R.I.P. Ron Asheton (1949-2009)

Ron Asheton at Lollapalooza, 2007

The Stooges guitarist was found dead today at his home in Michigan.

From Iggy Pop's website:
We are shocked and shaken by the news of Ron’s death. He was a great friend, brother, musician, trooper. Irreplaceable. He will be missed.

For all that knew him behind the façade of Mr Cool & Quirky, he was a kind-hearted, genuine, warm person who always believed that people meant well even if they did not.

As a musician Ron was The Guitar God, idol to follow and inspire others. That is how he will be remembered by people who had a great pleasure to work with him, learn from him and share good and bad times with him.

Iggy, Scott, Steve, Mike and Crew

-----------------------------------------

I am in shock. He was my best friend.

Iggy Pop

Staciaann's 2008 Show List

Yup, I go to a lot of live music. I keep track of it so I remember when I saw it. I started doing this in late 2006, and my list has grown each year. Each year I vow to see more new bands, more local music, and continue to keep up with what's going on in the world around me. 2008 kept me fairly busy, although I really missed attending and shooting the Pitchfork Music Festival and Lollapalooza this year. I definitely look forward to SXSW 2009, which is coming up fast.

Keep in mind that I finished and graduated law school, took the bar exam, sold my house in St. Paul and moved to Minneapolis, quit my job of 8 1/2 years and started my career over. Even with these distractions, I saw over 120 shows in 2008. So don't give me any excuses about why YOU can't get out there and do the same.

Here's to a great 2009!

2008's List of Shows
*My favorites are in bold type, and photos of many of these shows can be seen on my Flickr page.

