Carbon Leaf
Carbon Leaf’s fifteenth studio album, Time is the Playground is both a call to action and an embrace of the moment. Marrying nostalgic storytelling to nuanced, folk-infused indie rock, the Richmond, Virginia band embroiders heartfelt melody and harmony with acoustic and electric instrumentation to create a 12-song rumination on time, love and personal growth that’s equal parts urgent epiphany and contented exhalation. “Everybody says people don’t listen to albums anymore,” mulled Carbon Leaf frontman Barry Privett, holed up in a coastal cottage. “So, the challenge for us was to make something that felt good to get through from beginning to end … to listen to like a story.” Originally formed as a college cover band in 1992 and with over 3,500 famously enthused live shows together, Carbon Leaf helped to define the aughts indie rock that they ultimately outgrew and outlasted. They first earned national recognition with “The Boxer,” a song that won the American Music Awards 2002 New Music Award and made Carbon Leaf the first unsigned band to perform before millions on the AMAs. “The Boxer” entered regular radio rotation, Carbon Leaf’s tours grew bigger and better, and within a couple of years they quit their day jobs and inked a record deal. The band’s fanbase snowballed, drawn to their infectious spirit of commitment, empathy, communion, and self-reliance – not to mention supremely crafted songs with ultra-relatable, thought-provoking lyrics. After a trio of charting albums for Vanguard Records, multiple songwriting awards and headlining shows, Carbon Leaf opted to return to the complete creative control of their indie roots. Guitarist Terry Clark, who co-founded the band with Privett and multi-instrumentalist Carter Gravatt, converted his garage into the band’s Two-Car Studio, where they’ve recorded releases for their own Constant Ivy imprint ever since. Carbon Leaf’s DIY spirit even extended to re-recording their three Vanguard albums in order to regain the rights. Due in September, Time is the Playground is Carbon Leaf’s first full-length album in a decade, during which they released two EPS and a 27-song live performance album and Blu-ray. Time is the Playground gathers the best of songs written, in fits and starts, over 15 years, alongside brand new ideas. Privett dusted off old demos and shut himself away for months to finish their stories, while also honing recent compositions. With Clark engineering, Carbon Leaf – completed by longtime bassist Jon Markel and drummer Jesse Humphrey – spent a year and a half recording and mixing the resulting songs. “Thinking about these disparate pieces of music, I began ruminating on time itself,” Privett recalled. “The band’s been together a long time. You mature a bit and see yourself in place on the timeline … rolling around the scenes of love and growth.” Masterfully melding saturated AC/DC guitar and squelchy Cars synth, “Backmask 1983” is a fun flipbook of evocative era emblems – Farah Fawcett, “Satanic Panic,” Time Life Books, Bigfoot and more – that traverses the simultaneous nexus of Privett’s childhood/adolescence and theworld’s analog/digital ages. It’s about morphing into a new person and a new planet with wide-eyed wonder and a longing to believe. “Without a whole lot of information, the mystery of things felt so heightened,” recalled Privett of growing up pre-Internet. “I wanted to capture some of that but also have fun with it.”
Odds of an Afterthought – Farewell Show
Minneapolis metalcore band, ODDS OF AN AFTERTHOUGHT, has decided to call it quits after 13+ years of being active in the scene. The band has released over 40 songs, has toured all over the United States, and has achieved a few hundred thousand streams across all music platforms. Local support: CHUGCHUGWOB (Minnesota Weirdcore, 10 Year Reunion Show)THE CARDINAL SUMMER (Indie Rock from Wisconsin)A BETTER HAND (Minnesota Pop Punk, Reunion Show, formerly signed to Mutant League Records)NEYMEYER & CO (Minnesota Alt/Indie, Reunion Show)
GRAVE CORPS’ SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER: PARTY OF THE UNDEAD
GRAVE CORPS’ SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER: PARTY OF THE UNDEAD No more pencils. No more books. Just Grave Corps’ anthemic hooks!! On Friday, May 22, the final bell rings and the flames rise as Grave Corps brings their signature chaos to Amsterdam Bar & Hall for a night of high-energy, theatrical rock unlike anything else in the Twin Cities. Hailing from the Midwest, Grave Corps has built a reputation for electrifying live performances that blur the line between concert and spectacle. With a sound that fuses punk, metal, and rock n’ roll—and a stage show pulled straight from a post-apocalyptic nightmare—the band delivers an experience that entertains and consumes everything in its path. Fresh off back-to-back IMA Rock Band of the Year wins, national radio support, and an epic run that hit the legendary Whisky A Go-Go in Los Angeles, Grave Corps brings the fire to Saint Paul for one night only. Joining them are special guests Waar Party and Gradience, rounding out a lineup built to hit hard from start to finish. Enter the world of Grave Corps—where the stakes are high, the energy is higher, and the Army of the Undead rises, soaked in blood and fire. Class is dismissed… permanently. Get your tickets now and step into the chaos. GRAVE CORPS’ SCHOOL’S OUT FOREVER: PARTY OF THE UNDEAD awaits.
