Minneapolis Music Guide: March 16-March 22, 2014

Longtime collaborator and mentor to Prince, André Cymone is back with The Stone (February 18, 2014, via Blindtango). The album mark a rather long 27 year hiatus for this legendary singer/songwriter/producer/multi-instrumentalist.



So far, only two dates are confirmed, but expect Cymone to return with a more national tour later this year.

Opening up the Minneapolis show is four-piece American Youth. The band is described as “feel-good heartland indie-rock whilst mixing atmospheric soundscapes and folk,” which sounds like typical mid-west heartland/Americana music (at least to me)… even though the band said that that they want to break that cliché mold.

Augustines- “We Are”…no more?

The Brooklyn trio, now relocated to Seattle, has returned with their second effort, a confident self-titled album (Caroline/Oxcart Records) that also reclaims their original band name (resolving a trademark issue), and after rising from the ashes of previous band, Pela.

Billy McCarthy and Eric Sanderson along with UK drummer Rob Allen spin their own unique take on a no-frills indie-rock sound that is more developed and less bittersweet than their previous effort, and continues to tour with memorable and passionate live performances.

The Wall Street Journal describes their latest effort as “a stirring, soulful record, full of sweeping hooks on expansive songs that strike a balance between hopeful and melancholy.”

Expect a couple Pela songs in concert, as well as maybe a Damien Jurado cover as well.

Tour dates:

14 Mar 2014 Cleveland Heights, OH Grog Shop 15 Mar 2014 Chicago, IL Lincoln Hall 17 Mar 2014 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry 18 Mar 2014 St Louis, MO Firebird 19 Mar 2014 Kansas City, MO Riot Room 21 Mar 2014 Denver, CO Larimer Lounge 10 Apr 2014 Leeds, West Yorkshire Cockpit 11 Apr 2014 Glasgow, Scotland Arches 12 Apr 2014 Gateshead, Newcastle The Sage 2 14 Apr 2014 London Koko 16 Apr 2014 Manchester Academy 2 17 Apr 2014 Bristol, Avon Trinity Center 23 Apr 2014 Zurich , Switzerland Bogen F 24 Apr 2014 Lausanne , Switzerland Les Docks

25 Apr 2014 Clap Your Hands Festival 27 Apr 2014 Melkweg Oude Zaal 28 Apr 2014 Hamburg Gruenspan 29 Apr 2014 Frankfurt Batschkapp 01 May 2014 Heidelberg Karlstorbahnhof 02 May 2014 Munich Hansa 39 03 May 2014 Berlin Heimathafen 05 May 2014 Bevrijdingsfestival 06 May 2014 Cologne Luxor 10 May 2014 Sheffield, S. Yorkshire Plug 11 May 2014 Nottingham, Notts Rescue Rooms 12 May 2014 Oxford O2 Academy 14 May 2014 Liverpool East Village Arts Club 15 May 2014 Edinburgh, Midlothian Liquid Room 16 May 2014 Birmingham Institute

The monthly Communion show is taking place on this date, over at the Varsity Theater with Pearl And The Beard, El le Faunt & His Traveling Circus, and Black Diet. I believe this will be our first break from covering Communion, but I’m sure we’ll be back next month.



Across the city, six-piece UK band Fat White Family will be headlining the 7th Street Entry this Tuesday, March 18th. They are currently on tour (playing a ton of SXSW shows) for their debut album Champagne Holocaust which came out this week, March 11th.



You should definitely go find out why this is one of Britain’s most “unpredictable band” (and after seeing a nude photo of a performing lead singer, I would have to say I agree…)



Tour dates now:

From the basements of Boston comes Guerilla Toss, a self-proclaimed “blah wave” band. The band are currently on tour in support of their latest album Gay Disco (NNA Tapes), which came out December 10, 2013.



According to music critic Byron Coley, he described them as “…an amazing and beautiful disruption of all known truth-fields. They function at a level of pure discordian creation so pure it is guaranteed to melt all but the stoniest witnesses to its blazing infirmity.”



Opening up the show at the Turf Club will be Burlington, Vermont’s Ryan Power and Minneapolis rap-hustler Botzy.



Tour dates:

Detroit’s Electric Six (YES they have six band members) are currently touring in support of their ninth studio album, Mustang.


You may remember their massive hit single “Gay Bar” (“Girl, I want to take you to a gay bar, gay bar, gay bar…”), which dominated the summer of 2003.



On tour with them are tag-team dance duo Yip Deceiver from Athens, Georgia.



Yip Deceiver are playing a few SXSW shows, plus tour:

Electric Six aren’t doing SXSW, instead they’re stuck in Canada:

Nashville-based indie rock band, Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes, recently released their sophomore album, Kid Tiger (March 4, Deer Head Music LLC). The album got noticed by Esquire Magazine, who quickly named Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes as one of the “15 Bands to Watch in 2014.”



Opening up the St Paul 21+ show will be Jonathan Edward Sunde, from The Daredevil Christopher Wright.



Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes tour dates:

Thanks to massive support from local radio station Cities 97, ZZ Ward has consistently sold out all her shows in the Twin Cities.



She’s touring in support of her latest single, “Last Love Song”, which came out January 2014, and taken from her 2012 debut album Til the Casket Drops.



Opening the show will be Linus Young and The O’My’s. I believe both bands are from Chicago.



ZZ Ward tour dates: