HowWasTheShow/Minneapoliscast CD Reviews for November, 2007 on 11/2/07

By: Pat O'Brien, Andrea Myers, Bob Longmore, David de Young
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  Members of the HowWasTheShow staff listen to and discuss some of the new notable music around town in their  monthly podcast for Minneapoliscast.com. Bob Longmore - The Evening Rig - “All The Stars” Pat O’Brien - The Glad Version - “Ambulance” Andrea Myers - The Owls - “Bury Your Mind” David de Young - Bec Smith - “Black” ...

Kelly Clarkson at State Theatre on 11/2/07

By: Kelly Hopf Basgen
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Kelly Clarkson, publicity photo When getting to know new people who enjoy music, I like to play the “First, Best, Worst” concert game. People love to tell stories about their first shows: bussing to Rochester with the church group to see Stryper, witnessing Tina Turner get booed while opening for Lionel Richie during the “Hello” days, seeing Van Halen with dad. There’s no doubt ...

The Mail Order Bride by Charles Mee, a nimbus theatre production at Minneapolis Theater Garage on 11/2/07

By: David de Young
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Rose Le Tran as June in nimbus theatre's production of The Mail Order Bride Directed by Josh Cragun Run time 1 hour and 50 minutes with no intermission   Inevitably when writing theater reviews one eventually gets to call a play “a satiric romp.” That phrase is apt in the case of Charles Mee’s The Mail Order Bride, which had its regional premiere at the Minne...

Gogol Bordello at First Avenue on 11/1/07

By: Jon Behm
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Gogol Bordello - Photo by Jon Behm I love Eugene Hutz’s accent. When I saw Gogol Bordello on Thursday night, I badly wanted the hilarious frontman to do some lines from one of my favorite films, Everything is Illuminated, in which he plays Elijah Wood’s guide Alex.  Illuminated’s Alex is a Ukranian hip hop fan who “all the women want to become carnal with because [he] is such a ...

The Hold Steady at State Theatre on 11/1/07

By: Kelly Hopf Basgen
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   Craig Finn of the Hold Steady - Photo by Stacy Schwartz No one was more excited during The Hold Steady show at the State Theatre on Thursday night than lead singer and Minneapolis native Craig Finn. Although every night on stage appears to be the best night of Finn’s life, he seemed overjoyed – and at times overwhelmed – by the opportunity to play to a sold-out crowd a...

Three Nights of Guitar Heros on 10/31/07

By: Joe Lang
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  Bill Frisell’s Disfarmer Project (27 October 2007, Walker Art Center)  Disfarmer Trio - Photo from www.songtone.com In a classic Simpson’s episode, a grumpy patron scoffs at the performance of a jazz violinist prompting Lisa Simpson to respond, “You have to listen to the notes he’s not playing.”   The man hilariously growls back, ...

The Global Drum Project at Orchestra Hall on 10/27/07

By: Joe Lang
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Poster from planetdrummusic.com “In the beginning was noise,” Mickey Hart began his 1991 book Drumming at the Edge of Magic. “Noise began rhythm.” And in that same year, Hart joined with Zakir Hussain, Sikiru Adepoju and Giovanni Hidalgo on the Grammy award-winning Planet Drum. Sixteen years later, he has rejoined his Planet Drum band mates for Global Drum Pro...

Bon Iver with Megafaun at Uptown Bar and Café on 10/26/07

By: Jon Behm
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Bon Iver - Photo by Jon Behm Ben Iver played the Uptown Bar last Friday. Don’t worry if you don’t know who he is. He existed for one night and one night alone. On Friday night only, the faux-French named Bon Iver was presented as Ben Iver, due to a small spelling error on the part of the Uptown Bar. Bon Iver is the current project of Justin Vernon, an Eau Cla...

Stook and Dan Israel CD Release Show at The Varsity Theater on 10/26/07

By: Bob Longmore
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Stook! - Photo by David de Young There’s always a lot of talk about the Twin Cities music scene. Is it as good as it was in the ‘80s? The ‘90s? Is the scene better than ever?  These are all impossible questions to answer because the truth is, most of the time, the scene is just an imagined scenario of success and notoriety. Having said all that, the closest I ha...

Architecture in Helsinki at 400 Bar on 10/24/07

By: Jon Behm
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  Charles Byron of Panther - Photo by Jon Behm Word is out, the kiddies love Architecture In Helsinki.  At least they did Wednesday night at the 400 Bar.  With their boundless energy and their low alcohol tolerance, they made this 26-year-old feel like a senior citizen.  I may have to stop going to 18+ shows before I develop an early case of cranky old man syndrome. Two bands ...