, hunger and sleepiness, and that today was definitely a "listen to your body" day.

She manages to seamlessly segue into a discussion of flatulence.

MP3 File

Wendy Rule with Kari Tauring at the Capri

2009-09-16T15:01:00.003-05:00

[From a press release issued by Eye of Horus, Minneapolis.]

Northside Arts Collective (NAC) and Eye of Horus Metaphysical present Australian Wendy Rule with cellist Rachel Samuel and Kari Tauring with Huldre for a mystical night at the recently renovated Historic Capri Theater in North Minneapolis. This is the first of the twelve part “Great Streets Concert Series” held at the Capri, sponsored through a Great Streets grant from the City of Minneapolis’ Department of Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED).

Presented by Northside Arts Collective & Eye of Horus. Tickets are $15 and available at OvationTix or by calling 866-811-4111. Eye of Horus, 2717 Lyndale Ave S. is also selling premium seat tickets in the first three rows. Call 612-872-1292 to check availability.

Australian visionary songstress Wendy Rule will bring her stirring and sensual dark cabaret to Minneapolis for one night only on Thursday September 17. Renowned for years amongst the world’s alternative spiritual communities, Wendy is now deservedly gaining a much broader following. She is about to embark on her 12th international tour. This will be a rare opportunity to experience one of Australia’s most enigmatic and prolific artists.

“Dark, sensual, sonic theatre…compelling stuff” – Rolling Stone Australia

Fiercely independent, Wendy has managed to carve a unique path through the musical mainstream, and has emerged with seven major albums and a string of side projects to her name. Her live performances demonstrate a passionate union of her incredible voice – moving from soaring heights to intimate whispers – and her beautifully dark and visionary lyrics, the album is strong, Earthy and Shamanic. More than music, Rule weaves ritual and story into a net that continues to draw an ever-growing audience into her otherworldy realm.

“Every so often Melbourne throws up a singular talent, someone previously hidden amongst the well-established musical tribes, someone possessed of a unique vision. Wendy Rule, the vocalist, songwriter and visionary behind this remarkable album, is such an artist.” – Beat Magazine, Melbourne

KariHuldre-duo-2009-0815-thumbOpening the evening will be Kari Tauring and Huldre — tonight a duo with Drew Miller of Boiled In Lead. Kari sings and tells stories from our deep Scandinavian tap root. Waving her antler feather fan, she conjures ancient spirits that hover and dance around her classically trained voice. The bone beads of her Bronze Age string skirt punctuate rune songs danced to the pols (pulse) of staff and melodic dulcimer.

Author of “The Runes: A Human Journey” (2007), Tauring’s performances draw on 20 years of research and experience. Her EP “Völva Songs” (2008) includes songs in Votic, Old Norse, Norwegian and English — in performance, her music is both sweet as a lullaby and frightening as a Valkyrie; both intensely emotional and thoroughly researched. She wakes something from deep in our bones, something simultaneously ephemeral and elemental.

Kari teaches Volva staving at Eye of Horus on the second Saturday of every month. This performance is an opportunity to see the depth and power of the use of stav in performance.

“Her shows educate as well as inspire” – David de Young, howwastheshow.com

More info.
Tickets.

Brianna Lane from outside Buffalo, NY

2009-09-16T10:26:00.005-05:00

(This audio blog is a little longer than the others, but really worth the listen.)

Brianna Lane is shown in this photo relaxing on a porch outside of Buffalo, NY. In this audio blog entry she announces she is now officially a queen and waxes philosophic about coffee and the morning.

Roads in Michigan were pretty bad. They took the ferry to Canada the other day.

This is definitely Brianna's most intimate blog yet, and she really lets you share in the experience of the trip, including the music of Joe Pug that sweeps over the porch mid-blog.

Brianna pushed over her former limit of 100 miles per day by bike since she last phoned in.

Sounds like she's livin' the life.

MP3 File

The Daredevil Christoper Wright with Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps and more at the Nomad

2009-09-15T11:47:00.004-05:00

Event: Daredevil Christopher Wright / Caroline Smith and more @ The Nomad
"5 Amazing bands!"
What: Concert
Start Time: 20 September at 17:00
End Time: 20 September at 23:00
Where: Nomad World Pub

Brianna talks to Josh Stevens

2009-09-14T12:29:00.003-05:00

Brianna talks to Josh Stevens, who started the ride in Columbus, Ohio. Josh tells his version of the bike trip.

Josh has also seen every single show so far on the trip.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane interviews videographer Kathy Wittman

2009-09-13T15:41:00.003-05:00

Brianna Lane phones in from Ann Arbor as they are about to cross over into Canada. She gives a shout out to folks listening to her cross-country audio blog in Alaska and talks to Kathy Wittman who has helped gather 18 hours of footage of the bicycle journey so far which will be made into a documentary.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane on the road to Ann Arbor

2009-09-12T11:32:00.002-05:00

Brianna Lane is having so much fun, she's not sure what day it is anymore.

They had a show in Lansing, MI last night after riding 74 miles yesterday. (Yesterday's roadkill count was 44.)

This morning they got up early and rode into the sunrise. (So far the roadkill count is only 1, but they have 40 miles to go.)

Tonight they play at The Arc in Ann Arbor (The Proclaimers play there Monday.) And tomorrow Brianna and crew leave for Canada.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane reports in from Kalamazoo

2009-09-10T20:44:00.002-05:00

Note, this podcast cuts off at the 2:57 mark.

Brianna Lane phones in a report from in a fog (we could hear you loud and clear Brianna until the line dropped.) They rode 50 miles today and have a show scheduled at 9PM.

In this audio podcast she speaks to two other riders, Andy from West VA and Heidi from Minneapolis who talk about the various counts and competitions they are running to keep themselves entertained on their cross country bike trek from Milwaukee to Boston to benefit Bolder Options. (Here's the story behind the ride in case you are just tuning in.)

Brianna is also soliciting questions to be addressed in future episodes of this audio blog. Email her at briannalanemusic@gmail.com.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane audio blog from Grand Rapids

2009-09-09T17:30:00.002-05:00

Brianna Lane checks in from the green room at the Wealthy Theater in Grand Rapids tonight. They left Milwaukee in the dark at 4 a.m. and biked 45 miles today.

They play tonight at the Wealthy Theater at 8PM.

Email Brianna at briannalanemusic@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/briannalane

MP3 File

Brianna Lane audio blog from Sheboygan

2009-09-05T17:36:00.003-05:00

Brianna phones it in from outside a laundromat in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

She has two tips today:

1) Paradigm Coffee & Music in Sheboygan
2) Revolution Cycle in Madision

Familiar with these places? Send Brianna a note at briannalanemusic@gmail.com and let her know.

MP3 File

Brianna Lane's inaugural audio blog

2009-09-04T18:17:00.005-05:00

As promised, Brianna Lane has begun her series of Audio Blogs from the road.

She left the Twin Cities two weeks ago, spent some time in Sheboygan writing songs. Tonight she checks in from Madison, from where she will leave on a cross country bicycle tour on Wednesday.

You can post comments here or contact Brianna at briannalanemusic@gmail.com .

The musicians Brianna speaks of in this entry can be found at the links below:

Jeremiah Nelson: http://www.myspace.com/jeremiahnelsonmusic
Brooks West: http://www.myspace.com/brookswest
Eric Neave (Cederwell): http://www.myspace.com/cedarwell
Brad Hoshaw: http://www.myspace.com/bradhoshaw

MP3 File

Little Lebowski Urban Achievers new split LP due out soon

2009-09-04T12:19:00.005-05:00

Is there an award for best song titles? On their new split LP with Divorce Force, Little Lebowski Urban Achievers would be in the running for it if there were.

