Dear Sam Roberts Band,
Thank you for performing in Minneapolis (America) last night at 7th Street Entry.
Love,
Culture Vulture
THEY ARE HUGE IN CANADA.
(Seriously).
Check out this in-studio, courtesy of MPR's 89.3 The Current:
8.10.09
Open Letter to Hipster Against the Closing of The Uptown Bar
Dear Hipster Against the Closing of The Uptown Bar,
Really?
I mean, can you really even remember a good night there? Emphasis on remember.
Sure, it's fun to pound your all-American can of PBR (pinkies up) and lose your hearing. Just because those bands are so obscure that even you, as a hipster, have to pretend you've heard of them until you can sneak away to the side-stage onesie stall to Wiki the band on your iPhone.
But anyway. Besides all that, the Uptown Bar is effing sweet.
Why would anyone ever want to replace the Uptown Bar with a trendy outdoor gear store?
The Uptown Bar is legendary. Some people who later became famous musicians played there.
Can you name some?
More than that, it's an historical part of Uptown and Minneapolis as a whole.
Do you know what year it was established?
There will only be one live music venue left in Uptown, and OH MY GOD it's a former tapas bar.
What are you going to do?
There's nothing that can be done now, Hipster. The bar management is attempting to transfer their liquor license to another location after The Uptown Bar closes.
But you know it won't be the same.
How are you going to go on without this place?
There, there. Dry your eyes on the sleeve of my North Face jacket, and while you're there, take a wiff. That's the stench of free enterprise. It's the stench of consumerism. It's the stench of Uptown in 2009.
Can't believe you didn't see this one coming. Take off your Ray Bans, Hipster. This is your ward.
Can the dramatic Tweets about how you're in mourning and about how much you enjoyed getting bombed there. It's not like you're going to stop drinking because there's no more Uptown Bar. But you might drink more because of it.
Get over it, already.
You really didn't treat The Uptown Bar that well while it was alive, now did you? That's right. I saw you sneaking your Urban Outfitters flask into the onesie stall.
Shame on you.
Mostly sincerely,
Culture Vulture
7.8.09
In Memory of John Hughes: 1950-2009
American-born film director John Hughes (Jr.) died yesterday of a heart attack. He was 59.
As any well-respected culture vulture (lowercase) knows, John Hughes was a film directing icon whose 80s films continue to speak to each new generation of teen angst. After the success of Sixteen Candles in 1984, Hughes wrote, directed, and produced a string of movies (Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off) based on high school experiences that forever changed the way youth were portrayed on the silver screen.
When this Culture Vulture first saw The Breakfast Club in 1995, it was a poorly-edited version running on TBS (I remember finding it particularly amusing during one instance where they bleeped out "hole" instead of "ass.") I was 11 years old, didn't quite understand what "riding the hobby horse" meant, and had never seen anyone smoke pot before. These kids were badass. The film was a cult classic even back then, but this film became my inspiration. I memorized nearly the entire thing, and 15 years later, can still quote essential scenes, like the one where Emilio Estevez's "Athlete" character and Ally Sheedy's "Basketcase" walk to the teacher's lounge to buy sodas for the rest of the group of detentionees.
"What's your poison?" he asks her, "What do you drink?"
Her response? "Vodka."
"Vodka?...When do you drink vodka?"
She breezes past him coyly, "Whenever."
"A lot?" he wants to know.
"Tons."
Hughes captured not only the quick-wittedness (and endearing awkwardness) of American teens, but also the reality of the changing culture of the families and towns they were growing up in. For the first time (or at least the first time done with purpose) a film took the perspective of young people and ran with it, faulting no one but the jaded adults who served only as background characters and aggravators. This was a story that addressed stereotypes, the same ones lazy filmmakers continue to use today, and thwarted them, while still giving them purpose.
A writer can only hope to write such richly realistic dialogue as that of John Hughes. Although the man moved himself out of the public eye shortly after the blockbuster success of Home Alone, I rested easier knowing that someone like that existed. His presence will be missed, but his legacy will live on in our hearts, minds, memories, and in every current film director's sad attempt to tell the stories of American youth as poignantly as Mr. John Hughes.
