Vic Chesnutt, Brass Messengers with NOMO, Bill Harley, Boiled in Lead benefit for Dean, 416 Club with Dan Newton, Harper Simon

Submitted by bcorner on Wed, 11/18/2009 - 5:16pm.

Cedar bannerNov 18--Nov 24, 2009

Welcome to this week at The Cedar!

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Buy tickets at Ticketweb

Tickets on sale Fri. 11/20 at noon
Purchase from the Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), Cedar outlets (Electric Fetus, Homestead Pickin' Parlor, Depth of Field, and Irish on Grand), and online at Ticketweb.
 
Sat 1/23/10 Modern Radio Record Label 10th Anniversary Extravaganza featuring The Plastic Constellations, Skoal Kodiak, STNNNG, and Vampire Hands
Local label celebrates 10 years in style with some of their top acts; early, all ages shows with tons of great music. MORE
5pm $10 general admission Standing Room Only
 
Sat. 5/15/10 Doc Watson featuring David Holt
A legendary guitar picker and singer, and a warm, genuine performer, now only giving very occasional concerts as he enjoys his 87th year. Tickets for this show go on sale to the general public at noon Fri 11/13, but as a subscriber to @TheCedar, you are eligible to take advantage of the special presale to Cedar supporters, simply enter the code word 'leader' at Ticketweb. This show WILL sell out early; you know what to do. MORE
8pm $80 Center Section/$65 General Admission
 
Fri. 5/21/10 Colin Hay with special guest
Very entertaining former Men at Work frontman from a land down under, now with a hugely successful solo career. First of a two night run! MORE
8pm $22 advance/$25 day of show
 
Sat. 5/22/10 Colin Hay with special guest
Very entertaining former Men at Work frontman from a land down under, now with a hugely successful solo career. Second of a two night run! MORE
8pm $22 advance/$25 day of show

This week's events
One of the most underappreciated artists around, and yet among the most adored by his fans, Vic Chesnutt (7.30pm Thur 11/19) writes of the fragility of life, the vagaries and randomness of existence, and the bizarrely skewed people who populate our world. Easy listening he ain't necessarily so (or, as Pitchfork puts it: "Vic Chesnutt could rarely be accused of having a sunny disposition, but even considering that, his latest album features some truly harrowing material"), but all the same, Vic is charming (if sometimes crass), unflinchingly honest and epic--and tonight he has a full band of worthy collaborators and co-conspirators, including Guy Picciotto (of Fugazi) and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion/godspeed you! black emperor and Witchies -- the team behind 2007's North Star Deserter, as well as Vic's latest, At The Cut.
"Lyrically, Chesnutt has converted his psyche into something between a short-story collection and the final act of King Lear." (The Onion AV Club)
"Vic Chesnutt's music always seems to be approaching beauty, just as his lyrics are forever closing in on meaning. It's up to the listener to push the songs over the edge, and it can be immensely satisfying when you do." (Washington Post)
You can listen to a few tracks, and read more reviews of At The Cut here
Setting the stage nicely, expect stripped down somber Southern folk from opener Liz Durrett, whose Uncle Vic (yes, that Vic) produced her first two albums.
Sponsored by vita.mn

Let the dance party begin with The Brass Messengers and NOMO (8pm Fri 11/20)! The Brass Messengers deliver on the promise of playing whatever sort of music they can fit into their horns. Tonight, they'll have some special guests along with the North Star Roller Girls, Cabezon puppets, and Chicks on Sticks. NOMO is a raucous Afrobeat/Electronica-ish collective from Michigan, should be a great warmup for the party.
Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

Another terrific children's entertainer stops by in the form of two-time Grammy-winning Bill Harley (11am Sat 11/21), a singer, spoken word artist, and NPR commentator with a delightful sense of humor and positive outlook on life. Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI. Target Family Series at The Cedar

Boiled in Lead (8pm Sat 11/21) got a shot in the proverbial arm when uber-guitarist  and all-round good guy Dean Magraw joined them a few years back. Now, the band is reciprocating with this benefit for Dean, unable to work due to a bone marrow transplant earlier in the year. A treat to hear BiL anytime, this night promises to be extra special. They'll even get some help for a few songs from Ruth MacKenzie! There'll be a silent auction, and opportunities to send your money straight to Dean--and all proceeds from the evening go to Dean, so make this your time to show your love for Dean.

Spend Sunday evening with a cosy 416 Club hosted by the venerable Dan Newton aka Daddy Squeeze (7.30pm Sun 11/22), with special guests Davina & the Vagabonds, Spider John Koerner, and the Daddy Squeeze Band. There'll even be some tap dancing from Keane Sense of Rhythm. All this for only $5? You betcha! Sponsored by 90.3 and 106.7 KFAI

You might not recognize the name (yet), but Harper Simon (7.30pm Tues 11/24) has been inevitably thrust into the music business all his life, growing up as the son of Paul Simon, and immortalized in these lines from Graceland:

"My traveling companion is nine years old
He is the child of my first marriage
But I've reason to believe
We both will be received
In Graceland"

Harper is now 37, just released his debut solo album of country-folk songs (with dad pitching in on a couple of songs, along with a raft of other top talent), and immediately been thrust into the limelight with appearances on Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Sounding uncannily like his father on many tracks (not surprising, perhaps, given the only slightly less than 50% of Paul's DNA he inherited), and yet with his own voice emerging clearly from the enormous shadow that must have been cast over him, Harper is an artist to watch--and see now in a small venue, while you can. Opener Peter Wolf Crier is the appealing new folk-pop project by Peter Pisano, formerly of The Wars of 1812.

 

Upcoming events

That's all for this week. See you at The Cedar soon…and remember, bring a friend or three!
Brian

Brian Corner,
Publicity Support,
Cedar Cultural Center,
416 Cedar Ave S,
Minneapolis MN 55454
Tel: 612-338-2674
Fax: 612-338-1687
bcorner@thecedar.org

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