Monday, October 31, 2005

2 Show Friday Night

Friday night started off with myself being in a little bit of hell. I went to the Quest to see Six Six Crush in the Ascot Room. After wanting to murder four different Quest employees before even making it in the room, I had to go through the main room to get to the Ascot. Yeah whatever shitty Quest for Mayhem band was on at that time was playing a Bon Jovi cover. Like I said, HELL. As soon as Six Six Crush finished I bolted for the door. Despite a stellar performance by one of my favorite locals, I needed to get the fuck out of there. Heading toward the exit sign someone at the Quest of course had to stop and ask me if I was leaving. No I though exit mean bathroom.

Then I headed over to the Urban Wildlife for Hot Rod Hearse and members of the Squabs. Always good to go to a free show with $2 PBR tallboys. Missed quite a bit of the Squab boys set but I've always enjoyed their music. Hot Rod Hearse as usual played a very strong set. The boys put all they've got into that music and their performance shows it. If you're at all into Rockabilly and you haven't checked out this band, there's something wrong.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Sir Paul

Last night I went to see Paul McCartney with my Dad. My Dad is a huge Beatles fan and dished out $250 a piece for our tickets, I knew this meant a lot to him. He showed up in his Beatles shirt and was singing before we even left for the concert.

Being that he is so into this band, it is the music that I was raised with. Every Sunday morning we listened to Beatles albums, and the Beatle Brunch as he made breakfast, read the newspaper and spent the day just as he pleased often times pulling out a guitar to jam along. It was very cool to see him in his element dancing and singing along to songs that I've been hearing all my life. His eyes lit up and he shouted "Magical Mystery Tour" as the first chords of the evening came roaring out into the packed crowd.

We heard lots of Beatles songs including Blackbird, Drive My Car, Please Please Me, She Came in Through the Bathroom Window, Good Day Sunshine, Back In The U.S.S.R., The Long and Winding Road, I'll Follow The Sun, Eleanor Rigby, Penny Lane, Yesterday, Let It Be, Hey Jude and Helter Skelter.

Though I'm not a Wings fan Maybe I'm Amazed and Band On The Run got a great response from the crowd despite the fairly stand still approach that was taken during most of the show. Live and Let Die of course had the pyrotechnics of a Kiss show with large booming balls of fire followed by streams of blue, green and orange colored flames.

His backing band was pretty good, nothing really too impressive but that didn't matter. Paul mixed things up with rockers, solo acoustic numbers and piano driven songs. His voice still sounded great which was such an added bonus when hearing these songs.

While it's not a concert I would pay $250 to attend I was happy to be able to share the music and the show with my Dad who probably had one of the best nights he's had in years. Was very nice to see his excitement.

Jonathan Richman/Vic Chesnutt

Tuesday night was Jonathan Richman and Vic Chesnutt at the Turf Club.

Vic opened up the show and I think he's a pretty talented songwriter. He's in a wheel chair and has limited use of his right hand and uses a thumb pick. But he's got a voice that is very cool in that deep yet a perfect hint of nasal that not many people can pull off. I need to spend more time taking in the lyrics to his songs and the music overall. I was really digging one of his final songs that talked about saving a woman from a man that beat her and being her hero, which is not what she wanted. If anyone knows the proper name to this song please let me know.

Jonathan despite having some laryngitis put on a strong performance. His songs are very fun and I love his guitar playing. He is a very animated person that can always put a smile on his face. To me his eyes look sad and then he smiles and it just makes me giggle. An all around entertainer who knowingly couldn't keep his voice up so he danced and really got the audience into it. Very fun set at a great club.

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Soul Asylum

Last night Soul Asylum was supposed to play the 7th St Entry which I was looking forward to so much. Well there were PA problems and the set got moved over to the First Ave Mainroom. It was still a very good show but I was really looking forward to seeing those guys with Tommy Stinson on the Entry stage. They let more people into the show for the mainroom, some free and some paid $12. But the crowd was not as moving as I thought they would have been in the Entry.

