Free DORO Show Tonight at Station 4

Don't have a Valentine? Looking for a way to drown the lonely misery of your life? Get down to Station 4 in St. Paul tonight for an absolutely free show with Doro, Sister Sin, and local power metal gods Avian. The doors are at 7 pm, but you better get there early to guarantee entry into the club and you don't want to miss Avian. Doro doesn't tour the US that often - both times I've seen her she puts on a killer show, so get out there if you can!

This really is an awesome gesture by the promoter and the club, but count me out. Not only do I have more important things to do on Valentine's Day, but here's what a free show for a national or international artist means to me - standing in a long line in the cold, arriving at the club impossibly early, a packed bar, no decent room to stand - MEH.

Concert Announcements - October 19, 2012

Sold out – there are no tickets remaining for Converge, Torche, Kvelertak, and Mourner tonight, Friday, October 19 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis.

The Throw The Fight show scheduled for Friday, October 27 at the North Star Room in Mounds View has been canceled. According to an October 16 post at the venue’s Facebook page, the North Star Room is “changing directions” and “taking a break from shows.”

New Jersey-based black metal band Krieg launches an East Coast assault with Minneapolis’s own Profound Lore recording artist Wolvhammer and Doomsday that lands at the Hexagon Bar in Minneapolis on Saturday, October 27.

Progressive doom/hard rock band Royal Thunder takes the stage at The Nether Bar at Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Sunday, October 28. Joining them is two of the Twin Cities’ best grind/sludge bands, Ambassador Gun (newly signed to Prosthetic Records) and Blue Ox.

Local power metal band Dawn Of Valor has secured the support slot for ex-Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate at Mill City Nights on Sunday, November 4.

The P.O.D. and Nonpoint show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Friday, November 16 has been canceled. A statement on the First Avenue website reads: “Due to a scheduling conflict with P.O.D., the November 16 show has been canceled. Etix sales will be automatically refunded. Any tickets purchased at First Avenue or our local outlets can be refunded at The Depot Tavern.” You can still catch P.O.D. on Saturday, December 8 at Myth in Maplewood in support of 3 Doors Down and Daughtry.

Due to the above cancellation, Nonpoint has been re-booked on Friday, November 16 for a show at the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis.

Alternative hard rock band Candlebox will be playing in Burnsville at the High Five Bar & Grill on Saturday, December 1. I believe the High Five is the same venue as the now-closed Primetime Bar & Grill.

West End Motel, the side project of Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds, plays the 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis on Sunday, December 9 with support from Ricer for an 18+ show. Tickets are $10 and go on sale today, Friday, October 19 at 12:00 noon through etix and other local First Avenue ticket outlets.

Returning to Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Thursday, December 20 is the one and only Steel Panther. This is an 18+ show. Their last show here sold out, so get your tickets soon—they go on sale today, Friday, October 19 at 10:00 am through the Mill City Nights website or AXS, their box office, and Electric Fetus in Minneapolis.

Chicago’s legendary hard rock band Styx returns to the area for a show at the Mystic Lake Showroom in Prior Lake on Friday, December 28.

Poison frontman Bret Michaels is back again, this time for a show at Treasure Island Casino in Welch on New Year’s Eve, Monday, December 31.

Full details about the Doro and Sister Sin show on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14 have been released, and the big news is that Station 4 and Swordlord Productions are presenting this as a FREE show. It’s a 21 and up show and doors are at 7:00. Get their early and be sure to show your appreciation by being generous at the bar.

As if hosting Michael Schenker on Saturday, October 27 wasn’t enough, Neisen’s in Savage will also present legendary guitar god Uli Jon Roth on Saturday, February 16. No ticket information is available at this time.

DORO EP Review

Doro – Raise Your Fist In The Air EP

Nuclear Blast, August 2012

7/10

After switching labels from AFM to Nuclear Blast, this four-song EP is a preview of the upcoming full length album, Raise Your Fist, from the German metal goddess. It adequately serves this purpose, but with the release of Raise Your Fist later this month it’s not an essential purchase. The first single, “Raise Your Fist In The Air” (watch the video below), an adequate, anthemic rocker, leads this off, but the next two tracks are far more interesting. “Victory” is a slower, chugging song that features a soaring chorus line, while “Engel” is somber, passionate ballad featuring pianos and strings that shines as the highlight of the EP. The only non-album song here is a French version of the title track (“Lève Ton Poing Vers Le Ciel”) that is more or less a throwaway. All of this points to yet another solid, respectable release from Doro, but the lack of any compelling non-album tracks means that you should just wait for Raise Your Fist to arrive on October 19.

Watch the official video for "Raise Your Fist In The Air".

Doro will perform on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14 at Station 4 in St. Paul with support from Sister Sin.