May 3
The Pines w/ Midwest Dilemma, Matt Cox
The Slowdown, 729 North 14th St.
9 p.m., $8, theslowdown.com
The Pines came together around the songwriting duo of David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey, while they both were in Arizona. Their roots led them back to Iowa and then onto Minneapolis, where they built a buzz behind their elegant, but humble take on indie-folk. The band released their third album, Dark So Gold, earlier this year. The band mixes together piano, banjo, acoustic guitar and dusty drumming on their tidily constructed songs. The accomplished, but non-showy guitar work is a highlight. While most of the ew album carries a laidback, front-porch jam vibe, standout track “Rise Up & Be Lonely”, a smoldering, moody midnight strut.