Once there, you can set the category to just “Music,” and thus not have to read about Joe Dowling’s favorite brand of licorice or whatever fascinating topic the theater guys are writing about. But we’re actually hoping this promotes a little cross-pollination between all the local arts worlds. Jon Bream and I will be doing the same post-concert posts with set lists, gig announcements and other matters to spout off about. Please stay with us and continue posting your own comments, although you’re going to have to log in to the Strib mothership log-on center to do so (pretty easy).

Did Rascal Flatts seemed rushed? Many songs segued into the next one — even in non-medley situations.

Did the elaborate runway(s) to the stage sort of suggest Prince’s symbol?

Why would Gary LeVox expect many fans to know the new number “American Living”? It’s not on my version of “Unstoppable.” Tied to the group’s new campaign with JC Penney, the song is available only on CDs sold at Penneys.

So we got three songs from “Unstoppable.” Glad that the helping from the new album was limited because this is not a particularly strong album.

What was louder: Gary LeVox’s bespangled shirt, his bespangled jeans or his blinged out watch?

I liked the contrast of LeVox’s choir-boy tenor and Darius Rucker’s rich as molasses baritone, especially when they teamed up on “Life Is a Highway.”

While Rucker was convincing at the X, I thought he was much more impressive at his longer, looser Cabooze gig last fall.

Darius’ “It Won’t Be Like This for Long” musically echoes the Bonnie Raitt hit “I Can’t Make You Love Me.”

Did we really need Cletus T. Judd as an opening act? His lamest joke was threatening the first person who yelled “Hootie” at Darius Rucker with being escorted by security to a Dixie Chicks concert 100 miles away. The Chicks haven’t been on tour for a few years.

Click here for the full review.  Here are the set lists

Rascal Flatts: Summer Nights/Stand/Fast Cars and Freedom/Me and My Gang/Bless the Broken Road/Still Feels Good/FRONT PORCH SET Mayberry/Lean on Me (Bill Withers)/Backwards/Praying for Daylight/American Living/Here Comes Goodbye/FULL BAND I Melt/Let’s Get It On (Marvin Gaye)/Love You Out Loud/Take Me There/My Wish/What Hurts the Most/Bob That Head  ENCORE Revolution (Beatles)/Hold My Hand (Hootie & Blowfish, with Darius Rucker singing lead)/Life Is a Highway (with Rucker)

Darius Rucker: Forever Road/Alright/It Won’t Be Like This for Long/All I Want/History in the Making/Family Tradition (Hank Jr.)/Drinkin’ and Dialin’/I Only Want To Be with You (Hootie & Blowfish)/Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It/Purple Rain (Prince)

Somebody asked me if I planned to review Lucinda’s show last night at First Ave, and I have to admit I hadn’t really even thought of it. What with the whole wedding report and all (look for the news story on the home page).

Nobody would want to dis the bride on her wedding day, but the truth is the show would’ve been completely satisfying even if there hadn’t been any vows exchanged. Lucinda was incredibly focused, and her revamped band (longtime guitarist Doug Pettibone is out, ex-Iggy Pop sideman Eric Schemerhorn is in) definitely added spark in all the right places. Just like her second set at First Ave last year on the night of her “Little Honey” webcast — and what she’ll presumably do throughout her forthcoming 30th anniversary tour – she went through all her albums chronologically and picked 1-3 songs off each of them, talking intermittenly about that particular stage of her career. When she made her breakthrough “Lucinda Williams” record for Rough Trade, for instance, she said, “L.A. said I was too country for rock, and Nashville said I was too rock for country … so a punk label out of England signed me.”

Besides the usual highlights (”Joy,” “Changed the Locks,” “Righteously”), most of the standouts were the rockier numbers such as “Pineola,” “I Lost It” and “Real Live Bleeding Fingers,” although “Sweet Old World” sounded incredibly tender, too. How could it not on a night like this? Here’s the set list:

Motherless Children / Stop Breaking Down / Lafayette / Happy Woman Blues / I Just Wanted to See You So Bad / Big Red Sun Blues / Changed the Locks / Pineola / Sweet Old World / Concrete & Barbed Wire / I Lost It / Joy / Out of Touch / Essence / Real Live Bleeding Fingers / Righteously / Come On / Honey Bee

ENCORE: Plan to Marry / I’m Happy I Found You (adapted Hank Williams song) / “I take thee, Lucinda…” / Happy (Rolling Stones) / It’s a Long Way to the Top (AC/DC)

Ticket details for these concerts will be announced soon.

Also, look for an acoustic version of DeVotchka to open for Leo Kottle on Nov 28 at the State.

Yes, the French dudes who’ve been making us politely shake our tail all summer with “Lisztomania” and “1901″ will be gracing the Electric Fetus in Minneapolis for a performance and signing at noon on Tuesday, the day of their sold-out First Ave show. To get in, you need to buy a copy of their album “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” at the store — kind of an insult to fans who bought it the day it came out, but a great show of support for a local indie store (so buy one for your Mom or whoever). Click here for the details on the band’s site. Word is the group even wants to record the Fetus set, maybe for some kind of indie-store-only live release on down the line or something like that.

