A year and a half after the death of Tony Glover, fans of the legendary Minneapolis blues scene have bade farewell to another harpist often seen on West Bank stages. The Star Tribune reports that Tom Burns succumbed to lung and heart disease on Nov. 23 at age 67. “He was a true blues man,” […]
Over nine months since the last regular concert at First Avenue (Chelsea Cutler on March 12), Congress is set to pass a long-awaited relief bill that includes $15 billion in support for live entertainment venues. The Save Our Stages Act was championed by the newly-formed National Independent Venue Association (NIVA), led by First Avenue owner […]
The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder called her our state’s “First Lady of Song.” The Star Tribune called her a “pre-eminent” vocalist in the local jazz scene. She called herself “ridiculously picky” when it comes to material, but, she told Local Current blogger Simone Cazares in 2018, “I know a tune when I hear one.” So did the […]
“I got tired of signing ‘Save Our Stages’ petitions and decided to do something,” said Mary Beth Mueller. “Many of us simply cannot imagine this city or the national music landscape without First Avenue. We started emailing bands, and every single one of them responded, ‘yes.’” The statement by Mueller – founder of Kill Kancer […]
Bob Dylan, the boy born in Duluth who went on to create what the New York Times calls “one of the music world’s ultimate jewels” and the Associated Press calls “rock ‘n’ roll’s holy grail” has sold that jewel, that grail, for an estimated $300 million. In what the music world is calling a “blockbuster […]
Leah Ottman, a Minneapolis musician who performed under the name LOTT, passed away at the age of 33 on Wednesday. Her cause of death has not been made public. LOTT debuted as a solo artist in 2014, releasing the single “Parking On The Grass” via Homestead Records. LOTT Music · Parking On The Grass In […]
Everybody loves a good pop-up, and with the retail and restaurant industries (not to mention the music industry) profoundly affected by the coronavirus pandemic, innovation and flexibility is especially important this holiday season. Two new pop-up experiences are giving Twin Cities music and pop-culture fans a chance to get a little closer to a couple […]
The 2021 Grammy nominations are out and…did someone say LOCAL ANGLE? We’re on it. The biggest local connection in this year’s nominations is probably Taylor Swift’s quarantine album folklore, created with The National’s Aaron Dessner…who has tight ties to the Eau Claire scene, which is right across the border from the greatest state in the union. […]
Imagine yourself years from now, walking through a Minnesota State Fair that’s back in action and packed once more. You might be talking to your kids, or grandkids, or some other young whippersnapper who doesn’t remember Covid Time. “We drove down Wright Avenue,” you’ll say, “and all the cars stopped to watch the 4H Building, […]
We knew this day was coming, and now, it’s here: today, the former Flyte Tyme Studios in Edina is being torn down. Alan Stricklin, a member of our audience and a past Minnesota Public Radio employee, sent photos of the demolition in progress. It’s the end of an era for a Minnesota music landmark that […]
