California-based singer-songwriter and fiddler Sara Watkins first rose to fame as a member of the popular and prolific progressive bluegrass trio Nickel Creek in the '90s and early 2000s. Watkins is set to release her second solo album, "Sun Midnight Sun," on May 8th on Nonesuch Records.

The Current's Program Director responds to ticketing, line-up feedback

Lucy Michelle and The Velvet Lapelles have been together for a long time. A string of well-received albums, best band nods and consistently well-attended shows has made the act a local treasure. In the past year though, they've been a little off the radar. Now we know why - the band has traded in their traditional folk sound for a full sonic revamp and the results on their newest record "Heat" couldn't be more promising.

Release show is tomorrow night at Honey

Read about and download their new track "Give Me A Call"

Local music notes from the week of April 16-20

In their brief career (1969-76), this band provided the soundtrack to my final years in high school. If the English had done Proms, me and my mates would have ended ours drunkenly singing "Stay With Me" in the middle of the dancefloor, even if the DJ wouldn't play it!

Festival takes place in the Walker’s Sculpture Garden on June 16

Venue will re-launch JT Bates’ long-running Monday night jazz residency

Record Store Day, the annual celebration of mom-and-pop music shops nationwide, is happening this Saturday, April 21. As in past years, record stores throughout Minnesota will be participating and hosting special events and in-store performances, and a few different labels are stepping forward with exclusive releases by Minnesota acts. Here’s a guide to all of…