Posted on 12/25/2011
Radio K would like to congratulate the local quartet (and 3/4 University of Minnesota alum)
Night Moves on signing to indie phenomena
Domino Records (Twin Sister, John Maus, Real Estate, Animal Collective)! The band released their debut
Colored Emotions early 2011, which will eventually be released on the label, but new material can be expected mid-2012. Can't wait!
Night Moves visited Studio K for an instudio session. See the video below and download the exclusive tracks
here.
Live on Radio K: Night Moves - "Horses" from Radio K on Vimeo.
Labels: c, domino, domino records, kuom, local music, Minneapolis, night moves, Radio K, twin cities, university of minnesota
Posted on 12/23/2011
Radio K's Off the Record is presenting Minneapolis' Best New Bands of 2011!
First Avenue
701 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55403-1327
Phone: 612-332-1775
See map:
Google Maps
January 25th, 2011
8 PM
18+
Radio K's Off the Record Best New Bands event entails, well, exactly what the title suggests. Our local music experts, hosts Chase and Zack, have had quite the relationship with the local scene (sorry, significant others!). They are excited to introduce the Twin Cities' newborns. Join
Radio K's off the Record as the present Best New Bands of 2011 at
First Avenue on January 25th, 2011.
Bloodnstuff
Facebook,
Soundcloud
Dream Catcher
Facebook
Fire in the Northern Firs
Facebook,
Bandcamp
Gramma's Boyfriend
Facebook
MaLLy
Facebook,
Bandcamp
Night Moves
Facebook,
Twitter
Sexcat
Facebook
Watch the video from last year's event. See y'all there!
Best New Bands of 2010 at First Avenue from Dan Huiting on Vimeo.
Labels: bloodnstuff, dream catcher, fire in the northern firs, kuom, local music, mally, Minneapolis, music, night moves, off the record, Radio K, sexcat, umn, university of minnesota
Posted on 11/18/2011
Radio K's punk-rock station Clashed Attitudes sat down with Loren Green of City Pages to talk about what they're all about. View the article
here.
Posted on 11/14/2011
The Swedish born electro-soft pop sensation Lykke Li sold out the First Avenue mainroom last night with First Aid Kit to open.
Posted on 11/08/2011
THEE OH SEESCarrion Crawler/The DreamCome back November 14. Radio K is excited to share the new album from Thee Oh Sees for 24 hours ahead of its official release on November 15 on In The Red Records. You can pre-order the record
here.
Posted on 11/02/2011
Tuesday night brought a tough decision for Radio K listeners with Future Islands playing at the 7th Street and Real Estate playing at the 400 Bar. While Future Island undoubtedly played a great set, after seeing Real Estate’s 50 minute set it’s hard to feel like I made the wrong decision.
Before Real Estate took the stage, Big Troubles played a quick set filled with lots of songs that could have fit on a number of different 90’s indie rock albums. While on record Big Troubles sound a lot like their Slumberland label mates Black Tambourine and The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, live they play down the twee sound and focus more on catchy riffing that wouldn’t be completely out of place on a Dinosaur Jr. album. While they aren’t necessarily doing anything original, any attempt to emulate 90’s indie rock is worthy of commendation. If you’re looking for something simple and fun, seeing them next time they come through town wouldn’t be a terrible decision.
Opening their set with “Three Blocks”, one of the later tracks off of their excellent new album Days, Real Estate started things off slow before transitioning into the much catchier “It’s Real”. While the crowd was fairly reserved (as you would expect on a Tuesday night), it seemed for a minute like they were going to join in with the band during the repeated chorus on the song. While the band hasn’t quite reached the level of having a crowd of people sing along with them, it was easy to imagine it happening in the near future. In fact, it was obvious that the crowd hadn’t quite let the new tracks sink in yet because there was a noticeable increase in energy when the band played songs from their Self-Title debut such as “Fake Blues” and “Beach Comber.”
