The Current hosted an exclusive happy-hour concert with Ben Folds at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minn., back in November. Ben played some older songs as well as songs from his new album, 'So There.' Listen to the songs and watch video from the performance.

In town for two sold-out shows at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze plays a solo acoustic set of tunes by his long-standing band, who recently released the album 'Cradle to the Grave,' songs written for the BBC television program of the same name. 'For us, what a great scenario to write for,' Tilbrook says.

In town as part of a Somali music-and-culture residency at The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, Maryam Mursal stopped by The Current's studio for a session hosted by Mark Wheat. Mursal looks forward to sharing her music, particularly with younger Somali people who may not have heard her before now.

Ahead of his gig at First Avenue, Shakey Graves stopped by The Current to record a session live in The Current studio, featuring tracks off his latest And the War Came and, yup, a Backstreet Boys cover.

'I fell in love with the idea of writing songs and playing,' Albert Hammond Jr. says, reflecting on the origins of his career. It helped that Hammond's father is a songwriter himself, and that both of his parents are very supportive. Hammond Jr. spoke more about his career arc when he stopped in to The Current for an in-studio session hosted by Jill Riley.

It's been 10 years since Walt Mink last performed in the Twin Cities, but John Kimbrough has reunited with bassist Candice Belanoff and drummer Zach Danziger for a special reunion show taking place tonight at the Varsity Theater in Minneapolis.

In the face of their meteoric rise, Nathaniel Rateliff finds it easy to choose a highlight for himself and his band, the Night Sweats. 'The highlight is that we're all getting along and having a good time,' he says. Rateliff and company visited The Current's studio for a live session hosted by Mark Wheat. Check out the complete session featuring songs and an interview with Rateliff and the band.

A New Yorker now for 15 years, Craig Finn's recent solo album, 'Faith in the Future', contains only one Twin Cities reference, but it allows him to put more of himself in the music. 'My day-to-day life is not as exciting as a Hold Steady song,' Finn says. '[The solo record] allows me to be more vulnerable.' Visiting The Current, Finn plays a solo acoustic session hosted by Bill DeVille.

John Grant's 2015 album 'Grey Tickles, Black Pressure' is racing up the U.K. album chart, but that's not Grant's primary interest. 'All I want to know is: When can I have my house on Lake Superior?' he says. Grant lives in Reykjavik now, but loves the Midwest. Passing through the region on tour, Grant stopped in to The Current's studio for a session hosted by Mac Wilson.

Ahead of his performance at the State Theatre opening for Grace Potter, Rayland Baxter stopped by The Current to perform live in-studio and to chat with Mark Wheat about his new album, Imaginary Man.