SPIN cover boys Das Racist returned to Iowa City. @heems
Been a second but I wanted to make sure I got at least one post in while it was still technically October. Posting could be even lighter in the weeks and months ahead, but for those few of you who check this page regularly, you can always see links to new reviews and other long-form writing in the right-hand column there. And yes, I realize those have been coming more slowly recently, too, but there's plenty of my stuff at SPIN.com every morning these days if you're interested.
I stood very far back for Neon Indian in Ames.
It's probably too late already but there's a really strong local show tonight at Vaudeville Mews. Ames bands Mumford's and Wheelers are holding their 7" release party, with Ames' own Volcano Boys and former Ames man and now downtown Des Moines resident Patrick Tape Fleming (of the Poison Control Center) opening.
Kreayshawn #Ames #feltold #didnthateGucciGucci
Other upcoming stuff I'm looking forward to below the jump: Wilco! Lydia Loveless! Kinky Friedman! Bob Seger! Reel Big Fish! The Lemonheads! Meat Puppets! Big Sean! Patrick Stump! The triumphant return of the Autumn Project! Plus, I'm still working on my third-quarter report (more like third trimester at this point, I realize!) but I posted my latest round of eMusic radio station tracks at the very bottom of this page, too -- lots of music I really like on there, although it's limited to stuff that's (a) available on eMusic and (b) somehow in my mind justifiable within a loose definition of my eMusic station's "indie rock" mandate.
Pretty Lights, Val Air #mademefeelevenolderthankreayshawn
Hey, Chet Boom, if I'm forgetting some shows this time, just tell me!
No seriously #prettylights #somehowgirltalksurelyistoblame
Bratty punk duo Slutever played the Mews last week, were fun.
There have been some noteworthy shows around here recently that I wasn't able to give enough attention on the blog, such as Mantis Pincers' tape release party and Bright Eyes' weirdly belated Des Moines debut. And there should be some interesting stuff coming up before it gets too cold-- off the top of my head, my potential highlights: New York indie-poppers the Drums, mysterious electronic poppers Purity Ring (who are also touring with Neon Indian, and whose "Ungirthed" 7" I really wish I had bought before it sold out), the Seed of Something's tape release party, Blink-182 and My Chemical Romance (just because), Yelawolf, Explosions in the Sky, maybe Pretty Lights or Bassnectar (dubsteppy dudes), Gillian Welch.
Oh yeah, and I'm DJing outside at the PBR bar a second time on Aug. 27, which is free; I'll also be DJing inside between sets Aug. 30 for Patrick Tape Fleming's birthday party, headlined by Fishboy, a night that will be a highlight for sure, my record selections notwithstanding...
As always, please don't hesitate to tell me what I'm missing!
UPDATE: The indefatigable Chet Boom has reminded me I forgot about Ames and Grinnell. Which is a pretty big omission, considering the M Shop in Ames is getting Cymbals Eat Guitars (with Hooray for Earth, who I recently reviewed for eMusic) and Braids, and Grinnell College is bringing Dan Deacon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Bass Drum of Death, and Dam-Funk, among others.
It's been a longer while than usual since I saw a show around here. But I did see one in NYC last weekend, when my wife and I made a quick trip back to visit some of our favorite people and places; I wrote about that gig here. It was this teenage band from Copenhagen called Iceage, who churn up a wiry, abrasive squall that works just about perfectly on their short 'n' sweet debut. I was possibly going to see them play in Denmark but my passport had expired. Then I was talking about seeing them in Brooklyn but realized it was sold out and I didn't want to over-schedule our trip. When I got the chance to review the show professionally, I figured I must be fated to see this band somehow, right? Anyway, expect to hear their name again.
I did miss a really promising show back in Des Moines, though. Locals Wolves in the Attic were playing the release party for the cassette reissue of Electronic Hearts, their 2009 debut album. The original release (on Iowa City label Mission Freak) came in cut-out copies of old books; the new tape, from Vaudeville Mews booker Ladd Askland's new Red Nude Tapes label, not only nicely suits the band's mixtape-friendly noise pop, it's also lighter to carry around. (I also missed Waxeater, with Police Teeth, the Seed of Something, and Pocket Aristotle.)
But there are still a lot of upcoming live shows worth noting here, including the Des Moines Arts Festival (the Smitheereens, the Envy Corps), the 80/35 Music Festival (among my personal faves are Titus Andronicus, Okkervil River, and Jessica Lea Mayfield), Bright Eyes (who never plays Des Moines), the Strange Boys, Orgone, Colourmusic, Too Short, Snoop Dogg, Explosions in the Sky, Nashville Pussy, Blink-182 with My Chemical Romance, Ames "gypsy punk" band Mumford's album release party (also the debut of vinyl-only label Maximum Ames), and the return doubleheader of local indie kids the Poison Control Center.