It's a toss up between "Someone's too good for the dollar menu" and "Listen here, Eddie Van Halen" for my favorites.

Read on.

For immediate release: September 4, 2009:

LLUA and Divorce Force announce album details, release show

The Little Lebowski Urban Achievers and The Divorce Force have announced the tracklisting and released the cover art (attached) for their split LP due out next week. The LLUA portion of the split is titled "Get This Low Life a High Life" while The Divorce Force side is titled "Whose Land Have You Occupied?". You can hear a sneak peak at LLUA's myspace page where they have posted the track "You could be a supermodel with a mole like that".

The album will be pressed on vinyl and include a cd-r copy inside. It will also be available on iTunes in the coming weeks. LLUA will celebrate the release of the album next week where they will be performing at First Avenue for The Onion's Lebowski Fest.

Tracklisting is as follows:

LLUA "Get This Low Life a High Life"
1. What are you going to do with Rip Van Winkle over there?
2. You could be a supermodel with a mole like that
3. My tolerance is at an all-time high
4. Someone's too good for the dollar menu
5. Listen here, Eddie Van Halen

The Divorce Force "Whose Land Have You Occupied?"
1. The Creeps
2. So right, right now
3. Jon
4. Conquerors
5. Marquee
6. Grassfire

Twin Cities Singer/Songwriter Brianna Lane to Pedal from Milwaukee to Boston

2009-08-26T21:15:00.003-05:00

Twin Cities singer/songwriter Brianna Lane is on the road with Signature Sounds recording artist Peter Mulvey. But before you get the image in your head of a couple musicians in an old car or broken down van, read on.

Lane and Mulvey will be pedaling their bicycles from Milwaukee, WI to Boston, MA, a distance of over 1,000 miles. Along the way, they will play a dozen shows in an effort to promote health and wellness and raise money for organizations that promote the same, specifically Bolder Options, a local non-profit that focuses on mentoring youth through running and cycling.

HowWasTheShow has made an arrangement with Brianna Lane to check in via audio blog during her journey and we will be publishing the audio right here on HowWasTheShow. Brianna tells us she is writing a bunch of new songs while in training for the long distance ride. Stay tuned for more later in the week.

For more information, visit www.BriannaLaneMusic.com. To learn more about Bolder Options visit www.BolderOptions.org.

Here's more from a recent press release:

Brianna Lane is a gifted singer/songwriter in the true Americana tradition. She writes and performs on an acoustic guitar as well as a banjo, crafting songs that are clear-eyed and pure—with an integrity derived from her gritty, unflinching emotional honesty. She pairs her lyrics with songs that match the lyrical mood with tremendous grace and skill, and nobody who is really listening walks away unaffected.

Long time music-writer/author/rock-journalist Jim Walsh recently wrote that Brianna Lane is “…a star in the making. She’s poised, ambitious, a great writer, a soul singer of the first order, and a lithe, accomplished guitarist.” (Star Tribune)

Lane grew up in Minnesota and still calls Minneapolis home. She once found a home in the mountains of North Carolina, but is truly a restless old soul. She now spends most of her days criss-crossing the country, touring out of her little black hatch-back or by bicycle—depending on the season, and on how crazy she’s feeling. You may blame her evident Midwestern sweetness on her roots, but this girl has been on the road non-stop for eight years and you can hear her experiences in every note she sings. In her years of touring, Lane has shared the stage with Billy Bragg, Dar Williams, Patty Larkin, Catie Curtis, The Weepies, Jennifer Nettles (of Sugarland), and numerous other well-seasoned musicians. She has also shared powerhouse, leg-powered bicycle tours with Signature Sounds’ artist Peter Mulvey.

Lane has released three full length solo records and one duo EP with Cahalen David Morrison as “Harbor Collective.” Her latest full-length, entitled “Let You In,” is a collection of eleven well-crafted songs that digs into Lane’s natural Americana side.

Little Lebowski Urban Achievers to play Lebowski Fest September 11 at First Avenue!

2009-08-25T16:50:00.004-05:00

(Photo - Little Lebowski Urban Achievers at the Hexagon by David de Young)

This news really ties the room together.

For immediate release: August 25, 2009

Little Lebowski Urban Achievers to play Lebowski Fest September 11 @ First Avenue!

Well if that isn't fitting....drunk rockers Little Lebowski Urban Achievers will be a part of Lebowski Fest again in 2009 to celebrate the release of their split LP with The Divorce Force. The band played at the Los Angeles Lebowski Fest in 2007 and now is jumping on the Minneapolis dates for the 2009 Lebowski Fest Tour.

The two-day fest begins its Minneapolis stop with a "Movie Party" on September 11 @ First Avenue. LLUA will be opening for the Black Diamond Heavies. A special screening of The Big Lebowski will also be played that evening. The second night of Lebowski Fest in Minneapolis will be a bowling night at Memory Lanes. This is a can't miss event for Lebowski fans!

Claire Taubenhaus Austin Sendoff Party - Sunday, August 23rd

2009-08-18T18:32:00.004-05:00

Sad news: Claire Taubenhaus is moving to Austin.

Exciting news: she's throwing one last shebang before leaving town.

HowWasTheShow.com is proud to present Claire Taubenhaus's Austin sendoff, an arts extravaganza featuring live music by Taubenhaus herself, with super special guests Molly Dean, Alicia Wiley, The Tribe & Big Cats.

RSVP on Facebook here.

Visual art will be for sale by Matthew Harris, Jenn Barnett and Adam Carstens.

It all takes place Sunday night, August 23rd at the 7th Street Entry. Doors are at 8PM, and it's just $6.

Kings Wine Bar in Kingfield finally open

2009-08-17T18:52:00.008-05:00

I live in Kingfield, so I've been eagerly awaiting the grand opening of Kings Wine Bar, a European-styled cafe/bistro at 4555 Grand Avenue South. (Corner of 46th and Grand in South Minneapolis.)

This past week, when the restaurant finally opened its doors to the public, Twin Cities music fans may have noticed a few music related folks putting in a few shifts there, including Marc Perlman, Jim Walsh and Mike Brady.

Check out the menu which includes many fresh, local and organic ingredients at http://kingsmpls.com. And visit them on Facebook. I plan a visit soon and will give a report, though at least one customer filed a report via Twitter that it's "faboo."

Here's the press release with more details:

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINGS WINE BAR & RESTAURANT NOW OPEN IN MINNEAPOLIS

“Your neighborhood bistro with a Minnesota twist”

Minneapolis, MN (August 16, 2009) – Sisters Molly Barnes and Samantha Loesch are thrilled to announce the grand opening of their new restaurant “Kings.” Named in honor of the Kingfield neighborhood, Kings is located at 4555 Grand Avenue South in Minneapolis.

“Sam and I had talked about going into business together for a while,” explains Molly. “And about a year ago, we decided to open a restaurant in the neighborhood.” They have created a friendly European café/bistro atmosphere featuring casual dining that is moderately priced.

“You can come to Kings in the morning and grab a cup of coffee on your way to work and then stop back later in the day for dinner and a glass of wine or a beer,” says Samantha. “It will be a fun and funky place to hang out.”

Chef Peter Maccaroni comes to Kings from the Sample Room where he was the Executive Chef. Prior to that, he worked as the Executive Sous Chef at the View and Executive Chef at Tiburon. He also held similar positions in Atlanta, GA and Plainview, NY. As for his education, he received an associate degree in Baking and Pastries from the Art Institute of Minnesota and an associate degree in Culinary Arts from the Art Institute of Atlanta.

