Life is Music™

Trampled by Turtles gets their star

Trampled by Turtles have come a long way.  Knowing this, on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 the management of First Avenue awarded the alt-bluegrassers with their very own star on the infamous exterior wall of the finest rock club in the Midwest.  Later that night singer and guitarist, Dave Simonett, sincerely explained how that was one of the biggest honors to date for the band.

The bluegrass boys from Duluth, MN were in fine form for night two of their album release weekend at First Avenue.  Palomino is the title of the band’s fifth album in six years, and if their live performance of each track  is any indication, it is destined to be one of Trampled by Turtles’ best.

Dave Simonett starts things off with "Wait So Long" from Palomino

After Minneapolis band, A Night in the Box, opened things up, the superb California Americana-playing, Devil Makes Three, kept things rolling with a terrific set of rebel country.  Then as they did the night before, Trampled by Turtles opened their set by playing straight through their new release Palomino.  The crowd attentively bounced along to the new songs before the band finally mixed in older material to take the show out.  That’s when the crowd did its best to rage, but on this night it seemed there wasn’t enough energy to rage.

It was a rather mellow yet nice show, and the band’s version of “Breathe” by Pink Floyd was a fantastic piece of their first encore.  The band ended the night with their raucous hit “Codeine”, from their 2005 release, Blue Sky and the Devil.  The joyful and animated crowd then dissipated, all smiles, into the streets of downtown Minneapolis with appreciation of one of Minnesota’s greatest musical treasures.

Erik Berry on mandolin

Trampled by Turtles

Trampled by Turtles

I am a great believer in quality over quantity, therefore 2009 was a good year for me musically.  I hope the new decade is filled with more great music for everyone.  Here are my top nine concerts of 2009.  Minnesota ROCKS!