It’s completely reasonable that the crowd wasn’t too familiar with all of the songs off of a record that is barely 2 weeks old but it’s a shame because the new songs translated really well to their live show. Real Estate is never going to be mistaken for a high energy live act but they did a great job of performing the new songs. Every instrument came through clearly with Alex Bleeker’s bass parts standing out as a particular highlight. Bleeker also shined on the sole song he sang, “The Wonder Years”, which was one of the best of the night. “The Wonder Years” served as a nice contrast to the rest of the set with guitarist Matthew Mondanile laying down a riff that was significantly more psychedelic than any of the other songs hinted at. While this short diversion added some diversity to the set, one of the nice things about Real Estate is how cohesive all of their songs sound even though nearly every member of the group has their own side project (Ducktails and Alex Bleeker and the Freaks being the most prominent).
It wasn’t until the last two songs of the set that the crowd really started showing enthusiasm. A particularly sharp version of “Beach Comber” got the crowd moving and that energy continued through “All the Same.” That final song especially highlighted how well the band integrates extended instrumental sections into their songs. Unlike their former label mates Woods, who tend to veer off into 10 minute jams that go nowhere, Real Estate keeps them tight. After a quick encore, the band called it a night even though most of the crowd seemed like they’d be happy with a set that was twice as long. Early on in the night the band said that it was only their second time in Minneapolis. After the strength of last night’s set, it’s unlikely that we’ll have to wait very long for their return.
Setlist:
1.Three Blocks
2. It’s Real
3. Younger Than Yesterday
4. Easy
5. Basement
6. Fake Blues
7.Wonder Years
8. Green Aisles
9. Municipality
10. Out of Tune
11. Beach Comber
12. All the Same
Encore
13. Black Lake
Written by Cliff Batson, Radio K Volunteer
Posted on 10/31/2011
Radio K Music Director Caleigh Souhan sat down and had a chat with Emil Amos of Holy Sons. You can download the exclusive interview below.
Download
Posted on 10/15/2011
Radio K hosted Neon Indian with openers Com Truise and Purity Ring last night in the 7th Street Entry. This is the second time Neon Indian has performed in First Avenue this year, in May they opened for Sleigh Bells in the main room.
Purity Ring took the stage first, rocking it with their eclectic but surprisingly quiet in volume chillwave tunes. Megan James the vocalist was very entertaining to watch as she threw around her hair and shrieked softly into the microphone. The crowd began filling out during Purity Ring, many found it hard to resist dancin' to their upbeat and catchy tunes.
Com Truise took the stage next, a delightful switch up from most electronic music, as he had a live drummer. Com Truise lived up to his self proclaimed genre, "mid-fi synth-wave, slow-motion funk” by
The now packed Entry was sweating with anticipation for Neon Indian, the Texas based band, who gained prominence in 2009 after Pitchfork placed the tracks "Should Have Taken Acid With You" and "Deadbeat Summer" on their Top 100 of 2009. Everytime something bustled backstage, the crowd started yelling, pleading with them to begin. Sound check was a hard time for us all, hearing them play little riffs and wanting so badly for them to start their set. Fortunately, it was not long after sound check ended that Neon Indian came out onstage. They stared right down into the audience, made a few quirky jokes, and started jumping about. They looked as if they were having the time of their lives, hopping between the multicolored lights that shone through a makeshift strobe box. Alan Palomo on lead vocals and keyboard was determined to make every single person in the crowd dance, hopping around and interacting with his other bandmates in a contagious way, and the audience gladly followed suit. Their energy was constant throughout the show, and they seemed as excited to be there as everyone in the crowd was. Lets hope Palomo brings them back to Minneapolis in the future, for more of that colorful dancing and thrilling experimental sound.
Review by Nailah Taman, Radio K Volunteer
Posted on 10/12/2011
Monday night brought the highly anticipated return of Explosions in the Sky to the First Avenue Mainroom. In the four years since the band last played Minneapolis their fans have waited patiently for the Texas post-rock pioneers to return and were rewarded with a career spanning set that highlighted all of their strengths.
