ALL I SEE IS FIREWORKS

So Cow: "To Do List" (live in Brooklyn last summer)

It's a lot easier to write a summer concert preview when summer has already started, right? June has already seen some fine sets from the Beets, Coyote Slingshot, Wheels on Fire, and Damien Jurado, among others (still kicking myself for missing Pocahaunted). Interpol unfortunately canceled their June 28 gig at People's and failed to include Des Moines on their rescheduled tour-- all together now, let's shake our fists at Bono-- but there are still plenty of exciting live gigs coming up in Des Moines this summer. Off the top of my head, I'm very, very amped about So Cow, Woodsman, the Autumn Project, Maid Marian, 80/35 (of course!), the Poison Control Center's 80/35 after parties, Candy Claws, Devo, Phoenix, and Best Coast, for starters.

What follows is an incomplete, completely subjective lineup of shows I thought somebody reading this blog might be curious about. I tried to get a mix of local and national acts, but at this point I still only know so many local acts, so there's definitely nothing intentional if I forgot anyone. I put an asterisk next to shows I'm almost definitely gonna attend. (Unfortunately, I won't be at So Cow because I'll be out of town, but you should still totally go.)

Check the venue websites for times; Vaudeville Mews often has both an early show and a late show, due to liquor laws. Anyway, here goes nothing again:

June (what little is left of it)

Summer Jam: Night Ranger, LA Guns, Skid Row, Warrant, Winger, Dokken and Sweet. Saturday, June 26. Blank Park Zoo.

** Tyvek, with So Cow, Wolves in the Attic. Sunday, June 27, Vaudeville Mews. I was just regaining consciousness after a nap when Tyvek opened for Love Is All here in April. So I wasn't at all prepared for the Detroit lo-fi rockers' high-energy assault, and I don't have anything smart to say about it. Apparently I missed new Des Noise faves Coyote Slingshot, too. But Tyvek sounded pretty good, and they're on respected label Siltbreeze, so they're a strong bet for your Sunday night. The band it really kills me I'll have to miss this weekend is Dublin's So Cow. They're here all the way from Ireland, and lead singer Brian Kelly writes the kind of clever, sweet, endearing songs I can imagine anyone in town loving-- the edges are a bit ragged, yeah, but in a ramshackle, you-can-do-this-too way rather than to repel the uncool. I reviewed So Cow's wonderful self-titled album here; see some really intelligent things my Pitchfork colleague Nitsuh Abebe says about them here. Wolves in the Attic are one of my favorite local bands (and were before, full disclosure, I got to know basically all the members); expect really loud, Sonic Youth-inspired indie rock. Anyway, So Cow are the closest thing for most of the summer to the surefire awesome of past Mews bookings like Love Is All, Japandroids, Jonathan Richman, Josh Ritter, Jens Lekman, etc., so I really recommend going if you can; I've seen them live before, and they're for real.

The Melvins. Sunday, June 27. House of Bricks. These avant-garde California metalheads are legendary in their circles.

Big Country Bash: Gretchen Wilson, Rodney Atkins, Jason Michael Carroll, Trailer Choir, Jerrod Niemann, Sarah Darling and Jason Brown. Sunday, June 27. Blank Park Zoo.

Why Make Clocks, with Pink Kodiak. Monday, June 28. Vaudeville Mews. Solid local lineup. I mentioned Why Make Clocks before here. I'd go if I were going to be around.

** Woodsman, with the Autumn Project, Maid Marian. Wednesday, June 30. Vaudeville Mews. Denver's Woodsman are warm, woozy, electro-psych instrumental band with releases on a couple of the more interesting labels these days, Lefse and Mexican Summer. The Autumn Project are a towering local instrumental post-rock group I haven't seen in a while; anybody who went to the Mono show here last month should check them out (full disclosure: I hear it might be baritone guitarist and bassist John Huffman's birthday?). Ames' own Maid Marian come highly recommended as well, and I'm looking forward to checking out the tape on Sweat Power (Coyote Slingshot)-- so far sounds a bit like Beach House: slow, keyboard-based, elegant female vocals.