What am I missing? Any shows worth driving to in other towns?
A bunch of shows have been added-- Bangladesh! E-40! The Blow! The triumphant debut of massively hyped local supergroup Mantis Pincers! Wheels on Fire! The Poison Control Center's record release party! Lovers! Wiz Khalifa! All Tiny Creatures! Bright Eyes, people!-- and I've been to a few shows I haven't covered here yet. Let's recap and look forward all at once.
As Bill Murray says in a movie I thought I'd never seen but once we got halfway through watching it last night I realized I'd totally seen it before: The past is done, the future isn't here yet, so I guess all we have is the present.
The winter chill for shows around here is over. Highlights for me in the next few months include Iron & Wine, John Vanderslice with Damien Jurado, the sixth annual Gross Domestic Product local music festival, the Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City (I'll definitely be making it out there for at least Das Racist), Queens of the Stone Age, Taylor Swift, the Poison Control Center, Christopher the Conquered, Wolves in the Attic, Mark Mallman with Portland Seattle indie dudes BOAT, Rural Albert Advantage (in Ames), Woodsman, Giant Cloud, I Was Totally Destroying It with locals Cashes Rivers and Parlours, Birds & Batteries, and a lot more (Love Songs for Lonely Monsters, the Seed of Something, Rhonda Is a Dead Bitch, and on and on). What am I missing?
Winter, as we know, is already here. It's usually a quieter time for live music in central Iowa, or so I found out last year-- my first Des Moines winter (this one has been much better so far, knock on wood, fingers crossed, etc.). But anyway, there's still a fair amount of fun show-going to look forward to in the next couple of months. A few likely highlights are below-- any mistakes or anything I'm forgetting, just shout.
January
Patton Oswalt. Hoyt Sherman Place. Jan. 13 All Ages $25.50-$50
Parlours CD Release Party. Up-and-coming Des Moines folk-poppers who "Dream of Chicago" unveil their new EP for Aqui Estamos. They're joined by labelmate Cashes Rivers and fellow locals the River Monks. That's the late show; locals Hanwell, La Strange and So Much Fun play the early show. Jan. 14 21+ (late show) All Ages (early show) $5
ASKLANDAGANZA 4. High-energy Ames indie-rockers the Poison Control Center, fresh off a quick stint in Chicago recording the follow-up to last year's triumphant double-LP Sad Sour Future, show off what they've learned in their past year on the road next Saturday at Vaudeville Mews. They're joined at this annual birthday extravaganza for Mews booker Ladd Askland by Land of Blood and Sunshine and Derek Lambert & the Prairie Fires, with Bob Nastanovich (of Pavement fame) spinning records. Look for Bob this Jan. 20 on the Food Network. Lineup above is for the late show; talented locals Wolves in the Attic, Canyons, and the Seed of Something play the early show. Jan. 15 21+ (late show) All Ages (early show) $5
Maxilla Blue. It's a night of local hip-hop and it's for a good cause. Maxilla Blue plays Vaudeville Mews with Richie Daggers and Young Tripp along with PrettyGirlHateMachine and Neon Current, in a benefit for Hoodies for Humanity. That follows an early-show bill of local rock, with Why Make Clocks joined by the Chatty Cathys, Pocket Aristotle, the Seed of Something and Longshadowmen. Jan. 22 21+ $5 or free with donation of a clean, wearable hoodie (late show) and All Ages $5 (early show)
Lyrics Born. Bay Area rapper behind good times jams like "Callin' Out" comes to Vaudeville Mews in support of latest album As U Were, joined by Keys N Krates. Jan. 27 21+ $15
Oberhofer with Night Moves. Grinnell College. Jan. 27 All Ages & Free
Guster with Good Old War. Hoyt Sherman Place. Jan. 27 All Ages $25-$28
February
Resident Artists: It Might Get Loud. Not totally sure what this Vaudeville Mews show is, but the bill features locals Johnny Scum, Golden Veins, Deep Sleep Waltzing and Brutus. Feb. 4 21+ $5
Javelin with Foody Pyramid. Grinnell College. Feb. 5 All Ages & Free
Cleo's Apartment. Local self-described "hip-hop/acid jazz" group plays Vaudeville Mews with Wrestling With Wolves, Diamonds for Eyes, Mother Culture and New Bodies. Feb. 11 21+ $7
Loretta Lynn. Hoyt Sherman Place Feb. 15 All Ages $52.50-$72.50
Canby. The local indie-folk band led by the Envy Corps' Scott Yoshimura plays Vaudeville Mews with Aqui Estamos labelmates Parlours plus Crystal City. Feb. 18 21+ $5
Sleeping in the Aviary. A Madison band that has moved from pop-punk to indie-folk plays Vaudeville Mews with locals Mumfords, Derek Lambert & the Prairie Fires and the Chatty Cathys. All Ages $5
Daymoths. Twin Cities indie two-piece makes the drive to Vaudeville Mews. Golden Veins opens. Feb. 27 21+ $5
"Some people travel, some people are pretty,
we have a scraggly dog."
