Bora York released scattered tracks from their debut Dreaming Free during the latter part of last year. We’re finally seeing the fruits of their labor after an intensive recording process that saw husband-wife duo Chris and Rebekah Bartels recruiting a full band, starting a production company, and learning the ins and outs of the dream-pop genre.…

Is it possible for the best guitarist in the world to put on a mind-blowingly awesome show… without touching a guitar? Yes, as Saturday night Prince led his 20-piece band through three hours of music (including quite a few covers and a couple hits), yet the Purple One left all the guitar duties to 3rd…

  Spring is upon us, and new albums are bubbling up to the surface everywhere we turn. It’s going to be another busy season full of album-releases here in the Twin Cities, and several promising records are already being celebrated this week at big release shows. Read on for a roundup of the best gigs…

  Happy Friday! The Current is bringing a little Austin, Texas to Minnesota today with their live broadcast from SXSW, featuring Divine Fits, Emmylou Harris, Iron & Wine, and more. In between sets, sample a handful of new videos from some of our local artists—and one honorary Minnesotan, who pays tribute to an area landmark…

Jason Aukes, the manager and co-booker of neighboring West Bank Minneapolis venues the Cabooze and the Joint, and general manager of the entire line of After Midnight Group restaurants and bars, passed away unexpectedly in his home yesterday. He was 36. “It’s been devastating to all of us here,” says Cabooze talent buyer Kim King.…

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. Web Of Sunsets A welcome surprise came yesterday on the Internet: we got our first taste of the forthcoming debut…

How could he possibly perform these new songs naked? Har Mar Superstar, known off stage as Owatonna native Sean Tillmann, has made a career out of shimmying and stripping down to his skivvies to ’80s dance-pop and singing with his tongue planted firmly in his cheek. But with his new record, Bye Bye 17, out…

I distinctly remember the moment I first became acquainted with Twin Cities hip hop. It was 1986 and I was living in North Chicago, Illinois. One day while listening to my favorite station, WNUR 89.3 FM—which was my primary source of hearing new hip hop—and they played an artist that I didn’t recognize. It started…

  The music portion of SXSW kicks off tomorrow, and there are lots of Minnesotans heading down to Austin, Texas to partake in this year’s festivities. But that doesn’t mean that those of us who aren’t going are completely out of luck. In fact, there are still plenty of us who will be in town, and there…

  The organizers of the Girls Got Rhythm fest have just unveiled the lineup for their second annual event, which will once again take place at the Amsterdam Bar and Hall. Mark your calendars: This year’s event is happening Friday, May 10, and Saturday, May 11, and tickets are on sale now. Friday, May 10…