Justin Bieber. Wednesday, June 30. Wells Fargo Arena.


July



Spoon: "Is Love Forever?" (Live on "Jimmy Kimmel")

** 80/35 Festival: Modest Mouse, Spoon, Yo La Tengo, Walkmen, the Cool Kids, Holly Golightly, Avi Buffalo, the Heavy, Earl Greyhound, Dawes, William Elliot Whitmore, Christopher the Conquered, Canby, Dar Williams, Slightly Stoopid, Railroad Earth, Particle, Family Groove Company, and more. Saturday, July 3-Sunday, July 4. Downtown Des Moines. (Full disclosure: I volunteered for the booking committee this year. But I don't think I really did anything that felt like work.)

** The Poison Control Center. Saturday, July 3-Sunday, July 4. Vaudeville Mews. (80/35 After Party.) I've said enough about how great these Ames indie rockers are. Check out a little bit of the praise here. (Full disclosure: I've gotten to know these guys, too. Curse all these friendly, nice Midwesterners foiling my attempts to maintain critical distance!)

Waxeater, with Golden Veins, NERV, the Seed of Something. Monday, July 5. Vaudeville Mews. I wrote about Golden Veins (ex-Beati Paoli) previously here.

Ingrid Michaelson. Thursday, July 8. Simon Estes Amphitheater. I don't know much about this New York singer/songwriter, except that she has played 80/35 and friends tell me she's good. Might be one to check out!

Hanwell, with So Much Fun. Saturday, July 10. Vaudeville Mews. Another solid local lineup.

Abstract Rude, with Musab (Sab the Artist), DJ Tramlife, Gaiden Gadema w/ Richie Daggers, Young Tripp. Sunday, July 11. Vaudeville Mews. I met Richie Daggers at the Vaud when he overheard me talking about Nicki Minaj. I was wondering what rap Des Moines residents who really like rap listen to. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm totally down with Aeon Grey and Maxilla Blue, but it always seems like they're billed as rap for people who don't usually listen to rap, you know? Daggers gave me the name of Young Tripp, making comparisons to Nas's Illmatic. So maybe this would be a good one to check out.

The Autumn Project, with Why Make Clocks, others. Friday, July 16. Vaudeville Mews. I'll be out of town; otherwise there would be stars next to this local show. See June 30.

Samantha Crain, with Canby. Sunday, July 18. Vaudeville Mews. Same as above. I've seen and enjoyed Canby, one of the best local indie rock groups, a number of times, and I've liked what I've heard from Oklahoma roots-rocker Crain. I keep thinking I particularly love a song from her that the dude from Bon Iver covered, but I just spent the last 20 minutes searching Google and my computer for any trace of such a thing and I must've dreamed it. Should be a good show, though.

** YellowFever, with the Land of Blood and Sunshine, Deep Sleep Waltzing, the Seed of Something. Monday, July 19. Vaudeville Mews. (Early show.) Austin's YellowFever play skewed guitar pop with 1960s-style melodies and alluringly aloof female vocals recalling post-punk groups like the Slits. With local groups, including Marshalltown's Land of Blood and Sunshine, whom I've seen a couple of times now and am still trying to figure otu. If I can still stand after a weekend at the Pitchfork festival, I'll definitely be at this.

** Candy Claws, with Maid Marian. Monday, July 19. Vaudeville Mews. (Late show.) This Fort Collins, Colo. duo are very much a part of whatever the heck we're calling "chillwave" these days. Right bros? I wrote about them here.

Old 97's. Thursday, July 22. Simon Estes Amphitheater.

** Devo. Saturday, July 24. Simon Estes Amphitheater. New-wave legends within walking distance vs. $50 ticket price. I'd like to be there, so we'll see. In the meantime, here's New York rap duo Das Racist icing these bros backstage at The Colbert Report.

** Black Mountain. Monday, July 26. Vaudeville Mews. Sludgy Canadian psych-rockers on Bloomington, Indiana's excellent Jagjaguwar label should please Led Zeppelin fans for blocks around.

