Times New Viking Sunday
Columbus, Ohio lo-fi buzz band Times New Viking is in Fargo on Sunday. Earlier this year the band signed to Matador Records. But they released one more album for Siltbreeze Records, a defunct label which was revived specifically to release their records. Present the Paisley Reich is the latest work, released in February. Times New Viking take clever and catchy pop songs, and surround them in the fuzz and hiss of low fi recordings. That brings to mind previous Matador bands such as Guided By Voices and Pavement, who did much the same on their early recordings. If you can get past the crude recording style, you will not be dissapointed. In true punk rock fashion their songs are tremendously short as well. Present the Paisley Reich's total length is about 16 minutes. The band spent part of the year on the road with Yo La Tengo and will release their Matador debut next year. With that should come an inevitable deluge of press fawning so see em now before the hype drowns you. Their live show has been known to cause crowds to massively dance in front of the stage. So bust your dancing shows and make it down the Aquarium on Sunday night. $5 cover for 21+ with openers Mothbeak and What the H? starting just after 10 pm.
Times New Viking:
Posted by: Chris Hennen on 7/29/2007 at 12:43 AM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Neil Hamburger and Handsome Furs Friday
A double bill on Friday at the Aquarium featuring one veteran comedy act and a newer band. Headlining is Neil Hamburger, the anti-comedian from California who has visited the FM area several times. Neil's been a busy guy since he last came to town. He made an appearance in Tenacious D's "Pick of Destiny" film and toured with Tenacious D shortly after the film came out, culminating in a show at Madison Square Garden. Also Neil has been hosting poolside chats on Tom Green.com with guests Steve-O, Andy Dick, Bonnie Prince Billy and King Buzzo of the Melvins. He also the made commercials for Bonnie Prince Billy's last album on Drag City Records, which is also Neil's record label. Also on the bill are Handsome Furs, a Wolf Parade side project. Probably the most well known Wolf Parade off shoot is Sunset Rubdown featuring Spencer Krug, who visited Fargo in May 2006. But the other principle songwriter for Wolf Parade is singer/guitarist Dan Boeckner, who is responsible for songs like "This Heart's On Fire", "Shine A Light", and "Modern World". Boeckner comprises Handsome Furs along with his fiancee Alexei Perry. In May, they released their debut album "Plague Park" for Sub Pop Records. The songs are like more electronic version of Boeckner's Wolf Parade tracks. If you are a fan of Wolf Parade like me, you'll love Handsome Furs. Due to Wolf Parade's demanding schedule, the Furs have a limited time frame to tour. But they managed to squeeze in a Fargo visit this Friday. Also on the bill Daiquiri, a musical comedy act complete with costumes who are on tour with Hamburger. Cover is $8, music starts just after 10 pm for 21+.
Neil Hamburger:
Handsome Furs:
Posted by: Chris Hennen on 7/26/2007 at 9:42 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
High on Fire Tuesday
One of the biggest acts in underground metal today, High On Fire (featuring ex members of Sleep and Zeke) will perform at the Aquarium in Fargo on Tuesday. High on Fire has a new album set for release on Relapse Records this September entitled "Death Is This Communion" (You can preview the track "Rumours of War" from the new album on the band's MySpace page). In an age of limited tours and flying between dates even among "indie" bands, they are one of the hardest working, touring 6 to 9 months out of every year. In fact, they already have a lengthy tour booked in support of the new album this fall. Last time they played the FM area, Joe Preston formerly of the Melvins handled bass duties. But the rigorous tour duties were even too much for him so he was replaced by Jeff Matz of Zeke late in the touring cycle for the last album "Blessed Black Wings". High on Fire enlisted longtime Seattle producer Jack Endino to record the latest album, a man best known for twiddling the knobs for everyone in the grunge era (Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden etc.). Last time around the band had legendary producer Steve Albini at the helm. The first track has the trademark HOF sound and there are reports this is the band's best work yet. Led by singer/guitarist Matt Pike, formerly of legendary stoner rock band Sleep, High on Fire has opened for everyone from Mastodon, Gwar, and Clutch to Motorhead, Shadows Fall and Superjoint Ritual but they are just as comfortable headlining a show as opening as they've done both several times over. They are road dogs indeed and put on a great show. Tuesday night will be warmed up by two locals including noise rockers Cut and Run, who reunited just to play the gig; their first since October, and metal sludge act Thundersaw, a newer band with ex members of Egypt and Strong Like Bear. Music starts at 10 pm for 21+ and admission is $12 at the door.
