Radio K

Radio K is going to SXSW!

2010-02-17T22:59:00.009-06:00

More details to come on our 2nd annual broadcast from Austin, TX in March, but I thought we would tease it here first. Be on the lookout for tons of information in the coming weeks. Radio K is taking you to SXSW and giving you exclusive coverage of a multitude of bands.

We're collaborating with quite a few people:
Shearwater, Holy Fuck, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Phantogram, Malachai, Peter Wolf Crier, Dengue Fever, Midlake, Neon Indian, Le Loup, The Dutchess & the Duke, Joan of Arc, Lookbook, Jeremy Messersmith, UUVVWWZ, The Very Best, The Love Language, Wye Oak, Golden Triangle and much, much more...

Excited? We sure are! We're bringing the Radio K listener with us 1000 miles away, and we're glad you can come along for the ride. Stay tuned.

-Jon, Radio K Music Director

Bowerbirds Review @ the Varsity Theater

2010-02-03T22:32:00.016-06:00

Photo by Marisa Wojcik, Radio K volunteer (more photos below)

The Varsity was a fitting venue for the Raleigh, NC band Bowerbirds. With southern ties, the band felt right at home in the Midwest’s best oversized living room/concert venue. Even the crowd had to rise from their sitting positions on the massive rugs strewn across the floor. The anti-climactic stage entrance was on par with their humble, genuine approach to playing music for fans, friends, and family alike. Lead man Phil Moore, unshaven and flannel on full display, even reminisced about family trips to the land of 10,000 lakes, while the drummer grew up in Wisconsin and attended University of Minnesota - Duluth. The only facial hair-less member of the crew was vocalist key extraordinaire, Beth Tacular.

Promoting their newest album, Upper Air, the band has won the hearts of many with their unique combination of harmonies, droning accordion, plunky mandolin, and affectionate lyrics. Combining love and nostalgia with such pastoral images as the cascades crumbling, nervous coyotes, ponderosa and the tall trees, it would be an injustice not to embrace the life they envision. Perhaps most prominent is the galloping cadence singer Phil Moore uses to convey his tension and his release. His anticipation and his tranquility were vivid in the band’s performance of 'Crooked Lust'. “My conscience is an avalanche, majestic, bewildering, and holy and careless...” Invoking the spirit of America’s deep-seeded romanticism, the likes of Leopold, Muir, and Thoreau would nod in bearded approval.

Beginning with those few heavy strums, ‘Northern Lights’ professes the story of a man conflicted by two loves: one for a woman and one for nature. Dually conveyed in the texture juxtaposed by coarse chords and light drops from the piano, these two desires clash yet reach a common ground. Especially when the divided soul-searcher claims, “Yes I do need to know my place”, despite wanting the human comfort of looking into another’s eyes. Also in the unparalleled beauty of the “fern unfurling in the spring” and the magnitude of the wind upon his face.

The truest sign that this show was a success was not how loud the crowd roared for an encore, but in the utter silence displayed by the entrancing 'Bright Future'. Maybe those in attendance are just respectful, but I’d like to think they share that same bucolic vision and feel the affinity for nature and lovers alike. Truly unpretentious, Bowerbirds gave genuine thanks and appreciation for such support and noticeable pleasure.

Zach Wood, Radio K volunteer

Sharon Van Etten & Bowerbirds at the Varsity

2010-01-31T18:37:00.006-06:00

Did you get a chance to catch the Bowerbirds/Sharon Van Etten show at the Varsity? Radio K volunteer, Marisa Wojcik, took some fantastic photos of the concert. Our Sharon Van Etten instudio will be posted to the web shortly, so keep your eyes out for that! (click each photo for a larger image)

Sharon Van Etten

Bowerbirds

Photos by Marisa Wojcik, Radio K volunteer

Double Bird on our local show, Off the Record!

2010-01-30T11:27:00.011-06:00

Local band Double Bird stopped by a week ago for an instudio session at Radio K as part of our local music show Off the Record (Fridays, 3-5PM CST)! Here are some teaser photos from the performance. More to come when we post the session online in the next few weeks alongside many others (CLAPS, Sharon Van Etten, and Retribution Gospel Choir, to name a few).