** June Panic. Tuesday, July 27. Vaudeville Mews. North Dakota's June Panic is one of those guys who can't stop writing songs regardless of the recording quality, in the mold of Capstan Shafts, Guided By Voices, etc.

Poppets. Tuesday, July 27. Vaudeville Mews. This Swedish punk duo played here last summer, but I don't think I gave them a fair shake. It'd be cool to see them again.

The All-Girl Boys Choir, with Squidboy. Sunday, Aug. 1. Vaudeville Mews. Not too familiar with the All-Girl Boys Choir, but longtime local indie-rockers Squidboy are always worth stopping by the Vaude.

Electric Leaves, with Why Make Clocks. Tuesday, Aug. 3. Vaudeville Mews.

Jamey Johnson. Thursday, Aug. 5. Val Air Ballroom. Here's what I said about this country outlaw's performance at last summer's state fair.

** The Delta Mirror, with Golden Veins. Friday, Aug. 6. Vaudeville Mews. Here's what I wrote for Pitchfork about the Delta Mirror; for Golden Veins, see July 5.

Black Keys, with Morning Benders. Sunday, Aug. 8. Val Air Ballroom. Morning Benders played here not too long ago, but I'd be curious to see them again.

Rooney. Monday, Aug. 9. Vaudeville Mews.


Toro Y Moi: "Blessa"


** Phoenix, with Toro Y Moi. Tuesday, Aug. 10. 7 Flags Event Center. French band Phoenix had one of the best records of last year, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and it still blows my mind that they'll be playing in Clive. I once overheard somebody around town saying they're kind of weird, but they're really not at all, except for occasionally fanciful lyrics-- you've heard these guys in car commercials for a reason. With Toro Y Moi, who have one of my favorite albums of this year. Here's what I wrote about them for SPIN.

Keith Urban. Friday, Aug. 13. Iowa State Fair.

The Battle Royale. Saturday, Aug. 14. Vaudeville Mews.

** Vanilla Ice, with Tone Loc. Sunday, Aug. 15. Iowa State Fair. Hey, it's free! And I probably still know more of the words to "Ice Ice Baby" than I'd like to admit.

Tegan and Sara. Tuesday, Aug. 17. Hoyt Sherman Place.

Pat Benatar, with REO Speedwagon. Tuesday, Aug. 17. Iowa State Fair.

Broken Spindles. Wednesday, Aug. 18. Vaudeville Mews.

Darius Rucker. Thursday, Aug. 19. Iowa State Fair.

Sugarland. Saturday, Aug. 21. Iowa State Fair.

Sheryl Crow. Sunday, Aug. 22. Iowa State Fair.

American Idol Live Tour. Tuesday, Aug. 31. Wells Fargo Arena.


September


Best Coast: "When I'm With You"

** Best Coast, with Male Bonding. Friday, Sept. 17. Grinnell College.


November (OK, not even arguably summer, but just looking ahead here)

Electric Six, with the Constellations, the Jitz. Tuesday, Nov. 2. Vaudeville Mews.


All right, what did I miss? See you out there.

YOU SHOULDA SEEN IT IN COLOR

Earlier this month came official news that the Rock Gone Wild festival in northern Iowa-- a four-day metal event featuring the likes of Twisted Sister and Skid Row-- had been unceremoniously canceled. Country singer Jamey Johnson, opening for Brooks & Dunn Friday night at the Iowa State Fair grandstand, had beard and hair enough for the hardiest Midwest glam-metal stalwart. He and a skillful five-piece backing band played an emotive, outsider brand of country, tackling such subjects as breakups and drug use with a lonesome twang and freight train croon, as the 10,000-strong crowd trickled in amid the darkening twilight. Johnson came recommended to me by everybody from hip-hop critics to Springsteen-adoring roots-rock fans, and his breakthrough album, 2008's That Lonesome Song, is as deeply resonant a record as you can expect from mainstream Nashville these days, if not quite as raw or irreverent as forebears like Waylon Jennings or Willie Nelson-- you wonder how successful Ryan Adams could have been if he had played to average fairgoers instead of fickle indie fans. Still, even if the crowd finally perked up most for power ballad of sorts "In Color", Johnson's biggest hit as a performer, it's one of Johnson's more disappointing songs-- almost like a post-grunge ballad for people who think Pearl Jam and Nickelback are just too darn loud. Lyrically, it's powerful stuff, though, and the final tune of the night, upbeat divorce song (!!) "Give It Away", which George Strait took to the top of the country charts, only underscores that Johnson is a talent to watch.

