Vu’s Best Of 2014 Concerts

1. Slowdive at Fine Line (31 Oct 2014)
An absolutely unforgettable show. After a 22 year absent, the band is back, healthier, happier, and dressed for the occasion (Halloween). Played all the hits, completely professional and absolutely a treat (like the candies they handed out) to finally see live.

2. Kaiser Chiefs at First Ave (13 June 2014)
WOW, these guys are amazing live. They did some things on this show that I’ve never, ever seen done at First Avenue (climbing owner’s box rafters).

3. Paul Weller at Varsity Theater (10 Sep 2014)
Speaking of 20+ years absent from Minneapolis, the Modfather Paul Weller returned to the city. Fans of British music could not absolutely miss this sold out show.

4. Stars at First Avenue (19 Nov 2014)
Maybe it was because they were filming this live show for Yahoo, but this was a great show. I’ve criticized the band before when they only played new songs… but not this 2014 show. They played a lot of old stuff, including some hits and they did it because of the fans.

5. Lily Allen at Skyway (01 Oct 2014)
I love it when a band put on a show, and that’s exactly what I got when I saw Allen. Sure, the setlist is the same every night, but the routines (including three costume changes) were absolutely fun to watch.

6. Peter Hook at Fine Line (15 Nov 2014)
I’ll probably never see New Order live, so seeing Peter Hook play some classic New Order songs were good enough for me. Plus, bad snowstorm and sold out environment and three-hour music set, made it for a memorable show.

7. Buzzcocks at Varsity Theater (11 Sep 2014)
Legendary punk band… absolute blast to see them still at it.

8. Tori Amos at O’Shaughnessy (03 Aug 2014)
My first time seeing Tori, and it was everything I expected! Her set is different every night, thanks to fan requests… so you never know what she is going to play!

9. Pixies at State Theatre (11 Oct 2014)
This is one of those bands on my bucket list… I can finally cross them off the list. Really tight show, the band played all the hits and showcased their new songs.

10. Festival Palomino (20 Sep 2014)
Although the Americana music thing isn’t my cup of tea, I have to give big thumbs up for this incredibly well-organized first-ever music festival of its kind. The event sold so well that they’ve already announced a second Festival Palomino… so obviously I’m looking forward to 2015.

Jake Bugg at First Avenue, Minneapolis (01/17/2014) I made a rare attendance for a winter show for Jake Bugg. And it was worth the trouble and the snow to see what all the fuss was about. Wizard World Minneapolis 2014 (2-04 May 2014) Just the sheer importance of the very first Wizard World Convention in Minneapolis that we had to cover this historic event. Veruca Salt at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (09 Jul 2014) Veruca Salt kissed and made up, and the reunion show was a blast to attend. Love hearing all the hits. Ben Watt at Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater (19 Jul 2014) Very under the radar at this 50-seated venue, thanks to ex-Suede guitarist Bernard Butler.

Boris at the Triple Rock Social Club (12 Aug 2014) I’m not a massive Boris fan, but after seeing them live, I can see why they have such a massive fanbase. La Roux at First Ave (29 Sep 2014) An underappreciated band and show… but Elly Jackson and her very dedicated fans made the show memorable (singalong, anyone?) Arctic Monkeys at First Avenue (14 Feb 2014) We’ve seen Arctic Monkeys almost every time they play Minneapolis (usually at First Avenue). AM have changed over the years, and it’s fun to see them grow up. Blake Mills at Amsterdam Bar (26 Sep 2014) With a surprise guest appearance by Fiona Apple, how could I not forget this show?

W♥M cover a lot of shows (over 233 shows in 2014), here’s a look back at all the shows we covered.

JANUARY

Sweet and Tender Hooligans at House of Blues (01/04/14)   John Newman at Varsity Theater (11 Jan 2014)   Hilary Hahn and Hauschka at Aria (12 Jan 2014)   Jake Bugg at First Avenue (01/17/2014)   The Skins at First Avenue (1/17/2014)   Lone Bellow at Varsity Theater (21 Jan 2014)   Born Cages at Gibson Guitar Studios (01/22/2014)

Jesse Woods @ Bootleg, Los Angeles (1/22/2014)   Cate Le Bon at 7th St. Entry (25 Jan 2014)   Lord Huron at First Avenue(28 Jan 2014)   Random Recipe @ Pianos, New York 01/28   Ash at the Rickshaw Stop, San Francisco (01/30/14)   Jake Bugg @ Civic Theatre, New Orleans (01/30/14)   JD Samson at Empty Bottle, Chicago 1/31/14

