Soul Asylum is taking over First Avenue on Friday, December 27th for a can’t miss after holiday show.
“A friend asked me what kind of records I want to make, and my answer was that I always want to make a record that I want to hear that’s not already in my record collection,” says Dave Pirner. “I think we got that on this one.” Pirner is referring to Change of Fortune, Soul Asylum’s eleventh studio album, and its first for Entertainment One Music (eOne Music). The dozen-song set embodies the band’s trademark balance of rocking abandon, infectious melodic craft and raw-nerved emotional depth, boasting a compelling set of new Pirner compositions while showcasing the strength and versatility of Soul Asylum’s current lineup, which teams founding singer/guitarist Pirner with guitarist Ryan Smith, bassist Winston Roye and drummer Michael Bland.
Soul Asylum has been inspiring an undeniable level of passion since 1981, when the band, initially known as Loud Fast Rules, formed in Minneapolis. The band’s raucous live sets and early releases on the hometown indie label Twin/Tone — including the albums Say What You Will, Made to Be Broken and While You Were Out — earned it a loyal fan base and widespread critical acclaim. Soul Asylum’s indie success led to the band entering the major-label mainstream with 1988’s Hang Time and its 1990 follow-up And the Horse They Rode In On, and achieving a platinum-level commercial breakthrough with 1992’s Grave Dancers Union and 1995’s Let Your Dim Light Shine. Grave Dancers Union featured the international hits “Runaway Train,” which won a 1994 Grammy as Best Rock Song, and “Black Gold,” while Let Your Dim Light Shine spawned the hit “Misery.” The band went on hiatus after 1998’s Candy from a Stranger, during which time Pirner released his first solo effort, Faces & Names. Soul Asylum returned to action in 2006 with The Silver Lining and released Delayed Reaction six years later.
Local H will be supporting Soul Asylum. Local H is known for their blistering live shows and for pioneering the two-man band set-up — frontman Scott Lucas covers both guitar and bass through an extra pick up in his guitar and drummer Ryan Harding pounds out the rest of the sound. While they have earned praise in the past for their catalog of clever concept albums, Local H were forgoing a singular theme on their latest album – Hey, Killer (2015, G&P Records) – turning out a non-stop blast of straight-up, hooky, guitar-heavy rock songs — each one catchier than the last.
A personal favorite of mine, Porcupine, will be getting the night started. Porcupine was born in 2006 in La Crosse, WI, where singer/guitarist Casey Virock had previously launched another indie rock trio, Space Bike. Now based in Minneapolis, the band has evolved to full maturity, a potent force propelled by drummer Ian Prince and the most recent addition to the band, bassist Greg Norton (formerly of HÜSKER DÜ). In naming the band, Virock saluted one of his favorite bands, Echo and the Bunnymen, and his songcraft and musical sensibilities swirl the Bunnymen and other New Wavers along with 1960s British psychedelica purveyors (especially Syd Barrett) and 1970s classic rockers.
Tickets are still available HERE!
