HaydenCombining elements of both rock and folk music, along with disturbingly personal sentiments, dark humor, and a voice able to channel both the falsetto highs of Neil Young and the wavering raspy low tones of Leonard Cohen, Toronto's Hayden Desser has spent the last 15 years creating uniquely affecting music. Hayden, who is currently finishing up a four week US tour with Feist, will be heading out next month on a full band tour to the US, and making a return visit to The Cedar on June 27, along with a handful of other premium venues around the country. These shows will mark the first time Hayden has toured with a full band in over 3 years and comes on the heels of his new album 'In Field & Town' via his new home at the legendary Fat Possum Records.
Best Friends ForeverThe Cedar presents a new showcase event called "These Kids Today," which for its inaugural event will be curated by 18-year old Liana Simonds of Minneapolis South High School (and the daughter of the Cedar's Executive Director). Consider this the "pilot" of a series designed to present young talent and provide an all-ages opportunity to get a peak at the future of Twin Cities music.
Tonight's event with feature three bands, headlined by Best Friends Forever, a pop/indie/progressive band which features clever lyrics and comfortable vocal harmonies. Also on the bill are the unusual 6-piece Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles, who describe their music as "folk/fusion/ghettotech". Opening the evening will be the beatbox duo DJ Relax and Johann.
2 Foot Yard2 Foot Yard-(n.)1. a very small urban garden in which things grow organically, both feeding off of and defying their greater context. 2. a short-changed measurement
2 Foot Yard shatters the boundaries between art song and pop song by merging the visceral power of rock with the intimacy and warmth of chamber music. Violin, cello, voice, and drums combine to create a cacophony of harmonic (im)balance culled from an astonishing array of musical influences, from acoustic punk to the twang of old country love ballads. This trio features Tzadik recording artist Carla Kihlstedt (Tin Hat, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, The Book of Knots) on violin and vocals, Marika Hughes (Charming Hostess, Vienna Teng) on cello and vocals, and Shahzad Ismaily (Marc Ribot, Secret Chiefs 3, Laurie Anderson) on percussion and guitar, and guarantees an off-kilter ride through the worlds of drama and melody. Combining the harmonic breadth of contemporary classical music and the spontaneity of improvisation, their diverse musical backgrounds come together in one cohesive and unique voice as 2 Foot Yard performs genre-breaking instrumentals and vocal miniatures.