FEBRUARY

Black Angels at First Avenue, Minneapolis (3 Feb 2014)   Ash at One Eyed Jacks, New Orleans (02/07/14)   Russian Circles at Parish, New Orleans (02/10/14)   Yellow Ostrich @ Pianos, NYC 02.12.14   Olga Bell at Walker Art Center (13 Feb 2014)   Arctic Monkeys at First Avenue (02/14/14)   Delorean at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (02/14/14)   Lord Huron at the Civic, New Orleans (02/15/2014)

Prince at KOKO, London (02/16/14) – Second Show   Brave Baby at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (18 Feb 2014)   Stephen Malkmus at the Cedar, Minneapolis (02/18/14)   Courtney Barnett at The Empty Bottle, Chicago (02/18/14)   together PANGEA at 7th Street Entry (02/21/14)   Lucius at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (20 Feb 2014)   Glasvegas at 7th St Entry, Minneapolis (25 Feb 2014)   Royal Teeth at Triple Rock, Minneapolis (26 Feb 2014)   We Were Promised Jetpacks at Triple Rock (28 Feb 2014)

MARCH

Kodaline at First Avenue, Minneapolis (04 March 2014)   The Pack A.D. at Turf Club 3/05/14   Kins at the Turf Club – St. Paul, MN (06 March 2014)   Arcade Fire at Target Center, Minneapolis (08 March 2014)   Sword at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (9 March 2014)   Hold Steady at Mohawk, Austin (03/10/14)   Agnes Obel at Central Presbyterian Church, Austin (03/11/14)   Imagine Dragons at Xcel Center, St. Paul (12 March 2014)   Rams’ Pocket Radio at SXSW, Austin (03/12/14)   Wanda Jackson at Thirty Tigers / AMA Showcase (03/12/14)   Steve Lamacq at the British Music Embassy, Austin (03/13/14)   Damon Albarn at SXSW, Austin (03/13/14)   Casual Sex at the British Music Embassy, Austin (03/13/14)

The Magic Numbers at SXSJ (03/14/14)   The Crookes at  Music for Listeners’ Party, Austin (03/14/14)   Typhoon at One Eyed Jack, New Orleans (03/15/14)   Andre Cymone at 7th St. Entry, Minneapolis (16 March 2014)   Augustines at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (17 March 2014)   Gaelic Storm at Fine Line, Minneapolis (17 March 2014)   San Fermin at Gasa Gasa, New Orleans (03/18/14)   Skaters at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (03/27/14)   Perfect Pussy at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (03/30/2014)   Reuben and the Dark at 7th St Entry Mpls. (28 Mar 2014)   Warpaint at First Avenue, Minneapolis (03/29/2014)   Gary Numan at Mill City Nights, Mpls (30 March 2014)   Prince and 3rd Eye Girl at Paisley Park (30 March 2014 AM)   Dark Horses at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, London (03/31/14)

APRIL

Sounds at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (04/01/14)   Incan Abraham at The Bootleg LA 4/2   Typhoon – Metro, Chicago, 4/3/14   Once – the Musical at Orpheum Theatre (03 Apr 2014)   Colourist at the 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (04/04/14)   Small Black at Turf Club, St Paul (04/05/14)   Fanfarlo at Triple Rock Social Club, Minneapolis (07 April 2014)   Sharon Jones at State Theatre (09 April 2014)   The Julie Ruin, Lincoln Hall, Chicago – April 9, 2014   Run River North @ Rockwood Music Hall, New York 04.10.14   The Toadies at First Avenue 04/11/14

Terraplane Sun at Triple Rock Social Club (04/12/14)   Dan Wilson  at Electric Fetus (15 April 2014)   Nathaniel Rateliff at 7th Street Entry (16 April 2014)   Jenny Hval at Turf Club, St Paul (17 April 2014)   Who’s Bad at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (19 April 2014)   Temples at First Avenue, Minneapolis (24 April 2014)   Lydia Loveless at 7th Street, Minneapolis (24 April 2014)   Ingrid Michaelson at Mall of America (25 April 2014)   I Break Horses at Triple Rock (26 April 2014)   Burnt Sugar at Walker Art Center (26 April 2014)   Bombay Bicycle Club at Varsity Theater (29 Apr 2014)

MAY

Wizard World Minneapolis 2014: Day 0 (1 May 2014)   The 1975 at First Avenue, Minneapolis (02 May 2014)   Wizard World Minneapolis 2014: Day 1 (2 May 2014)   Free Comic Book Day 2014 report (03 May 2014)   Wizard World Minneapolis 2014: Day 2 (3 May 2014)   Wizard World Minneapolis 2014: Day 3 (4 May 2014)   Queens of the Stone Age at Roy Wilkins (6 May 2014)   William Fitzsimmons at the Cedar, Minneapolis (07 May 2014)   The Both at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (10 May 2014)   Matt Pond at  Turf Club in St Paul, MN (12 May 2014)

