MUSIC REVIEW | The Growlers warm up the 7th Street Entry

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I was up at 4:45 on the morning of this show. Long story short I partake in a nerd fest called Knowledge Bowl which had me up at an ungodly hour and riding to Little Falls in a bus whose interior was not more than 30 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s just my transition. Plus I thought you should pity me.Anyhow, my mother and I departed from our quiet suburban home and arrived at the 7th Street Entry just in time for Jessica Hernandez and the Deltas’ set to start. Jessica is the lead singer of a six-piece (at least in their live shows) outfit that consists of, roll call: Benjamin Sturley on bass, Gordon Smith on guitar, Taylor Pierson on keys (I think), Steve Stetson on drums (I’m pretty sure), and Jake Shadik on trombone. Continue Reading

Wenso Ashby returns to form with “Signature”

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Wenso Ashby, producer-pianist-composer par excellence, runs second to none in the Twin Cities so far as the neo-soul/smooth jazz groove goes. Fast following May’s surprisingly inert The Moment of Truth, acquits his artistry with Signature.Signature is an admirable offering to satiate steadfast fans who’ve seen the master of sexy ambience through Midnite Walkin’, Wenso Ashby Live, featuring Zsamé, Q’Aisha, and TaVanni; and Love Is So Amazing, featuring Zsamé. Loyal followers have made him marketable via a veritable groundswell. Despite an inexplicable absence in mainstream media coverage. Ashby, to say the least, has cast-iron performing and producing chops. Continue Reading

Esperanza Spalding at the State Theatre: Prince showed up for a reason

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“Hey, are you gonna go see Esperanza Spalding?”, Bobbi Miller asked me with considerably more than idle curiosity. All I knew about anyone or anything named Spalding was the company that made baseball gloves. So, no, I hadn’t any such intention. Miller, though, herself a marvelous vocalist, was brightly animated in anticipation of catching the concert, attesting that this Spalding woman can sing her hind parts off. Well, if said so by Bobbi Miller it was good enough for me. Accordingly, I made plans to see Spalding on September 30 at the State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.

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MUSIC REVIEW | Yeasayer at First Avenue: Not all smoke and mirrors

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This is the review that may not have been. My dad promised me that he would take me to the Yeasayer show on August 24th, but conveniently forgot and went fishing up north instead. I was so close to not getting in that it felt like I was Indiana Jones sliding beneath a quickly closing metal door. That close. But I grabbed my hat at the last second and I got into the show.

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MUSIC REVIEW | Beirut chill out at Cabooze Outdoor Plaza

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Ah, the sweet scent of sweaty scenesters in the summer. This—which is actually surprising to me—was my third time seeing Beirut in concert. I’m not a huge Beirut fan, but I always end up seeing them when they come to town. Now they’re neck-and-neck with Gardens & Villa for the title of most-frequently-seen-by-Lindsay-LaBarre. A very coveted position indeed. A first for me though was the venue. I’d never had the pleasure of seeing a band at the Cabooze Outdoor Plaza up until now, and I can say that I was overall pleased with the place. It didn’t strike me as specifically better or worse than any other venue that I’ve been to. One note though is that the bars on either side of the crowd don’t offer water cups and necessitate for the purchase of bottled water in order to stay hydrated. That’s all. Bring a water bottle if you see a show there. The crowd was mostly populated by young adults probably from around my age to the late 20s with a peppering of middle-aged people at the back of the crowd and various people from the ages in between. There were also, like, one or two kids there with a mom wearing a maxi dress and a dad wearing a Jason Mraz hat.

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MUSIC REVIEW | Trampled by Turtles had mayors bodysurfing at First Avenue

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A damn good show deserves a damn good review. But what do you do when the show is an extraordinary, engaging, vibrant, and completely groovy experience? Well, you hope that your words can attempt to come close to what the artist gave the audience. Seeing Trampled by Turtles live for the first time is one thing, but seeing them live for the first time at First Avenue is a happening you feel the need to share with others.

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