REVIEW: Stanley Clarke’s Band of Virtuosos (Dakota Jazz Club) Arts Music by Brian Bix - June 15, 2019June 15, 2019 A promotional photo of master musician Stanley Clarke. Photo by Raj Naik. Stanley Clarke gave a masterful and energetic performance at The Dakota Jazz Club last night. Clarke, who returns to the downtown Minneapolis location tonight for two additional performance, has been an important figure in contemporary music for 45 years.
REVIEW: Juice WRLD Ignites Sold-Out Minneapolis Crowd at the Armory Arts Music by David Bix - June 3, 2019June 5, 2019 Rapper Juice WRLD. The Armory is the pinnacle of rap performance and open venues in Minneapolis. As such, it plays home to gigs such as Juice WRLD's Death Race for Love tour (after his recent, eponymous album), which landed at the Armory on Saturday. Hours before the doors opened, fans were
REVIEW: Soundset Music Festival Brings Together Twin Cities Rap Community Arts Music by David Bix - May 31, 2019June 1, 2019 The 12th annual Soundset Music Festival, presented by Rhymesayers Entertainment and held at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds, was full of incredible young talent, must-see acts, and hip-hop legends. Over 30,000 people milled around the Fairgrounds as well-known artists from around the country played their biggest hits, their unreleased singles,
REVIEW: Down the Rabbit Hole of Deceit in Dear Evan Hansen (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Brian Bix - May 30, 2019June 1, 2019 The company of the North American tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. Photo by Matthew Murphy. If you do not already know the plot of Dear Evan Hansen, be warned: this review is chock full of plot spoilers about the musical now playing at the Orpheum Theatre in
FEATURE: After the Mermaid, Pt. 2: Caroline Innerbichler to Star in Frozen National Tour Arts Dance Music Theatre by Basil Considine - May 29, 2019May 30, 2019 Twin Cities native Caroline Innerbichler (left) and Caroline Bowman (right) will star as Princess Anna and Princess Elsa, respectively, in the upcoming National Tour of Disney's Frozen – coming to Minneapolis in May 2020. Photo by Matthew Murphy. Looking for warmth in a Minnesota May is usually an on-again, off-again affair.
INTERVIEW: Taylor Bennett on Soundset, Fatherhood, Chicago, and His Upcoming Project Arts Music by David Bix - May 28, 2019May 29, 2019 Hip-hop artist Taylor Bennett (center) in the music video for his single "Roof Gone". Taylor Bennett took the stage at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Sunday at 12:30 pm. The occasion? The Soundset Music Festival. The artist? Only 23. The young and always energetic Bennett commanded the stage from start to
REVIEW: A Musician’s Musician, Back on the Road: David Bromberg at the Dakota Arts Music by Brian Bix - May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 David Bromberg in concert. The artist performed at the Dakota Jazz Club on Friday, May 17. David Bromberg made his reputation in the 1960s and 1970s, starting as a skilled and versatile sideman and session musician. He played with everyone from Bob Dylan to Willie Nelson to Jerry Garcia to Carly
INTERVIEW: The Music-Makers Fronting Celtic Woman Arts Music by Basil Considine - May 17, 2019May 17, 2019 Celtic Woman in concert. From left to right: Tara McNeill, Éabha McMahon, Mairéad Carlin, and Megan Walsh. The ensemble performs Saturday evening at the State Theatre in Minneapolis. The global musical sensation Celtic Woman comes to Minneapolis tomorrow. Since its formation in 2004, the performance collective has brought its striking presentations
REVIEW: Roaring Laughs Abound in The Play That Goes Wrong (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Comedy Theatre Visual Arts by Basil Considine - May 8, 2019May 8, 2019 Angela Grovey and Scott Cote look on in terror as part of the set bursts into flame in The Play That Does Wrong. Photo by Jeremy Daniel. As the lights came up for intermission last night at the Orpheum Theatre, the person behind me turned to their companion and said, "Wow!
INTERVIEW: Rick Shiomi and Martha Johnson on Being Caught in the Theatre Arts Theatre by Basil Considine - May 8, 2019May 8, 2019 Lin Bo and Erika Kuhn in Full Circle Theater's upcoming production of Caught by Christopher Chen. Photo by LKBachman. Christopher Chen's play Caught opens at the Guthrie Theater on Saturday, May 18. This play pulls the audience into the world of an art exhibition-in-progress featuring work by a political dissident from