review

Pulp at the Armory, Minneapolis (September 20, 2025)

Pulp's charming frontman disclosed all of this to us over the course of a captivating two-hour show - one that betrayed no sign of his advancing age (62 years and, now, one day). The touring version of Pulp (ten strong, with many of them switching instruments and roles throughout the night) sounded phenomenal, whether picking tracks from 1995's Different Class or 2025's More. If you haven't heard it, More has every bit of the hilarious, absurd, satirical songwriting Pulp had perfect in the 90s (when they were mentioned in the same sentences as Oasis and Blur as Britpop Bands That Might Conquer the World). The evening was full of Pulp's most popular driving, high-energy danceable pop, albeit with their signature winking cultural critiques.

Rilo Kiley tears sh*t up at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul (September 16 2025)

Holy sh**!  I almost wussed out on this show, as I’m old and was still recovering from my weekend of travel to see Fazerdaze in Chicago, oh and Spoon and The Pixies were there too.  I’m so glad I didn’t skip out, though, because Rilo Kiley put on one of the best shows I’ve seen in a long time.    

Fazerdaze, Spoon, and the Pixies at the Salt Shed, Chicago (September 15th 2025)

The Salt Shed, a relatively new venue (2022) in Chicago, played host to the Pixies, Spoon, and Fazerdaze on a lovely September summer day.  First a little bit about the venue, a mere 6 hours from the Twin Cities (depending on traffic), on Goose Island.  They have done a fantastic job in making this space an exceptional place to see a show.  There is both an indoor and an outdoor stage.  Being the aforementioned lovely summer day, it was outside.  Being right by the river drops the temperature is a bit cooler and provides a great backdrop.  If you have the chance, I highly recommend taking in a show here.

Selby Avenue Jazz Fest (September 13, 2025)

The Selby Avenue Jazz Fest is in the heart of St. Paul, specifically, the Rondo neighborhood. It was founded in 2002 as a response to the one-year anniversary of 9/11. Co-founder, Michael Wright, felt a need to celebrate the good things going on in the world and in the heart of St. Paul, and he felt, “Nothing gets people together like a good old-fashioned block party.” The inaugural Jazz Fest had 600 people. There were quite a few more on Saturday.

Opening Weekend: Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony with Thomas Zehetmair

In the premiere of their 67th season, the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (SPCO) gave the audience a grand performance featuring modern music, an emotional double concerto, and a jubilant symphony. Leading the orchestra was Austrian composer and conductor Thomas Zehetmair who rejoined as artistic partner, last seen with SPCO in the 2019-2020 season.

Creeping Charlie at Lake Harriet Bandshell (August 29, 2025)

There was a subdued atmosphere at Lake Harriet on Friday night as most people had either left for their cabins for the long holiday weekend or took advantage of another great day of weather by surrounding themselves with two hundred thousand neighbors at the Minnesota State Fair. At least that’s how it felt as a cool breeze came off the lake and The Commodore’s “Easy” played through the main speakers.