By: Joe Kleinschmidt

After a storm knocked out electricity for more than half a million homes and businesses in the metro, Erica Krumm and Jim Kolles entered their cramped Minneapolis practice space to check the power.

The trees littered outside City Sound looked post-apocalyptic, but inside, Krumm embraced the damage. She outlined her lyrical obsessions for Oaks, her shoegaze band, with stark simplicity.

“Love and death and nature. That’s a good summary,” Krumm said. Even if her description sounds intensely somber on paper, the married duo’s latest EP, “Field Beat,” finds a wistful introspection amid a wall of sludge.

Bass lines from Kolles, awash in reverb, accompany Krumm’s lilting, distorted vocals. Kolles credits post-punk predecessors in guiding Oaks’ clash of industry and nature.

“A lot of those bands — Joy Division and Jesus and Mary Chain — it’s so stripped down,” Kolles said. “The bass lines are melodic and hit the right notes, but not very technical, which was a big guiding thing for us I think.”

Taking cues from his work in metal bands like Ganglion and Carnivore, Kolles gives Oaks a palpable heaviness. Since founding the band in 2010, the duo has relied on an organic spontaneity they attribute to their long-lasting relationship.

“We just can read each other when we’re writing,” Krumm said.

“We don’t ever talk about notes or anything — it really does just flow.”

“Feathers,” off of the duo’s first recording, was the group’s first collaboration to bear fruit; a revelation for the band, Krumm said.

 “We just kind of accidentally made this song that we both really love,” Krumm said.

Even though Krumm and Kolles held positions in other bands over the years, they find their new partnership most exciting. After hours of tinkering with sounds, the spare demo gave way to a slew of material.

“Field Beat” does damage through sheer minimalism — an “artificial as hell” drum machine guides the record. “Clouds” and “All Mine” work a dreamy spin of post-punk. Trying to dissect their roles in Oaks, the duo loses the words.

“We really write together, so I feel like we feed each other in a way that’s hard to separate,” Kolles said.

The most consistent member of the band remains the drum machine, a ticking clock that both represents a mock drummer and a chance to fill in the creative blanks. Through constricting themselves around the simple setup, Oaks forges an alley for variation.

Kolles describes the duo’s extended sessions in the practice space as a laid-back chance to find another natural Oaks song.

“We force ourselves into situations where you can stumble upon songs,” he said.

What: Oaks, Claire de Lune, Moonstone and Dream Weapon

Where: Cause Spirits & Soundbar, 3001 S. Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis

When: 9 p.m., Thursday

Cost: $5

Age: 21+

By: Joe Kleinschmidt

On a bike ride through the riverfront district in Minneapolis, Penny Petersen realized one brick building was out of place among the upscale housing. From what she knew about the late 19th century in the city, the design of the house did not fit the bill for industry.

“Rich people were not living on the Riverfront in the 1890s,” she said. “It was an awful, smelly, dirty place.”

As a researcher for a historical consulting firm, Petersen knew to go straight to the property records to check for more info about the strange location for the architecturally significant townhouse—a clear sign of wealth in an area not known for its residential setting.

“If you had a choice then, you didn’t live there,” she said.

Petersen found a list of suggestive names in the permit index card—“House of Ill Fame” and “Sporting House” are among the open euphemisms for the lone surviving bordello in Minneapolis. Though she later discovered three separate red-light districts in the city, research for her book, “Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront,” was gradual.

“Instead of really facing our problems or acknowledging it, I think we just covered it up,” she said.

Prostitution in the early days of Minneapolis’ history was an inevitable part of the transition to an urban environment, but the Puritanical founders sought to cover up the huge underground economy. Only now, Petersen’s new book sheds light on the “gilded palaces of sin,” a history exposing the lives of the “madams” who controlled the area’s numerous bordellos.

“And they ranged from Kmart to Bergdorf Goodman,” she said.

Among the famous brothel owners, the “high priestesses of vice,” was Ida Dorsey, who ran a profitable business entertaining the wealthy elite and working stiffs alike. Not only does “Minneapolis Madams” provide a stirring history, it also gives a telling example of the political hypocrisy at the time. In 1879, the city convicted three major madams and sentenced them, an attempt to rid Minneapolis of the notorious houses.

“That lasted a few weeks,” she said. “All that did was put them out on the street. Instead of knowing where to reliably find these women, you’d find them everywhere.”

Former governor John Pillsbury ended up pardoning the three women and they were all back in business. Until the early part of the twentieth century, these so-called sporting houses sprang up around the entertainment district, including Main Street and First Avenue. When the advent of the telephone brought call girls, most of the bordellos faded away, Petersen said.

“After 1910, the commercial sex trade didn’t have a fixed address,” she said.

As a sexual and social history, the research into the “Minneapolis madams” gives a portrait of the women controlling the sex trade, often family-oriented, savvy bosses. Most madams gave their wealth away to their families and fought to protect the workers in each bordello.

“You don’t really think of prostitution as a family values occupation, but maybe we should,” she said.

What: “Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront” with Penny Petersen

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis

Cost: Free

By: Joe Kleinschmidt

On a bike ride through the riverfront district in Minneapolis, Penny Petersen realized one brick building was out of place among the upscale housing. From what she knew about the late 19th century in the city, the design of the house did not fit the bill for industry.

“Rich people were not living on the Riverfront in the 1890s,” she said. “It was an awful, smelly, dirty place.”

As a researcher for a historical consulting firm, Petersen knew to go straight to the property records to check for more info about the strange location for the architecturally significant townhouse—a clear sign of wealth in an area not known for its residential setting.

“If you had a choice then, you didn’t live there,” she said.

Petersen found a list of suggestive names in the permit index card—“House of Ill Fame” and “Sporting House” are among the open euphemisms for the lone surviving bordello in Minneapolis. Though she later discovered three separate red-light districts in the city, research for her book, “Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront,” was gradual.

“Instead of really facing our problems or acknowledging it, I think we just covered it up,” she said.

Prostitution in the early days of Minneapolis’ history was an inevitable part of the transition to an urban environment, but the Puritanical founders sought to cover up the huge underground economy. Only now, Petersen’s new book sheds light on the “gilded palaces of sin,” a history exposing the lives of the “madams” who controlled the area’s numerous bordellos.

“And they ranged from Kmart to Bergdorf Goodman,” she said.

Among the famous brothel owners, the “high priestesses of vice,” was Ida Dorsey, who ran a profitable business entertaining the wealthy elite and working stiffs alike. Not only does “Minneapolis Madams” provide a stirring history, it also gives a telling example of the political hypocrisy at the time. In 1879, the city convicted three major madams and sentenced them, an attempt to rid Minneapolis of the notorious houses.

“That lasted a few weeks,” she said. “All that did was put them out on the street. Instead of knowing where to reliably find these women, you’d find them everywhere.”

Former governor John Pillsbury ended up pardoning the three women and they were all back in business. Until the early part of the twentieth century, these so-called sporting houses sprang up around the entertainment district, including Main Street and First Avenue. When the advent of the telephone brought call girls, most of the bordellos faded away, Petersen said.

“After 1910, the commercial sex trade didn’t have a fixed address,” she said.

As a sexual and social history, the research into the “Minneapolis madams” gives a portrait of the women controlling the sex trade, often family-oriented, savvy bosses. Most madams gave their wealth away to their families and fought to protect the workers in each bordello.

“You don’t really think of prostitution as a family values occupation, but maybe we should,” she said.

What: “Minneapolis Madams: The Lost History of Prostitution on the Riverfront” with Penny Petersen

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

Where: Mill City Museum, 704 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis

Cost: Free

By: Spencer Doar

The packed audience at the Dakota cooed and aww’d when Alison Scott put a picture of her 12-week-old daughter Grace on the television monitors.

“Nothing sells merch like babies,” Scott’s guitarist and producer, Kevin Bowe, quipped before taking the stage during Scott’s first public performance since having her daughter.

“We’ve been playing for seven years; I don’t think we’ve gone 10 days without playing a show,” Scott said.  

While she admitted to nerves and some butterflies in the weeks before her return, by the time she broke into a rendition of TLC’s “Waterfalls,” any lingering thoughts on her composure were dismissed.

It was hard not to notice the adverts for Macy Gray’s performances the next two nights and even harder not to think, “So what?” after Scott’s bombshell voice demolished the cozy confines Saturday night.

The TLC cover stood out and showcased Scott’s versatility: part power ballad, part pop, powered by lessons learned from heartache and belted with the sultry force of a woman who was born singing — sort of.

She was entertaining her folks with song by the age of two and correcting her father’s pitch, also a musician, by the age of three.

Scott went to McNally Smith College of Music for musical theater, a decision that proved fortuitous when she was perusing alumni emails one day. A songwriting contest caught her attention, and, with no thought of winning, she entered.

And won.

One of the judges for the competition was Bowe, who had a meeting with Scott shortly after — they’ve worked together ever since.

Bowe is Bill Murray if Bill Murray was Kevin Bowe. His goofball demeanor is the perfect foil for Scott’s composed stage presence. Bowe introduced one song by reminding the audience that “good artists put three songs on an album about their wife, metal artists will do two about their girlfriend.”

It’s in moments like those between songs that the audience is reminded that these are just regular people — with tremendous talent.

They closed with “Smash and Grab,” a rockin’, whirling dervish of a number that compares relationship woes to a bit of impassioned thievery.

Scott admits that ballads are what come most naturally to her when she sits down to write, which is unfortunate since Scott is at her most compelling when the drums are pumping. 

By: Spencer Doar

The packed audience at the Dakota cooed and aww’d when Alison Scott put a picture of her 12-week-old daughter Grace on the television monitors.

“Nothing sells merch like babies,” Scott’s guitarist and producer, Kevin Bowe, quipped before taking the stage during Scott’s first public performance since having her daughter.

“We’ve been playing for seven years; I don’t think we’ve gone 10 days without playing a show,” Scott said.  

While she admitted to nerves and some butterflies in the weeks before her return, by the time she broke into a rendition of TLC’s “Waterfalls,” any lingering thoughts on her composure were dismissed.

It was hard not to notice the adverts for Macy Gray’s performances the next two nights and even harder not to think, “So what?” after Scott’s bombshell voice demolished the cozy confines Saturday night.

The TLC cover stood out and showcased Scott’s versatility: part power ballad, part pop, powered by lessons learned from heartache and belted with the sultry force of a woman who was born singing — sort of.

She was entertaining her folks with song by the age of two and correcting her father’s pitch, also a musician, by the age of three.

Scott went to McNally Smith College of Music for musical theater, a decision that proved fortuitous when she was perusing alumni emails one day. A songwriting contest caught her attention, and, with no thought of winning, she entered.

And won.

One of the judges for the competition was Bowe, who had a meeting with Scott shortly after — they’ve worked together ever since.

Bowe is Bill Murray if Bill Murray was Kevin Bowe. His goofball demeanor is the perfect foil for Scott’s composed stage presence. Bowe introduced one song by reminding the audience that “good artists put three songs on an album about their wife, metal artists will do two about their girlfriend.”

It’s in moments like those between songs that the audience is reminded that these are just regular people — with tremendous talent.

They closed with “Smash and Grab,” a rockin’, whirling dervish of a number that compares relationship woes to a bit of impassioned thievery.

Scott admits that ballads are what come most naturally to her when she sits down to write, which is unfortunate since Scott is at her most compelling when the drums are pumping. 

By: Spencer Doar

The Cayucas are searching for an elusive feeling with their debut album “Bigfoot,” a wistful expression of Peter Pan syndrome.

