MUSIC REVIEW | Rock icons KISS and Def Leppard invade the Target Center

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Last night’s KISS and Def Leppard show at the Target Center was, on paper, a little slice of rock-and-roll heaven for the “clap your hands, pump your fist” crowd. Combining the power of an 80s arena icon and a recent hall of fame inductee should have been a surefire hit, but unfortunately only one of those two icons managed to deliver.The show was opened by The Dead Daisies, a rock outfit out of Sydney, Australia which is fronted by Jon Stevens, likely best known for replacing Michael Hutchence as leader singer of INXS after Hutchence’s death. Stevens and company didn’t have much of an opportunity to take advantage of the sort of exposure that would come from opening for a show of this calibre, as their set was both brief and sparsely attended. While The Dead Daisies played, the merch booths were jam packed with KISS and Def Leppard fans, and the arena itself was probably only filled to half capacity if that. This was probably for the best, as The Dead Daisies’ set started to blend together in short order, firing off a modern rock sound that maybe had nuances that an outsider couldn’t appreciate but really just sounded like one long and monotonous tune.Def Leppard finally kicked off the real show (sorry, Daisies) following a very long intermission, powering in with a quick bit of The Who and blasting right into their setlist… and a whole mess of problems.This is where a very obscure experience may come in handy for folks who have had it… have you ever played Rock Band? Continue Reading

MUSIC PHOTOS | Ziggy Marley at the Weesner Family Amphitheater

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The 2014 Music in the Zoo Series is winding down with some of the strongest acts of the Season. A diverse and fun audience packed the venue to jam along with Ziggy Marley on a perfect night for outdoor music Tuesday, August 12th. Minneapolis Reggae artist Young Ry started out the evening with an exceptional set that nicely complemented Marley. Make sure you don’t let this summer pass you by without catching some great entertainment in this extraordinary outdoor setting. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Rod Stewart and Carlos Santana combine forces at the Xcel Energy Center

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The first word that springs to mind when trying to describe last night’s Rod Stewart/Santana concert at the Xcel Energy Center is simply “old.”Yes. “Old.”Note that this is not necessarily a value judgment so much as a statement of fact. This was no gathering of the young and the beautiful. This was a gathering of a very specific group of aging people, a group which caused the gentleman behind me to exclaim “I’m 48 years old, and I’ve never seen so much gray hair in my life.” This show was by old people, for old people, and it was this lot (with an odd assortment of youthful faces peppered through the crowd like streaks of color in a graying mane) that danced energetically to every beat and loudly sang along with every family tune. These were the people who had followed Rod Stewart and Santana through the course of their career, and never gave up the love for the music, and this devotion brought the lot of them to the show last night.On the surface, the mix of Rod Stewart and Santana seems like an odd one. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | The Cult at Mill City Nights

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When British band The Cult first started getting noticed in the mid-80s, most people in America were either listening to synth-pop or hair metal bands. Their original sound having Goth and psychedelic influences fit somewhere in between these styles, but surprisingly attracted listeners from both sides. Greater success came as they further developed into a hard rock band who although was off and on over that last three decades, has managed to produced 9 studio albums full of worthy material.It has been a year since The Cult last performed in Minneapolis and Mill City Nights proved to be a great fit for their August 5th return. The experienced rockers chose the steady pounding beat of “Rain” as a solid show opener, assuring the good sized audience they were about to get what they came for. Looking the part in sunglasses and a black leather jacket, dynamic front man Ian Astbury demonstrated his off the charts vocal ability while giving his tambourine a good thrashing. Continue Reading

MUSIC PHOTOS | BoDeans at the Weesner Family Amphitheater

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It was another great night of Music In the Zoo July 25th as fans packed the amphitheater for a longtime Minnesota favorite the BoDeans from our neighboring State of Wisconsin. Out in support of new material due out this year, they put on the usual great live performance they are known for. The buzzworthy hometown American Scarecrows kicked off the evening with material from their newly released album Yesteryear. 
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2014 Warped Tour photos

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I look forward to Van’s Warped Tour every year and once again it was a blast. A common perception is that all the bands play the same sounding music, but in fact there is a wide range of styles in the lineup. In addition to various forms of Rock, Metal and Punk; there is an ever growing influx of R&B, Hip Hop and acoustic performance. It’s a great place to see some of your favorite artists with an exceptional opportunity to sample a bunch of new music.This year, Van’s Warped Tour returned to Canterbury Park on July 20. Of the impressive number of bands on 8 stages, the following is a list of some of the bands in our gallery:We Are the In CrowdPlague VendorMarmozetsThe Devil Wears PradaBad RabbitBeebs and Her Money MakersEvery Time I DieMayday ParadeThis Wild LifeFor All Those SleepingSaves The DayWe The KingsThe Summer SetFour Year StrongBreathe CarolinaThe Ready SetAttilaParkway Drive
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MUSIC PHOTOS | Basilica Block Party Twentieth Anniversary

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Thousands came out this July 11 – 12 to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Basilica Block Party. Day 1:Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic ZerosMichael Franti & SpearheadPanic! at the DiscoDelta RaeEric HutchinsonAirborne Toxic EventThe WeeksCrashBlack DietCarrollStereo ConfessionDay 2:TrainBen Harper and Charlie MusselwhiteIngrid MichaelsonSerena RyderCaroline SmithThe Wild FeathersAlpha RevFrankie LeeBBGUNJillian Rae
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PHOTOS | Derek & Julianne Hough’s “Move Live On Tour” at the Northrup Auditorium

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The unexpected success of television show “Dancing with the Stars” has been a launch pad for the careers of Derek and Julianne Hough. While Derek has remained on the show as one of the fans favorite professionals, sister Julianne has ventured into acting and toured as a Country music singer. Finally, they have combined forces to bring their many talents together on one stage. The Hough’s brought their dance crew to the beautifully renovated Northrup Auditorium July 9th to perform their “Move Live On Tour.” The high energy show was entertaining on many levels to a broad range of viewers and included a variety of music, singing and many different styles of dance. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Sarah McLachlan charms the State Theatre

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Sarah McLachlan’s 25-year career may seem to have stalled a bit of late, with her perhaps being best known at the moment as the artist behind the song which plays along to the world’s most depressing ASPCA commercials, but last night’s performance at the State Theatre was an unforgettable reminder that McLachlan has both the musical chops and the stage presence to put on an amazing live show.McLachlan shined on stage with charm, positivity, and humanity that, as a beautiful and terrible side effect, leaves the audience wondering why the hell they aren’t doing more for the world. During the evening, McLachlan told tories of her life and the inspirations to her songs, as well as answer questions from the audience. In this, McLachlan showed herself to be paradoxically carefree yet deeply concerned, exposing an inspirational comfort with herself and care for the well being of the world around her.  When asked if she had any regrets, she said that she had none, seeing each mistake as a learning opportunity. She talked about her failed relationships and dark times with an openness and ease which leads one to believe that she truly has used each moment of failure and pain as a stepping stone to something better.McLachlan and her bandmates performed with a gusto that displayed a genuine love of what they do, as McLachlan mixed old classics like “Adia” and “Building a Mystery” with several new and beautiful tracks from her latest effort, “Shine On.” McLachlan was incredibly busy through the evening, changing up from electric guitar, to acoustic guitar, to piano and ukulele several times over the course of the performance.The crowd was a curious bunch—a mix of casually dressed retirees, stuffy 40-somethings, and a light scattering of youths all packed into a theater that, while not sold out, was definitely quite full. The people in the audience were loud, hooting and hollering in between every song and at every high point within a song, filling the air with whistles, applause, and shouts of encouragement and joy. Continue Reading