It's been a while since my fall concert preview, so here's a by-no-means-comprehensive (or binding!) list of other shows I might see this season. Please let me know what I'm missing.
Also, download Spoon's set from this summer's 80/35 Music Festival here (via Joe Lawler).
October
Hank Williams III. People's Court (with tbd). Oct. 26. All Ages $20/$22
Joan of Arc. Vaudeville Mews (with Love Songs for Lonely Monsters and Noremac McCarthy). Oct. 28. 21+ $10
Rhonda Is a Dead Bitch. Record release party at Vaudeville Mews (with Golden Veins, Distant Trains). Nov. 20. 21+ $5
J-FLo. Vaudeville Mews. Nov. 26. All Ages $8
PrettyGirlHateMachine. Vaudeville Mews (with Touchnice of Maxilla Blue, Neon Current with Richie Daggers, MC Genetics, the Renegades of Sound). Nov. 27. 21+ $5
George Jones. 7 Flags Event Center. Nov. 28. All Ages $50
So last weekend after we got home from Kansas City, there on the doormat was our Sunday issue of The New York Times, which I tried canceling a little while ago because we read it mostly online anyway and I was thinking about cutting costs, but you have to call (you can't do it on the website) and the telephone operator was really persuasive, so-- well, now you know how you can get a discount on your Times subscription.
Anyway, the Arts & Leisure section this week was like a million pages, and I noticed there was a New York fall music preview. Which reminded me, along with college football starting again and Mrs. Des Noise going back to school, that it was almost fall. And that, hey-- I usually try to write seasonal music previews! Now, I realize I already missed Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and local indie celebs the Envy Corps at Vaudeville Mews earlier this week, and the farewell roast to bartending legend Dirty Dan at the Mews on Sunday before he moves to Hawaii. Also: Hot Hot Heat got canceled, huh?
But there's a whole bunch of interesting stuff coming up the next few months. Probable highlights include, in approximate order of likeliness you might've heard of 'em: Band of Horses, Passion Pit, Tokyo Police Club, Best Coast with Male Bonding, The Books, Electric Six, Atmosphere, Candy Claws, Bear in Heaven, Scout Niblett, David Dondero, Retribution Gospel Choir, Tim Kasher (Cursive), Deakin (Animal Collective), Maps & Atlases, Strange Boys and, for the name alone, maybe +Blissed Out+.
As always, please don't hesitate to let me know what I'm forgetting. Thank you for reading!
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")
** 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.
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.
** 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.
I've still been going to shows, I just haven't been finding much I needed blog-length posts to tell you about.
For my random brain spatterings, there's Twitter. To highlight recent articles, blog posts, or songs of interest, there's Tumblr. And then there's all the stuff I've been writing for work, whether as a business journalist or as a reviewer over at Pitchfork.
That doesn't mean there haven't been fun things going in Des Moines-- hopefully you didn't miss 'em-- and that doesn't mean there aren't still fun things coming up!
First, let's look ahead. Turns out my fall concert preview was premature and left out some great shows.
Catchy, clever, slightly yelpy Alabama garage-poppers Thomas Function (above) play tonight at Vaudeville Mews, and I would highly recommend that anyone who isn't seeing Miley Cyrus or Gwar/Lamb of God go check this out. They share a label with So Cow, who released one of my favorite albums of the year, and they should be a great time.
Local piano-pop heroes Christopher the Conquered have a few shows coming up. First is the free CD release party for new album You're Gonna Glow in the Dark, coming Oct. 10 at Ames Progressive with Patrick Tape Fleming, who also recorded the album. Christopher the Conquered come back to the Mews again Oct. 17 with the Atudes, Andrew Fish, and Nuclear Rodeo. They play Scented Vinyl at Mars Cafe on Oct. 26. Then come a couple of Iowa shows outside the Des Moines area before they return to the Mews with Des Noise favorites the Poison Control Center, plus Atudes, New Bodies, Bradley Unit, and Coax from Chuckanut. If you're curious about local music, you should put at least one of these shows on your calendar, because these guys are some of our best and brightest.
On Oct. 13, indie website Daytrotter swoops into Johnston with its Barnstorming Tour. The lineup, featuring up-and-comers Suckers and Paleo, looks pretty good! Here's the info: 6pm -- Johnston, Iowa: BARN SHOW #4: The Simpson Barn, 6169 Northglenn Dr. (Performing -- Dawes, Christopher Denny, Suckers, Snowblink, Paleo)
Also Oct. 13, though, shoegaze pop group Ringo Deathstarr plays Vaudeville Mews. Hmm. I'm also really into their locally based openers, Wolves in the Attic. (Deep Sleep Waltzing opens, too, but I haven't heard that band yet.)