Cayucas references Cayucos, a sleepy old surf town of about 2,500 people that lead singer Zach Yudin heard about as a student at Cal Poly. The town is in a time warp, untouched by invading tourists, a last vestige of days when kids stopped playing when it got dark out.

The album epitomizes that town — an indie-pop homage to wave-lapped toes and sun-touched girls.

“I think a couple of songs were written that felt like lyrically something nostalgic made sense,” Yudin said. “I kind of thought that things that happen growing up make good songs.”

That sentiment holds particularly true for their single, “High School Lover,” a song reveling in the longing and awkwardness that characterizes adolescent relationships between the sexes and the ultimate realization that maybe opportunity knocked and no one answered. In this case, it all started the moment “I saw you on the back of some guy’s bicycle.”

While audiences can undoubtedly relate to those moments of anxiety and bashful discovery during youth, this kind of subject matter can be negative.

Over the course of an album, it can seem a bit over-indulgent and opens Cayucas to criticism that their material is devoid of depth, only good for spacing out to during the dog days. Then again, that might be just what they are aiming for.

There’s a lot of the Beach Boys to be seen in Cayucas; they’ve embraced that surf-rock sensibility and adapted it to make a sort of coastal indie.

 “I think the songs have a happy vibe, but they are not necessarily lyrically over the top joyful,” Yudin said. “There isn’t a song about having a beach bonfire and hanging out with your friends playing guitar. I’d never want to be generic like that.”

Starting at 21, the desire to make music came rather late for Yudin.

“I’ve only been playing the guitar for five years,” Yudin said. “I’m not the greatest; I can play just enough to write a song.”

While teaching in Japan in 2008 Yudin became exposed to the extensive variety of ways sampling can be used in songwriting — an odd genesis for his interest given that Cayucas does not embody an electronic sound. At roughly two years old, Cayucas is still figuring a few things out; much like Yudin was five years back.

It is a clear indicator, however, of a willingness to grow — though up may not be the right direction. They will be well served expanding upon their jukebox aesthetic.

What: Cayucas

When: 8 p.m., Friday

Where: 7th Street Entry, 701 First Ave., Minneapolis

Cost: $10

Age: 18+

By: Spencer Doar

The Cayucas are searching for an elusive feeling with their debut album “Bigfoot,” a wistful expression of Peter Pan syndrome.

Cayucas references Cayucos, a sleepy old surf town of about 2,500 people that lead singer Zach Yudin heard about as a student at Cal Poly. The town is in a time warp, untouched by invading tourists, a last vestige of days when kids stopped playing when it got dark out.

The album epitomizes that town — an indie-pop homage to wave-lapped toes and sun-touched girls.

“I think a couple of songs were written that felt like lyrically something nostalgic made sense,” Yudin said. “I kind of thought that things that happen growing up make good songs.”

That sentiment holds particularly true for their single, “High School Lover,” a song reveling in the longing and awkwardness that characterizes adolescent relationships between the sexes and the ultimate realization that maybe opportunity knocked and no one answered. In this case, it all started the moment “I saw you on the back of some guy’s bicycle.”

While audiences can undoubtedly relate to those moments of anxiety and bashful discovery during youth, this kind of subject matter can be negative.

Over the course of an album, it can seem a bit over-indulgent and opens Cayucas to criticism that their material is devoid of depth, only good for spacing out to during the dog days. Then again, that might be just what they are aiming for.

There’s a lot of the Beach Boys to be seen in Cayucas; they’ve embraced that surf-rock sensibility and adapted it to make a sort of coastal indie.

 “I think the songs have a happy vibe, but they are not necessarily lyrically over the top joyful,” Yudin said. “There isn’t a song about having a beach bonfire and hanging out with your friends playing guitar. I’d never want to be generic like that.”

Starting at 21, the desire to make music came rather late for Yudin.

“I’ve only been playing the guitar for five years,” Yudin said. “I’m not the greatest; I can play just enough to write a song.”

