Music, arts and culture news, Interviews, previews and reviews journalist and author locally and nationally. Author of Complicated Fun: the Birth of Minneapolis Punk and Indie Rock 1974 - 84 (pub. by MN Historical Society Press May 2017) and West Bank Boogie: 40 Years of Music, Mayhem and Memories (Triangle Park Creative 2006). I host KFAI "Spin with Cyn" Mondays 10 pm - midnight, KFAI.org and 90.3 FM Mpls/106.7 St. Paul.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
SXSW Music Festival, Austin, Texas Night 1
Once I got a tour of the cool, yet laid-back easy-going East side (location of Fader Fort) I eased into the evening listening to a live Mexican folk band on the front porch steps of a beautiful popular little Mexica cantina, http://papitinos.com/. I enjoyed a couple excellent margheritas and delicious, fresh enchiladas rojas before hitting the streets filled with people happily wandering to the various backyard parties and outdoor stages that populate the warehouse area of East Side. I saw 1808 Bar future location of Friday's Minneapolis Mock Duck party fe: Astronautalis, Fort Wilson Riot, one o f Rockstar Motel's founding bands, the Japhies, and more.
People on 5th street were split about 50/50 going in 2 directions - the metal warehouse where there was a hip-hop show fe: Danny Brown and others to Scoot Inn where I was headed for the Panache/Sailor Jerry psyche-garage show.
The Scoot Inn. Bare Wires was very Brian Jonestown Massacre sounding. Dirty Ghosts was a good mix of garage, with kinda icky thump rhythms.
A sponsor of the Panache Party. Really good rum, if you like that sort of thing!
Bare Wire audience at Scoot Inn
DJ's in one room, metal in the next. I'll keep an eye on this place!
The Gypsy Bar - fe: a good math/prog rock band (didn't catch name)
The Gypsy Bar
The White Horse - a Honky Tonk Bar, where Lori Barbero usually works. She is busy this week managing 8 stages, such as: Swan Dive, Elysium, The Red 7, Barbarella and more . . .
White Horse staff are clear about what they, and this honky tonk (and so many of us real music lovers) are not about. And, everyone who came up to the bar (self, included) really wants to buy this shirt. They're sold-out, more will be in by Friday . . .
Likely many/most of you have heard the terrible news that Bob "Slim" Dunlap recently suffered a major stroke. He is now on the tough road to recovery, after doctors have determined nothing can be done surgically. Soon he'll go through therapy in efforts to regain his skills, with the huge support of his innumerable friends, family and fellow musicians he's played with over decades.
For further details, Chris Reimenschneider wrote in Star Tribune blog, Artcetera article: "Twin Cities Music Hero Slim Dunlap Hospitalized by a Stroke" The existing Slim Dunlap Fan Club page has been growing rapidly, and a place we can find community, reach out to the Dunlaps and stay in touch.
Not only is Slim a stellar musician, he is truly one of the sweetest people I've ever had the rare chance to meet. He's renowned for his solo music, such as his terrific records, "The Old New Me," and "Time recent shows such as the reunion of his band for his 60th Birthday this summer at King's Wine Bar, his work the Replacements and bands with Curt Almsted (Curtiss A) such as Thumbs Up, then punk band The Spooks, who were one of the first three bands chosen to release a record, "1980 - 1990" in 1978 on Twin Tone label, and one of the first, if not the first, band to play the legendary Longhorn Bar.
Over the past couple years, I've gotten to work with and become good friends with his son Louie, who is also one of the sweetest people in the world, a great soundguy, musician, cook and all-around nice, humble guy with an wry sense of humor like his Dad's, a real chip off the block. In spite of how devestating the damage, today I heard from Louie, a couple positive things, I will keep you posted.
I like so many who know them, love the Dunlaps and, because I've been thinking about Slim and the his family a lot, and the Curtiss A regular Thursdays residency show at Nick and Eddie, my mind keeps going back to one of my favorite moments. In late 2010, had the opportunity to interview Slim about the early music scene and his work playing guitar with Curtiss A, and his philosophy about performing live music and songwriting. I thought I'd share this with you.
CC: Tell me about when you first heard/saw Curtiss A?
SD: I saw Thumbs Up with Curt at the CC Tap, that was the first night I ever saw them. The minute I heard their band, I had such a great time that night . . .I used to see them at the Tempo Bar. They were a breath of fresh air because they played songs, a lot of pop songs I'd heard and liked. I was always fascinated by bands that had harmonies. They had multiple lead vocalists that I liked. Bands didn't usually have multiple lead vocalists that could carry the song like they could.
