A youthful crowd made up the majority of Friday’s sold out show, several whom I overheard were attending their first Umphrey’s McGee concert. The band took the dimly lit stage, and patiently worked into crowd-favorite “Nothing Too Fancy” which hammered directly into a bouncing “Domino Theory”, from Death By Stereo. That was a great start for a rocking set. “Wellwishers”, also from Death By Stereo was up next and didn’t stray far from the album version. The first set ended with “Intentions Clear” > “Baby You’re A Rich Man” > “Got Your Milk (Right Here)” > “Nothing Too Fancy”. What a way to pick up from the fantastic second set of night one.
The second set of night two had its moments, including a beautifully clean “Fussy Dutchman”, and an awesome “Women, Wine and Song” sung by keyboardist, Joel Cummins, but overall I felt the song selection was a little flat in comparison to the first set. After the set completed with “Der Bluten Kat”, the band returned for a two song encore. The slow funk-grooving “Hangover” finished off the two night run with drummer, Kris Myers, adding falsetto backup vocals. The crowd sang, “all night long!” as well, smiling in appreciation for another great run of shows at the best rock club around.
These were the most consistent Umphrey’s McGee shows I have seen in several years. While the show dynamics never strayed too far from the middle, there were some superb highlights from this run, far trumping last year’s First Avenue shows. Perhaps the Mexican sun provided some needed rejuvenation, or perhaps the band has found a new groove, whatever it is, I hope they don’t take long to return to the Twin Cities. How about a summer trip to the Minnesota Zoo, Umphrey’s?? Go see Umphrey’s McGee in a city near you. \mm/
First Avenue – Friday, February 3rd, 2012 Setlist: Set One
Nothing Too Fancy > Domino Theory, Wellwishers, Dump City > It’s About That Time > Dump City, Intentions Clear > Baby You’re A Rich Man > Got Your Milk (Right Here) > Nothing Too Fancy Set Two
Hurt Bird Bath > Anchor Drops, The Fussy Dutchman, Women Wine and Song > Der Bluten Kat Encore
Kimble, Hangover*
Notes
* with One Nation Under a Groove teases
For the first time since their September 13th, 2011 release of Death By Stereo, Chicago’s Umphrey’s McGee, returned to Minneapolis, MN. The band, just days off what must have been one super relaxing trip to Mayan Riviera, Mexico for the south-of-the-border resort festival, Mayan Holidaze, seemed focused and in good spirits on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at First Avenue in Minneapolis. While the venue wasn’t sold out, the near-capacity crowd was abuzz, especially those lucky enough to have tickets in hand for the “All Night Wrong” late show that was to follow next door at the 250 person capacity 7th Street Entry. “All Night Wrong” was the first ever Umphrey’s McGee all- covers show (with songs chosen by fans).
From the “Phil’s Farm” opener, to the “In the Kitchen” encore, Thursday night’s show was one of the smoothest Umphrey’s McGee shows I have ever seen. It seems some time under the Mexican sun can do great things for a band, as the band played with a calm and focused presence the entire night. The second set was especially nice, starting off with Pink Floyd’s, “In the Flesh” > “Another Brick In the Wall” which worked directly into “Out of Order”.
The highlight of the set, and of the evening, was an extended version of “Red Tape” from the band’s 2009 release, Mantis. “Red Tape” went from its straight-up rock beginnings, into an upbeat bridge that had the band diving head first into a techno jam that had everyone in the room pumping their fists and screaming. Lighting designer, Jefferson Waful, added his luminous touch with lights sparking like stars straight into the crowd, silhouetting the band in deep black. “Andy’s Last Beer” rounded out the excellent set in style, before the band returned for an average version of “In the Kitchen” as their encore. Then those who were lucky enough to have tickets to The Entry (I was not one of them), got in line for what sounded like a great time.
