A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:
The big wheel. Indie hipsters Yo La Tengo (at the 400 Bar) and alt-rock godfather Elvis Costello (at the State) plucked fans to spin a wheel that set the playlist by chance. The result was spontaneous interaction with the fans and an innovative way to keep heritage bands on their toes.
Halloween, Alaska. Local songwriter James Diers, drummer Dave King and the rest of group have been producing electro-pop gems since 2004. The new release is due digitally this August, but you can hear Diers channel his inner Sting when you download the first single "Dance by Accident" on My Old Kentucky Blog.
"Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest" documentary. This new film won accolades at Sundance, promises to expose the tension that broke up the band and screens at the Lagoon in Minneapolis on July 22.
STEVE NELSON, ST. PAUL, HOST OF @ALBUM_CLUB ON TWITTER
TO CONTRIBUTE: POPMUSIC@STARTRIBUNE.COM
Eddie Vedder, Orpheum. Forget the ukulele hype. This was the great solo show (with acoustic and electric guitars) that any Pearl Jam fan dreamed of. What a potently emotional singer. Props to opening act Glen Hansard, who also beautifully accompanied Vedder. One of the best shows of 2011.
Live concert tweeting by @XcelEnergyCenter and @TheRoy Wilkins. Holly Manthei's musings are often more entertaining than the shows themselves. During Britney Spears: "Slave 4 U sans a real live boa constrictor is sort of like a BLT without the B."
