MUSIC REVIEW | Soundset 2013 trends at Canterbury Park

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According to MTV’s Sway, the Minneapolis music scene was trending on Twitter Sunday, May 26th, as big name hip-hop artists rocked the mic at the 6th annual Soundset music festival. With its best lineup to date, local independent hip-hop label Rhymesayers has grown this event to the point where it now has national recognition. There were only a few tickets left the morning of the show as thousands of fans came out for a memorable day and great kick off to summer outdoor music in the Twin Cities.Venue:Canterbury Park has become a good home for Soundset with enough space to accommodate thousands of fans and plenty of free parking.  Crowd:Younger vibe with a little bit of everyone sprinkled in.Attractions:Two main stages setup side by side allows for no downtime between acts. Two additional tents create a great environment for DJ’s spinning back to back all day long. The custom car show is styled to the Hip Hop scene and fits in well. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Lissie is a natural at the Varsity Theater

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What one word could be used to best describe the sound and vibe of folk rock singer Lissie? A good choice would be “organic.” Divas take a lesson, she’s got the voice and stage presence and doesn’t need a ton of makeup, sparkling gowns or notorious attitude. This Mid-Western girl is on her way to becoming a well known musical force and has already reached that status with many Cities 97 listeners having played the Basilica Block Party and Oake on the Water in addition to making a studio appearance at 89.3 The Current. In fact, she will be opening the season of the newly named Sun Soaker Thursdays tonight at Redstone in Eden Prairie. Take if from everyone who got to see her sold-out Minneapolis show last night and left with a smile on their face, keep an eye out for the next time she comes to town and buy your ticket immediately.The Room / The Crowd:A diverse mix of music lovers packed The Varsity Theater to see Lissie perform on May 22nd. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Todd Rundgren brings the unexpected to the Varsity Theater

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Loyal fans of legendary Rock musician Todd Rundgren met up at the Varsity Theater Monday, May 20th anxious to find out what the unpredictable artist had in store for them. Some probably came expecting to hear hits spanning his 40-plus year music career, but diehard fans know to expect the unexpected. The evening might best be described as a representation of Rundgren’s one man projects with a few specially picked tunes from his extensive production work woven in.The Crowd:Considering Rundgren is nearly 65 and his best known performance years where in the 70s and 80s, it makes sense that the crowd was a bit older. The looks on some faces suggested that many weren’t expecting a techno beat driven dance show, but most seemed pleasantly surprised and genuinely entertained. You might say it’s a gutsy move to try and sell this trendy format to an audience of the Classic Rock era, but Rundgren’s creative hunger never allowed him to stay boxed into any one genre. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Jesse Cook makes it a double at the Pantages Theatre

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Although most of us don’t get the opportunity to dine in the café’s of Seville or dance in the clubs of Havana, it is possible to experience a sense of that cultural vibe in our own city through live music performance. That’s just what took place Thursday, May 9 within the doors of the fabulous Pantages Theatre where Canadian guitarist Jesse Cook and his band transported fans with their style of Rumba Flamenco. Cook is touring in support of his current release “The Blue Guitar Sessions,” a definite shift from the fiery upbeat tunes he’s best known for. Although the mood of the album is “blue,” the melodies are beautiful and built around the idea of leaving space to appreciate how Cook crafts each note to deliver the intended message.The Venue:In addition to being a beautiful room with a lot of history, the Pantages has the most intimate feel of the downtown theaters and acoustically did this show plenty of justice. The performance is primarily instrumental with a lot of dynamics that rang out crystal clear with the aid of a professional mix. Continue Reading

Mark Andrew has “The Voice”—and a solid album, too

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It’s great to see another product of the Minnesota music scene gaining some national recognition on NBC’s hit singing competition The Voice. Eden Prairie’s Mark Andrew (whose formal last name is Pudas) did Minnesota proud choosing the Bob Dylan classic “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” for his blind audition that landed him a spot on Team Shakira. Mark’s voice has a unique tone that makes him stand out from most other singers who get lost trying to emulate a sound people already identify with another artist. He is also an experienced songwriter and knows his way around a six-string, having studied at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | NEEDTOBREATHE at the Orpheum Theatre: Christian music, but not really

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NEEDTOBREATHE is passionate about everything it takes to be a really good band. You can see it in everything they do from memorable live shows to meticulous songwriting that incorporates rich harmonies, uncommon instrumentation and creative extended jams. The Rinehart brothers, Bear (vocals, guitar, piano, organ, harmonica) and Bo (lead guitar, banjo, mandolin, backing vocals) grew up the sons of a pastor in South Carolina with an assorted mix of musical influences. During their college years, collaborations with Seth Bolt (bass, mandolin, backing vocals) who was a studying to be a recording engineer, and Joe Stillwell (former drummer) resulted in the formation of NEEDTOBREATHE.The band has achieved a good deal of success since releasing their first album under leading Christian label Sparrow Records in conjunction with Atlantic Records in 2006. They have primarily been promoted in the Christian music industry starting with the rare privilege of being featured on the cover of CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) Magazine as a new band and over the years have won nine Dove Awards for outstanding achievement by the Gospel Music Association.Since Christian music hasn’t had the kind of success at crossing over to Popular music compared to Country, one could argue that categorizing this band in that genre isn’t the best fit. When you search NEEDTOBREATHE on “I Heart Radio” they suggest similar artists as being Switchfoot, Casting Crowns and Jars of Clay, when it would seem musically they are a better fit among Mumford and Sons, Avett Brothers and Imagine Dragons. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Lee Brice is all country at Mill City Nights