1/3/08 Big Game, Eddy Burke & the Consequences @ Lee's Liquor Lounge
1/7/08 Nada Surf, Eric Lovold (solo), The Glad Version @ The Nomad
1/11/08 Titus Andronicus @ Bedlam Theater
1/12/08 We All Have Hooks for Hands, Windmills @ The Varsity Theater
1/12/08 Dragich @ Hexagon
1/12/08 City on the Make @ The Entry
1/17/08 Roma di Luna, Bon Iver @ Turf Club
1/18/08 White Denim, White Rabbits @ Turner Hall, Milwaukee
1/19/08 White Denim, White Rabbits @ High Noon Saloon, Madison
1/25/08 Fort Wilson Riot, Fine Young Gentlemen @ Nomad World Pub
2/1/08 ExerciseEXORCISE with Vampire Hands @ Bottling House Theatre
2/7/08 The Battle Royale, Yeasayer, MGMT @ The Entry
2/8/08 ExerciseEXORCISE with Roma di Luna @ Bottling House Theatre
2/9/08 Fat Kid Wednesdays, Deviated Septet, Spaghetti Western String Co. (CD Release) @ Cedar Cultural Center
2/10/08 God Save Gertrude @ The Playwright's Center
2/11/08 Keren Ann, Dean & Britta @ Cedar Cultural Center
2/13/08 Bon Iver @ The Electric Fetus
2/19/08 Mike Doughty @ The Electric Fetus
2/22/08 Hoot! Jim Walsh, Janeen, Dan Wilson, The Tropicals, Brianna Lane @ Java Jacks
2/22/08 Foreign Born, St. Vincent @ Cedar Cultural Center
2/22/08 ExerciseEXORCISE with Plastic Chord @ Bottling House Theatre
2/23/08 Gary Louris @ The Electric Fetus
2/23/08 The Falls @ North Star Rollergirls Halftime
2/23/08 The XYZ Affair @ Nomad World Pub
2/29/08 ExerciseEXORCISE with Burlingham Children @ Bottling House Theatre
3/2/08 You're My Favorite Kind of Pretty @ The Southern Theatre
3/12/08 These United States, Radar Brothers, Evangelicals, These New Puritans, Spinto Band, R.E.M., Bon Iver @ SXSW, Austin, TX
3/13/08 Lou Reed, The Alarmists, MC/VL, Jeseca Hoop, DeVotchka, Tapes 'N Tapes, XYZ Affair, Liam Finn @ SXSW, Austin, TX
3/14/08 High Places, Atlas Sound, White Williams, A Place to Bury Strangers, Fuck Buttons, Times New Viking, Cloud Cult, Carbon/Silicon, Basia Bulat, Foreign Born, Vampire Weekend, White Rabbits @ SXSW, Austin, TX
3/15/08 Headlights, Big Ditch Road, Cloud Cult, Kid Dakota, Doomtree @ SXSW, Austin, TX
3/29/08 ARENA Bikini @ Sound Bar
3/31/08 The Hotel Café Tour: Cary Brothers, Ingrid Michaelson, Dan Wilson, Joshua Radin @ The Fine Line
4/3/08 Sea Wolf, Nada Surf @ First Avenue
4/4/08 Jeremy Messersmith, The Wars of 1812 @ The Varsity Theater
4/5/08 Idigaragua / Massgraves @ Bedlam Theater
4/8/08 Cloud Cult @ The Electric Fetus
4/10/08 Birthday Suits, White Denim, Tapes 'N Tapes @ First Avenue
4/10/08 The Hold Steady @ Northrup Auditorium
4/12/08 Idigaragua / Massgraves @ Bedlam Theater
4/13/08 Wars of 1812, Bon Iver @ Turf Club
4/15/08 The Plastic Constellations @ The Electric Fetus
4/18/08 Yeasayer, Man Man @ The Varsity Theater
4/19/08 The Floorbirds, Jayber Crow, Spider John Koerner @ Nomad World Pub
4/26/08 The Forms, Cloud Cult @ First Avenue
5/3/08 Jenny Dalton @ Dakota
5/7/08 Basia Bulat, DeVotchKa @ First Avenue
5/15/08 "I Fought The Law" with The Sweet Colleens, Brad Senne, Eric Lovold, Jeremy Messersmith, The Mad Ripple, Stook!, Koo Koo Kanga Roo & City on the Make @ The Varsity Theater
5/21/08 Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, White Rabbits @ 400 Bar
5/24/08 Snowden @ The Varsity Theater
5/24/08 Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin @ The Entry
5/27/08 A Night in the Box @ The Electric Fetus
5/28/08 Bedlam 7th Annual 10-minute play festival @ Bedlam Theater
5/30/08 Mike Mangione, Jeremy Messersmith, Roma di Luna @ The Entry
6/6/08 Dallas Orbiter (HWTS Anniversary Party) @ Turf Club
6/6/08 Sea Wolf @ The Entry
6/7/08 Chris Koza @ First Avenue
6/7/08 Dragons Power Up, City on the Make @ The 400 Bar
