Music on TV this week: Kacey Musgraves; Weyes Blood; Spoon; David Crosby; The Mountain Goats July 15, 2019 Artists heard on The Current are frequently featured on TV programs, and we've gathered the listings in one convenient place for you. See the complete listings and find performance videos as the week progresses. You can also subscribe to receive the week's schedule in your inbox to plan your TV viewing around music. Read More ›
Shane Leonard guest DJs on Radio Heartland July 15, 2019 Shane Leonard contains multitudes: he's a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer. Leonard has a new album out, 'Strange Forms,' and he's adding another credential to his already impressive CV as he joins Mike Pengra to guest DJ on Radio Heartland. Read More ›
Album of the Week: J.S. Ondara, 'Tales of America' July 15, 2019 In the universe of this album, J.S.'s bottomless, booming voice is the sun, and his songwriting is the North Star. Read More ›
Water Month Concerts 2019 June 20, 2019 Celebrate Water Month with concerts near the water this July! Classical MPR and The Current have teamed up with the Water Main to create a calendar of over 150 outdoor concerts this summer in Minnesota. From jazz to rock to classical, let us be your guide to finding great live music this summer. Read More ›
Charlie Parr announces new album, returns to live performance after serious skateboard injury July 12, 2019 As he continues to recover from a shattered shoulder, Duluth singer-songwriter Charlie Parr is moving forward with new music. Parr fell while skateboarding last August, requiring extensive surgery. Parr had never experienced a physical health issue like this before, and was not sure if this would impact his ability to play his guitar. “There are… Read More ›
Minneapolis musician Sota Smoov detained by ICE; fellow artists organize to raise awareness July 12, 2019 This Saturday, July 13, over a dozen local musicians will spread across Minneapolis street corners and sidewalks. The performances are an effort to raise money and awareness for John Lewis Bing III, a.k.a. Sota Smoov, a Minneapolis musician who was arrested and detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on June 6. Bing was born… Read More ›
Semisonic perform three unreleased songs live in The Current studio July 09, 2019 Legendary Minnesota band Semisonic are back on the road - and back in the studio. They visited The Current to play three of their new songs and to tell Mary Lucia about their incredible journey. Read More ›
Faye Webster performs songs from 'Atlanta Millionaires Club' in The Current studio June 19, 2019 Atlanta-based singer-songwriter Faye Webster creates songs with a warm, dreamy, nostalgic quality. Webster and her band stopped at The Current for a studio session hosted by Jade. Read More ›
Playlist: Aar Maanta Youtube hits June 14, 2019 YouTube has become an indispensable tool for Somali artists to share their music and create an online community. To give you a sense of the music and stories that exist on London-based Somali musician Aar Maanta's channel, we put together a list of some of the singer-songwriter's videos. Read More ›
The Current Rewind: Aan WadaMidnimayno Minnesota June 12, 2019 Ask most casual Minnesota music fans about the West Bank neighborhood of Minneapolis, and they'll probably tell you about the folk and blues hippie scene of the '60s and '70s. These days, the West Bank is home to a thriving Somali population, and several Somali-Minnesotans are famous throughout the diaspora for their own music and poetry. In this episode, we learn about music and community from our Somali neighbors. Read More ›
Photos: A tour of Minneapolis' Cedar-Riverside neighborhood June 12, 2019 With venues like the Cedar Cultural Center, Palmer's Bar, and Mixed Blood Theatre, Minneapolis' West Bank has become a hub for Somali music and culture. Cedar-Riverside resident and KFAI radio host Abdirizak Bihi takes us for a tour of his neighborhood, which he calls "Little Mogadishu." Read More ›
Download The Current app January 29, 2018 Download The Current's app to hear a crisp, high-fidelity stream of our station (and our additional streams) wherever you go! Read More ›
Listen to The Current via Smart Speakers July 23, 2018 Listen to The Current on Google Home and Amazon's Echo devices, and get enhanced functionality -- song names, requests, song of the day -- with our Alexa Skill. Read More ›
Coffee Break: Hometown July 15, 2019 Rock the Garden, The Fourth of July, Aquatennial, Bastille Day...it seems like you can shake a stick and find a festival to attend in your own town right now. So today we're going to celebrate the nostalgia of hometowns. What songs do you want to hear for today's 9:30 Coffee Break that mention home, hometowns, small towns, etc? Read More ›
Today in Music History: Remembering Ian Curtis July 15, 2019 John Lennon suffered a tragic loss; Elton John got his first No. 1 album in the U.S.; Ray Davies temporarily resigned from the Kinks; Ian Curtis of Joy Division was born in Greater Manchester; and Prince gave free albums to U.K. tabloid subscribers, Today in Music History. Read More ›
Coffee Break Suggestions and Archive November 08, 2016 Got an idea for a Coffee Break? Want to see what we did a while back? Read More ›