First Sussed-tacular event of 2008 - another smashing success!

Tuesday - 2/26/08
Bryant Lake Bowl Theater - Mpls

This altogether enchanting celebration marked another year for Sussed!, the Susstones Tuesday night DJ event that has been providing an early-in-the-week music buzz for discriminating aficionados for a dozen years now, the last 4 at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Lyn-Lake. These events are always a blast, but this one was a wall-to-wall success: a full house, awesome music, abundant good times.



Strange Lights bright light Joe Werner kicked the night off with a brief acoustic set that provided a very interesting contrast to the trippy electric excursions that have been wowing audiences at Strange Lights gigs lately. He played some new compositions, a song from his last band (Bridge Club) and ended his set with the stellar "Zombie Boots," a highlight of most every Strange Lights set and absolutely one of the coolest local songs of the last year.





Janey & Marc turned in their second great set in a row; this very well could've been the best outing yet for this supremely enthralling duo. No John Eller tonight, but drummer Peter Anderson, keyboardist Tim Oesau and bass player "Louie" rounded out what is the 5th (or 6th?) lineup used so far to bring the J&M magic to to the public. Oesau has played in this expanded J&M lineup once before; his contributions were particularly welcome, providing all kinds of wonderful textures that greatly enhanced the sonic proceedings in the cozy BLB theater. The abbreviated set went by in a flash -- the rapturous audience gave them a nice ovation and was clearly primed for some more.



A couple of notable things… Perly didn't waste any time unleashing his newest toy (just acquired that afternoon!), a Fender Electric XII 12 string, a distinctive, quite rare guitar made for a few years during the original Folk Rock boom in the mid to late 60s. This stunning looking axe has been played over the years by a most impressive list of musicians (Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Tim Buckley) and has been featured on some of the most famous recordings of the rock era (Tommy, "Stairway to Heaven"). Evidently, Perlman has decided if he's gonna do the "Folk Rock" thing, he might as well do it right!





Speaking of Tim Buckley, this was the second J&M show in a row that was highlighted by a song from the back catalog of this amazing folk/rock experimentalist, a true pioneer who left behind some of the most challenging, provocative music from Rock's golden age. Aside from being a gifted musician and vocalist, Buckley wasn't too shabby a songwriter either. Everybody in the room quickly fell under the J&M spell as they wove their way into "Song to the Siren," one of Buckley's most famous compositions (it was featured on the Monkees TV show and was also memorably covered by This Mortal Coil and the Cocteau Twins -- how's that for cultural diversity?).

Long afloat on shipless oceans
I did all my best to smile
'Til your singing eyes and fingers
Drew me loving to your isle
And you sang
Sail to me
Sail to me
Let me enfold you
Here I am
Here I am
Waiting to hold you

Did I dream you dreamed about me?
Were you here when i was full sail
Now my foolish boat is leaning
Broken lovelorn on your rocks,
For you sing,
"Touch me not, touch me not, come back tomorrow:
O my heart, O my heart shies from the sorrow"

I am puzzled
as the newborn child
I am troubled at the tide:
Should I stand amid the breakers?
Should I lie with Death my bride?
Hear me sing, "Swim to me,
Swim to me, Let me enfold you:
Here I am, Here I am, Waiting to hold you"

Simply stunning.

Their music may be new, but the past is never too far away when you take a trip into J&M's musical wonderland. The new retro axe, the carefully chosen period covers, the overall "folky" vibe -- all vivid reminders that often times the greatest music of today was also the greatest music of yesterday.





And continuing on the timelessness tip was Ed Ackerson + band, still basking in the glow of his fine solo debut album and related CD release party last November. The Susstones' Ace assembled the same crackin' good band he used at The Varsity: Peter Anderson, Tim Oesau, Marc Perlmam and Alarmist Eric Lovold -- nearly all the same players who had just backed up J&M. Talk about easy changeovers.



The entire set consisted of several songs from Ed Ackerson and every last one of them sounded great, not surprising considering the considerable collected talent of the band plus the quality of the material. After living with them for a few months, the songs on Ackerson's album continue to amaze -- this ageless collection of top drawer, often highly personal songs, inspired semi-acoustic instrumentation, beautiful singing and superlative production is a crowning achievment in Ackerson's long, storied career. On stage, the songs are vibrant and alive; in some cases -- like "Three Great Days" -- the needle gets pushed right up into the red as the band works things up into a truly impressive frenzy. I think the technical term for this is "rave up."

This intimate setting also allowed up close and personal contact with some of the best lyrics Ackerson has ever written.