6/8/08 Bitch 'n Brown, Plastic Chord, A Night in the Box @ The Entry
6/10/08 Atmosphere & Brother Ali @ The Electric Fetus
6/12/08 Gogol Bordello @ The Cabooze
6/14/08 Stone Arch Festival of the Arts @ St. Anthony Main
6/15/08 Stone Arch Festival of the Arts @ St. Anthony Main
6/20/08 Farewell Milwaukee, Meg Ashling, Murzik @ Kitty Kat Club
6/24/08 Now Now Every Children, One for the Team, Headlights @ Eclipse Records
6/26/08 The Hopefuls @ Peavey Plaza
6/27/08 Kill the Vultures, P.O.S., Dosh @ First Avenue
6/27/08 Brass Messengers, Eddie Burke & The Consequences @ Candleabra Studio
7/3/08 Tiny Moving Parts, The Battle Royale, We All Have Hooks for Hands @ Minnesota Museum of American Art
7/5/08 Artery 24 @ Soap Factory
7/8/08 The Absent Arch, The Dodos @ Triple Rock
7/9/08 Capitol Jay @ Stevens Square Park
7/10/08 The Bloodsugars @ Nomad World Pub
7/13/08 Kaiser Cartel, Romantica @ Bryant Lake Bowl
7/14/08 Summer Movies & Music in the Park: The Alarmists @ Loring Park
7/20/08 Yer Cronies, The Dutchess & The Duke, Fleet Foxes @ The Entry
7/22/08 The Loved Ones, The Hold Steady @ First Avenue
7/26/08 The XYZ Affair @ The Nomad
7/30/08 Yeasayer @ Urban Outfitters (Yr Free Radio)
7/31/08 Harry & The Potters @ Triple Rock
8/15/08 AA Bondy, Bon Iver @ First Avenue
8/18/08 The Lovers Duo, Rodrigo y Gabriella @ First Avenue
8/21/08 Mighty Fairly, Storyhill @ Minnesota Museum of American Art
8/29/08 Chris Koza, The Alarmists @ The Varsity Theater
9/2/08 Ripple(Effect): Michael Franti, Anti-Flag, Rage Against the Machine (via bullhorn) @ State Capitol Grounds
9/2/08 RNC Hoot: Jim Walsh, Eliza Blue, Billy Bragg, Tom Morello, & Ike Reilly @ The Parkway Theater
9/6/08 Murzik, Jenny Dalton @ The Ritz Theater
9/10/08 Langhorne Slim @ 400 Bar
9/11/08 The Airborne Toxic Event, The Fratellis @ First Avenue
9/16/08 Jeremy Messersmith @ The Electric Fetus
9/20/08 The Alarmists, Heiruspecs, The Roots @ McNally Smith River Rocks Festival
9/20/08 A Story Too Long to Write Down… (Carl), Tenebrism @ The Sound Factory
9/20/08 Mr. Gnome, Scotland Yard Gospel Choir @ The Nomad
9/22/08 Vinegar Tom (Frank Theatre Company) @ The Ritz Theater
9/25/08 Rachael Reis, The Owls, Jeremy Messersmith @ The Varsity Theater
9/30/08 MGMT, Beck @ Roy Wilkins
10/2/08 E.L.nO., Chuck Klosterman @ Triple Rock
10/10/08 AA Bondy, Cold War Kids @ The Fine Line
10/11/08 Frank Fitzgerald, Fleet Foxes @ Cedar Cultural Center
10/14/08 Death Cab for Cutie @ Xcel Energy Center
10/16/08 Future of the Left, Ted Leo @ First Avenue
10/21/08 The Dirtbombs, TV on the Radio @ First Avenue
10/22/08 Dan Israel, Yael Naim @ Cedar Cultural Center
10/23/08 Marvelle, Birdmonster, The Rumble Strips @ The Entry
10/25/08 Of Montreal @ First Avenue
10/25/08 Caroline & the Good Night Sleeps, Frightened Rabbit, Spinto Band @ The Entry
10/29/08 Conor Oberst & the Mystic Valley Band @ First Avenue
11/1/08 Tenacious D @ Roy Wilkins
11/3/08 Alexa's Burlesque @ Bryant Lake Bowl
11/4/08 Shadowlands @ Guthrie
11/8/08 Eagles of Death Metal @ The Electric Fetus
11/8/08 Lookbook, The XYZ Affair, Cecil Otter @ Clapperclaw Festival - Sound Gallery
11/11/08 Tom Morello @ The Electric Fetus
11/16/08 Drive By Truckers, The Hold Steady @ First Avenue
11/20/08 Lamb Lays with Lion: The Little Skelton that Could @ Hexagon
11/21/08 Cloud Cult @ The Whole
11/26/08 The Alarmists, Ike Reilly @ First Avenue
11/28/08 Delta Spirit, Nada Surf @ The Fine Line
12/12/08 Kubla Khan @ Private Party
12/13/08 Dan Wilson @ Pantages Theater
12/20/08 Chris Koza, The Hopefuls @ First Avenue
12/23/08 Chastity Brown, Roma di Luna @ Cedar Cultural Center

