From The Vault - GREEN JELLY

If you were alive during the early 90s, it was hard to avoid the phenomenon of Green Jellÿ. Originally known as Green Jellö until they were forced to change the name, this costumed group could be viewed as a more comical, light-hearted take on GWAR's stage show. What brought widespread attention to Green Jellÿ was the awesome video for "Three Little Pigs" from their 1993 Cereal Killer Soundtrack album (check it out below)—drummer Danny Carey from Tool was a member of Green Jellÿ at the time. I never got to see Green Jellÿ during the height of the popularity (they cancelled at the last minute a show opening for Testament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 1994), but was fortunate to catch them in San Diego on January 31, 2000 at Brick by Brick. Despite being out of the limelight for a while, a decent crowd turned out and the band put on a fantastic show. As you can tell from the pictures in the slideshow above, the band employs a ton of costume changes and actors to keep the show entertaining, but musically these guys bring out the metal in a heavy way. Sure, there's a lot of other shows going on tonight, but getting out to see Green Jellÿ is well worth your time.

Green Jellÿ performs tonight at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with support from Impaler, Screaming Mechanical Brain, Iguana, and Rock And Roll Whores.

Tonight - Concerts Everywhere!

Tonight must be a record for the number of shows going on in the Twin Cities area - I have a total of nine events on the calendar! Here's the complete rundown of metal and rock shows tonight, in no particular order.

Milwaukee's Misery Signals bring a night of metalcore to The Garage in Burnsville with The Color Morale, Intervals, The Kindred, Elders, and To Release also on the bill. It's an an early (5:00 doors) all ages show, and tickets are $15 at the door.

The Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis has a brutal night of extreme metal with Ambassador Gun, Sadgiqacea, Hivelords, and Poney. This is a 21+ show that starts around 9:00, and it's only $8 at the door.

Costumed marauders Green Jellÿ take over the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with strong local support from Impaler, Screaming Mechanical Brain, Iguana, and Rock And Roll Whores. This is an 18+ show; tickets are $13 at the door and it gets underway at 7:30.

More comedy metal is occurring tonight at Pov's 65 in Spring Lake Park with Psychostick together with Outside The Murder and Strate-Jak-It. Tickets are $13 at the door for this 8:00 show that is 18+.

Poison singer Bret Michaels teams up with Warrant and Firehouse for an all ages performance at the Lakefront Music Fest at Lakefront Park in Prior Lake tonight at 6:30. Tickets are $20 at the gate.

As we get farther from the Cities, Hemlock from Las Vegas plays the Wicked Moose in Rochester with Embrace The Ending and Fail To Decay. It's $10 at the door, and starts around 9:00.

Down in Mankato, alternative punk band Meat Puppets play the What's Up Lounge with Turned Out T.V. and Enemy Planes. Tickets are $12 at the door.

Heading east to Cadott, Wisconsin, Rock Fest continues with Korn, The Offspring, Theory Of A Deadman, Pop Evil, Nonpoint, 4th Floor, and Bumblefist making for a long day that kicks off at 12:00 noon.

Lastly, Moondance Jam up north in Walker, Minnesota has for its second full day Slash, Bachman & Turner, Blue Öyster Cult, Johnny Rivers, and Sweet starting the day at 3:00.

Tonight - GODSMACK in St. Paul, GREEN JELLY in Mankato, First Day of Rockfest and Moonjam Jam

Today kicks off an early start to a big concert weekend! First, Godsmack has scheduled a headlining show between some festival dates tonight at Myth in St. Paul with support from Saint Caine. Tickets are still available for $42 at the door - doors are at 6:30 and it's an all ages show.

Comic metal band Green Jellÿ tonight makes the first of two area appearances at the What's Up Lounge in Mankato. This is a 21+ show that starts around 10:00, and it's $10 at the door.

Obey the Cowgod!! Green Jellÿ performing January 31, 2000 in San Diego.

The annual four-day Rock Fest in Cadott, Wisconsin starts at 3:30 today with a lineup of Three Days Grace, Seether, Halestorm, All That Remains, and Aranda. Tickets and camping passes are still available at the gate, with prices varying according to the number of days and type of ticket.

Further North in Walker, Minnesota, the Moondance Jam main stage starts today at 3:00 with Mötley Crüe, Cheap Trick, Buckcherry, Shooting Star, and the mighty Cain. As with Rock Fest, all tickets and camping passes are available at the gate.

Concert Announcements - April 26, 2013

Brace yourself for massive updates to the concert calendar (see the complete calendar on the right)! There's a huge variety of shows that have been confirmed during the last week, including additions to Moondance Jam and Halfway Jam and hints that Blue Öyster Cult will be playing the Minnesota State Fair.