I heard a rumor the guitar player was leaving the band, and it was a crusher for me because I really liked his guitar playing in the band. I thought I'd audition not having any chance because he was good, even if you don't get it, you're doing better off to have gone and bust through that fear wall, and through some pure luck I got the gig and enjoyed the years immensely playing with them when I did.
It was fun to play with Curt, because he had no . . . most band leaders would teach you how they wanted it and that was how it had to be, or they would get discouraged with your efforts.
It was fun to play with Curt because he would always be in a state of adapting things to the band. You didn't have to do it the same way every time, because he didn't do it the same way every time. It fostered a feeling that there's no one way to do the song, we can play around with it. I've kind of carried that over and tormented all the musicians that worked with me, because you're always working on a song when you do it live. Until you've recorded it, its not written in stone. Curt would always come up with parts of songs he didn't alert to you that he was going to try, he kept you on your toes. I admired that. To dare to change something in front of a live audience is something a lot of bands don't dare to do. All the bands I've been in and liked, aren't always the same every time. I always liked to keep things moving and different.
CC: Tell me more about the Longhorn Bar and the early Minneapolis original and punk music scene. . .
SD: The audiences there didn't come with the preconception of hearing songs, how they sounded on the radio. People usually came to clubs to hear songs like they sounded on the radio. the Longhorn had a new angle, where they didn't want to hear what was on the radio - they wanted to hear something new, different. So, you had to impress the audiences differently. It made bands different, made bands try harder. Not just be good enough the booking agent would book you, good enough people would see you. You had to have a good draw. You had to keep impressing people. You couldn't rest on your laurels. It caught on in other clubs. It helped develop our music scene.
CC: Tell me about Twin Tone record label . . .
SD: There were other labels, but Twin Tone was a kind of tastemaker label. If Peter [Jesperson] was interested in it, you knew other people would be interested in it. All songwriters need a window to create their vision in. There is always someone like Peter who plays a role in guiding what that vision is. You can't do it self-contained. You kind of need someone to bounce it off of, to say "Is this any good?" There is no one capable of writing only great songs. Even the best songwriters write horrible clinkers. You've got to have somebody close enough to you to tell you a song is not a good song, without you getting angry. All artists need the wall to bounce off of. Creating music opens the door to other music you can create. That's a step-by-step process. A lot of songwriters starting out are terribly shy about it.
In any great artist, the role of the audience is downplayed somewhat. When there's a music scene, there's a hub of what the writer was writing towards. All songwriters are better for having an an early, loyal audience that can give him their enthusiasm, and then his direction, where if he's going off on a bad angle. . . Everyone that creates cannot be the judge of their own material. The audience is a wonderful thing. You can't completely go where they want you to go, you have to follow your own heart sometimes. The music scene that Minneapolis developed is largely due to the wonderful audience that developed that would support it and hear your songs, even if you had a bad gig. People here know a good band when they hear it, they know a bad band when they hear it. They're not afraid to tell you. Its a good thing. Its kind of why we have higher standards.
CC: What were those audiences at the Longhorn like?
SD: Minneapolis audiences were impressed by something different. It maneuvered bands toward what audiences were expecting. It was a higher threshold. It pushed bands to be better than they ever would have been, if they were cover bands, like a lot tried to be back then. It's largely owed to the crowd.
CC: Please say more about playing with the Spooks?
SD: The Spooks was Curt's original angle. He had cover bands going at the time, but the Spooks became his original venue. He came up with key songs for the Spooks in a short time period. It was fun to play completely new material with Curt. The Spooks was the first or second band to ever play the Longhorn. So Curt gets a lot of credit for generating the scene. There were the Suicide Commandos, who kind of came out of left field and inspired a lot of bands to dare to be different. But Curt's right up there with one of the early bands to take the plunge wholeheartedly being an original band, not a cover band.
I arrived at First Avenue for Radio K/First Avenue “Best New Bands 2011” night - highly anticipating this one, especially to see Sexcat and blood&stuff, who I knew would be able to fill the room - with people and their full-on loud rock sound. I got there halfway between Fire in the Firs set, and was surprised to see the West staircase removed! How that opens up the room! More, great sightlines.
