Fourth of July

Son Volt at First Avenue, 6/4/13

Son Volt With Colonel Ford First Avenue Mainroom, Minneapolis Tuesday, June 4th, 2013 Jay Farrar hasn't always stuck to his guns since the breakup of his seminal, genre-creating work with Uncle Tupleo, but one consistent thread through his winding career has been a stubborn and abiding love for coun ... More >>

Remembering Levon Helm of the Band

Last Friday, Voice Media Group announced the winners of their first music writing awards. This winning piece by Jesse Sykes first appeared in Seattle Weekly's print edition. By Jesse Sykes As I was growing up in New York state--where the residents want you to know they don't live in "The City"--t ... More >>

Bayport BBQ releases live festival album

Deep blues comes to life on this raw, live cut featuring seven bands

Top 5 ways to celebrate National Hot Dog Day today

See also: Top 10 hot dogs in the Twin Cities Today is National Pie Day Aside from National Pie Day (January 23), Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12), and Whiskey Sour Day (August 25), today, National Hot Dog Day, is one of the food holidays we look forward to the most.There's nothing wrong with ... More >>

Soul Asylum's Dave Pirner on Delayed Reaction and all that jazz

Release shows at 7th St. Entry and First Avenue

The Replacements' final show was 21 years ago -- hear it!

See Also:Paul Westerberg and Tommy Stinson reunite for Slim Dunlap benefit track Against Me! and Joan Jett cover the Replacements' "Androgynous"While motorboats and firecrackers and sweet potatoes mixed with marshmallows sure can provide a wild ride for the Fourth of July, imagine being out in Chica ... More >>

Live Racing

Top 5 reality TV cooking show contestants with Minnesota ties

​When former Stillwater resident Molly "Cruise Ship" Brandt, the only contestant on the current season of Top Chef who has Minnesota connections, got eliminated in the qualifying round with her mousseline of shrimp, the Hot Dish had to find a new underdog to root for. While smart money is on domin ... More >>

Derek Larson poised to win "Most Awkward Family Vacation" photo contest

courtesy of Derek LarsonHail to the geek.​Not long ago, GQ magazine voted St. Paul one of the worst dressed cities in the country. Clearly, the writer failed to consult the Larson family first. In the early 1980s, the St. Paul family donned some seriously patriotic duds and someone had the good ... More >>

Mark Dayton's former home set on fire

​Instead of coming back from the long Fourth of July holiday weekend to find a renewed sense of respect among Minnesota's lawmakers seeking an end to the shutdown, we instead heard that someone tried to burn down Gov. Mark Dayton's former home near Lake Harriet. "To say that it's politically moti ... More >>

Beer dinners, caveman diets on this week's food calendar

Awash in tasty German brews​The lead-up to a long weekend of Fourth of July tomfoolery is heavy on beer events, which will be handy for stretching out your stomach in anticipation of hot dogs and potato salad. Embrace it.

We Became Actors unleash 'Something Major'

Photo by Louisa Podlich​Jesse Stensby, We Became Actors frontman, peers at me across from a bounty of eggs and home fries at the Triple Rock and blinks as I ask him about the band's creative process.

The Black Keys announce July 3 date at Roy Wilkins

​Grammy-winning rock duo the Black Keys, who took home trophies this year for Best Alternative Music Album, Best Recording Package, Best Rock Performance By a Duo or Group with Vocals, are returning to the Twin Cities on July 3 to play the Roy Wilkins Auditorium with openers Cage the Elephant.

Taste of MN bankruptcy filing reveals $1.6 million debt

ZyckoAndy Faris says his failed company owes him $329K​Andy Faris, the man who ran this year's Taste of Minnesota festival into the ground, has filed bankruptcy paperwork detailing the finances of this year's botched event. And it's worse than we thought. International Event Management, LLC-- ... More >>

The Hold Steady at First Avenue, 12/29/10

Photos by Stacy Schwartz​The Hold Steady December 29, 2010 First Avenue It's been a busy ride for the Hold Steady. In eight years they've released five records, gained an international following, and toured constantly -- not bad for a couple of Minnesota transplants who relocated to New York ... More >>

Taste of Minnesota now in bankruptcy

Taste of Minnesota, we bid you adieu​ The deadline for the owners of Taste of Minnesota to fight involuntary bankruptcy has passed. The historic festival is now officially dead. Not only are last year's owners bankrupt, but the city of St. Paul announced yesterday that no new Taste event would ... More >>

Andy Faris isn't fighting involuntary bankruptcy over Taste of MN

Andy Faris doesn't seem to be fighting bankruptcy​Andy Faris, the man behind the demise of the Taste of Minnesota festival on Harriet Island, hasn't filed a single court document fighting the involuntary bankruptcy action against his company. He's only got until Monday to do so. With courts clos ... More >>

The Taste of Minnesota is dead

Bury me at Walleye Wagon.​We could already hear the death rattle back in October, but it appears that International Event Management has finally led Taste of Minnesota out to the woods and put a bullet in its brain. IEM, which only took two years to drive the 27-year-old event into the ground ... More >>

Atmosphere, P.O.S, Walkmen and more at Taste of Minnesota, 7/2/10

Photos by Alexa Jones​There's been quite the kerfuffle about the Taste of Minnesota's decision to charge admission at the gate of this year's festival, but judging by the size of Friday night's audience for sets by the likes of Atmosphere, P.O.S, the Walkmen, and Dawes, fans were happy to fork ove ... More >>

Sports, Dos Equis advertising and the modern American male

Men should thirst for more of these ad voices.

Top 8 Most Disgusting Competitive Eaters

YouTubeNathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest: Who needs a stronger stomach, competitors or spectators?​Controversy is brewing at this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, set for the Fourth of July: News came this week that former champion and competitive-eating rock star Takeru Kobayashi may not ... More >>

Tad Kubler on Hold Steady's home

Do they claim Minnesota or Brooklyn?

Taste of Minnesota, Devo, Santana

This week's Critics' Picks

Ten Second Film Festival is accepting submissions

​(Yes, I took this amazing picture at last year's event)Attention amateur filmmakers: The Soap Factory is once again hosting the Ten Second Film Festival after the Fourth of July fireworks. In order to do this, they're going to need films to screen. It's time to bust out your camera phone and g ... More >>

The Replacements' story told by Twin Cities author Jim Walsh

Walsh says band is a "vital source of mystery" in this filtered world

Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor

Garrison Keillor

Reinventing the Meal

Loring Park wine bar Willie's has reinvented itself into a destination to delight both palate and wallet

Coffee Shops with Benefits

Light- or dark-roast? Far more intriguing choices--like booze!--await at a new generation of coffeehouses.

Mexican Revolution

Pre-Columbian, super-authentic Mexican where eat street meets downtown