Music

Janis Joplin grew up in Port Arthur Texas, a small town with a fading downtown right out of the Last Picture Show and a skyline of smoking oil refinery and petrochemical plants. Janis was bullied throughout high school. One clique named her the “best looking man” at Thomas Jefferson High -- according to Texas Monthly, others threw pennies at her or called her a whore. Joplin endured the harassment but never forgot it, while seeking solace in art classes. After graduation, she drifted and hitchhiked between short stints at local colleges and road trips to San Francisco to experience its emerging psychedelic rock scene. Janis had cultivated a love of music from an early age. She honed her talents joining...

Heading into its 5th year, the LakeFront Music Festival is back in action this weekend in Prior Lake. Put on the Prior Lake Rotary Club as a fundraising event, this festival is not just your average concert series with a bunch of local bands turning up their amps and guitars for a few weary-eyed bar patrons -- this music festival is the real deal, an all out spectacle, and is set up right on the shore of Lower Prior Lake. This growing music festival is set to host The Fray, Kat Perkins, David Nail, Billy Currington and more -- like I said, not just a lineup of dodgy local bands. Friday night kicks off with "Rock Night" and Saturday wraps up with "Country Night." The...

The sold out show filled First Avenue with hundreds of fans eager to celebrate 89.3 The Current’s 12th birthday on Friday evening. After the stress of a long and tumultuous week, the excitement in the crowd was palpable and it was easy to see why. The national and local lineup of bands and musicians were some of the station’s favorites including Jay Smart, Black Market Brass, Stand of Oaks, Joseph, and jeremy messersmith (At the start of the new year, he requested his name be lowercase). While everyone...

With Soundset 2016 coming up this week, we here at Minnesota Connected thought it might be a timely moment to remember some of the highlights to the conversations we had last year. Here are some thoughts from a few of Soundset 2015's line-up: [caption id="attachment_107219" align="aligncenter" width="522"]...

Local Minneapolis band Tiny Deaths’ dark and dreamy pop sound with catchy beats that’ll compel you to dance has not gone unnoticed. Several of their songs, including their single “Ocean”, have played on 89.3 The Current and Radio K, and with the recent release of their second EP Night Flowers, Tiny Deaths will be playing a show in Duluth at The Current’s Launch Party with Babes in Toyland, Astronautalis, and more. But, Tiny Deaths isn’t another electro-pop group without substance. Lead singer and songwriter Claire de Lune injects thoughtful and deeply emotional lyrics to the mix, giving a slice of her life and smoothly guiding you along with her ethereal vocals. I...

One of Minnesota’s most iconic recording artists passed away on Thursday. Prince (full name Prince Rogers Nelson) died at the age of 57. The exact cause of death is not known at this time. According to the Carver County Sheriff’s office, at about 9:45 a.m. Thursday, emergency personnel responded to a medical call at the Paisley Park complex, where his home and studio are located in Chanhassen. He was found unresponsive in an elevator. CPR was attempted without success. Prince was pronounced dead at the scene. The Carver County Sheriff’s office said that it is investigating the death with help from the...

Playing a stripped down set, Gentry Schweiger and Colson Wabshaw of Boy on a Bike appeared on The Garage stage like two men born to be rock stars. Their unique and eclectic style showed as the white projector screen lifted. In the middle of the stage sat a thirteen-inch RCA television playing static with their band name in hot pink on the screen. Gentry, the lead singer and guitarist with long blonde hair, a black leather jacket, a black shirt, black skin-tight jeans, and white shoes, invited the audience to pull in a little closer to the stage. Opposite him, Colson sat on a stool, his long brown hair and beard resembling a man of Biblical proportions come to jam on his electric guitar....

Award season is here and what makes them more exciting is when one of Minnesota’s own is up for multiple Grammy’s. Allan Kingdom (real name Allan Kyariga), 21, isn’t the first from Minnesota who has been up for a music nomination and he certainly won’t be the last. For those who don’t know, Kingdom is an up and coming rap artist who is also connected to the Electronic R&B group Stand4rd. His other aliases he goes by are “Peanut Butter Prince” and “The Northern Gentleman.” ...

Alyssa Wunderlich is not your typical music instructor. Yes, she does give lessons in both piano and violin. So, what makes her different from typical music instructors? The 25-year-old also builds her own violins -- she also repairs stringed instruments, specifically of the violin family. It isn’t as common these days for someone to get a handmade violin since people find it easier to buy one that was made at a factory or they use a violin that was passed down from generation to generation in their family. It was a lifelong journey that led Alyssa to this career path. It all started at the age of three...