Omaha's Little Brazil hits the Mews on Oct. 18, with Weatherbox, Bright Giant, and the Chatty Cathys. I'm told they've played Des Moines a few times before, so there should be a good crowd for this one. (The doors open at 5 p.m., show starts at 5:30. It's all ages and $7.00.)
Oct. 25, South Dakota folk-poppers We Have Hooks for Hands play the Mews. They're on Minneapolis-based Afternoon Records, same label as the Poison Control Center.
And on Oct. 28, you should go check out... uhm, me. I'm honored and really excited to be a part of a panel being held by the Greater Des Moines Music Coalition at 7 p.m. at the House of Bricks. Jill Haverkamp, marketing and PR co-chair of the DMMC, will be the moderator. For me, it'll finally be a chance to meet Jill, CityView critic Michael Swanger, and Juice/Register critic Joe Lawler for the first time, and to hear some questions from locals who share my interest in music. For you, well, here's the panel description:
Exploring the best ways to approach reporters and bloggers to get coverage for your band. Panelists will discuss how to stand out amongst the clutter, their process in deciding what to cover, and the ins and outs of being a music journalist in the new music industry. The discussion will also expand upon press kits, biographies, pitch letters, and general media relations techniques.
What's more, Grant Hart of Husker Du is playing the Mews on Nov. 5, and I hear local band Why Make Clocks' Chuck Hoffman may be opening.
Also, Old Crow Medicine Show plays Nov. 6 at Hoyt Sherman. I don't know their music very well-- they're a little bit on the jammier side of my tastes-- but a friend burned me some tracks a few years ago, and they should be a good time.
Don't forget the Meat Puppets are coming to the Mews on Nov. 8. Why Make Clocks is definitely opening for that one. Bob Schneider will be there Nov. 10, and Modern Skirts, who put on a good show at 80/35, will be there Nov. 17. Folkie Ellis Paul, whose "Did I Ever Know You" was on a good mix CD I got once in college, comes Dec. 4.
Even further ahead, country-pop darling Taylor Swift will be headlining at Wells Fargo Arena on May 6, 2010.
Another country star, Brad Paisley, comes to Wells Fargo on Jan. 15. If that weren't Mrs. Des Noise's birthday, I might be tempted to see if I could finagle a way to go for opener Miranda Lambert (Justin Moore also opens). But though I may be dumb, I'm not THAT dumb.
Me, I'm roadtripping to Omaha tonight for one of my favorite veteran bands, Yo La Tengo. In case you missed it, New York magazine had a great profile on the band last month. Mrs. Des Noise and I used one of their songs as our going-down-the-aisle music at our wedding a couple of years ago up at Jester Park; I wrote something about the song for Pitchfork's "Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s" list, which you can read (#182) while listening to the song here.
Last night we went to see Maya Angelou speak at Drake University. She started by singing a snippet of an old spiritual about a "rainbow in the clouds." At first I wasn't sure what was going on, but then she brilliantly incorporated that theme into her entire speech, relating it to events in her life and closing by singing a bit of the song again. She was hilarious and wise, like a grandmother who has seen it all and is going to share some life lessons with you. She could've chosen to speak on some intellectual topic, or to wax political-- her interview in the Des Moines Register defined courage as "defending the defenseless"-- but with her background of accomplishments, she didn't need to. Instead, she shared a message that even the preteen sitting behind us could probably appreciate, about how there can be hope in darkness (a rainbow in the clouds), and how we every one of us can make a profound difference in someone's lives-- even if we don't know it.
I've been to a few other fun music-type things lately, including Christopher at the Conquered at the Mews, Austin May at Scented Vinyl, indie-folk group Menlo and rappers Maxila Blue at the Dogtown Festival (apologies to Beati Paoli-- I didn't mean to miss your set, it's just that dinner took longer than expected), and the Rural Albert Advantage with the Love of Language and Pink Kodiak at the Mews. Oh, and I did some successful record shopping at ZZZ Records, too: Picked up some old Kraftwerk, Talking Heads, Harry Nilsson, Fleetwood Mac, Sylvester, Jan Hammer, Slade, New Order, and George Carlin, along with the new Jim Guthrie LP and a couple of personal favorites I should've already owned on vinyl (Belle and Sebastian's Tigermilk and If You're Feeling Sinister).
Other notable recent musical goings-on:
Sian Alice Group canceled. So did Skee-Lo. No, you can't wish for infinite wishes.
On a sadder note, longtime local rock'n'roll radio DJ Dic Youngs died at 68. I never heard him, but it sounds like he made a great contribution to music and culture in this city, and he will be missed.
So: What else is coming up? What am I forgetting? I always blank on something.
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