Interview with Stuart D'Rozario on 12/19/06

By: Andrea Myers
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Though I've never been very fond of making year-end lists and tallying up favorites, there are a handful of records that I put into my CD player this year and which I knew, almost instantly, would stay there, spinning on repeat long after most of the other promos have been reviewed and filed away.  Most of the local albums that stood out to me also rang true with other local journalists, and we will see their names printed again and again as critics make their picks and confess their love f...

Dance Band with Scream Club at Big Vs on 12/16/06

By: David de Young
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Dance Band at Big V's - Photo by David de Young It’s my hope that HowWasTheShow’s reviews remind you of what you can miss on when the part of your brain arguing for a good night’s sleep wins out over the part telling you to go to a show.  This was definitely the case Saturday when I went to Big V’s to complete my Dance Band photo duties which had been cut short by an accident at their ...

Dance Band with So It Goes and The TV Sound at 7th Street Entry on 12/15/06

By: Pat O'Brien
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Dance Band at the Entry - Photo by David de Young This isn’t at all the story I wanted to write about Friday night (or any night, for that matter). Like this review, Friday ended unexpectedly and in a way that made me uneasy. Sometimes cold, hard facts get in the way of what you want to happen or the way you look back and decide how the night seemed or felt; if you really had fun or if it just seemed like fu...

The Ashtray Hearts with Cory Branan and High on Stress at Nomad World Pub on 12/10/06

By: Bob Longmore
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Maybe I’m a victim of my age, but Sunday shows are hard for me. I always wonder why bands can’t start these shows earlier so us working stiffs can get to bed at a reasonable hour to rest for the start of another week of corporate drudgery. When the schedule for Sunday night at the Nomad said music at 7:00, I dismissed it instantly. Sure that the bands wouldn’t start before 9:00, I showed up at 8:00 just for insurance and dammit wouldn’t you know… I walked into se...

Low with Fog at First Avenue on 12/9/06

By: Ryan Ruff Smith
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My dad is a Christmas music obsessive.  I think he has nearly as many Christmas CDs as secular CDs, and he picks up a few more every December. So, of course, he recently pulled out his box of seasonal discs to fill the house with holiday cheer... to mixed results.  But that's just the nature of the beast; holiday music is nothing if not a mixed bag .  On the one hand, I would be hard pressed to think of a melody more beautiful than "The Holly and the Ivy" or more classic...

The Northern Drift at Cabooze on 12/6/06

By: Andrea Myers
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When I first hear the term "jam band" mentioned in connection with a show I am about to see, I have to admit that I tense up a little.  Panicked thoughts of marching psychedelic teddy bears, never-ending aimless solos and songs that stretch on for 20 minutes at a time dance through my head, and I feel a little dizzy.  It's not that I don't like grooving to a stretched out jam -- some of my favorite concert moments are when the musicians let loose and unravel into a little unb...

Alpha Consumer CD Release Show at The Turf Club on 12/2/06

By: Bob Longmore
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Maybe it was just me, but the incredibly tight and powerful Story of the Sea played with confidence and style that I don’t remember seeing before. I reviewed them back in March and I thought they had great depth for a three-piece; this time their songs sounded even more powerful playing to a full Turf Club on a Saturday night. Drummer Ian Prince always impresses me with his bombastic style, but on this night, I noticed bassist John McEwen’s intricate yet not overbearing playing. ...

Tim O'Reagan with The Owls at 400 Bar on 12/2/06

By: Charlie Vaughan
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“Please don’t ask… take my love and make it last.” A sweet whisper came from behind me. I slowly turned to face a pale woman of about thirty-five. Her open face drifted to the floor, pulling long brown hair into the folds of a plaid scarf. She was wearing a slim wool coat and smartly cut jeans. Her foot was tapping lightly on the tiled floor. We were standing in the checkout lane at the grocery store. There was a small g...

HowWasTheShow Does Homegrown at Drive 105 on 11/26/06

By: Andrea Myers
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Here at HowWasTheShow, we spend a lot of time canvassing local bars and clubs in search of promising up-and-coming local acts.  Until now, we have equated the idea of a live show with a concert seen and heard in person; but as many a local scenester will tell you, there are other ways to get your live local music fix.  Some don’t even involve leaving the house.  Minnesota is home to a slew of great local radio programs, and on Sunday night this homebody ...

Roster McCabe at Fine Line Music Café on 11/21/06

By: Mike Minehart
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When you follow a band for as long as I have, you have a pretty good idea of what to expect from them on any given night. Roster McCabe was one of the very first bands that got me into the Twin Cities local music scene, and to date I've attended more shows from them (22) than any other band. But not even a year's worth of gigs from these guys could have prepared me for what I was lucky enough to witness at the Fine Line Tuesday night. Though...