The Cactus Blossoms at the Raccoon Motel -- July 22.
Wednesday, July 22, 6 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
With their most recent release Every Time I Think About You hailed by Adventures in Americana as an album that "pulls you in immediately with delicious melodies combined with that Lynchian edge the band is known for," the sibling Americana musicians of the Cactus Blossoms headline a July 22 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their latest also inspiring Americana Highways to extol the duo's "seamless songwriting of classic rock sounds that seem to hail from simpler times."
As stated at AllMusic.com: "Born and raised in Minneapolis, [Page] Burkum and [Jack] Torrey grew up on a musical diet of pop radio and classic Beatles albums, but the brothers also shared a taste for vintage country and folk tunes, and in 2010 they began playing out as a duo, adopting the handle the Cactus Blossoms. Playing a mix of old-school country and folk classics with originals crafted in the same spirit, they released a self-titled, self-released debut album in 2011, and soon landed a residency at St. Paul's Turf Club. The standing gig helped build their audience in the Twin Cities, and highlights from their run of shows were collected on a live album, 2013's Live at the Turf Club.
"As the live record gained positive press, the Cactus Blossoms expanded their touring schedule, playing clubs as headliners, sharing the bill with other acts in bigger halls (including touring with Kacey Musgraves), and appearing on the public radio show A Prairie Home Companion, whose host Garrison Keillor called them 'the brother duet that America is waiting for.' In 2015, the Cactus Blossoms struck a deal with Red House Records, the well-respected St. Paul-based roots music label, and the pair teamed up with musician and producer JD McPherson to begin work on their first album for the label. The brothers' Red House debut, You're Dreaming, was released in January 2016, and Burkum and Torrey set out on tour in support.
"The Cactus Blossoms received a boost after appearing in David Lynch's 2017 television series Twin Peaks: The Return, and their next move came in March 2019 when they released their second album, Easy Way. The Cactus Blossoms returned in 2022 with One Day, an album that featured a duet with Jenny Lewis on 'Everybody' and incorporated elements of 1970s soft rock. 2022 also saw the release of If Not for You (Bob Dylan Songs Vol. 1), an EP where they covered four songs by Minnesota's most celebrated songwriter. For 2024's Every Time I Think About You, the Cactus Brothers recorded at Creation Audio, a Minneapolis studio that had previously played host to both the Trashmen and the Replacements. The material reflected an increased contribution from the brother's touring band – guitarist Jacob Hansen, bassist Phillip Hicks, and drummer Jeremy Hanson. The production and arrangements combined the group's country and soft rock influences added a dash of indie pop modernism. The release was followed by an extensive tour, including an appearance at St. Paul's prestigious Fitzgerald Theater."
The Cactus Blossoms perform their headlining engagement in Davenport on July 22 with an additional set by singer/songwriter Pieta Brown, admission to the 6 p.m. concert is $26.45, and more information and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
