Late April Snow Storms and Oh Such Cold Showers

I have been to two shows since the last time I wrote a post.  Again, let me clarify that my blog is not pretending to be a comprehensive look at the whole of the local music scene, because there is so much great music to be appreciated that goes unnoticed for so many varieties of reasons.  What I am trying to do is write about the musicians I run into, hear about, seek out, or by any other means come in contact with myself.  This is a catalog of my experiences in the local music scene.  From that, I would like to bring attention to the people I meet who I know are deserving of more acknowledgment than they receive from the media on the national scene.  

This last weekend I attended the 21st Art Exhibit Opening for Cause Spirit and Sound Bar in the Lynn-Lake Neighborhood just east of Uptown Minneapolis on Saturday April 13th, 2013.  The artists featured in the exhibit are Damon Rowley, Andy Lefton, Dan Wieken, Nathan Graves, Erin Sayer, and Tony Rydell.  From Dark Surrealistic abstract paintings, to intricately enveloping pen drawings, and a few colorful pop culture references, the art hung above the crowds as people surged and ebbed through the night's festivities.  The heavy rock vibes of the bands lined up to play brought the house a torrential harmony of musical rhythm.  

Not pictured: Torch the Spires

Droids Attack Photo taken by Matthew Sudduth

Droids Attack Photo taken by Matthew Sudduth

Droids Attack Photo taken by Matthew Sudduth

Tonnage - photo taken by Matthew Sudduth

Red Desert - photo taken by Matthew Sudduth

The second show I attended this week was a birthday celebration for a young musician friend of mine who turned 24 this year.  Tyler Coenen is an integral part of the artistic core of the bands Space Cats and Nice Beaches.  His sometimes soaring, sometimes haunting, and always expressive rythmic permutations keep the sounds changing and evolving along with their style.  Their debut album in the works is familiar to me from many of their shows and jam sessions with the artists.  A friend after this last show put it best by saying that, where their sound once had obviously interesting creative elements yet was not as polished, it now sounds like a band who's sound is coming together into it's full potential.  With the recent addition of bassist Ben Zeise, the sound has filled out into a robust and hearty new iteration of this band's colorful energy and enthusiasm.  As a side note, the current background picture from this blog I took at his studio during a jam this winter.  

 Along with some awesome covers and interesting original music from the first band of the night The Cheap Thrills, the night was finished off by a performance from 3/4 of the lone crows.  Thanks again guys for an awesome show. 

 

Not pictured: Cheap Thrills

As this month progresses more shows come into view on the horizon.  We are slowly waiting to finally thaw out of this prolonged winter.  We thought things were starting to wind up for the spring over the last couple of weeks, but that was just nature taunting us a little.  This week we have substantial snowfall coming again.  It is now the second half of April!  Although we have had some April showers, I am not sure if they truly count when the air temperature seems strangled at the 40 degree mark and unable to squeeze out a consistently warm breath of air.  So despite having had people eagerly walking the streets and soaking up the warm sun in the balmy 40 degree weather of the last couple of weeks, Minnesotans have retreated once again into their shells to await the return of seasonably reasonable weather.  To cater to this reclusiveness, I suggest people check out the dance videos I posted to Youtube over the winter.  A naturally good place to start is my M83 - Midnight City dance video, so here it is for your viewing pleasure. 

 

With that I will bid you all adieu for the moment.  I have another show to prepare for tonight and then several more events this weekend.  Check back soon for more about the Minneapolis local music scene.  In the spirit of writing about an art exhibit I will leave you with a self portrait I made recently.  Thanks again for your interest in the local music scene.