Idan Raichel Project at O’Shaughnessy (14 May 2014)   Cage the Elephant at Myth in Maplewood, MN (15 May 2014)   Wye Oak at Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis (15 May 2014)   Mirah at the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (16 May 2014)   Suzanne Vega at the Cedar, Minneapolis (17 May 2014)   SpringCon, Minnesota State Fairgrounds (17-18 May 2014)   Mogwai at First Avenue, Minneapolis (18 May 2014)   The Faint at Fine Line Music Café (24 May 2014)   Eels at the Fitzgerald Theater 5/25/14   The GOASTT at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (30 May 2014)

JUNE

St. Paul & the Broken Bones at Varsity Theater (01 Jun 2014)   Conor Oberst at First Avenue, Minneapolis (02 June 2014)   Band of Skulls at First Avenue, Minneapolis (03 June 2014)   Chvrches at First Avenue, Minneapolis (04 June 2014)   Memories at Wally World, Chicago (05 June 2014)   Dan Wilson at Cedar Cultural Center (06 June 2014)   Yann Tiersen at the Cedar, Minneapolis (08 Jun 2014)   Eagulls at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (09 June 2014)   Jezabels at Triple Rock Social Club (12 Jun 2014)   Northside Festival: Luke Temple @ Union Pool 06/12/14   Northside Fest: Benjamin Booker @ House of Vans 06/12/14   Needtobreathe at Skyway Theatre (12 June 2014)   Paul Oakenfold at Rev Ultra Lounge (13 June 2014)   Northside Festival: Teen Age @ Pet Rescue 06/13/14

Kaiser Chiefs at First Avenue (13 June 2014)   King Khan at 7th Street Entry (17 June 2014)   Tegan and Sara at Vic Theatre, Chicago (17-18 June 2014)   Rock the Garden – Day One (21 June 2014)   Rock the Garden – Day Two (22 June 2014)   Yngwie Malmsteen at Skyway Theatre (23 June 2014)   Courtney Barnett at the Varsity Theater (24 Jun 2014)   Cut Copy at First Avenue (25 June 2014)   Skunk Hollow at  Stevens Square Park (25 June 2014)   Buzz Osborne at Grumpy’s, Minneapolis (27 June 2014)   John Mark Nelson at the Cedar (28 June 2014)   Cut/Copy at First Avenue (25 June 2014)   Zoso at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (28 June 2014)   Ray LaMontagne at Northrop Auditorium (28 June 2014)

JULY

Raz Simone at Pourhouse (02 July 2014)   The Hold Steady at Weesner Amphitheater (05 July 2014)   Halestorm at A Taste of MN (Day 3) (05 July 2014)   The Soft White Sixties at Triple Rock (09 July 2014)   Veruca Salt at Varsity Theater, Minneapolis (09 Jul 2014)   The Fresh & Onlys at Triple Rock, Minneapolis (15 Jul 2014)   Sharon Van Etten at First Avenue (16 Jul 2014)   Ben Watt at Bryant-Lake Bowl Theater (19 Jul 2014)

Ben Watt at The Chapel (22 Jul 2014)   Veruca Salt at Theatre of Living Arts (22 Jul 2014)   Miniature Tigers at the Nether Bar, Minneapolis (23 Jul 2014)   Tori Amos at the Greek Theatre (23 Jul 2014)   Counting Crows at Myth Nightclub (25 July 2014)   Camera Obscura at First Avenue, Minneapolis (26 Jul 2014)   Kate Tucker at the Midwest Music Museum (28 Jul 2014)   Tiny Ruins at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (30 July 2014)

AUGUST

Drenge at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (01 August 2014)   Panama at Triple Rock Social Club (02 August 2014)   Paul McCartney at Target Field, Minneapolis (02 Aug 2014)   Tori Amos at the O’Shaughnessy, St Paul (03 August 2014)   Sonny Knight at Red Stag Block Party (03 Aug 2014)   Foster the People at Myth, Maplewood (04 Aug 2014)   Johnnyswim at the Varsity Theater (04 Aug 2014)   Youngblood Hawke a Ghost at Triple Rock (08 Aug 2014)   Baseball Project at the Cedar (11 Aug 2014)   Boris at the Triple Rock Social Club (12 Aug 2014)