1. The Hold Steady at Basilica Block Party – Minneapolis, MN 7.11.09- Wow, wow, wow!  This show was a musical riot.  It was spiritual.  It was energetic.  It was a perfect summer evening.  When The Hold Steady play Minneapolis one can expect fireworks, but I didn’t expect this.  Standing front and center of The Hold Steady’s preacher, Craig Finn, as the historic Basilica of St. Mary church shadowed the crowd from behind is something I will never forget.  I have been a part of many rock concerts, but there are only a handful of shows I have witnessed that compared to this.  The band was insane and the crowd was dieing for more.  It was a fist-pumping, musical uniting, rock-n-roll religious experience for the ages.  This was easily a top 10 concert ever for me.
2. The Decemberists at Walker Art Center – Minneapolis, MN 6.20.09- 2009’s version of “Rock the Garden” was a great success.  It was a hot summer day but thankfully when the headliner, The Decemberists, hit the stage, the sun had finally surrendered.  The band wasted no time working straight through their gorgeous 2009 rock-opera album, The Hazards of Love.  The addition of Becky Stark who played the role of the beautiful princess, and Shara Worden who played the evil forest queen was priceless.  Their added theatrics made this much more than any old rock concert.  I witnessed poetry in motion.  Singer/songwriter, Colin Meloy, appeared to be having a blast as 10,000 fans rocked across the grassy landscape behind the wonderful Walker Art Center.  Once again the crowd was terrific making this an unforgettable summer evening.
3. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit at The Turf Club – St. Paul, MN 4.15.09 – This was the most soulful concert I witnessed in 2009.  The former Drive-by Truckers singer and guitarist has been on his own for a few years, and on this night he showed all of the strengths of that experience.  Jason Isbell’s voice is pure.  Very few voices move me the way Isbell’s can, and I was fortunate to witness him at his very best this night.  His backing band, the 400 Unit, must be complimented as well.  They played flawlessly to a respectfully attentive sell-out crowd.  This night was beautiful, and leagues better than when they returned to the The Turf Club on November 20th.  That night they sounded tired.
4. Wilco at 10,000 Lakes Music Festival – Detroit Lakes, MN 7.23.09 – Leave it to Wilco to cue “The Price is Right” theme song before stepping on stage.  Wilco was the main stage headliner on Thursday night of the seventh annual 10,000 Lakes Music Festival in Detroit Lakes, MN.  Having the alt-rocking powerhouse band, Wilco, headline a night at a predominantly jamband festival had me a bit worried, but Wilco prevailed, even while being under the barrage of glowsticks at one point.  Although Jeff Tweedy is the singer/songwriter of the band, there really is no leader.  Wilco is a band, the very definition of it.  Each member is a master of their instrument and while a good portion of the crowd seemed unfamiliar with their work, Wilco proceeded along with their eternal professionalism and had the crowd rocking.  Most of the material was from their 2009 album, Wilco (the album), but they balanced their set wonderfully with songs from the past.  This show was fantastic, and added a wonderful mix to a wonderful festival.
5. Umphrey’s McGee at First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN 1.31.09 – Night two of Umphrey’s McGee’s three-night run at First Avenue rocked!!  Just over a week after the release of their brilliant prog-rocking album, Mantis, the band introduced the new tunes with force while mixing in plenty of older favorites.  Friday night was for the rookies, but this night was for the pros.  First Avenue was filled with the hardcores, making it an amazing experience.  The night opened with the heavy head-bobbing “Push the Pig”, and ended with an awesome “Syncopated Strangers > Cemetery Walk II > Syncopated Strangers” mash.  This was an amazing night that shook the cold winter blues.  I’m grateful for the new friends I made this weekend.
6. The Swell Season at The State Theatre – Minneapolis, MN 12.5.09 – This was a beautiful show.  The Swell Season are made up of The Frames’, Glen Hansard, and Czech pianist, Marketa Irglova.  Together they won a an Academy Award for Best Song from a Motion Picture for the ballad “Falling Slowly” from the low budget Irish film, Once (a must see if you haven’t already).  On this tour they were supported by Hansard’s band, The Frames.  The night was mixed with songs by the duo, Glen Hansard playing solo, and together with the addition of The Frames.  They even included a nice cover of “Two-Step” by the Minnesota band, Low.  The State Theatre was the absolute perfect venue for this wonderfully moving show.
7. The Jayhawks at Basilica Block Party - Minneapolis, MN 7.10.09 – Seeing the Basilica of St. Mary gospel choir back up The Jayhawks on “Blue” while rain fell steadily is one of my biggest musical highlights of 2009.  There was a lot of anticipation for this show since the only other date the band reunited for in 2009 was for a festival in Barcelona, Spain.  It was unfortunate that it rained through most of the concert, but the packed crowd welcomed the music with little regard.  All night the fans could be heard singing along to the songs of these Minneapolis alt-rocking legends.  And Gary Louris’ guitar work impressed me more than I ever could have imagined.  I am very grateful to have been a part of this show.
8. Trampled by Turtles at First Avenue - Minneapolis, MN 11.6.09 – There is no questioning that this band is for real.  Trampled by Turtles is a quintet from Duluth, MN who play their own brand of bluegrass.  On this night they were on, and the sold-out crowd that packed First Avenue to witness it were blessed with an amazing performance.  I’ve seen Trampled by Turtles a lot of times, but this night was special.  A Radiohead cover started things off, and from their they hammered through songs from their four albums and also tunes from their currently untitled fifth album which is due next April.  It was a great night to celebrate Minnesota, a great night to celebrate Trampled by Turtles.  This band deserves the success they are starting to see.
9. Dan Auerbach at First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN 3.7.09 – I am probably one of the only ones around who think that Dan Auerbach is better with his solo band than he is with drummer, Patrick Carney, as the duo, The Black Keys.  This show at First Avenue made me realize how great of a songwriter Auerbach really is.  He plays guitar like an old bluesman sitting on a front porch, yet with catchy bounce that is hard to resist.  His solo album, Keep It Hid, that he was touring behind is fantastic.  The band, Hacienda, acted as his band on the record and tour and they were very impressive.  The addition of My Morning Jacket’s, Patrick Hallahan, on percussion certainly didn’t hurt matters either.  This was a great show.  Dan Auerbach is a legend in the making.

photo courtesy of Trampled by Turtles

Born from the Superior shores of Duluth, MN, Trampled by Turtles have gained tremendous momentum since their inception as a band back in 2003. Like a snowball rolling down a hill, with each new show and each new album, the fan base grows exponentially. The band now spans out far past the Midwest, playing shows in wonderful venues all across the United States, Canada, and even Europe. But no matter where they are, Trampled by Turtles does not forget their humble beginnings in Minnesota and the fans that helped them attain their modern success.

Original members Dave Simonett, Dave Carroll, and Erik Berry started Trampled by Turtles as a novelty side act to their respective rock bands, but as circumstances would have it, Trampled by Turtles wasn’t ready to play second fiddle to any band.