9.6.09
Eric Lovold talks to Culture Vulture about The Alarmists' new record, The Overhead Left
Friday , June 12, 2009 marks the CD release show at The Varsity Theater in Minneapolis of local indie-rock band The Alarmists' new album, The Overhead Left. Culture Vulture got the opportunity to ask frontman Eric Lovold about the project.
Culture Vulture: How long have you been working on The Overhead Left, and how does it feel to have the final product ready for distribution?
Eric Lovold: We started demos for it about a year ago. We're pretty excited about this one, so it feels great to have it ready.
CV: What significance does this record hold for you?
EL: This is the first record that Joe Kuefler and Ryan McMillan and I made together in the studio that we built together a few years ago. So it was pretty cool to have that opportunity.
CV: Tell us a little about the new record. Is this a new direction?
EL: I wouldn't say the sound has changed in any specific way. You always hope to make better records, and I think that this record is definitely a step in the right direction for us.
CV: There's been some talk about supporting local non-profit Rock the Cause with this record. Tell us about that.
EL: We met Scott Herold a few years ago and did a charity show with his organization, Rock the Cause. They do pretty amazing community work. Our album is going to be available for free exclusively through the Rock the Cause site, for those people that attend our CD release show. We're directing traffic to Rock the Cause so that people can see what they are all about. The show is 10 bucks, so we figure we'll throw the record in for free for the people that come out to support us.
CV: That's incredibly generous of you guys. Now, I know there's been some shifting around as far as bandmembers go. Who is currently performing as The Alarmists? Does this differ from those who recorded on the album?
EL: The line up on the album is the same as the line up live, with the exception of Randy Tomes (Keys). It's Joe and Ryan and I, Mark Schwandt on drums, and Brian Gruidle on bass.
CV: What's next for the band? Will there be any touring with this album?
EL: We will not be touring on this album. We're keeping it local. Each of us have personal goals and separate lives from the band, and we're trying to respect that for our own sanity. The next step for the band is to work on writing new music with this lineup. We're pretty excited about the possibilities and the plan is to hit the studio again.
CV: Speaking of the studio, you do some recording for other bands. What are some of your recent projects?
EL: Recently I've worked with So It Goes and Stellar Vector. The cool thing about recording bands is that they might be people that you've only known socially, and then you spend all this time together and become close friends. That's pretty fantastic.
CV: Totally. So you've been part of the Minneapolis rock scene for awhile now. How old are you?
EL: I turn 26 a week after our CD release.
CV: You're a young buck. What's next for you?
EL: Next for me...more Alarmists music, working with White Light Riot on their next album, and recording in the studio. I'm doing as much music as possible this summer.
CV: Sounds great. Give us three reasons why people need to be there on Friday.
EL: Well, this is the first time our new lineup will be playing together live, which is pretty exciting. Also, Coach Said Not To is playing. Third - have you ever seen Joe on stage?
He's a madman!
CV: Anything else you want to say to Culture Vulture Party readers?
EL: If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. Hope to see you at the show!
Culture Vulture will ALSO miss this show, as we'll be at Bonnaroo. But if you're in Minneapolis this weekend, this is where you should be:
The Alarmists CD Release Show
w/ special guests The 757s, The Championship and Coach Said Not To
June 12, 2009
Varsity Theater
1308 4th St SE Minneapolis, MN 55414
$10 @ the door
Check out http://www.myspace.com/thealarmists
and http://www.irockthecause.org
8.6.09
Hip Hop Against Homophobia Vol. 2 THIS SATURDAY
Culture Vulture will be at Bonnaroo Music Festival in Manchester, TN this weekend, but if you are not, GET THEE TO THE BEDLAM THEATER on Saturday, June 13, to support local hip hop and our friends at the second ever Hip Hop Against Homophobia event hosted by Culturebully.com, Cypher Coalition, TruRuts/Speakeasy Records, and MN GLBTA Campus Alliance. Proceeds go to support Color CoordiNATION, GLBT Host Home Program, and Reclaim.
