Major Lazer tickets

You maybe asking yourself "what the heck is Major Lazer?" Well, it is the collaborative team of British DJs Diplo and Switch. Both famous from their own endeavors, the two got together and toured last summer and are now back for a spring 2010 tour. Major Lazer is in town for a show on Sunday, April 11th.

Diplo (from Philli, USA, but now hails in Britain) is really Thomas Pentz. The origin of Diplo's DJ name is pretty cute. Like myself, he had a thing for all things dinosaurs when he was a kid, so he took his name from Diplodocus, a super cool dinosaur. Awesome! Famous for his trist with M.I.A. a few years back the two collaborated and toured together for a few years.

Switch, born in the UK has also worked on albums with M.I.A. and a doppelganger of hers, Santogold. As far as remixes go, Switch can be the king of them. The list of remixes he has done is too long to list - Basement Jaxx, Chemical Brothers, Lily Allen, Cold Cut, Kelis, the Futureheads, Nine Inch Nails, and Bjork just to name a few.

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for Major Lazer show. Both DJs have quite the following it sounds like, so First Avenue tickets may be flying out the door for this one. They are touring in support of their album, "Guns Don't Kill People, Lazers Do" which is heavily influenced by Jamaican dancehall music and features guest appearances from Jamaican artists on every track.

Rusko opens the 18+ show. See ya at the show!

Jack's Mannequin tickets

Alternative rockers Jack's Mannequin headline the First Avenue mainroom on Saturday, February 20th.

You may recognize the name of the band by perhaps hearing of front man Andrew McMahon's bout with cancer a few years ago. In 2005 at the age of 23 he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The diagnosis came just as Jack's Mannequin debut album was set to be released a few months later. Obviously his engagements and touring had to be canceled. After receiving a bone marrow transplant from his sister in August McMahon has been doing well in his cancer recovery.

Andrew McMahon was also the previous front man of Something Corporate, a band who dismantled around 2004. While Andrew has not done any work with Something Corporate in many years, Jack's Mannequin has recorded and just released: The Glass Passenger which was released the first day of 2010. Jack's Mannequin fans have waited patiently for this release, the last album came out 5 years ago.

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for the Jack's Mannequin show on Saturday, February 20th. Andrew McMahon was in Minneapolis last summer on his tour which raised money for his charity, The Dear Jack Foundation. That tour was just solo and acoustic, however, this tour will be with a full band. First Avenue tickets may be a hot commodity due to the fact Jack's Mannequin has not been on a full scale tour in years!

Serena Maneesh tickets

Norway rockers Serena Maneesh have announced a show on their spring tour that will be stopping here at First Avenue's 7th Street Entry. I hear Serena Maneesh on the Current and my satellite radio a lot, but I am not sure of their following. Regardless, First Avenue tickets 7th Street Entry tickets are scarce, the 7th Street Entry holds very few people, as in maybe a couple hundred.

Serena Maneesh's self titled album was released in 2005 and very critically acclaimed. It lead to them opening for some awesome bands like the Dandy Warhols, Nine Inch Nails, and Oasis just to name a few. Serena Maneesh fans have been patiently waiting the release of the new album "S-M 2: Abyss in B Minor' which has an expected release in March 2010. For distribution on this record the band has changed record labels from their Norwegian record label HoneyMilk to the UK's renowned 4AD label. Fellow label mates will include (but not limited to, of course) The Big Pink, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, The Breeders, Camera Obscura, and TV on the Radio. Serena Maneesh is going to be represented by some very prominent people this time around.

I don't know a lot about Serena Maneesh or many of their songs off the top of my head, but I must say I am intrigued. I may have to buy First Avenue tickets now so I can check out the show on Tuesday, March 30th. Depreciation Guild opens the show. And sorry kiddies, show is 21+.

Electric Fetus Benefit tickets

Minneapolis music fans listen up!! One of the most important places in Minneapolis to music fans is the greatest record store of all time, Electric Fetus on 3rd Avenue and Franklin Avenue. I pass by this wonderful place everyday on my way to work.

