MUSIC REVIEW | Lyle Lovett at Music in the Zoo at the Minnesota Zoo: A dedication to Sue McLean

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Music in the Zoo 2013 has produced some great moments, but the performance by Lyle Lovett and his Large Band on Wednesday, August 21st now has the most significance considering they have the distinct honor of being the first band to play on the newly named Sue McLean stage. The evening began with a private ceremony during which Beth Burns, Minnesota Zoo Chief External Relations Officer, dedicated a newly landscaped area just beyond the stage as a place to remember Sue and keep her present as the legacy she built continues forward. The land surrounded by water forms a triangle, fittingly considered the most stable shape, and has a peaceful feel with a plaque mounted on a large rock and a tree that uniquely reflects the glow from a green light, Sue’s favorite color.Lovett’s 12-piece band took the stage at 7:45 p.m. for one instrumental warm-up before Lyle came out and was met by loud cheers and applause from the sizeable audience. The 2 ½ hour set covered a range of styles and contained some unfamiliar selections mixed with fan favorites. Lovett took time to showcase his talented musicians and included selections from their individual solo projects. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Carly Rae Jepsen and The Wanted light up the Minnesota Zoo

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On concert nights during the Music in the Zoo series, kids are typically exiting the Minnesota Zoo as adults are just arriving to get their groove on. It was almost the opposite scene Sunday, August 18th as parents were dropping their children off to see Carly Rae Jepsen and The Wanted. In fact, they were lined up by the hundreds waiting to get their scream on as for many of the five to 15 year-old mostly girls, it would be their first concert and one that may set future expectations high.The Wanted came on first and left no doubt that they are in fact “wanted.” They played an hour long set that resembled Beatlemania at times as fans were right in front of the stage screaming and reaching out to the boy band, who is no stranger to working up this sort of frenzy. During “Heart Vacation” each of the five singers chose a lucky girl to join them on stage and when handed the microphone to help sing along, some of them were too overwhelmed to utter a sound. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Ben Taylor makes a name for himself at the Cedar Cultural Center

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A nice size crowd came out to the Cedar Cultural Center on Thursday, August 15th, many seemingly unsure what to expect from Ben Taylor. It was obvious many in attendance are fans of Ben’s famous parents, James Taylor and Carly Simon. It didn’t take long to get the sense that growing up for Ben was probably a little different than what most of us experienced, but where there are advantages and opportunity there is also great expectation and challenge.Taylor’s performance began in a folky vibe stylistically like his father’s music and he joked, “This is some James Taylor shit.” Unlike the last time he came to Minneapolis with a full band, Taylor performed two sets of music alone with his acoustic guitar, a laptop and some mixing equipment to fill in instrumentation where he chose fit. You can hear some of his parent’s musical influence in his voice and acoustic performance, but he also clearly demonstrated that he is his own talent and offered up plenty of his personal style as he mixed in electronic sounds. Taylor skillfully used technology to build melodies and create his own harmonies, mixing parts in and out as the mood struck him.Taylor proved to have a ton of personality and seemed very at home on stage. Continue Reading

MUSIC PHOTOS | Vans Warped Tour at Canterbury Park

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Celebrating 19 years of defying the odds, the Vans Warped Tour made its appearance in the Twin Cities at Cantebury Park on Sunday, July 21st. The mostly young crowd followed ritual making their way with the masses through the gates and heading directly to the big inflatable wall to find out what time and on which of the eight stages their favorite bands would be playing. The weather turned out great and the crowd’s was focus was on the music allowing everyone to get along and having a good time.Of the 100+ acts listed on the schedule, we made it out to see the following bands and posted pictures in our gallery: Go Radio, Never Shout Never, Black Veil Brides, For the Foxes, Story of the Year, Motion City Soundtrack Sleeping with Sirens, Tonight Alive, Chiodos, The Summer Set, and The Black Dahlia Murder. 
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MUSIC REVIEW | Basilica Block Party 2013 is a crowd-pleasing good time