Goodbye JPG Magazine... I will miss you

I have Queen running through my head. Of course, it's "Another One Bites the Dust." I am saddened to report that JPG Magazine is shutting their site down and discontinuing the magazine. I'm especially sad because I just finally got a new subscription from C.A.S. for Christmas.

We've spent the last few months trying to make the business behind JPG sustain itself, and we've reached the end of the line. We all deeply believe in everything JPG represents, but we just weren't able to raise the money needed to keep JPG alive in these extraordinary economic times. We sought out buyers, spoke with numerous potential investors, and pitched several last-ditch creative efforts, all without success. As a result, jpgmag.com will shut down on Monday, January 5, 2009.

If you haven't checked out jpgmag.com before, now's your chance. You have two days to soak in its goodness. The print issues I've had are treasured and kept. There's a whole issue on Noir! An issue on live music! An issue on shattered things... and so many more.

Almost 200,000 people logged onto jpgmag.com at some point during their existence, and that's pretty swell. Thousands of amateur and pro photogs together on one site sharing their art. That's going to be gone on Monday, and it makes me a little sick.

Before the bell tolls its last, check out these suggestions from Editor-In-Chief Laura Brunow Miner, and enjoy.

Download the PDFs of back issues, outtakes, and photo challenge selections. We'll always have the memories!

Make note of your favorite photographers. You may want to flip through your favorites list and jot down names and URLs of some of the people you'd like to stay in touch with. You may even want to cut and paste your contacts page into a personal record.

Here's to 2009!

The Cherry on Top ...of 2008

No one really likes making "Top 10" lists, do they? I gave my team the option of making a list for 2008. Top 5, top 10, recommended, etc. and here's what we came up with. You'll notice there's not much overlap, and to me that's a good thing. We like variety. Hopefully you'll find something on these lists you haven't heard yet and can now go check out. It's not rocket science, and it doesn't count for much, but here are CakeIn15 staffer's top picks for the year that was (and is... for another 6 days anyway).

Staciaann

1.The Dodos, Visiter
Ridiculous trash can drums, excellent bleeding-finger guitars, and wonderful songs make this my top album of 2008. No matter how many times I put it on, I'm thrilled by the intricacies and emotion in this album.

2.Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
Fabulous vocals that bring me back to groups like The Tolkens, Four Freshman, and Jan & Dean. An album any age can enjoy. Also a memorable live show with haunting reminders of the past.

3.Frightened Rabbit - Midnight Organ Fight
Continues my love of music from Scotland. Hell, I wrote about these guys back in June of 2007 here too. Since then they've only grown in their song-writing, and 2008 brought their best album yet. Well done boys.

4.Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
You're lying if you say you don't like this album. It's summer wrapped up and rolled into a digital file.

5.Mates of State, Re-Arrange Us
Awesome harmonies from a husband and wife team who've only gotten better as they continue to create music. One of my favorite sing-a-long records of 2008.

6.Cloud Cult - Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-partying Through Tornadoes)
Fucking fantastic new stuff from one of my fav locals. Check out "Journey of the Featherless" or "Story of the Grandson of Jesus " if you don't believe me.

7.Caroline Smith & the Good Night Sleeps, Backyard Tent Set
My best new local music find this year. Old-timey without overdoing it. Every time I've played this at work, someone's picked up the album. No joke. Plus, her live show will pack them in and leave you sighing with pleasure.

8.Jeremy Messersmith - The Silver City
Messersmith again proves he's one of the better singer-songwriters out there. Put that together with super producer Dan Wilson, and you have one hell of an album about Minneapolis.

9.City On the Make - $1,000,000 EP
"Chicks on, chicks on, chicks on bikes" was my anthem for the summer as my girlfriends and I sang it repeatedly biking around the city. Lead poet Mike Massey is as fun to watch as he is to listen to, and with new bionic knees to keep him bouncing, I can't wait for the new material that's promised to come soon.

10.The Mountain Goats - Heretic Pride
Admittedly, John Darnelle has a voice that only a mother could love. Ok, that's not 100% true, but it's close. You either love him or hate him, but you can't touch Darnelle's dark lyrics mixed with lovely guitar rhythms and the driving force of his will.

*Side Note: While I would definitely put Bon Iver into my top 10, I owned the album in 2007, and so can't put it in without feeling strange about doing it. Justin, I love ya, but last year was your year. xo

Dan O.

1.Cloud Cult, Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-partying Through Tornadoes)
Having returned to this album again and again, it's the rare album that never grows old - it always feels like you're listening to it for the third time (the time when you finally decided that you really really liked it.)

2.Of Montreal, Skeletal Lamping
Of Montreal's new album (as I reviewed previously) continues to confound me at times, but I re-visit it almost weekly - It's ambition and scope place it in my Top 10 this year.

3.Vampire Weekend, Vampire Weekend
I wasn't actually sure if this album was released in 2008 - something made me feel as though it had been released earlier, but the back of the CD credits it as a 2008 release, so here it is! The buzz has faded, but it's still an entirely interesting album - reminds me a lot of Paul Simon's Graceland.