Brooks & Dunn were a trip. The long-running duo recently announced that they'll be breaking up... sometime next year, after a cash-in tour and hits compilation. It was hard to tell if they still like each other, but I was more curious whether they still like their songs. Kix Brooks, still the one in the black hat and mustache, cops licks from Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, and Creedence Clearwater Revival, among others, while redhead Ronnie Dunn's gorgeous vibrato recalls Roy Orbison and Elvis. Their songs show a great business acumen, never failing to throw in a marketable angle, be that beer-commercial sexuality ("Put a Girl in It", where the 10-piece group's backing video-screen-- usually full of cheap-looking screensaver-style visuals-- suddenly shifted to images of buxom young women on Slip and Slides) or Jesus Christ (but you get the feeling they'd sing the praises of Allah if Nashville were located in the Koran belt-- the last thing these guys want is to be called nonconformists). And for the first several songs, at least-- including hit after hit ("Rock My World (Country Girl)", etc.)-- they made it all fun even for a hipster city slicker like me. Dunn, wearing a ridiculous tunic, came across pretty endearingly with a long, rambling pony-buying story that had little point except to shout-out Iowa and to lead vaguely into the next song, "Cowgirls Don't Cry". By that point, though, they'd played three or four snoozers in a row, songs for the many faithful in attendance only, not for skeptical noobs like me, and I decided to let my companions-- both of whom had been up since before 6-- get home for some much-needed rest. After all, we were going to the fair again the next day. And to the farmer's market.

All I know is: When I start my band, we're definitely going to take a cue from Brooks and invest in a T-shirt launcher.

FAVORITE FOODS EATEN AT THE FAIR THIS WEEKEND
Fried cheese curds (extra hot, way better than anything you can find in restaurants)
Pork tenderloin sandwich (my first! I understand this is an Iowa specialty)
Gizmo (beef and sausage in a hoagie... delicious)
Funnel cake with glaze (it's the state fair, after all)

We had to ride our bikes 20-plus miles (round trip) up to Cumming on Sunday just to make up for all this fun. And we placed third again during Bob Nastanovich's trivia night over at the Hessen House. Congrats to O-Trivia Newton John on this week's best team name ever.

DES MOINES SUMMER CONCERT PREVIEW: IS THERE EVEN A 2009 SUMMER JAM I CAN QUOTE HERE YET?

OK, so I realize it has already felt like summer in Des Moines for a little while now, but there are still a few days until the official first day of the season, so technically this post isn't ridiculously overdue. Technically.

Mrs. Des Noise and I arrive in town June 29. I imagine we will have a lot of unpacking to do. I don't know when the first show is that we'll be able to check out, and I'm sure there are local artists (including recs from the Poison Control Center's Patrick Fleming and Vaudeville Mews booker Ladd Askland) who I will end up seeing but haven't had time to visit on MySpace yet. But in the meantime, here's an extreeeeemely provisional round-up of shows that I'll be trying to check out around town this summer.

One example of what I'm hoping to do here: Jonathan Richman played in town the other night. Not everybody would love him, but anybody could-- he's a warm, giving, funny entertainer, not some kind of "difficult" listen, and he has a big catalogue of great songs. If you didn't already know that, though, there doesn't seem to be a publication yet in town to tell you. The Register's writeup just says, "Modern Lovers frontman, perhaps best known for his role in 'There's Something About Mary'"-- not exactly a ringing endorsement, especially if you've never heard of the Modern Lovers (in which case, please check out their first album right now-- it's one of my favorites of all time). I'm basically hoping to help identify deserving performers like that and let people know about fun shows to see that might have otherwise slipped under their radar.