When asked about the menu he’s conceived for Kings, Chef Pete says “I’ll be cooking with a lot of fresh, local, organic ingredients. You might describe it as Minnesota friendly, French cuisine,”

During the week, light breakfast items will be served and, on the weekend, a special brunch menu will be offered.

Highlights from the lunch and dinner menu include “Bigger Bites”:

A Fried Green Tomato BLT served on Rustica bread with Pete’s aioli served with fresh fruit or fries
Braised Beef Short Ribs with mashed potatoes and asparagus served with a rich red wine demi glaze.

Vegetarians will enjoy the Fresh Mozzarella and Tomato Sandwich with spinach and pesto or Pete’s signature macaroni and cheese with breadcrumbs.

Several soups and salads and other entrees are also available.

“Small bites” appetizers feature House Made Tater Tots with bacon and gruyere cheese sauce.

For dessert, try the Cookies and Cream, a house made chocolate chip cookie with espresso cream and chocolate sauce.

A late night happy hour, daily from 10-12 midnight, offers discount drinks and “small bites.”

Kings’ wine list is extensive, offering more than 70 wines. (Molly and Sam’s brother Mike is their wine seller.) There will also be four beers on tap and 17 or so bottled beers, including a Belgian-style ale from a small, local brewery. The coffee served comes from a local, Kingfield “small batch” roaster.

Stop by morning, noon or night to meet your neighbors Samantha, Molly and Pete.

Kings will be open daily from 8 a.m. – midnight. See you there.

Call Kings 612-354-7928 or visit www.kingsmpls.com.

###

Our own DJ Jake Rudh is a finalist to land walk-on role on Mad Men

2009-08-11T09:30:00.006-05:00

Jake's given the music community a lot. Here's one way to say thanks. Jake is a finalist to land a walk-on role in Mad Men. All you have to do to help him win is click a link. No sign ups, no fancy stuff. Just click.

Here's what Jake had to say:

Many of you probably know I'm in a national contest to land a walk-on role to the set of Mad Men...and many of you have voted to keep me up near the leader board. Well, there's less than 24 hours left now, and I'm really asking for your help to give me that final push that's needed!

To vote is very simple...there is no registering or signing up, it's clicking on the link and clicking on the 5th star under the pic. Here's the link to make your vote count -

http://madmencastingcall.amctv.com/photos/view/1023/sort:Photo.score

Video from Racktacular Art Bra Contest

2009-07-25T12:36:00.006-05:00

Racktacular was a hoot, by all accounts. A great turnout, great music from bands Aviette, Maudlin and Hojas Rojas, and a definitely entertaining Art Bra competition. Show organizer Donette Ambrosy did a fabulous job of putting it all together and also served as hostess for the evening. Sadly, HowWasTheShow lost part 3 of our Art Bra video on the digital editing room floor, but hopefully parts 1 & 2 below will give you a sense of the creativity and fun that went into the creation of these, uh, "undergarments." The bras were modeled by the lovely and sexy ladies of Lili's Burlesque Review, and all in all 25 bras were showcased.

Video #1 includes the winning entry of the evening, "Treasure Chest" by Sarah White, who also happened to be celebrating her 32nd birthday.

Proceeds from the event benefited The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund.

KSTP Channel 5's 35W Construction Coverage

2009-07-24T18:47:00.004-05:00

KSTP's Brad Sattin stopped by today to ask how neighbors were holding up in light of the ongoing construction on 35W (Crosstown Project) going on in front of our houses on Stevens Avenue in Minneapolis for nearly two years now. Here's Brad's report, which features me sporting the new haircut that I got in Lisbon on Saturday afternoon.

Read the full story here.

First annual NORTH BY MIDWEST MUSIC FESTIVAL at the Lowry Theater in downtown St. Paul on Saturday, July 25th 2009.

2009-07-23T20:18:00.005-05:00

Willie McManus, a Minnesota musician who once called himself “the poor man’s Slim Dunlap” and counts among his heroes Bootsy Collins, Mojo Nixon and Terry Eason, has assembled the first annual North by Midwest Music Festival which will shake the Lowry Theater in downtown St. Paul on Saturday, July 25^th.

According to a press release, McManus said he conceived the festival for concert-goers who seek the festival environment but aren’t so fond of porta potties, heat, mosquitoes and sleeping bags. Many music festivals, he said, are hundreds of miles away and multi-day events. He was looking to create something less expensive and closer to home.

North by Midwest is a one-day, indoor festival that won’t empty your pockets. Emceed by HowWasTheShow.com founder David de Young, the event features a stellar lineup: The Magnolias, The 757s, Little Man, The Hard Left, Middlestates and Chemistry Set. Ample parking and great bars and cafés are right outside the theater’s walls, and a $10.00 pass gets you in and out the door as often as you like.

It all starts at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday July 25^th at the Lowry Theater, 16 5^th St West, downtown St. Paul. Tickets are available exclusively at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis and on the day of show at the Lowry Theater, or by phone at 651 263 7992.

Here's the full press release from Willie McManus:

Music festivals spring up this time of year by the dozen. Most are long-established, far-away, days-long extravaganzas, featuring big name stars and big-ticket prices. There are twangy country music festivals, noisy alt. rock showcases, mud-caked jamborees and acoustic folk festivals all over the continent, where music lovers can shell-out hundreds of dollars for days of camping and living on beans for a chance to hear their heroes for an hour. These events work fine for most fans, but what if you’re stuck for time, not made of money, and can’t stand the porta-pottys, heat, mosquitoes and sleeping bags? Said one concert-goer: “I love the rock, but I hate the bugs and the bad food and the long lines at the toilets. It doesn’t work for me anymore. I mean, I’m not twelve years old.”

St. Paul’s Lowry Theater, near the St. Paul Hotel in the heart of that city’s downtown might have the solution. This July they are staging a one-day, INDOOR music festival that won’t empty your pockets, or leave you wishing you could remember what a hot shower was like. Hosted by David de Young, and featuring local greats The Magnolias, the 757s, Little Man, and musicians of rising talent equal to anything at ten times the price and distance, this could be the Woodstock for you. Ample parking and great bars and cafés are right outside the theater’s walls, and a $10.00 pass gets you in and out the door as often as you like.

The First North by Midwest Music Festival kicks off at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday July 25th at the Lowry Theater, 16 5th St West, downtown St. Paul. Tickets are available at The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis and on the day of show at the Lowry Theater, or by phone at 651 263 7992.

The 757s as Judas Priest?

2009-06-29T14:11:00.005-05:00

No words need be spoken, save those below:

The Taste of MN
THE 757s w/ the Romantics, Whitesnake and Judas Priest
Harriet Island, St. Paul
757s @12:30p
FREE before 3p

www.tasteofmn.com/music.html

* The original photo is actually of a band called Manowar.

Report from the Pitkä kuuma kesä festival in Helsinki - Atmosphere, The Flaming Lips & Girl Talk

2009-06-29T04:25:00.009-05:00

(Atmosphere in Helsinki - Photo by David de Young)

Pitkä kuuma kesä isn't the largest festival you'll visit, but it may be one of the most unique. Staged on the grounds of an out-of-use natural gas refinery in Helsinki,Finland, the festival hosted more than two dozen world-class bands this past weekend.

I had at least a double-dose of luck when it comes to how I ended up there. Arriving in Finland Saturday, for no other reason than I had not been, first a friend alerted me that local Twin Cities hip-hop group Atmosphere were performing in Helsinki on Sunday, then I happened to run into Wayne Coyne, frontman of The Flaming Lips, the headlining act for the festival weekend, as he purchased a cup of ice cream in the Helsinki City Centre. Enough luck yet? Wayne was then kind enough to put me on the guest list, saving me the 56 euros it would have cost for a one day pass. (A ticket for both days was priced at 90 euros in 2009.)