It's 18+, so make sure you're of age. Or get a killer fake.
Hip Hop Against Homophobia Vol. 2
Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 9:00pm - 2:00am
Bedlam Theater
1501 S. 6th St.
Minneapolis, MN
For more info, contact: hhahTC@gmail.com
Event Description:
After a capacity-bursting show at the Nomad in January, and an inspiring all ages show at District 202 in March, Hip Hop Against Homophobia is coming back to the West Bank, bigger and better than ever. We've got a whole new line up of queer and ally MC's and performers, and proceeds will benefit three hard working organizations. Hip Hop Against Homophobia will bring together the Cities' queer and hip hop communities for an event that combines our incredible music scene with change making and community building. It'll go down so smooth, you won't even know it's activism.
7pm in the Fireplace Lounge: Open community conversation about hip hop and homophobia, queer hip hop artists, hip hop as social justice, gender in hip hop, queer movements for economic and social justice, whatever we want to talk about. Come set the agenda.
9pm on the Main Stage: Show Featuring:
Tori Fixx
Johnny Dangerous
Lindsey of 2 Flytz Up
Bottom Feeders & EZRA of Death Ray Scientific
See More Perspective and the Point of View Band
Poetic Assassins
DJ Blowtorch
Culture Vulture LOVES this song and vid by Johnny Dangerous: "Dirty Is the New Black"
It's 18+, so make sure you're of age. Or get a killer fake.
Hip Hop Against Homophobia Vol. 2
Saturday, June 13, 2009 at 9:00pm - 2:00am
Bedlam Theater
1501 S. 6th St.
Minneapolis, MN
For more info, contact: hhahTC@gmail.com
Event Description:
After a capacity-bursting show at the Nomad in January, and an inspiring all ages show at District 202 in March, Hip Hop Against Homophobia is coming back to the West Bank, bigger and better than ever. We've got a whole new line up of queer and ally MC's and performers, and proceeds will benefit three hard working organizations. Hip Hop Against Homophobia will bring together the Cities' queer and hip hop communities for an event that combines our incredible music scene with change making and community building. It'll go down so smooth, you won't even know it's activism.
7pm in the Fireplace Lounge: Open community conversation about hip hop and homophobia, queer hip hop artists, hip hop as social justice, gender in hip hop, queer movements for economic and social justice, whatever we want to talk about. Come set the agenda.
9pm on the Main Stage: Show Featuring:
Tori Fixx
Johnny Dangerous
Lindsey of 2 Flytz Up
Bottom Feeders & EZRA of Death Ray Scientific
See More Perspective and the Point of View Band
Poetic Assassins
DJ Blowtorch
Culture Vulture LOVES this song and vid by Johnny Dangerous: "Dirty Is the New Black"
7.6.09
Culture Vulture deserves a spanking
Our apologies for missing this one:
The Tallest Man on Earth played a show at The Turf Club in St. Paul last Monday night, June 1, 2009. We express our deepest regrets both for missing this performance, but also for not alerting our followers to this special event.
We are so sorry. This Swedish folk artist (Kristian Matsson) makes our blood bubble. In a good way. We also decidely love his "barely-there" mustache. If you like Bon Iver, Dylan, John Prine...and good music, for that matter...you'll probably dig this.
We'd like to make it up to you with this video from Swedish television. The Tallest Man on Earth performs "It Will Follow the Rain." Can a folk song grip you and rip you? Hell yeah!:
If you are anywhere else in America this summer, you have a pretty good chance of catching this man. Oh, and...he ain't that tall.
The Tallest Man on Earth played a show at The Turf Club in St. Paul last Monday night, June 1, 2009. We express our deepest regrets both for missing this performance, but also for not alerting our followers to this special event.
We are so sorry. This Swedish folk artist (Kristian Matsson) makes our blood bubble. In a good way. We also decidely love his "barely-there" mustache. If you like Bon Iver, Dylan, John Prine...and good music, for that matter...you'll probably dig this.