Neisen’s in Savage has lined up a big night of local metal on Saturday, May 11 with Blue Felix, Throw The Fight, Gabriel And The Apocalypse, and A Sound Theory.

The Mandy Lion, Scream At The Sun, Hooligans Union, and Crashmatic show at Station 4 in St. Paul scheduled for Monday, May 13, along with all May concert dates, has been CANCELED. A post on the Mandy Lion Facebook page has the press release from Hard Attack Entertainment, the band’s new booking agency:

“Unfortunately, Mandy and his former booking agency had reached a stalemate in the their professional relationship after only a hand-full of dates were scheduled across the USA. We (Hard Attack) do not feel we have enough time to get the fill in dates booked properly at this point. There is just no way that we can logistically or financially make it a sensible run of dates as it stands now. We do however want to let EVERYONE know that we will have Mandy back out on the road starting in late June and there will be 14-17 shows booked accordingly.”

Mandy adds:

“I would like to apologize to the fans, venues and promoters for the delay. This was not an easy decision for us to make but unfortunately prior associates booked single sporadic dates with too much down time in between concerts and routing which makes it impossible to honor the dates. We are, however, very excited to let everyone know that Hard Attack Entertainment is currently rescheduling a tour with proper routing. We are looking at only a few weeks delay before we are coming to your town. I want to thank you all for being patient and kind. Looking forward to seeing you all soon!”

French technical death metal band Gorod invades Station 4 in St. Paul with Inanimate Existence, Kamikabe, Vale Of Pnath, Sadistic Passage, and Solar Slaughter on Tuesday, May 28.

Local metal band Tepetricy has lined up a show with Heaven’s Gate, Embrace The Ending, and Minos at the Wicked Moose in Rochester on Friday, May 31.

Quirky punk legends The Dead Milkmen return for a show at First Avenue in Minneapolis on Friday, June 7. No support bands have been announced at this time, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Pop punk band Face To Face plays the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Saturday, June 22 with Teenage Bottlerocket, Blacklist Royals, and Joshua Black Wilkins. Tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Underrated 70s progressive rock legends Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash and Nektar play together on Sunday, June 30 at Famous Dave’s BBQ & Blues in Minneapolis (this is the Uptown location).

As reported here yesterday, industrial shock superstar Marilyn Manson plays Myth in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 2. It looks like support will come from Picture Me Broken, and tickets go on sale today, Friday, April 26 at 12:00 noon through etix.

Impaler performing July 17, 2011 at Station 4 in St. Paul. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (10).

Following their July 18 show at the What’s Up Lounge in Mankato, costumed metal band Green Jellÿ (of “Three Little Pigs” fame) is now also confirmed to play the next night, Friday, July 19 at Station 4 in St. Paul with Impaler, Iguana, The Rock & Roll Whores, and Screaming Mechanical Brain (their The Policy Of Universal Hate is reviewed here, 9/10).

Cain singer Jiggs Lee performing at the band's first ever reunion show at their induction into the Mid-America Music Hall Of Fame on September 17, 2010 in Minneapolis. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (27).

Moondance Jam, taking place July 17-20 in Walker, has added some interesting bands to the bill each night. On Thursday, July 18, rounding out the bill topped by Mötley Crüe and Cheap Trick are Buckcherry and 70s cult bands Shooting Star and Cain! The lineup for Friday, July 19 is Slash & Myles Kennedy, Bachman & Turner, Blue Öyster Cult, and Sweet. Saturday, July 20 has The Offspring, Theory Of A Deadman, Halestorm, and Head East. There’s still a couple slots remaining to be filled, and the bands playing the pre-jam party on Wednesday, July 17 have yet to be announced.

Survivor singer Jimi Jamison performing a solo show at the Minnesota Music Cafe in St. Paul on March 1, 2013. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (48).

The main stage lineup of Halfway Jam in Royalton over July 25–27 has been finalized. Thursday, July 25 features Pop Evil, Saliva, and Smile Empty Soul; Friday, July 26 has Tesla, Survivor, Great White Featuring Jack Russell, and BulletBoys; Saturday, July 26 features Loverboy, Ratt, Steelheart, and Electric Eye. Second stage bands have yet to be announced, and tickets, including one- and three-day passes, VIP, and camping, are on sale now.

Steelheart performing July 17, 2010 at G.B. Leighton's Pickle Park in Fridley. Click on the picture to see more photos from this show (13).

The one and only ZZ Top play Myth in St. Paul on August 6. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 3.

The official Blue Öyster Cult page has them performing at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25. I can’t find any other confirmation of this, but I’ll have more information as it’s released.

Concert Announcements - April 19, 2013

Local thrashers Overstrike play Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, April 25 with Solar Slaughter, Raptor Claw, and Plagued Insanity.

