Tax Day isn't just a great date for the 4onthefloor to headline First Avenue again, it's also the theme of a fun new EP the quartet will tout at Friday's show. Titled "Tax Stomp," it finds howlin' wolfman Gabriel Douglas riffing on economic woes in the new song "Pound of Flesh" alongside penny-pinching covers by Billy Joel, Charlie Parr and Mike Munson. Certainly adding bang for the buck, White Light Riot will reunite to open Friday's gig along with Erik Koskinen (9 p.m., $15). …
4onthefloor's July 6 date at Target Field is one of 10 confirmed for the Twins' Midwest Music Showcase during Wednesday home games, also including Astronautalis (April 27), Holidae (May 25), Bad Bad Hats (June 22), Har Mar Superstar (July 27) and Dem Atlas (Sept. 7). … KFAI-FM is hosting a two-night, two-stage listener's appreciation bash and fundraiser at the Minneapolis Eagles Club with Al Subola's Bad Companions, Phil Heywood, Cafe Accordion Orchestra, Mother Banjo and more on Friday and a Saturday lineup including Parr, Kinda Kinky and the April Fools (7:30 p.m., $10 each night). …
A different Parr, "St. Elmo's Fire" hitmaker John Parr, comes to mind while listening to the '80s-flavored debut EP by the Step Rockets, "Future Nature," newly issued on Los Angeles' Harbour Records. One track, "Kisser," has already garnered sizable Spotify play, and the quartet also earned recent TV placement in "Cougartown" and "Shameless." Release party is Saturday at 7th Street Entry (9 p.m., $10-$12). … The Suicide Commandos aren't just reuniting next weekend to open Bob Mould's two First Ave gigs, the punk pioneers are also planning to record songs for their first album in three decades. Meanwhile, guitarist/co-vocalist Chris Osgood has lent his song title and guidance to the History Theatre's new musical, "Complicated Fun," based on the early-'80s scene at First Ave. It opens April 30. …
Much more worthy of going viral than that cute Hamburger Helper rap mixtape, Metasota was splashed across hip-hop blogs and YouTube this week in a clip that shows him freestyling a tribute to Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest on stage with Jay Electronica at the Cabooze last weekend. That should make a nice set-up for Meta's new album "RUM DMT," coming May 1.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