While teaching in Japan in 2008 Yudin became exposed to the extensive variety of ways sampling can be used in songwriting — an odd genesis for his interest given that Cayucas does not embody an electronic sound. At roughly two years old, Cayucas is still figuring a few things out; much like Yudin was five years back.

It is a clear indicator, however, of a willingness to grow — though up may not be the right direction. They will be well served expanding upon their jukebox aesthetic.

What: Cayucas

When: 8 p.m., Friday

Where: 7th Street Entry, 701 First Ave., Minneapolis

Cost: $10

Age: 18+

Pride is going to be crazy this year — yeah, crazier than usual. The Vote No campaign colored last year’s big weekend orange and it’s a safe bet that the legalization of gay marriage will give this year’s festivities, which will again center around Loring Park, an especially jubilant air.

You might be a Pride virgin; you might have more parades under your belt than you can remember. Either way, here are the events we’ve handpicked for your rainbow-flavored enjoyment. Head online to mndaily.com/ae to play with an interactive map and don’t you dare forget to have fun this weekend:

WEDNESDAY

Technically Pride hasn’t started yet, but Wednesday holds a few gems for all you early birds who just can’t wait for Friday.

7:30 p.m.

"Queertopia" 

Intermedia Arts (2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis)

$12-15

Get your Pride started with an evening of love and tenderness from Intermedia Arts and Bedlam Theatre, with performances from a diverse cast that includes students from the St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. We hope there’s another rainbow this year — and given all this rain, we sure wouldn’t be surprised.

10 p.m.

Black Hearts Burlesque

Hell's Kitchen (80 S. 9th St., Minneapolis)

$10

21+

Cap off your night with something a little sexier. The third annual Pride show from Black Hearts Burlesque will have your toes tappin’ and your hearts fluttering. The stunning Victoria DeVille will host.

FRIDAY

Here it is. We’re finally here. It’s Pride time. We’re proud of ourselves for holding in our excitement with such dignity and we’re even happier to let it all go tonight. Let’s party.

5 p.m.

DJ Espada 

Loring Kitchen & Bar (1359 Willow St.,  Minneapolis)

The Loring’s outdoor stage will be danced upon by many a hottie this weekend, starting with master of soul and funk DJ Espada on Friday night. Come back on Saturday and Sunday to groove with the likes of Jonathan Ackerman and King Otto.

5:30 p.m.

Pride Beer Dabbler

Loring Park

$35 in advance

The Cities are on their brewing A-game, and we’re typically down to taste the varied fruits of its labor. Spend a few hours in Loring Park, sampling from 25 local breweries and 25 food trucks and shaking your hips to Tickle Torture, Koo Koo Kanga Roo and Apollo Cobra.

6 p.m.

Uptown Pride Block Party

Bryant Avenue and Lake Street

Free

A more appropriate name for this no-waste community event might be the Badass Chicks Block Party. All our favorite girls will be there, mics and sidekick boys in tow — Epitome No Question, Sick of Sarah, L’Assassins, Chastity Brown and more are slated to unleash their unbridled attitude on the block party.

8 p.m.

“We are Family”

Ted Mann Concert Hall (2128 4th St. S., Minneapolis)

$25-$48

Who wouldn’t want to be regaled with “Y.M.C.A.” by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus? This event features songs that are anthems of the gay community.

9 p.m.

Grown & Sexy Pride

First Avenue (701 First Ave. N., Minneapolis)

Presented by 89.3 The Current, this dance night promises to be one of the most buzzworthy of the weekend. Raja, the goddess herself, winner of the third season of "RuPaul's Drag Race" will be in the house. She'll be joined by a crew of local powerhouses, including Minnesota's own Sweetpea, co-founder of Lili's Burlesque Revue, and Shannon Blowtorch, an inked up DJ who's working on a project with Le Tigre.

SATURDAY

The Beer Dabbler has come and gone — hopefully you still have plenty of gas in the tank.  If you need a few extra to sleep off the hangover, don’t worry, there’s plenty happening Saturday night.

5:30 p.m.

Pride in Concert

Loring Park

$10

18+

Pride’s main musical event features Britain’s sexpot Neon Hitch, identical twin singers Nina Sky, jazz trio the New Standards, and femme fatale punk rockers L’Assassins. All we can say is that when Neon Hitch performs “Fuck U Betta,” which she betta, the park is gonna go nuts, potentially with grinding — that’ll be a sight to remember.

9:30 p.m.

Lollipop

Skyway Theatre (711 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)

$10-$20

21+

Don’t be a sucker and miss out on this candy-themed adult dance party.  Hopefully you won’t slip on slick, syrupy floors while dancing between the three rooms, each of which has its own DJ.  

11:45 p.m.

 Transvestite Soup Presents “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

Uptown Theatre (2906 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis)

$9

The one and only genre and gender bending cinematic experience is back.  Transvestite Soup brings its crew of shadow actors along to heighten the interactive effect of this cult classic.  

SUNDAY

It’s a sad truth but a truth nonetheless: All good things must come to an end. Savor the last day of Pride with a slow brunch and a talk from a football player — bonus points if you can get both at once.

9:30 a.m.

Bitch‘n’ Brunch

 Seven Ultralounge, 700 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis

$25

Enjoy a mimosa and get energized for the oncoming floats at Seven’s all-you-can-eat buffet. Hosted by drag queen Bitch Flowers, the merry gathering on Seven’s rooftop will feature Foxy Tann and DJ Shiek.

12 p.m.

Music at the Pride Festival

Loring Park, Minneapolis

Free

Follow the parade to Loring Park and grab a bite from a food truck when you feel your energy waning. Starting at noon, Southside Desire, June Bug, Matt Iverson, the Freedom Jazz! Big Band, Buffalo Moon, the Roxxy Hall Band, Keri Noble and Boogie Wonderland will all play the Pride Festival’s main stage. With over 300,000 visitors last year, this’ll form the hub of the Pride party.

6 p.m.

Chris Kluwe Reading and Discussion: Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies

Target Performance Hall, The Loft Literary Center at Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis

Free

Former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, whose support for gay marriage made him a national figure, will read from his new book, “Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies.” Kluwe’s letter to a Maryland state legislator already went viral for its appeal supporting free speech for football players. “Beautifully Unique” will hopefully expand on his letter, but no matter what, the reading will be a thoughtful conclusion to the weekend.

By: Spencer Doar

Greg Grease stepped off the First Avenue stage, casually took the congratulations of his fellow performers and friends and, with a big grin on his face, lifted his shirt, stood over a fan and let the air buffet his sweat-soaked body.

Last Friday in the Main Room, Grease opened for Sims and Astronautalis, just another gig to bolster credentials already buoyed by the acclaim for his 2012 album, “Cornbread, Pearl & G,” and 2013 EP, “Black King Cole.”

Last month, Grease performed at Soundset. In early June, he was playing in New York — a week later, Grease and his DJ, Ken Thomas, were still buzzin’ about their joyride in a white ’64 Plymouth Valiant (with sea foam green interior) on their way to Rye Playland, just north of New York City. His manager, Jon Jon Scott, was also oozing energy, stoked to see the launch of MTV Other, for which Grease did an interview.

It seems hard to imagine that Grease will be cleaning houses during the day for much longer, though he admits the work is great for getting into his head and working on material, like one long brainstorm session.

Grease takes a similar sort of solace from golf, which he tries to play every Sunday. In a similar way, it has helped him get “better and better” with his Zen patience.

If there’s one thing to wonder about Grease, it’s his edge, his angle. Genuinely down-to-earth and musically versatile, sometimes there can appear to be an absence of one clear, defining characteristic.

Prof has his goofy, party-boy shtick, the Doomtree cats each have their niche, Atmosphere is ubiquitous, Brother Ali has his righteous anger, but what about Grease?

Looking out over the audience as his set took off at 9:15 p.m. that Friday, it seemed the audience didn’t know what to do with him.

