Update, 6:30 a.m., October 3: Rock star Tom Petty has died, his manager Tony Dimitriades announced Monday. He was found in critical condition at his home in Malibu, Calif., Sunday night after suffering full cardiac arrest, as first reported by the website TMZ. Petty was taken to UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, where he died on…

Tragically, a gathering of music fans has once again been targeted by an individual with violent intentions. After the horrific shooting last night at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, Jason Aldean (who was performing at the time) and other musicians have shared reactions to the attack that left at least 58 people…

You ever hear a song so good that it actually makes you kind of mad? That’s what happened to me the first time I heard the Amazers and their song “It’s You For Me,” released nationally in 1967 on Curtis Mayfield’s Thomas Records. For starters, I couldn’t believe that a 45 steeped in such incredible…

One of the great things about niche communities is that they’re often filled with passionate people. Case in point: the Twin Cities drum community, which welcomes Ellis Drum Company back to retail operation today. After decades of business and multiple locations in St. Paul, owner Tim Ellis had to sell his retail space in 2016. But…

If Sound Unseen were a human, this year would mark legal adulthood and responsibility and having to figure it all out, but the “films-on-music” festival has had everything figured out for quite a while now, and they’re proving it yet again with the first wave of selections for their 18th year, featuring over 20 films…

Slug and Brother Ali appear in a new video released to help get out the vote in Minneapolis on Nov. 7. The video is a promotion for the new website thisismpls.com, which is a voter guide created as a collaboration among Rhymesayers, Ashley Fairbanks, Pollen Midwest, Voices for Racial Justice, and Parks and Power. The website…

Velvet Negroni, “Spiceworld” Jeremy Nutzman, aka Velvet Negroni, goes rollerskating in this crisp, black-and-white video. “Spiceworld” belongs to Velvet Negroni’s Dadaist debut, TCOD, available via Totally Gross National Product. 26 BATS!, “Edge of Life” University of Minnesota alum Lisa Persson took on video production, direction, and make-up for this 26 BATS! video, one of the band’s…

Author, and Macalester College professor, Marlon James has signed a deal for an Amazon Prime series based on his 2014 novel A Brief History of Seven Killings. James will write the script, while Melina Matsoukas will direct and executive produce the series. Matsoukas, who began her career directing music videos, is best-known as the director…

When you hear “Justin Timberlake” and “Super Bowl” in the same sentence you probably remember the embarrassing “wardrobe malfunction” with Janet Jackson back at the 2004 Super Bowl. The former NSYNC singer may be setting his sights on a return to the Super Bowl stage. Timberlake is “finalizing” his deal for the halftime show at…

Manitoba Music and The Current are getting to be old pals. For the third year running, the non-profit teams brought Manitoba and Minnesota bands together for a Local Music Exchange, staging shows in the U.S. and Canada to foster cultural exchange and goodwill. The run, which will continue at Red Raven Espresso Parlor in Fargo,…