Secret Panels CD Release Show w/ Sin Horses at Nomad World Pub on 12/28/07

By: David de Young
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   Nic Garcia of Sin Horses - Photo by David de Young Jenny Dalton opened up the evening Friday at the Nomad, playing with just her backing drummer of late, Jeremy Grace. With his own band, Secret Panels, Grace would close out the evening a couple hours later. In the middle slot were Sin Horses, a Minneapolis three-piece comprised of Nic Garcia on guitar and vocals, Jay Demars on...

The Parlour Suite at The Turf Club on 12/28/07

By: Jon Behm
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The Parlour Suite - Photo by Jon Behm Those who made it out to the Turf Club early enough to catch The Parlour Suite on Friday night weren’t disappointed with the local openers’ performance. Their ragtime boogie and folk-blues gems were a nice addition to strong shows by Martin Devaney, A Night in the Box and the always stellar Joanna James...

Minneapolis Kids Have More Fun featuring City on the Make, CrunkMonster, Coughee Brothaz North, Tape Jays at Nomad World Pub on 12/26/07

By: Carl Atiya Swanson
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Crunkmonster - Photo by Stacy Schwartz Reality TV producers will say just about anything; the profession ranks somewhere between pig farmer and Donald Trump ghost-writer for the sheer amount of manure shoveled. During dinner before heading down to the Minneapolis Kids Have More Fun Boxing Day bash at the Nomad, I was informed that if you can get someone to parrot you back and say things the way you want, they ar...

RudeGirl Clash Tribute Band at Triple Rock Social Club on 12/22/07

By: David de Young
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   RudeGirl at the Triple Rock - Photo by David de Young Louis Dunlap (yup, Slim’s son) opened a bill at the Triple Rock Saturday night where later RudeGirl would serve out nearly 30 songs from the English band The Clash Saturday night in a show that was half tribute, half nostalgia, half drunken dance party and all fun. (I’m aware that adds up to 150 percent, but it was t...

The 757s with Terry Eason at 400 Bar on 12/21/07

By: David de Young
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    Terry Eason Terry Eason started his set with “The Agony of the Thrill” from Bees will Bumble album (2004) and followed it up with “Elephant Graveyard” from Elephant Garden (2003).  (Both those albums are part of his elephant/bee/fly trilogy). But starting with his third song, “Miracle Man” from his new disc Sentimental Vanity, a malfunctioning amp b...

Eyedea and Abilities with SecTor7G at Triple Rock Social Club on 12/20/07

By: Amber Schadewald
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Eyedea and Abilities - Photo from eyedeaandabilities.com Sold out and filled with boys, the Triple Rock offered Eyedea and Abilities a sober, yet amped audience for their homecoming show. SecTor7G, an MC and DJ duo from Circle Pines, Minn. opened the show and knocked my leg warmers off. On the mic, Impulse is a lunatic who sees no limitations in intonation. Slightly similar to Eyedea,...

Jenny Dalton, Bella Koshka and Mary Bue (with Eliza Blue) at The Turf Club on 12/20/07

By: David de Young
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   Mary Bue at the Turf Club - Photo by David de Young I arrived at the Turf moments after Mary Bue kicked off an enjoyable Thursday evening of music. HowWasTheShow has covered Bue more fully elsewhere, but to add my own two cents, I can’t listen to her without being struck at how cool it is to hear such a big voice coming from a person of such small stature. Tonight, a ...

The Belfast Cowboys perform Van Morrison' Moondance. With Romantica and Stook! at First Avenue on 12/19/07

By: David de Young
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   Terry Walsh of the Belfast Cowboys joined by Stook! and  Ben Kyle of Romantica - Photo by Alexa Jones “Relax and enjoy the Van cover-bliss of The Belfast Cowboys.” - Jen Paulson Indeed, it was a lovely pre-holiday, mid-week break. Though the thing about weeknight shows I never seem to learn is: don’t be late. Arriving just before 10:00 to First Av...

Dance Band, with Mel Gibson and the Pants, and Battle Royale at The Varsity Theater on 12/15/07

By: Pat O'Brien
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   Dance Band Crowd (as seen from the back of the Varsity - Photo by David de Young Almost exactly a year ago, I attended my first Dance Band show at the 7th Street Entry. My hopes were high, and just as I was starting to get into it, a man from the audience climbed atop one on the monitors, then fell headfirst onto the cold, hard floor, sending him to the hospital and ending the show just...

Doomtree Blowout 3 at First Avenue on 12/14/07

By: Amber Schadewald
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Part of the Doomtree crew - Photo from Doomtree.net I made a small mistake and didn't show up to the Doomtree show until 11:00, thinking I could easily skip the slew of openers in exchange for a hot date.  Turns out, I missed all of the individual short performances. No worries though. I caught the most important part—Doomtree, all members, together for the big hoorah. ...