It's only salt in the wounds now
Bringing up boats that I missed and how
I didn't live up to something
I never asked for
Parallel universe envy
Won't change anything here and now

I missed my calling...

Not bad for a "Space Rocker," huh?

Lovold once again deserves special mention -- his acoustic & electric guitar and harmony contributions are key elements in helping to elevate these live versions to a level they deserve. Kudos to him for coming along for the ride.





The night ended up with a brief but enjoyable set from "Phear and the Bullet," the nom de rock for Phil Solem (formerly of The Rembrandts) and Ryan Smith (currently of The Melismatics). These two cats have been playing around town in recent months – first as a mostly acoustic duo, lately as an electric three piece with the addition of Melismatics drummer Ron Caron. When they have the time to stretch things out (and perhaps consume a little “inspiration”) the combination of their chops, songs, charisma and undeniable comedic skills can be a potent force. On this occasion they only had time for 6 songs – some first rate pop from Solem (including “You Are Here,” a mesmerizingly good song), a couple of Melismatics gems and a finale that included, yup, you guessed it – “the song, I guess, we have to play.” Even though you’ve heard the Friends theme song a million times, only a cranky churl would deny its pure pop pleasures. And when P&TB whip up a spirited version of it on stage and everybody in the audience does the “clap thing” during the first verse...well, it just doesn’t get much better than that. Seriously!

What a perfect way to end the night – with a big fat smile on your face. And why not? We had just seen two hours of fantastic music in one of the coolest spaces in town, had been served drinks and food right we're sitting and hadn’t paid a damn thing for cover. That’s Sussed! – the weekly music bash that just keeps on giving. :-)

Sussed-tacular @ Bryant Lake Bowl in Mpls - February 26

SUSSEDTACULAR AT BLB!

Celebrating 4 years of SUSSED at the Bryant Lake Bowl


It’s time for another Sussedtacular extravaganza concert...which is really just an excuse for a bunch of Susstones artists and friends to get together and play some awesome music. Coming on the heels of the stellar Sussedtacular / Ed Ackerson CD release party combo platter at the Varsity Theater last November, the first Sussedtacular bash of 2008 promises to be equally exciting. This time the event will be held in the cozy confines of the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater.

What’s the occasion? Well, it’s been 4 years since Sussed, the long-running (since 1996) Tuesday night Susstones DJ event, moved into the front room of the BLB in the happenin’ Lyn-Lake neighborhood. Sussed main man Marc “Guv’nor” Mueller and his merry band of music freaks have been the best reason to head out on a Tuesday night for over a decade. Sussed is always a perfect opportunity to hear the latest cutting edge indie pop, deep classic soul grooves, pysch, freakbeat, garage nuggets, reggae, mod, brit invasion, choice cuts from Japan, Brazil and all points in between, soundtrack madness, proto-funk, post-punk, space-junk... basically whatever the hell the DJ wants to play! It happens every Tuesday in the front room at the BLB from 10pm-2am. Full bar / drink specials. And it’s free.


The poop on the concert:

Sussedtacular – Celebrating 4 years of Sussed at the BLB
Tuesday – February 26, 2008
Bryant Lake Bowl Theater
810 W. Lake Street (Bryant and Lake) – Minneapolis

10 pm sharp
ABSOLUTELY FREE


On tap for this must-see event:

Ed Ackerson + band – Ed’s eponymous solo album has been in the stores for a few months now and continues to amaze with its exceedingly smart brand of semi-acoustic folk/pop stylings and world-class production. On the album, Ed did the “one man band” thing. For recent live shows, including this one, he’s assembled an ace crew of local hot shots: Peter Anderson, Marc Perlman and Tim Oesau. Also playing with Ed will be Eric Lovold from The Alarmists on vocals and guitar, Minnesota’s latest white-hot sensation. Lovold’s contributions during live appearances with Ed last November made those occasions truly memorable.

Janey & Marc – former Jayhawk Marc Perlman and former Astronaut Wifer Janey Winterbauer have been making gorgeous music together for the last 15 months or so. Perlman had accumulated a boatload of songs without a home and Winterbauer’s amazing vocal talents had been adrift since AW’s entry into quasi-hibernation. They’ve recorded a bunch of cool stuff at Ed Ackerson’s Flowers studio and also have quietly become one of the most compelling live acts in town – Perlman’s sadly beautiful folk-pop and Winterbauer’s alluring voice are a match made in heaven.