By the time Wye Oak took the stage the sold out show was already packed. Pulling primarily from their most recent record Civilian, Wye Oak created a tremendous racket for just two people. While on record the bands sounds relaxed and dreamy, live they were a force to be reckoned with. Singer guitarist Jenn Wasner sounded calm and controlled singing while absolutely letting loose on her guitar. Songs shifted from dreamy-folk to grunge with no warning and proved to be the perfect counterpoint to Explosions’ slow burning songs. Even if the songs hadn’t been as strong as they were, the show would have been worth seeing alone just to watch Andy Stack’s drumming. Throughout the whole show Stack plays the drums with his feet and right hand while also playing the bass part on a keyboard to his left. The band was vocal about how excited they were to be playing the main room at the First Ave and their love of the twin cities. If last night was any indication, it won’t be long before they’re back in the main room headlining their own show.
After Wye Oak’s opening set I started having doubts that EITS would be able to top it. Fortunately, Explosions in the Sky are one of the most consistently impressive acts currently touring. While they’ve been exploring the same ground sonically for a decade they continue to release strong records and mesmerize crowds. Last night’s show proved to be no exception. After a few opening words from Munaf Rayani (“Hello Purple Rain!”) the band played an 80 minute set with no breaks.
Over the course of the night, Explosions played a pair of tracks from each of their last four records (although a third song was played from played from their newest record Take Care, Take Care, Take Care ). From the outset it was apparent why Explosions have become the standard bearers of modern post rock. In comparison to bands like Godspeed You Black Emperor who attempt to hide in the dark, Explosions put themselves front and center and immerse themselves in the music. While the songs might be 10 minutes long, the band attacks every single one of them with a ferocity that is admirable. Historically a four piece, the band was joined by a fifth member on bass who allowed the band to add even more texture to their dense compositions.
While the band sounded great most of the night, it was apparent during the second song, “Last Known Surroudings” off of Take Care, Take Care, Take Care, Rayani was having some technical difficulties. While they were able to get the issues sorted out before the song ended, the few minutes where he wasn’t playing showed how integral every player is to the music. The song sounded alright but it was obvious that something was missing.
Monday’s show demonstrated exactly why Explosions in the Sky are as loved as they are and it will be a shame if we have to wait another 4 years before they make it back to the Twin Cities.
The Only Moment We Were Alone
Last Known Surroundings
Catastrophe And The Cure
Postcard From 1952
Greet Death
Your Hand In Mine
Let Me Back In
The Birth And Death Of The Day
The Moon Is Down
Written by Cliff Batson, Radio K Volunteer
Posted on 10/06/2011
Photos by Marisa Wojcik
Twin Sister and Wild Beasts played a show at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis Tuesday. At the tail end of a three week tour, both played gorgeous sets to drowning lights and fog, a characteristic feature of the Varsity.
Posted on 10/03/2011
Photos by Marisa Wojcik
Radio K hosted Girls at the First Avenue mainroom on Saturday with openers No Bunny and Papa. In case you missed it, check out photos from the show. (If you were, relive the magic of No Bunny on stage.)
Labels: first avenue, girls, live, Minneapolis, music, no bunny, papa, photography, Radio K
Posted on 10/01/2011
Photos by Anthony Kwan
The much anticipated CD release of Minneapolis legend sweeper The Cloak Ox happened Friday night at the Loring Theater. Andrew Broder's newest album Prisen has been buzzing all over the city. The show was introduced by other local favorites Tender Meat, Seawhores, and Kill the Vultures.
Labels: Andrew Broder, CD Release show, Kill the Vultures, live, local, Martin Dosh, Minneapolis, music, photography, Prisen, Radio K, Seawhores, Tender Meat, The Cloak Ox
Posted on 9/27/2011
The boys are leaving town and heading back to Vancouver to work on their new album, but before they set off for Canada they played the last show of their tour to a loving Minneapolis crowd at the 7th St. Entry. Bass Drum of Death opened for Japandroids, giving an ear popping, hair flipping, head banging show.
Posted on 9/21/2011
This Thursday from 1:30-3PM CST, we'll be throwing an Inaugural Hoedown Throwdown in honor of new University of Minnesota - Twin Cities President, Eric Kaler!
We'll be playing his favorite tunes in the afternoon with warm greetings from fellow members of the university community. Tune in to hear classics from Dolly Parton to Dusty Springfield and The Who.
President Kaler is a major supporter of the K, and we're glad to have to have him on board and leading the University of Minnesota team. Check back after Thursday for a full playlist of the feature and enjoy the station as we go all country on your ears!
