Two cool new concert announcements today:
1) As expected, Rhymesayers revealed the lineup and other info for its third annual Soundset festival, happening again May 30 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. Atmosphere, Brother Ali, P.O.S. and most of the rest of the hometown crew will be at the fest, and so will Method Man & Redman, Hieroglyphics featuring Del The Funky Homosapien, Souls of Mischief, Casual and Pep Love, Freeway with Jake One, Wiz Khalifa, Cage and DJ Rob Swift, among many others. Tickets go on sale Friday morning through Ticketmaster for $35 apiece. As was mentioned in the Lilith Fair announcement -- but I'm guessing there's not much of an audience crossover in this case -- this year's Canterbury Park concerts are being moved out of the parking lot and into a grassy field (which, weirdly, was used as a parking lot for previous concerts). Go to www.rhymesayers.com for all the details.
2) French synth-pop darlings Phoenix are coming back to town Aug. 12, its third time here behind its still-fresh-sounding breakthrough album, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix." A sign of how far the record has taken the band, this time it's performing at the State Theatre (following stops at the Varsity and then First Ave). Tickets go on sale Saturday at noon for $37.50. If you're wondering whether or not the band is worth that rather Euro-like price, check out this rather blissful video from its First Ave set.