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It seems fitting that the Basilica Block Party has become a cornerstone of the Minneapolis summer outdoor music festival season, considering it started out as a means to raise money for a structural renovation project on the historic downtown church. For nearly two decades, everything about the event has grown including sponsorship (Cities 97, Bud Light, Sun Country), enabling a bigger name lineup (Matchbox Twenty, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Goo Goo Dolls) resulting in a greater number of returning fans willing to pay a higher ticket price to support a good cause.Day 1 / July 12thEven with the huge sold-out Country music show down the street at Target Field, there was no shortage of people who came out to “Praise the Loud” at the Basilica Block Party. Music at the multi-stage event kicked off immediately as “Southwire” was performing while people were let in through the gates at 5:00 pm. Block party regulars hurried in and headed directly to secure their favorite spot from years past on the lawn, the steps of the Basilica or as close to the front of the stage as possible. Los Angeles Indie band Family of the Year brought the Jefferson Bus Line stage to life with a performance as bright as singer Christina Schroeter’s fluorescent yellow colored hairstyle. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | The Avett Brothers amplify the Somerset Amphitheater

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Thousands of loyal fans made the short trek beyond the Twin Cities Metro for the much anticipated Avett Brothers at Somerset show on Saturday, June 29. With three great supporting acts before the main event, the crowd took in hours of great music that was really suited to being played outdoors. Like every other day so far this summer, dark clouds passed by at times, but it remained dry and eventually ended up a perfect night to be outside with a whole bunch of fellow music lovers.The Line Up:Austin, TX band the Wheeler Brothers opened up the show with an upbeat, energetic set. Their sound is easily likable driven by nice vocal tone and good harmonies. This group is consistently selling out shows in their hometown and will be one to watch.With their unique sound, Dr. Dog speaks to a more select group of fans. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Tedeschi Trucks Band bring their best to the Fitzgerald Theater

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Mention the Tedeschi Trucks Band (or TTB) and the ears of any guitar geek or jam band freak will immediately perk up. Don’t think that’s an insult as these music fanatics are proud of their passion and any label that comes with it. The TTB has become a must-see for any connoisseur of live music performance because this band is all about playing with love and communicating raw emotion. Their dedication rang true Wednesday, June 19 in St. Paul with a performance that should be considered one of the best we’ll see here in 2013.The Venue: The Fitzgerald Theater was a nice fit for the TTB on this pass through the Twin Cities. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Fitz and the Tantrums energize the Varsity Theater

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The Los Angeles Indie Pop band Fitz and the Tantrums performed their soul-inspired jams for two back-to-back sold-out shows this week in Minneapolis. Out in support of their new album More Than Just a Dream, the high energy dance party entertained established and new fans and provided a good workout as well on Monday, June 17. Their unique sound which features horns and keyboards in place of guitar (that’s right, no guitar) has caught the attention of a diverse group of listeners.The Lineup:Fitz and the Tantrums are led by the vocals of Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz) and Noelle Scaggs. The rest of the talented Tantrums include James King (horns), Joseph Karnes (Bass), John Wicks (drums) and Jeremy Ruzumna (keyboards and beats).Saints of Valory is an interesting group of great players with a sound that has come out of influences from all over the world considering each member is from a different country. They played a set of music that was easy to enjoy without even needing to know the tunes.Ivy Levan (The Dame) has a unique look and sound and put on an entertaining set of music she refers to as “swamp hop”.The Venue:A group of people in line before the show were discussing how they were first introduced to Fitz and the Tantrums at Basilica Block Party. Continue Reading

PHOTOS | 10,000 Lakes Concours d’Elegance: A car show that lives up to its fancy name

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Thankfully, the sun was finally shinning on Sunday, June 2nd for the inaugural 10,000 Lakes Concours d’Elegance to benefit Courage Center Foundation. This truly was a car show that lived up to the fancy name. Unlike most shows, the 100+ cars on display were there by invitation only based on their excellence. Beyond just looking at old cars, there plenty of learning opportunity as the vehicles are organized by year so you can see a progression of styles over time. All of the owners were so nice and interested in sharing the stories behind their award winning pride and joy that was on display for the afternoon. Continue Reading