Slug of Atmosphere stopped by the Current this morning to unveil the details for the third annual Welcome to Minnesota tour, which will find the hip-hop heavyweight touring the state with support from Brother Ali, Get Cryphy, Carnage, and up-and-comer Haphduzn. “It’s officially a tradition now,” Slug said. Atmosphere will be pared down to…

  Know why January is a good month for live music in the Twin Cities? Because while most national touring artists tend to stop coming through town in these coldest of winter months, it gives the locals more opportunities to headline the bigger venues and test out their new material. As you’ll notice in this…

  It was one of the better turnouts in recent memory at First Avenue’s Best New Bands showcase, with a sizable crowd gathered and a line snaking out the door for the majority of opening act Bomba de Luz’s set. For many, the evening provides a convenient (and inexpensive) way to connect with some of…

On this weekend's Local Show, Chris Besinger of STNNNG (pronounced "stunning") stopped by The Current studios to give us the full scoop on their recent jaunt across the Atlantic to London. After a few quiet years, we'll finally see a new release from the quintet with Empire Inward, out February 23 on local label Modern Radio. David Campbell sat down with Besinger to get the full scoop on the recording process including a chance to work with Steve Albini and mastering at Abbey Road.

Happy Friday! And welcome to the new blog design—whaddya think? As with every Friday, I’ve gathered up a handful of my favorite videos by Minnesota artists, most of which surfaced in the past seven days. If you have suggestions for videos or other newsy tidbits you’d like to see featured in this space, leave a…

Local Radar highlights bands that the local team at The Current is spinning heavily at their desks. You’ll be able to preview a track from each as well as hear them on The Local Show and Local Current. Low We’ve already gotten a taste of the upcoming Low album The Invisible Way with “Plastic Cup,” but “Just Make…

  It’s the bar where Golden Smog, Zuzu’s Petals, and Semisonic all began, and where Dan Wilson first debuted his big hit “Closing Time.” It’s the bar where Bonnie Raitt hung out while in the Twin Cities to record her debut album. It’s where First Ave stage manager Conrad Sverkerson kicked out his first rowdy…

Things have slowed down quite a bit since the holiday season ended, but there are still quite a few notable shows happening around town this week—including a rare Caroline Smith and the Good Night Sleeps appearance, the big Best New Bands showcase, and more. Dig in!

January 11 marks the 2013 installment of First Avenue's long-running Best New Bands showcase. The line-up this year is filled with bands that made a huge impression in the local community last year. Among the mix are high-school born acts Bomba De Luz and John Mark Nelson, Strange Names' '80s-influenced dance-pop, the dirty electro of Wiping Out Thousands, Picked To Click winners The Chalice, Eric Pollard's new Bob Dylanesque affair Actual Wolf and the brand spankin' new group Eleganza!, hopefully filling a void that rockers The Rockford Mules left after breaking up in the fall.

Happy New Year! Here's a handful of fresh videos from local artists who are dead set on proving that Minnesota music doesn't have a "slow season." Ever. Which is totally fine with me.