Music
Concert notes, set lists and personal impressions fill this category. From the dreamy Americana of Lord Huron to Coldplay’s stadium spectacle and intimate performances at the Dakota jazz club, I share what moved me in the moment.
- Chemistry
- F.N.T.
- Little Bit Of Sun
- Keep Me in Motion
- Across the Great Divide
- Secret Smile
- In Another Life
- Don’t Fade Away
- DND
- If You Say So
- Never You Mind
- The Rope
- This Will Be My Year
- You’re Not Alone
- Closing Time
- Beautiful Sky
- White Horse (Chris Stapleton cover)
- Singing in My Sleep
- Gone to the Movies
My cousin Josh introduced me to David Francey and his album Right of Passage has become a favorite of mine. 🎶
Ruthie Foster at the Dakota
We got to see Ruthie Foster play at the Dakota tonight. She did a solo set — just her and her guitar named Pearl. We hadn’t seen Foster play before but my Mom is a big fan of hers and I can see why. Her songs were amazing and she added so much with the stories behind them as well. I could have kept listening for another hour easily. What a great musician. 🎶
Lord Huron at the Armory
Lord Huron put on a good show tonight at the Armory. It was Tammy and my first time seeing them. We aren’t that familiar with their music but enjoyed the show a lot. Their sound reminded me of something David Lynch would like. And the complex story lines of their songs reminded me of The Decemberists a bit.
At Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin for Coldplay: Music of the Spheres! 🎶
We saw Suzanne Vega tonight at the Dakota. She played a variety of old and new songs and it was all very good. We even got the very first performance of a new song — Galway! 🎶
My cousin Josh recently shared a cappella renditions of Wild Mountain Thyme and Red is the Rose — both beautiful songs that I could listen to over and over again. 🎶
Mason Jennings at the Dakota
Tonight we saw Mason Jennings play at the Dakota. It was a wonderful show with a wide selection of songs from his portfolio. Plus he always had fun stories to share about the songs. He still has such a unique voice. 🎶
The New Standards were at The Dakota tonight for their regular Preener’s Eve Show! We are fans of the band and of this show specifically. Tonight seemed even a bit better than they always are. Such a wonderful evening. 🎶
If you’d like to “listen along” with our family our Christmas Things playlist on Apple Music is the vibe that we like. Many classics with some more niche add ins. 🎄🎶
We saw Tina Schlieske’s Birthday Show at The Dakota and it was incredible! She was joined by her sister Laura and they hit a ton of great songs and pulled in a bunch of covers too. It got so fired up by the end that people were standing up and dancing, at a jazz club, and she sang from a table! 🔥
Tammy and I went to a very cool small performance by Gary Louris of The Jayhawks and Golden Smog at O’Shaughnessy Distilling. Just him and his guitar for 90 minutes.
The New Standards put on an incredible show at The Dakota tonight marking their 20 year anniversary as a band! We had a great night returning with our friends Mike & Ellen Rock for the show.
Drinkin' Hat
My cousin Josh performing this original song “Drinkin’ Hat” that his brother Gabe started and they “worked out” together. It even has a callout to our Grandpa and Grandma. Love it. 🎶
The Pretenders opening up for the Foo Fighters at Target Field. 🎶
We saw The New Standards play tonight outside on the rooftop of the Hewing tonight. They did a good performance as always but while the venue had promise the execution was difficult. There seemed to be more people there than the space could really handle or the bar could serve.
Semisonic at the Palace Theatre
Last night Tammy and I went over to St. Paul to see Semisonic at the Palace Theatre. I have no idea how many times we’ve collectively seen Semisonic but we were excited to go again. Their newest album Little Bit of Sun released in 2023, just 22 years after their last album, is very good.
Before we get to Semisonic though, we were both also excited to see that Laamar was opening for them.
Laamar
We first saw Laamar at the Dakota about six months ago. Then we saw him again when we saw Dan Wilson at the Women’s Club in February.
Geoffrey Lamar Wilson fronts Laamar and just has a great vibe when he performs. He has been a musician for a while and returned to Minneapolis after growing up here in 2016. We’ve enjoyed his music when we’ve seen him and I’m excited to hear that a full length album is in the works for the fall. I think Laamar is going to go places.
See this recent interview with Laamar on The Current for more. Sadly Laamar doesn’t have a website of their own, an issue that is hopefully soon to be fixed.
Semisonic
Semisonic took the stage and played a great set. They hit on many of the hits of the past and pulled in songs from the new album as well. Even with Wilson at 62, Munson at 57, and Slichter at 63 they still put on a great performance. The title song off of the new album is delightful but I wish it was longer. I loved that they played Across the Great Divide. Of course they closed with Closing Time.
They paid special homage to playing in St. Paul. Munson highlighted the environmental recovery of the Mississippi River and they auctioned off the Semisonic bass cover from that night in support of the Mississippi Watershed Organization. The show poster also included an image of Otters and they shared that once again Otters are in the Mississippi River.
Wilson is a prolific songwriter well beyond his own work and since Chris Stapleton was playing last night as well at US Bank Stadium they played White Horse which he cowrote with him in the encore.
Encore:
We saw the New Standards perform tonight at the Dakota. It was a great show and featured a number of new and newer songs. Steve Roehm was on fire on the vibraphone tonight. 🔥
We were out with friends to see Martin Zellar at the Parkway Theater tonight. He performed his Neil Diamond show — covering an entire array of Diamond songs. It was a fun night! 🎶
We saw Jax Hollow at The Dakota for the first time tonight. Talented musician and performer. I think she is just getting started. 🎶
