City Pages
Contributions made to the Twin Cities alt-weekly City Pages, from 2008 to 2009.
- Vans Warped Tour Critics’ Pick ()
Now in its 15th year, the Vans Warped Tour is returning to the Twin Cities with an impressive lineup of nearly 70 bands. As with years gone by, the tour is largely constructed from a solid foundation of punk bands; this year the lineup includes such Warped Tour veterans as Anti-Flag, Less Than Jake, Bouncing Souls, and Bad Religion. But this […]
- In Defence Critics’ Pick ()
Few bands are able to trace their existence back to one memorable anecdote, but In Defence’s backstory is one for the history books. As the legend goes, the Twin Cities hardcore group was set to play its CD release show at Nate’s Dungeon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Cops infiltrated the crowd at the house show and […]
- Solid Gold Critics’ Pick ()
While every year another set of musicians get labeled the next big thing to break out of the Twin Cities, this past year has seen one rise above all others: Solid Gold. Within the span of a little over a year the group of electronic-rockers have made the transition from headlining shows at the Uptown Bar […]
- Sonic Youth at First Avenue (Minneapolis, MN) ()
Stepping up to the mic a few songs into the performance, guitarist Lee Ranaldo briefly dropped a disclaimer that the band would be playing a lot of new songs; he was right. As the first chords of “No Way” began to reverberate throughout First Avenue, Sonic Youth immediately set a trend that would remain consistent […]
- 10,000 Lakes Festival Critics’ Pick ()
This year’s edition of the 10,000 Lakes Festival promises four days of music and camping, but a closer look at the at the actual roster of acts proves the event to be so much more. Before bands such as Tool, Radiohead, and Nine Inch Nails co-opted headlining spots at Bonnaroo, that event held the distinction of being one of the best […]
- The Dead Weather Critics’ Pick ()
Supergroup the Dead Weather, featuring members of Queens of the Stone Age (Dean Fertita), the Kills (Alisson Mosshart), the White Stripes (Jack White) and the Greenhornes (Jack Lawrence), immediately captured the interest of music fans by releasing their first single alongside a cover of Gary Numan‘s “Are Friends Electric?,” both lending a raspy blues influence to a sonic parade. Having now released a full-length […]
- Obits Critics’ Pick ()
In grunge’s wake, Sub Pop now rarely releases music that recalls the Seattle label’s heyday. And even though they don’t have the same bass-heavy, plaid-clad mystique, Obits reflect the same energy that once fueled the label’s phenomenal roster. With a sound reminiscent of the tinny, under-produced alternative (when “alternative” meant an actual alternative to the mainstream) bands […]
- Beyoncé Critics’ Pick ()
Having previously sold some 50 million records as a member of Destiny’s Child, this past decade has seen Beyoncé Knowles separate herself from the image of a girl-group diva and rise up as a full-blown renaissance woman. Singer, songwriter, actress, fashion designer, model, spokesperson, philanthropist, activist: All these titles address aspects of Beyoncé’s multi-faceted persona. But one single […]
- Keb’ Mo’ Critics’ Pick ()
Greatly influenced by the likes of the legendary Robert Johnson (so much so that he accurately portrayed the bluesman in the 1998 documentary Can’t You Hear the Wind Howl?), Keb’ Mo’ has taken the essence of the Delta blues and created his own sound, branching it with elements of everything from pop to African traditionals. Despite his three Grammy Awards for Best […]
- Sick of Sarah Critics’ Pick ()
As the old adage goes, it takes 20 years to become an overnight success. Though Sick of Sarah are miles away from catching a glimpse of that two-decade milestone (their five-year anniversary isn’t too far off, however), the five-piece all-female rock group may very well be on the verge of capturing that evasive status. A self-described mixture […]
- Old 97’s Critics’ Pick ()
In some circles it’s a beloved term that is welcomed with unequivocal praise, and one that is used only in an endearing light. In others it’s a tired label that refers to a style of music that has long since worn out its welcome. Regardless of your opinion of the genre, there’s no better way […]
- Green Day Critics’ Pick ()
Developed out of a childhood friendship between guitarist and singer Billy Joe Armstrong and bassist Mike Dirnt, Green Day went from a group of slumming teenagers playing punk to global successes while still in their early 20s. Falling out of commercial grace (which is relative, considering they still maintained sales figures and a solid following that most bands would kill […]
- Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Critics’ Pick ()
Chicago’s Owen Ashworth (a.k.a. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone) will stop in the Twin Cities in the middle of a 30-date tour in support of his two most recent releases, Vs. Children and Advance Base Battery Life (a collection of 7-inch singles released between 2004 and 2007). Now more than a decade into his career, Ashworth has employed his delicate vocals […]
- Fountains of Wayne Critics’ Pick ()
It would be nice to think that there aren’t songs that make music fans never want to hear a band’s name again, but sadly, such things happen. And typically, when they do, those bands are branded with the nefarious label of one-hit wonder. But sometimes a band is unjustly clumped in with the pack due […]
- The Roots Critics’ Pick ()
As far as Jimmy Fallon is concerned, the Roots are the best band in late-night. Though he’s a tad biased—they back him up each weeknight on his Late Night show—he’s also probably right. Not only that, the Roots are also possibly the best band in hip hop, and equally as refreshing in a live setting. While the group’s roots (sorry, that’s […]
- Elvis Costello & the Imposters Critics’ Pick ()
