Email Author Andrea Swensson

Awards

• 2010 - Page One Contest/Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists

  Year in Music

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2009 Stories by Andrea Swensson

• Halloween, Alaska announce new album

  published Jan 15, 2009

  Minnesota's Halloween, Alaska -- the original pioneers of awkward band name punctuation -- have announced a release date for their third album, Champagne Downtown. Mixed by Grammy Award-winning engine... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Best New Bands showcase at First Avenue

  published Jan 15, 2009

  Bouncer Fighter at the Best New Bands showcase. Photos by Daniel Corrigan; click here for the slideshow.Local music writers and musicians are always making remarks about "how great the scene is" here ... More >>

• Xcel announcement: Billy Joel and Elton John

  published Jan 14, 2009

  Congrats to commenter "BigDumDave," who correctly guessed that the Xcel Center would announce a show with Billy Joel and Elton John at today's buzzed-about press conference. Billy Joel and Elton John ... More >>

• Flyer of the Week: Chuck & Sean's Trivia

  published Jan 14, 2009

  There are no words to describe the sheer awesomeness of this poster. Chuck Terhark and Sean McPherson will celebrate their two-year anniversary of Sunday night trivia at the 331, and in honor of the o... More >>

• MP3 of the Week: City on the Make

  published Jan 14, 2009

  Mike Massey of City on the Make, by Alexa Jones.Welcome to a new weekly Gimme Noise feature. Each week, we will post an mp3 from a local band and open up a discussion in the comments for you, the read... More >>

• Xcel Center to make ominous show announcement tomorrow

  published Jan 13, 2009

  Ross Raihala over at the Pioneer Press is reporting that the Xcel Energy Center will hold a lunchtime press conference tomorrow to announce an upcoming show. As Ross points out, it's unusual to create... More >>

• Brian Setzer prepares to jump, jive, and wail his way to 50 at the Fine Line

  published Jan 13, 2009

  The Fine Line Music Cafe has just announced a 50th birthday party for Minneapolis-via-California transplant Brian Setzer, the infamous rockabilly and swing revivalist. According to the press release, ... More >>

• WTF, Mavisr

  published Jan 12, 2009

  Last fall, gospel legend Mavis Staples got our hopes up when she scheduled a show at the Guthrie Theater, only to cancel a week before her performance and reschedule for February 2 of this year. Just ... More >>

• Local sound engineer Tom Cesario passes away

  published January 14, 2009

  The local music scene received a hard blow over the holidays with the sudden and unexpected passing of sound engineer Tom Cesario, who worked... More >>

• International Espionage! announce video shoot, call on local spies for appearance

  published Jan 12, 2009

  Attention all local spies, ninjas, and DEVO fans: International Espionage! want you to appear in their next music video. The quirky, costumed electro-pop band will be performing at the 7th St. Entry o... More >>

• Jeremy Messersmith makes new Friends at the 7th St. Entry

  published Jan 12, 2009

  Caroline Smith. Photo by Stacy Schwartz.Three bands, three completely different sets, and a very sold-out crowd: the 7th St. Entry was the place to be Saturday night for a showcase of promising local ... More >>

• Jason Shannon releases debut album, becomes nomad

  published Jan 12, 2009

  Jason Shannon CD Release ShowVarsity Theater, January 9Review by Erin RoofPhotos by Jon BehmJason Shannon is a touch too honest."I moved into my practice space," he tells me, perched in a corner of Th... More >>

• Tapes 'n Tapes want to help you save your nickels 'n dimes

  published Jan 09, 2009

  This just in: local indie rock stars Tapes 'n Tapes understand that money is tight these days. The economy is suffering. SUVs are being traded in for slightly smaller SUVs. People are only going out f... More >>

• Q&A: Jason Shannon, emerging local songwriter

  published Jan 09, 2009

  Jason Shannon photo courtesy of the artistHang around the Minneapolis clubs long enough and you will notice a lot of local bands who define themselves as "Americana." It's a broad genre, one that is o... More >>

• Ruby Isle cover Fleet Foxes, release really weird video

  published Jan 08, 2009

  Mark Mallman, what will you think of nextr First, the man dangles himself over the crowd at last week's New Year's Eve show at the Varsity, dressed in a cape and wielding a leaf blower and a kite. And... More >>

• Initial SXSW lineup announced

  published Jan 08, 2009

  First things first: If you're not going to South by Southwest this year and have no interest whatsoever in the yearly conference and festival, I'm sorry. This will be the first of many updates regardi... More >>

• Hip Hop Against Homophobia

  published Jan 08, 2009

  This press release came in over the holidays and almost flew under our radar, but it looks like an interesting lineup and cause: Local music writer, poet, MC, and activist Kyle "El Guante" Mhyre is cu... More >>

• Flyer of the Week: Benefit for Chad Weis

  published Jan 07, 2009

  This week's flyer is for an all-star benefit concert for sound engineer and tour manager Chad Weis, featuring Mason Jennings, Cloud Cult, Trampled by Turtles, Haley Bonar, and the Pines. Head over to ... More >>

• Tom Cesario memorial tonight at the Cedar

  published Jan 06, 2009

  The local music scene received a hard blow over the holidays with the passing of sound engineer Tom Cesario, who worked on and off at First Avenue before touring with bands like Yo La Tengo and, most ... More >>

• Spirits of the Red City enchant the Bryant Lake Bowl

  published Jan 05, 2009

  Spirits of the Red City frontman Will Garrison, left, with cellist James Waldo. Photo taken from Will Garrison's MySpace page.There has been a noticeable trend of roots revival rippling through the Tw... More >>

• Prince promises three new albums in 2009

  published Jan 05, 2009

  In an exclusive interview that the music critic herself deemed the "Golden Ticket of journalistic invitations," LA Times writer Ann Powers was invited to spend five hours inside Prince's mansion, prev... More >>

• Surprise: Atmosphere takes the prize (again)

  published Jan 02, 2009

  Star Tribune's Chris Reimenschneider published his annual Twin Cities Critics Tally in today's paper, making it the fourth consecutive year that a Rhymesayers act was voted most popular by area writer... More >>