Erik Thompson

Critics' Picks: Lee "Scratch" Perry, Buck 65, Lil' Kim, and more

Critics' Picks: Van Halen, Rick Ross, the Cranberries, and more

Critics' Picks: The Black Keys, Big Freedia, St. Vincent, and more

Top 10 worst Minnesota songs

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota songsTop 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsFirst Avenue's 20 best concerts: Readers' picksFor all of the impressive songsmiths penning grand lyrics and melodies inspired by our fair Minnesota, there are nearly as many embarrassing clunkers doing ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota songs: The complete list

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsFirst Avenue's 20 best concerts: Readers' picks50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneCountless songwriters have found inspiration in the Land of 10,000 Lakes over the years, and even more have hit upon something revelatory ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota songs: #10-1

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota songs: #20-11Top 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsCountless songwriters have found inspiration in the Land of 10,000 Lakes over the years, and even more have hit upon something revelatory about Minnesota without ever becoming full-time residen ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota songs: #20-11

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsMinneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneCountless songwriters have found inspiration in the Land of 10,000 Lakes over the years, and even more have hit upon something revel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: De La Soul, Fountains of Wayne, Lights, and more

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsMinneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneCountless songwriters have found inspiration in the Land of 10,000 Lakes over the years, and even more have hit upon something revel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Howler, Tanlines, White Denim, and more

Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musiciansFirst Avenue's 20 best concertsMinneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneCountless songwriters have found inspiration in the Land of 10,000 Lakes over the years, and even more have hit upon something revel ... More >>

First Avenue's 20 best concerts: The complete list

Related:First Avenue: An archived history via flyers, riders & contractsFirst Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete listFirst Avenue is undoubtedly among the premier rock clubs in the country -- possibly the world. Since 1970, the building at the interse ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Seun Kuti, Perfume Genius, Cults, and more

Related:First Avenue: An archived history via flyers, riders & contractsFirst Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete listFirst Avenue is undoubtedly among the premier rock clubs in the country -- possibly the world. Since 1970, the building at the interse ... More >>

First Avenue's 20 best concerts: #20-11

Related:First Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneMinneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.First Avenue is undoubtedly among the premier rock clubs in the country -- possibly the world. Since 197 ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Lucero, Thomas Dolby, White Rabbits, and more

Related:First Avenue's 40 years of rock 'n' rollTop 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list50 cool facts about the Minnesota music sceneMinneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.First Avenue is undoubtedly among the premier rock clubs in the country -- possibly the world. Since 197 ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list

​Related:Minneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.Minnesotans need to remember to exhale sometimes -- especially fresh on the heels of being ranked as the number two music scene in the country. Shouldn't it be enough to simply enjoy a rich history of quality musicians blossoming from f ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: #10-1

​Related:Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: #20-11Minneapolis music scene named second-best in the U.S.10. Babes in ToylandOrigin: Minneapolis | Active: 1987-2001 | Songs: "Bruise Violet" and "Sweet 69"  Kat Bjelland is one of the nastiest female vocalists, period. Although the woman who adeptl ... More >>

Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: #20-11

​Minnesotans need to remember to exhale sometimes -- especially fresh on the heels of being ranked as the number two music scene in the country. Shouldn't it be enough to simply enjoy a rich history of quality musicians blossoming from fertile local soil? For those times that worrying that people ... More >>

Now, Now leak Threads on Spotify

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Schoolboy Q, Dr. Dog, Yacht, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Starkey, the Darkness, the Best Love Is Free, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Jeff Magnum, Lenny Kravitz, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Critics' Picks: The Supersuckers, Los Campesinos!, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Twin Cities Hip-Hop Awards, Father You See Queen, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Buffalo Moon, Birthday Suits, and more

​The introspective beauty of Now, Now's second album is now available in full for streaming delight. The Minneapolis trio, who are signed to Death Cab For Cutie guitarist Chris Walla's label, pack a wallop of emotion and storytelling in Threads. The dual harmonies of Cacie Dalager and Jess Abbott ... More >>