High on Fire's Matt Pike:
Posted by: Chris Hennen on 7/23/2007 at 7:53 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Eclectic Canadian pop
We've blogged before about how Canada has become the new mecca for indie rock. There are so many interesting bands coming out of the country and none of it seems like its representing a generic style like so many of the 90's trends which sent major labels flocking to certain cities to find the next big thing. Two up and coming Canadian acts will roll into Fargo on Thursday representing two of the biggest scenes producing high quality music, that being Vancouver and Montreal. They Shoot Horses Don't They? and Shapes and Sizes make return appearances to the Aquarium hot on the heels of new records released on Kill Rock Stars and Asthmatic Kitty respectively. TSHDY?'s latest is called "Pick Up Sticks and it continues the 8 piece bands trend of off kilter quirky pop with horns and strings accompanying more normal rock band equipment of drums, guitar and bass. Sometimes its a wonder They Shoot Horses Don't They? can even fit on a stage, but they do and even manage to make all the pieces of their sound work. Shapes and Sizes are transplants to Montreal, originally hailing from Victoria, BC (they aren't alone, Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade is a Montreal resident who fled from Victoria as well). Their latest full length "Split Hips, Winning Lips, A Shiner" is part chamber pop, part experimental pop. TSHDT? and Shapes & Sizes are similar in that they take odd time measures and beats and mix them with pop and just when you think they've written a pop song, they change it up and throw in a different tempo and vice versa, just when you think that they've penned a song that doesn't make any sense at all, they come out with a beautiful ray of sunshine pop to pull it from the abyss. They are both definitely bands that reward the patient listenter. These are definitely not bands for those in the ADD instant gratification, simplistic, give it to me now camp. But thats where the similiarities among the bands end. They Shoot Horses is a bit more experimental and Shapes is more orchestral if that makes sense. Shapes and Sizes just had their exposure increased greatly when they were handpicked to open for the National's latest tour which ended up being mainly sold out shows. Thursday's bill also proves that summer is one of the busiest times for touring acts (must be the weather and not the gas prices) as it features 5 touring acts for $5 (thats a buck a band if you are scoring at home). Also on the bill are sugary Twin Cities pop band One for the Team (fronted by the head of Minneapols label Afternoon Records), plus Siltbreeze garage punkers from Green Bay Pink Reason and Wisconsin rockers Hue Blanc's Joyless Ones. And if you haven't had a moment to check the aforementioned rising pump prices, do so and realize you need to come out and support the rock on a summer night so these guys and gals can make it to the next town. There's refiniries out for heavens sakes, those van tanks aren't cheap to fill nowadays. Show starts at 10 pm sharp for 21+ only.
They Shoot Horses Don't They?:
Shapes and Sizes:
Posted by: Chris Hennen on 7/11/2007 at 11:11 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Oh My God Friday
Friday marks the return of Chicago's Oh My God to Fargo. The primarily organ, drums and bass heavy band with a charismatic lead singer recently added a guitar player to their longtime three piece lineup. Last month they released their latest album "Fools Want Noise" which continues their tradition of pop prog rock noise anthems. This is a band influenced by everyone from Van Halen and Weezer to ELO and Slayer. They've also seen about every incarnation of the Fargo scene in the 7 year existence, playing twice at Ralph's Corner, once at the Great Northern, and also being one of the first bands ever to play the Aquarium. Friday, Oh My God return to the Aquarium in celebration of owner's Bert and Klaus Meyers birthdays. This is a band that puts a lot into their stage show and even if you aren't a big fan of their recorded sound, you will have fun watching them play live. The show is free to boot. Music starts just after 10 pm for 21+ with locals Les Dirty Frenchmen and Senzuri opening the show.
Oh My God:
Posted by: Chris Hennen on 7/05/2007 at 9:13 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
