Weekly local music roundup - tons of shows and new CD's

First Avenue's weekly newsletter reports this week that now that the minimum wage is going up from $5.15 to $6.15 per hour their "Staff Will Finally be Able to Afford Non-Ripped Clothing!" This quip and the club’s revamped website shows the club is not only increasing its level of professionalism, but still has time to poke fun at itself.

Tonight

Here are 7 shows I would go to tonight if I could. (I will likely end up at the Mallman show.)

• Arcwelder - 7th Street Entry $6 8PM
• Immortal Technique, Akir, Doomtree - First Avenue $10/12 6PM
• All the Pretty Horses / Filthy Divine / Stateline Motel - Triple Rock 10PM $6
• Mark Mallman - Turf Club
• Mike Lane / Dan Israel and the Cultivators - Hexagon
• Blame / The Rakes / Fuller - Terminal Bar
• The Centurions / Lifestyle of Wigs / Sam Keenan - Big V's

Next Week


Chris Koza - Publicity Photo by Ryan Lemery

One of HowWasTheShow's favorite performers, Chris Koza plays with his full band at the Fine Line on Wednesday, May 11th. He plans to tape for a mini documentary for his video press kit. Download your free tickets from this link. The bill also features the J Project, Rusty Trombones and Sasha Band. Koza plays at 8PM, so don’t be late.

Also, remember Koza’s on the HowWastheShow Birthday show Saturday, June 4th at the Turf Club. (Koza was the guest on Chris Robert's weekly music program this past week. That show is still archived for your listening pleasure here.)

Also, another favorite of ours, JoAnna James (who sang with Jessy Greene just last night at a wonderful and packed show at Mario’s) plays Thursday, May 12th with her full band at the Nomad World Pub. Same drill. She’ll be taping for her video press kit. That one’s $5, and James goes on at 11p.m.

Mach Fox Sox

Remember when Doc’s Kid’s sent me blue jello in a press kit a few years ago? This week Mach Fox sent me a pair of official Mach Fox sweat socks. (Haven’t worn 'em yet, but they look comfy.) Mach Fox's CD Futurepast came out earlier this year, and it’s a great listen for lovers of bands like Kraftwerk and Depeche Mode, but with a modern twist. The band headlines a show next Saturday, May 14th at the Kitty Cat Klub. (I’ll remind you again next Friday.)

Lots of New CDs

The Ashtray Hearts new CD Perfect Halves (their second full length) sounds terrific from the bits I’ve heard. One of the songs the band played while guesting on KQ Homegrown this past week broke my heart. And really, that’s all I ask of music from time to time. The Ashtray hearts celebrate the release of their CD Saturday night (5/8) at the Turf Club with Walker Kong.



The Voltage: Fashion Amplified compilation CD comes out today. (I'm about to drive over to Noiseland Industries and pick up several cases of disks as soon as I get this dang column published.)

This year's Voltage compilation is a great disk if I don’t say so myself, since for the second year running I put it together (with some help from my good friends Greg Reierson at Rare Form Mastering, Andrew Volna at Noiseland Industries and Melanie and Barrett Haroldson from Skycrusher. (And of course the bands --The Soviettes, Olympic Hopefuls, The Violettes, Ouija Radio, Melodious Owl, Mike Gunther, The TV Sound and The Deaths -- without whom the CD would be very, very quiet.)

Ask at your local indie record store for the disk. If they don't have it in stock, they'll be able to get it from OneStop, the hand CD distribution arm of The Eclectric Fetus.

Eclectone Records gains distributors

Big news at Martin Devaney's label Electone Records. The entire Eclectone roster will now be distributed digitally by our friends at Red Eye Distribution (John Doe, Robbie Fulks, Robert Skoro, Bob Mould and many more). All of the Eclectone music will also be available on iTunes, Napster and many other sites.

Eclecton also has two releases scheduled for the summer of 2005: The sophomore release from Big Ditch Road (tentatively titled Suicide Note Reader’s Companion) as well as the latest solo offering from Bob McCreedy, his first for Eclectone. Bob told me the working title of the disk is Threshola.

Devaney sent out an email thanking everyone who has shown support for the label lately. “It’s been a hard few months trying to figure out what (if anything) to do. I really appreciate the kick in the ass.” Martin, here’s another kick. Keep up the great work.

Lonesome Dan Case and Crush Collision Trio have a new CD out (as of last night they had copies at their regular gig at Dusty’s.) The disk is called Leave Here Walkin’.

Jack Norton and the Mullet River Boys’ new album (in stores this week) is called Bound for Glory. The band plays tonight at 8PM at The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul for Minnesota Public Radio's "Morning Show Ukulele Gala" with hosts Dale Connelly and Jim Ed Poole. Also on the bill: Jumpin' Jim Beloff and Kari Larson. 8:00 PM. Tickets ($20, $25, $29) This show is sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio and 89.3 FM The Current.

Ticket alert

Neil Diamond tickets go on sale Monday, May 9th for Neil's show August 31st at the Target Center. If you’re gonna go, remember that since several generations of people are likely to be fighting over tickets, it’s probably best to dive in early on that one.