First Avenue – Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 Setlist:
Set One
Phil’s Farm, Example 1*, Room to Breathe, Robot World -> Alex’s House > Go to Hell Set Two
In the Flesh > Another Brick In the Wall -> Out of Order, Plunger, Walletsworth, Red Tape, FF > Andy’s Last Beer Encore
In the Kitchen
Notes
* with I Keep Forgettin’ and Xxplosive teases
7th Street Entry – Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 “All Night Wrong” Setlist: One Set
YYZ, Breathe*, Waiting Room, Billy Jean, Immigrant Song, Cocaine, Comfortably Numb, Moby Dick^, All Night Long, Making Flippy Floppy Encore
Burning Down the House
Notes
All Night Wrong: late night show comprised of all covers voted on by fans
* dub version
^ with Jake replacing Kris on drums
Swamp rocking soul singer, JJ Grey, brought his band to Minneapolis on the coldest night of the year thus far. The Varsity Theater was comfortably full with a mostly thirty to fifty year old crowd. It may have been frigid outside, but it didn’t take long for the beautiful theater to be filled with warmth as the night got started with a short set by Daryl Hance who was backed up by Mofro’s Anthony Cole on drums and Todd Smallie on bass.
JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound hit the stage next with their hard and driving groove, “Beat of Our Own Drum”. The band started it off, before JC Brooks glided onto the stage as smooth as could be. It was quickly evident that JC Brooks was someone special, with baby-face looks and a soul sound far beyond his years. The band combined raw Motown with post-punk influence creating a melting pot of R&B and rock. Brooks commanded attention with his voice and his moves, finally persuading the rather shy crowd to move forward to the stage. The band ripped through a nice set including a cover of Wilco’s, “I am Trying to Break Your Heart” towards the end. Before that song, Brooks commented that the band could only stay smooth for so long, before unleashing their raw power. And that is how they played the song. JC Brooks & the Uptown Sound were one of the most impressive opening bands I have seen in a long time.
JJ Grey & Mofro headlined to an appreciative crowd. JJ Grey’s songs border on gospel at times, speaking proudly of family and his love of life. That gospel was naturally interwoven into gritty swamp rock which had the crowd bouncing and singing along. Grey was in top form, flying in from Florida the same day to start this new tour in Minneapolis. His band seemed equally rested, keeping a tight groove all night for Grey who switched between vocals/guitar, and just vocals. For the encore, Art Edmaiston on sax and Dennis Marion on trumpet hit the front of the stage unleashing their brass to the crowd who ate it up when they weren’t dodging instruments in their faces. JJ Grey and Mofro put on an excellent performance, helping most of us forget the depths of winter outside.
Photos taken for music blog Reviler. Check it out!
I am ever grateful to be living in Minneapolis, MN, with its vibrant and ever-changing music scene. Whether it’s local or national bands, the Twin Cities has no shortage of quality music ready to be seen or heard on any given night. And it always seems that with its rich musical history, most artists truly appreciate playing here.
Overall, 2011 was a great year musically for the city and for me. Here are the top 11 concerts I saw and/or photographed this past year. Cheers to 2012. Rock!
1. Foo Fighters – XCel Energy Center in St. Paul on 9/14 – This was the first stop on the band’s 2011 US tour and they were primed to go. On tour to support arguably their best record to date, 2011′s Wasting Light, Dave Grohl and company came out and absolutely blew the roof off the XCel. One of the opening bands, Mariachi El Bronx, was unable to play so the Foo Fighters started early and played late, ripping through most of Wasting Light as well as all of their hits from their previous six releases. Early on Dave Grohl exclaimed, “You all ready for a long show tonight? We’ve got too many fucking songs”. Over two and a half hours later, the marathon the show ended with the near capacity crowd still pumping their fists.
2. Drive-by Truckers – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 10.25 – Drive-by Truckers are no strangers to Minneapolis. Over the years they have played First Avenue many times and I have witnessed several of those performances, some of which have been memorable and others that have been drunken wastes of time. But on this night in October, these rockers from Alabama were on fire, and they rocked the most spot-on and heartfelt performance I’ve ever witnessed them play. Singer and guitarist, Patterson Hood, lead the charge, still grieving from the passing of his great uncle, George A., the day before. The band seemed to funnel all of that energy back into the music and us fans got treated with an incredible two and a half hour set, including a rocking eight song encore. What a night!
