John Mark Nelson is a popular singer-songwriter from Minneapolis, and he’s touring the U.S. this month. Before playing shows with The Tallest Man On Earth, he performed for a crowd at Sasquatch! Festival last weekend. He recounts the experience in a mini-tour diary below: “The moment we got off I-90, and drove our van down the […]
For me, The Current has always been there. The station originated when I was ten, and I found it when I was a teenager. Last night, though, Low’s Alan Sparhawk let the Mainroom crowd at First Avenue know how unique the station was — only half a handful of stations would compare, he said — and […]
Hard to believe it hasn’t snowed in the Twin Cities yet, but if you’re already looking for a Minnesota winter retreat, consider Texas. The annual South by Southwest Music Festival returns March 15-20, 2016 in Austin and five Minnesota-linked acts have been announced in the first two rounds of official SXSW performers: Har Mark Superstar, […]
Low: Ones and Sixes Low‘s long-awaited 11th studio album, Ones and Sixes, finally arrives on Friday by way of Sub Pop Records. The minimalistic Duluthians have more than 20 years of songwriting under their belt, yet this album’s source of inspiration seems to be fresh and in the moment for guitarist Alan Sparhawk. “This one, I […]
John Mark Nelson: Sings the Moon Local singer songwriter John Mark Nelson’s music is something that never ceases to put you into a good mood. His third album Sings the Moon drops today. Nelson’s folky bluegrass sound is stronger than ever on the single “Boy,” as well as “The Moon and the Stars.” The release show […]
Each year we ask our listeners to vote on their favorite songs of the year, and their ballots determine the Top 89 songs we play on New Year’s Eve. This year, we asked some of our favorite local musicians to share their picks as well. If you haven’t submitted your ballot yet, don’t delay! Voting […]
January 11 marks the 2013 installment of First Avenue’s long-running Best New Bands showcase. The line-up this year is filled with bands that made a huge impression in the local community last year. Among the mix are high-school born acts Bomba De Luz and John Mark Nelson, Strange Names’ ’80s-influenced dance-pop, the dirty electro of Wiping Out Thousands, Picked To Click winners The Chalice, Eric Pollard’s new Bob Dylanesque affair Actual Wolf and the brand spankin’ new group Eleganza!, hopefully filling a void that rockers The Rockford Mules left after breaking up in the fall.