MUSIC REVIEW | Local indie pop band Hippo Campus hits up Triple Rock

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Hey guys, it has been a while, so please excuse me if my writing’s a bit rusty. If you’ve forgotten my existence entirely, or are reading my writing for the first time, my name is Lindsay LaBarre and in my 19 years of living I have gone to copious amounts of concerts. The most recent concert I went to, and the topic of today’s review is the sold-out Hippo Campus show at Triple Rock on December 27th.For starters—though I’m not really one to talk given my age and stature—this was the shortest crowd I’ve ever seen at Triple Rock, which could be attributed to the fact that most of the people up by the front of the stage were young women. A local band called BB Gun started off the early show with what I can describe only as your run-of-the-mill indie rock band, though they did learn slightly more towards the rock side than the indie side. I found all of the songs to be slight variations on the same musical theme, and nothing about their performance struck me as exciting or unexpected. Continue Reading

MUSIC PHOTOS | Steel Panther at Myth

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Heavy Metal fans packed Myth Friday night, December 19th for a hard rocking and entertaining set by Steel Panther. Supporting act “Like A Storm” from New Zealand started out the evening with a blistering set. The show was sponsored by 93X who held their X Girl contest finale and crowned the winner for next year. 
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MUSIC REVIEW | Real Phonic Radio Hour with Kenny Vaughan, Gospel Machine, Ben Percy and Erik Koskinen

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Who doesn’t want to celebrate Christmas in the most majestic, rockingest library in town? That’s what we did Thursday night at the James J Hill. Everyone was so friendly and warm (that may have been the free samples of Two Gingers whiskey floating around) but it felt as much like a party as a show even though we aren’t musicians and this event was clearly a night of musicians for musicians.Headlining the show was Kenny Vaughan, who is Nashville cool – dressed and done up in a way that doesn’t sadly doesn’t happen in the Midwest that often. He’s the sort of guy you listen to and think he’s like another band and then realize that actually they’re probably like him.He started with an old school rock and roll instrumental—so old school that it could just as easily pass for country. The whole set was a retrospect of music genres from 1950 to present. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Understated timeless cool of Jeremy Messersmith at the Turf Club

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Man, woman, child, I don’t care who you are – everyone has a little crush on Jeremy Messersmith. He could fit into almost any era with pompadour, dark glasses and cardigan. He could play with Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly or the Bing Crosby, banter with Mr. Rogers, give him a pipe he could hang with Beaver Cleaver’s dad. The themes of his song – mostly love lost – are just as universal. And that adds to the crushability!I was a mostly passing fan of Messersmith until Heart Murmurs – so I was pleased to have him play many songs off the album at the Turf Club on Wednesday night. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Punk rock party at the Turf Club: Dillinger Four, Pink Mink, Whatever Forever, and NO SKIN

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This week I went to two nights of local music at the Turf Club—both sold out! A great sign for the Turf Club and Twin Cities audience appreciation of homegrown music. Wednesday night was all country (Cactus Blossoms and Erik Koskinen); Friday night was punk all night. It was also a 10 year anniversary party for Ben and Sheela. I don’t know them but I want to thank them for a great night. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Experimental jazz with Embezzler at Khyber Pass Café

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I have good news and bad news, my favorite quiet nights of music—Thursdays  at the Khyber Pass Café in St Paul—are filling up. I’m glad for the musicians. I’m glad for the Khyber Pass. But I’ve got to start being on time. Embezzler played this week, which is Paul Metzger on the guitar and other instruments, Adam Linz on the upright bass and JT Base on the drums and other percussion accoutrements. Continue Reading

MUSIC REVIEW | Mannheim Steamroller self-sabotages, charges on at Orpheum Theatre

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Mannheim Steamroller, currently celebrating its 40th anniversary year, is now almost as much a cultural phenomenon as a performing ensemble. Even people who don’t recognize the name have probably heard its holiday music on the radio or as the soundtrack for innumerable videos on YouTube showcasing holiday lighting excess (not that that’s a bad thing). The ensemble’s holiday concert tours are sufficiently successful that there are actually two simultaneous touring groups crossing the United States each year. This is the root of the problems with the Dec. 7 concert at the Orpheum Theatre.Having multiple touring groups is not necessarily bad–the Vienna Boys Choir, for example, has as many as three running simultaneously while other members hold down the fort in Austria. Continue Reading

MUSIC PHOTOS | 101.3 KDWB’s Jingle Ball 2014 at Xcel Energy Center

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101.3 KDWB’s Jingle Ball 2014, presented by Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park and Allstate, rang in the Season with its annual star-studded holiday concert at Xcel Energy Center on Dec. 8. The radio station did a great job creating buzz and had the mostly younger crowd amped with anticipation. With a pre-party concert at Roy Wilkins and the main event at Xcel Energy Center lasting over three hours, it really was a substantial night of entertainment. The list of artists was stacked with a number of leading women currently in heavy rotation on the Pop Music airwaves; featuring Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, One Republic, Iggy Azalea, Meghan Trainor, Jessie J, Nico & Vinz, Rita Ora, Becky G and Shawn Mendes.  In addition to many of your favorite KDWB DJ’s, Nick Jonas was on hand as the special guest host. Continue Reading