3. Arctic Monkeys – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 5.28 – These young British lads know how to rock! This performance was nothing short of amazing, and they plowed through their bass-driven set with such ease that I questioned that they were still just in their early twenties. This is a band that is going to be around for a long time, and I am very glad to have seen them at First Avenue before they start headlining arena shows around the US.
4. The Greenhornes – Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on 3.26 – After a five year break that saw bassist Jack Lawrence playing with The Raconteurs and The Dead Weather, and drummer Patrick Keeler playing with The Raconteurs, The Greenhornes returned to Minneapolis with a straight up, kick-ass, rock-n-roll show. The Triple Rock Social Club was the perfect, intimate venue for this. The band played so smooth it was as though they had never taken a break. The opening band, Hacienda, was also exceptional.
5. Man Man – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 5.23 – Man Man is crazy! Artistically speaking, I had more fun at this show than any other this year. These guys were goofy as hell, without missing a single beat on their instruments. Singer Honus Honus lead this musical carnival front and center with war stripes painted on his cheeks. I can’t wait to see Man Man again.
6. Titus Andronicus – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 6.12 – They opened for Okkervil River and completely stole the show with their high-energy, pounding performance. This five-piece punk/indie rock band from New Jersey channels everything from Bruce Springsteen to The Decemberists in their music. Singer, Patrick Stickles, sounded like a punk version of Conor Oberst, and the rest of the band didn’t stop moving all night. This show was fantastic. Next time I see them, they should be headlining First Avenue.
7. Umphrey’s McGee – Simon Estes Amphitheatre in Des Moines, IA – 7.1 – After seeing two somewhat disappointing Umphrey’s McGee shows at First Avenue in January, seeing them play outside at the beautiful Simon Estes Amphitheater in downtown Des Moines, IA made up for it. So although this wasn’t a Minneapolis concert, I am going to include it anyways. This day was hot, with a heat index approaching 110F. And even as the sun dropped downriver directly behind the small stage, Umphrey’s McGee kept the heat going with their music. The second set was especially awesome, with a rocking All in Time mash. It’s always a treat to see Umphrey’s McGee. Go see them on their annual multi-night run February 2nd and 3rd, 2012 at First Avenue!
8. Deer Tick – Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on 11.12 – This show was raucous, sweaty, and nearly out of control. The Triple Rock was sold out with a majority of the crowd being no stranger to the alternative folk-rocking tunes of Deer Tick. As the show progressed, beers were flying and people were getting thrown out. Before the encore, a girl got onstage and kissed singer John McCauley. He didn’t seem to mind, offering her his guitar which she strummed awkwardly before jumping back down into the crowd. For the final song of the night, opening band, The Guards, joined Deer Tick on stage and proceeded to dowse the crowd with Budweisers. The mess that ensued over the course of the night never took away from Deer Tick’s fine rock performance. This is a great band.
9. Dawes -First Avenue in Minneapolis on 11.4 – Going into this show, I dismissed Dawes as a college rock band that wasn’t going to do much for me. I was wrong. This band is fantastic live, with a classic rock vibe and vocals that sounds eerily like Jackson Browne. Minneapolis just can’t get enough of this four-piece from Los Angeles. This well sold-out crowd rocked along all night, yet seemed polite enough to not step on anyone’s toes while doing so. Some guy even bought a bottle a sparkling wine, only to pour out five glasses and share with strangers around him (including me). I’m glad I saw this show.
10. Oh Land – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 7.21 – Oh Land is a Danish singer-songwriter and record producer who currently resides in Brooklyn, NY. She opened for pop songstress, Sia, on this night at First Avenue. The stage was completely covered in quilted blankets, giving the usually black venue a rather strange and childish feel. But Oh Land took the stage and ripped through an powerful set of electro-pop with her percussionist Hans Hvidberg-Hansen making me forget about all of the quilts in a hurry. Her set was mesmerizing, and better than that of the great songwriter and singer, Sia.
