Monday, May 13 Auto-Tune Karaoke Nomad Pub, Minneapolis 10 p.m., free, 21+ Lizzo hosts this weekly karaoke night at the Nomad, which gives attendees the chance to sing their favorite songs in Auto-Tune. Tuesday, May 14 Iguano Cause Spirits and Soundbar, Minneapolis 9 p.m., $5, 21+ Ehsan Alam (formerly of Revolver Modele) leads Iguano,…

  With the same-sex marriage bill expected to pass through the senate on Monday and be signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton on Tuesday, supporters of the marriage equality movement are going to have something to celebrate next week. And the first song they’ll play when the bill is passed? The Suburbs’ 1984 hit…

  Slip on your headphones and get ready to have a little desk chair dance party—these are five fresh tracks and videos from Minnesota artists that are guaranteed to bring a little sunshine to your afternoon. Y.N.RichKids The Kids are back! “My Bike” is Y.N.RichKids’ first video and single since their viral hit “Hot Cheetos…

  In this dizzying digital age, concert photography is everywhere. Attend a show at any sized venue these days, and tiny glowing screens light up every corner of the room. From the sea of smart phones in the audience DSLR-equipped shooters crammed into the pit in front of the stage, everyone seems to be angling…

  Now in its 15th year, the Duluth Homegrown Music Festival is officially an institution. That much was clear as soon as I picked up the festival guide, a meaty, 82-page directory of all of the shows happening over the eight days of Homegrown; in addition to a play-by-play of each day and descriptions of…

My discovery of Rootbound was borne from a mutual appreciation of lyricism. One of the members of the group was an early participant in my Mic Math Monday discussions (currently on hiatus). Based on his input and outlook on creative writing it was clear that he was passionate about the music. That was enough to…

It’s been a tough few years for large-scale music festivals in the Twin Cities. Over the past 12 months in particular we’ve witnessed the cancelation or postponement of SoundTown, River’s Edge, and the First Avenue festival that was slated to debut this July. So the pressure’s on for Summer Set, the electronic and jam band-heavy…

  Mark Andrew Pudas is a familiar face in the Twin Cities scene, having spent some time performing with his brother, Matt, in the White Iron Band and gigging around as a solo artist. This spring, he got the opportunity to play for an much larger audience when he competed as a contestant on NBC’s…

  Har Mar Superstar returned home Saturday night to play the Turf Club, his first show in town since releasing the soulful new Bye Bye 17 on Cult Records. Painted Ponies opened the night followed by Baby Boys, whose Jeff “Catfish” Quinn also plays guitar for Har Mar. The Chalice took the stage as the…

It occurred to me the other day that I’ve been kicking off most Friday Five posts this season with some chit-chat about the weather. So Minnesotan, I know. But at this point, I don’t even know what season it’s supposed to be, or how we’re all supposed to feel about it. So instead, I’m cueing…