Elbow at Fine Line Music Café on 4/30/08

By: David de Young
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   Elbow - publicity photo from their MySpace As the strains of “Starlings,” the opening track off their new album The Seldom Seen Kid began to play, Elbow emerged one member at a time onto the Fine Line Music Cafe stage in Minneapolis Wednesday – first each of their two tour string players, who also double as backup singers, then the band itself, each member bearing a trum...

Gem of The Ocean at Guthrie Theater on 4/27/08

By: Jon Behm
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  August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean is a bit like a Skip James song: slow to build, bitter and full of religious allusion. One particular lyric of James’s sticks with me:   I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave Than to be way up here, honey, treated this a-way   This idea is central to Wilson’s play, which deals with just what it means to be free in America ...

Cloud Cult CD Release Show with The Forms at First Avenue on 4/26/08

By: David de Young
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Cloud Cult - Photo by Stacy Schwartz In front of a packed to the gills First Avenue Main Room this past Saturday, Cloud Cult unleashed their brand new (and fingers crossed it’s not their last) album, Feel Good Ghosts, in what was surely one of the must see local CD release shows of 2008.   Michigan’s Mason Proper opened the early eveni...

The Acorn at 7th Street Entry on 4/26/08

By: Travis Even
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  The Acorn - Photo by Travis Even Born several years ago as the solo project of Ottawa musician Rolf Klausener, The Acorn has blossomed over the course of four recordings into a talented sextet. This 7th St. Entry show marked the fourth day of the group's inaugural American tour in which they ventured south to support their newest full-length Glory Hope Mountain. T...

The Crush at Triple Rock Social Club on 4/25/08

By: Bob Longmore
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The last time that I saw The Crush was the opening weekend for live music at the Triple Rock opening for a reunited Lifter Puller. Now, almost five years later, The Crush are the ones reuniting at the now worn-in Triple Rock. The reasons they originally broke up may exist only in the realm of speculation, and when asked why they were getting back together, singer and guitarist Jason Miller remained just as coy. “No real reason, other than just being stupid.” He did admit the decision...

Kraftwerk at The Rave / Eagles Club on 4/20/08

By: Almostred
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Robots - Photo by Almostred “Three German guys walk into a bar…”   There is a very short list of bands that I would go out of my way to see anymore, and Kraftwerk is near the top of that list. An inexplicably routed three-date Midwestern warm-up for Coachella brought them to the Myth in Maplewood last weekend, a show I missed because of a prior obligation. Lu...

Jacobo Langsner 's Esperando La Carroza (Waiting for the Hearse) at Mixed Blood Theatre on 4/19/08

By: Janet Preus
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Waiting for the Hearse - Publicity Photo Mixed Blood Theatre closes its season with its 10th bi-lingual production, a farcical sitcom replete with flawed personalities and just over-the-top situations. Three families – one middle class, one wealthier, and one poorer – are united in blood by three brothers and an aging mother – apparently suffering from dementia – who is driving every...

Jayber Crow CD Release Show with The Floorbirds and Spider John Koerner at Nomad World Pub on 4/19/08

By: Carl Atiya Swanson
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Jayber Crow - Photo by Stacy Schwartz Jayber Crow’s release of their Two Short Stories LP seemed like wandering to the crossroads, a meeting of divergent paths of music under the same tent. Spider John Koerner, granddaddy of the old guard leaned over to several people trough the night to ask, mostly seriously, “What kind of music do they call this?” Apparently, it is ...

Saul Williams with Dragons of Zynth at The Varsity Theater on 4/19/08

By: Mary Rea
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When an edgy, innovative, boundary blurring and visionary artist like Saul Williams makes a tour stop in the Twin Cities, I secretly give thanks to the live music gods and goddesses (who surely conspire with the Varsity Theater and their producing partners) for booking acts that influence and inspire local music-lovers and musicians alike. For despite our virtual access to great live footage, there’s nothing like the first appearance of...

The Current Fakebook featuring Chuck D with Brother Ali and Slug at Fitzgerald Theater on 4/19/08

By: Jen Paulson
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Chuck D started his Minneapolis weekend presenting the new Public Enemy documentary at the Oak Street Cinema on Friday night as an event for the Minneapolis/St. Paul Film Festival, rounding it out with the anticipated music and interview event that is Fakebook. An evening with the rap music innovator, activist and artist had been announced months back and induced quite the flurry of excitement.   Chuck D and B...