Art-A-Whirl is this weekend, which means the Northeast will be veritably crawling with musicians. I've rounded up as many of the scheduled performances I can find, but I'm sure I've missed a few. You can check out the complete calendar of Art-A-Whirl activities here, and we'll have lots of coverage in this weekend's Freeloader Friday.
Tuesday, May 16
International Reggae Allstars @ Bunkers
Karrin Allyson – Brazilian Nights @ Dakota
St. Dominic’s Trio @ Driftwood
Loveless with Taylor Acorn @ Fine Line
Westerman with Twain @ 7th St Entry
April Conspiracy Series featuring theyself, the Back Up Band @ 331 Club
Worker's Playtime, Adam Kiesling @ 331 Club
- GBH with MDC and Niis @ Turf Club—Punk's not dead—or at least these punks aren't. Good to see that Grievous Bodily Harm and Millions of Dead Cops for still playing clubs after all these years. Nils, incidentally, are an L.A. band, not the Montreal punks or, of course, the Springsteen associate.
Trevor McSpadden & Mary Cutrufello @ White Squirrel
Residency, Thy Name is Jeremy @ White Squirrel
Wednesday, May 17
Hazed and Confused: Music and Art from White Line Darko and Flavorworld @ Amsterdam
MN Songwriter Showcase hosted by Nick Hensley @ Aster Cafe
Daniel Volovets and Jireh Calo @ Cedar Cultural Center
Maggie's Wednesdays: Linda Peterson and Jason Peterson DeLaire @ Crooners
Senor Blues & the DCT @ Driftwood
Hozier with Mike Kota @ First Avenue
Dan Tedesco with Arlo Cristofaro @ Icehouse
Prairie Clamor, Anita Velveeta, Fruit Form @ Mortimer's
- MUNA with Nova Twins @ Palace Theatre—On Muna’s third and self-titled album, Katie Gavin has gotten almost too good at songwriting. With an assist from the band’s new label boss Phoebe Bridgers (who’d never go so cheerily pop), there’s something sleekly advertorial (or maybe just TikTok-able) about the tactile ecstasy of “Silk Chiffon” that gives my sugar rush an aspartame aftertaste. Not that that stops me from coming back for another hit, or appreciating how elsewhere on Muna the band makes so much more of ye olde galloping synth bass than most new-wave fetishists. I’m charmed by the irrepressible but modest demands of “What I Want” (“I want to dance in the middle of a gay bar”), the prudent infatuation of “Solid” (“You can tell she made herself all by herself”), and this riposte to a lover who tells Gavin to get off her high horse: “I think my horse is regular size.” Most of all, I appreciate how Gavin’s expression of her desires don’t slot easily into her contemporaries’ favored personae. There’s a wide expanse between doomed yearning sobs and legs-wide-open hedonism, and plenty of room for one young adult’s coming of age stories.
Lap Dogs, In Lieu, and Baumgardner @ Palmer's
Narrow Head with Graham Hunt @ 7th St Entry
Harold’s House Party on KFAI with Pat Donohue and Friends @ 331 Club
Dilly Dally Alley with Freaque, Rabeca, and PRINTS @ Turf Club
Red Light District @ Underground Music Venue
Saint Paul Mudsteppers Monthly @ White Squirrel
- Shania Twain @ Xcel Energy Center—She’s goofin’ on Ryan Reynolds during the People’s Choice Awards in December. She’s duetting with Orville Peck on “Legends Never Die.” Yes, the Shaniassance is in full swing. Hot on the sparkly rhinestone-heels of her first full-length in six years, the Canadian country star is set to embark on the absolutely massive “Queen of Me” tour, which takes her to 49 cities around the globe between April and November. If you haven’t listened to Twain’s latest yet, it’s mostly just OK! This review from Slate, which frames her return, “There would be no Taylor Swift without Shania Twain. Who is Shania Twain after Taylor Swift?” mostly nails my feelings on it. But you don’t need to know the new record front-to-back—or, hell, do any homework reading—to know that when she sings the stuff off of Come on Over, that place is going to go wild.