As if Rhymesayers didn’t already have enough on its plate this year, the label is issuing Brother Ali’s new one, “Us,” on Tuesday. There will be the usual midnight sale at Fifth Element on Monday night (with Ali there to sign and perform), followed by a tour kickoff Tuesday night at Pizza Luce in Duluth. He’s not performing in Minneapolis until the tour finale at First Ave on Nov. 20. 

After intermission came “A Wizard, A True Star” with an expanded band (including Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes, saxist/keyboardist Bobby Strickland and guitarist Jesse Gress), white tuxedos with tails for the six musicians, and a series of colorful costumes for Todd.

Back in 1973, this music was experimental, adventurous and oddly eclectic. On Tuesday, it was merely a curious grab bag of unbridled creativity as Todd traveled through vaudeville, R&B ballads, prog rock, Broadway, hard rock, cabaret, pop, etc.

With the sound something less than stellar (Todd’s vocals were difficult to decipher much of the night), the costumes may have been as fun as the music.

To be sure, some of these costumes came out of the closet and had to be let out. Several were quite a trip like the feather-and-lame ensemble that looked like something Cher might have worn in her video for “Half Breed” or the Dreamsicle-orange suit (and electric orange satin-like shirt) that Rundgren sported for his R&B medley of “Ooh Baby Baby” and “La La Means I Love You.”

Near the end, when a truly rockin’ Todd was carrying on with scraggly, sweaty hair in an outdated outfit with a slight paunch and a puffy face, he suggested Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler.” But when he ended by slipping on a gold lame-like suit with oversized Elvis-like sunglasses to perform “Just One Victory,” it was clear that Todd the Rock God still rules.

For me, the “AWATS” experience wasn’t as rewarding as seeing Brian Wilson and his band do “Pet Sounds” in concert. But for all the Rundgren runts, they went ga-ga.

Todd Rundgren, performing Tuesday at the State.

Photo by J Bloomrosen (click to expand).

A lot of things went through my head last night at the Dirty Three’s nearly two-hour set, including the idea that the only way instrumental rock bands really work is if one of the instruments “sings” in lieu of vocals (which Warren Ellis’s violin did all night). I also kept trying to remember the obtuse titles of the songs to compile the set list, most of which I knew by melody but not by name (no dice; among the ones I nailed down were the openers “Some Summers They Drop Like Flies” and “Restless Waves,” the two encore gems “Some Things I Just Don’t Want to Know” and ”Last Horse on the Sand,” and in between “Sister Let Them Try to Follow”).

The one constant thought, though, was how terrific it was to see that show in a venue as unique and electric-feeling as the Southern Theater, with its brick-wall backdrop, ornate overhang and scruffed-up walls. Warren marveled over the space, too. When somebody yelled asking when they’re going to come back and play again, he quipped, “Tomorrow night, in fact” (no kidding, the band does have a second gig tonight).

I had a similar reaction Saturday night watching Low at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. Former Low bassist Zak Sally, btw, earned a shout-out and then a hug from Warren at the Southern.

The historic Harriet Bandshell is a venue I have long contended is tragically under-used for music gigs (and I’m not talking string trios or hippie folk singers I’ve never heard of). Alan Sparhawk & Co. sounded magical under the curvey, wooden stage with the lake for a backdrop and crisp September weather, a perfect setting as the trio churned out a few new songs alongside such favorites as “Canada,” “Sunflower,” “California” and “Dinosaur Act.” The show was the kickoff to the Vita.mn Autumn Music & Movies series, and I highly recommend the rest of these Saturday night installments.

More important, I’d like to make this a call-to-arms to local bands: Think outside the Turf Club/Entry/Triple Rock boxes. As much as I love those places, there’s something extra special about gigs in non-typical venues, where the spaces can act like a fifth-member collaborator in the band. There are other rustic theaters like the Southern (The Ritz in Nordeast, the Lowry in St. Paul, Intermedia Arts Center on Lyndale where B-Girl Be lands again Saturday). There are neighborhood bars with empty stages. There are rec centers, warehouses, school gyms, whatever. Let’s make it an interesting winter venue-wise.

Not exactly a shocker statement to make: Beyonce did deserve to win over Taylor Swift last night. Granted, they’re both pinup stars who make us forget their weak singing voices by being incredibly soft on the eyes — hence, they’re the perfect MTV stars – but that Beyonce video was truly killer. That Swift video? Utterly forgettable.

I think MTV was clearly going for the suburban youth TV-viewing market by crowning Taylor over the B-Girl. I applaud Kanye for pointing out the obvious. Of course, he probably just did it for his own benefit — let’s face it, Mr. West has been slipping from the headlines of late — but he was still in the right. By the same token, don’t feel bad for Ms. Swift: She’s getting a lot of publicity and sympathy-vote attention out of this, too. Click here if you haven’t yet seen the clip of him crashing the stage.

Now onto the real controversy: How in the world did Lady Gaga become the biggest star of the night? Having the backing of Perez Hilton is no match for having the talent of Paris Hilton. Her performance on the show was a comical Madonna-wannabe send-up, and her many costume changes just reeked of being desparate for attention. No wonder Kanye likes her, too.