Trailer Trash's Trashy Little Christmas at Lee's Liquor Lounge on 12/21/02

By: David de Young
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Nate Dungan of Trailer Trash (center) leads the festivities at Lee's.  "This is crazier than a lot of the punk shows I've been to lately," I said to Nate Dungan, leader of the Minneapolis-based Trailer Trash during the set break. It was their 9th Annual Trashy Little Christmas show at Lee's Liquor Lounge in Downtown Minneapolis, but  my first time seeing the infamous event in...

Work of Saws at 7th Street Entry on 12/6/02

By: David de Young
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David Salmela (left) and Brock Davis (right) of Work of Saws - Photo from their website The serendipitous approach I have been taking to discovering the great bands in the Twin Cities may actually be working. Friday night, the method of my madness led me to experience Work of Saws in the Entry. And they were fabulous. In one fell swoop they jumped off the list of bands I'd be...

An Interview with Mark Mallman on 11/22/02

By: David de Young
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It's Friday afternoon. After his sound check for his two EP Release shows scheduled for later that night, Mark Mallman took a few minutes out of his extremely busy day to answer some questions. We sat down on a couple of folding chairs in the dank, stark basement of the 7th Street Entry for an interview which is transcribed below in nearly its entirety. HWTS: Are you still working a day job? MM: Oh yeah. Fuck yeah. I don't make any money at music 'cau...

Martin Sexton at Cedar Cultural Center on 11/14/02

By: David de Young
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  Have you ever heard or read a bunch of overwhelmingly positive reviews about a musician only to go see him for yourself and feel like you had nothing to say other than  to regurgitate the same old praises you already heard? Neither have I. And the day I start feeling like that is the day I quit doing this.   That being said, seeing Martin Sexton perform live is as amazing as everyone says...

The Frames at 400 Bar on 10/2/02

By: David de Young
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Glen Hansard of Dublin's The Frames writes and sings ethereal, utterly beautiful songs that at times border on other-worldly. The Frames current release For the Birds hints at this but only approaches the magnificence effect of hearing these songs live. Going to see the Frames Thursday night in Minneapolis I got more than I bargained for. I don't believe I've ever seen a more intimate and mesmerizing set at the 400 Bar. My interest in The Frames had ...

The Shins at 400 Bar on 8/1/02

By: David de Young
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I had been looking forward to seeing Albuquerque, New Mexico's, The Shins - who played a 19 song set to a jam-packed 400 Bar on Thursday night -  for most of 2002. After a tip from a friend in the spring, I  downloaded all of 2001's Sub Pop debut Oh, Inverted World, which at that time was all still available on our dearly departed Audiogalaxy. Plus I got a bunch of other stuff , including songs by earlier incarnat...

Elbow at First Avenue on 4/15/02

By: David de Young
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It was hotter than Hell on the 15th of April in Minneapolis. Strange as it may seem, 91 is not normal for Minnesota this time of year. This fact was not lost on Guy Garvey, lead singer of the onetime Bury, England, now Manchester band Elbow, who wryly commented on the heat, suggesting it wasn’t mere coincidence. It’s possible he was right.  Immediately upon launching into their set Elbow did much to help heat up an already packed First Avenue on Monday...

Test for pictures at First Avenue on 1/1/02

By: Andrea Myers
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All Photos by David de Young 1. One For The Team's Ian Anderson and that other guy; 2. Jeremy Messersmith; 3. White Light Riot's Mike Schwandt. 4. Maria Isa; 5. Vampire Hands; 6. The Alarmists. There are a few shows a year that local...