Your Last Breath LIVE @ The Amsterdam
Release show for YLB’s new single “The Snake You Swear You’re Not”Be the first to hear it live!
Daisychain
The Chicago Femme Led Psych Rock sensation known as Daisychain, returns to the Twin Cities for whats certain to be one of the premier shows of the summer. The lineup is rounded out by some of The Twin Cities finest bands including Punk heavy hitters, The Silent Treatment, The Zen Spiritual Psych Rock of Little Man and The Time Honored Blues Rock N’Roll of Nectarous.
Nectarous, Cursed by Lightning, and Fine Dials live at Amsterdam
Come celebrate Memorial Day weekend with live music from Minnesota’s finest rock ‘n’ roll bands!
KVNT
The K is pronounced like a C and the V like a U- now you figure the rest out. A storm of metal, industrial, and fem-punk empowers the metal scene against the patriarchy. With guests Ice Grinder bringing Old school Death Metal from the Frozen Waste Lands of the Minot , North Dakota.
Rêvefleur, Gauze, Spiderlily LIVE at The Amsterdam
Come out for a high energy showing of the up-and-coming music from the local Minneapolis music scene, new songs defining the scene, and where better to hear it than live?Rêvefleur, fresh off the release of their first single “Shatter” are a melodic-high energy rock group that gives no warning for the noise it hits and stays with you.Gauze, an alternative metal group ripe with nasty tones, breakdowns, and powerful vocals that will itch your brain and leave you wanting more.Spiderlily, with their 2025 EP “Strung Out But Sexy” is an alternative rock group is punchy, fun, and punky. From the energy in their songs to the energy in their performance, there’s no way you won’t be wrapped into their web and join in.
Rada K & The Cicadas
Join us for a vibrant night of Twin Cities music at the Amsterdam Bar on Friday, May 29th, featuring three dynamic acts that span indie R&B, rock-pop, and groove-driven jazz fusion.The evening kicks off at 7pm with Jada LaFrance, a rock-pop artist known for her hook-driven melodies, theatrical edge, and high-energy performances. Jada has been independently writing, recording, producing, and releasing music since 2019. Fronting her band alongside key collaborator and guitarist Troy Wyman, LaFrance delivers bold, modern soundscapes that hit hard and linger long after.Listen to “Games” – https://open.spotify.com/track/4oNdtqVYgQl7ODFU4Tfk3B At 8pm, Solana & The Sunsets take the stage, bringing their signature blend of indie R&B, soulful vocals, and warm, nostalgic grooves. Their full-band sound and heartfelt love songs create the perfect golden-hour atmosphere: smooth, vibrant, and deeply felt.Listen to “Miles Away” – https://open.spotify.com/track/6xLM1AMqbrNv6irsC09xKJ Closing out the night at 9pm, Rada K & The Cicadas invite you into their whimsical, funk-filled world. With rich storytelling, playful energy, and effortless musical chemistry, the band weaves together charming songs about falling in love across the shifting seasons of the Twin Cities. Following their first EP “Love Songs by Rada,” Rada K & The Cicadas are currently recording their next series of dance songs. Their music is an intimate invitation to step into a world where everyday moments catch the light just right. Listen to “Funky Frog” – https://open.spotify.com/track/6zeRPK6bonHWxg1mUhr9KXDoors open at 6:30pm.Tickets: $12Ages: 21+Come early, stay late, and settle in for a night of rhythm, charm, and connection.
Hot Flash Dance: a Dance Party for Divas of a Certain Age
Do you miss the club but shudder at the thought of staying out past midnight? Do you feel like going out dancing is only for the young and beautiful? Does your soul think you’re super hip while your body feels destined for a hip replacement?Hot Flash Dance is a space for Gen X & Millennial women (anyone who identifies as such) to rock out to sweet jams from all the excellent decades we’ve been alive! Sick beats & old-school bangers will be brought to you by DJ LayLow. Come to dance – free from judgment, dudes, and uncomfortable shoes – and still be in your jammies before midnight!