Pat Boone’s “Tutti Frutti.” Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower.” Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.” Little Eva’s “The Loco-Motion.” The Bangles’ “Manic Monday.” Neil Diamond’s “I’m a Believer.” Puff Daddy and Faith Evans’s “I’ll Be Missing You.” Which of those are cover songs? On Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on The Current,…

On Tuesday, I found out one my favorite people in the Twin Cities passed away the other week, and I want to share her with you. ​ Rebecca Marx was a friend and a mentor in the music scene for several years before I moved to Colorado in 2016, and even then, I saw her…

In the 15 years that Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis’s Flyte Tyme Studios were active in Edina, the songwriting and production duo made music history, with ten number one pop songs and numerous R&B hits like Boyz II Men’s “On Bended Knee.” The team worked with Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Usher, and many more, first…

The air is crisp, the weather calls for sweaters, and pumpkin spice abounds. It is undeniably fall in Minnesota. As the leaves turn and warm hues are everywhere, you may stumble upon two very particular photoshoots of Prince, ranging from regal to cozy. Both of the shoots are from the 1990s, and were conducted in…

Rolling Stone just updated its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, which means it’s time to look for the LOCAL ANGLES! Buckle up. (Here’s the tally of albums on the list that were actually recorded, at least in part, in Minnesota: Prince 4, Janet Jackson 3, Nirvana 1, Replacements 1, Hüsker Dü…

A red star for the late George Floyd now adorns the outside of First Avenue, a permanent addition after mourners added a star there this past summer. The new star comes as part of a partial repainting across the venue’s face; a giant gold star marking the club’s 50th anniversary has also been added, and…

Ali Elabbady is, in the truest sense of the phrase, a storyteller. Throughout his career, the Twin Cities native has critiqued music, written about food, DJed, produced music, hosted acclaimed radio shows, and much more. Throughout all his pursuits, Elabbady approaches the world with a passionate perspective, ready to dive deep into the subject, and…

The owners of Acadia, a restaurant/music venue in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis, have announced their intent to “move on” and sell their business. The West Bank pub has had a bumpy 2020, temporarily closing several times due to COVID-19; the Minneapolis Uprising; and, in late June, a combination of construction and broken air conditioning.…

“Minneapolis is Dakota homeland, home to a lot of ancient stories,” artist and animator Marlena Myles said. “My view of the city is that it’s the past, present, and future all existing in the same moment.” In local rapper Tufawon’s latest music video, for his song “Cinnamon,” Myles brings intricate designs, animals, city streets, and…

As the heat of summer turns to brisk fall, Minnesotans are bracing for having to spend even more time indoors. Fortunately, there are still a handful of events that you can (safely) attend — either in-person or virtually — before the leaves change their hue. There are parking-lot jams, online state fair performances and panels,…