Every Friday, we pick five must-see new Minnesota music videos to showcase. This week, deM atlaS kicks a football (metaphorically), Alpha Consumer get trippy, Paul Spring snuggles up, TBT talk economics with David Letterman, and the Cactus Blossoms raise the roof. Dem Atlas, “Lucille” According to superstition, Dem Atlas should be facing seven years of…

In an Eat Street space that used to house a German bakery, Arwyn Birch and Teresa Fox have made their own mark on the culinary scene in Minneapolis; the vibrant, pink-ceilinged Glam Doll Donuts sells about two dozen different types of doughnuts, including a new one every Wednesday, and they craft custom designs for special events.…

Minneapolis could soon have a new hive center for music education and appreciation thanks to a plan currently in the works by the Steve McClellan-led Diverse and Emerging Music Association (DEMO). And if all goes smoothly, operations could begin at a vacant Longfellow elementary school as soon as this winter. The McClellan Center for Music…

The Pitchfork Music Festival begins today in Chicago; the three-day festival features headliners Beck, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Kendrick Lamar. The Current’s Andrea Swensson and Leah Garaas will be there; follow them at @SlingshotAnnie and @leahgaraas. Also, read Andy Moe’s post on the Pitchfork/Lollapalooza effect: how the Twin Cities benefit by being in the region,…

In the video for their new single, “War on the East Coast,” A.C. Newman and Dan Bejar of the New Pornographers stalk around a barren city overrun with rioting youths like a pair of undercover cops. I’d say they are playing a familiar role. In the ever-morphing indie rock scene, the Canadian supergroup has become…

After playing a few trial shows with Doomtree this year, rapper P.O.S. will finally get to take the stage to perform a solo set on Saturday, September 13, when he headlines a block party called “The F*cking Best Show Ever.” It will mark P.O.S.’s first headlining show since October 2012—a show that was supposed to serve…

Here in Rochester, summer is marked by the arrival of free music events. You can get a taste of anything from local music to Grammy-winning national artists—just make sure you keep your eyes peeled! Here are some free music events taking place in Rochester this summer. Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor, you can…

Just over a year after releasing his first studio album in ten years—read Mary Lucia’s review of The Next Day—David Bowie has indicated that fans can expect “more music soon.” (Pitchfork) Ron Howard will direct a new documentary about the Beatles’ touring years—from their early days in Liverpool clubs to their final concert at Candlestick Park…

The hearts of fans at Sharon Van Etten’s First Avenue show were already good and tender by the time the singer-songwriter got to her encore. The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter had already delivered over a dozen smoldering songs, including many from her new album, Are We There, and returned to the stage solo to present a mesmerizing solo rendition of the Lou…

First, Strange Names booked a hometown show at First Avenue. Then they announced that their debut album would be released in 2015. Now, to complete a rock ‘n’ roll hat trick, they’ve signed with Frenchkiss Records—home of bands including the Antlers, the Dodos, and the Hold Steady. The funky electropop duo have been steadily gaining steam…