Pre-election Atmosphere Capping a tremendous effort by the Twin Cities music scene to get involved in this election, Atmosphere turned its hometown stop on the "Paint the Nation" tour Sunday night at First Avenue into one last get-out-the-vote rally. Representatives for a few local candidates (you can probably guess which ones) were out front soliciting the sold-out crowd. Onstage, Slug wore the same candidate's T-shirt he wore for David Letterman's show and the Take Back Labor Day concert (again, you probably know who). At the end of the show, he gave a lengthy but well-put pitch about being "36 years old and only into hip-hop and comic books" -- i.e., a prime candidate for a disenchanted voter -- but still believing in the power of the vote. "This is a system that keeps the youth and the voiceless always feeling like they're young and voiceless," he said. "I want them to wake up on Wednesday and be scared by how many of you voted." For once, Slug got what he wanted.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
D for delivery During the Beastie Boys' own get-out-the-vote show in St. Paul last Saturday, Mike D kept saying he was in "Minne-ap-PEW-less." At least, the native New Yawkah knew his Minnesota jocks with Big Apple roots, as he gave shout-outs to Rod Carew, Stephon Marbury and Latrell Sprewell. What? No love for Fran Tarkenton?
JON BREAM
A soul explosion It was billed as Booker T & the MGs with special guest Eddie Floyd. But the soul-music legends' 105-minute late show Sunday at the Dakota turned into much more. After an hour of instrumental classics from the MGs -- including a goose-bump-inducing "Time Is Tight" -- Floyd joined the marvelous Hall of Fame groove machine to sing an array of classics, including "Soul Man," prompting two dudes dressed up as the Blues Brothers (a Halloween leftover?) to make fools of themselves onstage. Then, during Otis Redding's "Get on Up," a woman named Tiffany did just that, climbing onstage (by Floyd's invitation) to dance. Her wonderful Tina Turner-styled rooster had bassist Duck Dunn, guitarist Steve Cropper and Floyd going wild.
JON BREAM
Power hour Fresh Air Radio, the little community station that could, celebrates its long-awaited power boost this week with a "Flip the Switch" party. The best local home for blues, jazz, folk and world music of all stripes will go from 30 watts to a whopping 900 watts -- or 30 times 30. Since the event is also a 30th anniversary party for KFAI (90.3 FM), the numerical synchronicity can't be beat. The station has rounded up a boffo cast of musical entertainers, including the International Reggae All Stars, guitar legend Peter Lang, New Orleans R&B specialists Mister Rolls, bluesman Charlie Parr and an acoustic music summit featuring longtime DJ Dakota Dave Hull (3-8 p.m. Sat., Minneapolis Eagles Club, 2507 E. 25th St.). There'll be plenty of potluck food, but no admission charge, so donations are strongly suggested. Gee, $30 might be a good idea ...
TOM SUROWICZ