In the past year Elvis Costello has collaborated with a number of artists ranging from Fall Out Boy to Jenny Lewis, but in taking some time for himself, the legendary singer-songwriter recently released a collection of new songs, Secret, Profane & Sugarcane. The roots-based album sways between folk and country influences, the entire recording sounding perfect for a midsummer’s day cookout. […]
- Sunset Rubdown Critics’ Pick ()
There’s an unusually rich pool of talented and critically fawned-over bands that have originated in Montreal over the past decade, usually with a single degree of separation between them due to their heavy cross-pollination of band members. Call him the Francophonic Kevin Bacon: At the center of things is multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter Spencer Krug. Aside from splitting the leadership role […]
- Rancid Critics’ Pick ()
For Let the Dominoes Fall, Rancid’s first album in six years, the band made a decision to approach the record in a way that they had never done before. Vocalist, guitarist, and chief songwriter Tim Armstrong reflected on the album in a recent interview: “We didn’t bring any songs, so it was just all of us back together, […]
- The Offspring; Dropkick Murphys Critics’ Pick ()
After a four-year touring hiatus, the Offspring are hitting the road in support of last year’s album, Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace. They’re headlining the 40-date Shit Is Fucked Up Tour (yes, that’s seriously what it’s called), on which they’ll be taking a host of high-profile bands as supporting acts, ranging from Sum 41 to Pennywise to the Dropkick Murphys. […]
- Metric Critics’ Pick ()
For Toronto’s Metric, the road to this year’s Glastonbury festival in the U.K. leads right through the Twin Cities. Touring in support of their fourth album, this year’s Fantasies, Metric are receiving some of their greatest accolades as they continue across the U.S. Having gone gold in its native Canada, Fantasies has already spawned four singles, including the recently released fuzzy […]
- No Use for a Name Critics’ Pick ()
The video for the 1995 single “Soulmate” was one of Fat Wreck Chords’ first, and last, to receive heavy rotation on MTV. The song still remains one of the most successful singles from San Jose, California’s No Use for a Name. Though the band has seen a lot of changes to its lineup since its […]
- Grizzly Bear Critics’ Pick ()
Late last month Edward Droste, lead singer of Grizzly Bear, made an announcement via his Twitter feed: “Well after much rehearsal and preperation [sic], we will not be on Letterman tonight. We were about to walk on when dave said we ran out of time.” It was significant not just that they were bumped, but also that the television […]
- Jenny Lewis Critics’ Pick ()
Starting her career as an actress and later moving into a role she still retains—vocalist for the L.A. rock band Rilo Kiley—Jenny Lewis faces the same issue that M. Ward, one of the many contributors on her latest album, Acid Tongue, was confronted with before his most recent tour. Like Ward’s, Lewis’s latest release features an abundance of […]
- St. Vincent Critics’ Pick ()
Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, singer and multi-instrumentalist Annie Clark previously performed and toured with the likes of the Polyphonic Spree and Sufjan Stevens before breaking away and finding her own audience under the St. Vincent moniker. Releasing her debut album, Marry Me (the title coming from a gag line on the TV show Arrested Development), in 2007 to a wave of adulation from countless critical […]
- Blackenedfest featuring Mayhem Critics’ Pick ()
After a quick glimpse into Mayhem’s past, it’s easy to see why the band is one of the world’s most notorious. The Norwegian black-metal group was originally formed in 1983. Its members took names such as Euronymous and Necrobutcher, and Mayhem quickly developed a cult following in its Scandinavian homeland. The band has a shocking link […]
- Doves Critics’ Pick ()
With the band’s recent release, Kingdom of Rust, Manchester’s Doves have returned with a sound that bridges its booming guitars with a thick classic-rock vibe. For the recording of the album, the band’s first since 2005’s Mercury Prize-nominated Some Cities, the group holed up in a small farm on the Cheshire Plains between Manchester and Liverpool. The isolation allowed the group […]
- Big Quarters ()
Four years ago, City Pages ran a cover story on a young, burgeoning hip-hop group by the name of Big Quarters. The article followed Brandon “Allday” Bagaason and his younger brother “Medium” Zach as they traveled through Illinois, documenting performances, ideologies, and personalities. The most remarkable development captured during the trip wasn’t the struggle of […]
- Magic Castles Critics’ Pick ()
The name Magic Castles conjures up mythological tales of wizardry and adventure. As such, when imagining what a band by that name might sound like, it wouldn’t be out of line to predict a booming prog-rock amalgamation of extended keyboard solos intricately woven between booming guitars and lyrical blasts delicately recalling the stories of knights […]
- Pennywise Critics’ Pick ()
From the time of their formation in 1988, SoCal’s Pennywise have been one of punk’s most consistent bands. Last year the group threw fans for a loop, however, releasing their latest album, Reason to Believe, via their MySpace page. Though a corporate release was out of line with the band’s historical ideology (they backed away from signing with a corporate […]
- Mike Watt & the Missingmen Critics’ Pick ()
Chances are good that even if you can’t name a song by Mike Watt, you know of him. Chances are good that you’ve seen MTV’s Jackass; its opening theme is a song called “Corona” that was originally released in 1984 by a band Watt played in by the name of the Minutemen. Chances are good that you’ve […]