Alright, this summer has our attention. All this social turbulence—a kind our nation hasn’t witnessed in generations—has a long tradition behind it. Revisiting some of our nation’s most treasured protest songs can help remind us that this fight isn’t new. This list is a soundtrack of freedom expressed through jazz—Afro-America’s great art form to the … [ Read more]
Claiming Space: Two artists from war-torn countries find a place and a voice in Minnesota through music
April 3, 2020 by
I have a friendly neighbor/she wanna be my savior/her daddy always warns her about my family’s behavior/she wonders ‘bout my flavor/those chocolate coated layers” Dua Saleh sings on their 2019 single “Sugar Mama.” Their voice sluices through the verses, and you too will find yourself with that the uneasy feeling in your stomach is actually … [ Read more]
Ladies First: How Desdamona and Maria Isa set the stage for women in Minnesota’s hip-hop scene
February 27, 2020 by
Rapper and spoken word artist Desdamona has shared stages with Wyclef Jean, Bahamadia, and Saul Williams. But when she first moved to the Twin Cities in 1995, she couldn’t find anyone to give her the opportunity to perform. “When I tried to get into the hip-hop scene, it was very difficult,” said Desdamona. “There … [ Read more]
One More Time, With Feeling: Encores are a time-honored ritual—but has the very idea of a concert coda lost meaning?
January 29, 2020 by
You’re at a show by one of your favorite bands. They play an epic version of a song from their latest album, they introduce all the musicians, and they close the number with a flash of pyrotechnics. “Thank you very much!” cries the singer as the band heads offstage and the lights go down. That … [ Read more]
Sounds Like Teen Spirit: Young musicians overcoming doubters and expanding the all-ages music scene
December 23, 2019 by
Late on a December school night, Maude Lorr, a sophomore at Central High School, found herself onstage at a restaurant in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood on St. Paul’s East Side. Lorr wasn’t there to perform with her band, RiGBY, a punk quartet that got their start through School of Rock. Along with the rest of Twin … [ Read more]
Turn It Up: 10 local albums from 2019 that are must-adds to your queue
November 26, 2019 by
As always, this year saw a lot of remarkable music come out of Minnesota, and you probably didn’t catch all of it. We’ve rounded up 10 local albums released in 2019 that you should definitely queue up. Charlie Parr “Charlie Parr” The album art for Charlie Parr’s self-titled record is a precise visual portrayal of the … [ Read more]
Making Moonshine and Dancing to Dixieland: A tour through Minnesota’s prohibition-era music venues
November 4, 2019 by
From 1920 to 1933, Prohibition outlawed the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol—but Minnesotans found other ways to enjoy their spirits. St. Paul’s bootlegging business was booming and the city’s bands provided the soundtrack. When the Volstead Act was enacted in 1919 and went into effect in 1920, saloons and beer parlors closed up shop … [ Read more]
Feelin’ Nur-D: The Minneapolis rapper blending geek culture, activism, and pro wrestling to keep MN hip-hop weird
August 29, 2019 by
If you ask Matt Allen, known on stage as hip-hop artist Nur-D, how he’d describe himself, he would tell you that he is weird, your seventh favorite hip-hop person, and then declare himself a nerd. Vocal about his love for comics, professional wrestling, video games, ’80s hair metal bands, and superheroes, Nur-D creates his music … [ Read more]
Living Outside the Box: A Q&A with pianist, activist, and musical auteur Lara Bolton
August 20, 2019 by
Lara Bolton’s impressive array of performances, creations, and occupations defies any attempt at being clearly labeled, and her work—imbued with sparkle and elan—can be relied upon to trigger something of the unexpected in those who experience it. Recently praised by the Star Tribune for her “heroic presence at the piano,” Bolton is known for her versatile … [ Read more]
Blazes of Glory: Pyrotechnic designers and engineers add fiery drama to the concert experience
August 2, 2019 by
When you go to a concert by Macklemore, Pitbull, or Marshmello, it’s not just for the music—you’re also going for an elaborate spectacle, and often that means waterfalls of sparks raining down from the ceiling or pillars of fire erupting from the edge of the stage. In short, pyrotechnics. Pyrotechnics can incorporate anything from fire … [ Read more]
Minnesota’s Most Famous Singing Trio: The Andrews Sisters’ inventive harmonies buoyed a nation at war and topped the charts
July 2, 2019 by
What comes to mind when you think of the Andrews Sisters? Maybe holiday classics like the Bing Crosby collaborations “Jingle Bells” and “Mele Kalikimaka.” You might remember the Andrews Sisters’ appearance in the comedy “Buck Privates” or the World War II-era hit “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” You might even know that the Andrews Sisters spent … [ Read more]
Voices in the Wilderness: Bands (other than Bon Iver) that chased the muse into the woods
June 4, 2019 by
I n 2008, when Justin Vernon debuted his Bon Iver alias with the release of “For Emma, Forever Ago,” the music world was forced to grapple with a project so far-flung from indie music at the time that it was soon shrouded in myth. Soft, sparse, and smoldering with emotional intensity, “For Emma” led curious … [ Read more]
Musical Minnesota: Visiting 8 destinations around the state immortalized in song
May 6, 2019 by
Planning a Minnesota road trip? Check a local landmark off your bucket list—specifically, one of these places made immortal by shout-outs in song. Get your playlist and your map app ready! Red Wing “Kelly’s Bar,” Trampled by Turtles Our musical road trip starts on Old West Main Street in Red Wing, Minnesota, where a particular … [ Read more]
The Genre Rebel: With fluidity, confidence, and company, Bailey “26” Cogan shirks genre and makes music for joy
April 6, 2019 by
Listening to the music of Bailey “26” Cogan—songwriter, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and leader of the Minneapolis-based group 26 BATS!—is not a passive experience. While listening to the band’s latest album, “Onyx,” on the Green Line recently, the sharp rays of sun bouncing off windowed office buildings and fresh puddles mirrored the album’s vocals and bright notes … [ Read more]
The Sound and the Money: 3 ways musicians support their dreams of making music
February 25, 2019 by
While some musicians are financially successful enough to focus exclusively on music, most aren’t quite so lucky. For the average musician, making a living can be a difficult puzzle to figure out. “It’s not going to look the way a lot of people think it will. It’s not glitzy and it involves a lot of … [ Read more]
