A lot of news came out of the Eaux Claires festival this weekend: an entire new album premiered live by Bon Iver, a surprise visit by Chance the Rapper, and onstage collaborations galore. One detail that escaped many fans’ notice in the flood: GAYNGS are coming back, in a new configuration. The Minneapolis-based supergroup — anchored…

Members of Prince’s family gathered on Saturday afternoon at Paisley Park for a private memorial service, as fans gathered outside. The service followed an informal memorial gathering at the venue shortly after Prince’s April 21 death, and precedes a major official memorial concert on Oct. 13 at U.S. Bank Stadium. (WCCO) New graffiti on a Lake…

If Eaux Claires day one was all about new music, day two was for the legends. The talent on today’s stages wowed attendees from near and far; from gospel to rock to neo-soul, pros showed the audience how it was done. Like the first day’s, this line-up had variety. Mavis Staples, musical history-maker, dazzled her crowd with…

It’s been a smooth first day at Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, the sequel to last year’s premier Eaux Claires (a.k.a. the renaissance of Bon Iver). The lines have been short, the water has been plentiful, and the music has been incredible. All day long, I sampled songs around the festival, picking up pieces of sets here and there before moving along.…

For an artist who has achieved a global footprint not just as the man behind Bon Iver but also as the artist responsible for pushing big-name hip-hop acts like Kanye and Chance the Rapper to meld gospel with Auto-Tune, Justin Vernon could have his pick of any collaborator, any studio, any city in the world. But…

The woman who inspired Prince’s classic song “Little Red Corvette” has come forward to tell her story. Mi-Ling Stone Poole tells City Pages she decided to open up about her relationship with Prince after David “T.C.” Ellis, a rapper who performed with Prince’s New Power Generation, said he’d asked Prince to confirm whether Stone Poole inspired “Little Red Corvette,” and…

On Saturday, August 20, the Local Show’s Artists to Watch event will feature 10 of my favorite up-and-coming acts in Minnesota performing across two stages at the Cedar Cultural Center. As we gear up for the showcase, you’ll be hearing from the performers in segments on the Local Show and here on the Local Current Blog. I first saw…

Camping and/or dorm supplies stowed in your car? Directions to Foster Farm pulled up on your phone? Bruce Hornsby cassette loaded in the tape deck? Okay, you might be saving all the preparation for the last minute. But that’s what this final pre-festival day is for, right? We’re talking about Eaux Claires 2016, the second…

The Smiths have partnered with PETA to create a video game inspired by the band’s song “Meat is Murder.” In the game, “This Beautiful Creature Must Die,” players try to save animals from being ground into meat. An eight-bit version of “Meat is Murder” soundtracks the game. “This game is the biggest social crusade of all,…

On Saturday, August 20, the Local Show’s Artists to Watch event will feature 10 of my favorite up-and-coming acts in Minnesota performing across two stages at the Cedar Cultural Center. As we gear up for the showcase, you’ll be hearing from the performers in segments on the Local Show and here on the Local Current Blog. Word about Tony…