Tonight - KVELERTAK in Minneapolis, SANCTUARY in St. Paul

Hopefully you’re already aware of the three great shows taking place tonight. First, reactivated melodic thrash band Sanctuary will be playing Station 4 in St. Paul. Sanctuary was reformed by vocalist Warrel Dane and bassist Jim Sheppard following the demise of Nevermore. This is show is to celebrate The SwordLord’s 10th year promoting metal shows. Everyone in the Twin Cities area should be grateful for all of the great bands The SwordLord (Nathan Block) has brought to town over the years. Thanks, Nathan! Support for Sanctuary will come from Hollowstone, Avian, and Redshift. This is a 16+ show that starts around 6:00, and tickets are $25 at the door.

Nevermore performing December 11, 2000 in San Diego.

Watch the official video for "Future Tense" from the Sanctuary's 1990 album Into The Mirror Black.

RELATED CONTENT: You can download the audio of Nevermore on October 28, 1997 in North Kansas City here, and I’ve posted some old live pictures and promotional materials of both Sanctuary and Nevermore here.

Yes, visa problems forced Japan’s Loudness to CANCEL their show at the Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville tonight as reported in more detail last night. Local hard rock band Downtread will now do the show themselves with Arena. This is show is now free and the bar will have cheap beer specials. Downtread hits the stage at 10:00.

RELATED CONTENT: Check out the review (with pictures) of Loudness on May 19, 2011 at Ground Zero in Minneapolis, and you can also download the complete audio of the show.

Check out this great live video of Kvelertak performing "Spring Fra Livet" on Norwegian TV.

Another late show takes place tonight at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis where you can catch Norway’s confounding Kvelertak with Cancer Bats and Black Tusk. Showtime is 10:00 – it’s 18+ and tickets are $15 at the door.

RELATED CONTENT: Read the review of the new Kvelertak album, Meir, here (5/10).

In Concert This Week - April 25, 2013

Looking ahead this week, Saturday, April 27 is huge night with three big shows around the metro. Over at Station 4 in St. Paul, the reformed Sanctuary makes their first area appearance with great local support from Hollowstone, Avian, and Redshift. Japan’s Loudness kicks off a short run of U.S. dates at the Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville with Downtread opening the show. Meanwhile, Norway’s new buzz band Kvelertak (their new album Meir is reviewed here, 5/10) play the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis with Cancer Bats and Black Tusk. Fear not – Sanctuary will be done in time to get to the Hi 5 to see Loudness!!

Loudness performing May 19, 2011 at Ground Zero in Minneapolis. Click here for a review of this show with more pictures and the full audio download.

The audio of this old Nevermore show from The Politics Of Ecstasy tour is available here. A Sanctuary song was performed at this show!

On Sunday, April 28, locals Climactic are having an album release show for their Zerobudget Records debut Set The Rapture Ablaze at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with Vessels For Our Ghost, We Are Legion, I Am Vengeance, and Earthrise.

For Misfits vocalist Michale Graves plays the Cause Spirits & Soundbar in Minneapolis on Tuesday, April 30 with Ripsnorter, Regenerators, and They Live. Across town at Station 4 in St. Paul the same night, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus headlines a show with Throw The Fight, Everysay, Imagine The Silence, The Phoenix Philosophy, and Charlie Siren.

The Garage in Burnsville has a huge metalcore bill on Thursday, May 2 with The Color Morale, My Ticket Home, Narrow Hearts, We Are The Blog, Broken City Skies, A Minor Set Back, Vessel For Tomorrow, In Search Of Solace, By The Thousands, and The Broken Are Crowned.

Concert Announcements - July 27, 2012

The Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis just announced a local show with Emergent, Vaudeville, Thira, Whither The Tide, and R.A.G.E. on Friday, August 10.

Hard rock band Saving Abel plays an 18+ show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, August 17. Advance tickets are only $5.

Yesterday it was announced that the Dethklok, Lamb Of God, and Gojira tour was cancelled due to Lamb Of God’s singer Randy Blythe ongoing legal trouble in the Czech Republic, where he continues to be held in jail. All three bands were scheduled to be a part of Knotfest with Slipknot on Saturday, August 18 in Somerset, Wisconsin, and I’ve removed them from the calendar listing. Hopefully replacement bands for Knotfest will be announced.

On Sunday, August 19, Texas Hippie Coalition will play at The Cabooze in Minneapolis.

Blue Felix plays a free show at Neisen’s in Savage on Thursday, August 23.

The Turf Club in St. Paul has instrumental warriors Zebulon Pike along with Jel, Pizza Boys, and Good Morning Gentlemen on Friday, September 14. This show will also feature a drum-off with Dave King, JT Bates, Martin Dosh, and Tim Glenn.

As if having Wino playing on Thursday, August 16 at the Turf Club in St. Paul wasn’t awesome enough – now godly doom metal pioneers Saint Vitus will play at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with Weedeater on Monday, October 1.

GWAR returns to First Avenue on Sunday, November 18 with Devildriver, Cancer Bats, and Legacy Of Disorder. This is an all ages show, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, July 27 at 12:00 noon.

Lastly, rock legends The Who will be performing Quadrophenia (and more) in its entirety at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday, November 27. Tickets go on sale at 10:00 am today, Friday, July 27.