We'd like to make it up to you with this video from Swedish television. The Tallest Man on Earth performs "It Will Follow the Rain." Can a folk song grip you and rip you? Hell yeah!:
If you are anywhere else in America this summer, you have a pretty good chance of catching this man. Oh, and...he ain't that tall.
The 4onthefloor @ The Acadia Cafe Minneapolis 6.5.09
Dirty Blue-Collar Blues for Collars of Any Hue.
Are you a working stiff? A yuppie without a cause?
Has THE MAN got you down? Tired of all work and no play?
Sick of Big Brother breathing down your neck while you push paper across your desk and all you want is your own damn stapler?!
Maybe you're just stuck in a moment and can't get out of it (Thanks, U2).
Look no further; Culture Vulture has found your saving grace.
The local self-proclaimed "stompin' blues" band, The 4onthefloor, will cure your worldly aches and pains, that is, if your little ears can handle four bass drums being played in unison.
If they can't, don't bother. And save the nightlife for the young and young at heart.
This past Friday evening at The Acadia Cafe in Cedar-Riverside, The 4ontheFloor made their second appearance in one week after a long winter and spring laying low. (Their last show was in late December at Downtime in Dinkytown). Now the foursome has
re-emerged with their four bass drums, new songs, and a banner, which everyone knows legitmizes any band. Even though The Acadia is all ages, one can't help but get wrapped up in the crowd of teen dancing queens and rocker-wannabes. Most are almost too hip to function. Almost. But once those drums start beating, so do all our hearts. In unison. We stomp out our aggressions, our fears, our loneliness, and our demons.
Relatable songs like "Working Man Zombie" (And that chain around your ankle keeps you tied to the places that you fear the most/ It keeps you right back at the starting line/ Either way you know that it's closing time, all right...) take the old ball and chain nomenclature and use it to refer to one's day job, while perhaps unintentionally borrowing from the massive archive of pop culture references stored in songwriter Gabe Douglas' brain to produce a line that seems both familiar and bastardized for the greater good. ("The Places That You Have Come to Fear the Most" by everyone's favorite emo band Dashboard Confessional, and the iconic Semisonic hit "Closing Time").
Aside from unifying lyrics, the ability to get people toe-tapping, and creating near-chaos with everyone yelling along, the band is musically apt. Clever fermatas keep the audience paying attention, even while all songs are in 4/4 time, and the new tunes show off some of the dirtiest guitar riffs the Minneapolis scene has heard from a new local band in years.
Next local gig is rumored to be in July. Until then, build up some tensions (I know this might be a problem for some of you) so you have something to release at the next 4onthefloor show. Bring your dad. He'll thank you for it.
Listen to "Working Man Zombie" http://www.myspace.com/the4onthefloor
Follow 'em! Twitter.com/the4onthefloor
Become a Fan on Facebook.com Search "The 4onthefloor"
Are you a working stiff? A yuppie without a cause?
Has THE MAN got you down? Tired of all work and no play?
Sick of Big Brother breathing down your neck while you push paper across your desk and all you want is your own damn stapler?!
Maybe you're just stuck in a moment and can't get out of it (Thanks, U2).
Look no further; Culture Vulture has found your saving grace.
The local self-proclaimed "stompin' blues" band, The 4onthefloor, will cure your worldly aches and pains, that is, if your little ears can handle four bass drums being played in unison.
If they can't, don't bother. And save the nightlife for the young and young at heart.
This past Friday evening at The Acadia Cafe in Cedar-Riverside, The 4ontheFloor made their second appearance in one week after a long winter and spring laying low. (Their last show was in late December at Downtime in Dinkytown). Now the foursome has
re-emerged with their four bass drums, new songs, and a banner, which everyone knows legitmizes any band. Even though The Acadia is all ages, one can't help but get wrapped up in the crowd of teen dancing queens and rocker-wannabes. Most are almost too hip to function. Almost. But once those drums start beating, so do all our hearts. In unison. We stomp out our aggressions, our fears, our loneliness, and our demons.
