This Weekend in Minneapolis: So Many Shows That Will Make Your Head Explode

Oh where, oh where to begin? Well...

Friday, March 28th

Download: Jason Collett - "Out Of Time"
Download: Jason Collett - "Charlyn, Angel of Kensington"
Download: Switzerlind - "Prince Vince"

Broken Social Scene-ster and solo artist Jason Collett plays his particular brand of Dylan-esque Americana at Turf Club. Collett, like fellow Canadians The Band or Neil Young, has a paradoxical obsession with all things American, but his folk musings should translate well in the intimate space of a venue like the Turf Club.

MPLS-ers Switzerlind will wave their indie-jazz hands by opening for a 21+ show. Doors are at 9 p.m.



Download: Mute Era - "Secretly Wished I Could"
Download: The Blind Shake - "Midnight Scream"
Download: The Blind Shake - "Calling All Horses" (both via Learning Curve)
Download: MC/VL - "Cold Check It" (via The Big Ticket and The Current)


Minneapolis-based experimental band Mute Era will have not one, but two CD release shows this weekend. This fitting, of course, because the band has not one, but two, records to release: "Night Dreams of Day" and "Night Dreams of Darkness". The first show will take place at The Whole. Opening this show will be fellow Minneapolis greats The Blind Shake, Birthday Suits (both of whom did a split 7" together), the ungoogleable Thank You and hip-hop act MC/VL. The show is 18+, starts at 8, and costs $5.

Download: Daughters Of The Sun - "Light As A Feather, Stiff As A Board"
Download: Sarah Johnson - "Sun Ray"
Download: Sarah Johnson - "Laughing Class"
Download: Vampire Hands - "Paradise Knife Fights"

Those of you who are of legal drinking age and don't want to hang out with youngsters can wait one night. That's because Mute Era's second show at Big V's is a 21+ affair. The cost remains the same--$5--but the opening bands are entirely different, though of a similarly excellent quality. Opening up are psychedelic drone-poppers Daughters of the Sun (who played a terrific show at The Note in Chicago last week), fellow psych propagators Vampire Hands, who just played a CD release of their own not too long ago, and art-rockers Sarah Johnson. As mentioned before, the show is 21+ and will cost $5.


Other Friday shows include:

Download:Panther - "Puerto Rican Jukebox"
Download: Unicorn Basement - "Catch a Rainbow"

Panther and Unicorn Basement at the 7th Street Entry

Pocket Pussy (think Baby Guts, Kitten Forever) at Zombie House.

Download: Skoal Kodiak - "Cruel Tic"

MFR Reader favorite Skoal Kodiak will play at the Space.

Saturday, March 29th



Download: Headlights - "Cherry Tulips"
Download: Headlights - "Skeleton Man" (Evangelicals cover)
Download: Evangelicals - "Skeleton Man"
Download: Evangelicals - "Paperback Suicide"

Champaign, Illinois-based Headlights and Evangelicals make for perfect tour bedfellows, so much so that the bands have taken to covering each other's songs. Both play dreamy, hallucinogenic pop music that have made critics, bloggers (Hi, Ian!) and music fans swoon in delight. Headlights are more in align with the mid-tempo fuzz of shoegazer music, albeit with a little of a beat that you can dance to, while Evangelicals play a brand of whimsical psychedelia that often earns comparisons to fellow Oklahomans The Flaming Lips. Both bands play Saturday at the Nomad World Pub. Tickets are $8 for a 21+ show. Doors are at 9.



Download: Gospel Gossip - "Wind"
Download: The Vignettes - "Roll"
Download: Nancy Drew Crew - "Antifreeze"


Ladyfest Chicago was such a success (indeed, it was covered by the likes of Pitchfork) that it's truly a wonder why Minneapolis hasn't tried its own version of the feminist festival yet. Tomorrow, The Pocketknife will host a benefit for Ladyfest Minneapolis. All the relevant information is posted on the flier above, but we feel compelled to tell you that this is going to be a solid night of music for a most definitely worthy cause. Gospel Gossip, Nancy Drew Crew, Tough Tough Skin, Pocket Pussy all play a show that starts at 7:30. Suggested donation is $3-5.

Other shows:

Excellent Electro-pop group Mystery Palace play at the Kitty Cat Klub.

The Paper Chase play an early afternoon show at the 400 Bar

Kid Dakota plays the Turf Club.

Sunday, March 30th

The Ends of Love finish their three-night stand at the Ritz Theater.

(Jonathan Graef)