A fond farewell, and changes ahead for Gimme Noise

​Today marks my last day at the helm of this blog, and the end of a journey that I began with City Pages nearly four years ago. Naturally, I have quite a few thoughts about closing this chapter, and you can read all about the history of Gimme Noise and my thoughts on the past four years in this fa ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Mark Mallman in 3-D, the New Standards, and more

​Today marks my last day at the helm of this blog, and the end of a journey that I began with City Pages nearly four years ago. Naturally, I have quite a few thoughts about closing this chapter, and you can read all about the history of Gimme Noise and my thoughts on the past four years in this fa ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Vampire Hands, Alexander O'Neal, Twilight Hours, and more

​Today marks my last day at the helm of this blog, and the end of a journey that I began with City Pages nearly four years ago. Naturally, I have quite a few thoughts about closing this chapter, and you can read all about the history of Gimme Noise and my thoughts on the past four years in this fa ... More >>

Minnesota's Best Albums of 2011

Low, Doomtree, Brute Heart top best local releases

Critics' Picks: The Kooks, Tribute to the Replacements, Drinksgiving, and more

Low, Doomtree, Brute Heart top best local releases

Rocktober opening weekend concert roundup

They don't call it Rocktober for nothin'. Fall has always been a popular time for touring musicians to hit the road, and it's making for some busy nights at venues across the Twin Cities. Nearly every night, concertgoers are faced with some tough choices -- like tonight, when Astronautalis performs ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Foo Fighters, Lindsey Buckingham, Braids, and more

They don't call it Rocktober for nothin'. Fall has always been a popular time for touring musicians to hit the road, and it's making for some busy nights at venues across the Twin Cities. Nearly every night, concertgoers are faced with some tough choices -- like tonight, when Astronautalis performs ... More >>

Top 10 concert photos of August 2011

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

DJ Shadow, Fleet Foxes, the Suburbs, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Eddie Vedder, the Black Keys, the Monkees, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Subhumans, Jeff Beck, House of Pain, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Volcano Choir, Amos Lee, the Dodos, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Stnnng, MEN, the Constellations, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Crystal Castles, Cold War Kids, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Best Coast, Gang of Four, Boz Scaggs

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Zoo Animal, Dillinger Four, and Lyle Lovett

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Critics' Picks: Snoop, the Current's birthday party, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Lauryn Hill, S. Carey, the Concretes, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Wu Tang Clan, Dearling Physique, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Grant Cutler & the Gorgeous Lords, the Bad Plus, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Doomtree Blowout, Tricky, Dark Dark Dark, and more

It's been another big month for concert photography on the Gimme Noise blog and in City Pages -- so big, in fact, that one of our photographer's photos of the Flaming Lips ended up on the cover of the paper last week (well done, Erik Hess!). See that photo and nine other favorites from the month bel ... More >>

Elite Gymnastics, Whitesand/Badlands featured in this week's City Pages

Photo by Nick VlcekElite Gymnastics celebrate their newfound success at McDonald's​We've got a packed music section for you in this week's City Pages. Here's a preview of all the articles you'll find in today's print edition.Elite Gymnastics ride the chillwaveBy Jonathan GarrettThe local electro d ... More >>

Sage Francis, the Fleshtones, and more

Photo by Nick VlcekElite Gymnastics celebrate their newfound success at McDonald's​We've got a packed music section for you in this week's City Pages. Here's a preview of all the articles you'll find in today's print edition.Elite Gymnastics ride the chillwaveBy Jonathan GarrettThe local electro d ... More >>

Quiet Please with Low, Kate Nash, and more

Photo by Nick VlcekElite Gymnastics celebrate their newfound success at McDonald's​We've got a packed music section for you in this week's City Pages. Here's a preview of all the articles you'll find in today's print edition.Elite Gymnastics ride the chillwaveBy Jonathan GarrettThe local electro d ... More >>

The Besnard Lakes lay waste to the Entry

Photo by Erik Thompson​Midway through the Besnard Lakes' thrilling set in the Entry last night, the band joked that "you're all just here because Yeasayer sold out" -- which might have been true for some people in the audience, but I knew plenty of others like me that left Yeasayer's mediocre set ... More >>

Alternative energy: Tipping at windmills

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