Tickets to The Current's 9th Birthday Party are on sale now to the general public.

Friday, January 24 is SOLD OUT. Purchase here for Saturday, January 25.

Tickets can also be purchased in person at The Depot at First Avenue.

Like sand through an hour glass, another year has gone by and the time has come once again for the Current to celebrate our birthday at First Avenue. This January marks the station's 9th birthday (we first went on air on January 24, 2005), and we'll be marking the occasion with a pair of special birthday shows on Friday, January 24, and Saturday, January 25, 2014.

In addition to a celebration of the Current getting another year older, it's also a celebration of our vital local music scene—each year, the acts from the shows hail from right here in Minnesota.

Friday, January 24

Our first guest announced today was Minneapolis dance duo Strange Names, who stopped by the studio this morning to debut a brand-new track off their forthcoming full-length, Common Attraction.

Also on the lineup for Friday is Actual Wolf, whose debut full-length was well received by critics and listeners in 2013, and two acts who toured together and garnered both national and international attention this past fall: soul-pop crooner Har Mar Superstar, and rap powerhouse Lizzo.

Saturday, January 25

The first act to be announced for Saturday night is the Cactus Blossoms, a classic country band who earned a sizable fanbase while holding down a year-long residency at the Turf Club. They came by the station this morning and spun a track off their new album, Live at the Turf Club.

Also on the bill Saturday night are two groups who have new albums on the way—Rough Trade signees Howler and St. Paul hip-hop group Heiruspecs—plus lauded folkie-turned-soul singer Caroline Smith.

Details

Tickets for the Current's 9th birthday parties at First Avenue go on sale Wednesday, January 8, at noon to MPR members. (Become a member today and receive your MPR Member ID when you call 1-800-227-2811.) You can pick up tickets at thecurrent.org or stop by First Avenue's Depot Tavern on Wednesday, where Steve and Jill from the Morning Show will be selling tickets in person.

If there are tickets remaining after Wednesday (they have historically sold out quickly), they will go on sale to the general public on Thursday, January 9 at noon.

Doors open at 7 p.m. both nights and the shows are 18+.