4.Grand Archives, The Grand Archives
What first brought me to this album was its Band of Horses side-project status, but it's much much more - One of the most consistent and enjoyable pop albums of the year.

5. R.E.M., Accelerate
As any R.E.M. fan will attest - thank god they're back to making relevant music. So long as it's R.E.M. and even half-way decent, it'll get on my top 10.

6.The Magnetic Fields, Distortion
I have heard murmurings that there are those who didn't enjoy this album, but I find it to be the most listenable Magnetic Fields album yet - made up of equal parts shimmery distortion and odd-shorn lyrics, it's a perfect summer album for a winter morning.

7.Liam Finn, I'll Be Lightning
Son of Neil Finn (Crowded House), Liam's debut album is a sort of Beatles hybrid that occasionally sounds like Elliott Smith. It's raw and pretty at the time. More importantly, I bought it eight months ago and still listen to it - rare longevity for a shot in the dark.

8.Sigur Ros, Med sud I eyrum vid spilum endalaust
Nothing different than before, but still - really frickin' pretty.

9.Dosh, Wolves and Wishes
Andrew Bird didn't release an album in 2008, so I'll toss the orchestral sound-pop tiara to the handsomely bearded Dosh, whose album is always good to wind down to after work with a beer.

10. Spiritualized, Songs in A & E
Written during and after a death-defying bout with pneumonia, this album is a great for late nights and headphones - makes you feel happy to be alive.

Alexa

The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound
Chuck Ragan - Feast or Famine
I realize this came out in '07 but I didn't discover it until '08, have listened the sh*t out of it, so IT'S '08 FOR ME!
Langhorne Slim - Langhorne Slim
Parts & Labor - Receivers
Alejandro Escovedo - Real Animal

c.a.s.
(In no particular order)

TV on the Radio, Dear Science
Sonically, I still hold that Return to Cookie Mountain is a better disc, and if you think "Wolf Like Me" isn't dance track, then you're not trying hard enough. But Dear Science does for dance-pop what OK Computer did for rock and roll- inverted, electrified and re-invigorated it. Give it up for the band with the big ideas and the adventuresome spirit to follow. Live review here.

The Hold Steady, Stay Positive
We will, and we get jams that, even though they leave our fair state and Craig Finn's familiar stomping ground, just get bigger and more brash. "Lord I'm Discouraged" is "How a Resurrection Really Feels" told from the other guy's perspective, and that's a great way to grow up without losing your edge. Bonus points for dirty jokes and double necked guitars. Live review here.

City On the Make, $1,000,000 EP
It's easy to fall for chicks on bikes, as the grinding opening jam proved this summer. But it's even better when we get into the disc- it is a million bucks, one hundred percent, and when he wails "Poor Mike Massey's got eyes for your daughter" and Mischa Kegan tears the licks down behind him, it might as well be a lament for Savannah girls in their Nehi skirts walkin' walkin' walkin' down the block. Ain't they got no respect? Live review here.

Jeremy Messersmith, The Silver City
An exquisite journey through the the pop sounds of days of yore, deftly produced by Dan Wilson. It twinkles and shimmers, the starlight sharper for the darker underpinnings of Messersmith's razor-sharp storytelling. This is a great disc to give to people when they ask you where you live and what it's like. Interview here.

Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit, A Larum
An out-of-left field surprise for me that has become one of my most-listened-to discs this year. Comforting Irish vox, pop-folk with some rock heft and strings, writing that is both sharp, funny and poignant. From "The Wrote & the Writ": "They're taking pictures of the man from God/let's hope his cassock's clean./The burden of being a holy fellow/is your halo better gleam, better gleam." Kick up your heels and reel in your friends.

Kristoff Krane, This Will Work For Now
The earnestness, the fierce drive to make art work for the artists, to make it function, the need to make it and survive. This disc burns with it. Sometimes it over-extends, but it is always true to the artist as necessary creator- the disc runs from braggadocio to doubt and sincerity. And radio-friendly tunes like "Paul Still Loves His Daughter" and "Miracle" are the stuff of silver screen soundtracks. Review here.