Double Bird's MySpace page

Photos by Marisa Wojcik, Radio K volunteer

Radio K Needs DJs!

2009-11-23T20:32:00.002-06:00

Radio K is recruiting new DJs for the upcoming year. If you are a University of Minnesota student with a passion for music, send an email to Lauren, our volunteer coordinator at volunteer@radiok.org and let her know you're interested.

Alela Diane Review

2009-11-19T18:29:00.004-06:00

Wednesday night saw a powerful demonstration of the folk movement, as three leading women in the genre took the stage at the 7th Street Entry. Evoking sparse, stripped-down arrangements, Lucy Michelle, Marisa Nadler, and Alela Diane employed just guitar and the occasional bass, in what was noted as the “economy leg” of the tour. By the end of the night, the Entry had a quiet, but energized buzz echoing throughout the room, and was packed with a much older crowd.

Alela Diane

The main focus for most came during Alela Diane’s performance, fresh off the release of a new collaborative EP with California singer Alina Hardin. Touring consistently since her first show with Blitzen Trapper in Minneapolis back in February, Diane lent a bittersweet tone to the air when she told the audience she had come full circle, playing the last show of her nine month tour in the same city she started.

Without a full band in tow, Diane and her good friend, bassist Tom Bevitori, lazily sauntered into a beautiful set, cracking light jokes with the extremely receptive audience whom seemed to hang on her every word. With just around forty-five minutes of play-time, Diane focused not just on her superb and critically acclaimed second album To Be Still, but also a balance of new material including a song she had recently written on the road, a tune she admitted was the typical lament regarding desolation and exhaustion on the lengthy highway tours she had embarked on.

The easy stand-out of the night came in the guise of “Every Path,” in which the soft and tranquil beginning transitioned into a powerful and brassy guitar duet, and as was the case with almost every song in her set, drumbeats were replaced with the alternating stomps of both artist’s boots. In many instances, the two-person arrangement was even more effective than the album, and the barren “To Be Still” and “White as Diamonds” seemed particularly poignant against a stage with almost no set-up.

Diane has been lauded across the musical sphere recently for reigniting folk in quite the indefinable way, shifting her sound remarkably between each track. Having already toured with Vashti Bunyan and Iron & Wine, it is only a matter of time before the talented chanteuse is able to be in the primary spotlight consistently and expand her palette to unassuming listeners.

Written by Jon, Radio K volunteer
Photos by Molly, Radio K volunteer

Radio K at CMJ! pt. 3

2009-11-01T19:55:00.013-06:00

After the broadcast on Friday, we made our way to Brooklyn to take in some more music. Mark and Genevieve went to the Paw Tracks showcase to see Kría Brekkan, formerly of Icelandic band Múm. Given that Paw Tracks was founded by members of Animal Collective and Kría Brekkan is married to David Portner (aka Avey Tare of AC) it was no surprise to see him in the crowd. The show was in a tiny room in the back of a restaurant, a space called the Cameo Gallery. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling with a video loop of colors going across them. All in all it was exactly what could be expected from Kría Brekkan: playful explorations of melody perfectly complemented by her childlike voice and accordion.

Next we went to the Music Hall of Williamsburg, where Phantogram was playing after performing for our remote broadcast earlier in the day. The duo played the most forceful set any of us saw at CMJ, pounding precise electronic beats under the cool vocals of Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter. Though people seemed unfamiliar with them when they took the stage, songs like "Running from the Cops" and closer "When I'm Small" had the main floor transfixed and head-bobbing. Phantogram definitely left a mark on a CMJ audience that was not easily impressed.

As people packed into the venue after Phantogram's set, it became clear that the main attraction of the night was The XX, a four-piece of London 20-year-olds whose self-titled debut has been soaking in praise from bloggers, critics, and us at Radio K. The band took the stage with their hyper-cool veneer, but you could see their eyes widen as they first took in the wall-to-wall audience. The band played every song off their album, never varying a note from the recordings. The crowd didn't seem to mind, and several girls repeatedly let loose screams between songs reminiscent of the hysteria of Beatles' concerts. Must be something about the Brits...