11. Nashville Pussy – Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on 8.18 – Nashville Pussy is a rock-n-roll band. They’ve made a living on the road since the 90′s, and their shows always display that rugged experience. I caught them on a co-headlining tour with punk/hardcore band, The Dwarves, and on this night Nashville Pussy played first. But after hearing Nashville Pussy’s short fist-pumping set, I wanted them to play all night. This band is rock-n-roll in every way, with big guitars, big bass, and big drums and a don’t-give-a-fuck attitude. It was great seeing them at a small venue like the Triple Rock.
2. My Morning Jacket – Rock the Garden in Minneapolis on 6.18 – This show was good, but it could have been incredible had the promoters given the band time for at least a two hour set. This show was way too short, especially for a headlining festival slot. My Morning Jacket was just getting warmed up when the plug got pulled.
4. Lotus at First Avenue in Minneapolis on 11.6 – This show needs to be mentioned for the light show alone. The music was also good, and they had the small but energetic crowd boogieing along all night to their electro-rock instrumentals.
5. Trampled by Turtles – First Avenue in Minneapolis on 1.15 -Trampled by Turtles is a true Minnesota gem. I caught the second of two sold-out First Avenue shows, and the band once again reminded me why they are making a name for themselves nationally.
Biggest letdowns of 2011:
1. Death Cab for Cutie at First Avenue in Minneapolis on 5.21 – I guess I shouldn’t expect to get mind mind blown at every concert I go to. But seeing a band like Death Cab for Cutie at First Avenue gives me very high expectations. What I got out of this show was such a spot on and clean performance that I could just as well have been listening to their albums at home.
2. Neko Case at Rock the Garden in Minneapolis on 6.18 – She had sound problems. She seemed depressed and distracted. It was pouring rain. I’m not the only one who expected much more from Neko’s performance.
3. Beady Eye at First Avenue in Minneapolis on 12.5 – Liam Gallagher returned to First Avenue for the first time since the mid-90′s when Oasis was just blossoming. I expected a big turnout and a big show for Liam and his new band (made up of the last version of Oasis, minus Noel Gallagher). But the venue was wasn’t even half-full, and the performance was uninspired. Belgian garage-rock duo, Black Box Revelation, opened the show and were pretty great though.
Deer Tick kicks ass. And it seemed that everyone in the sold out crowd at the Triple Rock Social Club on Saturday, November 12th knew that going in. The rockers from Rhode Island tore through a sweat and beer soaked set that varied from rock, to country, to punk, while throwing in some awesome covers including Nirvana’s “Scentless Apprentice” that got the floor rallying. The “Bastards of Young” cover by legendary Minneapolis band, The Replacements, was spot on early in the set and the crowd on the small floor reacted by jumping around and screaming stridently, which didn’t ease one bit until the night was over.
By that time a majority of the crowd was covered in beer, courtesy of the band who shook and sprayed Budweisers during their high-speed final encore, “Let’s All Go to the Bar”. All members of the opening band, Guards, joined in for that one. Before it was over, Deer Tick’s singer/guitarist, John McCauley, unzipped his pants and strummed his Fender guitar (with his member?!?). He was the last to leave the stage, leaning his guitar against the amplifier, filling the room with feedback fuzz. After high-fiving many in the crowd, McCauley was persuaded to jump in and surf. He then stepped back on the stage and waived good-bye, leaving happy fans and a floor soaked in booze and sweat in his wake.
The openers, Guards, played a buzzing short set and were a good primer for the mess that ensued with Deer Tick. Thomas Hardy (of Dead Confederate) started the night by sitting on a destroyed metal chair while strumming away at his Telecaster. His set was personal and nice, even though amp problems forced him to cut it short. All in all, this was a great night of rock.
Photos taken for music blog Reviler. Check it out!