Thursday, May 18
Zoë Says Go + Brandyn Lee Tulloch @ Aster Cafe
Jay Bee & the Routine @ Bunkers
The Vic Volare Quartet featuring Steve Roehm @ Crooners
Red Hot Django Peppers @ Crooners
Doug Haining and The Twin Cities Seven @ Crooners
The Outcats, Van Harn, the Drega, Fruit Form, Just Jimmy @ Driftwood
- Cursive with Neva Dinova @ Fine Line—So look, I’m a big fan of Cursive, but I’m also a big fan of rock critic Robert Christgau and his effortless, cutting shittalking. Thus, I must share Christgau’s one-sentence review of Domestica, Cursive’s blistering, agonizing 2000 album about divorce that’ll be performed front-to-back at Fine Line: “Guitar rageboy marries too young, gets concept album out of it.” Perfection. The rageboy in question is Tim Kasher, who has led this celebrated Omaha emo institution since 1995, always making time for side projects (The Good Life, solo) yet never relenting with the flagship. Domestica, a fan favorite, wasn’t an easy listen almost a quarter-century ago, though we’re guessing the happily remarried frontman dials back the rage these days. If you fell off the Cursive train post-high school, I recommend checking out their mid- to late-era catalog; there’s a lot of good stuff there.
Candlelight: Sci-Fi and Fantasy Film Scores @ Granada
The Shackletons, Little Man @ Hook and Ladder
Gabe Barnett and them Rounders (Single Release) with Molly Brandt and Theo Langason @ Icehouse
Virgin Whores & Guests @ Mortimer's
'Riddim Driven' with DJ I Roach and Friends @ Palmer's
The Moss, the Hails @ 7th St Entry
Cross Pollination: taylor james donskey, Squinny @ 331 Club
Thank You, I'm Sorry with Anita Velveeta and Fend @ The Treasury
The Dead Century with Flip Rushmore, Lucid VanGuard, and Zippo Man @ Turf Club
Blue Riders @ Underground Music Venue
Pig’s Eye Records presents… Spaghetti Monetti & The Sauce with Cosmoline @ White Squirrel
Friday, May 19
See You Next Tuesday and meth @ Amsterdam
Jeff Dayton with Mark Bendickson @ Aster Cafe
The Skalectric Company @ Bar Fly
Art-A-Whirl: Viva Knievel, The Color Pharmacy, Uncle Muskrat @ Bauhaus Brew Labs
The Good, the Bad, & the Funky @ Bunkers
Art-A-Whirl: Emily Boyajian @ California Building
Art-A-Whirl: Josh Katzenmeyer @ California Building
Earthkry and International Reggae All-Stars @ Cedar Cultural Center
Ahmed & the Creators @ Crooners
Kenni Holmen Up Front @ Crooners
Maggie's Afterglow: Chris Lomheim with Emily Green @ Crooners
Andrew Walesch Sings Sinatra @ Dakota
Stone Arch Rivals, Hoot Gibson, Audacity @ Driftwood
Art-A-Whirl: Creeping Charlie, Aiden Intro, Fenix Dion, Alairen @ Elias Metal Studio
Material Gworl: A Dance Party for Baddies @ Fine Line
Future Islands, Deeper @ First Avenue
John Butler @ Fitzgerald Theater
The Belfast Cowboys with de'Lindas @ Hook and Ladder
David Wax Museum, Neopolitan @ Icehouse
Art-A-Whirl: NUR-D, Mayyadda, Honeybutter @ Indeed Brewing Company
Ticket to Brasil with Quatro Bossa Nova @ KJ’s Hideaway
Ty Pow & the Holy North @ KJ's Hideaway
Art-A-Whirl: Boots & Needles, Show Pony, Sound Token (Doug Otto & Chris Grey) @ Live Music on 4
- Seal with the Buggles @ Orpheum Theatre—This seemed like an odd match of headliner and openers—the soulful pop star and the guys who sang "Video Killed the Radio Star"? Then I recalled that Buggle Trevor Horn produced Seal's definitive hits "Crazy" and "Kiss from a Rose," and learned that he serves as the musical director on this tour as well. Still an odd match, though.