It was great to instantly see so many friends in the room, early on. Early on there were several times more people in the beginning than in years past, a sign I think, that the music scene is experiencing a resurgence, definitely. Watched Fire in the Northern Firs with Jacob Grun (who worked on engineering singer Carin’s earlier band, First Communion Afterparty). Grun would later be singing with Dream Crusher, also one of the best new bands. Ran into Ed and Dylan of blood&stuff, who were excited about their upcoming mainstage show, their first, and … they found out they won their Kickstarter campaign this day! With enough left over, Ed said, to maybe make more t-shirts to sell! And they finished their new record the night before. Things are looking really good for one of my favorite bands, blood&stuff, and I told them as a contributor, I cannot wait to get my CD (which I will spin frequently on Spin with Cyn show) and T!
I really liked Fire in the Northern Firs, who I’d not seen yet. Dark, alt-rock, sort of post-punk, ala Echo and the Bunnymen, New Order and Bauhaus (very favorites of mine back in the day).
Then, Sexcat!!! Yay! Sultry, Dressed in dark, shiny, beautiful red and black garb with a dramatic light show, Sexcat’s songstresses Hannah von der Hoff and Megan Charles sexed up First Avenue with their incredibly funky soul, make-out dance music (you think Polica is make-out music? You oughtta see/hear Sexcat!). To me, they brought back the best of female rock music of the ’80s and ’90s … sort of Berlin meets Missing Persons with a heavy dose of Donna Summer “Love to Love You, Baby” vibe. I know, sweet, right? Their dance moves would make for a great burlesque show, Hannah’s low, husky yet strong vocals, weaving playfully with Megan’s at times soaring, others scratching and rawrring like a cat were frankly, mesmerizing. Their set was all too short, like 20 - 30 minutes. While they performed favorites like “Champagne (In Your Face)” “Sexpot” and “Electric Hypz” I still felt I wanted this to become (hopefully someday) a 3-hour (or even all-night long) dance party. And a great way to get you in the mood.
Then Dreamcrusher, 11 guys who are in innumerable bands. Its an experimental, atmospheric, ever-changing collaboration. Performing on the main stage gave them room to really project their lo-fi, quieter, hypnotic sound.
It was Joe Hastings’ birthday - his “28th” - we will never know the true age of this timeless, ageless musician, one of the best, and most in-demand guitar-players in town … one-man-band Hastings 3000 and with the Sex Rays (a huge fave of mine - Sex Pistols meets Link Wray). Happy Birthday, Joe!
I’ve been likening the phenomena of the steady growth of blood&stuff, their full-throttle, loud rock shows and rabid enthusiasm and fervor of audiences at their live shows, and how big I think they will (should) get in the world to the phenomena of Husker Du back in the day. Oddly, before their set, First Ave DJ spun Husker Du and Hold Steady. Appropo!
Blood&stuff hit hard right out of the gate, and totally owned the main stage like I haven’t seen in years. 2 guys, sounding like 5. Astounding!
“There will be blood … “
After blood&stuff’s amazing show, numerous fans, super-fans, and first-timers exclaimed, “They’re amazing!” “They really ROCK!” and so on, as they always get from people seeing them for the first time, or the 5th …
"One Day Roses"
"A Fire Out at Sea"
Catch blood&stuff at the Turf Club, Feb 3 for: “Ice Damage, Inc.: A benefit and auction for Tasha Pruitt, also fe: Sea Whores (laser light show in Clown Lounge, Birthday Suits, Gay Witch Abortion, and DJ Danny Sigelman.
Post blood&stuff, I caught rapper MaLLy, and caught up with The Japhies’ frontman Reed Wilkerson, who updated me on the status of their recording their new album. The Japhies will be guests on my next Spin with Cyn show, Tuesday, January 31st, from 10 a.m - noon http://www.kfai.org/spinwithcyn in advance of Reed’s Bday Bash, February 3 at the Triple Rock with guests: My My Misfire, Black Church Service and Lost in Prague!
Headed to the Depot, for late-night fries, a 2-Hearted and chat with friends. Christy Hunt noted Pink Mink is going to do SXSW, this year with Peter Wolf Crier.
• The Conspiracy Series at 331 Club fe: the Johnson Twins
• Humanda with All Your Sisters @ 501 Club at 9:30 p.m.
• December residency fe: Dead Man Winter @ Turf Club @ 9
Wednesday, Dec. 29:
• December mini-series at the 501 with Turn Back Now!, @ 501 at 10 p.m.
