Bob Dylan is building a 26-foot iron gate for a new casino in Maryland. Why, Bob? “I’ve been around iron all my life ever since I was a kid,” said Dylan in 2013 when he first displayed his iron work. “I was born and raised in iron ore country, where you could breathe it and smell…

If you listen to the lyrics of the 4onthefloor’s “Small Towns,” you’ll get an accurate depiction of the town I grew up in: one grocery store, no stoplights and yes, if you look hard enough in the right direction, a water-tower skyline. Perhaps it is the simplicity associated with these things that draws visitors to…

We may, one day, look back on these as halcyon days in Minneapolis music: days when, for the price of a Jenny Lewis ticket, you could get a complete album performance, a Staves guest appearance, the Cactus Blossoms doing Ben Gibbard doing Roy Orbison, and a Conor Oberst/Har Mar Superstar soul kiss. A day after Frankie Lee…

If you’ve always dreamed of working at Paisley Park, you might just get your chance: the former studio and home of Prince is opening jobs for staff members to help shepherd the public tours that begin Oct. 6. There will be a job fair at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres this coming Thursday and Friday. “Positions include general…

Last night, a caravan of special guests — including Jenny Lewis and Conor Oberst — performed surprise sets at the Clown Lounge (in the basement of St. Paul’s Turf Club). Frankie Lee & Friends headlined the literally underground show; the bill’s “& Friends” turned out to include Lewis, the Watson Twins, Oberst, Har Mar Superstar, the Cactus Blossoms, the Pines, and more. Last…

Asteroid 17473, which orbits the sun in the belt between Mars and Jupiter, has been named for Freddie Mercury on what would have been the late Queen frontman’s 70th birthday. “It’s just a dot of light,” said bandmate Brian May, “but it’s a very special dot of light and maybe one day we’ll get there.” (Rolling Stone) Remembering two…

Several months ago, I wondered, what would it be like to go with a local musician to a touring artist’s show? In music journalism, we spend a lot of time talking about influences. But could we take that conversation one step further, opening the door to an experience that refreshes or sustains inspiration? Cut to last…

This week’s Local Show features an interview and performance from André Cymone. Before we dive in Sunday at 6 p.m., here are a few key facts to get you properly acquainted with the artist, who grew up contributing to the Minneapolis Sound.  1. As a young musician in the midst of the growing Minneapolis Sound,…

Saturday night at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand proved to be a testimony to fervent rock and roll. The Current’s Music-on-a-Stick this year featured headliner Weezer, with supporting acts the Struts and Fury Things. They all performed with a manic level of energy, while each showcased their own unique brand of unhinged, enthusiastic rock and…

I was eight years old when Purple Rain came out, and it didn’t seem strange to me that Prince was from Minnesota. Everyone important, it seemed, was from Minnesota. Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. Future president (or so we thought) Walter Mondale. Herb Brooks. Why wouldn’t Prince’s purple house be in Chanhassen? Of course, I later learned, it was highly unusual for…