Day of Fratellis

Yup. This past weekend found me rolling on the ground, swooning. Ok, that's not totally true... just mostly true. The boys that do this to me are again, from Glasgow, but they're a little more well known thanks to a commercial for a device called the iPod.

I was lucky enough to be able to see The Fratellis down at SXSW - in fact, that's one of the reasons I went to SXSW in the first place. They were ok, but I found them to be less than stellar as far as performers go. I was a bit disappointed. Music is easy to forgive, however, and I found myself getting more and more amp'd to see them play here in Minneapolis. They had two shows scheduled, one an in-store at The Electric Fetus, and the next a full concert at the Varsity Theater.

The in-store was what I was most excited about since I love the acoustic tracks I've been able to get from The Fratellis website and EPs. It's a bit easier to muscle through the accents and it shows that they actually have talent. The in-store was wonderful and they played some great versions of songs like "Ole Black 'n' Blue Eyes" and "Flathead." I got to meet the boys and had them sign a CD for me... I'm such a geek.

Next was the full-on rock 'n roll show and I found them to be much more (whew!) entertaining than I had in Austin. Probably because they played somewhere around 8000 shows in four days back then, and only had 2 today. One would think there's actually a bit more time for relaxation this go 'round. The set was tight, upbeat, and well choreographed. I don't say that to mean that it seemed stiff, because it didn't, but it did leave me wondering if they really meant it when they said "we haven't played this in a while" before "Creepin' Up the Backstairs." Regardless, it was an upbeat, Scot-pop (yup, new word) extravaganza and I can't wait to see them this weekend at Lollapalooza. Wheeee!!!

The rest of my photos from Sunday can be seen here:
Fratellis on my Flickr

For more information on the band:
Official Fratellis Website

Download for Windows (boo):
Flathead

If you sign up to be a member on The Fratellis website, there are nine free downloads - really great stuff:
Members Page (FREE)

The View

I know... it's been a while since we've talked. I've been a busy girl with my "other" gigs and so this has unfortunately fallen by the wayside. Hopefully I will rescue you from the gloom with this band. They're called The View and I'm sure it will shock you to know they're from Scotland. I don't know what my deal is, but I seem to have unnatural obsessions with Scottish boys and bands. Weird.

Anywho, their music is garage punk pop. If you removed all the "noise," from their music that constitutes the garage punk part, you'd probably have a band that rivals The Monkees in terms of catchy pop-ability. This mix, of course, leads to a new found obsession for me.

Here's an example of why I'm obsessed:


See what I mean?

You can listen to/stream free audio here - just scroll down once you hit the page:
The View Streaming Music

For more information on The View, check out:
The View's Homepage
The View's Myspace

SPIN.com!

This is just a short note to let you know that I have photos featured on SPIN.com from the Polyphonic Spree show at the Fine Line last night! Jen Paulson and I attended. She wrote, I clicked. Check it out! :)

Stacy's photos on SPIN.com!

From the Funky Front Line

As most of you know I also write for MoreCowbell.net. As I'm running out of battery, please check out my most recent post there, as I wait in line for Prince tickets at First Avenue tonight. ROCK the FUCK ON.

MoreCowbell.net "From the Funky Front Line"

Romantica

Romantica has become one of those Minneapolis bands we expect great things from. They continutally pump out music I can play for my friends or my mom and get a similar reponse of "oh they're so good." Singer-Songwriter Ben Kyle was born in Belfast, Ireland and that upbringing is reflected in their music. Romantica combines pastoral themes with love songs and home life. Their newest album, "America," is a diverse album that appeals to the masses. I can see myself swinging in a hammock in the backyard, this CD cranked up and a fine breeze blowing across my cheek. This is the kind of images and hopes this album produces.

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to have Romantica play at the Stone Arch Festival. In under an hour the band sold through their CD inventory and had numerous people asking me where they were from and when did they play in the Cities? I chuckled as I informed the happy concert-goers that Romantica lives here in Minneapolis, and yes, they sort of play all over. I had to actually start refering people to the Electric Fetus, just so they could go pick up an album of their own. Old and young, preppy and punky, it doesn't matter what walk of life you come from because Romantica has a universal appeal you only find in rare instances. Their musical genius stems from life events we all run across at some point, and that is what makes Romantica great.

I've attached a few mp3s from their first album "It's Your Weakness That I Want," and also a link to listen to their newest album. Enjoy the sun on your face folks.

Download mp3s:
Mexico
On My Mind
Honey

Listen to 'America' here