Philadelphia, PA based electronic jamband, Lotus, played to a small but energetic crowd at the main room of First Avenue on Sunday, November 6th. Keys n Krates, a three-piece from Toronto, Canada was also on the bill, as was local dj, Skytree, who got things started.
As Skytree mixed a redundantly slow and bass-pumping set on his laptop and boards, the floor of First Avenue was sparse, with concert-goers dotting the edges of the room seemingly waiting for it to be over. After the curtain dropped on Skytree, Keys n Krates hit the stage and the dance floor instantly filled. The trio pounded out a rapid set of interesting pop mixes, including using a chopped up sample of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony” towards the end. They mixed keys, bone-rattling drums, and turntables with ease, and it was refreshing hearing actual records being scratched.
By the time Lotus hit the stage, First Avenue was half-full leaving ample room for the crowd to get their groove on. And that they did. Lotus’ set quickly showed how experienced these guys were working together. The instrumental rock they played flowed across multiple genres, never displaying what was structured and what was improvisation. All night the crowd bounced along as the band didn’t let up.
Lotus sounded great, ebbing with colorful textures and dynamic ranges, but they never strayed far from that middle ground that kept everyone dancing. It also never felt drawn out or too jammy, but rather the tunes felt smooth and the segues seemed completely natural. And with a gorgeous lighting setup, it was just as entertaining to watch. Their lighting person is the obvious sixth-man on their roster, which is an integral piece of the band’s live arsenal. Lotus put on a fine show, and the small but dedicated crowd that was in attendance was there for a reason.
Minneapolis loves the Los Angeles, CA based band, Dawes. Much of this local love can be attributed to the heavy airplay the band has seen over the last years on indie radio station 89.3 The Current. Dawes’ singer/guitarist, Taylor Goldsmith, labeled The Current, “The best damn station in the country!,” during a brief break in their amplified two-hour set that didn’t end until nearly 1AM. It didn’t take long for the band to live up to their hype as they rocked to the most polite (and attractive) capacity crowd I have ever seen at First Avenue.
Dawes is lead by Taylor Goldsmith on guitar and lead vocals, along with his brother Griffin on drums, Wylie Gelber on bass, and Tay Strathairn on keys. The interplay between the members displayed a long history, and Taylor’s songwriting hammered home the fact that this band is deserving the local and national recognition they are seeing. The band swayed between sounds of folk, to indie rock, to classic guitar rock, while the capacity crowd sang along all smiles, all night. It was a very impressive performance.
Indie rock troubadours, Blitzen Trapper, preceded Dawes on this co-headlining show. Their set started off folkie, but continued a steady crescendo until the band ultimately broke into a hard rocking finale that had heads down and fists pumping before the band finally left the stage. Before Blitzen Trapper, brother-sister lead, The Belle Brigade, got the night going with a half-hour set that was quite good and a perfect warm up for things to follow.
If you missed your chance at this show, Dawes will be back in Minneapolis twice more before the year ends. The Varsity Theater show for new years is already sold out, but they just added another date for December 30th. It seems Minneapolis can’t get enough.
Photos taken for music blog, Reviler. Check it out!
Dawes – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN 11/4/11 Setlist
The Way You Laugh
If I Wanted Someone
When You Call My Name
That Western Skyline
Coming Back to a Man
How Far We’ve Come
So Well
Peace in the Valley
Kodachrome
My Way Back Home
Little Bit of Everything
Million Dollar Bill
Time Spent in Los Angeles
Encore:
Take Me Out of the City
My Girl to Me
Fire Away
Drive-by Truckers’ albums have not been consistent since the departure of Jason Isbell in 2007. Yet the passion the band continually brings to the stage is always resolute, oftentimes only wavering with how drunk the band seems to be. On Wednesday, October 25th, 2011, the Drive-by Truckers were all business, plowing through the mainroom at First Avenue to a near-capacity crowd that was treated to an absolute gem of a performance.
