ZOÉ en concierto - Unplugged @ First Avenue!

I can't believe that ZOÉ one of my favorite bands out of Mexico is coming to town. I've only being following them for a few years but I've been amazed by their 15+ year old catalog of amazing Rock/Pop en Español. They bring their critically acclaimed MTV Unplugged show to our favorite venue First Avenue on Sunday, August 14.
This is a highly recommended show!

Here's the track "Nada" with Enrique Bunbury


and here's my favorite track from their MTV Unplugged show called "Soñé"

TAME IMPALA ! ! ! from Australia with love.

Psych-groovy rock beast from the land down under Tame Impala is visiting the twin cities and I can not be any more excited to get a taste of their sonic explorations into the human psyche. Their album Innespeaker takes us through a trip in the psychedelic calmness of a Pink Floyd album with the bravado of a Zepellin tune...awesome vocals and guitar arrangements make this band a MinneScene favorite.
They'll be playing the 7 St Entry @ First Avenue this Saturday November 27th with STARDEATH & THE WHITE DWARFS and KUROMA.

Yourstru.ly Presents: Tame Impala (1 of 2) from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Yourstru.ly Presents: Tame Impala (2 of 2) from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

M.anifest's New Video!

Ghanaian native and local Hip-Hop artist M.anifest released his new video for the song Coming To America. I love the fact that our beautiful city of Minneapolis acts as the backdrop to this great story told by the skilled MC.

Check out his website manifestmc.com and follow him on twitter @manifestive for more info on this rising start of the twin cities Hip-Hop scene.

Red Pens CD Release Show

One of the new faces in Minneapolis indie punk rock scene RED PENS will be releasing their new CD "LIMITATIONS" a 6 song EP on November 2nd, 2010.
Howard W. Hamilton's raw distorted guitar sounds and melodic voice are a great compliment to Laura F. Bennet's complex and colorful drumming. This band delivers sound so big you wouldn't expect it from a two piece band.

Saturday, November 6
7th Street Entry / 9:00 pm / 18+

Opening the show will be ZOMBIE SEASON and FAUNA

Here's the Album info:

Limitations EP

1. limitations

2. good luck charm

3. far off

4. taco cha cha

5. i want more more

6. melted filmstrip

Gorillaz @ Target Center this sunday!

Gorillaz the cartoon musical project created in 1998 by British musician Damon Albarn and British cartoonist Jamie Hewlett is coming to town to play The Target Center this Sunday, October 17th, 2010.

The touring band, which includes members of The Clash Paul Simonon and Mick Jones will also feature some of the artists found on Plastic Beach, their third studio album. Among them Snoop Dogg, Lou Reed, Mos Def, Bobby Womack, Gruff Rhys, Mark E. Smith, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, Kano, Bashy, De La Soul, Little Dragon, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, sinfonia ViVA, and The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music.

Opening for them will be Pharrel's band N.E.R.D.

PRINCE winter tour announcement!

His MPLS highness the one and only Prince, has announced a series of shows where he'll be the master of ceremonies. The press conference was held at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem NY. As with any and all things Prince related very few details were released other than the artists featured on the string of shows set to start "on a purple day in December of the year 2010."
The list of acts include Janelle Monae, the legendary Maceo Parker, Mint Condition, Esperanza Spalding and Graham Central Station.

Here's a little clip of the press conference from The New York Post
 

Retribution Gospel Choir @ Triple Rock

Retribution Gospel Choir will be performing live this Thursday September 23rd at The Triple Rock.
One of my favorite local rock bands. Alan Sparhawk on guitar and vocals, Steve Garrington on bass and Eric Pollard on drums and vocals. I love Alan's guitar sound and mastery paired with his amazing vocals and unique style...really enjoy his trance-like state when he's deep in song.
Definitely a show all local indie rock fans will enjoy!

Here's a video from a recent performance released by subpop records.

LOOKBOOK - RIP

Definitely saddened by the end of Maggie Morrison and Grant Cutler's collaboration Lookbook. Just wanted to share some of my favorite videos from one of my favorite bands from MPLS.
I really love their first LP release Wild At Heart [buy here], by far some of the best dance songs from any band in the local scene. I was looking forward to some of the reworked and new unreleased songs that they had started to perform live.

We live in times where those who blink miss a whole lot. I hope you were there when they were creating beautiful moments...I'm looking forward to what the future holds for Maggie & Grant.

..."and in the end, its never wrong

because who you love is where you are

i cut it close to let it out

my heart is full of this rage and this fear of doubt

over and over

these lovers they quarrel 

you sink 'til you swim

it gets weaker with torture"

(Lyrics from: Over And Over)

The Only Ones [live at 89.3 The Current Studios]


True To Form [live at Sauce 12/4/09]

FLYING LOTUS & KODE9 Live in MPLS!

Flying Lotus my favorite electronic music producer, Thom Yorke collaborator, and definitely the "Jimmy Hendrix of this generation" (According to BBC's Mary Anne Hobbs) is coming to play Minneapolis at The Loft - Barfly on Saturday April 3rd 2010.

He is definitely at the forefront of electronic music these days having already produced a vast amount of solo works and collaborations with other artist as part of the California based Braifeeder crew. His sound is hard to describe but he definitely taps into that universal out of space shit your ears have never been trained to experience and mixes it seamlessly with Hip-Hop beats, great guest voices, and jazzy bass lines. Needless to say, this show you must experience!

Here's a little clip about the man behind the project [including a bit about his aunt Jazz Legend Alice Coltrane] on XLR8R TV.


Check out this new song from the upcoming Cosmogramma featuring vocals by Thom Yorke.

Flying Lotus - …And The World Laughs With You (feat. Thom Yorke) (2010)

For info on Kode9 go to myspace.com/kode9

Here's a little lo-fi video from the live set at The Loft...

DJ VADIM & BASSNECTAR @ Varsity Theater 4/1/10

My man DJ Vadim and The Electric Band will be visiting The Twin Cities again for their 2010 US tour. This time he'll be sharing the stage with none other than Bassnectar one of the best electronic music DJ's out of San Francisco, CA. This is a sold out show!!! so if you want to get in ask me nicely and I'll see what I can do ;-)




Listen to a preview of Bassnectar's new album TIMESTRETCH here:

New Gil Scott-Heron Album! [show update]

Gil Scott-Heron's show was rescheduled! He will be performing at 7pm and 930pm at The Dakota Jazz Club on Wednesday April 14th 2010.

Really Impressed with I'm New Here the new record by Gil Scott-Heron recently released by XL. Listen to the whole album here!

The revolution will not be televised!


Watch his awesome new video [Video directed by Coodie & Chike and Michael Sterling Eaton]

Gil Scott-Heron - "Me And The Devil"