After touring the city by bus and boat Sunday afternoon, I took a cab to the festival site and arrived just Mogwai had begun their set on the larger of the two stages ("Lava" is Finnish for stage.) It was my first time seeing that UK band live, and they seemed a little reserved, but their down-tempo rock was a good way to ease me into my evening.

Video clip of Atmosphere's "Sunshine"

Up next on the Klubilava was Atmosphere, playing as a 5 piece this night, from The Twin Cities USA. They opened with "God Loves Ugly," and their set included many references to our fair city of Minneapolis. The set featured songs from their most recent album, "When Life Gives You Lemons..." plus some older tunes. The Finns seemed pretty impressed by them overall, participating with hands and fingers in the air when prompted, and the front row sang along to many songs. Slug was wearing a P.O.S. T-shirt, which thrilled me (P.O.S. is wrapping up his/their own tour of Europe right now) enough that I shouted out between songs, "Nice t-shirt," which prompted a friendly "Thanks" from Slug. While telling one story, Slug joked, "You have to forgive me, my English is not so good." He told of arriving in Helsinki on Saturday, which was a rather chilly and gray day, but that the Finns were still out partying until all hours of the night. Sunday's weather, on the other hand, was damn near perfect. Mid-set he introduced "Guns and Cigarettes" saying he's not normally political, but he thinks it's a shame that cigarettes
are getting more expensive while guns get cheaper.

(The Flaming Lips in Helsinki - Photo by David de Young)

The Flaming Lips came on at 9PM, and the sun remained up for their entire set (sunset was around 10:50 PM last night.) One newspaper reported that the Lips had canceled their laser show tonight because they were in too close proximity to the Helsinki airport (20 kilometers.) It must have been my 7th or 8th time seeing The Lips, mostly at European festivals, but several times in Minneapolis as well including The Uptown Bar in 1988 or so and First Avenue. Wayne Coyne asked the pot smoking side of the crowd (stage right) and the beer drinking side of the crowd (my side) to move together into the middle to help support him during his space ball walk which he did before the opening song "Race For the Prize." I recall in Denmark a few years ago Coyne had introduced "The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song" with a short speech about how much he was embarrassed that George Bush was the president of the USA, but this time he quipped, "How lucky can we be to have Obama?" which drew many cheers, including my own. I gotta say it is weird (first time in as long as I can remember) that I would be proud in Europe to cheer publicly the President of the United States and have those around me actually do the same.

Coyne mentioned Michael Jackson's passing as he segued into a slow 1/3 time version of Madonna's "Borderline." He played "Taps" on his automatic trumpet after a few words on how he wishes the US would end "this stupid war" and that was possibly the most emotionally moving moment of the entire night. He said there were so many funerals, that there were not enough musicians to play "Taps" and someone had invented this instrument to do it. He looked forward to a day when the only people who had to play such an instrument were The Flaming Lips. My eyes got wet enough that I actually had to wipe them.

Set closer/encore was "Do You Realize?" for which I pressed myself up against the front barrier and got some good video. The size of the crowd was such that it felt like there was more confetti and more balloons flying around than normal at a Flaming Lips show.

Yet to come was Girl Talk (aka Gregg Gillis), whom I have never really gotten into, but I waited out his entire DJ set (some of it back in the beer garden.) Wasn't a bad way to end a Sunday night in Finland. The sun was down (sorta) by midnight as I left the festival grounds and walked half the way back to my hotel, flagging a cab eventually as I had no idea where I actually was, just a sense I was walking in vaguely the right direction.

I met Wayne Coyne in Finland

2009-06-28T02:31:00.007-05:00

(Wayne Coyne -publicity photo)

By all counts, my European Rock 'n Roll tour 2009 is off to a Flamingly great start. Leaving Minneapolis Friday evening June 26th with a short stop in Amsterdam (long enough to check in on Foursquare and get my "Newbie" badge) I arrived in Helsinki, Finland early Saturday evening. There's a 8 hour time difference which really ate up a lot of my Saturday.

Fortunately, it's midsummer and I am as far north as Stockholm and Oslo (Helsinki is at 61°15'N and 28°15'E) and it's light out pretty much 24 hours a day (sunset 10:49 p.m., sunrise 3:58 a.m.) so I was able to drag myself out to wander a bit. Without even trying, just on the other side of the train station from me, I immediately stumbled onto The Tuska Open Air Metal Fest. Outside the gates, hundreds of punters in black t-shirts and long coats were swilling bottles of Koff beer. There was one band to go when I arrived, Suicidal Tendencies were closing out the night. I opted to skip the 43 Euro entry fee to see only one band and moved along.

Checking Twitter from my hotel, my friend Dahli informed me Atmosphere was in town. Their website told me a festival I didn't even know about, Pitkä kuuma kesä 2009 was in full swing and the lineup also included The Flaming Lips and Mogwai so I resolved to try and find if tickets were still available, where it was, etc.

As luck would have it, no more than 45 minutes later while wandering the City Centre, I ran smack dab into someone who would know stepping out of an ice cream shop, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne himself. Far too jet-lagged to even be nervous, I introduced myself and said I had just arrived in town from Minneapolis, had heard The Flaming Lips were playing in town and asked if he could tell me where the concert was and how to get there.

We chatted for 5 minutes or so about the various European festivals at which I've seen the Flaming Lips in the past, including my top show of all time, the Lips at the then Witness Festival in Dublin (reviewed on HowWasTheShow here.) The biggest joy was to actually get to tell Wayne face to face in casual conversation that the Dublin show had be my show of a lifetime so far. (It was a memorable one where The Lips replaced the White Stripes as headliner after Jack White of the White Stripes had hurt his hand in a car accident in Detroit a few days before.)

Unsure himself if the festival Sunday in Helsinki was sold out, Wayne offered to put me on the guest list, took my business card for HowWasTheShow with my UK mobile number on it so his wife could text me the deets.

Looks like my Sunday evening plans are set.

Rock The Garden 2009 review and videos

2009-06-22T23:09:00.005-05:00

This year's Rock the Garden, featuring musical acts Solid Gold, Calexico, Yeasayer and The Decemberists was one of the most enjoyable outdoor festivals I have attended in America in many years. And it wasn't just because the music was consistently great.

This year the Rock the Garden planners wisely rotated the stage 90 degrees clockwise to face the hill where the old Guthrie used to sit (and where most people chose to sit last year anyway, even if they faced the side of the stage instead of the front.) As outdoor concert venues go, it's really quite a lovely natural amphitheater, and I hope it all worked out well with the neighbors living in the nearby homes and they'll be able to set up again like this for future festivals.

Good times, good friends, good beer, and a crowd estimated at at least 8,000 filled the afternoon from 3PM until the sun went down.

If you were there on Saturday, you may never forget the closing number of the night, The Decemberists covering Heart's "Crazy on You." Kyle Matteson quipped on Twitter that it's "Not a good sign when a cover far and away eclipses your entire set," but nonetheless it was both a definite WTF as well as cool as hell moment for those of us who were there.

Here are a few video highlights we captured including both "The Engine Driver" and the "Crazy On You" set closer. A full photo set by Jenn Barnett will be posted shortly on the main site.

Excerpted clips from the Decemberists' Set

The Engine Driver

Crazy on You, Heart Cover & closing number

RACKTACULAR! A Breast Cancer Benefit

2009-06-22T22:52:00.004-05:00

HowWasTheShow.com Presents.......RACKTACULAR!