Later in the night, we all headed over to the Knitting Factory for the Daptone label showcase, where we saw Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens. Flanked by three backup singers and a full band, Shelton was clearly enjoying herself as she fired off songs from their debut album, "What Have You Done, My Brother." As is always the case with bands on Daptone, the musicians backing Shelton were fantastic. The horns in particular did a great job leaning into the melody at points and giving Shelton's voice some room to breathe when she needed it.

All in all, Friday was a pretty good synthesis of what's best about CMJ: musicians of all different genres, ages and demeanor, all playing great music, all just a hop, skip and a subway away.

Radio K at CMJ! pt. 2

2009-10-24T08:30:00.010-06:00

Friday we had our remote broadcast from the studios of WNYU. We started with a great performance from one of our favorite new bands, Phantogram. The duo out of Saratoga Springs, NY layer dense, dark rhythms with pristine vocals that hover above the mash of heavy electronics. Sarah Barthel's voice is reminiscent of Portishead's Beth Gibbons, complementing Joshua Carter's vocals, which mesh with the band's dark beats.

We were supposed to have an in-studio performance from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, but unfortunately he wasn't able to make it. With the help of some very kind people we got Brent Knopf of Ramona Falls/Menomena to stop in for a few songs. Playing tracks off our past Weekly Release Spotlight, Intuit, Knopf charmed us all despite the fact that he was playing a borrowed acoustic guitar from a random student in the NYU cafeteria.

Radio K at CMJ!

2009-10-23T08:33:00.008-06:00

Hello from Mark, Ellie, Jake, and Genevieve in New York City! We are here for the CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival, the annual gathering of the independent radio industry, artists, and radio stations. There are around a thousand bands playing throughout the city, as well as daily panel discussions on topics related to the current state of the music industry. Yesterday our very own Music Director, Jake Knight, was a panelist on a discussion about how to deal with competition as an independent radio station. Several of the panelists were from Internet-only stations and they offered interesting insight about how difficult it can be to acquire an FM signal in an already saturated market. One station even talked about a competitor who was trying to hijack their existing FM station. Jake shared our experience with adapting to new technology like the public radio player application for the iPhone or iPod touch, as well as our positive relationships with the local music community and our own university. He also talked about our unique programming and our digital music sampler.

After the panel discussion we stopped by the studios of WNYU to check out the space. Best part about the place: the sign in their studio that reads, "If this is Rock n' Roll, I want my day job back." We also went to a show they put on later in the night, which featured a performance from Eric Copeland of Black Dice.

The radio station of New York University, WNYU.

We also saw The XX do an in-store performance which was spectacular and very crowded. Later on we went to a showcase and saw Surfer Blood, a bunch of young lads that sound exactly like you'd imagine, Air Waves, a jangly version of Mirah, and Surf City, a noisy 4-piece with girl-group ooh's and aah's over distorted bassy chords.

Surf City

We are getting ready for the remote broadcast of in-studio performances from Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson and Phantogram, happening today at 12pm CST. Be sure to tune in!

We're in the Top 25!

2009-10-01T12:52:00.013-06:00

Radio K made it into the top 25 stations for the mtvU College Radio Woodie awards, so keep on voting! That’s quite an accomplishment and not an easy task. There were over 260 schools and now they're down to the best 25 college radio stations in the entire country!

Rock On. VOTING ENDS 10.26.09. VOTE NOW!.

As always, vote as many times as you want, and as often as you want!

Radio K at CMJ 2009

2009-10-01T11:13:00.001-06:00

Radio K has been selected as one of six college radio stations in the country to broadcast live at the College Music Journal (CMJ) 2009 Music Marathon and Film Festival in New York City.
Radio K will broadcast live on Friday, Oct. 23, 12-2 pm., from the studios of WNYU.

mtvU College Radio Woodie Awards

2009-09-21T14:26:00.011-06:00

Help Radio K Win an mtvU College Radio Woodie Award by voting for us here. We've made it to the Top 50 stations, but we need your help to get to the next round. Vote as many times as you want, and as often as you want!