Such as, ahem: Josh Ritter on July 8, and Japandroids on July 20.

So, without further ado... and all that good stuff...

JULY

Thursday, July 2-- Toots and the Maytals @ People's Court
I've never seen Toots and the Maytals. They're legendary in ska/reggae circles, with a couple of tracks on the influential soundtrack to 1972 Jimmy Cliff film The Harder They Come. Barring family responsibilities or other move-in related happenings, I'm so there. No idea how good they'll still be, but it's gotta be interesting. Check out: "Pressure Drop"

Friday, July 3-Saturday, July 4-- 80/35 Festival
You probably know all about 80/35, so I'll just list a few of my favorites. You may not even need me to type these next paragraphs:
July 3, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Main Stage
7:30 PM – Stephen Malkmus and The Jicks -- The former lead singer for Pavement is one of my music heroes. I will not miss this. For an example of Malkmus's wry, slightly offbeat wisdom, here he is performing Pavement's "We Dance" at the 2007 Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.

9:30 PM – Public Enemy -- With a screeching, urban sound and politics just as hard to ignore, Public Enemy's impact on hip-hop upon arrival in the 1980s can hardly be overstated. I caught them at Pitchfork last year, but I didn't have a really good view. Let's see if clock-wearing emcee Flavor Flav mentions his VH1 reality show again-- he received boos for it when I saw them. Here's "Rebel Without a Pause" from the 2008 p4k festival.

July 4, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Main Stage
3:15 PM – Man Man -- I'm told I will probably start the day in Urbandale for a parade and beer, so I have no idea if I'll be at the festival by 3:15 p.m. But if I am, I will definitely see these crazy gypsy carnie boho-hobos. Here's something I wrote about them once; here they are acting weird with their song "Hurly Burly" in the background (sorry, not trying to shill for p4k-- these are just the links I know!)

7:00 PM – Broken Social Scene -- Confession: I don't love these dudes the way some of my friends do. But I do love Feist, who was associated with this free-flowing Canadian collective. And Broken Social Scene-ster Dave Newfeld produced the first album by Los Campesinos!, last year's fantastic Hold On Now, Youngster!. All of which will probably be more than enough to have me watching their set. Here's "Anthems for a Seventeen Year-Old Girl", from my favorite BSS album, 2002's You Forgot It in People.

Meredith West Stage
5:15 PM – Cymbals Eat Guitars -- Another band I don't love the way my friends do, but still feel like I might come to like. These New Yorkers recently self-released their debut album, Why There Are Mountains, and it draws on a bunch of classic 1990s indie-rock reference points. I'm still not convinced they have the songs that bands like Built to Spill or Modest Mouse had, but I'll gladly check out their live show. Check out: "Wind Phoenix".

So, that's 80/35. I'm sure I'll see some other stuff and write about it here.

Wednesday, July 8 -- The Veronicas @ People's Court
Slick, catchy Australian electro-pop with mall-punk energy-- um, think Avril Lavigne. Color me curious. Especially after this single. But I'll be at the next event instead...

** Wednesday, July 8 -- Josh Ritter @ Vaudeville Mews
Josh Ritter is a folk-tinged, occasionally rockin' singer, guitarist, and songwriter from Moscow, Idaho. He has steadily expanded his songwriting range-- from the rootsy Americana of "Harrisburg" and "The Other Side" to the war-weary allusiveness of "Thin Blue Flame" and "Temptation of Adam"-- and his sound, too... the last time I saw him he was at Central Park with the New York Pops, but I've seen him probably about a half a dozen times since 2002 or so. One of my favorites. Here's something I wrote about him once; here's one of his many, many great songs, "Lillian, Egypt".

Thursday, July 9-- Boys Like Girls @ People's Court
I'm pretty sure I don't really like these guys. Only one way to find out...

Friday, July 10-- Gov't Mule @ Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheatre
Allman Brothers offshoot rambles on. I might not go to this. But then again, I've never seen 'em, and I like guitars, so.