What: RACKTACULAR! A Breast Cancer Benefit
Where: The Nomad World Pub
When: Friday, July 24th, 9:30 PM 21+, $10 suggested donation

Any fashion or music historian can attest that breasts and rock-n-roll have a long and inextricable history. What better way to celebrate this union than with a rockin’ breast cancer benefit? Join HWTS staff writer Donette Ambrosy for RACKTACULAR! A Breast Cancer Benefit. Proceeds from this bodacious evening of music, burlesque, and ta-ta-tastic tomfoolery go to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund. Help raise the funds for Donette and her sister, Sheri Kruser – a recent breast cancer survivor from Dubuque, Iowa – to walk together in the Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day in August. Along with the local musical talents of Aviette, Maudlin, and Hojas Rojas, the lovely ladies from Lili’s Burlesque will model blinged-out brassieres featured from the event’s Art Bra Contest. We’ll even have a silent auction. Come on down to the Nomad World Pub on July 24th to show your support for a great cause…and have a RACKTACULAR time! Friday, July 24th, 9:30pm, $10 suggested donation.

HowWasTheShow 7-Year Anniversary Photos and Videos

2009-06-17T21:44:00.009-05:00

(Photo is of HowWasTheShow founder David de Young introducing City Pages Music Editor Andrea Swensson - Photo credit Ben Clark.)

HowWasTheShow.com celebrated its 7th Anniversary on the internet Friday night, June 12th at the Turf Club in St. Paul with a few hundred of our closest friends. You'd think that since we know most of the music photographers in town, there'd be more pictures of our show. Several photographers were there, as well as several music writers. Thing is, we were having a party, so most of us were off duty, listening to music, drinking, dancing, talking amongst ourselves.

Big Trouble (featuring guest vocalist David Campbell), Communist Daughter, Aby Wolf, and The Inwood Radio all put on inspiring shows and seemed to have enjoyed themselves as much as we did. It was a line-up custom made to receive a good review, especially if we were to give it one ourselves.

I was unable to resist making a few videos with my Flip Mino, however, and in the interest of making a record of the fun we had on Friday night, I've gathered them here together in this blog post. All videos are by me, except the video of Aby Wolf performing with Big Trouble that was shot by Debbie Donovan.

The first video was a definite highlight of the entire night. As Big Trouble whipped out a cover of Wilco's "I'm Always in Love" from Summerteeth, I jumped up to dance along with writers Jim Walsh, Pat O'Brien and musician Rick Widen. For this song I passed off my video camera to City Pages music-editor Andrea Swensson to capture the action.

This next video was shot by Debbie Donovan. Aby Wolf covers Erykah Badu.

Still more videos from the show are available on the HowWasTheShow YouTube site.

Photos and videos from Mark Mallman's tour kickoff show at the Bryant Lake Bowl

2009-06-14T21:58:00.005-05:00

My full review of Mark Mallman's show Saturday night at the Bryant Lake Bowl has been published in the City Pages Blog Gimme Noise. Read it here.

Also, check out my full photo set from the night here. And stay tuned later this week for photographer Jenn Barnett's photos over on the main site at howwastheshow.com.

Below are videos of new and old songs I captured Saturday night at Mallman's intimate sold-out performance, including "You're Never Alone in New York," the first single off his upcoming album Invincible Criminal.

The finale:

David de Young on Saturday Nights with Esme on WCCO

2009-06-13T20:17:00.001-05:00

WCCO Saturday Night With Esme for Saturday, June 13th.

Tonight we recap the HowWasTheShow 7-Year Anniversary Party, talk about Power Balladz at the Lab Theater and about my upcoming festival tour of Europe.

20 Minutes.

MP3 File

David de Young on Saturday Nights with Esme on WCCO

2009-06-06T20:17:00.008-05:00

On my 20 minutes of WCCO Radio fame this week, I am joined by Bethany Ford of Cromulent Shakepeare Company to talk about the production of Shakespeare's The Tempest. Ford is directing the production of one of Shakespeare's final works that is currently making a tour of Twin Cities parks.

Tonight's production at Lake Harriet was rained out, so Bethany was able to join me and Esme Murphy for a brief discussion about the joys and challenges of producing Shakespeare outdoors.

See the full schedule for The Tempest here,

Other topics Esme asked me about this week are Grand Old Days in Saint Paul, and the HowWasTheShow 7th Anniversary Party which takes place Friday night, June 12th at the Turf Club.

MP3 File

St. Paul songwriter, Jeff Hanson dead at 31

2009-06-05T22:22:00.004-05:00

Jeff Hanson at the Turf Club in November, 2008 on a bill with Chris Koza.

Jeff was found dead today in St. Paul. The Star Tribune has more details.

HowWasTheShow extends our condolences to Jeff's friends and family. We are extremely saddened to hear this news.

Shakespeare in the Parks!

2009-06-02T10:17:00.011-05:00

Having experienced Shakespeare in Central Park in New York and Holland Park and Green Park in London, I can speak from experience that there's nothing quite like Shakespeare in the great outdoors.

The Twin Cities theater group, Cromulent Shakespeare Company will give locals a taste of big city theatrical magic this summer as they present Shakespeare's The Tempest, not just in one park, but in more than a dozen parks around the Twin Cities. Directed by Bethany Ford, The Tempest opens Friday, June 5th in Kenwood Park (see full schedule below.)

See the Cromulent web page for performance schedule for a bonus production, "Shakespeare Soup," which runs concurrently but on a different schedule.

The Tempest, William Shakespeare's tale of a great sorcerer who creates a storm that maroons his enemies on a magical island and Shakespeare Soup, an entertaining original script featuring familiar Shakespearean characters and plot adaptations.

The Tempest is directed by Bethany Ford, who directed the critically-acclaimed Sense and Sensibility for Cromulent in 2008. "This simple and streamlined production of The Tempest explores what it means to be human and what is required to achieve balance and therefore peace in the universe," says Ford. "We will move the story forward with fascinating relationships, suspense and comedy."

The Tempest schedule

7 p.m. weekdays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Saturday June 27th at 6:30p.m.
Fri., 6/5 - Kenwood Park
Sat, 6/6 - Lake Harriet Rose Gardens
Sun, 6/7 - Raspberry Park at Harriet Island
Thu., 6/11 - Loring Park
Fri., 6/12 - Powderhorn Park
Sat., 6/13 - Father Hennepin Park
Sun., 6/14 - Como
Tues., 6/16 - Parkers Lake Park, Plymouth
Thu., 6/18 - Washburn Fair Oaks Park
Fri., 6/19 - Riverside Park
Sat., 6/20 - Nokomis Park
Sun., 6/21 - Newell
Thu., 6/25 - Whittier Park
Fri., 6/26 - Phalen
Sat., 6/27 - Caponi Art Park

Exclusive preview of "It's You" from Ryan Paul & the Ardent's forthcoming CD La Vita Nuova

2009-05-28T22:34:00.009-05:00

Photo credit Ellie C. Rader

Ryan Paul and the Ardent's forthcoming CD La Vita Nuova is being kept such tight wraps that no one's even seen the cover yet. Apparently, physical discs will be hand delivered to selected music writers the week of the release show, set for Friday, June 19th at the 331 Club on a bill with special guests Eliza Blue and Brian Just.)

By special arrangement, HowWasTheShow has received exclusive permission to stream "It's You," a track from the new album which I am led to believe has only been mastered within the past couple of days.