Tommy on bass and Michael Bland on drums helped create a huge sound at the show. Dan Murphy was in top notch form and was very focused throughout the set. Dave sounded very good and was having a great time rockin out with Tommy. His chant of "Karl, Karl, Karl" at one point seemed a bit cheesy but you know the guys are going through hard times. The sound came out strong on songs like Bittersweat Heart, Somebody To Shove, and Just Like Anyone. Other strong points were the cover of Summer of Drugs, Cartoon and Closer to the Stars. Their new songs came out loud and rockin and I'm really looking forward to their next release.

Bible Of The Devil back at Big V's

Bible of the Devil (from Chicago) at Big V's. Really cool metal rock with a great stage presence and a fast quick guitar sound. I missed the first band and the second was a singer/songwriter guy from NYC named Mishka Sobalis (not sure on the spelling of the last name). He had depressing songs that he tried to make you laugh with. There were some good lines like "my love is as big as the titanic, is that an iceberg between your thighs."

There was a lot going on in Mpls that night so it meant very few people at the show. Which is sad cause Bible of the Devil rocks. Was cool to chat with the guys afterwards as well as they had just gotten back from Europe. I wouldn't mind checking them out in Chicago sometime.

Who?

Why Six Six Crush of course:

Six Six Crush at the Urban Wildlife. The Urban Wildlife has closed their stage side for reconstruction or some other reason so the band just plays in the corner of this bar. And its a small corner, but the sound has been improving, its free and there's $2 PBR tallboys. Throw Six Six Crush into that mix and its a very wonderful evening in my books. The band was the only one playing so they did two sets. They played a lot more songs than usual which was awesome. Because they're in the window corner on 4th St downtown there were some people rockin out outside while they were smoking. And we got some great looks from the goth crowd coming from the HIM concert down the street at the Quest. Also due to this lighting was briefly provided by the mpls pd who stopped a car that was going the wrong way down 4th. The extended jam during Evil Gobblins ended the night very well.

Friday, October 14, 2005

Zeke/Nashville Pussy

Saw this duo at the 400 Bar last night. Zeke of course was on. Fast metal meets 70s rock. Sure they've slowed down a tiny bit since quitting the Speed but still a rockin show. There was a pretty good size contingent there to just see them (I was one of them).

Nashville Pussy was pretty disappointing. I had never seen this band before but from my friends accounts, they're missing their fire breathing bass player. They replaced her with someone with no personality that got the job because she's a chick. All the band had was their schtick and it ain't there anymore. Ruyter is pretty good at what she does and was at least working for stage presence. We left after about 5 or 6 songs.

Because we left early we still had time to run over to the Triple Rock for the Rank Strangers. Always like checking out the Rank Strangers great rock sound with the perfect hint of pop. Wasn't too many people in attendance lost night which wasn't an issue for me. Always love a night when I can catch two shows, especially two so different in style.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Sound of Urchins

Sunday night my friends band supported the Sound of Urchins show at the Entry. Opening the show was a band called Demolition Factor. Pretty standard punk in the Ramones style, which was ok. Six Six Crush was the second band and as always put on a stellar performance, kicking ass on the Entry stage. I herad them described as ZZ Top meets Black Flag, which does work.

Sound of Urchins is a band that consists of members of the Moist Boyz (One of the Ween brothers side project) and they hail from NY. The set started out kind of rockin but couldn't really keep my attention. They seemed to have way too many songs where the singer/drummer started out with this rowdy countdown that would make you think the song would rip and it didn't. So yeah, didn't even finish the set. Liked the vocals though. Check em out, make your own decision.

Monday, October 03, 2005

Drinking, Once Again

Yet another spectacular taping of Drinking With Ian in the Entry on Sunday.

Interviewed was former Low bassist Zak Sally, who now is in the comic book business, Paul F. Tompkins of the Mr. Show fame and Gerard of Rifle Sport who is a cook at the Bakery on Grand. He made Poutine, which was the first time I've ever tried. Pretty good snack for canadian junk food.