As you may remember last summer the Electric Fetus was struck by a tornado and half of the store was destroyed. Apparently they did not have a great insurance plan because a lot of the costs incurred are not being covered by insurance. Not to mention all of the money lost due to 40% of their retail space being out of commission for so long while the repairs were being done.

I had no idea that the Electric Fetus was in so much trouble! I buy all of my cds from Electric Fetus. I am going to pledge to buy one cd from there a week for the next while to try to help them out. I would be heartbroken if they had to close because of this :(

First Avenue tickets go on sale for the Electric Fetus Benefit Show on Friday and they have one of the most popular and greatest Minnesota acts currently headlining the show: Cloud Cult, which could no doubt sell First Avenue out by themselves. besides nabbing Cloud Cult for the headlining spot other bands confirmed for the show are: Roma di Luna, Jeremy Messersmith, Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps, Trailer Trash, Unknown Prophets, Peter Wolf Crier, Total Babe, Ruby Isle, and Bill Mike Band.

The Current's 5th Birthday Party bash sold out in just minutes, I would expect the same kind of clientele to buy First Avenue tickets for this show as well. The Electric Fetus Benefit show is 18+.

See you at the show! Remember how it is important to support local and independent businesses!!

First Avenue Parking

A lot of Minneapolis music fans don't know about First Avenue's VIP Parking that is offered for select shows. The parking lot that is attached to First Avenue's property is their VIP lot which you can buy in advance.

When you have already purchased your First Avenue tickets for say, the upcoming Black Rebel Motorcycle Club show (that is only 2 months away!!!) you may want to have a close and guaranteed parking spot ahead of time. There may be a Minnesota Timberwolves game or shows at the Pantage, State, or Orpheum theater that can make parking around First Avenue a little difficult. When you purchase a VIP First Avenue parking spot for a show it does not include the price of the First Avenue ticket. At this time there are no package deals offered, but maybe in the near future there will be some bundled options for First Avenue tickets and VIP First Avenue parking.

Here are a list of shows that will offer First Avenue VIP Parking:
Ted Leo and Pharmacists on Monday, March 15th
The Big Pink on Thursday, March 18th
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on Saturday, March 26th
Passion Pit on Sunday, April 4th

Don't miss any of these great upcoming shows. I have my First Avenue tickets bought for the BRMC, Big Pink, and Passion Pit - those are all shows that will sell out!


Pardon me, but I saw an excuse here to post a picture of my beautiful Peter Hayes. So sorry!

Trampled By Turtles tickets

Attention jam band lovers everywhere! It's not even summer and Trampled By Turtles are touring! The First Avenue concert calendar in April is filling up quickly.

Trampled By Turtles have announced a weekend stay in April at First Avenue. First Avenue tickets go on sale next Friday, January 29th at 10am. The Duluth band is going to be relasing their fifth studio album, Palomino. The new Trampled By Turtles album is released on April 13th 2010. Trampled By Turtles will be touring extensively throughout April and May to support their new album. Their only Minneapolis stops on the tour are the shows just announced at First Avenue! Trampled By Turtles' live show has gained them a lot of attention from critics and many live music fans so they are an act that has a large live following. There are two shows - I am sure First Avenue tickets for both will sell out!

First Avenue tickets will be available for Trampled By Turtles' Friday, April 9th and Saturday, April 10th shows. Both show are 18+ - sorry kids! Opening acts have not been announced for either show as of today.



You can check out some of the band's new jams on their Facebook page!

Yeasayer tickets

Listen up Minneapolis music fans - the Yeasayer show has been moved from the Varsity Theater to First Avenue on April 27th. Varsity Theater tickets for the show there have sold out, so now there are a few more First Avenue tickets available for the Yeasayer show.
Their tunes are pretty catchy and they are certainly a buzz band right now. "Ambling Alp" and "Sunrise" are their current singles - I am sure you have heard them on the Current!

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for the Yeasayer show ... however ... they are flying out the door!

