Concerts You Need to See in October

-Voxtrot, The Little One’s on October 3rd @ The Triple Rock.

-A Prairie Home Companion on October 5th @ Fitzgerald’s
If you haven’t been to Fitzgerald’s in St.Paul to witness A Prairie Home Companion, you should really do yourself a favor and check it out. Garisson Kieller, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Tom Keith, and the Guy's All-Star Shoe Band put on shows that are heard by over 4 million people on over 580 public radio stations. This show is full of musical guests, commercials for made-up products and plenty of jokes and stories. It has cemented Garisson Kieller’s place in Minnesota history. The night of the 5th is a preview of the live show that will take place on the 6th. The preview is about half the price of the live show.

-Bad Religion, The Briggs and Gallows on October 6th @ First Ave.

-Dillinger Escape Plan on October 7th @ Station 4

-The Draft (ex-members of Hot Water Music), Dead To Me and Gaslight Anthem on October 11th @ The Triple Rock.

-Spoon on October 10th AND October 11th @ First Ave.

-Jim Gaffigan on Octber 12th @ The Orpheum
Alright, so it’s not music, but he’s freakin funny. hotpocket…..

-Misery Signals, Emmure, Sky Eats Airplane, Born of Osiris, The Agony Scene on October 12th @ Station 4.
Check out Sky Eats Airplane. They sound like harcore screamo with a dancy synth in the background, if you’re into that.

-Blue October, Yellowcard, Shiny Toy Guns, Lovedrug on October 13th @ The Myth

-Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, A-Sides and His Mischief on October 13th @ First Ave.
Another night with two shows. My personal choice would be Ted Leo. I haven’t had the chance to see him live and from listening to his albums, I think it’ll be sweeeet. Also, I’m not the biggest fan of Blue October or the size of the Myth. If you are planning to go to the Myth on the 13th, be sure to get there in time to see Shiny Toy Guns. I saw them on tour with The Sounds and it blew me away. They’ve got spunk.

-Henry Rollins on October 15th @ First Ave.

-Drive By Truckers, Ryan Bingham and the Dead Horses on October 19th @ First Ave.

-Street Dogs, Static Age and Tiger Army on October 21st @ Station 4.
Tiger Army, wooo!! They’re helping bring back rockabilly in a psychobilly way. Check it.

-Chiodos, Emery, Scary Kids Scaring Kids and Devil Wears Prada on October 22nd @ Cabooze.

(myspace.com/chiodos)
I’m stoked for this show. Chiodos is coming off of an amazing album that, I think, will put them into the spotlight. It sounds like the Used mixed with Tim Burton with a sprinkle of Saosin. The musicality of this album is awesome and it makes it apparent that this is a group of musicians, not a group of buddies who drew names for instruments. I also saw Scary Kids Scaring Kids a few years ago and from what I can remember, their energy was awesome and their sound was even better.

-Brand New, mewithoutyou and Thrice on October 23rd @ The Myth.

-Shooter Jennings on October 26th at Cabooze.

-The Forecast, Blackpool Lights and Edison Glass on October 26th @ The Triple Rock.

(myspace.com/theforecast)
I love the Forecast. I love em. They’ve been a supporting act on tours with the likes of Motion City Soundtrack, Limbeck, The Higher and Hot Rod Circuit. I’m really excited to see them in a headliner position. If you haven’t heard their latest release “In the Shadow of Two Gunman” be sure to check it out, because you’ll want to sing along when they play “And We All Return to Our Roots” and sway to “Somethings Never Change”. They have lyrics we can all relate to and melodies that we can all appreciate.

-Minus the Bear, Helio Sequence and Grand Archives on October 27th @ First Ave.

-Wookiefoot’s Annual Halloween Show on October 27th @ Cabooze

-Hallo-Wanka-Ween Party with God Johnson and Fancy Bastard on October 31st @ Cabooze

-The Subdudes on October 31st @ Fine Line Music Café

Upcoming Releases You Should Probably Buy

October 2nd
-Maritime, “Heresy And The Hotel Chair” Flameshovel (colored vinyl)
-Spill Canvas “No Really, I’m Fine” Sire
-Emery, “I’m Only a Man” Tooth and Nail
-Rollins Band, “Do It” 2.13.61
-Matt Pond PA, “Nature of Maps” Polyvinyl
-Dashboard Confessional, “The Shade of Poison Trees” Vagrant
It’s everybody’s favorite emo icon. We’ve all come to love (or some may hate) Chris Carrabba’s alternative/acoustic songs full of relationships, heartbreak, make-ups and break-ups. Try to make it out to his concert at SCSU’s Halenbeck Hall on Sunday Oct. 28. Augustana and John Ralston will also be playing.

October 16th
-Thrice, “The Alchemy Index: Vol. I & II: Fire & Water (double)” Vagrant
-Jimmy Eat World, “Chase This Light” Interscope
-Dan Wilson “Free Life” American/Reprise
Dan Wilson was the front man of the band worthy-of-having-more-than-one-hit, Semisonic. Wilson has also won a Grammy for co-writing the Dixie Chicks hit song, “Not Ready to Make Nice”. He’s finally coming out with another solo album. From what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like he hasn’t strayed from his very personal lyrics and mellow, peaceful piano parts.