• at First Avenue: the Hold Steady with the Meat Puppets and Retribution Gospel Choir! First Avenue at 7 p.m.
• The Copper Field and Walker Fields @ Aster Café @ 9:30
Thursday, Dec. 30:
• Los Straitjackets with the 99ers @ Turf Club @ 8
• Black Audience @ Red Stag @ 10
• Giravves with the Shiny Lights @ Aster Café at 9
• Nightosaur with Teenage Moods, Voytek and Hastings 3000 @ 7th St. Entry, 8
Friday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve!
• New Year’s Eve 2010 with Mark Mallman, fe: Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps, Red Pens and Koo Koo Kanga Roo @ Varsity Theatre in Dinkytown
• Right around the corner, at Kitty Cat Klub! Strangelights, Voytek and the Goondas!
• NYE at Lee’s Liquor Lounge fe: E.L.nO. and Lucy Michellethe Velvet Lapelles 9
• Communist Daughter, Mystery Palace and Black Blondie @ Cause at 9:30 p.m
• NYE Neighborhood Party fe: The Sex Rays, Reckless Ones, Pennyroyal, DJ Kool Aide, DJ Crunk @ 9
• F* Resolutions, You’re Perfect! An MPLS.TV Celebration At 7th Street Entry with Claps, Slapping Purses, Chelsea Boys and Fort Wilson Riot @ 7th St. Entry @8
• Hairball at Medina Entertainment Center “Ladies of the 80s” at 8:30 p.m.
• NYE with SIMS and Kristof Krane @ 501 Club @ 9
• First Avenue’s New Years Eve Danceteria with GetCryphy, SovietPanda, DJ Smitty, Roy Freedom and more! 8 p.m.
• NYE Cover Night at the Turf Club, fe: Vampire Hands (the Beatles), Leisure Birds (Credence Clearwater Revival), Chambermaids (the Pixies) and Daughters of the Sun (Sleep) music at 9 at the Turf
• BOMP! NYE at Nick and Eddie at 10 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 1:
• Zoo Animal and Tyler Burkum @501 Club 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
• Marijuana Death Squads @ Turf Club @ 9
Sunday, Jan. 2:
• Sunday Night Dance Party with Nick the Feelin Mrozinski and friends at Palmers Bar @ 10
• Trivius Scholasticus Intoxicus hosted by Al Church with music of ? @ 501 Club 9 pm
Monday, Jan. 3:
• Glen Hanson 6:30 – 8:30 at the 331 Club, followed by the Roe Family Singers @ 9 at the 331 Club
• Jazz Implosion with Fat Kid Wednesdays in the Clown Lounge @ 10 p.m.
I walked out of Bedlam Theatre at 1501 for the last time while it was still rocking - people dancing their hearts out, like they might not dance again, to intense percussive power tools rock of Savage Aural Hotbed. I couldn't bear to see the bittersweet end, saying goodbyes as everyone left the building. I preferred to have my last memory of that place be what I remembered it most as - a place of revelry, wild abandon, a plethora of friends gathering and planning new creative endeavors, having heartfelt conversations, experiencing absurdist hilarity driving us to tears and well-timed beer can "lofts," as co-director Maren Ward instructed us - "Love well, loft well!" before tearing into a Broadway musical song gone awry such as "The Impossible Dream," and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina."
And, as always, the best part about the building itself - the ability to offer something exciting and different happening in various rooms. Because Bedlam Theatre and Bedlam social were always so big in vision, possessing such largess in creativity, they could never be contained in just one room.
Which is why the recent space at 1501 was the best to date. From the mindblowing, hilarious and thought-provoking "Terminus," (2002, in old space) based on Sci-fi work by Polish writer Stanislaw Lem, I was hooked in. Or perhaps better, spun, as the cardboard spaceship whirled around us making us feel we were inside it - it was dizzying like a carnival ride. That's when I knew, I could never experience theatre the same again. Bedlam set new high (and low) levels of expectation from me in my theatrical entertainment - the brilliant mix of humor - from absurdist to outrageous, low-brow to high art, Bedlam was theatre that hit the heart (or kicked you in the gut) about what it means to be human.