More info from the press release:

On June 13, 2009, Minneapolis Alt. Country/Indie band, Ryan Paul & THE ARDENT will release their first full length album titled La Vita Nuova. Ryan Paul got his start in the Minneapolis music scene with indie band King Freud in 1999 and worked as a guitar tech for multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Ylvisaker. In 2003, he disappeared from the Minneapolis music scene to return in the summer of 2008. He is joined by veteran musicians in THE ARDENT as well as special guests Janey Winterbauer and Jimmy Peterson on the record. Also performing on June 19th will be Brian Just and Eliza Blue.

HowWasTheShow 7-Year Anniversary Line-up Announced

2009-05-27T23:31:00.003-05:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HowWasTheShow Celebrates 7 Years on the Internet with Anniversary Party featuring Big Trouble, Communist Daughter, Aby Wolf and The Inwood Radio

Date: Friday, June 12th, 2009
Where: Turf Club, St. Paul (1601 University Avenue – 651-647-0486)
9PM, $6

Minneapolis, MN – May 27th, 2009 – In “internet years”, 7 is a long time. In 2002 Friendster was in its infancy, and MySpace had yet to be launched. Bands still shared songs on the now completely different MP3.com; Audiogalaxy and Napster were entirely different animals than they are today; and Facebook, where more and more bands are making their event and fan page homes, was not yet a gleam in Mark Zukerberg’s eye.

It was in early 2002 that HowWasTheShow.com’s first review appeared, and founder David de Young registered the catchy domain name later that year. Since then, the site has published over 1,000 reviews of music and theater events, and dozens of podcasts, interviews and features. Former HowWastheShow writers have gone on to write for Spin.com, to become music editors of both the now defunct Pulse Twin Cities and the still thriving City Pages. HowWasTheShow contributing writers and photographers have also founded or contribute to other web entities like Cakein15.com, and Culturebully.com.

HowWasTheShow celebrates 7 years as the Twin Cities incubator for new music and theater writers with a party at the Turf Club Friday, June 12th with a few of our favorite musical acts, Big Trouble, Communist Daughter, Aby Wolf and The Inwood Radio.

The bands:

• Big Trouble – http://myspace.com/getinbigtrouble/ - Musicians who play with Heiruspecs and Martin Devaney’s band (Twinkie Jiggles, Peter Leggett, Steve McPherson and Josh Peterson) play mainly instrumental covers of great songs you know and love.

• Communist Daughter – http://myspace.com/communistdaughterband - Former members of Friends Like These (Johnny Solomon & Adam Switlick) team up with drummer Christopher McGuire and Jonathan Blaseg to play songs Rolling Stone’s Melissa Maerz calls “rip-your-heart out ballads about getting older, but not necessarily happier.”

• Aby Wolf – http://myspace.com/abywolf/ - City Pages 2008 “Best New Vocalist” mixes folk with R&B and hip hop to produce a sound that defies any categorization you might want to throw at it.

• The Inwood Radio – http://myspace.com/inwoodradio - Emerging from the ashes of Six Ways from Sunday, these Magnolia Record Company artists play delicious pop indebted to The Lemonheads, The Beach Boys and Orange Juice.

###

David de Young on "Saturday Nights with Esme" on WCCO

2009-05-25T18:36:00.003-05:00

In my regular Saturday night arts & entertainment segment on WCCO Radio with Esme Murphy this week, I am joined by Katy Vernon of Fab Tab and The Teds live from the green room at the Fine Line to talk about the 8th annual England Swings, put on by Raven, The Duke of Dark. (Check out Katy - in the pink polkadot dress - with Fab Tab performing the Simone Jackson song "Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya.")

Esme Murphy and I also talk a bit about the exhilarating new Tony Kushner play, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Socialism and Capitalism with a Key to the Scriptures, which I review on the main site here.

21 minutes.

MP3 File

Mars to Mercury's English Rock Set at England Swings VIII was amazing

2009-05-25T00:36:00.007-05:00

Thanks to Debbie Donovan's videos, you too can experience what went down at the Fine Line Saturday as Mars to Mercury ripped through their 20 minute England Swings VIII set in medley format. The boys are to be congratulated as much for their arrangement of these songs as for the performance of them.

Songs in this medley include Def Leppard's "Too Late for Love," as well as songs from The Cult, The Babys, UFO, Iron Maiden, Billy Idol, Black Sabbath, with a couple other surprises thrown in.

More videos to come.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

More Saturday night Shenanigans

2009-05-23T15:34:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day Weekend is shaping up quite nicely in the Twin Cities, what with the Sold Out Soundset '09 on Sunday at Canterbury Park, here are two other wild Saturday musical adventures you might wish to consider.

More info: http://www.myspace.com/westrocksstandard

More info: http://www.myspace.com/memorylanesmn

England Swings VIII is Saturday night

2009-05-21T16:22:00.005-05:00

It's time for England Swings VIII, and once again I (David de Young) will be serving as master of ceremonies.

Details below. Hope you can make it down for this star-studded extravaganza where Twin Cities musicians play covers for an entire evening with one caveat: each of the artists covered must be from the UK.

Event: England Swings VIII
When: Saturday, May 23rd
Where: The Fine Line Music Cafe
Doors: 7 pm
Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door (available at The Fine Line and Electric Fetus)

Dee Jay: Red Star Radio

Acts scheduled to appear: Stephanie Says, Mars To Mercury, Little Man, 'Fab' Tab & the Teds (featuring Katy Vernon), Sika, The Wag, Pretty in Pink and Johnny & the Moondogs (featuring members of The Alarmists, The Duke of Dark, The Melismatics, Ouija Radio and Jacques Wait.)

Raffle prizes throughout the evening for UK-related items.

Compere (emcee): David de Young of HowWasTheShow.com.

Sponsored by Brit's Pub and Total Music.

Little Man's Chris Pericelli leaked the contents of his set on his mailing list earlier today:

Little Man's short set will incude:

All Too Much - The Beatles

Stay With Me - The Faces

20th Century Boy - T. Rex

Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

Suffragette City - David Bowie

Special acoustic opening set from Jeremy Gordon, Robert Wilkinson, Mike Schwant, Emily Muchmore, Raven & Jon Larson.

2009 Stone Arch Lineup Announced

2009-05-12T23:14:00.003-05:00

According to musical act booker, Stacy Schwartz of Cake in 15.com, there are a couple music, theater, and dance acts yet to be added, but the majority of the music is listed here. Keep an eye on the official Stone Arch Festival site for updates.

Saturday, June 20

Star Tribune Stage

1:15pm Adam Svec
2:15pm Dan Israel
3:15pm Spaghetti Western String Co.
4:15pm The Cloud Hymn

City Pages Stage

11:00 a.m. Crowd Control
12:00 p.m. The Alrights
1:15 p.m. Joey Ryan & The Inks
2:30 p.m. The Pendrakes
3:45 p.m. The Idle Hands
5:00 p.m. Roma di Luna

Cities 97 Stage

11:15am Neal Swanger
12:15pm Peter Lochner
1:15pm Bob & Lynn Dixon
2:15pm Thomas Kivi
3:15pm Shawn Gibbons
4:15pm Brad Senne
5:15pm Eliza Blue

St. Anthony Courtyard Stage

11:00 a.m. Aria Souder
12:15 p.m. The Badinovs
1:30 p.m. Brian Just Band
2:45 p.m. Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps 4:00 p.m. Farewell Milwaukee
5:15 p.m. The Smarts
6:30 p.m. Mississippi Mud

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Star Tribune Stage
1:15pm Café Accordian Orchestra
2:15pm Anna Laube
4:15pm Jistoray
5:15pm Pezzettino

City Pages Stage

12:00 p.m. Half Demon Doll
1:15 p.m. We Became Actors
2:30 p.m. Wars of 1812
3:45 p.m. The Absent Arch
5:00 p.m. Me & My Arrow

Cities 97 Stage

11:00 a.m. Scott Wooldridge
12:15pm Andy Juhl
1:15pm Chicane Theory
2:15pm Andy Elwell
3:15pm Dustin Thomas
4:15pm Kyle Turck & Patrick Henz
5:15pm John Swardson/Eliza Blue - Get Gone

St. Anthony Courtyard Stage

11:00 a.m. Dustin Thomas
12:00 p.m. The Suits
1:15 p.m. Jason Shannon
2:30 p.m. Jenny Dalton
3:45 p.m. Ryan Paul & the Ardent
5:00 p.m. Chastity Brown

Who stole Anvil's Cymbals? (With video of "Metal on Metal")

2009-05-11T12:50:00.004-05:00

Check out this great video of "Metal on Metal" as performed by the Canadian heavy metal band Anvil Friday night at the Uptown Theater, shot by Debbie Donovan.