“C.R.E.A.M. Dreams,” one of Grease’s compelling odes to making it, features a sparse drumbeat with a lilting flutter of synthy flute over the top — while the second and fourth beats are clearly emphasized, there isn’t the clearly delineated means for the audience to jump in.

He’s an unusual newcomer to the Twin Cities hip-hop scene, and audiences don’t quite know how to consume him — probably because Grease is an artist first and a rapper second. His vision is as acute as his means of implementation. His voice is distinct, but his flow is adaptable, perhaps another source of confusion.

“Cornbread, Pearl & G” features heady lyricism and rhythms clearly influenced by his drumming background. Laid-back while somehow conveying energy, the album succeeds by seemingly letting listeners in on a secret that only Grease knows.

“Black King Cole” continued what Grease started, backing up his goal to simply “get better, continue growing.”

Before the First Avenue show Friday, Grease sat in The Depot Tavern, waiting to inhale a medium-well Portobello-Bleu Burger as the conversation turned to local difficulties with booking black rappers versus white rappers. That’s when Grease interjected and his edge was laid bare.

“I’m not going to let any of that shit hold me back,” Grease said.

If one thing is for sure, Grease is the word, he’s got groove, he’s got meaning.

What: 10 Thousand Sounds

When: 4-10 p.m., Saturday

Where: 8th St. and Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis

Cost: $20-$45

Age: 21+

By: Spencer Doar

The cover of Twin Cities rockers The Goondas’ new album “Dog Show” features a found photo of five guys mugging for the camera with their catch from a fishing trip.

Pop on the album’s accompanying 3D glasses, and the most prominent feature becomes the bulge of one particular Speedo-clad gentleman. 

Given that drummer Josh Miller requires that every song has balls, it’s a perfect fit. 

“It’s a judgment test—if the song has no balls, [Miller] vetoes it,” guitarist Jackson Atkins said.

While working on “Watch Your Tongue,” the eighth track on “Dog Show,” Miller refused to play because he thought it was too slow.  So, for much of the eight months it took to make the album, bassist Andy Meuwissen switched instruments with Miller. 

That’s pretty much the epitome of the Goondas: seriously goofy, but with a clear emphasis on wanting to rock.  

Their self-titled first album strayed more in the garage punk direction but “Dog Show” features more bluesy inspirations and the occasional twang of country influence. 

“I know that our first record was a bunch of songs we wrote kind of randomly and we didn’t know what we were doing yet,” Atkins said. 

They began by playing covers; Miller stipulated he’d only join the band if they learned Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” first.

As they gradually made the transition to original material, one thing remained constant—the ability to put on a crazy show. 

“Everything’s all for a laugh,” Meuwissen said.  “As long as people are entertained, if that means being the village idiot on stage — which we often are — and if somebody remembers that, had a good time and maybe enjoyed the music — maybe — I guess it was all worth it.” 

A group for five years, the Goondas made a name for themselves by being wild — chipping teeth, smashing instruments, pretty much being off-the-wall in ways reminiscent of The Who’s antics. 

Front man Brenden Green leads that charge to the wild side, and while all four guys knew each other growing up, Green was never a musician until he joined the band. 

“We get so much shit about Brenden and the Goondas being a bunch of Iggy Pop [wannabes, but] Brenden didn’t even know who Iggy Pop was for the first two years of the band, he was just being himself,” Meuwissen said. 

Green may not have known Iggy Pop, but the others have a profound knowledge of rock ‘n’ roll history.  Meuwissen appears a walking encyclopedia—ask him anything about Black Sabbath or The Kinks and he’ll probably answer that question and five more you never thought to ask. 

“I don’t know what music does for your life, but I think my life has been opened up by my favorite singers and made it into a real world for me,” Meuwissen said.    

What:  The Goondas “Dog Show” Release Party

When: 9 p.m. Friday

Where: Turf Club, 1601 University Ave., St. Paul

Cost: $6

Age: 21+