CONCERTS:

Kate Nash Concert
On October 30th, Kate Nash will return to Minneapolis in support of her latest release, “Girl Talk.” Despite mediocre responses from critics, her latest album has a raw energetic energy that guarantees a vibrant and electric show. Although the album, a hit in the UK, has not reached mainstream success in the U.S, Kate Nash has developed a solid American following with her three studio albums that is sure to leave First Avenue packed. Kate Nash and her angsty, feminist backing band of three female musicians have toured the entirety of the U.K., and the upcoming show at First Avenue will be the second U.S. stop on the tour. This is a show anyone who considers themselves a fan of indie music won’t want to miss.

Imagine Dragons 
Heading back from their European detour, the Las Vegan-based, alternative band Imagine Dragons will be making yet another stop in the Twin Cities at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, on September 30th. As one of the 13 venues on their extended “Night Visions” tour, the auditorium is sure to be packed as the band wraps up the celebration of their chart-topping album. The indie band that became an overnight success will be back once again to take the stage with their electrifying music. Newcomers and die-hard fans will be on their feet, rockin’ out to their favorite tunes from this energetic band. As of now, no opening acts have been booked for the event.

The Head and the Heart
On the 26th and the 27th of October, for two back-to-back nights, First Avenue will be featuring the Seattle based folk band The Head and the Heart. Their fifth and sixth stop on their “Let’s Be Still” tour, will celebrate their new album’s release. The faster, upbeat tunes that are featured on the new album, “Let’s Be Still” will be sure to provide a lively atmosphere for their performance. The new album truly refines the aspects of their older music, while still keeping the same light-hearted rhythm of their previous works. Tickets are going fast as the 26th date is already sold out.

ALBUMS:

 Arcade Fire
It started in early August when a mysterious Instagram account named “Reflektor” began to post images of the same original street art in various locations around the world. It was later confirmed that the Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire was behind it in anticipation of their upcoming record, “Reflektor.” The band has since released a series of short, unrevealing videos of the recording of the album and a music video for the single, “Reflektor,” which was accidentally leaked to the internet, days before its official release. The single, a nearly eight-minute commentary on the “internet age of music,” waves their early-80s Bowie influence like a flag and even features the man himself. If this danceable track is at all an accurate preview to the record, the band will simultaneously lose and gain many fans as this is an extremely drastic musical change. The pressure is on for songwriter Win Butler as he waits to see if fans find his newest creation an adequate follow-up to their 2010 Grammy-winning masterpiece “The Suburbs.” It is safe to say that no one knows exactly what to expect from “Reflektor” when it hits stores on October 29th through Merge Records.

Cage the Elephant
Finishing up their “Thank You, Happy Birthday” album tour, the punk band from Bowling Green, Kentucky, known as Cage the Elephant, went right back in the studio to record their third album, “Melophobia.” Ten songs are featured on the album due to be released October 8th, including the already released single, “Come a Little Closer”. The fresh, hypnotic noise of “Come a Little Closer” promises a more refined, mature band. Comparing the sounds of the recent single and those of their earliest works, listeners can note the expansion of their musical horizons. Cage The Elephant’s “Melophobia” is sure to expand on this fresh spellbinding sound, while still keeping a traditional bluesy quality.

MOVIES:

Carrie
Coming to theaters on October 18th, this remake of the classic horror film and novel will take on the country just in time for horror movie season. Carrie tells the horrifying story of Carrie White, a girl who uses her newly found telekinetic powers to unleash terror on her high school oppressors. Director Kimberly Peirce, who was chosen for her success with Boys Don’t Cry, has chosen to make this remake a more faithful adaptation of the Stephen King novel than the critically acclaimed 1976 film. Peirce cast Chloe Moretz, of Hugo and Dark Shadows, as Carrie White and Julianne Moore as her extremely religious mother. The adaptation of this frequently banned book will without a doubt be one of the scariest of the year.

Gravity
Four years in the making, Alfonso Cuaron’s “Gravity” tells the intense story of Medical Engineer Dr. Ryan Stone, and astronaut Matt Kowalski, as they attempt to survive alone in outer space after their space shuttle is destroyed. The small cast of four actors includes the experienced Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. Cuaron received a budget of 80 million dollars by Warner Bros. leaving room for expensive 3D effects, which the movie was praised for after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in August.