It’s cold outside, as you might have noticed. Astronautalis was among the many Minnesotans who boiled water and threw it into the subzero air to watch the frighteningly pretty results. Other Minnesota musicians settled for screenshots, selfies, and wry comments. Here’s a sampling of the reactions, which we’ll be updating throughout the day. Be careful…

Before we put 2013 to bed once and for all, we wanted to pause for a moment and reflect on some of the biggest music stories of the year. And there were quite a few stories that resounded deeply with readers and listeners, both in terms of how many comments and discussions they generated and how much you shared them with your own network of friends.

It might be the best bargain of the year for Minnesota music fans: seven bucks for seven bands, with not a lemon in the bunch. That’s how the annual Best New Bands showcase, hosted by First Avenue and sponsored by Radio K, works. The lineup for next month’s show—scheduled for January 30, with tickets on…

I don’t know about you, but the thought of stepping into a shopping mall this weekend with everyone losing their minds over last-minute holiday deals makes me want to curl up on the couch take a big old nap. Shopping for records and other musical paraphernalia at local stores, however? That I can handle. If…

Thursday, December 19 Mad Ripple Hootenanny Harriet Brewing, Minneapolis 5:30 p.m., free, all agesJim Walsh’s long-running Mad Ripple Hootenanny moves to a new home this week. This time the round-robin style songwriter showcase will happen in Harriet Brewing’s South Minneapolis tap room, which has been hosting a wide array of local talent this year. The…

James Norton made a special trip to The Current's Morning Show to talk to us about the Local Gift Guide that Heavy Table put together.

Every year around this time I come down with a nasty ailment that I’ve self-diagnosed as chronic list fatigue (Latin translation: album defetigatio). When I see another in an endless parade of year-end lists pop up in my social media feed, I groan and grumble. Another list, areyoukiddingme? What’s it gonna be this time, top…

Charlie Parr, Live at the Brewhouse A longtime favorite in the Duluth music scene, blues-folk singer and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Parr is set to release his latest nine-song effort, recorded live at the Brewhouse during his Backslider session series in 2006. Twangy, authentic, and often spiritual, Parr’s music—along with some contributions from friends—is captured on a limited-edition…

Paul Spring, 24, is a contemporary folk musician based in St. Cloud. In true folk style, Spring is a prolific songwriter: since May 2012, he’s released no fewer than three full-length albums. After dropping his eponymous debut last May, Spring followed with two discs this year: State of the Union and a children’s music collection, Home of Song.…

Thursday, December 12 Dustin Thomas 7th St. Entry, Minneapolis 8 p.m., $5, 18+ Globe-trotting soul-folk artist Dustin Thomas returns home after playing to thousands at music festivals in Bali and Australia. (Read an interview with Dustin and see photos from his travels here.) For his Minneapolis show, he’ll be joined by folk-rock band Portage. Duluth…