December 22, 2012
Christmas with Alexander O’Neal @ The Dakota
Alexander O’Neal returns to The Dakota to reprise his acclaimed Christmas show!
Soul man Alexander O’Neal established himself nearly 30 years ago as one of the greatest pure singers the genre had ever seen. With his new record, Five Questions… the New Journey, O’Neal proves he hasn’t lost a step, bringing fresh songwriting to his classic soul-funk sound. With a sweet, gritty voice and take-no-prisoners stage show, he has frequently been compared to Otis Redding, and his ties to the Minneapolis scene make him a local legend.
“…Mr. O’Neal is one of the great singers in pop, partially a latter-day soul singer but also something else, a singer who can produce ethereally pure notes that have no relationship to the soul tradition at all.” -Peter Watrous, New York Times
Born in Natchez, Mississippi, O’Neal spent his formative years touring in a rock cover band, honing his distinctive vocals. His touring brought him to Minneapolis, where he joined a band and production company called Flyte Time, led by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. After two years with the group, O’Neal went his own way, making room for a young singer named Morris Day to take over vocal duties.
With the help of Jam and Lewis, O’Neal launched his solo career in 1984 with his self-titled debut record. While the U.S. audience was slow to catch on, the record produced a Top 10 Hit in the U.K. O’Neal’s second record, Hearsay, is considered by many to be the finest recording Jam and Lewis ever produced. His singles “Fake” and “Criticize” achieved club anthem status, and he sold hundreds of thousands of records worldwide.
“Had it been 20 years earlier, Alexander O’Neal would have been compared to Otis Redding. As it was, he was dismissed by the cognoscenti but adored by the masses.” -BBC, review of “Hearsay”
The early 1990s saw the end of O’Neal’s relationship with Flyte Time studios, but not the end of sold out arenas and Gold Records. O’Neal’s unique vocal sound combined with his tremendous songwriting have resulted in music that stands the test of time, becoming hits not only for him but for artists who remix and sample his music.
Permed Out Showcase #3 featuring Audio Perm with Greg Grease and Mike the Martyr
Audio Perm announces Permed Out Showcase III
While some artists and groups remain timeless, classic, forgotten or trendy, few continue to progress and grow in the same way that Audio Perm has in the last year. Following the first Permed Out Showcase in December 2011, Audio Perm has not only developed in terms of skill, accomplishment, and recognition, but also in its own essence. Once a group of three beatmakers, Audio Perm has now developed into a group of 10 rappers and producers, and as such has proven itself to be a force to be reckoned with on stage and on tape. Producers Julian Fairbanks, Cory Grindberg, and Taylor Madrigal now join rappers 80H2O, Big Dylan, Bobby Raps, Chantz Erolin, Ramiro X, Unfuh Qwittable, and Yakub to form the budding rap colossus Audio Perm. Between Cory’s wild synth aesthetics, Julian’s boom bap sensibilities, and Taylor’s keen ear for funk-banging anthems, the crew of seven emcees and three produces has put considerable pressure on Minneapolis’s eardrums over the past year, adding to the cities already stellar local hip hop scene. Audio Perm has recently released a project entitled WeOutChea, met with positive response and local radio play, performed at Rhymesayers’ Soundset festival as well as opening up for TDE artists Ab-Soul, Schoolboy Q, and Kendrick Lamar multiple times in 2012. On the wake of these shows and productions, Audio Perm has recently received a slot on the annual City Pages “Picked to Click” roster, earning a ‘top ten bands’ of the last year recognition from one of the most respected media outlets in Minnesota. Additionally, they also performed a set at a sold out First Avenue main room show for P.O.S.’s release show for We Don’t Even Live Here. Eager to stand on its-own-two, Audio Perm is slated to debut a slew of new music at The Cabooze for the Permed Out Showcase III on December 22nd. Joined by T.U.S.S. representative and River Life Quality Dry Goods founder Greg Grease and rapper/producer, Long Doe dynamo Mike The Martyr, Audio Perm is slated to perform their biggest show yet, just before Christmas for all the kids who don’t supply Santa with their billing information. See you there, Minneapolis.
