If standing at the shores of Lake Superior isn’t enough to make your jaw drop, imagine a stage filled with world-class musicians and a “Water is Life” banner flapping in front of the waves. Honor the Earth, an environmental organization co-founded by Winona LaDuke and the Indigo Girls, will present a “Water is Life” benefit […]
Ahead of the July 30 release of Prince’s album Welcome 2 America, the legend’s estate has made album track “Hot Summer” available to stream and purchase. The funky jam is new to many fans, but familiar to The Current’s audience as we were able to present the song’s world premiere shortly after Prince recorded it […]
Big Red Machine, the band built around a collaboration between Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner, have announced their sophomore album and released a new single. “Latter Days” features singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell, whose voice blends poignantly with Vernon’s. The band have been posting teasers for new music that fans quickly speculated might involve Taylor Swift, given […]
Low have announced their 13th full-length album. The Duluth-based trio will release HEY WHAT on Sept. 10, and a first single called “Days Like These” is out now with a music video directed by Karlos Rene Ayala. HEY WHAT will be Low’s third collaboration with producer BJ Burton, and their first since 2018’s acclaimed Double Negative. According […]
The Electric Fetus today announced that it’s closing its Duluth location, a staple of the north country music scene since 1987. “After 33 years in business, we’ve made the difficult decision to permanently close our Duluth location after having to shut down for COVID-19 since March 2020,” wrote the store’s owners in a statement. “It’s […]
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has announced its class of 2021. The 13 inductees include Tina Turner, Carole King, and Foo Fighters, each marking multiple inductions: Turner was previously inducted with Ike Turner, King with collaborator Gerry Goffin, and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl with Nirvana. Jay-Z was also voted in, an inductee in […]
Regal Anton-Chavez Francis Bragg, a Minneapolis musician and producer who worked under the name Regal the Rare, has died at age 29. His stepfather Jellybean Johnson shared the news in social media statements, writing, “Fly free son.” No cause of death was provided; a memorial celebration is planned this Saturday, May 1 at Winterland Studios […]
In an intimate Oscar ceremony like none other due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor, and Atticus Ross won Best Original Score for their work on Pixar’s Soul. “God gave us 12 notes,” said Batiste in an acceptance speech. “It’s the same 12 notes Duke Ellington had, Bach had, Nina Simone…I’m just thankful to […]
This afternoon, a Minneapolis jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts of murder and manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd. The case drew international attention, sparking months of demonstrations and cries for justice in the music community and beyond. Below is a sampling of artists’ reactions today. For more on […]
Musicians around the world, and particularly here in Minnesota, have been sharing grief and anger at the police killing of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center on Sunday. Below is a selection of those responses. Our colleagues at MPR News are continuing to cover this developing story. Nothing to reform. Burn it down and start over […]
