A half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view:
6 cool things in music this week include Pearl Jam, Jimmy Buffett and country streaming
Shout-outs, too, to the Dakota and the Minnesota State Fair's free stages.
September 8, 2023 at 11:15AM
Michael Westman of Lindstrom, Minn.:
1 Pearl Jam, Xcel Energy Center. The two nights felt like one long, extended concert with only a handful of songs repeated. The first show started "MTV Unplugged"-style, leading into "Black" and "Given to Fly," with the second show ending with arena lights on a version of "Alive" and a beautiful cover of Prince's "Purple Rain."
2 The Dakota. I enjoy the eclectic offerings it provides — nostalgic performers, rock, jazz and everything in between. I'm a big fan of Alejandro Escovedo, and this is where he plays. Plus the food is pretty good, too.
3 Jimmy Buffett. Perhaps his greatest stroke of genius was to turn a song about a drunken loser into a party song/lifestyle. At his last live performance in July, his final songs were "A Pirate Looks at Forty" and "Margaritaville." Fitting.
Jon Bream, Star Tribune critic:
1 Pearl Jam, Xcel. On Night 2, they proved once again that they are one of rock's greatest live bands. They delivered such classics as "Jeremy," "Better Man" and "I Am Mine." No-frills, galvanizing rock turned up to 11.
2 "Country Music's Summer of Streaming Domination," Rolling Stone. Ethan Millman reports how digital plays — instead of traditional radio — have contributed to the success of newer country figures Zach Bryan, Oliver Anthony, Jelly Roll, Hardy and especially Morgan Wallen, and even the more established Luke Combs. Long dominated by CD sales, country is flexing its popularity with streaming-oriented Gen Zers and millennials.
3 State Fair free stages. There were hundreds of free musical performances at the fair, and on the final days we witnessed some of Minnesota's finest. Soul Asylum sounded as vital and freewheeling as ever (loved the always-spirited "Somebody to Shove"), and Petty Comes Alive singers Gregg Hall and Dan Israel brought brio to Tom Petty's revered catalog.
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