#Current10 Memories: Ali Lozoff
by Ali Lozoff
January 22, 2015
There are a lot of significant moments that stand out for me in the 10-year history of The Current. It's hard to walk through my memory palace and pick out the most treasured object, as there are so many that are either completely lovely and adored, or just have hilarious origin stories.
Our first SXSW broadcasts, for instance, took place in hotel conference rooms well off the beaten path, and included a band rolling into the room Spinal Tap-style on a luggage cart, drinking box wine and partying hard with some VERY young looking locals.
There were the days of broadcasting Mary Lucia's show live from Gluek's in downtown Minneapolis, which sometimes meant sparse rooms, but sometimes meant an acoustic set by DevotchKa that sent chills down our spines, and inspiring conversations with Lisa Ling who happened to be speaking at the State Theatre that night.
Over the course of the past 10 years, I've been lucky enough to be involved with introducing Policy and a Pint, Rock the Cradle and Rock the Garden to our audiences, all of which have produced moments of profound connections with our community, between individuals, and among the artists and organizations involved. The first year we worked on Rock the Cradle with both the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Children's Theatre Company, the people at the meeting told us it was their first joint project, even though they share a campus. Talk about building connections!
Our first year partnering with Walker Art Center on Rock the Garden was a dream come true for me personally; I worked at the Walker for the first-ever Rock the Garden, so getting to be part of the most beautiful rock fest in the Twin Cities again was especially meaningful, and as that event has grown to be a two-day festival with some of the best musical acts of the 21st century vying to appear at it, my little rock-and-roll heart has grown right along with it. We all crossed our fingers and hoped that last year's first expansion into a full weekend would work — would we get two days of good weather? Would we capture that feeling of community and a sense of togetherness for two days, not just one? — and then the sun came out, the people streamed in and the smiles appeared and by god, it worked.
If you haven't joined us for Policy and a Pint yet, consider this your official invitation. Did you know that people who listen to public radio — even rock 'n' roll public radio — can tend to be a bit wonkish about public policy? I know, I just burst your bubble about us, but it's true. Immediately after The Current launched, the Citizens League approached us to ask about working on a conversation series that brought together our audiences to discuss important topics in an informal setting; frankly, we weren't sure it would work, but we thought, "What the heck — let's give it a go."
Steve Seel asked to host it, then-Current producer Stephanie Curtis was brought on board to shape it, and we launched a thing that has led to some of the best conversations around everything from transportation infrastructure to how Supreme Court justices are nominated to who is responsible for cleaning up after national disasters to bringing back the pollinators to using arts as a driver of the urban economy. THOUSANDS of people have joined us over the years to talk through how personal choices affect public policy and vice versa. We have always been about more than music, something we set out to be from the day we launched.
Which leads me to my personal favorite moment of the last 10 years. I thought a lot about this, and struggled with what would encapsulate the last decade of my life at The Current, and The Current's life on air. I met some of my personal heroes, saw some of the most important and entertaining music imaginable, and laughed (and cried) harder than I can describe. I mean — just look at the other stories people have told here. So what rises to the top for me?
Rock the Cradle. We started planning Rock the Cradle about four months after launching The Current. The idea was to create an event for kids and their grown-ups to enjoy TOGETHER. We have all been to those events where parents are off to the side, rolling their eyes at the music and programming while kids lose their minds hopped up on sugar goofballs and the latest kids' music that makes adults' skin crawl. We knew our audience wanted something different. BOY, DID THEY. Hordes of people showed up and have been showing up ever since. Dancing with their kids in the kids' disco. Wandering through the halls of the MIA looking at art together, hand in hand. (Actual quote from a five-year-old in the galleries: "Is THIS art??") Seeing kids play a musical instrument for the very first time and watching their eyes light up. I once talked to a dad who was wandering around with a newborn and a glazed look in his eye; he said he was just so glad to get out of the house and be around other people in his position and among "his tribe" that even though his kid couldn't enjoy it he just had to be there. And all this was going on while the White Stripes, The Clash and Lorde are ringing out through the galleries and spaces of two of the best destinations for families in the Twin Cities … well.
Then he wrapped that up and led the audience in a sing-along version of the ABCs, in that very breathy Messersmithy voice of his, which wafted through the museum, and I watched from the second floor landing as kids swayed along, fell asleep in their parents' arms, and tattooed guards absent-mindedly sang the Alphabet Song while they walked through the galleries. And a chill of goosebumps ran up my arms, and I thought, "This."
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