The remaining Top 25 stations will be announced on Sept. 29th.

Show Review: Daniel Johnston at First Ave - 08.13.09

2009-09-02T17:39:00.002-06:00

Singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston is one of the rare breed of musicians whose personal life often trumps his discography. Born in Sacramento but raised in West Virginia, and a longtime Texan resident, Johnston has led a difficult life, owing to a chronic severe mental illness that was the subject of the award-winning 2006 documentary “The Devil and Daniel Johnston.” Johnston’s influence is wide-ranging, with musicians from Kurt Cobain to Beck to the Flaming Lips all claiming inspiration from the troubled singer’s output.

Performing at the First Avenue Mainroom, a visibly trembling Johnston played his own version of Bob Dylan’s infamous Royal Albert Hall concert, albeit with much less controversy surrounding this one. The first half consisted of Johnston on an antique acoustic guitar and featured such repertoire staples as “Hollywood Movies,” as well as, with a little help from his friend Brett Hartenbach on guitar, a cover of the Beatles’ “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.”

After a short intermission, Johnston came back on stage with a rocking full band, three members of whom had played earlier in the night as local band Knife World. Under this line-up, Johnston played favorites like “Speeding Motorcycle” and “Rock and Roll.” The crowd responded enthusiastically to Johnston’s every move, some professing their love for the musician while others simply cheered him on. One audience member called out, “You’re beautiful, Daniel!” to which Johnston gave a dubious thumbs-up.

Overall, Johnston gave a heartfelt performance that was in turns funny and heartbreaking. His clearly unstable condition, physically and mentally, was sometimes hard to watch, and I sometimes wondered if he wouldn’t just break down completely from playing such painfully honest songs. That he didn’t is perhaps a testament to his courage and creativity.

Written by Dave Introwitz-Williams, Radio K volunteer.

Photos by Phil Borreson, Radio K volunteer.

Show Review: Awesome Snakes - 7.30.09

2009-08-19T11:45:00.009-06:00

Entering the 7th Street Entry, one would imagine people standing around, semi-engaged awkward conversations. Instead, over half the room was hunched over, competitively coloring on an image of a triangular monster. It was a coloring contest hosted by the Awesome Snakes for some free merch.The night was kicked off by the local trio, The Vignettes, jamming out some rockin’ tunes about their cats. Personal and the Pizzas was absent due to illness, yet their replacements didn’t lack any ability to punch it out and set the bar high for the night.

Coconut Coolouts set up on the stage without a standard drummer, but two singers who had their own personal sets consisting of a floor tom, a snare, and a ride cymbal. Even though there was a lack of bass drum, there was definitely plenty of groove beats to go around with songs like “Spinaround” and “Party Jail.” Energetic concert goers worked their way to the front to skat-a-round. One kid proudly claimed to have gotten an asthma attack in the dance chaos.

After a few sound difficulties during set up and the declaration of a winner for the coloring contest, the Awesome Snakesentered the stageready to rock. As soon as the band started playing, dedicated fans crazily jumped around, smashing into each other as the drum and bass tones unleashed distorted roars and hissing feedback. The set included most songs from the band’s album Venom, including “the Future of Snake Industsry” and “I Want a Snake.” There was also newer material that was successfully accepted by die-hard fans. When the band would finish the song, the crowd would relentlessly taunt the band. The jeers were all in good fun and the band happily retaliated. At the end of the night, a sweaty crowd gathered outside, smoking their cigs, and exclaiming how wonderful they felt.

Written by Sean Kwon, Radio K volunteer.

Photos by Phil Borreson, Radio K volunteer.

Pitchfork Music Festival Interviews

2009-07-30T09:09:00.014-06:00

We were lucky enough to speak to several Pitchfork performers during the festival. Check out what they had to say below!

Cassie of Vivian Girls

Nick and Paul of Beirut (next to the portas...)

Ken and Dustin of Ponytail

The Dutchess and the Duke

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

Women

Silas of Mew

Pitchfork Music Festival: Day 3

2009-07-20T16:07:00.005-06:00

Day 3 of the Pitchfork Music Festival appeared to draw a significantly larger crowd than Saturday, despite both days being sold out. We stopped by the record tent to see our friends from Modern Radio Record Label selling their records in addition to merch from other Twin Cities bands and labels. We also got a chance to talk with members from Women, Beirut, Vivian Girls and Mew. Check back later to hear what they had to say.

