Throughout the week, Morning Show host Jill Riley has been hopping on the phone and checking in with different musicians throughout the country. On Monday she chatted with Chris Thile, a member of Nickel Creek and the Punch Brothers, and the host of Live From Here, an American Public Media Group radio show that features…

On March 16, the Walz-Flanagan administration extended unemployment benefits to those who have lost their jobs or had their hours significantly cut due to COVID-19. The executive order waives the traditional waiting week to ensure applicants have access to benefits as quickly as possible. Yet there is currently no aid under state unemployment benefits for…

As the Covid-19 virus continues to spread worldwide, forcing countless musicians and support staff out of work, members of the music community are stepping up to help those in need. Jill Riley got on the phone with Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard to discuss the Facebook Live events he’s been hosting daily to…

Lori Barbero is a Minnesota music legend, drummer for Babes in Toyland and an artist who could fill an encyclopedia with her local knowledge. Like many musicians, she also works in the service industry; in her case, as a bartender. That means she’s doubly affected by restaurants, bars, and music venues closing to slow the…

In the midst of the spread of COVID-19, virtually all music venues have postponed shows for weeks. One Minnesota musician is now navigating how to proceed after showing possible symptoms. On March 16th, jeremy messersmith shared on Twitter that he’s been tested for coronavirus, posting a video of the nasopharyngeal swab test.  This morning, March…

Twice a year since early 2018 Eau Claire’s Oxbow Hotel has been re-imagining what an evening of music with friends and family can look like. The music industry is seeing new niche festivals pop up every other day, but the “Lock-Inn” stands out as a refreshing and intimate experiment in what a live concert can…

I’m admittedly at a loss for words of how to describe the last couple of weeks. As a person who likes to be in control of situations and wants to “fix things,” the COVID-19 outbreak is the exact opposite. Ten days ago, when the virus was certainly top-of-mind but seemed far from home, I was…

In this unprecedented public health emergency, concerts of all sizes have been cancelled or postponed around the world. Minnesota musicians are among those connecting with audiences online as artists and fans practice the social distance required to slow the spread of COVID-19. It’s a scary time, but as in other tough times, people are turning…

If you have a music video you’d like to be considered for an upcoming feature, give me a shout at fridayfive@mpr.org! The Bad Man – “Hairdresser From Mars” The Bad Man take to Can Can Wonderland for this song about interplanetary haircuts, their latest single since 2018’s raucous album Laughing with Bad Teeth. They tore up…

There’s a huge amount of uncertainty right now around everything involving the coronavirus pandemic and our responses to it. What activities can go on, and what activities need to be called off? For how long? With large public gatherings and travel, particularly international travel, being discouraged or banned around he world, the global music industry…