Check them out live:

First Avenue tickets

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for a newly announced First Avenue sponsored event: Beach House at the Cedar Cultural Center on Sunday, April 4th. Beach was last hear in the fall with Grizzly Bear, who is one of the bigger indie bands of the moment. A lot of my friends that went to that show did not even go to see Grizzly Bear, it was the buzz band Beach House that brought in a lot of fans.

I would like to take a minute to mention the passing of a great, new and up and coming artist: Jay Reatard (Jimmy Lee Lindsey Jr.) who died yesterday at the young age of 29. It is heart breaking to hear that someone with so much promise and who has overcome so much in his life to pass away at such a young age. Apparently he died in his sleep, the actual cause is still to be determined. Jay Reatard has opened for bands like the Pixies, Beck, Deerhunter and Conor Oberst (I caught him opening for that show). I am glad that I got see him. I have read in articles posted online that he lived an emotionally troubled life, hopefully he is now at peace.



“I take full responsibility for everything I’ve ever done… I’m not sorry for any of it.”
Jay Reatard (May 1, 1980 – January 13, 2010)

Spoon tickets

One of my favorite new (but old) bands is Spoon. Spoon has a great new album coming out next week called "Transference" which has been highly anticipated. Transference's new single "Got Nuffin" has been very popular ... it is so catchy!!

Have a listen:


Spoon has been around since 1993 and have enjoyed the commercial success ups and downs of being on a major label. Spoon has been around long enough for line up changes, and music industry changes with the internet.

First Avenue tickets go on sale tomorrow for both Spoon shows at First Avenue. Spoon will be in town for not one, but two shows on Friday, April 2nd and Saturday, April 3rd. Friday's show is 21+ and Saturday's is all ages. Deerhunter and The Strange Boys open both shows.

Passion Pit tickets

Omg! Omg! Stop the presses! Hold the phone!
Passion Pit is going to be here! I missed them last year when they stopped by the Triple Rock to play a show before they headed to Chicago for Lollapalooza. I had the dates mixed up - I thought they were here the day after Lolla, not the day before!

You may recognize Passion Pit's "Sleepyhead" song from Sprint's PalmPre advertisement. Not to mention they have received a lot of airplay on indie radio station - Cambridge, MA Passion Pit is the band to see. Passion Pit formed in 2007 and until last year had only released an EP. "Manners," their debut full length album was released in May of 2009.

First Avenue tickets for this show go on sale Friday, January 15th and they will sell fast! I have to go, I cannot miss these guys again - Passion Pit's live shows are supposed to be great. They have opened for the Killers, Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, and Phoenix - now they are finally an official headlining tour of their own! I can't wait!! Buy your First Avenue tickets before they are sold out!



See you at the show!

The Current Birthday Party tickets

Everyone in Minneapolis loves the Current! If you are a frequenter of shows at First Avenue then chances are the band you are seeing played on the current. Or in some cases, you are seeing the band because you first heard their jams on the Current.
What is the Current you ask?
Well, it is Minnesota Public Radio's music station. It is listener supported so there are no commercials, absolutely no one works for Clear Channel, and despite a little favorite-ism (for the most part) the DJs pick the music they play. There is no annoying "Bob and Tom" or "Tom Bernard" morning shows, the DJs in the morning simply play music. All in all it is a great station - I love it!

2010 marks their fifth birthday of being a radio station. First Avenue tickets go on sale Wednesday for the January 29th show. If you are not a member of Minnesota Public Radio and unable to buy First Avenue tickets in the MPR member presale then you must buy your First Avenue tickets as soon as possible. With a line up like this First Avenue tickets are not going to last long. Confirmed acts are as follows: Solid Gold, P.O.S, Mason Jennings, Lookbook, and Twilight Hours. All are local acts and all have a great local following!

It's kind of like the Current's response to KDWB's Jingle Ball, no?!

See you at the show!!

Umphrey's McGee tickets

Are you ready for this?!
THREE nights of Umphrey's McGee at First Avenue!