And check out the trailer for Anvil! The Story of Anvil.

Also, this morning we got the following note from Patrick Cross, Uptown Theater House Manager, and he asked that we pass it on:

This past Friday night here at the Uptown Theatre we had the amazing pleasure of having the band Anvil perform after a showing of their film Anvil! The Story of Anvil. It was a great night. I’ve been involved with the Uptown for the last eight years and am now the head manager and this was easily one of the best nights ever here. We had a crowd of a little over 300 show up who were extremely enthusiastic. The credits rolled after the 7:15pm show and were quickly followed by the loud strumming of an electric guitar. Everyone rushed up to the front of the theatre and started cheering. Anvil played a short set and then went into the lobby to meet fans on their way out and take pictures and sign autographs.

We started the 9:30pm show for a smaller crowd of maybe 50. The band stuck around in the lobby because they had to wait to get their gear which was sitting in the theatre. As the movie went on, the singer of Anvil, Steve “Lips” Kudlow, came up to me and my staff and said, “think we should play another set after this show?” To which we replied, “That would be great if you guys would like to...” They were not scheduled to play again and had to get back on the road as soon as possible because they had to be in Cincinnati the next day. But the band talked it over and decided to play again. So again, the credits rolled, that guitar began, and the crowd started cheering and coming up to the front. However, as the drummer was about to begin playing, he realized he was missing two of his cymbals. The band stopped, the crowd was confused, and it was determined that someone had stolen the symbols sometime while the band was out in the lobby greeting fans.

Needless to say this was a terrible ending to a great night. To the band’s credit, they didn’t bitch about it or yell at me, they simply discussed how they would replace the cymbals and that they needed to get back on the road. They were far more depressed by the fact that someone, especially after having seen their film, would see fit to steal from them. I can’t believe it either. I have no doubt that the band will strive on, if you see the film you’ll have no doubt either, but I hate to think that the only thing they will remember about their Minneapolis show is that it’s the town where someone stole their equipment. So, if you’re the person who stole it, and have realized the error of your ways, please return it to the theatre, no questions asked.

Sincerely,
Patrick Cross
Uptown Theatre
House Manager

David de Young on Saturday Nights with Esme on WCCO

2009-05-09T23:20:00.002-05:00

On Saturday Night with Esme tonight I got a chance to discuss Tony Kushner's Caroline or Change at The Guthrie which I saw on Friday, May 8th (and which HowWasTheShow reviewed here), and Venus, A Musical by Chan Poling, which I saw tonight at the Ritz Theater.

I also talked about the music going on on the West Bank tonight with a shout out to Cake in 15.

MP3 File

Craig Newmark's speech at Concert for Katherine benefit

2009-05-03T23:29:00.002-05:00

Craig Newmark, founder of Craiglist, spoke today (May 3rd) at the benefit for Katherine Anne Olson in Eden Prairie. City Pages captured the video of those remarks (above.) They have more detail on how he came to be involved with the Concert for Katherine benefit here.

David de Young on Saturday Nights with Esme on WCCO

2009-05-02T20:59:00.002-05:00

In what's becoming a regular event lately, I (David de Young) was on WCCO Radio with Esme Murphy tonight discussing a hodgepodge of arts & entertainment events including The Concert for Katherine Anne Olson, Alan Berks' new play, Ringtone, and the Grand Opening of the new Minneapolis music venue, the 501 Club.

The 20 minute discussion wraps up with an update on the ongoing issues in the 4300 Block of Stevens resulting from fallout from the 35W Crosstown Project.

MP3 File

Retribution Gospel Choir, Lookbook, Communist Daughter to play 501 Club Grand Opening

2009-04-29T10:30:00.006-05:00

(Retribution Gospel Choir - Photo by David de Young)

501 Club to open on 5.01

I dropped in to the 501 Club this past Sunday evening after the Unconvention screening to find the new club welcoming, and the food and service great. (Okay, I admit co-owner Jon Oulman was sitting at the end of our table, but still.)

The hummus plate was awesome, the GLBT (I believe that's what it's called) comes with Guac, and the Bacon Cheeseburger I tried was as good as any I've had.

Also, if the house merlot is any indication, the house wines are as decent as the ones at the 331 Club. (The 331 Club in N.E. Minneapolis is also owned and run by the Oulmans.)

HowWasTheShow will be on hand Friday evening for the grand opening which features some of our favorite bands in Minnesota, Retribution Gospel Choir, Lookbook and Communist Daughter.

(Important note for the directionally challenged: The 501 is on SOUTH Washington Avenue, i.e. the main downtown side of Hennepin not the warehouse district side.)

From the press release:

501 Washington Ave. S., occupies the space that formerly housing Matty B’s. Jon and Jarret Oulman have given the place a complete makeover. On Friday, (5/01) The club celebrates its Grand Opening Party in true form with Retribution Gospel Choir, Lookbook and Communist Daughter. The show starts at 930pm. The 501 will host free music and entertainment most nights of the week.

Unlike the 331, the 501 will serve a full bar-fare menu, including burgers and pizza. Rick Truax, longtime chef at Nye's Polonaise and J.D. Hoyt's, will run the kitchen. Look for familiar happy hours and daily specials that 331 patrons know and love.

Watch for Chuck and Blake’s Triva starting on Wednesdays at 7pm (May 6th Start) and also watch for a Sunday Brunch at the 501 Club starting Sunday May 10th.

501 Club
501 Washington Ave. S.
www.501.mn
612.338.3848
Open 11 a.m. - 2 a.m. every day.

"We Are The People" interactive video from Empire of the Sun

2009-04-28T14:09:00.005-05:00

"We Are The People" interactive video from Empire of the Sun.

The video contains links to free downloads, exclusive remixes, a message from the band, competitions (for artwork and an ipod) and much more.

View the video full size here: www.empireofthesunsound.com/wearethepeople

Four Videos from Voltage Fashion Amplified 2009

2009-04-27T23:06:00.004-05:00

By request, here are four videos from my Voltage 2009 video collection. First is a montage of miscellaneous video outtakes (somewhat randomly shot, I should mention.) Then there are three full length songs from bands Mercurial Rage, Gospel Gossip, and Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles.

I saw many video cameras at Voltage, but I have yet to see very videos of Voltage '09 surface on the internet. Please share links to your own Voltage Fashion Amplified photos and videos in the comments.

Selected video clips from Voltage 2009

Mercurial Rage - "I Sold My Soul For Sex"

Gospel Gossip

Lucy Michelle - "Postcard"

Unconvention, A mix tape from St. Paul, RNC 08 Premier

2009-04-27T09:55:00.005-05:00

On Sunday, April 26th, I attended Chris Strouth's new film, Unconvention, A Mix Tape from St. Paul. RNC 08, which premiered at St. Anthony Main as part of the 27th Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival. The screening sold out.