Relatable songs like "Working Man Zombie" (And that chain around your ankle keeps you tied to the places that you fear the most/ It keeps you right back at the starting line/ Either way you know that it's closing time, all right...) take the old ball and chain nomenclature and use it to refer to one's day job, while perhaps unintentionally borrowing from the massive archive of pop culture references stored in songwriter Gabe Douglas' brain to produce a line that seems both familiar and bastardized for the greater good. ("The Places That You Have Come to Fear the Most" by everyone's favorite emo band Dashboard Confessional, and the iconic Semisonic hit "Closing Time").
Aside from unifying lyrics, the ability to get people toe-tapping, and creating near-chaos with everyone yelling along, the band is musically apt. Clever fermatas keep the audience paying attention, even while all songs are in 4/4 time, and the new tunes show off some of the dirtiest guitar riffs the Minneapolis scene has heard from a new local band in years.
Next local gig is rumored to be in July. Until then, build up some tensions (I know this might be a problem for some of you) so you have something to release at the next 4onthefloor show. Bring your dad. He'll thank you for it.
Listen to "Working Man Zombie" http://www.myspace.com/the4onthefloor
Follow 'em! Twitter.com/the4onthefloor
Become a Fan on Facebook.com Search "The 4onthefloor"
4.6.09
6.3.09 Hot Dish @ Ugly Mug in Downtown Minneapolis
Go see sexy** cover band Hot Dish next time they play at the Ugly Mug. But don't try to network with any men over 40 claiming to be in your line of work; THEY'RE LYING.
Even if they are a Silver Fox, and look like this:
They are STILL lying. Silver foxes do not want to help you get into your career. They want to help themselves get into your pants. Hey Grandpa, I'd rather let THIS Silver Fox into my pants:
Fact: giving out your business card anywhere in downtown apparently gives people license to call you right then and there in the bar for NON-business purposes. 12:41am Call #1 from across the bar. I did not answer but shot a dirty look toward Grandpa and his Twins jersey-donning posse who are watchin Grandpa make the call to see if it was a legit number. Saved to phone as "Creep."
2:37 Call #2 while I'm passed on my couch next to a McDonald's bag. It did not come up as "Creep" but I did not answer. Instead I got a voicemail: "Hey Shayna I just wanted to let you know I got on my, uh, best jump suit and I got this really cool hat, it's got these wings on it, it's sweet. You should come out and dance with me sometime. I'd love to talk to you gimme a call. Bye." Are we passing my card around in the little boy's room now? Saved to phone as "Creep 2."
Fact: Men in downtown don't care what you do for a living. When they say business they mean "BUSINESS."
**The sexiest part of Hot Dish is that their between song banter is spoken in Minnesota Mom accents and gets a little gossipy. HOT DISH, indeed.
Even if they are a Silver Fox, and look like this:
They are STILL lying. Silver foxes do not want to help you get into your career. They want to help themselves get into your pants. Hey Grandpa, I'd rather let THIS Silver Fox into my pants:
Fact: giving out your business card anywhere in downtown apparently gives people license to call you right then and there in the bar for NON-business purposes. 12:41am Call #1 from across the bar. I did not answer but shot a dirty look toward Grandpa and his Twins jersey-donning posse who are watchin Grandpa make the call to see if it was a legit number. Saved to phone as "Creep."
2:37 Call #2 while I'm passed on my couch next to a McDonald's bag. It did not come up as "Creep" but I did not answer. Instead I got a voicemail: "Hey Shayna I just wanted to let you know I got on my, uh, best jump suit and I got this really cool hat, it's got these wings on it, it's sweet. You should come out and dance with me sometime. I'd love to talk to you gimme a call. Bye." Are we passing my card around in the little boy's room now? Saved to phone as "Creep 2."
Fact: Men in downtown don't care what you do for a living. When they say business they mean "BUSINESS."
**The sexiest part of Hot Dish is that their between song banter is spoken in Minnesota Mom accents and gets a little gossipy. HOT DISH, indeed.
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