Rosie Flores at Lee’s Liquor Lounge (14 Aug 2014)   Internet Cat Video Festival 2014 (14 Aug 2014)   Rodrigo y Gabriela at State Theatre (15 Aug 2014)   Polyphonic Spree at Cedar Cultural Center (18 Aug 2014)   Wizard World Chicago Comic Con – Friday show (22 Aug 2014)   Wizard World Chicago Comic Con – Saturday (23 Aug 2014)   Wizard World Chicago Comic Con – Sunday (24 Aug 2014)   She Keeps Bees at 7th Street Entry (25 Aug 2014)   Haley Bonar at Northrop Auditorium (29 Aug 2014)

SEPTEMBER

Minnesota State Fair: Labor Day re-cap (01 Sep 2014)   How to Dress Well at Triple Rock (03 Sep 2014)   Joshua James at the Cedar, Minneapolis (07 Sep 2014)   Glass Animals at the Cedar (09 Sep 2014)   Paul Weller at the Varsity Theater (10 Sep 2014)   Buzzcocks at Varsity Theater (11 Sep 2014)   Dandy Warhols at First Avenue, Minneapolis (12 Sep 2014)   Broncho at 7th Street Entry, Minneapolis (12 Sep 2014)   The Replacements at Midway Stadium (13 Sep 2014)   J Roddy Walston & the Business at Fine Line (15 Sep 2014)   The Bots at Nether Bar, Minneapolis (15 Sept 2014)   Nico & Vinz at Mall of America (19 Sep 2014)

Royal Blood at Mill City Nights, Minneapolis (19 Sept 2014)   Trampled by Turtles’ Festival Palomino (20 Sep 2014)   Meiko at Loring Pasta Bar, Minneapolis (21 Sept 2014)   Sondre Lerche at Bowery Ballroom (23 Sep 2014)   Elephant Revival at the Cedar (25 Sep 2014)   Blake Mills at Amsterdam Bar (26 Sep 2014)   Frankie Teardrop at Cassette Store Day (27 Sep 2014)   Lizzo and Caroline Smith at First Avenue (27 Sep 2014)   Bishop Allen at 7th Street Entry (28 Sep 2014)   Lykke Li at First Avenue (28 Sep 2014)   La Roux at First Ave (29 Sep 2014)

OCTOBER

10/01 Lily Allen at Skyway 10/01 Phantogram at Myth 10/02 Paloma Faith at Triple Rock 10/02 Agent Orange at 7th St 10/04 Kooks at First Ave 10/05 Vintage Trouble at Varsity 10/06 of Montreal at Cedar 10/07 Lucius at Electric Fetus 10/07 Tennis at Fine Line 10/07 Belle & Sebastian at Theatre 10/08 Screaming Females at Triple R 10/08 Banks at First Ave 10/09 We Are Scientists at Turf Club 10/09 Allen Stone at Terminal 5 10/10 Sloan at Turf Club

10/11 Augustines at Turf Club 10/11 Pixies at State Theatre 10/14 Communion Clubnight 10/15 Kina Grannis at Varsity 10/16 Kat Edmonson at Dakota Jazz 10/17 Placebo at Mill City Nights 10/17 Iggy Azalea at TCF Stadium 10/18 Angus & Julia Stone at Cedar 10/22 Dum Dum Girls at Fine Line 10/24 Minus the Bear at Triple Rock 10/27 Ray LaMontagne at Saenger 10/29 Bear’s Den at Fine Line 10/30 Agnes Obel at Dakota Jazz 10/30 Kimbra at Fine Line 10/31 Slowdive at Fine Line 10/31 Alt-J at Myth

NOVEMBER

Mary Lambert at Fine Line (01 Nov 2014)   Blonde Redhead at Varsity Theater (04 Nov 2014)   New Pornographers at First Avenue (12 Nov 2014)   Judah & the Lion at 7th Street Entry (13 Nov 2014)   James Vincent McMorrow at First Avenue (13 Nov 2014)   FKA twigs at Fine Line Music Cafe (14 Nov 2014)   Interpol at First Avenue (14 Nov 2014)

Peter Hook & the Light at Fine Line (15 Nov 2014)   Amanda Palmer at the Cedar Cultural Center (16 Nov 2014)   Julian Casablancas at First Avenue (17 Nov 2014)   My Brightest Diamond at Cedar Cultural Center (17 Nov 2014)   Stars at First Avenue (19 Nov 2014)   Better Than Ezra at Varsity Theater (20 Nov 2014)   Death From Above 1979 at First Avenue (24 Nov 2014)

DECEMBER