October 23rd
-Coheed and Cambria “No World For Tomorrow” Columbia
-Say Anything “In Defense Of The Genre (double)” J Records

(myspace.com/sayanything)
I've been waiting for a new Say Anything release ever since I heard the re-issue of "...Is a Real Boy" with the new cd "...Was a Real Boy". The title makes me think that they won't be changing their pop-punk-emo style, which is awesome because I was really pleased with their last release. Max Bemis' well known idiosyncratic personality (to put it nicely) has always made for some great lyrics that are still commercially acceptable while still tackling dark subjects. Trust me, it's gonna be worth your money

October 30th
-Taking Back Sunday, “Notes From The Past” Victory
-Saves The Day “Under The Boards” cd/dvd
-Avenged Sevenfold, “Avenged Sevenfold” Hopeless
I’ve always defended my liking of Avenged Sevenfold, and I will continue to do so when I get this album. They might be mainstream sleaze rock or whatever and have alternate rockstar personalities, but these guys also have a lot of talent. Synyster gates is one of the most amazing guitars players I’ve ever seen live and the Rev can create and play beats I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around.

Albums You Should Already Own

- Every Time I Die, “The Big Dirty” Ferret (September, 2007) * * * ½ out of * * * * *
This album is awesome. It’s full of face melting guitars and head banging beats. The vocals are not as melodic as “Gutter Phenomenon” but they’re still catchy in their own way. The album has a tendency to get a little bit repetitive, but it’s definitely worth having a hard copy of. If you get it on i-Tunes it comes with a digital booklet and a video clip of “Every Time I Die does Disney” it’s not gonna change your life, but it’s a funny and entertaining way to kill 5 minutes. Listen to “Buffalo Girls” first (#11).

- Tracks you should listen to – Buffalo Girls (11), Werewolf (4), Rebel Without Applause (5), Rendez Voodoo (7), Inrihab (9)
- Tracks you could live without – No Son of Mine (1), Pig is Pigs (2), A Gentleman's Sport (8)


- Motion City Sountrack, “Even If It Kills Me” Epitaph (September, 2007) * * * ¾ out of * * * * *

(myspace.com/motioncitysoundtrack)
It’s a good one to purchase online. The album stayed true to MCS’s poppy synth sing along style, but for some reason this album seemed to lack a spark. One thing that really let me down was the track, "Point of Extinction". When I heard that Max Bemis (Say Anything), Shawn Harris (The Matches) and Rachel Minton (Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer) were doing guest vocals, I was expecting a really memorable song. Point of Extinction was nothing special and the guest vocals were barely distinguishable. I wouldn't even call them guest vocals, they were more like background shouters.At some points, it just sounded as if they were bored. It’s still worth listening to, but if someone hadn’t heard motion city before, this wouldn’t be the album I would show them first. It has definitely grown on me, if you get it, be sure to check out “Can’t Finish What You Started” (#6).

- Tracks you should listen to - Can't Finish What You Started (6), This is For Real (2), It Had to Be You (3), Broken Heart (8), Antonia (12)
- Tracks you could live without – Point of Extinction (11), Calling All Cops (5), Hello Helicopter (9), Where I Belong (10)

Concert You Should Have Seen - Illegitimate Sons at the Rox on 9/19/07

This show was waaaay better than I thought it would be. It’s a local group comprised of a drummer, acoustic guitar, hand drums and 2 male singers. They started off the night with 2 great cover choices, but the singer sometimes seemed lost. Even though the lead singer was sometimes off in tone and timing, they all made up for it in stage presence and hilarious original songs. Some of their original songs covered serious topics such as, amputation, watching cartoons, biking to the bar and a fairy tale tongue and cheek bit called “Chasing Fairy Tail”. Illegitimate Sons also made sure cover the typical Irish jig, “Hats Off to Beer” and a ballad, “Masters of Disaster”. The group had props for almost every song like helmets, capes, umbrellas, sparkly shirts and they even gave out hats so everyone could take their "Hats Off to Beer".
This show had a surprisingly good sound. The acoustic guitar was miked and the drums didn’t overpower the other instruments. It was an interesting combination of instruments, but it worked out and the hand drums seemed to take the place of a bass. Even though the vocals weren’t the strongest, this was one of the best times I’ve had at a local show. Illegitimate Sons reminds us that music doesn’t have to be so serious and emotional all the time, it can be fun and entertaining!

William Elliot Whitmore, Tim Barry and Josh Smalls...a review

I pulled up to the Triple Rock in Minneapolis at around 6 pm on Monday night. The show didn't start until 9, but I had never been in this area before so I thought I’d get there early, hang around and soak it all in. After walking around for a little bit, I decided it was time to go to the Triple Rock and get some food. I made it in time for their happy hour, which is a choice of a burger, veggie burger, hot dog or a veggie hotdog, fries and a pint for 6 bucks. I got the veggie hotdog and a Stella. Good stuff I tell ya. To add to the awesomeness of this meal deal, my bartender was Billy from Dillinger Four! I told him I saw him play in Vegas and we talked about how rad Punk Rock Bowling was. I also tried to convince him that I would kick his butt in the upcoming tournament, which he laughed at because Triple Rock has won that thing more times than I’ve even been there (which means more than once, but still). I asked him if he was going to the show after his shift, but he had to leave for band practice in preparation for their upcoming show. After a few more drinks I meet up with my buddy Kyle from Suburban Home Records and his fiancé Jamie, and we head over to the stage side.
Once we went over to the stage side I finally got in touch with Tim Barry about our interview. I headed to the back and saw him sitting in the back room with Josh Small (or as I like to say, Josh Schmall) and William Elliot Whitmore. I said hey to they guys, we talked a little bit about Suburban Home Records (Tim and Josh’s label, I first met them at SubHome’s 11th anniversary show in Denver) and had a few PBR’s. Josh was pacing back and forth, worried about his performance. He doesn’t know why, but for some reason he’s just nervous about the show that night. I asked Tim if he’s ready for an interview, but he is distraught at this moment. He just got off the phone with a friend back home who had bad news about his cat’s health. His mind was somewhere else so we decided to just hang out and put the interview off for tonight. Around 10 it was time for Josh to get on stage.
Josh and Tim’s sister, Caitlin Barry, got on stage and started playing songs from Josh’s album, “Tall by Josh Small”. Josh is a little smaller than the average guy, but one would not be able to guess this by the sound of his voice. His voice can fill up a whole room, which it did on that Monday night. No matter what part of the room you were in, you could feel every note, every emotion and every tone that Josh sang out. He truly knows what he is doing and he knows how to make a folk song that will stick with you for a long time.
Tim Barry’s set was next and he was joined by Josh Small and Caitlin Barry. It’s a really intimate experience to see someone go straight from talking to you in the back room to playing a set on stage. It reminded me of friends playing at parties and it brought a personal connection to the live performance. I’ve never been disappointed at a Tim Barry show and this night was no different. Along with playing plenty of songs from his “Rivanna Junction” release, he also played a few new songs, which made me even more excited for a new album. If you haven’t gotten a chance to see or hear Tim Barry, I really suggest that you help yourself out and check it, as soon as possible. You can check out Tim’s myspace at www.myspace.com/timbarryrva, or for streaming audio of his album you can go to www.suburbanhomerecords.com.
This was my first time seeing William Elliot Whitmore and if I had it my way, I would be able to catch his live performance every single night. After listening to “The Song of the Blackbird” I was already impressed with Whitmore, but I was interested to see how he would be able to pull this amazing sound off during a live show. His concert was even more impressive than his album. When I met him backstage I didn’t even recognize him. He looks like an innocent late-20-something-year-old guy, definitely not the man you would expect this soulful, bluesy voice to come out of. On stage it was just him, his guitar (or banjo) and his foot, which was miked to keep a beat. I seriously almost shed a tear when he played, “Porchlight”. It was just one of the most sincere, heart-hitting performances I’ve seen in a really long time, if not in my whole lifetime.

Moral of the story, if you can’t get an interview, be sure to pay attention to the reason why you’re there. For the live performance. Josh Small, Tim Barry and William Elliot Whitmore definitely brought the perfect folk performance to the Triple Rock that Monday night.

update on tim barry interview

so i saw tim on monday, but he wasn't really feeling the interview. so i just hung out with him and saw a very rad concert. there won't be an interview posted, but i will be posting a concert review and just an overall review of the whole day. here's a visual tasting of what's to come

be vaywe vaywe quiet...

...and pay attention to Limbeck. This September 2nd show was probably the best performance i've seen out of Limbeck. It took place at Station 4 in St.Paul, MN. I had never been to this venue before and at first it was a little awkward. The stage is in a garage-like room and the bar is separated from the stage by a wall with two windows cut out to see the show. I was mainly bummed I couldn't drink and watch, but I just waited until the breaks to go to the bar and it was fine. It was definitely the hottest show I've ever been to. Everyone was sweating and glistening, the room was filled with body heat, but it was ok cuz everyone was there to rock. Back to the music, it was awesome. I was nervous about this place not sounding well because of its size and shape I would have assumed the sound would bounce around, but it was one of the best sounding venues I've been to in quite a while. It seemed like the sold out crowd soaked up a lot of reverberations. Rueben's Accomplice, Steel Train, Piebald and The Format also played and everyone was spot on. There was just so much energy at this show. I think we all got lucky because this show took place close to the end of the tour and sometimes it’s easy for bands to fall into a rut and lack excitement, but it truly seemed like all the bands were having a good time and happy to be in MN. This might not be the best description I’ve ever written about a show, I think, because I’m still recovering from the night. So I've brought you some pictures cuz they’re worth….words n stuff.

ps. watch out for shark boy, he'll bite your leg off.