Eau Claire (Wisconsin)

Country Music Festivals: The good, the bad and the smelly

Ohhh, the weather outside is... not as bad as they said it was gonna be? Okay, it still sucks. But soon -- yes, soon... too soon in fact! -- it will be summer, and it will be really stupidly hot, and we'll be going to music festivals and become reacquainted with the sweet summer smell of a beer-and- ... More >>

The 4onthefloor drop single from new album Spirit of Minneapolis

Swampy blues stompers the 4onthefloor have just released details for their second full-length studio album, Spirit of Minneapolis, due out in April. The title takes upon a special meaning for those who remember the band's bit of "mock duck" (aka not beef) with Howler regarding the local scene almost ... More >>

Bon Iver's records both certified gold in the same week

After a lengthy and highly successful world tour over the past year and a half (including a memorable show at the Orpheum in late 2011), things have finally started to quiet down a bit in the Bon Iver camp. But that doesn't bring an end to the steady stream of accolades and musical achievements that ... More >>

Pedro Ayala-Leyva gets record 30-year sentence for smuggling meth from California

On Tuesday, Hennepin County Judge Regina Chu doled out a record sentence for a Minnesota drug crime and sentenced Pedro "Peli" Ayala-Leyva to 30 years in prison for his role in a large methamphetamine operation.Peli, 37, was found guilty in October of conspiracy to traffic drugs. State sentencing gu ... More >>

Local Frames: New videos from Mike Mictlan, Lucy Michelle & the Velvet Lapelles, Brother Ali, and more

As the Twin Cities music scene grows, more and more artists are creating music that demands our attention. Combine the music with talented filmmakers locally and beyond, and you have a fruitful mix of distinct skills that generates more locally connected music videos than ever before. While it's im ... More >>

Local Frames: New videos from Bon Iver, P.O.S., Craig Finn, the Blind Shake, and more

See Also: Local Frames: New videos from the Hood Internet, the Pines, Grimes, and more Local Frames: New videos from Poliça, Paper Tiger, Sleep Study, and more Local Frames: New videos from Now, Now, Howler, Bloodnstuff, Astronautalis, and more As the Twin Cities music scene grows, more and more ... More >>

Bon Iver book Radio City Music Hall residency, unveil Bjork cover

Bon Iver have been on quite a never-ending trek since they played the Orpheum Theatre back in September. And Justin Vernon and company are definitely a different band now -- at least in terms of public perception and recognition. Long-time supporters won't be surprised that their Grammy-winning mate ... More >>

Country Music Festival Season Preview: Have you ordered your Mini-Biff?

"Load up the RV, mama - we're goin' to WE Fest." You wish. Working stiffs like us don't get Fridays off, and we ain't got no RV. Maybe you ain't even got no mama. Poor you. But for those with mamas, vacation time, and an RV (or the dogged tenacity to sleep in a hot, muddy tent next to the portable ... More >>

Bon Iver's Sean Carey on Hoyas and why he didn't get a Grammy

Related:Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Astronautalis form band, record albumBon Iver wins two Grammys, and "Bonny Bear" is bornSean Carey has been a key component of Bon Iver's live presence for years. In addition to being the drummer and backing vocalist for Justin Vernon's band, the Eau Claire-based ... More >>

Bowerbirds

Polica debuts new video for "Lay Your Cards Out" on Jay-Z's Life Times site

​"Lay Your Cards Out," the first video from Polica's debut album, Give You The Ghost, made its premiere today via Jay-Z's Life Times online site. The mostly black and white clip, which is directed by Minneapolis resident Chris Hadland, features ghostly images of Channy dancing along to the groo ... More >>

Weekend Checklist: Doomtree Blowout, Solid Gold, Peter Wolf Crier, Halloween, Alaska

​Who needs holiday shopping this weekend when you have music to keep you busy?  

Fall Creek Boys Choir: James Blake and Bon Iver's mysterious new collaboration

​Perhaps following in the footsteps of Tom Waits, who took to his Twitter account to proclaim that rumors of him releasing new music will be "set straight" next Tuesday, August 23, and is causing his fans to fly into a tizzy, James Blake and Bon Iver have revealed a very cryptic new collaboration ... More >>

Tom Wincek of All Tiny Creatures talks Justin Vernon, art, and cassettes

​Ever humble and hard working, Tom Wincek of All Tiny Creatures recently shared his thoughts on his writing process and ambitions for the future.  The band will be performing at the Triple Rock Social Club for Saturday's Picked to Click showcase along with Phantom Tails, The Book of Righ ... More >>

SXSW: DeYarmond Edison reunites members of Bon Iver and Megafaun at the Fader Fort

Photos by Ben Clark​"Hi, this is our college band," Justin Vernon said after DeYarmond Edison finished their first song. "We haven't played a show in seven years until right now."