Over the five years up till Bedlam's 2007 move to their recent space, I experienced countless Romps, cabarets with a dazzling array of skits and music, good, bad and ugly - with the nugget we'd always wait for with highest anticipation - the 5-minute movie. These were movies, usually with a cheese factor, ripe for satorization, condensed into 5 minutes. From Footloose to Top Gun, the 5 minute movies were action-packed with the highpoints of the original squished together with madness and mayhem - you could hardly follow the plot you would laugh so hard. Often the actors could barely act, they were laughing so hard.
Apropo of the maudlin, rebellious spirit of the final night, the 51st 5-minute movie was "The Empire Strikes Back," with the entire cast going pants-less by the end, the culmination of many calls to "take your pants off!!!" requests from the audience every time a male actor got on stage - which they'd readily, instantly fulfill. (However, when Jon Mac Cole was requested "take off your mustache!" he responded "take off YOUR mustache," to the mustache-less cat-caller.)
March 20, 2007: the Bedlam came in with fire performances, much as they left. The first performance in their new building featured Rah Kojis, Bedlam events coordinator and puppet master Dhann Polnau's newest fire performance, "Infiamato: An Incendiary Opera." As became their signature, the theatrical performances were followed by music, such as Spider John Koerner, Skoal Kodiak and Dreamland Faces. Dreamland Faces would go on to perform Wednesdays for a very long time - I'm not sure how long, but I do know it was a highlight of my week I looked forward to often, chilling out in my favorite bar/music venue/theatre. It was entertainment of the highest calibre, and often most unusual! offered in the coziest of spaces with great food, cheap drinks, and pretty much guaranteed you'd see friends or make new ones.
Music offered over the years at Bedlam shaped what inspires me today in our live local music scene. From the gypsy punk of the Knotwells, to the orchestral, chamber-folk of Dark Dark Dark, to the indescribable dreamy, eerie music of Dreamland Faces replete with saw and accordion of Andy and Karen and the sweet vocals of Randall Throckmorten . . . from the raucous East-Euro-styled folk of girl-bands Old Man Orville and Carpscale Orchester and more recently the grunge-punk of bands such as the Goondas and Tornado, with bands visiting while in town such as NYC's "porch-techno" the Quavers, and Alaskans Ode to the Rhodes and Spirits of the Red City. Too many to mention, suffice it to say, I now bring much of my Bedlam-tinged musical tastes to my "Spin with Cyn" radio show, and booking musical events at various venues.
Nights on the patio, watching films under the stars, then heading downstairs to dance to old-time music or djs. Planning and celebrating new creative endeavors, forming new friendships, catching up with friends from out of town, achieving solace during times of loss and heartbreak, celebrating life and good times. Countless phenomenal memories, but not enough. Unlike the addage, you never know what you've got till its gone, I always knew and appreciated what we had in Bedlam, knew its days in that location would inevitably have to end there someday. Now the time is here for a new era, hopefully one that is as good, or even better fit for this organization, unlike any other in the TCs, leaving a hole in our hearts. Today I feel like the cast of four in Last Romp skit, "Eat Cake," crying while eating the last chocolate cake, or like Miss Puss Puss, experiencing the 7 stages of grief. Yet I remain hopeful - The Bedlam is a thriving creative force that can't be contained. They will do well with a building hopefully found soon, to allow us to experience the radical beauty of Bedlam for years to come.
Enquiring lonely hearts (and people who hate Valentine’s Day) want to know! What can you “single ladies” (or guys) do on Valentine’s Day, if you prefer to be social and party rather than curl under a blanket, covering your ears, and la-la-la-ing? V-Day inundates our existence whether we’re coupled or not, so if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em. Here are a few of my recommendations to avoid the coupling-oriented places.
The 28th Annual Battle of the Jug Bands at the Cabooze Sunday from 1 to 8 p.m. is “the oldest jug band battle in the known universe.” It is the absolute ultimate in irreverent fun and revelry. 20 bands from across the country duke it out for the coveted waffle iron. The Cabooze is packed to the gills with fun-loving, crazy dancing fools like you. You can bet that by mid-day you’ll be well into your cups and feeling the liquid courage to talk to that cute banjo-player from Wisconsin. Why are so many cute musicians from Wisconsin? It must be something in the beer. You won’t feel alone long, as the Cabooze becomes one big mess of free-lovin’ happy shiny people. If you can’t have fun at this, you should check if the ol’ ticker is still tickin’.