Welcome to the Twin Cities President Kaler! We're looking forward to working with you.
- Radio K
Posted on 9/19/2011
Every semester Radio K opens its doors as wide as they can possibly go to show our new volunteers the ins and outs of the station. 140 University of Minnesota students took the slow elevator up to the sixth floor of Rarig Center to see the source of the music you love from 100.7 FM, 104.5 FM and 770 AM. The best way to understand the inner-workings of something is by seeing the heart of the beast and the faces behind it.
Any student of the University of Minnesota can volunteer at Radio K in any one of our departments from music to marketing, reporting to programming, photography to engineering, and video to production. Get involved with any one (or more!) of these great segments of Radio K and learn how a real radio station operates.
One thing we can't stress enough here at Radio K is that the lifeblood of the station comes from the students that put the passion, energy and time into making what we do best. Become a volunteer and add your voice to Radio K.
Get more info about any of our departments by emailing our volunteer coordinator, Morgan, at volunteer@radiok.org to get plugged into:
- MUSIC -
- MARKETING
- VIDEO -
- PHOTOGRAPHY -
- MUSIC & CULTURE REPORTING -
- WRITING -
- AUDIO ENGINEERING -
- PRODUCTION -
- GRAPHIC DESIGN -
- WEB PRODUCTION -
- NEW MEDIA -
...and more!
Posted on 9/17/2011
Back for their third visit in just a year, Canadian based band BRAIDS (Kanine Records) made another appearance at the 7th St. Entry in Minneapolis, this time headlining the bill. They brought with them newcomers Pepper Rabbit (also on Kanine) and Painted Palms, who did a live in-studio performance with Radio K earlier that day.
Check out photos from the show. Also head over to Radio K's INSTUDIO page to hear and see our visit from Painted Palms.
Posted on 9/12/2011
California based punk band SAMIAM gave a cathartic show at the Triple Rock Club last Friday to a loyal crowd of fans.
Check out photos from the show which also included local punk bands Pocket Genius and Arms Aloft.
And while you're at it, check out Radio K's punk rock specialty show Clashed Attitudes online or over the airwaves Sundays from 2:00-4:00 PM CST.
Posted on 9/10/2011
The night started off with soulful ballads from the Mumlers who, along with Two Gallants, opened for Vetiver and The Fruit Bats. Two Gallants got the crowd cheering with a rowdy set right before Vetiver took the stage. Vetiver’s sound was a little tamer than Two Gallants, and felt like a sunny day in San Fransisco. They had very nice vocal harmonies and the singing was definitely the strongest part of the sound. The Fruit Bats came on around midnight to about 200 people scattered throughout the club. The Fruit Bats were obviously veteran musicians and played a very tight set of folk rock tunes that the crowd sang along to. They kept their energy constant throughout the show but occasionally strayed into a couple of energetic solos that the crowd seemed to really enjoy.
Posted on 9/07/2011
Post view! If, for some far-out unlikely circumstance, you were unable to rock out at the Radio K stage at the Minnesota State Fair (or if you attended and want to relive this magical memory), check out photos from this two-day event.
Local artists Night Moves, Mally, and Buffalo Moon played amazing sets for visitors to the stage, spreading the audible Radio K wealth to all.
Posted on 8/27/2011
It’s time for the annual Minnesota State Fair, and alongside deep-fried pickles, the birthing barn, and potentially shoddy carnival rides, we’ll be keeping you entertained down at the University of Minnesota stage for a special Radio K Hootenanny!
Join us at the corner of Dan Patch Ave. and Underwood St., two blocks west of Gate 5 on Friday, September 2, and Saturday, September 3 from 3-6PM. Rock and Roll over morning show host Todd and Culture Queue’s Managing Editor Cristeta will be spinning tunes for you inbetween performances from rising local bands you won’t want to miss. The K Suit will be in the crowd prodding you to dance, and we’ll have plenty of free Radio K merchandise up for grabs.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday, September 2:
Night Moves - 3:45PM
MaLLy - 5:00PM
Saturday, September 3:
Buffalo Moon - 3:45PM
The Goondas - 5:00PM
Read more about the University of Minnesota’s stage schedule
here.