Minneapolis thrash band Climactic is having a CD release show for their Zerobudget Records debut album on Sunday, April 28 at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis with support from Vessels For Our Ghost (farewell show), We Are Legion, I Am Vengeance, and Earthrise.

Prior to their show at the Girls Got Rhythm Festival on May 10 (below), influential punk band The Avengers will appear at Extreme Noise Records in Minneapolis on Thursday, May 9 for an evening of “record signing, Q & A, music”.

Legendary punk band The Avengers and former singer of The Runaways, Cherie Currie, will headline the Girls Got Rhythm Festival on May 10 and 11 for rare live performances at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall in St. Paul. The Avengers headline Friday, May 10 with Ana Lucia, Gateway District, and Total Trash. Cherie Currie tops the bill Saturday, May 11 alongside Sugar Stems, The ViGNETTES, Marilu And The Machetes, and Is/Is.

The Limp Bizkit show on Tuesday, May 14 at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis is now SOLD OUT.

Kilmore (DJ Chris Kilmore of Incubus) will be doing a DJ show at Studio B of the Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis on Friday, May 17 with support from local phenomenon DJ Abilities.

The Your Demise, Rotting Out, and Expire show on Wednesday, June 5 at First Avenue in Minneapolis has been CANCELED. Your Demise issued a press released announcing cancelation of the North American tour due to circumstances surrounding their planned break up in March 2014.

Minneapolis-based metalcore/thrash band Reaping Asmodeia plays an EP release show at Station 4 in St. Paul on Friday, June 9 with support from Our Judgment, Get The Gun, I Am Vengeance, and Daytripper.

Local industrial metal band Screaming Mechanical Brain plays the What’s Up Lounge in Mankato on Saturday, June 8 with Revilwen, Dead Horse Trauma, and Beautiful Corpse.

Minneapolis-based Cold Colours will play Station 4 in St. Paul on Saturday, June 15 to celebrate the release of their new, self-titled album on Sleaszy Rider Records. Support will comes from Chicago’s Avernus, Minneapolis’s Plague Of Stars (featuring powerhouse vocalist Melissa Ferlaak from Visions Of Atlantis, Echoterra, and Aesma Daeva), and Drona.

Polkadot Cadaver (ex-Dog Fashion Disco) plays Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, June 27 with support from One-Eyed Doll, Exotic Animal Petting Zoo, and Nuisance.

As announced here Wednesday, high-flying rap rock band Hollywood Undead plays the Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis on Tuesday, July 2 with support from Pop Evil, 3 Pill Morning, and All Hail The Yeti.

Hard rock band Trapt returns to the area for a show at the Hi 5 Bar in Burnsville on Friday, July 12 as previously reported here Wednesday.

Costumed metal band Green Jellÿ returns to the area for a show at the What’s Up Lounge in Mankato on Thursday, July 18.

Cancellations Pour In - MACHINE HEAD, GREEN JELLY, SIX FEET UNDER

A lack of free time and recent illness have kept me out for a couple weeks, so it only seems appropriate to start off with some show cancellations. A couple of these are now recently past, but thought it's worth bringing them to your attention.

First, Machine Head will not be playing at Myth in Maplewood tonight, Wednesday, November 14 as support to Dethklok with The Black Dahlia Murder. A press release sent out to ticket holders yesterday from TicketWeb reads in part (note the new show time):

"Machine Head will not be performing with Metalocalypse/Dethklok and Black Dahlia Murder at the Myth in Maplewood, Minnesota on November 14, 2013 due to lead singer, Rob (sic) Flynn required emergency surgery for a hernia. Dethklok and Black Dahlia Murder will still be performing. Doors are at 7 pm, show is at 8 pm."

This is terrible news and, of course, I wish Robb Flynn all the best for a safe and speedy recovery. A recent story posted on Blabbermouth indicates the surgery was performed successfully today in Minneapolis, and that Machine Head will rejoin the tour on November 24 in Portland, Oregon.

I've never seen an official reason, but Green Jelly disappeared from Station 4's calendar recently. They were due to play the St. Paul venue last night, Tuesday, November 13. Information about the rest of Green Jelly's tour dates seems sketchy, but they will be playing tonight, Wednesday, November 14 at Bubba's Bar and Grill in Sauk Rapids. Doors open at 8 pm for a 21+ show that's $10 at the door. If you're in the St. Cloud area or in the Northwest suburbs you're within easy driving distance. According to Pollstar, Green Jelly then plays the Holiday Inn in Alexandria, Minnesota on Thursday, November 15, The Pickled Parrot Bar & Grill in Fargo, North Dakota on Friday, November 16, and the VFW in Bismarck, North Dakota on Saturday, November 17. Not a typical tour routing that's for sure!

