Mercury Rev and The Duke Spirit at Fine Line Music Café on 12/12/08

By: David de Young
[Read full review]
Liela Moss of The Duke Spirit - Photo by Jenn Barnett (Click photo for full set) The Duke Spirit     London England’s The Duke Spirit was glad to be back in Minneapolis Friday night opening for Mercury Rev and they said so right out of the gate as they burst into their first song “Lion Rip” from their 2005 album Cuts Across The Land. It was no doubt true they had not b...

The Hold Steady and Drive-By Truckers at First Avenue on 11/15/08

By: Bob Longmore
[Read full review]
The Hold Steady - Photo by Stacy Schwartz I had a feeling going to a Hold Steady and Drive-By Truckers show that more than a few beers would be consumed. I was right. Both bands tell big stories with plenty of sing-along hooks that feel so right lifting your tallboy can of PBR in the air. In front of a huge “Rock and Roll Means Well” banner...

Jack's Mannequin at The Varsity Theater on 11/7/08

By: Patrick Strait
[Read full review]
Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin Let me just start out by saying that in all of my years of checking out live music, I’ve never once worked to find a ticket.   If I can get tickets from the venue; I’ll go. If I can get in free; I’ll definitely go. But never once have I found myself hunting the internet, looking for a ticket to a completely sold-out show. Aft...

Girl Talk at First Avenue on 11/3/08

By: Amber Schadewald
[Read full review]
 Girl Talk - Photo by Jon Behm Toilet paper streaming from the rafters and sweat trickling down the faces of everyone in the room, Girl Talk was as awesome as one would suspect. A continuous mash-up of songs most hipsters wouldn’t dare admit knowing; lips mouthed every word as they shook and jumped to the continuous party jams. The stage was stormed with the usual attenti...

Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band at First Avenue on 10/29/08

By: Brenda Paro
[Read full review]
Conor Oberst at First Avenue - Photo by Brenda Paro If you’ve ever been to a Bright Eyes show, you know that watching Conor Oberst play can be an exhausting experience. It's a good kind of exhaustion, but an emotional one: essentially what you're doing is seeing someone peel themselves raw under a spotlight, song after song. You kind of wonder how he manages to walk offstage after...

TV On The Radio with The Dirtbombs at First Avenue on 10/21/08

By: Pat O'Brien
[Read full review]
TV On The Radio - Photo by Jon Behm   About halfway through The Dirtbombs set, a fellow concertgoer remarked “In a perfect world, Mick Collins would be more famous than Mick Jagger.” While I don’t fully agree with his sentiment I can see the rationale. Jagger once unconvincingly proclaimed “I ain’t no glamour boy, I’m fierce!” in a Living ...

Valient Thorr at 7th Street Entry on 10/14/08

By: Patrick Strait
[Read full review]
Valient Thorr   Tuesday night, the Entry experienced an invasion of the extraterrestrial persuasion as Valient Thorr brought their unique metal-inspired sound to Minneapolis.   The self-described, “rock n’ roll saviors from Venus” shredded through their hour-long set, playing tracks off their latest album, Immortalizer, as well as crowd-popping favorites...

Fleet Foxes with Frank Fairfield at Cedar Cultural Center on 10/11/08

By: David de Young
[Read full review]
Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes - Photo by Jon Behm Fleet Foxes sold out both of their shows Saturday night at the Cedar Cultural Center in a First Avenue-hosted show at the West Bank venue. When the 9:00 show sold out immediately, an early evening show was added at 5:30. One of the hottest indie bands on tour right now, the band has sold out similar multi-show dates acro...

Tegan and Sara at State Theatre on 10/11/08

By: Will McClain
[Read full review]
Photo from teganandsara.com Anyone who has been to or read about a Tegan and Sara concert is well aware of their live-setting schtick. The duo don’t so much hold concerts as travelling slumber parties; giddy tweens and their parents cram in next to respectable aficionados like me for big, fat living room gossip sessions—last Saturday night, the State Theatre downtown made fo...

Jamie Lidell and Janelle Monae at The Varsity Theater on 10/7/08

By: Jon Behm
[Read full review]
Jamie Lidell - photo by Jon Behm   Jamie Lidell is a man of two faces. On one side you have the Motown inspired soul singer; Al Green reborn as a white Englishman. On the other, you have the experimental dance virtuoso, a microphone distorting soundboard jockey who has computer keys wired to his guitar's body.  I am personally a much bigger fan of the former, and was therefore a bit apprehensive to see ...