Interpol with Secret Machines and Hail Social at First Avenue on 10/19/04

By: David de Young
[Read full review]
Interpol - photo by Pieter van Hattem Tuesday night’s bill in the First Avenue Main Room was a sold out, full on, triple band blitz. Generally I hate being jammed up against my neighbors at First Ave at sweaty sold out shows to catch buzz bands that just keep getting buzzier like Interpol. (Death Cab for Cutie, for example, I gene...

Death Cab for Cuties with Travis Morrison at First Avenue on 10/16/04

By: Jim Brunzell III
[Read full review]
When I first saw that Death Cab for Cutie was coming back to First Avenue, I shrugged it off. I’d seen Death Cab five times since the fall of 2000 and had no real intention of seeing them a sixth time. The times I’d seen them before it seemed like they didn’t give a shit that they were in a band. They looked confused and lethargic. But I kept going back to see them, hoping the next show would be better. Well, here I am reviewing their show. Why? Two words: Tra...

Ike Reilly CD Release Show at 7th Street Entry on 10/15/04

By: Karla Ludzack
[Read full review]
Ike Reilly strikes a pose at the 7th Street Entry on the first night of his two night CD Release Party which would conclude at the Turf Club on Saturday. Photo by Karla Ludzack. (Click for full size version.) There’s hardly another live act out there that can compete with The Ike Reilly Assassination in terms of energy, fun, or...

Grant Hart at The Turf Club on 10/14/04

By: Karla Ludzack
[Read full review]
Grant Hart performs at the Turf Club - Photo by Karla Ludzack I try to see Grant Hart every time he plays a show around here. I figure I owe him that much. He's done a lot for music in the Twin Cities, from the music he put out with Husker Du, Nova Mob, and from his solo releases; emceeing local functions like Pastor Paul's Acoustic Garage Sale ...

Andrew Bird at Bryant Lake Bowl on 10/12/04

By: Karla Ludzack
[Read full review]
Andrew Bird - Publicity photo Chicago singer/songwriter/violinist Andrew Bird paints pictures with his music. He conjures up images of peace, love, despair, joy. Even death. But he's always playful with his subject matter, so don't worry about not having a good time. For example, how many artists do you know who could use the phrase, "...what a d...

Q And Not U at Triple Rock Social Club on 10/11/04

By: Jim Brunzell III
[Read full review]
Music takes a strange path to find you sometimes. Usually I hear about bands or music from friends, but where that takes place can be the strangest places too, like a grungy basement leaking water from a broken pipe at a house party in NE Minneapolis. Two years ago this is where I found out about Q And Not U, a punk trio from Washington D.C. I only vaguely remember the conversation, but I do remember my friend holding a beer in each hand sayi...

Kid Dakota CD Release Party at Triple Rock Social Club on 10/9/04

By: David de Young
[Read full review]
The cover of Kid Dakota's new album on Chairkickers, "The West Is The Future." The album art is by Will Schaff Darren Jackson and his band Kid Dakota had a pair of CD release parties at the Triple Rock this weekend, a 21+ show Friday and an all ages version Saturday evening. Both shows were headlined by fellow Chairkicke...

Kraig Johnson and the Program with The High Heels at Red Carpet on 10/8/04

By: Karla Ludzack
[Read full review]
Kraig Johnson and the Program perform at the Red Carpet Lounge in St. Cloud - Photo by Karla Ludzack (click for full size) I took a little road trip on Friday to the Red Carpet in St Cloud. It's probably the third or fourth time I've gone there to see Kraig Jarret Johnson & The Program. It's always interesting to see a band at “...

The Libertines with Radio 4 at Fine Line Music Café on 10/8/04

By: David de Young
[Read full review]
The Libertines perform at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis - Photo by David de Young (click for full size) As of Friday, I’m officially 0 for 3. And I’m about to give up my chances of actually seeing Carl Barat and Pete Doherty perform onstage together in The Libertines. The many-troubled Doherty had already departed ...

The Faint at First Avenue on 10/5/04

By: Jim Brunzell III
[Read full review]
Since the Faint released their new CD Wet From Birth over a month ago, it’s been hard to take out of my CD player. Each time I listen to it, I find something new. But I had no idea what kind of a show these five flamboyant fellas from Omaha, NE, would put on at First Avenue Tuesday night. Tired from seeing fellow Saddle Creek label mates, Bright Eyes the night before, I made it through the work day by listening to the Faint’s entire catalog ...