Adding to the concert calendar confusion, the Six Feet Under, Wretched, Agitate, and Ghost Hook show on Monday, November 12 at Station 4 in St. Paul was also cancelled. I can't shed light on why this show was cancelled, but the rest of tour is apparently on. Cattle Decapitation had earlier dropped off the tour about a week and a half ago due to on stage comments by Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes and an alleged back stage confrontation. Part of what Cattle Decapitation vocalist Travis Ryan posted on the band's Facebook page according to this Blabbermouth story is, "He [Chris Barnes] immediately RAN out the door and fled to his bus like he does every night when the two fans that are left for their show are trying to get him to sign something." Let's say this type of behavior, avoiding fans by dashing on his tour bus, is not new for Barnes. I heard a similar story independently from two trusted, firsthand sources after a show way back on the Haunted tour at a stop in Topeka, Kansas.

Concert Announcements - November 2012

November is another huge month for great metal shows. Here's the recent additions, and don't forget about the other concerts already listed on the calendar for the month.

Metalcore band Do As The Romans Do make the trip from St. Cloud to headline Station 4 in St. Paul on Saturday, November 3 with Vessels For Our Ghost, Daytripper, Hold The Throne, and Sick Of Talking About It.

Former Queensrÿche vocalist Geoff Tate plays Mill City Nights in Minneapolis on Sunday, November 4.

Get ready for a brutal night of death metal with Municipal Waste, the legendary Napalm Death, gore merchants Exhumed, Diagoro, and Mördwolf on Sunday, November 4 at Station 4 in St. Paul.

Straight from Texas, stoner-doom band The Sword plays First Avenue in Minneapolis with Gypsyhawk and Eagle Claw. The Sword has come far since they played the 7th Street Entry a few years ago.

Returning to the area on Wednesday, November 7 at Station 4 in St. Paul is Straight Line Stitch with support from Defiler and Dead By Wednesday for an all ages show.

Station 4 in St. Paul has a night of all ages local metal on Thursday, November 8 with Burn Fetish, Whistle Kid, Splimit, and Maniacal.

Day one of the two-day Fall in Metal Festival in St. Paul at Station 4 on Friday, November 9 brings together Venus On Fire, Fifth Hour, and Mad Future.

Day two of the Fall in Metal Festival on Saturday, November 10 at Station 4 in St. Paul features underground metal legends Aska alongside a strong local billing of Dawn Of Valor, Mousai, Hollowstone, Minos, and Noble Beast.

Also on Saturday, November 10, death metal band Attila storms The Garage in Burnsville for an early all ages show with Make Me Famous, Issues, Ice Nine Kills, Adestria, and We Are The Blog!

The Pierce The Veil show on Saturday, November 10 at The Cabooze in Minneapolis is now sold out. Also performing will be Sleeping With Sirens, Tonight Alive, and Hands Like Houses.

Punk-pop band Unwritten Law plays St. Paul at Station 4 on Sunday, November 11 with Versus The World.

Rockers Hinder play an acoustic show at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis on Sunday, November 11.

Monday, November 12 has the legendary death metal band Six Feet Under at Station 4 in St. Paul with Cattle Decapitation, Wretched, Agitate, and Ghost Hook.

Costumed rockers Green Jellÿ (formerly Green Jellö) of “Three Little Pigs” video fame bring their show to Station 4 in St. Paul on Tuesday, November 13 with Jamie Cooper’s Band From Hell.

RNDM, featuring Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, embark on their first tour this November, which brings them to First Avenue in Minneapolis on Thursday, November 15. No support bands have been announced at this time.

Chicago’s experimental black metal outfit Nachtmystium invade St. Paul at Station 4 on Friday, November 16 with Jarboe, Weapon, Atrum Inritus, and Conniption.

Also on Friday, November 16, P.O.D. and Nonpoint play First Avenue in Minneapolis.

Local heroes Throw The Fight headline Station 4 in St. Paul on Wednesday, November 21 with support from Emergent, Vaudeville, and Aeous.

Local shock-rock troupe Apocalypse Theatre brings their Revolution Circus show to Station 4 in St. Paul on Thursday, November 22. Also appearing will be Mercury Mad.

Staind frontman Aaron Lewis brings his solo show back to town on Saturday, November 24 to Mill City Nights in Minneapolis.

That same night, Saturday, November 24, Saliva will be appearing at Pov’s 65 (Povlitzki’s) in Spring Lake Park.

Atlanta metalcore band Woe, Is Me headlines a bill with Chunk! No, Captain Chunk!, Our Last Night, Secrets, Capture The Crown, and The Seeking on Tuesday, November 27 at Station 4 in St. Paul.