Photo by Steve Cohen

Typical Station 4 antics at a Gallagher/Metallagher show

St. Paul's punk and metal haven Station 4 is taking a breather in a move to make future club-goers breathe better in the future. While there's something oh-so-punk about sweating your face off in the confines of a club during the height of summer, the owners taking measures to replace its ventilation system. Unfortunately, this means shows will be shut down until Labor Day, according to a statement from the venue.

For the time being, shows will be diverted to other venues, including the Garage, the Triple Rock, and the Cabooze. "When we re-open in September, we will have a new HVAC system," a statement reads. "In other words, no more ungodly heat!"

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Photo courtesy of the artist

Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings are putting plans for a big 2013 on hold with the announcement that Jones has been diagnosed with stage-one bile duct cancer. As a result, a new album titled Give the People What They Want will not be released as scheduled in August, and all tour dates have been postponed -- including their headlining slot at the Basilica Block Party in July.

Fortunately, the soul singer's cancer was discovered early. According to her representation, "It is expected that the immediate proposed surgical solution will lead to a full recovery, but because of its invasive and complex nature, will necessitate a rather lengthy convalescence." Update: R&B and neo-soul singer Raphael Saadiq has been announced as her replacement.

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Basilica Block Party 2013 lineup
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Photo by Denis Jeong Plaster

Mike 2600 spinning at Triple Double

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Photo by Erik Hess

Hasps at Heliotrope 2012

Over the past decade, the Heliotrope Festival has been a long-standing beacon of bizarre innovation in local music and beyond. Hosted at area theaters outside of the usual scope of music venues -- including the Lab Theater in 2012 -- the Flaneur Productions-curated fest takes underground acts often relegated to the fringes onto stages that spotlight their craft in a fresh way.

This year would have been the tenth running of Heliotrope, but organizer Richard Barlow says that the anticipated fest has hit a "fallow season" and is taking the year off.

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Heliotrope Nine night two at Lab Theater, 5/25/12
Heliotrope Nine's final night at Lab Theater, 5/26/12

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Photo by Erik Hess

We'll blame the snow for this announcement.

Today another major Twin Cities summer festival decided to take 2013 off. The long-gestating First Avenue music festival, which was set to be held at Parade Stadium near the Walker Art Center on July 20, is postponed this year.

Earlier this year, Live Nation announced that the River's Edge Music Festival, which debuted last June on Harriet Island, is on hiatus. According to First Avenue general manager Nate Kranz, the decision came down to key acts that were supposed to be part of the lineup pulling out.

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Live Nation: River's Edge Music Festival on hiatus in 2013
Amphetamine Reptile's Bash 13 lineup: Mudhoney, the Melvins, and more

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Photo by Erik Hess

Dave Matthews at River's Edge 2012.

The River's Edge Music Festival will not be back in 2013, Live Nation officials say. The $4.8 million, two-day event on St. Paul's Harriet Island debuted last June with headliners Dave Matthews Band and Tool, as well as the Flaming Lips, Scissor Sisters, Diplo, and several others spread over multiple stages.

According to reports, this is a hiatus as opposed to a full-on cancellation. The event brought live music back to the popular festival ground near St. Paul after Taste of Minnesota went bankrupt in 2010, and though attendance was far from peak, showed a hint of what could be.

See Also:
15 gorgeous GIFs from River's Edge Music Festival 2012
Review: River's Edge Music Festival Day 1, 6/23/12
Review: River's Edge Music Festival Day 2, 6/24/12
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The future of the storefront at 400 Cedar Avenue is still hazy, but it definitely won't have the 400 Bar's massive redwood bar -- a custom piece that has apparently stood in the space since December of 1933. With the announcement in December the bar is closing, it's time to empty out.

According to a new listing part of the 400 Bar's "everything must go"-style auction -- they really mean EVERYTHING -- the 30-foot bar was reportedly installed in the space a day after the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed, repealing Prohibition. This would be before the saloon was even named the 400 Bar! So, with a starting bid of $5,000, and a "buy it now" price of $50,000, a supposed 79-year-old centerpiece of carousing and live music on the West Bank can be yours. 

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The 400 Bar is closing its West Bank location
The 400 Bar auction is open for business

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For anyone who cares to own a piece of the 400 Bar's music history, the West Bank venue has put up several keepsakes from the space. Just last week, news came of the bar's closing after three decades of hosting live music officially -- and more years of being a Cedar Avenue landmark prior to that.

And now the old implements are up for sale. One of the most visually compelling of the batch is the red upright piano. As the listing points out, "Both the JAYHAWKS and WILLIE MURPHY played this legendary piano during their WEEKLY residencies at the 400 Bar."

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The 400 Bar is closing its West Bank location
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Morrissey just announced he has postponed the remainder of his U.S. tour dates. Earlier this week, the ex-Smiths crooner put on hold all of his shows this week up until Monday's stop in Minneapolis, but he has now decided to reschedule all of the concerts so he can spend time with his ailing mother in England. This cancellation includes Monday's Orpheum Theatre show. Details below.

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Morrissey's U.S. tour dates -- Minneapolis show in October
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Just days before P.O.S.' highly-anticipated new album, We Don't Even Live Here, is set to be released, the Doomtree MC has just had to postpone his entire upcoming 2 1/2 week U.S. tour (with the exception of his First Avenue show on October 26, which is still on) due to health concerns and his imminent need for a kidney transplant.

Stef explains, "Both of my kidneys are garbage. They've been going bad since I was a teenager." He reveals that he has been on dialysis for the past month, and thought he could continue with that type of treatment while on the road, but doctors have advised him otherwise.

He's released a heartfelt video where he explains his situation more thoroughly, and you can tell how much it pains him to have to postpone his tour. "Everyone keeps telling me, including all of my doctors, that I have to take care of my health first."

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