32nd Annual JOHN LENNON TRIBUTE and MN BEATLE PROJECT Release Show
Presented by 89.3 The Current and City Pages
Minnesota Beatle Project Vol. 3 is the new album in the critically acclaimed Minnesota Beatle Project series produced by Minnesota-based 501c3 charitable organization Vega Productions. The album features musicians born or based in Minnesota, including well known international touring bands: Tapes ‘n Tapes, Cloud Cult, Charlie Parr, Motion City Soundtrack, Solid Gold and The Honeydogs, along with rising stars like the 4onthefloor, Dark Dark Dark and Red Pens. The album also features a performance by the Anoka Middle School for the Arts concert band, which received a music grant made possible from sales of Minnesota Beatle Project Vol. 1. The 115 student musicians recorded a version of “A Hard Day’s Night” that includes low brass and string instrument equipment purchased with the grant, making them the first beneficiary from the Minnesota Beatle Project to appear on one of the albums.
1. Cloud Cult – Help
2. Solid Gold - Love You To
3. White Light Riot - Hey Bulldog
4. Charlie Parr feat. Nicholas Mrozinski - Rocky Raccoon
5. Motion City Soundtrack - Here Comes the Sun
6. The Fiddle Heirs - I've Got a Feeling
7. Me and My Arrow - Don't Let Me Down
8. Red Pens - Helter Skelter
9. Dark Dark Dark - Long Long Long
10. The Honeydogs - Dear Prudence
11. Tapes ‘n Tapes - I Want You (She's So Heavy)
12. the 4onthefloor - Why Don't We Do It in the Road?
13. The Arms Akimbo - You Won't See Me
14. Cantus - Got to Get You into My Life
15. Anoka Middle School for The Arts – A Hard Day’s Night
CURTISS A "With A Little Help From His Friends"
Born at the exact moment the age of Aquarius dawned, the enigma known as Curtiss A began his not-yet ended trip to nowhere. Named after a 20th century Minneapolis downtown landmark , the Curtis Hotel, Curt’s just glad his Dad wasn’t facing south or he’d be Lemington A. His Mama was a Lewis so he always felt an affinity to “Uncle” Jerry. Curt hints at the possible assignation with Carl Perkins when she waitressed at the Flame. He’s also fond of that old chestnut about Dave Dudley drying out in the basement in the Moorhead before he could tour behind “Six Days”. “I was fascinated by Little Richard and Bo Diddley and all the other giants of my wonder years.”
CURTISS A :: TWINTONE :: TWITTER
Curt’s first band was the FIENDISH THINGIES (after a George Harrison “Help” quote) in Oklahoma City 1966. “First Gig, first joint, first UFO all in one night”. The first band that meant anything to anyone was WIRE. Formed in 1969, they lasted through numerous personnel changes until 1973. The boys took a year off and reformed as THUMBS UP (Gary Rue’s idea) and once again lasted about three years, with numerous permutations, one of which was christened SPOOKS. The band collided with the new wave and became the springboard for the entertainment machine known as CURTISS A. Slim Dunlap and Frank Berry provided the sturdy skeletons. Slim became the replacement Replacement and Frank recorded “She Got Sex” with the PISTONS.
Mark Goldstein had been in SKOGIE and the FLAMING PACHUCOS with Rick Moore (the provider of Demi’s surname), but returned to the Midwest after a bad experience on the coast. He enlisted the SUICIDE COMMANDOES and Curt (As Buzz Barker) to record the “underground hit” “Land of the Free” *. “I Don’t Wanna Be President” continued in the political rant vein. Three LPs were recorded for Twin Tone during the 80s, the highlight of which was the last, A Scarlet Letter, produced by “Big” Al Anderson (while he was in NRBQ). The next LP was to have been produced by Peter Holsapple and the dBs, but life got in the way. “We did two small East coast jaunts together. Really a good memory”. Peter became quite busy as R.E.M.’s utility player. Family tragedy caused Curt to retire for a year until Bongo coaxed him out of his self-imposed exile.
Since then, he’s done the Lennon Tribute annually and several iconic Elvis shows represented by live CDs. Two hard to find, out-of-print CDs also exist, legendary “Over at Slims” and “Make it Big” (recorded at the late Gary Snow’s Cathouse Studio R.I.P.). Currently performing in town.
*Solidarity used it at their rallies. Kudos to Lech.
NONA MARIE AND HER CHOIR
Born in a winter. We sing our favorite songs. to spend good time. to be together. to remember there is life outside of our nests. because it is the best thing. Nona Marie Invie, Ana Roxanne, Emily Jean Snyder, Alyssa Hill, Chrissy Chookiatsirichai, Erin Lynn Smith, Lindsay Noble, Annika Kaplan, Emily Temte, Alberta Mirais, Antonia Eberhart, Jess Buns, Sophie Weil, Kate Farstad, and Lucy W. Woods.
BANDCAMP :: FACEBOOK :: DARK DARK DARK
WHITE LIGHT RIOT
White Light Riot is brothers Mike and Mark Schwandt and Dan Larsen. Atomism, their first full-length album, was produced/co-engineered by Brent Sigmeth (Grant Hart, They Might Be Giants, Tim O'Reagan), co-engineered by Paul Marino (The New Congress, Desdemona) and mastered by Bob Ludwig. It was released nationally by RED Distribution (Sony BMG) and named one of the best releases out of Minneapolis in 2007.
OFFICIAL :: MYSPACE :: FACEBOOK :: BANDCAMP :: LAST.FM
Aided on tour by Zack Carroll on guitar and Randy Tomes on keyboards, the threesome has been playing together since 2005 and prior to Atomismreleased two EPs: The Dark Is Light Enough, produced by Erik Appelwick (Tapes ‘N Tapes) and Out of Sight, produced/co-engineered by Sigmeth. They were named one of the best new bands in Minneapolis in 2006. White Light Riot released their self-titled sophomore album in spring 2011.
ME AND MY ARROW
"There's been a lot of talk about the size of local band Me & My Arrow, but it's warranted, since there are only a small handful of Minneapolis stages that can accommodate them comfortably. They've recently trimmed down from nine members to a relatively lean seven, but in order to pull off the anthemic, heavily layered sound that's become the band's stock-in-trade, the largeness is a necessity rather than overkill. Just the coordination involved in this mini-orchestra should tell you that M&MA are ambitious enough to stand on equal footing with more established projects, and with the release of their debut LP they'll take a major stab at attracting the kind of attention that could transform the band into the nationally recognized indie darlings they deserve to be. That the band's tour concludes with this hometown show at the not-long-for-this-world Uptown Bar could prove to be fitting, as the decline of one Minneapolis mainstay could signal the rise of another."
[Ian Traas, City Pages]
OFFICIAL SITE :: MYSPACE :: FACEBOOK :: TWITTER