Redwing Blackbird, Goatroper, and Molly Brandt @ Palmer's
DJ Jeffrey Robert Larson @ Palmer's
Ron Pope with Lydia Luce @ Parkway
Art-A-Whirl: South for Winter, Mark Mallman, Megan Hamilton @ Pryes Brewing Company
Arts Fishing Club with Homes at Night @ 7th St Entry
Art-A-Whirl: Kingsview, The Skalectric Company, Side Two @ 612 Brew
Art-A-Whirl: Kaat, Holm & Tanz, Rhino Shrine, The Real Chuck NORAD @ Sociable Cider Works
Art-A-Whirl: Kinda Fonda Wanda & Vibro Champs @ SuperCharged Printmakers
Art-A-Whirl: Butter Boys, Fistful of Datas, DJ Sill Phresh @ 331 Club
A Moshpit Club Event @ The Treasury
Art-A-Whirl: Chris Lynch with The Dust of Suns Ensemble, The Starfolk @ Twin Ignition
Giovannie and The Hired Guns with Letdown @ Turf Club
Tyrant with Dark Entity @ Underground Music Venue
- Ambrose Akinmusire @ Walker Art Center—Trumpeter Akinmusire will show off his range this weekend by highlighting two different aspects of his music on his two nights at the Walker. Each night will feature his Honey from a Winter’s Stone ensemble: Mivos String Quartet, D.C. hip-hop artist Kokayi, underground producer/DJ Chiquita Magic, and regular Akinmusire collaborators Sam Harris on piano and Justin Brown on drums. Friday night is given over to improvisation, with those musicians joined by experimental saxophonist Cole Pulice and jazz guitarist Mary Halvorson. On Saturday, Akinmusire will premiere a lengthy composition for his ensemble.
Valet with Gentleman Speaker, Martin Devaney @ White Squirrel
Saturday, May 20
Mary Bue + Molly Maher @ Aster Cafe
Art-A-Whirl: Early Eyes, Solid Gold, Mae Simpson, McNasty Brass Band, Birdroom, Obi Original, General B and the Whiz @ Bauhaus Brew Labs
Storyhill with Edie Carey @ Cedar Cultural Center
Pat Donohue, Dean Magraw, Judi Vinar @ Crooners
Jesse Larson and His Band @ Crooners
Guilty Pleasure Society @ Crooners
Maggie's Afterglow: Rick Carlson with Dennis Spears @ Crooners
Dream Addict, the Cellar Kings @ Driftwood
Art-A-Whirl: Butter Boys, Roe Family Singers, All Tomorrow’s Petty, Ozone Creations, and Monica LaPlante @ Eastside Food Co-op
Art-A-Whirl: Sax Sells, Uncle Katy, Flavor Crystals, Moy Dukksen, The Silverteens, Lisa Michelle Anderson, Dancing Judas, Green @ Elias Metal Studio
The Pork Tornadoes with Arena @ Fine Line
Wicker Chairs Release Show Parachutes, Aiden Intro, Ivers @ Green Room
Luke Enyeart with Ryan Gebhardt @ Icehouse
- Art-A-Whirl: LA Buckner + Big Homie, Joe Rainey, Papa Mbye, Denim Matriarch, Room3, Radiochurch, Creeping Charlie, Mik Cool @ Indeed Brewing Company—I don't like to pick favorites when it comes to Art-A-Whirl—all this year's lineups have something to offer—but Saturday's Whirlygig at Indeed is stacked, from gospel-tinged jazz drummer Buckner to electronic pow wow artist Rainey straight on down the line.
Jessie Street Jazz Band @ KJ’s Hideaway
Solomon Parham Quintet with Jack Barrett Trio @ KJ's Hideaway
Art-A-Whirl: Joel Shapira, Patrick Adkins and Toivo Hananigan, Maja Radovanlija, Will Gannon @ Live Music on 4
The Assortment 8 Year Anniversary Party @ Mortimer's
Bethany Larson & the Bees Knees @ Mpls Photo Center
Punks for a Cause: Southside Harm Reduction Benefit @ Palmer's
Floodwater Angel, Rabeca, and Magick Flavour Station @ Palmer's
Dave Mason with the Outlaws @ Pantages
- Art-A-Whirl: Maudlin, Palms Psalm. Graveyard Club, Fastball, Mikel Wright & The Wrongs @ Pryes Brewing Company—Yes, you read that right—Fastball.