Justin Vernon and Megafaun reuniting as DeYarmond Edison at SXSW

​A handful of Eau Claire natives are making headlines today because of a reunion show that might possibly blow minds this year at SXSW. Justin Vernon -- who famously retreated into a cabin in the Wisconsin woods to recover from a breakup with his girlfriend and his band and came out with a breatht ... More >>

Lauryn Hill, S. Carey, the Concretes, and more

Andrew Larson sentenced after toy gun bank robbery

jontintinjordanCaption​The second of two Wisconsin men who hatched the brilliant idea of robbing a Maplewood bank with a toy gun is going to prison for five years. Andrew J. Larson, 24, of Eau Claire, was sentenced on Monday in federal court.

Grant Cutler & the Gorgeous Lords, the Bad Plus, and more

Best Twin Cities albums of 2010

Dessa, BNLX, Kristoff Krane, and more

We Are the Willows tour diary, Vol. 7

Photos by Peter Michael Miller​Greensboro, North Carolina was tubular.  There are nice folks, a nice joint called the green bean, and home to some youngster blue grass musicians that make me embarrassed to pick up a guitar ever again.

Professor Tom Hilton sends anti-gay message to student

Dr. Tom Hilton went all Joseph Smith on the Eau Queer Film Festival.​University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire professor Tom Hilton seriously stepped outside of his role teaching "information systems" to deliver another kind of lecture -- the homophobic kind. His target: Senior Women's Studies stude ... More >>

Gayngs and Glasser perform for City of Music

Photos by Kevin O'Meara​As we told you about yesterday, MPLS.TV had a special opportunity to hang with Gayngs as they prepared for their tour this week, and we're excited to present a bonus edition of our City of Music series today. The band departs from Eau Claire today for their first show in Mi ... More >>

4 Nights in Loring: Marijuana Deathsquads

Slapping Purses' Jason Power talks art of musical disaster and recovery

Photo by Adam Bubolz   Slapping Purses' Jason Power is a conundrum, an exercise in opposites. He's a lanky kid with a perpetual smile on his face who's rumored to be a successful amateur mixed martial artist; a wildly expressive audio artist who, by his own admission, hates talking ab ... More >>

Country Festivals: Decorate your RV! Win a John Deere!

Your guide to the hottest, the sweatiest, the smelliest country music festivals this summer. Somebody grab the cooler.

Ben Ivascu on crushing the drums: Nine bands, no waiting

Photo by Erik Hess​"Ben is kind of The Dude....he's a maniac and he holds it down so hard." High praise from Stef Leron "POS" Alexander, but drummer Ben Ivascu lives up to the hype every single time he plays. And chances are that he's playing right now. In a set of cities blessed with some o ... More >>

Trampled by Turtles announce new album, tour

The bluegrass quintet will release Palomino on April 13.

Errant Flight 188 cockpit crew mistook Winnipeg for Minneapolis

NTSB dumps hundreds of documents on its Web site detailing the misadventures of Northwest Flight 188.

Solid Gold: Reporter's Notebook

Extra notes and quotes from this week's cover story.

Bon Iver continue their amazing journey

What a difference a year and a half makes.

Only in Wisconsin: Blind man sees, gets busted for exposing his junk

After God gave him his sight back, did he also give him the gift of penis flashing?

Freeloader Friday: June 26-28

Nothing in life is free. Except this weekend event list.

Someone stole baby Jesus, safe rides donor busted for drunk driving

Wild week in Wisconsin. We've got baby Jesus snatchers, guys filming their naked girlfriends and Amish farmers being charged for ... More >>

Doomtree, Solid Gold, and Vampire Hands deftly dot Minneapolis's music timeline in '08

Crack open our Twin Cities Local Music Yearbook and reminisce on an effed-up year

What's Wrong with Wisconsin?

The Ike Reilly Assassination

The MnDOT Motto

A day late, a dollar short, and the wrong address

Letters to the Editor

Seen Your Video

Rick Fuller turns his back on MTV to preserve the history of the local music scene.

In defense of Billy Joel

More to Love

Local jazz trio Fat Kid Wednesdays pays tribute to trumpeter Don Cherry

Who Will Be the White House's Next Top Fake Reporter?

Five contestants. One job. No scruples.

Mike Magnuson: Lummox

First Things First Some things I can learn

Creature Comfort

Tales from the other University of Minnesota hospital

The Intentional Tourist

Teaching our children to notice and honor our natural surroundings

Punk, Road Trip, Landing Gear and Web Radio

Out with a Whimper

The education bill's dead; long live the education bill

Mood School