-(2:40 pm) We caught part of the set from Killer Whales, an up and coming Chicago band. They brought spirit and energy to a slightly sluggish Sunday afternoon. When we spoke with Paul and Nick of Beirut, they expressed their undying love for Killer Whales. We may just follow in suit.

-(3:35 pm) Next up for us was Women. Despite less-than-ideal sound quality, the band drew a huge crowd and left us and most everyone else extremely satisfied. Even though we've seen them multiple times in the past year back home in Minneapolis, it's hard to miss a show from Calgary's best.

Women

-(4:15 pm) The Thermals' set consisted of material off of their new record, Now We Can See. And in a departure from all other sets we witnessed, they performed multiple covers, including Nirvana, The Breeders and Sonic Youth.

-(5 pm) The five o'clock hour brought much confusion and disappointment (in ourselves). We caught a bit of The Walkmen's set from an unsatisfactory distance and couldn't hear it the way we would have liked. Additionally, we erred and missed Japandroids, whose new record is being rereleased on Polyvinyl in a few weeks. Our bad.

The Walkmen

-(6:15 pm) Everything was made better by the magic of M83. Their show ranked high on many K-ers lists and the crowd seemed to agree. Providing some of the best sound of the weekend, the band displayed immense energy and the most humble of attitudes. They appeared shocked by the crowd size and were endlessly thankful to the thousands of bobbing heads and dancing bodies.

M83

  -(7:25 pm) Grizzly Bear was packed, as expected. The sound, like most shows on Stage C, was sub-par. Too much bass. Nonetheless, it was still Grizzly Bear. We'll wait for their September show at First Avenue.

-(7:30 pm) We split time between some disappointing Grizzly Bear sound issues and a performance from Mew. They proved to be an energetic and mobile bunch of Danes, and the crowd seemed very responsive. A new full-length from Mew will be out in August.

-(8:30 pm) The Flaming Lips and The Very Best both took their respective stages for the final shows of the weekend. Nearly the entire main stage field was encompassed with Flaming Lips fans/onlookers, while a few K-ers chose the international beats of The Very Best. We've heard very mixed reviews of both shows. The Flaming Lips busted out some rarely played, as well as brand new songs, in addition to their infamous man-sized hamster ball and confetti and balloon explosions. Depending on who you asked, Wayne Coyne was either a pop god or a cranky, old man. The Very Best played what we believe to be the only Michael Jackson tribute of the festival.

The Flaming Lips

Today’s highlights: -Scouring the craft tents and poster sales (and picking up the new Vampire Hands LP) -The outstanding stage presence of M83 -Delicious festival cornbread -Ideal weather for the third day in a row! -"Black Rice" by Women -Pharoahe Monch's colorful language

Interviews coming soon!

Pitchfork Music Festival: Day 2

2009-07-19T13:35:00.009-06:00

Day 2 of the Pitchfork Music Festival   The Pitchfork Music Fest opened its gates today for the first of its two full days of music (compared to the Saturday/Sunday lineups, Friday's 4 acts look like a drop in the pond). We caught as many of the bands as we could, and with a record number of Radio K'ers watching bands, interviewing artists, eating food and shopping for music in the record tent, we'd bet that we saw a bit of everything.

-(1 pm) Chicago's own Disappears started off with a short and sweet set of newish material (Jake hopes this means a full-length is on the way). Lucky for us, we'll see them again at the Turf Club with Obits and The Dynamiters on Sunday, July 26. We were hoping for a reunion from The Ponys, as Jered and Melissa (founding members and husband and wife) as well as Brian (now in Disappears) were all in sight. Unfortunately, this was too good to be true- Jered and Melissa instead joined The Dutchess and the Duke, who took the stage following Disappears. The D&D brought a welcome 60s/70s vibe to our Saturday morning.  