The Aquadolls with Allergen and Surly Grrly @ 7th St Entry
Art-A-Whirl: Machinery Hill, Tyler Haag, Trevor & Mary, The Common Practice, Rare Plant, Summer Camp, Manias, The Silent Treatment, Collapsing Stars, Eleganza @ Social Cider Works
Witchden x Visceral Reaction x Deterioration x Glutton for Punishment x Stern Look @ Studio B
Art-A-Whirl: Super Flasher, Wish Wash, 120 Minutes Band, DJ Still Phresh @ 331 Club
Art-A-Whirl: Time Stream, Ginny & the Fizz, Socktopus @ Turbo Tim's Anything Automotive
3rd Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash @ Turf Club
Art-A-Whirl: Mellifera, Robert Wilkinson, Chris Lynch with The Dust of Suns Ensemble, Randall Throckmorton, Lonesome Dan Kase, Bleek & Grimm @ Twin Ignition
- Ambrose Akinmusire @ Walker Art Center—See Friday's listings.
The Driftless Revelers @ White Squirrel
Sparrowhawk with Trash Catties, Blood Driver @ White Squirrel
Sunday, May 21
RiGBY, Mik Cool, Bakermiller Pink, and JACKET @ Amsterdam
Swing Brunch with Patty & the Buttons @ Aster Cafe
Bethany Larson & The Bee’s Knees w/ Sabyre Rae @ Aster Cafe
Ann Hampton Callaway @ Crooners
Dennis Curley Sings the Music of John Denver @ Crooners
Ornithophilia: Claudia Schmidt, Ann Reed, Dan Chouinard and Joan Griffith @ Crooners
A Tribute to Lou Rawls with Johnnie Brown @ Crooners
Cyndi Yang's "Soul Call" with Alicia Thao and Mayda @ Cedar Cultural Center
Phine Friends, Shotgun Ragtime @ Driftwood
Music of Dolly Parton for Kids @ First Avenue
Jazz Age Rumpus with Miss Myra & The Moonshiners and Southside Aces @ Hook and Ladder
Tim Sparks and Yoshie Fruchter @ Icehouse
Leslie Rich (EP Release) with Robert Wilkinson @ Icehouse
Art-A-Whirl: Turn Turn Turn, The Foxgloves, Cornbread Harris, Dani Erin, The Gemstones, Divas of the Midwest: A Drag Review @ Indeed Brewing Company
Custom Controller @ KJ's Hideaway
Bart-A-Whirl with Ghost Kitchen, Mullet, River Sinclaire @ Mortimer's
Art-A-Whirl: Harley Wood and Tim Chapp @ NE Tree House
Church of Cornbread: Cornbread Harris and His Band @ Palmer's
West Bank Social Club @ Palmer's
Anthony Shore and His All-Star Band Present ELVIS @ Parkway
Y La Bamba with Isabeau Waia'u Walker @ 7th St. Entry
- Art-A Whirl: She's Burgers @ Sociable Cider Works—Cool name, cool kids, cool band.
Andrea Bocelli @ Target Center
Art-A-Whirl: Tramps Like Us, Mike Munson, Paul Bergen & Mikkel @ 331 Club
- Gorillaz Demon Days 18th Anniversary Tribute with OKnice, LVNDSCVPES and Socktopus @ Turf Club—If you were born the year Damon Albarn's cartoon band released the most fully realized album, congrats on reaching adulthood. If you were already sentient when Demon Days dropped, OKnice and pals have a fun treat in store for you.
Trench Size Trio @ White Squirrel
Monday, May 22
Sunset Rubdown with Nicholas Merz @ Fine Line
Visitor + Paul Metzger @ Icehouse
Auto-Tune Karaoke @ Mortimer’s
Cowaoke with Ben Moooker @ Palmer's
The Roe Family Singers @ 331 Club
Matt Arthur Contraption @ 331 Club