Singer and guitarist, Dave Simonett, explained the origins of the band in a recent telephone interview, “Well three of us started the band, that’s Eric Berry, Dave Carroll and myself. None of us had ever really played bluegrass before, or this style of acoustic music but we were really getting into it. We’d been playing rock music before, and this band was started as an acoustic side project to those bands. But as time went on, all those bands split and this band was all that was left. I was dead broke and left with just my acoustic guitar, after someone stole my electric guitar and my amp while loading out gear after the last show with my previous band. And like I said, the other bands were gone, and all my gear was gone, so this just naturally happened.” An escalating amount of fans across the country are grateful for that.

One of the most memorable moments for the band in the last year was playing the main stage and the seventh annual 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, MN. Their growth at this fantastic festival precisely represents their evolution as a band and the direction they are headed in the future. After starting on the small saloon stage in 2004, then growing to the festival’s barn stage in 2006 and 2007, then finally playing for fans as far as the eyes could see on the main stage in 2009, the band has come full circle. “That was a blast!” Simonett said proudly. “That was really something that was so exciting for all of us.”

With a new management team on board, Trampled by Turtles have a tour schedule full of larger venues including the recently announced Stagecoach Festival next April in California. But don’t expect these larger shows to start going to their heads, “We spend enough time packed into a little van and staying on people’s floors to stay grounded.” Dave said when asked if there was a definitive moment that made him realize the band was getting big and he could make a career out of music. “As far as making a career out of it, that was something that I knew personally before I even made my first dollar. Playing music is what I always wanted to do. Before we even started touring or selling any albums, we made that decision to see if we could do it.”

This quintet from Duluth has come a long way with their unique take on bluegrass music and their live show is not to be missed. Seated in chairs, the band bangs out enough raw energy to part the sea and if a listener is brave enough to stand in their way, the music will surely shroud every last bit their being. Their music is as much rock as it is folk, as much metal as it is bluegrass, but one thing it definitely is not, is lacking in sheer power. When asked what part of the country gets the rowdiest at their shows, Simonett responded with a laugh, “Probably the Midwest, but it really depends on where we are playing.”

With four albums under their belts and a new and currently untitled release due out next April, Trampled by Turtles are on a mission to spread their music far and wide. Currently they are doing just that, one unassuming step at a time with fans ever-enthusiastic holding on in the wake of the flood.

Who: Trampled by Turtles
Where: The Aquarium
When: Friday, November 20th
Cost: $15, 21+

Written for High Plains Reader in Fargo, ND for their November 19th, 2009 issue.

Trampled by Turtles rock to a sell out crowd of faithful fans

It’s been just under a year since Trampled by Turtles last filled First Avenue to capacity.  After a recent stint on the east coast and a Halloween show in their hometown of Duluth, MN,  the Minnesota boys were back at the best rock club in the midwest and their fans were ready.  First Avenue sold out once again.

Charlie Parr

A guitarist and drummer from Duluth called The Boomchucks opened the show.  They were very appreciative to be onstage at First Avenue and played a nice and short set to get the night started. 

By the time humble and brilliant Northwoods folkster, Charlie Parr, took the stage, First Avenue was filled.  No time was wasted on stirring the crowd as he thumped his boot down on a homemade kick box and squealed across the strings of his trademark steel resonator guitar. The lively and youthful crowd bounced along with a roar and they didn’t ease until Trampled by Turtles walked off the stage some three hours later.  Charlie Parr was accompanied by Mikkel Beckmen from The Brass Kings on washboard. Dave Simonett, the singer and guitarist of Trampled by Turtles, later joined the two.  For Parr’s final song, the remaining members of Trampled by Turtles took their respective places on stage to create a smile-inducing jamboree. 

Soon after, the curtain was raised for Trampled by Turtles.  Never to be underestimated, the band brought in their sold out show with a wonderful version of “No Surprises” by Radiohead.  They then rocked through songs from each of their four albums as First Avenue heated up into a sweltery sauna.  It was so hot that security sprayed water into the crowd at times.  Simonett did his best to cool things down as he calmly sang the cold and slow moving lyrics of “Duluth”, the title track of their fourth album.  The fans who made the voyage down from the town made their presence known by singing along, “Still I like the quiet, of Duluth in the winter.  In the sacred morning, there’s no place like home.” The local support was nice to see and certainly not surprising.

Dave Simonett of Trampled by Turtles

Singer and guitarist, Dave Simonett, announced in the middle of the set that they just finished recording their fifth album which is due out in the spring.  The band then played several new songs from it and the crowd slowed down with attentive ears open.  The new songs were very good. Bassist, Tim Saxhaug, later took the vocal reigns to lead a uniting sing-along of the classic ”Stand By Me”.  It was upbeat and fantastic.  All night the band was relaxed and I’ve never seen them play a better live show.  The live experience of the band was more obvious than ever as they burned through a wonderful set for their favorite local fans.  Big things are due for these talented alternative bluegrass rockers, and rightfully so.  Go see this band!

