Thursday, May 31, 2007

RECOMMENDED: Best Dance Alliance at the Hex tonight

Never seen Dance Band? What the hell is wrong with you?! Go! Tonight!



Details:
Dance Band with Best Friends Forever and Samwell
Hexagon Bar
Directions to the Hex
Thursday, May 31
9pm
FREE

After all, where else will you see as sexy a man as this?



More Info: Dance Band's MySpace

brakesbrakesbrakes


This is a band I ran across while perusing eMusic. Yeah, yeah, no flack please for using eMusic. I find that with 40 downloads at 25 cents each I am ok with downloading a song a I think I like, rather than I know I like. I've actually gotten a few great bootleggish-type songs from there as well. So shut it.

But back to brakesbrakesbrakes. The band is made up of Marc Beatty, Alex White, Eamon Hamilton and Tom White. I'm adding these boys to my ever-growing list of bands from the UK I can't get enough of. They actually are just called "Brakes" in the UK, but because there was already a US band with that name they had to switch it up a little for those of us on this side of the pond. I'm ok with that as I just like to say it. Try it... brakesbrakesbrakes... It also reflects their music, which at times reminds me of a pop punk band with non-threatening Tourettes, stuttering about with their ridiculous accents. Sometimes you find a band and it seems as if they could be Americans... the accents have magically disappeared! In this case their vernacular is peppered with what you've come to expect from stereotypical English pop punk bands. So far, the track "Hold Me In the River" is my recommended starter track, although I am also enjoying "Cease and Desist."

If you like their music enough to think you may want to check them out live, you are in luck. brakesbrakesbrakes hit the 400 Bar in Minneapolis on June 9.

To preview the entire album, click here: Preview album

Download:
Hold Me In the River

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

R.I.P. Nick Mancini 1926 - 2007

Yeah, this has nothing to do with music, but my heart is sad.

The founder of one of my favorite places in the world died Tuesday night of respiratory failure. Nick Mancini owned Mancini's Char House on West 7th in St. Paul and his sons own it now. If you've never been there, it's high time you check it out. Great food, wonderful hospitality and feeling of family... even if you're not a Mancini.

To read more on Nick and the Mancini family, there's a nice article in the Pioneer Press today:
He made his steakhouse, and himself, St. Paul icons

We'll miss you Nick!

HowWasTheShow.com's 5th Anniversary Party!

Great lineup! Here's the details for those of you too blind to read the poster:
June 9, 2007 at 9pm
Turf Club
$5 / 21+

Featuring local bands:
Estate
Mouthful of Bees
Jeremy Messersmith
The Slats
First Communion Afterparty


Here is the fantastic poster created by Steve McPherson (thanks Steve!):



Why the tree you ask? Because the traditional 5th anniversary gift is wood. I expect a pencil or ream of paper gift from each of you attending.

Locksley is Coming! Locksley is Coming!

Thanks to Jake from Transmission, it's pretty much confirmed that Locksley will hit our fair city on June 16 at the Triple Rock. That's all the detail I know right now, but after the Stone Arch Festival you will all want to jet on over to the T-Rock.

I've been waiting for these boys to head back to the Midwest (they're originally from Madison, WI) after their move to Brooklyn a few years ago. Their newest CD 'Don't Make Me Wait' is a rollicking funfest of Beatles-esque dance tunes. Your feet WILL move. You will be helpless. Don't believe me? Check out this video of Locksley playing the first track off their album, "Don't Make Me Wait," on Jimmy Kimmel Live:



Also, check out some of my pics of Locksley playing at this year's SXSW:









If you don't have a concert calendar right now, you'd better start one. Enjoy!

For more information on Locksley, check out
Locksley's Official Site


Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Sparrow House

Maybe you're thinking, "why is she posting this now?" Well, just because it's a little older doesn't mean it's not good. Ok, not just good, DAMN good. I'm also posting it because Voxtrot is at the Triple Rock on Tuesday.

Jared Van Fleet is the keyboardist and one of the songwriters for Voxtrot, and Sparrow House is his side project. I did contact Jared to see if he'd be willing to do an in-store at the Fetus, but the Voxtrot show is an early AA show, so it wasn't going to work out. I was more than a little sad as I missed both of their performances in Austin during SXSW.

I do have to say that Van Fleet's EP "Falls" is one of the best I've heard this year. I had quite the obsession with it back in March. Of course, I didn't have this lovely little blog back then did I?

For a few minutes of peace and joy, check out this video of Van Fleet singing "When I Am Gone," then sigh to yourself and continue to breathe....



Download mp3s:
When I Am Gone
You Sang Along

For more Sparrow House, check out: www.sparrowhouse.net


Shameless Self-Promotion

Yes, from time to time we all must do it. ...and maybe in my case I do it more than others, but I'm totally ok with that.

Most of you already know I book the stages for the Stone Arch Festival of the Arts. Since I book the stages I want to show my bosses I can bring people down to the Minneapolis riverfront with decent local music. As such, here is a nice, handy, easy-to-read guide to the music at the Stone Arch Festival this year.

Everyone should show up at this as I've worked my ass off to make it happen. See you there?? ROCK!

STONE ARCH FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
June 16 / 17 - 10am - 6pm daily
Along the Minneapolis Riverfront
Classic car show, culinary arts quarter, live music, over 250 fine artist booths, youth arts quarter - and it's all FREE!

** Times are approximate.

Saturday, June 16 - Star Trib Stage

11:15 - Aviette
12:15 - Stook!
1:15 - Bookreader
2:15 - Bill Mike Band
3:30 - Kubla Khan
5:00 - The Alarmists

Saturday, June 16 - City Pages Stage

11:15 - Bob & Lynn Dixon
12:15 - Jonathan Delehanty
1:15 - Eliza Blue
2:15 - Brad Senne from Beight
3:15 - Martin Devaney
4:15 - Mayda
5:15 - Jeremy Messersmith

Sunday, June 17 - Star Tribune Stage

10:15 - Jeff Wenberg
11:15 - The Abdomen
12:30 - Catchpenny
2:00 - The Sweet Latrines
3:00 - Romantica
4:00 - The Sweet Colleens
5:00 - The Mood Swings

Sunday, June 17 - City Pages Stage

11:15 - Bellatrex
12:15 - Charley Dush
1:15 -Andra Suchy
2:15 - Spaghetti Western String Co.
3:15 - Jeff D. Johnson
4:15 - Justin Roth
5:15 - High On Stress


What does it all mean?

The name Cake in 15 comes from this quote by my friend Jen Paulson:

"I want to go HOME. But I get cake in like 15 so I’ll set aside the complaining for at least 30."

It made me laugh my ass off. So that's where this starts. Primarily I hope to entertain and maybe give some musical suggestions to whoever reads this damn thing. Maybe no one will read it, and that's ok too. But my brain will be clearer (or more muddled, who knows) by purging it out to the world.

So welcome to Cake in 15!