Dating back to 1997 where Umphrey's McGee formed at the University of Notre Dame the band has went through various line up changes, albums, and hardships. Although they have not had a large amount of commercial sales in terms of album sales, it is Umphrey's McGee live shows that catch the ear of all of their fans. It takes quite a following to sell 3 consecutive nights worth of shows at First Avenue - that is 3600 people!

Currently in 2010, they are touring in support of their latest album, "Mantis." Umphrey's McGee is a jam band that attracted a following with jam band fans like Trampled By Turtles, Dave Matthews Band, Phish, and String Cheese Incident.

Their current line up does not include their original drummer, Mike Mirro, who left the band in 2002 to attend medical school. After months of searching and several hundreds tapes of choices to go through, it was decided that Kick the Cat drummer, Kris Myers would continue on with the band.

First Avenue tickets for all THREE Umphrey's McGee shows go on sale tomorrow, Friday, January 8th. Here are the dates of the 3 night stay at First Avenue:

Friday, March 12
Saturday, March 13
Sunday, March 14

All shows are 18+!

Vampire Weekend tickets

New York's very own Vampire Weekend has announced their Contra Tour, which will be stopping in Minneapolis on Monday, March 22nd, 2010. First Avenue tickets for this event will definitely sell out for this show! Last time Vampire Weekend was here they played at the Triple Rock Social Club (aka the T-Rock for short) and that show was way wayyyy sold out.

Vampire Weekend are on tour in support of their new album "Contra" which will be released on January 11th, 2010. It has been highly anticipated - their self titled album was very successful when it was released. There was a lot of buzz about them, their tour sold out, and they were what everyone was talking about a couple of years ago. We will have to see if their new album "Contra" goes as far as the last one did.

First Avenue tickets go on sale Friday, however, it looks like if you are in the Vampire Weekend fanclub you can buy your First Avenue tickets on Wednesday.

I am going to do something a little unlike me, I am going to wait until the opening act is announced to decide if I am going to go or not. Vampire Weekend have some catchy jams ('A-' was featured in the classic Stepbrothers with Will Ferrell) their song "Ottoman" was in the movie Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. And not to mention their new jam, "Cousins" is very addicting. I turn up the volume when it is on the radio. My Sirius XMU station has been giving it a lot of air time these past few weeks!

Aveett Brothers tickets

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for the Avett Brothers show. If you're feeling a little country, but not too twangy 'I lost my dog and my job' country then I think these are the guys for you. The Avett Brothers are from North Carolina and belive it or not - they are actually brothers! Scott Avett and Seth Avett make up the band along with their stand-up bass player, Bob Crawford. And by 'stand up' I don't just mean awesome bass player, but he actually plays the stand up bass. Not something you see much of these days!

The Avett Brothers are touring in support of their new album 'I and Love and You.' Which has sold fairly well, it peaked at #16 on the Billboard 200 best selling albums of 2009. You may recognize the Avett Brothers from some of the bands they have opened for like Dave Matthews Band, Widespread Panic, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket (one of my favorites!)

This First Avenue event is 18+ and First Avenue tickets have been on sale for a couple of weeks now. The Low Anthem opens the show, so far they are the only opening act announced!


The Avett Brothers - Friday, March 5th, 2010

brmc tickets

Well the new year is officially here! Which means, that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club will be here in only 3 months - 3 months which will go by super fast.

The new Black Rebel Motorcycle Club album, Beat the Devil's Tattoo, will be out in March. Since BRMC have announced their world tour they have had to add several shows because they have been selling out! This makes me really happy to hear - I love these guys and I love to see them do well. One of their songs from their first album (one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time!) is in a Kettle One commercial. Yes! I love to see that!

First Avenue tickets are on sale now for the BRMC show on March 26th. According to their website a lot of their shows have sold out already. Every time I have seen BRMC in Minneapolis the show has been sold out. Don't delay buy your BRMC tickets today!

I will definitely, 100% see you at the show!