Those Darlins, a four-piece band led by three bouncing women from Murfreesboro, TN, started the night off with engines full-throttle. Their mix a punk and country was simply assembled, but the energy behind each song made up for any lack in chops. Lead vocalist, Jessi Darlin, ripped out each song so wide-eyed that it was hard not to be intrigued. And bassist/guitarist, Kelley Darlin, played her part as well, blonde hair flailing about as she jumped around the stage with her guitar swinging. Overall, Those Darlins’ set was entertaining, and a nice warm up for the southern-rocking, Drive-by Truckers.
Drive-by Truckers hit the stage and opened with “I Do Believe” from their 2011 release, Go Go Boots. Next up were the high-octane classics, “Marry Me”, “Sinkhole” and the mean “Where the Devil Don’t Stay”. The remainder of the set stayed consistently mid-tempo only picking up towards the end before the band exploded during a wailing eight song encore. I witnessed some of the best Drive-by Truckers I have ever seen during that main set.
Singer/guitarist, Patterson Hood, pulled heart strings with his genuine earnestness as he spoke of his great-uncle, George A. (George Albert Johnson), who had passed away the day before at the age of 91. Storytelling has always come easy to Hood, as evidenced by many of his songs. So at first, hearing him discuss his uncle who helped raise him didn’t seem overly touching, but the emotion that poured through the slowed and drawn out version of “Sands of Iwo Jima” that followed was incredibly moving. Patterson wrote “Sands of Iwo Jima” as a tribute to George A. for the Drive-by Truckers’ 2004 masterpiece, The Dirty South. The song describes how his uncle was drafted and served in the south Pacific during World War II, and how he never saw John Wayne there (who acted in the movie with the same title as the song). Guitarist, Mike Cooley, added harmonica and from that song on, the band and audience seemed completely in sync.
Towards the end of the set, the tempo picked up with guitarist, Mike Cooley, taking the reigns for “Three Dimes Down” and Patterson Hood singing a raucous “Buttholeville”. It was nearing midnight when the band returned for a massive eight song encore. One after another, the band pounded through with high energy. “Let There Be Rock” was especially awesome as Patterson made everyone in the crowd believe that rock-n-roll really did save his life, as he crawled about the front of the stage.
He finally invited Kelley Darlin from Those Darlins out to end the night with the Jim Carroll cover, “People Who Died”. By this time, a bottle of Patron tequila was being passed around the stage and to fans in the front. Everyone in the crowd who remained after the over two and a half hour performance had their fists up and were dancing along. It was a fitting finale to an incredibly spot on show by one of the best rock bands around. The Drive-by Truckers’ albums may not be what the once were, but their live show still proves they are at the top of their game. This night was something special.
Photos taken for music blog, Reviler. Check it out!
Drive-by Truckers – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN 10.25.11 Setlist:
I Do Believe
Marry Me
Sinkhole
Where the Devil Don’t Stay
Go Go Boots
Birthday Boy
Dancin’ Ricky
Righteous Path
Ghost to Most
Sands of Iwo Jima
Paluski
Everybody Needs Love
Love Like This
The Living Bubba
Women Without Whiskey
Used To Be a Cop
Three Dimes Down
Buttholeville
Encore:
Self-Destructive Zones
Mercy Buckets
Zip City
Let There Be Rock
Get Downtown
Hell No I Ain’t Happy
Shut Up & Get on the Plane
People Who Died (Jim Carroll cover)
Eight years since their last studio album, Alternative Rock pioneers, Jane’s Addiction return with their new album, The Great Escape Artist, in stores now! In celebration of the release, Jane’s Addiction has teamed up with Life is Music to give away a Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 guitar signed by Perry Farrell, Dave Navarro, Stephen Perkins, and their bassist Chris Chaney along with a copy of the new album. The Great Escape Artist features, “Irresistible Force,” as well as “End To The Lies,” and is available to download on iTunes now. Fans can watch the official video for “Irresistible Force,” above and make sure to enter for your chance to win! Contest ends November 18th.
For more information on Jane’s Addiction, make sure to check out, www.JanesAddiction.com.