Phear & The Bullet – aka Phil Solem (formerly of The Rembrandts; currently playing and recording solo, and also playing in Thrush, a rock trio with Michael Bland and John Fields) & Ryan Smith (currently with The Melismatics). Talk about your strange pairings! On paper, this looks like a classic odd couple situation – different generations, different musical styles, different hairdos. However, recent live shows at The Uptown Bar have been great in ways that almost nobody could’ve imagined, mixing Solem’s well-crafted, intelligent pop songs (and some Rembrandt’s stuff, too), revelatory acoustic versions of Melismatics songs from Smith, solid guitar work, interesting covers, goofy banter and tangible chemistry. In other words, this is not to be missed. Oh yeah, there’s a reasonably good chance that they’ll play that song – you know, the one that you secretly like but publicly diss around your friends.

Joe Werner – Werner is the singer/songwriter/guitarist for Strange Lights, a new collective of trippy space rockers who have already developed some serious chops that belies their youth. Spawned from the loins of Bridge Club and First Communion After Party, Strange Lights have been playing some amazing shows around town lately. Joe will be appearing in quasi-acoustic format, which should put his material in a different light than when the big freak machine is plugged in.

PLUS

Tasty tunes from the regular Sussed DJs:

Marc “Guv’nor” Mueller / Christian “MPLSLTD” Fritz / The Plate

Sussed-tacular! @ The Varsity Theater - Minneapolis - Nov. 23, 2007

there's no way this isn't going to be epic!






CD release party for the new Ed Ackerson solo album + much, much more


Tickets are now available for what will surely be one of the coolest shows of the Fall:

SUSSEDTACULAR! AT THE VARSITY

Friday - November 23, 2007

Varsity Theater - Minneapolis

featuring...

Ed Ackerson (of Polara) celebrating the release of his new solo album on Susstones

with very very special guests

The Melismatics
The Mood Swings
Janey & Marc (Janey Winterbauer & Marc Perlman)
Strange Lights (new band from members of Bridge Club and First Communion After Party)
Susstones Omniphonic Orchestra

plus

DJ The Guv'nor spinning a cornucopia of Scrumptious Sounds and deep Black Friday grooves

and

other stuff that shall remain nameless for now...

Varsity Theater calendar

"Sussed-tacular 3" bash @ BLB - Mpls - Jan. 23

Hot off the press from Susstones Central Command:

=================================

We’re celebrating the three-year anniversary of Sussed! at the Bryant-Lake Bowl with Sussed-tacular 3 on Tuesday, January 23rd.

The BLB Theater will be the scene for a fast-moving two hours of music featuring (in no particular order):

The Melismatics
The Mood Swings
Astronaut Wife
Ed Ackerson
Marc Perlman and Janey Winterbauer
Sideways

DJ sets throughout the evening from Marc “Guv’nor” Mueller and his Sussed! crew.

Additional surprise musical guests may be conjured if / when appropriate

In the tradition of previous Sussed-taculars and Susstones Soirées, Susstones artists and fellow travelers will perform short sets of tunes and collaborate / mutate in new combinations. Average set length will be about 15-20 minutes, perfect for the already supercharged sounds of The Melismatics and The Mood Swings. The show features a very rare solo showing from Ed Ackerson of Polara, who will be previewing a few of his new non-band songs. Marc Perlman and Janey Winterbauer will bring their new luminous, atmospheric tunes to the stage. Other rare birds on sonic display include instrumental outfit Sideways and the recently reinvigorated Astronaut Wife.

In appreciation of all the support the community has given Sussed! at BLB, this event is ABSOLUTELY FREE and open to anyone 18 or older. The show runs from 10 to midnight sharp, so come on out and help celebrate Sussed! with some fine live pop music.

Sussed-tacular 3

Susstones

Ed Ackerson article in Star Tribune

From the StarTribune

Last update: July 14, 2005 at 11:37 AM
Ed Ackerson: Producer, rocker, everyman


Published July 15, 2005

One of the few things lying around Ed Ackerson's studio last week that did not pertain to the recording process was the new issue of Magnet magazine, featuring a cover story on Hüsker Dü, the Replacements and "the rise and fall of [Minneapolis'] '80s scene."

The magazine proved to be a good talking point for the Polara leader, who's quoted inside. Back then he was a bright-eyed Stillwater teenager immersed in the music community. These days, he's 39 but no less involved.

"I got so much out of the scene when I was a kid," said Ackerson, who plays his first Polara gig in two years tonight for the 24-hour Day of Music.

"So many people were supportive and gave me a chance," he said. "It gave me this halcyon dream of what the Minneapolis scene can be. I'd like to think I provide that kind of help to some of the people coming up now."

Fittingly, Ackerson's Flowers Studio -- housed in a former Uptown flower shop -- played host last week to some yesteryear rockers and one of today's most buzzed-about new bands: Golden Smog and Missing Numbers. The Smog clan has been in and out of Flowers for the past two months, laying down enough great tracks to fill two albums, Ackerson said.