Cecil Otter, Rebel Yellow
The poised counterpoint to Krane's manic spin, this disc is just-as-if-not-more dark, introspective and driven. In a banner year for Doomtree, Cecil's produced and written some of the most professional, honest and polished material. Plus, he played the Clapperclaw Festival. So he's the shit.

The Dodos, Visiter
From start to finish, this is one of those records that long-play vinyl was made for. The manic drumming that keeps the base shifting, bending folk guitars layered on top of eachother to make them San Francisco punk, the duo of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber work their asses off to make one of the fastest moving, most satisfyingly layered discs of the year. Live review here.

Fleet Foxes, Fleet Foxes
It is one of the continuing miracles of music that it always comes back around. Is it because of the moon, or the connection to orbiting planets? Or because sound is a wave, a sine and cosine along an axis that form perfect circles, whole, enveloping, harmonizing, sustaining circles? With the debut Sun Giant EP and the self-titled LP release in the same year, the Pacific Northwest bellows with beauty again.

Buena Vista Social Club, Buena Vista Social Club at Carnegie Hall
Nonesuch Records sent me back to my first concert with this disc, to a moment when the world opened up to pulsing sound, unstoppable rhythm and pure joy. I think that every other concert-going experience is measured by that yard-stick for me, and it's a tall order. When something measures up, it's worth it. These records and the concerts given by these performers this year (among others) have made it a great 2008. Thank you.

Plus: These Singles Rock
Esau Mwamwaya, "Tengazako"- I defy you not to dance, I defy you to not believe in the power of globalization.
Blitzen Trapper, "Furr"- Turns stock animal noises into proto-mythical creation stories, makes you sing along.
Vampire Weekend, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa"- "Do you want to fuck/like I know you do?" I do.
Atmosphere, "You"- Performed on Letterman wearing an Obama shirt, mid-July. Bless.
Diplo, "Reckoner Remix"- Breaks it all apart, bends in Beirut, kicks it to the dancefloor. Thom Yorke should be proud.
Santogold, "L.E.S. Artistes"- Watch it, Santogold is out there and she is coming for your ass.
Plastic Chord, "Thang Goin' On"- A live staple put down for the groove-bustin' record.
Cloud Cult, "The Grandson of Jesus"- Because you could be one of those billion saviors.
Mates of State, "The Re-Arranger"- For you and your lover to mix it up and get down, indie-rock style.
The Black Keys, "Psychotic Girl"- Buzzing like the underwater universe of your broken head.
MGMT, "Time To Pretend"- Distills the hubris of youth to it's ebullient core.
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, "Buriedfed"- He's said if he had had his success at 19 instead of at 25, he'd be dead. It's good to be alive.

Elllvvviiissss!!!

Yesss!! Finally! My lengthy period of antsy-pants waiting will soon cease. Thank you, thank you Mr. Perkins. I am indebted to you for the happiness washing over me at this moment. Come by Minneapolis soon, won't you?

Songs to stream:
"Shampoo"
"Send My Fond Regards to Lonelyville"
"Doomsday" (the rollickin' way he performs it live).

Check out streams of NEW SONGS by Elvis Perkins here!!

**********
In other Rumorville news,Cin15 favs City on the Make are gonna be back in studio sooner rather than later. Gosh, lotsa good news today!

I'm Hopeful

2008 may be marked to go down in history for many reasons, but let's not forget those important in the local music world. One such event to remember is the release of "Now Playing at the One-Seat Theatre" by pop favorites The Hopefuls. Their last album, "The Fuses Refuse to Burn" spun relentlessly in my car and home CD players for months on end. You could see me anytime on the street humming to "Pretty Bigmouth" or "Holiday." I couldn't help it. It was my crack.

This new album merges old with new, as long-time audience favorites like "On the Edge" and "Idaho" finally become imprinted in a physical format. We can take it home with us instead of just trying to hum the tunes in our heads. New songs like "Virgin Wood" and "Stacey" (yeah, they must've misspelled it... what's with the 'e' guys?) will also give you an earworm you might not be able to get rid of. I can tell you though that the band is already working on album number three, so the wait can't be nearly as painful and long as the last.
You'll get your chance to see The Hopefuls this Saturday (hey, that's tomorrow!) at First Avenue for the band's CD release show. Doors are at 6pm and One for the Team and Chris Koza open. You can pick up tickets at The Electric Fetus or the door. See you there! Oh, and for those who wonder, I have it on good authority that Rupert will be hanging out too.