Charlie Parr & Mikkel Beckman

Charlie Parr and Trampled by Turtles jamboree

Ryan Young of Trampled by Turtles

Erik Berry of Trampled by Turtles

10,000 Lakes Festival 2009

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009 

Gomez – Gomez rules.  This was one of the bands I was really excited to see at the festival.  The crowd was relatively slim and while most were quite chatty with first-day festival energy, Gomez put on a very fine rockin’ performance.

Widespread Panic – With the day #1 crowd finally packing full the concert floor and most of the lawn, Widespread Panic headlined the night.  Their first set was nothing to write home about, but their second set brought the energy.  Still I have a hard time getting too excited over this band.  Jimmie Herring is a damn impressive guitarist though.

Kinetix - This Denver, CO rock band is led by a hip-hop singer and funky ass rhthym section.  These guys were a nice small stage treat after Widespread Panic.  I didn’t see it all, but what I saw was good and a whole lotta fun.

Pretty Lights - This set kicked butt.  Onstage was dj Derek Vincent Smith and drummer, Cory Eberhard.  Together they shook the entire concert bowl with electro-driven rhythyms and great mixes.  I was impressed.  

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Railroad Earth - Over the years I’ve heard a lot of good things about this band.  This was my first opportunity to see them and they were excellent band to bounce around to in the mid-day sun.  Rootsy Americana tunes is their game and they play it very well.

Mason Jennings - Umm, boring.  We’re talking a major yawner here.  And I waited through the entire set to ensure I had a good spot for Wilco.

Wilco - This was the best show of the festival and it wasn’t due to “the Price is Right” intro.  I talked to a lot of people up front who had never even heard of Wilco before, and once the music progressed I watched these same people rock their asses off.  The band opened with “Wilco (the song)” and ended with “Hoodoo Voodoo”.  In between was a lot of recent tunes with “One Wing”, “Bull Black Nova” and “Country Disappeared” sounding phenomenal from the new album.  The band was on all night and most of the crowd appreciated it.  Of course there were a few dipshits trying to ruin the party for everyone.  For every glow stick that hit that stage some little girl’s puppy died.  You stupid punks who were throwing those should truly be ashamed. 

Wilco will love you baby

Nels & Glenn of Wilco

Atmosphere – As soon as I got to the stage sprinkles came down.  I don’t know a lot about this hip-hop band but the section of their set I hung around for was fantastic.  The crowd was rocking as much as I had seen all weekend.  When the first downpour came, I tucked my camera under my arm and ran like Adrian Peterson.  I give props to those who tried to stay it out.  In the end a big set was cut way short due to thunderstorms.

Friday, July 24th, 2009

Tea Leaf Green – My first time seeing them and I wasn’t overly impressed.

Steve Kimock’s Crazy Engine – The band was ripping it!  I only caught a few tunes on my way to the main stage to hold down a front row spot for Trampled by Turtles but these guys were great.  Thankfully I heard the rest of their set from afar while waiting for TBT.

Trampled by Turtles – The boys from Duluth have grown up to the Main Stage!  I’m thinking the Field Stage would have been a better fit as this huge stage dwarfed the band but the crowd was out in groves and it was great.  They started off with a few jitters (can’t blame them), but as things warmed up their hardcore fanbase and new listeners gave them the support they deserved.  It was great seeing one of Minnesota’s finest treasures letting it fly up there on the big stage and it seemed to end far too soon.

Dave Simonett & Tim Saxhaug

Ryan Young & Dave Carroll

Erik Berry & his son

Widespread Panic - Hey promoters, why the hell didn’t Umphrey’s McGee have this headlining spot?  Seriously though, are you people friggin’ crazy?  Midwest represent!!  Although I’ve had some great times at Widespread shows in the past, their unchanging tempos, stale drumming and similar song structure is boring.  This set was just OK in my book, which ain’t saying much of anything at all.

Wookiefoot – This show was a load of fun and one of the highlights of the festival.  Although their music has never captured me, the stage show is the brilliance behind this band.  Everything from the lights, to the fire dancers, to the back-up singers, to the alien bugs on stilts makes this an impressively theatrical show.  The band pushes the creative envelope and delivers a positive message which in the end will always make me smile.

