Jessy Greene with Telephone at Mario's Keller Bar on 12/30/03

By: Nancy Jane Meyer
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Jessy Greene performs at Mario's. Photo by Jesse Stensby (click for larger image) It's a Brand New Day, and a Brand New Band for Jessy Greene Now that the presidium politburo has us on Holidazzle Orange Alert, I feel even more adamantly that only melody can save us, a populace in search of a sweet, sad song to ease our silly selves, musical salve fo...

The Jayhawks with The Melismatics at First Avenue on 12/21/03

By: Nancy Jane Meyer
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The Jayhawks - publicity photo The third night of a three night stand brought out the magnanimity in Jayhawks frontman Gary Louris, who announced early on that we were the best audience of the weekend. “And I’m not just saying that,” he said self-consciously, pushing his glasses up on his nose while glancing around at ...

Faux Jean with Trolley and The Hang Ups at Onopa Brewing Company on 11/29/03

By: David de Young
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Faux Jean in their final performance with Faux Wayne and Jean Angel at The Onopa Brewing Company in Milwaukee (photo by David de Young - click for full size) Milwaukee isn't exactly on the way to Minneapolis from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, but it was a detour well worth taking on my way home from visiting my sister after the Thanksgiving holiday....

Cinco de Bathrobe with The Field and Jenny Fontaine at Big Vs on 11/26/03

By: Bryan Jacobsen
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The cover of Cinco de Bathrobe's CD "Get the Muff" I sat in a moderately filled bar, the night before Thanksgiving. I was drinking Summit and waiting for a show to start. Three bands, three beers, three bucks. The first act was Jenny Fontaine. Jenny Fontaine is a Guitar Girl, Drummer Boy, Wit Rock combo that combines the funniness of ...

Jessy Greene with Mike Gunther, Jimmy Peterson and Bob McCreedy at Mario's Keller Bar on 11/26/03

By: Nancy Jane Meyer
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Jessy Greene performs recently at the Turf Club in a photo from her website Country blues singer/songwriter Lonesome Dan Kase once confided in me that he felt Mario's Keller Bar (he and his Crush Collision trio had a regular weekly gig there last summer) must have been built on an Indian burial ground. "It's just a weird place," he sai...

The Hang Ups CD Release Party at First Avenue on 11/21/03

By: David de Young
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The Hang Ups at their CD Release Party at First Avenue - Photo by Anna Lee (click for full size) Listening to the Hang Ups makes me want to start writing pop music again. Whether I do so or not is another story, but let this serve as a warning to ya'll in just in case this musician turned rock hack suddenly comes out of retirement to add his q...

Martin Sexton at Pantages Theatre on 11/15/03

By: Kristin A. Hasler
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My first experience with Martin Sexton was at the expansive, glorious Winnipeg Folk Festival several years back, about 180 degrees from the primly restored Pantages Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. Sitting in a crowd of well-scrubbed white folks in jeans, I felt like a tourist in my head-to-toe black (hey, you try to dress for an evening of multiple venues and music genres). I felt more touristy when the lights dimmed and the crowd went positively...

Lucky Jeremy and the New Minneapolis at First Avenue on 11/7/03

By: David de Young
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Lucky Jeremy performed Friday night at First Avenue opening for the Rapture - photo by David de Young (click for full size) I made a special point to arrive early at First Avenue Friday night. Ok, maybe 6:30 was too early as the door person had yet to figure out that this show (headlined later by the Rapture) was indeed free +1 guest for...

Superhopper CD Release Party at Big Vs on 11/7/03

By: David de Young
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Bassist William Muller (left) looks on as vocalist Kermit Carter belts out another new, fresh Midwestern rock hit at Big V's on Friday night - photo by David de Young (click for full size)   After an under-whelming set by the Rapture at First Avenue and a bunch of scenester milling around by the upstairs bar, I did a hard sell ...

Ben Conelly CD Release Party at Bryant Lake Bowl on 10/26/03

By: David de Young
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Ben Connelly performed at his CD Release Party for "You Burn Hotter" Sunday at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. Photo by David de Young (click for full size version.) Was it procrastination that kept me from getting this review online? (It's Wednesday already.) Or did I simply needed the time to soak it all ...