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Country music fans packed Mill City Nights Thursday, March 21 to see rising star Lee Brice play a 90-minute set primarily consisting of songs from his current release “Hard 2 Love” and his first album Love Like Crazy. The 32-year-old singer/songwriter chose his path in music after a career ending football injury in college. He is becoming known for his very personal and relatable style of songwriting. The Venue:Mill City Nights has had several country shows now and the crowd seems to feel right at home in this venue. The show was sold out, but people did not appear to be packed in to an uncomfortable degree. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Pink makes jaws drop at the Xcel Energy Center

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What better way to escape the disappointing cold and snowy white start to spring in the Twin Cities than a big production music event at the Xcel Energy Center, where it was all Pink and very hot. One of Pop/Rock’s most dynamic entertainers, Pink (she spells it P!nk) presented The Truth About Love Tour in support of her sixth studio album with the same title, to a sold out crowd in St. Paul on March 19. The world tour began February 13 in Phoenix and has been selling so well that extra dates are now being added to the back half of the schedule including a November show in Minneapolis. Tour sponsor CoverGirl had several different promotions taking place as you entered the venue. Representatives were walking around like old fashioned cigarette vendors offering free samples of mascara. An area was setup for free manicures and another station offered a makeover with an opportunity to be videotaped sharing your thoughts regarding the “Truth About Love.” There were also displays of Pink’s CoverGirl promotional posters setup for photo opportunities. As fans filled the seats, a glance in any direction would reveal something colored pink including skirts, shirts, bags, coats, shoes and of course hair. A curtain covered most of the stage, but lucky fans crowded around a runway that extended out from stage right and curved around to a smaller heart shaped platform in the center. Tunes like “Play that Funky Music” and “Disco Inferno” were getting people in a dancing mood while a carnival like sidekick named Rubix weaseled his way around the audience and drew some laughs from his antics projected on the large video screens. 
He ended up playing a bigger role than expected as the actual performance started out with Rubix acting as the host of a mock game show. When looking for an audience member to come up on stage, a camera panned the crowed and stopped in a spot where to everyone’s surprise, Pink was sitting amongst the crowd. The audience cheered with excitement as they tried to figure out where she might be while the curtain was raised to reveal one of the best looking interactive stage designs to date. The centerpiece was a giant heart shaped video screen with a “Truth About Love” banner lit up above. Four additional large video screens combined with four other video panels that served as a backdrop to the band. All the screens were creatively used together to help tell the story of each song with a combination of video and visually stunning light themes. Continue Reading

REVIEW | The Twin Cities 40th Auto Show at the Minneapolis Convention Center: Spring and cars are in the air

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Now that we are in March, Spring fever has set in for many of us and the thought of driving a new vehicle this Summer is exciting. The Twin Cities happens to host one of the biggest auto shows in the country and this year marks its 40th year in action. Having more than 450 vehicles under one roof at the convention center is a far more enjoyable experience then driving around to car lots and it’s probably even easier than trying to do a thorough search and comparison online. The show covers approximately 400,000 square feet and there is a lot to see considering every manufacturer selling vehicles in Minnesota is represented.This year’s Official Auto Show Vehicle is the Audi A4 and they have a nice selection of vehicles to see from their whole line. Ford is excited to show the innovation in technology and fuel efficiency (40 mgp) in their 2014 Fiesta. Scion is offering the Live Drive program allowing participants to take vehicles out on the road for an actual test drive. You can even keep the driving experience inside at Camp Jeep, where they have assembled a unique and thrilling ride-along test track to fully experience the vehicle capabilities and learn some driving safety tips. Mitsubishi is unveiling their first production 311RS Evolution X, built on the foundation of Minnesota native Ryan Gates’ motorsport program. There are three additional exhibit halls featuring a Biodiesel Green Room (clean diesel, electric and hybrid technology), a luxury car room and a product vendor market.There is also entertainment beyond the vehicles including a nice variety of live music entertainment at numerous times during the event and a kids entertainment stage including free airbrush tattoos and face painting. Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Funders Collaborative. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Bobby Z & Friends pack First Avenue for The 2nd Annual Benefit 2 Celebrate Life! concert

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Fans of the Minneapolis sound packed into First Avenue Saturday, March 9 for the 2nd Annual Benefit 2 Celebrate Life presented by Bobby Z and The American Heart Association. Known from his role as drummer in Prince’s Purple Rain era band “The Revolution,” Bobby Z created the “My Purple Heart” organization after suffering a near fatal heart attack two years ago. The obvious vehicle for him to raise both awareness and financial support for the cause is his connections in the music industry. Well know R&B singer Alexander O’Neal was the first performer in the 3+ hour concert starting out with his 1985 single appropriately titled ”A Broken Heart Can Mend.” The Soul continued to pour out as Nicholas David who did Minnesota proud on TV’s The Voice, sang a couple tunes he performed on the show and was also joined by O’Neal. Bobby Z presented an award to heart attack survivor Patty Peterson for her work with the cause and joined her for a performance of “Greatest Love of All.”  Members of the successful Minneapolis band Mint Condition put on a rocking set powered by the extraordinary singing talent of Stokley Williams. Another Minnesota talent Andre Cymone also joined in for a couple tunes. Arguably the most entertaining part of the evening came from former SNL cast member Maya Rudolph and friend Gretchen Lieberum’s Prince Tribute band they call Princess. Continue Reading