Rachael Yamagata at Fine Line Cafe, Minneapolis (11/11/11)

Mike Viola at Fine Line Cafe, Minneapolis (11/11/11) Mike Viola Setlist, provided by mikeviola.tumblr

Opening up was Mike Viola (who also doubled as Yamagata’s keyboardist), who was once signed to Sony under the name Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers.
He wears his personal stories on songs, like many singer/songwriter, but it didn’t hit me that when he sings “well she knows what to do with Michael,
she knows how to make him feel” (from “What to Do With Michael”), that he’s refering to himself. He did explain that the song was about how he met his wife.



He mostly did songs from his new album, Electro De Perfecto (released a few months ago, September 13), including “Soundtrack Of My Summer” (I thought this song was done earlier, despite the photo of his setlist), “Get You Back” (I think this is the song co-written by Semisonic’s Dan Wilson – who I am assuming was in the audience last night because the report I get is that Wilson is often seen around town), and the “finger down my throat” song “Closet Cutter”.



Viola mentioned that he absolutely loves Minneapolis (we’ll see when he has to get around in 8 feet of snow…) and that he is releasing music under the “metal label”, as he puts it, Megaforce Records.



As for the lovely Yamagata, it’s only been four years since Yamagata came to Minneapolis*, but the way she chattered on stage, she exaggerated it was at least “12 years”. She made promises that she’ll be recording and touring a ton more, so if you can’t get enough of Yamagata, you’re in luck.



Looking over the official setlist, they mostly did songs from the latest album, Chesapeake. I got the feeling that the audience didn’t know or have heard about her new album.



The setlist only tells you half the story, the truth is, Yamagata improvised songs by request, half-remember lyrics and chords, as well as making up a song on the spot, sung to the tune of “Time in a Bottle” as expertly played by Viola. And like the encore song, “The Reason Why”, making up a song about burly bearded men and learning that Yamagata is really “a crazy cat lady”, is the reason why attending live shows is so awesome.



Rachael Yamagata’s latest album, Chesapeake, came out last month, October 11th, and was made possible by fan support via Pledge Music. Check Yamagata out live, she is currently on tour to promote Chesapeake.

Rachael Yamagata at Fine Line Cafe, Minneapolis (11/11/11)