The music was more than awesome. It started out with a set by Maps of Norway, a band I rarely miss. It was probably the best set I've seen them do yet. Very strong female vocalist over a joy division influenced rock. Not as dark and slow as joy division but you definitely tell that the songwriter digs them.

Die Electric and Thunder In The Valley also put on the strongest sets I've seen from them as of late. Die Electric is a rock band with a punk nature. They played their asses of last night. Thunder In The Valley has a sort of new wave/punk/garage sound to them and have seemed to move more towards the straight rock ethic. Only second time I've seen that band and I'll definitely be trying to make more shows.

One of the added bonuses of being in the Entry last night was the surprise set we got. In the mainroom Against Me, The Soviettes, The Epoxies and Smoke or Fire played. I missed the show being that I was at the taping. Well one of the guys that puts on the show knows the key board player from the Epoxies. At about 12:30 the Epoxies carted their gear into the Entry and rocked the crowd that was down to about 30 or 40 at that point. Complete with fog machine, white lights and guitar lazers this band ruled the Entry.

Talked to Fritz afterwards a bit and thanked them for the extra set. Saw some kid ask him to spit beer in his face, which he obliged.

Very rockin evening that included 4 free shots, and here and only here could I be rockin out to Die Electric while eating Poutine!

Grudge Match!

Friday nights festivities featured a "Grudge Match" between the Mighty Mofos and Kruddler. Advertised as Loser Leaves Town. Going into this everyone, including Kruddler knew the Mighty Mofos were going to hand them their ass on a silver platter. As much as I enjoy a Kruddler show, there is no one, that can out perform the Mofos. And they were in top form on Friday night. There was pretty much nothing of a crowd which is odd being that its the Mighty Mofos but I guess there was not much advertising for the show. This was a show of all shows, rocking guitars, bloody lead singers and dancing provided by me. Can never express my complete love for this band. Hope to never miss a show of theirs. Great guys who chatted with a friend and I afterwards as well. Being the dork that I am, I took a flyer, a set list and a pic that Ernie tossed my way. If there is anyone in Mpls that has not seen the Batson Brothers perform, do something about it, soon.

Austin City Limits Festival

When I saw the Roky Erickson was playing the Austin City Limits Festival, I knew I had to go. I found a friend in Dallas that was going with a couple of other people and booked my flight and festival ticket. I had planned on flying into Dallas and then riding with my friend to Austin as the ticket was much cheaper. So the day before I'm supposed to leave we get a call that our hotel reservations have been canceled due to hurricane Katrina evacuees. There was available in a 2 hour radius because of the Galveston and Houston evacuees as well. So pretty much everyone canceled. And I couldn't get to Austin without my friend in Dallas. So I was bummed to say the least, canceled my flight and everything. At about 1pm on Friday I got an email from the friend in Dallas that said, if you can get down here tonight I found us a place to crash. I was on a plane at 4:45 and heading to Dallas which cost me an extra $140. We drove to Austin from Dallas on Saturday morning and spent all day in 101 degree weather. But when Roky went on it was all worth it. The set was great, his voice has really held up and you can tell he was really into the show. The backing band the Explosives were very stellar with a set list that included Don't Shake Me Lucifer, You're Gonna Miss Me, Two-Headed Dog, I Walked With A Zombie, Bermuda, The Beast, Starry Eyes, Splash 1, White Faces and Creature With The Atom Brain.

I made two days of the festival so yes I did see other bands. Bob Mould's band was another highlight for me. He seemed in such a great mood and the band was tight and quick. The addition of Brendan Canty on the drums was a strong move. The guy just rocks. The Husker and Sugar songs came off really well and his newer stuff sounds a lot better live.

Other acts I saw:

Kacy Crowley
Split Lip Rayfield
Mike Doughty
Built To Spill
The Frames
The Walkemen
Ambulance LTD
Eisley
Doves
Arcade Fire
Dave Alvin and the Guiltymen (Another highlight, such a great guitarist)
Wilco