Dance Band's Holiday Shakedown!

Everyone's favorite booty-shakin' Minneapolitans are generously giving away FREE holiday tracks to celebrate the season. The tracks are the product of an alum, The Perfect Beat, who moved to Duluth for a job earlier this year. Our thanks to The Perfect Beat and everyone in Dance Band for the killer tracks. Now go shake some ass!

Get it here.

The Alarmists Hit the Studio

Check out this update from Tony Najm, bass player for local Minneapolis band The Alarmists:

Hello Everyone, it has been a while since we last chatted. We hope you've all recovered from Thanksgiving week, and being back at work isn't wearing you down too much. A lot has happened in Alarmists camp since we last spoke. Back in August, we were still looking for a producer, a studio to record in and all that stuff that comes with making a new record.

Through the powers of the internet we met Producer extraordinaire Andrew Lynch. Andrew expressed interest in working with us, and we were dumbfounded since his catalog includes producing the latest Earlimart record 'Hymn & Her'. So that was a pretty easy choice as we're all HUGE fans of Earlimart, and you should be too. As for what studio to record in? We contacted our longtime trusty friend Producer/Engineer Adam Krinsky, and he said 'you should definitely head straight down to Flyte Tyme, and grab a case of beers on your way.' As some of you may know Flyte Tyme has now become the great Masters Recording Institute, and it's where hundreds of pop records from the likes of Janet Jackson, Usher, Mariah Carey, and even Michael Jackson were made.

So into the Studio we headed for 10 days, we got all the music done on 12 FRESH tracks as they say :) The new record should be out early summer, a lot more updates and pictures will be coming your way. Thanks for reading.

Love,
The Alarmists

Please enjoy a slideshow of photos I took over a series of three days in studio with the boys. After hearing the few tracks I was privileged enough to be in the studio for, I can honestly say I can't wait for the new album. Enjoy!

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Music at the Walker Art Center

The Walker just sent out their monthly music email, which included details for shows this spring. Shows start at 8pm and vary in cost. The Dean & Britta performance, slated for February 28, looks the most interesting, as it accompanies silent film portraits shot by Andy Warhol.

Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips
February 28
Singer/guitarist /composer Dean Wareham (formerly of Galaxie 500 and Luna) was commissioned by The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh to compose music to accompany some of Warhol’s rarely seen silent-film portraits, which the artist called Screen Tests. These extraordinary documents of the 1960s New York art scene constitute a voluminous portrait gallery of well-known celebrities, Factory superstars, and anonymous teenagers. Wareham’s wistful tenor and languorous songs and Britta Phillips’ dreamy harmonies make the perfect live sound track for Warhol’s technically simple yet transfixing films.

Preshow celebrity-portrait gallery tour at 7 pm (free with event ticket).

Dirty Projectors
March 6
Premiering music from his upcoming CD.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy
March 19

Get tickets and more information on the performances here.

Feelin' Crafty?

The No Coast Craft-o-Rama is a craft event that began in December 2005 as a way to feature a variety of designers, artists, crafters and other talented creators of unique handmade goods. It's a great way to support local artists and get some great holiday gifts!

It’s coming up on December 5th (3 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and 6th (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Midtown Global Exchange building.

Some of my favorite vendors participating in the sale include poster god Adam Turman, Owly Shadow Puppets (I have the Yetti), and i like you minneapolis.

A full list of vendors is available here. Let the shopping begin!

Alone for Thanksgiving? Not going home?

First Ave has you covered...

Contest: Win Tickets to see O'Death & Lucy Michelle at the Entry!

O'Death, Drakkar Sauna, and Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles play the 7th Street entry on Monday, November 10th.

Cake In 15 is happy to offer 2 pairs of tickets to the show! Just email CakeIn15@gmail.com by noon on Monday for your chance to win. Winners will be notified by email by 2pm on Monday.

Woot!

CLAPPERCLAW is this Saturday!

Yes, it is shameless self promotion. Yes, we've been putting together a crazy mix of Arts, Fashion, Film and Music. And yes, it's gonna be the best party in town.

www.clapperclawfestival.com!

