A gifted young guitar player and singer-songwriter with a distinctively lovely voice, Bhi Bhiman is poised for major success in 2012. Though he's been billed as "a Sri Lankan Woody Guthrie," Bhiman has more American roots than that title suggests, having grown up on '90s alt-rock in St. Louis before moving to San Francisco, where he is currently based.

The Suicide Commandos were punk before it was punk. The legendary local trio was playing "New York Rock" in ballrooms, bars, and high schools all over Twin Cities and Minnesota after they formed in 1975. In their four years as a band, they released two 7" EPs and a full-length in 1977 called "Make A Record."

Tapes 'n Tapes stopped by and visited the Current's Morning Show to bring us a couple of songs and talk about our 7th birthday party.

Fire In The Northern Firs grabs members from Goodday, Montag, First Communion Afterparty, and Sun in the Satellite, combining the distinct sounds of each of the three acts into a distinct shoegaze experiment. They've been around for a little while but have consistently been overshadowed by their various side projects. Now the band is in full force, releasing the gorgeous and increasingly buzzed about Field Guide EP.

Local act Howler has had quite a year. They were signed by the renowned London-based label Rough Trade, home to the likes of British Sea Power, Belle and Sebastian and My Morning Jacket. NME named them one of the best new bands of 2011, and they're about to kick off a tour with stops in Europe and Japan. With the release of their new album, "America Give Up," 2012 looks to be just as good for the band.

Beloved local humorist and storyteller Kevin Kling transformed the Fitzgerald Theater's stage the weekend of December 16-18th into a whimsical world of fairies and mischief in his latest MPR commission "Of Mirth and Mischief," which airs on December 25 at 9 p.m. on The Current.

The New Standards Holiday Show has become a staple of the Holiday season in the Twin Cities, and The Current is thrilled to share their 2011 performance with you. The show will be broadcast on Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 8 a.m. Enjoy a slideshow from the event here on the web.

The New Standards Holiday Show has become a staple of the Holiday season in the Twin Cities, and The Current is thrilled to share their 2011 performance with you. The show will be broadcast on Saturday, December 24, 2011 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 8 a.m. Enjoy the playlist, video and audio from the event here on the web.

Polica stopped by The Current studio to record a session in advance of their debut album "Give You the Ghost." Frontwoman Channy Caselle says "The Maker" is her favorite song on the record.

IAMDYNAMITE has a thing for caps lock. Debut album "SUPERMEGAFANTASTIC" substantiates that claim and for good reason: the duo's take on power rock is loud, explosive, and fast. They've been propelled into the reputation of a burgeoning buzz band throughout 2011 via extensive touring and a ravenous fan base yearning for more.