“But wait! It’s 8 p.m., they’re cleaning the floors of the mess, and my heart feels like its being swept out with the trash . . . what do I do now?!”you might ask. The night is young, you might be drunk, and aren’t ready to go home alone (the banjo player you talked to is married).
Well, usually there’s an after-party. At the Bedlam or somesuch. Keep your ears open. Ask around. Ask the judges because 10 to 1 they’ve been invited (bribed, embibed) with further post-battle beverages and good times.
But, if you just can’t handle the sound of one more spoon scraping a washboard, and are tired of getting covered with flying jug-juice (ew), there are a couple other things going on. I recommend you call a cab to get to these – 24/7 (612) 522-4363 - my cab company of choice as they are Minnesota's only green car service, with a fleet of diesel and hybrid vehicles, and are musicians trying to make a living.
Paper Hearts 8 p.m. – Midnight at Rogue Buddha (357 13th Avenue NE) – l’etoile + Rogue Buddha invite singles and couples alike to a big “lovey-dovey” get-together. L’etoile invites you to: “Lay eyes on the current exhibit "Till Death Do Us Part" featuring work by artist couple Karen O'Bryan and RM Hanson while you mingle with sweethearts, pals, and possible love connections!
Write sweet sentiments to your lovers, friends or that sexy stranger across the room on a pink paper heart and pop it in our anonymous "love note" box. We'll be periodically posting them up on the wall for everyone's perusal. Think of it as a live version of "Missed Connections," or a way to say what you really feel to someone you "heart."
Enjoy pink specialty cocktails from UV Vodka, sweet treats courtesy of the lovely dames of Cake Eater Bakery, and saucy love songs from DJ Matt Perkins of MPR/Nomad Pub.
Come party after Valentine's dinner with your sweetie, or gather your single friends for a V-Day flirt-a-thon! (Or after the Jug Band Battle, I say!) We'll even have a cozy makeout room ready and waiting!” - l'etoile
A Soultastic Valentine’s Day 8 p.m. – midnight King and I Thai Lounge Mike Elias is one of the best DJs in town, a favorite on first Fridays at the King and I Thai Lounge. You might not feel lonely or alone (or you at least may feel your sore heart soothed by soul), listening to his excellent soul-music spinning.
Elias says: “It's a night for lovers and a night for lovers of soul music as DJ Fathertime and DJ Mrs McFeely spin the steel wheels loaded with music to make you weak in the knees but strong in the heart.”
It's been a phenomenal past couple months. I've attended numerous great shows, too many to mention. Some highlights I've done, that I recommend, when these bands play again:
Courtney McClean and the Dirty Curls, The Knotwells and Black Audience at the 501 Club - very fun, excellent crowd for a Tuesday. These bands garnered new followers and people wishing for their CDs. I'll keep you posted.
Saltee at Barbette Monday night. They are members of Jelloslave (Jacqueline and Michele on cellos, Gary on Tablas) plus Mike Michel (Bill Mike) on a beautiful old (Fender?) electric guitar and Carnage, beatboxing. Their songs are mesmerizing, transcendental, pulsing, driving and seamlessly flowing various musical genres at their skilled fingertips. I didn't want the music to end. Next performance, and new CD possibly in Mar/April. Keep an eye out for Barbette music on Mondays and Thursdays - following them on Twitter helps.
ARCWELDER and Gay Witch Abortion a week ago at the Turf Club. Really great show. Hardcore and really tight, creative stuff. Fantastic crowd.
THINGS I LOOK FORWARD TO: • Art Shanties opens this Saturday!!! I'm really looking forward to: Art Swap Shanty (Julie and Scott Kesti live downstreet from me!), Black Bania Shanty, (poetry and comedy above by Mary Mack, Paul D. Laura Brandenburg and Steph Wilbur Ashe on top/sauna inside - bring a swimsuit), Reclamation Art Shanty, ArtPost Shanty (send postcards to your sweetie from the frozen lake!) and more. • After your toes are froze from the lake, warm up by dancing to the Can Kickers "old-timey riot music for dancin'" and The Knotwells at the Hexagon, Saturday night! • Jen Markey's CD Release Party Turf Club Jan. 23. She performs at Palmer's 2nd Thursdays. • Chooglin' residency at Palmer's latenight, the first 3 Saturdays in February!!!
These are but a few, but I'll try to keep people posted more, due to numerous requests beyond my Thursday morning Dakota Dave Hull Show calendar at 10 a.m.