Disappears

The Dutchess & the Duke

-(2:30 pm) Fucked Up came next for us, which proved to be a polarizing show for the crowd. We heard reactions ranging from "the best show ever" to "the worst band" these Pitchforkers had ever seen. We enjoyed the energetic display, with props to the jumbotron cameramen who did not skimp on footage of frontman Damien “Pink Eyes” Abraham, who encouraged the mosh pit with vigor. The discovery of an open pocketknife at the frontlines by one Radio K’er made us glad that we weren’t too close!

Fucked Up

-(3:20 pm) The Pains of Being Pure at Heart drew a surprisingly large and head-bobbing crowd. Relative newcomers to the festival circuit, The Pains seemed ecstatic just to be playing in front of such a big crowd (especially one so clearly nostalgic for feel-good teen angst, with memories of hiding "behind the stacks in the library"). The light rain that came and went only added to the atmosphere of being caught in a scene from Say Anything.

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart

-(4:15 pm) Final Fantasy appeared to be cool and calm, despite an admission that he "rarely plays outdoor shows like [Pitchfork]". His songs played out beautifully, with elegant loops and subtle arrangements. Several people appreciated the opportunity to take a break from the pop-music excitement and nap on the grass.

-(6:15 pm) Doom appeared in his signature mask (surprising no one), and sang his songs eerily true to his latest album, Born Like This. Despite the lack of surprises there, he played a supremely solid set, complete with thousands of hipster hands doing the one-handed wave.

  -(6:30 pm) Lindstrom, DJing solo and barely visible from the crowd on the smaller B stage, delivered his even, powerful, electronic beats to a quiet audience. It met with mixed reviews among those we spoke with- several people arrived early to get space for the upbeat Matt and Kim, which may have had something to do with it. Diehard Lindstrom fans were not disappointed.

-(7:25 pm) Beirut charmed an enormous audience that overflowed onto the furthest baseball fields- frontman Zach Condon's antics, and fan favorites like "Scenic World" and the pitch-perfect "Postcards From Italy" made for a memorable show that is sure to be a festival highlight for many.

Zach Condon of Beirut

Paul Collins of Beirut

-(7:45 pm) Matt and Kim arrived onstage as pumped up as ever, maintaining their reputation as the ultimate unstoppable pop duo- their upbeat songs played out even more exciting live than on their records. Their fans took advantage of the treacherous mosh pit, and we saw many a teen crowd surfing to the front. We even heard a cover of The Final Countdown!

-(9 pm) The Black Lips headlined over at the small B stage, closing things out for the night. Although we were tired, The Black Lips proved to be the men for the job of waking us all back up. Their reputed Atlanta high-jinks were kept in check by security guards, so it was all good, clean fun. After their set, we left the fest exhausted but satisfied.

Today’s highlights: -Awesome awesome barbecue turkey sandwiches (decidedly worth the $7 that we shelled out for them) -The Black Lips smashing a guitar in their FIRST song -Vegan ice cream cones -Finding Minneapolis friends Aesthetic Apparatus and Burlesque selling their posters at the Flatstock poster exhibition -Some guy pointing his corncob in the air for Doom -So much good music!

Pitchfork Music Festival: Day 1

2009-07-17T23:31:00.006-06:00

We've survived the first day of Pitchfork after a brutal drive. We got to hear Tortoise while waiting in line for our tickets and also caught Yo La Tengo, The Jesus Lizard and Built to Spill. Tonight was "Write the Night," where the bands played songs chosen in advance by fans. Our very own Radio K DJ Anna set a record for naming the most bands who have played Pitchfork (past or present) in 30 seconds (we're very proud!)

It was an adventure - frisbees flew, tempers flared in the lines for the bathrooms, bus stops were missed and as usual, David Yow of The Jesus Lizard was spitting. A lot.

Stay tuned all weekend as we'll be updating the blog and adding pictures during our time at Pitchfork. Follow us on Twitter to get the play-by-play: http://twitter.com/radiok

Radio K at Pride 2009!

2009-07-16T13:10:00.000-06:00

Check out footage from Radio K's adventures at the 2009 Pride Parade!