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Umphrey’s McGee - My love for the music these guys create is definitely not unknown, but I had a hard time getting into this set.  They seemed to be on a mission to destroy everything in front of them with some very heavy jams.  They played as well as they always do but it wasn’t the most festival friendly set in my opinion.  The sun was incredibly hot which didn’t help at all.  These guys need to be seen at night to truly appreciate, and put them in a rock club and it’s prog-rocking heaven.  They have one of the best light shows out there and that arsenal wasn’t even touched.  Hey 10KLF, main stage headlining with two sets next time OK?  Thanks!

Umphrey's McGee

Dave Matthews Band - My love for this band faded the day I realized quality beer was not available in 30 packs.  That didn’t stop me from checking them out though and I’m glad I did.  I had just as much fun watching their hardcore (and large) fan base enjoy themselves as I did watching the actual show.  Their “Burning Down the House” cover was excellent.  Even though I felt they cut it short (why not 2 sets?), this show was good fun.  It was also another gorgeous night for tunes and a fine way to end my 10KLF 2009.

With beautiful people everywhere, near perfect weather, friendly security and staff, this ranks very high in my 10,000 Lakes Festival experiences.  My only gripe was with the scheduling but one cannot control everything.  Next time make Umphrey’s McGee a headliner for the sake of everything good in music.  Then I shall return.

Trampled by Turtles live at The Cabooze

A capacity crowd of Minnesota faithful packed The Cabooze once again to stomp and romp in support of the bluegrass boys from Duluth, MN, Trampled by Turtles.  I attended night two of their two-night run at the club on the west bank of the Mississippi on Saturday, April 25th, 2009.  Good times were had.

The Hackensaw Boys, a six piece of assorted looking fellows from Charlottesville, VA got the night started with a banging hour long set of foot-stomping colorful Americana music.  Before their set I had only heard a few of their tunes, and after their set I wanted to hear more. 

The Hackensaw Boys

The fiddlin’ and sometimes bass playin’ Ferd Moyse IV was as entertaining as they come with a stretched out Yosemite Sam crossed with Les Claypool look whose face bore an unvarying yee-haw expression.  Together The Hackensaw Boys were wildly entertaining and an ideal opener for the boys from up north.

The Hackensaw Boys

Ferd Moyse IV

Trampled by Turtles hit the stage at 11:00 PM and by this time The Cabooze was jam-packed with fervent fans and a few new concert-goers who came to see what all the fuss was about.  Since releasing their debut album Songs From a Ghost Town in 2004, Trampled by Turtles have successfully expanded out far and wide from their home state of Minnesota with constant touring throughout the country and a few stops in Europe.  The fuss is that these guys have the talent to raise the roof on every given night, yet the humbleness to never forget how they got there and where they are from.  They are from Minnesota and their local shows seem to be as much a celebration of this wonderful state as they are a celebration of their wonderful music. 

Dave Simonett & Tim Saxhaug

Last night’s show was no exception as they worked through songs like “The Darkness and the Light” from their 2008 release Duluth where singer and guitarist Dave Simonett sings “Colorado was so nice, but I’m Minnesota’s son”.  Later the band hammered through two of the more punkish numbers from Duluth; “Truck” the fantastic momentum building instrumental that hits the breaks just before completely going out of control and ”White Noise” which showcases Tim Saxhaug on a driving bass so swift it feels like you’re chasing your tail trying to catch the beat.  They also slowed things down with one of my favorites, “Trouble”, the title track of their wonderful 2007 release that is in my opinion their best album.  As always, their set was mixed well with this night’s show hitting on a lot of their newer material. 

banjo Dave Carroll

Early in the set singer Dave Simonett stated they were recording the show for a new live album.  Between songs he gave the always raucous crowd an opportunity to say something and what came out was a deafening wail of indistiguishable screams.  At a Trampled by Turtles show in Minnesota people are always screaming, and dancing, and smiling, and hugging, and pumping their fists to the fabulous homegrown music this band shares. 

Trampled by Turtles rock The Cabooze!

When the show was over The Hackensaw Boys were waiting in the crowd to play some acoustic tunes with a few members of Trampled by Turtles joining them.  Yes I said “in the crowd”!  Even as The Cabooze workers swept up a night’s worth of beer bottles and concert debris, a large circle of fans hung around and the music never stopped.  It’s just another day in the life I suppose.  “Come on children, come on and clap your hands.” 

Ryan Young on fiddle

Erik Berry on mandolin