New links I love: • last.fm • WFMU's Beware of the Blog (yes, still. Biggest, funnest time-waster in the Universe) • Cook to Bang Blog: Recipes to get you laid, and they look pretty good, too. "Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon." - The Dalai Lama • Cooking with Jocinda - a friend's food experiences and recipes. Fun! • Arts Communique blog, Sheila Regan's blog on art and performance
Last night there was so much going on at the Bedlam Theatre it was like candy for me, a multi-media, sensory freak. In the Fireplace Room was Frances Gumm, Paul D's phenomenal punk rock band since 1983. I and the couple dozen others were lucky to be treated to this rare performance. They'll play again when they release their new album they're working on later this winter.
Next door was an old-time square dance, always a good time. Upstairs on the beautiful deck was David Pitman's Monoplex — the Greek tragedy Medea was last night's featured film preceded by shorts Pitman gathered. Somehow it was quite fitting that Medea was playing upstairs, with Frances Gumm's rebellious punk next to a room where at times murder ballads were being played. Paul D. cut his finger on his guitar strings.
In the big room, were many gigantic fantasy creatures and puppets taking shape of cardboard, shimmery cloth, paper mache and various unusual items which Axman is an invaluable source for, as preparation for the Barebones Halloween production is in full tilt. Puppetmakers/performers had just arrived for the annual production from Vermont, and a bicyclist just wheeled in from St. Cloud. We got caught up, then a couple went off to play old-time fiddle, and a few of us discussed our Art Shanty proposals.
Just another fun-filled, creative night at Bedlam Social. They've increased their large array of entertainment offerings, now featuring a Hot Tony DJ night on Mondays. Some will recognize Hot Tony as literally hot — he's a fire-eating flame-juggling, fire-breathing performer who works with Rah Kojis at Bedlam fire-spinning performances (another spectacular part of Barebones production, and various events). There are cabarets on Fridays, Last weeks' was hosted by Bedlam's creative co-director John Buecke and legendary Michael Sommers of Open Eye Figure Theatre. The next one is rife with Puppets, hosted by excellent puppetmaster Dhann Polnau.
Dark Dark Dark releases two CDs into the light, Friday at a private party (you're invited as long as you know them and/or where to find the poster — could be a Hard Time). They're also the featured band for the March 15 Electric Arc Radio Show a Literary-Musical Tragicomedy that's the perfect, darkly twisted match. Catch them before they embark on their long dark tour at various points in the U.S. through October.
This dark folk trio — Nona Marie Dark (accordion), Marshall LaCount (banjo) and Jonathan Kaiser (cello) play traditional and traditional-sounding East Euro/Klesmer/Old-timey/Gallic/Old-country blues/ polka-punk/Other music with the seemingly unseemly yet delectably dark combination of the accordion-banjo-cello.
The sonorous cello mournfully swoops and soars in and out with the melodic, sparse banjo, and Baltic and Klesmer sounding accordion , while Nona sings low and plaintive, perfect for their dark ballads, torch and sea shanty style songs. Marshall and Nona harmonize and trade off singing, Marshall's vocals remniscent to me of Andrew Bird. The trio are a harmoniously interwoven relationship of rhythms and strings and vocals mesmerizing to the ears, sending chills, and enchanting to watch looking as though they live the life and times of the songs they play.
The versatile Dark Dark Dark lead "a weird double-life," said Jonathan (Painted Saints, The Blackthorns). "We play restaurants and gallery openings, and then we have clubs life . . . "". . . underground or overground!" continued Marshall (Woodcat). They tend to play more traditional music for restaurants and galleries — old folk songs, jazz standards, gypsy and blues. In clubs they perform mainly their original music — "as original as traditional-sounding music can be!" quipped Nona.
Dark Dark Dark are releasing two CDs. The live EP Love You, Bye was released in France under the label What-a-Mess. Spontaneous, sparse and warm, Jonathan said, "We were trying to capture how we sound live in a living room — the core acoustic experience of Dark Dark Dark. They're also releasing The Snow Magic full-length CD. This one is more arranged, with more instrumentals, and friends joining in such as Martin Dosh playing drums. Those familiar with Dark Dark Dark will hear some new direction with the arrangements and some new songs. They're starting their new label, Blood Onion Records with The Snow Magic CD.
Go into the dark night for Dark Dark Dark treasures and treats before they embark on the long tour of the East Coast and other regions.