Not Much Else To Say...

...except WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cake Crumbs... Bits of the D

Tonight one member of Cake in 15 was lucky enough to score a ticket to the Get Out the Vote tour at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul. Because we had other plans tonight, we went purely for "the D." Tenacious D, that is. Jack Black and Kyle Gass rocked the house by basically catering to the crowd's desire to hear the most popular tracks from The D's self-titled album. I was running late, I'll admit, so I walked in to "Wonderboy," which made me so very happy. I have a huge closet love of that D album, and I was excited to see it being performed live in front of me.

"Wonderboy"

Of course, it's not Tenacious D without some potential offense, so I hope you're offended with this bit of "Fuck Her Gently." heh.

"Fuck Her Gently"


Overall I found the guys to be amazing live. Just as expected, they put all their energy into their performance. The vocals were clear, the guitars were rockin' and the audience was going nuts. I wish there'd been more, but they ended with probably their biggest and oldest song, "Tribute." Ahhh happy, happy me.

Minneapolis Artists for Obama

My boyfriend, c.a.s., introduced me to the Scanner blog a while ago and I read it every day. About a week ago the females at Scanner decided to remake a great Joan Baez poster created during the last draft. I really liked it, and posted the remake as my Facebook photo - tagging three of my girlfriends as the other three women. Little did I know that it would be picked up by a local online media source and posted... tagging myself and my three friends (the Gossip Girls) as the pretty faces. Oops.

As a result of the oops, and just really enjoying what the photo stood for, my friends and I decided to do it up Minneapolis style. What you see above is the Minneapolis version of the original Baez photo, skewed to reflect our position on the upcoming election. Pictured are Andrea Swensson, Alexa Jones, and Stacy Schwartz. Please feel free to repost and spread the word - but most importantly, don't forget to vote on Tuesday, November 4th.

Click here for the original Scanner post and Baez/Scanner photos.

Amazing.

Idolator just posted this, and it's awesome enough that I have to as well.



Awesome election version of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like." These kids rock.

Of Montreal Shakes Up First Avenue

Of Montreal is well known for their outlandish stage shows, and their latest at First Avenue definitely fit that description. First Ave's stage was extended about 10 feet into the pit and the barrier was an additional 3 - 4 feet back from that, taking up half the available floor space for the crowd. It makes sense that First Ave pulled the tickets from their outlets early as a result.

Kids in wings, kids in makeup, kids with multicolored hair - they were all there. All bouncing, screaming, and reaching for the man. The one and only Kevin Barnes. The lead singer and face of the band, he's been getting a lot of love and attention lately. Both Rolling Stone and Paste Magazine had big feature stories this month and Of Montreal just released their new album Skeletal Lamping. In other words, the band's been busy.

The show began with gold Buddhas, but included skeletons, people dressed as animals, mythical beasts, warpaint, shaving cream, and a whole lot of feathers. Over the top? Maybe, but if any of these things would've been missing, it wouldn't have been an Of Montreal show. It was an amazing dance fest that included songs from various albums and had the crowd screaming along to every word. The band ended on a high note too; Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." It was incredibly fun, and all you have to do is check out the slide show below to get a taste of the insanity. Set list after the jump:


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Click here for Set List

Set List:
Intro
Id Engager
So Begins Our Alabee
Triphallus, to Punctuate!
She's a Rejecter
For Our Elegant Caste
Touched Something's Hollow
An Eluardian Instance
Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse
Gallery Piece
Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games
Women's Studies Victims
St. Exquisite's Confessions
Eros' Entropic Tundra (Sad Love)
Nonpareil of Wisdom
October is Eternal
Wicked Wisdom
Disconnect the Dots
Knight Rider
And I've Seen a Bloody Shadow
Plastis Wafer
Beware Our Nubile Miscreants
Mingusings
Konsvinger

ENCORE
(Anyone keep track of the first two encore songs?)
Smells Like Teen Spirit (Nirvana Cover)

Coming Soon to the Fetus...

Oct. 28 - Listening party for The Cure's new album 4:13 Dream
Free pizza! 7pm

Nov. 8 - Eagles of Death Metal in-store, Time 3pm

Nov. 11 - Tom Morello in-store, 6pm