Video Courtesy Carl Martin

Show Review: Sunset Rubdown - 7th St. Entry, 7.6.09

2009-07-08T10:55:00.004-06:00

“Thanks for being patient with us,” Spencer Krug sheepishly uttered into the microphone to a tightly-packed 7^th Street Entry. Tending to an pre-show nosebleed from one of the band members, the audience was ablaze in anticipation. There was much talk of an almost completely sold-out performance weeks ago, which was validated by the cramped capacity. The night so far had seen receptive performances by Elfin Saddle and particularly the Montreal-based Witchies, and the atmosphere only continued to buzz as Krug made his brief apology only to exit the stage again.

Several minutes later though, the band confidently took the stage to an uproar. There was no room to move, and any empty space was engulfed. Starting off slow, the band eventually propelled into “Black Swan” from their fourth and most recent album “Dragonslayer.” Camilla Wynne Ingr’s vocals matched Krug’s on almost every level, adding dimension especially to Jordan Robson-Cramer’s intense drumming. Anyone weary of how the multi-layered aspects of Sunset Rubdown’s compositions would translate live quickly saw their worries rebuffed. The band was tightly rehearsed, flowing freely from new to old material as if it was all one continuous track.

Hardly stopping for applause, the band launched into “The Mending of the Gown” off of 2007’s “Random Spirit Lover” and then into the wonderful “Idiot Heart” with gorgeous vocal interplays between Krug and Ingr. Thrown in between the solid material transitions were a few surprises for the Minneapolis audience: the band played a few new tunes, making me wonder just how prolific these guys can be – after all, they have released four critically-acclaimed albums in the past three years, in addition to Krug’s work with Wolf Parade, Frog Eyes and Swan Lake. The new tracks garnered equal applause as material that had already been released, but they weren’t as experimental and were definitely less memorable. It was easy during those times to get caught up in thinking what they would play next instead of appreciating the moment.

Krug noted how good and polite the Minneapolis audience was, eliciting numerous cheers throughout the night. Members of the crowd reciprocated witty banter onstage between the band members, making it a very personable show. A highlight came when Krug fumbled with adjusting his microphone for a few minutes (and gave up in the process) while people jokingly cheered him on.

By the end of the night, it was evident how tight and emotional of a show the band had put on, and no one could deny the amount of energy they had put into illustrating the full soundscape of their compositions. Fans thirsting for more need not wait longer it seems. If Sunset Rubdown continues its pace of endless creativity, there will be many more albums to come.

-Written by Jon, Radio K volunteer

School of Seven Bells interview

2009-05-29T07:23:00.002-06:00

Radio K DJ Dave had a chance to catch up with School of Seven Bells before their show with Black Moth Super Rainbow at the Triple Rock last Friday. Here's what they had to say!

Mayer Hawthorne guest DJ set on Radio K

2009-04-29T17:21:00.005-06:00

Mayer Hawthorne stopped by Radio K last night before his show with Peanut Butter Wolf, James Pants and Dam-Funk to do a DJ set for us! He also chatted with the host of On The Corner (Radio K's jazz/funk/soul/r&b show), DJ Fizzy.

Listen to the interview here:

And the mix here:

Battle of the Underage Underground!

2009-04-27T20:50:00.003-06:00

Radio K is now reviewing submissions for our 9th Annual Battle of the Underage Underground! Applicants will be contacted by June 6th. The 7 winners will be performing at First Avenue's Mainroom on June 14th for their chance to win prizes. Thanks to all who applied!

Check out the flyer!

Interview with Fucked Up

2009-04-10T18:26:00.000-06:00

Radio K DJ Dave got to sit down with Damian (aka Pink Eyes...and a lot of other pseudonyms) from Canadian band Fucked Up before their show at the Triple Rock. They talked about the band's recent tour in China and the lost art of the 8-track. Listen here!

Jason of ...Trail of Dead at Radio K

2009-04-07T16:14:00.000-06:00

Jason Reece from ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead was nice enough to stop by the Radio K studios and guest DJ for a while before their show at the Triple Rock Social Club. He talked about the new Trail of Dead record, why he loves Jay Reatard and his new side project, Midnight Masses.