Thursday, July 16-- American Idol winner David Cook @ Simon Estes Riverfront Amphitheatre
Bigger confession than the one about Broken Social Scene: I have never watched an entire episode of American Idol. So I should definitely write about this.

Thursday, July 16-- Patrick Fleming @ Des Moines Social Club
...Unless I go to this. I probably won't be at 80/35 in time to see the Poison Control Center at noon on July 4 due to family obligations, but tonight their lead singer will be playing solo.

** Monday, July 20-- Japandroids @ Vaudeville Mews
These Canadians have what might be my favorite album of the year so far. When they play Vaudeville Mews, I will have already seen them the previous weekend at the p4k festival. I will go see them again, probably screaming my lungs out along with their scrappy two-man punk songs about girls and growing up. Here's what I already wrote about my favorite song by them. Here's the song, "Young Hearts Spark Fire".

Tuesday, July 21-- Gomez @ People's Court
Never been a huge fan of these anthemic Brits, and I'll probably be too exhausted to go. But I do know of people who like 'em.

Tuesday, July 21-- Steve Earle @ Hoyt Sherman
I would, on the other hand, gladly go see this alt-country legend. He's currently touring behind Townes, an album of Townes Van Zandt covers.

Wednesday, July 22-- Gogol Bordello @ People's Court
If you like Man Man at 80/35, you may want to check out this band led by Ukrainian-born Eugene Hutz. I think Man Man are better, but these dudes will still probably be interesting to check out. Madonna thought so.

Sunday, August 9-- Patrick Fleming @ Ames Progressive Space
Another chance to see Poison Control Center's lead singer play solo.

Friday, August 14-- Gary Allan @ Iowa State Fair
Hey, this is one of the new country guys I kind of like.

Saturday, August 15-- Peter Frampton and Gin Blossoms @ Iowa State Fair
Um, it's an option. I was just ranting rudely at a good friend about how I like Gin Blossoms better than R.E.M. I don't think that was actually true, but I do think they got a bad rap from the critics.

Sunday, August 16-- Big & Rich @ Iowa State Fair
I feel like my buddy Tom in Chicago would want me to go to this one.

Friday, August 21-- Brooks & Dunn and Jamey Johnson @ Iowa State Fair
Oh, hell yeah. I went to high school with Dunn's daughter (for a year-- it was in Nashville, of course). And I like Jamey Johnson, even if I don't think he's as good as other rock critics dabbling in country might say he is.

Saturday, August 22-- Kelly Clarkson @ Iowa State Fair
I think I'm the only human being who wasn't impressed by "Since U Been Gone". (I'd rather listen to that Strokes-Christina Aguilera mash-up, Freelance Hellraiser's "A Stroke of Genius", thanks.) But I will totally try to check this out, if only to do my duty as a music journalist.

Sunday, August 23-- Journey with Heart @ Iowa State Fair
This will probably be my day of rest. Sorry. "Don't Stop Believing" isn't even that great! (Mrs. Des Noise, like the rest of America, disagrees.)

Friday, Sept. 11-- Britney Spears @ Wells Fargo Arena
This is the way I always pay tribute to the victims of September 11.

Saturday, Sept. 26-- The Airborne Toxic Event @ People's Court
When I read the Don Delillo book from which this band got their name, I thought it was overrated, the sort of thing a celebrity might say is great just to feel smart-- the postmodern Old Man and the Sea. OK, I was still just a freshman in college. There's a very good chance I was wrong.

Other picks (I'll probably attend some of these):
Patrick Fleming: Casper and the Cookies Aug. 6 at the Vaudeville Mews, David Dondero July 31 at Ames Progressive Space, and Alexis Gideon in September

Ladd Askland: Soy Un Caballo on June 21, Francis Harold and the Holograms on July 7, Josh Ritter on July 8, Poppets on July 14, Japandroids on July 20, Those Darlins on July 22, Theodore on July 30, Casper and the Cookies on August 6, Red Pony Clock on Aug 21, and It's True on August 28.

OK, I know I'm missing a lot. So what is it?