Email Author Andrea Swensson

Awards

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

  Year in Music

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2011 Stories by Andrea Swensson

• Friends Like These announce reunion show, remastered album

  published Dec 13, 2011

  There's something oddly appropriate about the first Friends Like These show in several years happening on Friday the 13th.For those unfamiliar, a little backstory: Friends Like These is a former band ... More >>

• Howler, Big Quarters, Buildings drop new music videos

  published Dec 13, 2011

  Minnesota artists are releasing music videos at such a fast clip these days that we can barely keep up with posting the best ones. Just yesterday, three separate videos from Twin Cities artists were l... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Atmosphere plan second annual 'Welcome to Minnesota' tour

  published Dec 12, 2011

  Slug was in St. Paul bright and early this morning for an appearance on the Current's morning show, where he revealed a new run of local ates that will find him reprising last year's successful "Welco... More >>

• Shuga Records leaving Northeast for Chicago

  published Dec 09, 2011

  Shuga Records has had somewhat of a tenuous run in Minnesota. With a heavy emphasis on developing their online store, they seemed to struggle to connect with the community on the same grassroots level... More >>

• Yoko Ono talks to the Current on the anniversary of John Lennon's death

  published Dec 08, 2011

  Today marks the 31st anniversary of the day the music world was devastated by the loss of John Lennon, and its a moment in history that has been honored very powerfully here in the Twin Cities thanks ... More >>

• Coldplay will wrap up 2012 tour in St. Paul

  published Dec 08, 2011

  Am I the only one who has trouble reconciling the idea that Coldplay circa 2011 is the same Coldplay that released Parachutes back in 2000r Having never seen the group live, I always imagined my first... More >>

• Doomtree share their holiday memories

  published Dec 06, 2011

  Pick up a copy of this year's Winter Guide issue of City Pages and you'll notice that Doomtree is not only featured on the cover and in an interview about their new album, No Kings, but that they've i... More >>

• Doomtree get awkwardly festive for this year's Winter Guide

  published Dec 06, 2011

  Ho ho ho, Merry No Kingsmas! Doomtree are dominating the dialog of the Twin Cities this week as they tear through seven back-to-back nights at the 7th St. Entry and First Avenue Mainroom. In hono... More >>

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  COVER STORY

  Doomtree's No Kings spurs week-long rap party at First Avenue

  published December 7, 2011

  Doomtree circa 2011 is a study in contrast. For their seventh year, the seven-member crew are commandeering First Avenue for their annual... More >>

• Gwar guitarist Cory Smoot's cause of death revealed

  published Dec 06, 2011

  It's been over a month since Gwar fans learned of the death of guitarist Flattus Maximus, a.k.a. Cory Smoot, which happened sometime in the hours following when Smoot and the rest of the band played a... More >>

• Solid Gold don Let It Be attire, head into the graveyard for Beatle Project video

  published Dec 05, 2011

  The Pioneers & Soldiers Cemetery in Phillips has been getting a lot of play these days. Not only was it the inspiration for the theme of Jeremy Messersmith's last album, The Reluctant Gr... More >>

• The New Standards issue holiday album to coincide with annual Fitzgerald shows

  published Dec 02, 2011

  If you've tuned into the Current at all this week, there's a good chance you've heard about this weekend's back-to-back New Standards Holiday Shows at the Fitzgerald Theater, the group's annual star-s... More >>

• Best Music Writing 2011 anthology includes honorable mention for piece by Dessa

  published Dec 01, 2011

  The latest edition of De Capo's annual Best Music Writing anthology just dropped, and in addition to the 32 essays published in this year's book they have published an extensive list of honorable ment... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Polica announce Valentine's Day release show at First Ave

  published Dec 01, 2011

  Earlier this week, when Polica announced that their fans would have to wait another three months to get their hands on their full-length record despite the fact that it's been finished since August, I... More >>

• Bon Iver, Brian Setzer, Mint Condition's Stokley Williams among this year's Grammy nominees

  published Dec 01, 2011

  All bets were on Adele heading into last night's Grammy nomination ceremony (now a nationally televised event tailored to milk the big reveal for every last commercial penny), and she certainly held h... More >>

• TC Electropunk Vol. 6 out this week

  published Nov 30, 2011

  There's something to be said for a scene that is as easily identifiable as it is unified. Over the past seven years the self-described Twin Cities electropunk scene has done an impeccable job of brand... More >>

• TC Hip Hop Awards post 2011 nominees

  published Nov 29, 2011

  The process for the annual TC Hip Hop Awards has always seemed a little mysterious, and this year's poll is no exception -- with little warning or ceremony, the awards show's hosts have published a co... More >>

• Six unforgettable George Harrison melodies on the 10th anniversary of his death

  published Nov 29, 2011

  It's hard to believe it was already 10 years ago that George Harrison lost his battle with cancer. Most people remember where they were when they learned that Kurt Cobain committed suicide or the Chal... More >>

• Prince covers the Cars, Michael Jackson on Canadian tour

  published Nov 29, 2011

  Prince to George Lopez, April 2011: "My problem is when the industry covers the music," he said. "There's this thing called compulsory licensing law that allows artists through the record companies to... More >>

• Polica's debut, Give You the Ghost, gets a release date

  published Nov 29, 2011

  Aside from the few sporadic shows they've played around town, fans of Polica have only had the chance to be exposed to a few of the songs on their ominous and expansive debut. It hasn't slowed down th... More >>

• A Tribute to the Replacements at First Avenue, 11/25/11

  published Nov 28, 2011

  A Tribute to the ReplacementsNovember 25, 2011First Avenue, MinneapolisNow in its fourth go-round, the Tribute to the Replacements at First Avenue has become just as much a staple of the late November... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Brandi Carlile at the Fitzgerald Theater, 11/27/11

  published Nov 28, 2011

  Brandi Carlile with the Secret SistersNovember 27, 2011Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul"If you're in a good mood, don't get used to it," joked Secret Sisters big sis Laura Rogers at the beginning of their... More >>

• Bachmann demands apology from NBC for Fallon diss, calls them the 'entertainment elite'

  published Nov 23, 2011

  What started as an LOL for music fans in Questlove's social network has turned into a roaring political migraine for NBC, as Michele Bachmann has gotten word of the "diss" the Roots delivered in the f... More >>

• Bob Mould joined by Dave Grohl, Ryan Adams, Britt Daniel, No Age, and more at L.A. tribute

  published Nov 22, 2011

  ... More >>

• Doomtree dominating the social media airwaves today as they release No Kings

  published Nov 22, 2011

  If you've logged on to Twitter or Facebook today, chances are you've seen a post (or 10, or 20, or 50) about the release of Doomtree's second full-length, full-crew album, No Kings. In true swarm fash... More >>