Subscribe to the
Facebook event for your chance to win a copy of Stuck On AM 7 featuring over 40 instudios from Radio K in the past three years.
Check out past instudios from these artists below!
Posted on 8/12/2011
Kentucky based band Mansions joined us at Radio K last Thursday for an intimate take-away session before their show at the 7th St. Entry. This was originally meant to be a live session, but due to some technical difficulties, we crafty kids at Radio K took an alternate route. If you had tuned in to hear the session, we have a special treat for you.
Check back in a couple of days for exclusive video with songs and interviews with Mansions.
For now, let these pics act as a tempting teaser.
Posted on 7/30/2011
Late Friday night, just around the corner from the chaos of Recess at the Varsity Theater was a decidedly different atmosphere at the Fire in The Northern Firs show in Dinkytown's finest non-air-conditioned sweatbox venue The Kitty Cat Klub. The Vandelles, a touring act from Brooklyn who apparently decided to add Minneapolis to their cross-country jaunt on a last minute whim, had whipped through Studio K to lay down a killer in-studio performance before taking the stage later to prove they could hold their own live as well.
The searing, reverb drenched surf riffs from guitarists Jason and Christo were anchored by the thoroughly badass rhythm section of Honey and LuLu. While The Vandelles might feature sweetly crooned backing vocals and memorable hooks, the group's punk pedigree was obvious when they cranked up the noise on some of their more raucous numbers.
Local buzzmiesters Fire in the Northern Firs feature members of much-beloved-and-now-defunct band First Communion Afterparty and after a bit of effects-pedal tweaking they took the stage bathed in the glow of two projectors throwing psychedellic images against the back wall, a fitting backdrop for the group's experimental vibe. At once thought provoking and totally funky thanks to the bassist Shane David Kramer's dance-inflected groove, the band powered through their usual set plus a couple of exciting new tunes, with frontwoman Carin Barno keeping the crowd entertained with a bit of well timed profanity and the heartbreaking news that she's getting married before their next gig (maybe in another life I'll get a second chance).
Written by Zach McCormick, Radio K Volunteer
Posted on 7/28/2011
The high-energy married duo, The Handsome Furs, played a great set at the Triple Rock venue in Minneapolis Wednesday. Not to tout too much, but Alexei and Dan couldn't stop talking about how much they love Minneapolis, as well as gave a shout out to Radio K.
Last night's show at the Triple Rock may have been the most uplifting show of the year. Openers Parlovr, a Montreal 3 piece perfectly set the tone for intelligent music that knows the importance of letting go. After sharing an orgasmic life affirming scream to start off the set, these charming fellas kept the intensity high throughout their set of electropop.
As the ever humble husband-wife duo of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry Handsome Furs set up their own equipment to an ecstatic crowd. Set up side by side, and sharing kisses throughout the set, it is clearly apparent how passionate these two are about their music and their relationship.
Starting off the set with “What About Us,” which also starts off their newest album Sound Kapital out on Sub Pop, Boeckner lays his heart out on the stage as he sings “I've been livin life so long I know theres nothing wrong with this/come on and break my heart/break my heart.” There is an extreme magnetism, almost an electrical current running between the two as Boeckner sings “It comes straight from the heart,” making it clear that there is nowhere else these two would rather be than sharing their music with their adoring fans. Perry would often clutch at her chest while their songs were dying down and the two would lock eyes to make sure they ended together. It was pretty much the cutest thing ever.
Playing almost all of Sound Kapital, some of the highlights of the show included “Damage” which samples a police scanner feed from their travels in Asia, the loving “Bury Me Standing” really got the crowd moving. Ending with the political anthem “Serve The People” the duo embraced many in the crowd and thanked the crowd generously before briefly leaving the stage to follow up with two songs for an overeager crowd.
It was extremely endearing to see the amount of passion and dedication from these two; they were almost as excited about playing as the crowd was about seeing them. Handsome Furs know how to create blissfully simple electronic anthems that create feelings of nostalgia about better times and the possibility of a better future just by taking advantage of the moment, yet not trying to force anything on anyone. They are who they are, and they are amazing musicians who love to share music with the world. Let's hope they keep it up for years to come.
