Shovels & Rope at Amsterdam Bar & Hall (24 Sep 2024)

 

 

Husband and wife duo Shovels & Rope (Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent) recently headlined the Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul on Tuesday, September 24th, 2024. Their new album, Something Is Working Up Above My Head is out now on Dualtone Records.

Prior to playing the Amsterdam, the duo stopped in at local radio station The Current for an interview and live session with host Zach McCormick. The radio appearance helped with attendance at the Amsterdam, with a very strong turnout. In fact, the show was already on low ticket alert… and I suspect it would have sold out if they had played on a Friday or Saturday.

Of the new songs on Something Is Working Up Above My Head, particularly with the set opening song, “Something Is Working”, it is very good. The song is played on keys with drums, and it’s very effective in building on a beat. If you like this Shovels & Rope set, you’re going to love their new album Something Is Working Up Above My Head (Dualtone Records).

 

We previously saw Shovels & Rope in May 2023 and wrote, “Shovels and Rope opened the evening, playing an hour, thirteen song set. A married duo of Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, they are on the road supporting their 2022 album, Manticore, which is Tarot Card showing the head of a man, the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. Or as Trent explained to Rolling Stone: “… naming records is kind of stupid, so why not call our midtempo masterpiece something hardcore.” The duo started off with Trent on electric guitar and Hearst on drums and a small synthesizer, but they soon switched places with “Devil”, which gave Hearst the opportunity to channel her inner Dolly Parton.”

Opening up the show was New York’s Al Olender, who was so happy to play to such a large (yet quiet and attentive) audience. She was over the moon and was oversharing and treating the show like a first date. You’re going to learn a lot about her, and she hopes to learn more about us.

This was her first time in St Paul, and she loves it. She’s been in Minneapolis before, she said about six years ago. She was one of seven band members that stopped by the Icehouse, in Minneapolis. There were two things that came out of Minneapolis: (1) she got a tattoo of the state bird, the common loon, and (2) she wrote a song called “Minnesota Waltz.”

So, finally, after six years, she was finally able to play the song in Minnesota. It sounds like she really enjoyed her (both) times in Minnesota… and I get the feeling that she’ll be returning here sooner than later.

Remaining tour dates: