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Friday Five: Roma di Luna, LUXYZ, and more new Minnesota music videos

Channy Leaneagh sings with Roma di Luna in "Lonely Hearts"
Channy Leaneagh sings with Roma di Luna in "Lonely Hearts"

by Cecilia Johnson

December 14, 2018

The last Hanukkah candles have burned down, kinaras have yet to be lit, and Christmas is just a week and a half away. In this installment of Friday Five, Roma di Luna and Katy Vernon share bittersweet Christmas music videos, Tiny Deaths "dance the album," and Minnesota hip-hop represents hard.

Roma di Luna - "Lonely Hearts"

I've watched a lot of music videos, but I've never seen anything quite like the double exposure Roma di Luna use here, allowing the viewer to watch Channy Leaneagh sing and simultaneously drive down a snowy I-35W. Bassist James Everest writes:

"The video is from a very special live performance of our song "Lonely Hearts" from our 2009 Christmas album (performed at the Cedar Cultural Center for our annual holiday show in Dec. 2010, shot on video by Dan Huiting and his crew). Little did we know, the band would break up the next year, and this footage was nearly lost and forgotten. But since reuniting and releasing a new album this past year and now performing two December shows at Icehouse next week, we wanted to celebrate by sharing this performance with our fans."

LUXYZ - "DROOL"

LUXYZ shares a video for "DROOL" from his 2018 project No Thank You. Fans will recognize his 2016 song "Waitin'" at the switch-up, and everyone has Ben Nichols, aka @5centsofchange, to thank for making the video. LUXYZ's next big performance will go down at the Armory for Snowta NYE on Dec. 30-31.

Atmosphere - "Drown (feat. Cashinova, The Lioness, & deM atlaS)"

Atmosphere keep it simple with this music video, positioning Slug front and center in black and white and letting him spit. Cashinova, The Lioness, and deM atlaS join him for their features, each melody-soaked and astute. deM and the Lioness will open for the Rhymesayers honchos at the Palace Theatre tonight (sold out) and tomorrow.

Katy Vernon - "Christmas Wish"

Katy Vernon and band rehash 2017's "Christmas Wish," adding Paul Odegaard on trumpet. Inspired by an event called "Unhappy Holidays," the song references Vernon's first Christmas without her mom. Now, Vernon is mother to two daughters, Lily and Daisy, both of whom helped film the video. Sixteen-year-old Lily edited the final product.

Tiny Deaths - "Magic"

Dancers Laura Osterhaus, Elizabeth Robinson, Jacob Lewis, Christopher Patino, Desaré Cox, and Sarah Davis leap through snippets of every song from Tiny Deaths' 2018 album Magic. It's an incredibly fun way to get to know the music in a short time, thanks to well-placed crossfades and John Mark's choreography. Once you're properly intoxicated by Claire de Lune's voice and Grant Cutler's beats, you can see them open for Mason Jennings tomorrow (Dec. 15) at First Avenue.

Clean Water Land & Legacy Amendment
This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.