Written by Caleigh Souhan, Radio K Music Director
Be sure to check out the in-studio performance from Handsome Furs earlier in the day!
Posted on 7/22/2011
On a hot, humid mid-summer’s evening in Minneapolis, a small crowd gathered to brave the heat and watch a night of music from two very different musical ensembles. The first act was Peregrine Perspective, a local Twin Cities jam band that seemed border line garage, border line mushroom trip. The groovy bass riffs supported by wandering guitars where held together by a solid back beat to create a sound straight out of vintage 1967 San Francisco.
Kill the Vultures were the headliners, a south side Minneapolis hip-hop collective consisting of four members, though only two, Crescent Moon, the MC, and Anatomy, the DJ, performed. When they started their first song, “Moonshine,” I was immediately struck by a rhythmic style comparable to that of Aesop Rock, but it didn’t take very long for me to realize what I was actually dealing with.
Crescent Moon prowled the stage from left to right, right to left, carrying a swagger and air about him that emitted a feel of something cathartic taking place. Crescent Moon was both everywhere and nowhere simultaneously. As more people began to trickle in, this swagger only grew. During the song “14th Street Ritual,” which highlights the type of Minneapolis street poetry brought to light by the Atmosphere 12 years prior, Crescent Moon would not be denied his prowess, almost as if he deserved the same accolade reserved for the forerunners of Twin Cities hip-hop.
Anatomy, the group’s DJ, on the other hand was the complete opposite. If Crescent Moon was the battle ship of this duo fighting from all sides, Anatomy would be its anchor, grounding the sound and making sure that no matter how far the ship veered from formation, it would always return to its center. He sat atop a table in the middle of the stage and did not move throughout KTV’s set in a picturesque fashion. A time-lapse video would show Crescent Moon covering near every inch of that stage, while Anatomy would be perched atop that table, still as a statue, only his head bobbing while beats flowed out of the speakers. Then it occurred to me that it didn’t matter if KTV was playing for a crowd of 30 or 300, their style and movement would maintain and would not budge. Though the crowed was small and spread out around Northrop Plaza, the sound was large. The Vultures feasted.
Written by Joe Engelbrekt, Radio K volunteer
Posted on 7/14/2011
We at Radio K are very excited to announce a major upgrade to our 100.7 FM signal, making it our strongest signal yet. Now spanning the entire Twin Cities Metro and reaching out further into suburbia. We will be celebrating with a slew of on-air and online giveaways today, July 15th.
Don't worry about 770 AM, it's not going anywhere, but give 100.7 FM a try and let me know how it works.
Spread the word of Radio K's strongest signal, 100.7 FM, reaching all of TwinCitiesLand!
Posted on 6/22/2011
John Maus is an Austin, Minnesota native, and our most talented musical export in years. An elusive figure who spent his childhood making music before he left for college in California, he has played with the likes of Ariel Pink and Noah Lennox of Panda Bear, taught political philosophy in Hawaii, and returned to the state last winter to record his magnum opus, his new album, “We Must Become the Pitiless Censors of Ourselves,” a record swathed in 80’s synthesizers and pulsing energy, capturing the vibe of his renowned live performances where he expends every source of energy to make his music heard. John Maus doesn’t just compose music; these songs are stories, thoughts, deep questions which can’t be answered, and listening to this collection (out on Ribbon Music June 28th), we can begin to understand the journey Maus has taken to get to this point.
John Maus’ new song, “Head for the Country,” was filmed in Austin last winter, an especially bleak and simultaneously bright season with our record snowfall.
Tomorrow night (Friday, June 24), join Radio K as we present John Maus and Puro Instinct at the 7th St. Entry. More information can be found here.
Radio K's punk-rock station Clashed Attitudes sat down with Loren Green of City Pages to talk about what they're all about. View the article here.
Radio K Music Director Caleigh Souhan sat down and had a chat with Emil Amos of Holy Sons. You can download the exclusive interview below.
This Thursday from 1:30-3PM CST, we'll be throwing an Inaugural Hoedown Throwdown in honor of new University of Minnesota - Twin Cities President, Eric Kaler!