Missing Numbers, meanwhile, is one of about a dozen younger bands Ackerson has produced over the past year. Others include the Melismatics, Astronaut Wife and Mood Swings, all of whom release their CDs on Ackerson's record label, Susstones. (Yep, he's a record mogul, too.) He also has worked with acts so far off the radar that I had to fact-check their names, like Beight ("bait") and So It Goes.

"Some of the best records I've worked on are ones nobody's ever heard," he said.

Ackerson hasn't gotten rich producing albums by little-known rock bands -- certainly not rich enough to afford the kind of equipment at Flowers. The studio was paid for, in large part, with the money Polara got for signing a couple of big record deals in the '90s, with Interscope and then Palm Pictures.

"Instead of paying $250,000 at somebody else's studio, I figured, 'Let's just buy our own place,' " he recalled.

Probably his biggest studio job so far was working with "The Wall" producer Bob Ezrin on the Jayhawks' "Smile" record. Jayhawks bassist Marc Perlman remembered the two studio wizards making a good pair.

"One of Ed's best assets is his ability to combine his intellect with simple feel and instinct," said Perlman, who, by the way, is Polara's new bassist. "Like Bob Ezrin, he's stayed on top of the technology without sacrificing old-school recording techniques."

Over the past year-and-a-half, Ackerson and Jayhawks frontman Gary Louris have produced several albums together, including the recent debut by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, plus upcoming albums by Ohio songwriting great Tim Easton and L.A. rock band Limbeck. Rumors that Ackerson and Louris will soon be working under the Neptunes-like producers' acronym G.O.D. (Genius on Demand) are unfortunately untrue.

Unlike a lot of musicians turned producers, Ackerson genuinely doesn't seem to regret becoming more of a behind-the-scenes guy.

Polara will be doing more shows this year besides tonight's (10 p.m. in Peavey Plaza). The band -- also including keyboardist Jennifer Jurgens and drummer Pete Anderson -- just finished another new EP to go with the recently released feedback-rouser, "Green Shoes + 4." But Ackerson doesn't hold out any dreams of his group becoming more renowned.

"I never believed the hype about us being the American Oasis or the new Smashing Pumpkins, and in a lot of ways I'm happy that didn't come true," he said.

"I'd rather be here doing this -- making these great records that I believe in -- instead of having one big hit in 1998, and now we'd be playing the Taste of Omaha or wherever."

Sussed-tacular! - live Susstones event next Tuesday in Mpls

As some of you Twin Citians may know, the Susstones record label (Polara, Faux Jean, Melismatics, etc.) has a DJ event every Tuesday night at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis where a host of DJs - including Ed Ackerson - spin a wide variety of very cool music.

Next Tuesday (6/29), Susstones will be offering up "SUSSED-TACULAR!" a special live music event featuring:

The Mood Swings -- a hard rockin' power-fuzz trio who have been ripping up local stages recently. Special "celebrity" bassist for this performance only.

The Melismatics -- one of the best live acts currently performing in the upper Midwest. If you like the first two Cheap Trick albums (pre-Budokan), you'll go nuts over these guys. A special "acoustic" performance.

David Poe -- everybody's fave Lower East Side pop bobo, this talented and charismatic sweetie always puts on a great show and is a major FOJ (friend of the Jayhawks) to boot. Rare acoustic performance featuring new material from his superb upcoming album "Love is Red."

Sideways -- This is Ed Ackerson's futuristic / retro side project, an instrumental combo that will be playing tunes from 2002’s excellent Sideways CD, “Oblivion and Points Beyond.” Blending several ‘60s genres (mod, pysch, R&B, acid rock, Brit blues, spy film soundtracks), with Ackerson’s unique vision and always superb axe work, a Sideways show is like getting lost in the world’s best record collection circa 1968. This will be an extremely rare live outing -- only the third public Sideways performance ever. And check out the killer band: Peter Anderson and Kraig Johnson (who play alongside Ackerson in The Program), keyboardist Tim Oseau and former Jayhawks roadie, Blake Hurlbert on percussion. Completing the trip will be interactive visuals from CoLab.

Also: the usual “Sussed” DJ sets before and after the music plus a strong likelihood of a “special guest” or two or three.

Doors at 9:30; music from 10pm-midnite in the intimate confines of the Bryant Lake Bowl Theater (capacity <100). Located in the heart of Lyn-Lake on Lake St., a block west of Lyndale (and just a few blocks east of Uptown). Tickets will be cheap ($5 or less).

http://www.susstones.com/sussnews.html