It was an intense, adrenaline producing 2-hour ride which brought back the feeling of being on edge that I had while watching the independent media coverage of the event at the time. (I was one of thousands of people worldwide who was gripped by live coverage by the Uptake and on Twitter as the riots and chaos ensued outside the Excel Center in September of 2008.)

The main take-away I got from the film (and the initial coverage) is that had these independent journalists not been on-hand capturing the confrontations between police and citizens on the streets of St. Paul, those of us who consume news might have been left with an entirely different story of the convention, the one told by most of the mainstream media of the events (or non-events) going on inside the convention hall.

Kudos to Strouth for putting this footage back out in front of people and for helping to bring it to a wider audience so the events of September, 2008 are not forgotten. I also think Strouth did a tremendous job of stepping back and letting the footage speak for itself. And I think it does speak rather loudly. Issues of free speech, freedom of the press, and the right to peaceable assembly almost loom larger in retrospect than the multiple issues that differing groups of protesters were attempting to raise by their various marches and events.

At times, I was so engrossed by this film, I was actually surprised I could not smell tear gas in the theater.

Below are some clips from the lively Q&A with the filmmaker that transpired after the film. Clips 3 and 4 include some rather heated comments from a few audience members.

Videos of entire Me and My Arrow EP Release

2009-04-26T13:10:00.008-05:00

Me and My Arrow, the nine member Twin Cities super group made up of members of producers and musicians from Minneapolis bands It From Bit, Parts For All Makes, The Future, and Plastic Chord barely fit on many local stages. The collective, which is headed up by lead vocalist (Ice Palace guitarist) Jacob Grun released their first EP to an enthusiastic bunch of fans and friends at the Turf Club on Saturday night (April 25th.)

HowWasTheShow was on hand planning to catch the performance and viddie a couple songs, but we got carried away and captured each of the 9 songs in the set.

I had been hearing about the band for quite some time, but this was my first experience catching them live. I was particularly impressed by the energy raised by their constant motion on-stage lending even more enjoyment to their sweeping and dramatic orchestral, power-pop sound. Particularly animated was Bella Koshka violin player Hillary Davis, and I was sad to hear it was her last show with the band.

Here's the starting video:

And here's the entire set playlist of all 9 videos on YouTube for hands-free enjoyment of the entire set.

David de Young and Chris Strouth on WCCO

2009-04-25T23:06:00.003-05:00

David de Young talks about Voltage: Fashion Amplified 2009, and Chris Strouth talks about his new film, Unconvention on WCCO radio with Esme Murphy on Saturday, April 25th.

MP3 File

Weekend - Unconvention, M. Ward and Voltage 2009

2009-04-25T17:15:00.002-05:00

I'm going to see M. Ward at First Avenue tonight. Check out this gorgeous video for "Hold Time," the title song from his new album.

Tomorrow I'm going to see the premiere of Unconvention at St. Anthony Main Theater at 5:15 p.m.

Last night I attended Voltage 2009. Here's a spliced up mix of the video clips I captured which feature each of the Voltage 2009 bands, Mercurial Rage, First Communion Afterparty, Gospel Gossip, Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles and Maria Isa.

Tune into WCCO Radio at 830 AM at 7:30 p.m. tonight (4/25) or at http://www.wccoradio.com and you'll likely hear me talking about each of these three things.

The Bad Plus & Wendy Lewis cover Lithium at The Fetus

2009-04-21T12:50:00.003-05:00

It's my favorite song of the past week, Wendy Lewis and the Bad Plus's wigged out cover of Nirvana's Lithium. This performance is from Saturday, April 18th at the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis.

It's one of those things that's "so wrong it's right."

The song is from their album For All I Care. They celebrate with a release show at the Cedar Cultural Center next Saturday April 25.

Enjoy.

The Bad Plus | Electric Fetus | Record Store Day [04.18.09]| Minneapolis, MN from Justin Andert on Vimeo.

Also in HD.

Videos from Nightinghales & Communist Daughter at the 331 Club

2009-04-19T16:28:00.008-05:00

Videos from Communist Daughter and Nightinghales at the 331 Club, Saturday, April 18th, 2009.

The 331 was packed for a free show Saturday night featuring two up and coming Twin Cities bands, Nightinghales (featuring Ben Sommers and Michael Lopez) and Communist Daughter (former members of Friends Like These plus drummer Christopher McGuire.) The show was headlined by Idle Hands.

Communist Daughter - Not the Kid

Communist Daughter - Oceans

Communist Daughter - Northern Lights

Nightinghales - Walking With The Dead

Nightinghales -

Nightinghales -

David de Young and Anna Lee talk Voltage on WCCO

2009-04-18T21:05:00.002-05:00

Excerpts of David de Young of HowWasTheShow.com and Anna Lee of Voltage Fashion Amplified talking about Voltage on WCCO Radio with Esme Murphy on Saturday, April 18th.

Voltage is coming up at First Avenue on Friday, April 24th. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster or First Avenue and its ticket outlets.

MP3 File

mpls ltd turns 10 and happy record store day

2009-04-17T09:43:00.003-05:00

Saturday is Record Store Day, so get out and support one of the few remaining independent record stores in Minnesota. A few of our favorites are Roadrunner Records on Nicollet, The Electric Fetus and Treehouse Records on Lyndale.

On Saturday, Twin Cities record label mpls ltd also celebrates 10 years putting out great local music with a party at the Turf Club featuring some of the bands they have had the honor of working with over the years including First Communion Afterparty, Strangelights, Mercurial Rage, To Kill a Petty Bourgeoise, Basement Apartment and DJs Tim Ritter and Matt Werner.

With your paid admission to the 9 p.m. show ($6 at the door) you will receive a free limited edition 7" Vinyl record.

Rift Magazine 36 Hour Songwriting Contest #7 - Videos, Audio and more

2009-04-12T17:38:00.010-05:00

Saturday night, April 11th, I participated in the 2009 Rift Magazine 36 Hour Songwriting Contest at The Beat Coffeehouse.

This year's show featured:

In Part 1:

Dave Mehling, Nicholas Roesler, Jen Markey, David de Young (me), Adam Marshall, Eliza Blue, Chris Hall, David Brusie.

49 minute audio podcast of Part 1.

Open player in new window | Download

In Part 2:

Sam Keenan, Nikki Schultz, Eric Kalenze, Holly Newsome, Neil Zumwalde, Claire Taubenhaus, Andrew Lynch and Shug E.

50 minute audio podcast of Part 2.

Open player in new window | Download

The 16 contestants each had 36 hours to write a song based around the subject "the meaning of life." The results varied from a ballad telling the story of the songwriting process itself (my own song), to Jen Markey's tale of a weekend conference that told her "life is empty, life is meaningless" so you have to put your own meaning into it, to the winning song, the ethereal "Happy Human" by Andrew Lynch.

HowWaStheShow has full audio and selected video of the evening. (Photos by Jenn Barnett are forthcoming.)

Video highlights

Andrew Lynch winning song, "Happy Human":

Jenn Markey's "Life is Empty, Life is Meaningless"

David de Young's "Ballad of the Rift Magazine 36 Hour Songwriting Contest"

Claire Taubenhaus - "Life is..."

Neil Zumwalde

Nikki Schultz's "Struggle to Fight"

Andrew Lynch wins the contest (Point of view video basically, as I was on stage with the contestants)

See more videos in the Rift 36 Hour Songwriting Contest YouTube Playlist.