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Music

A mighty good road

On October 15, 1852, the first train of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad traveled from Chicago to Joliet, Illinois. Two years later it would bring a delegation of East Coast journalists and dignitaries to the Mississippi River as part of the Grand Excursion to Minnesota. Over the next 50 years, as the Rock Island Line grew, it carried passengers and freight through 14 states and became part of the story of the American west. Then it inspired a song that has been passed from generation to generation. Minnesota Public Radio's Jim Bickal has traced the stories of the song and the railroad and discovered that together they tell quite a tale.

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The future of First Avenue

Minnesota's most revered nightclub, First Avenue in Minneapolis, is at a crossroads. Last week, owner Allan Fingerhut fired General Manager Steve McClellan. McClellan guided the club for more than 30-years. Many say his adventurous tastes and fiercely independent streak are what made First Avenue into a launchpad for regional artists and a nationally known music venue. McClellan's dismissal left many wondering whether the struggling club would close or be sold. Fingerhut is vowing to take aggressive steps to keep First Avenue open and independent.

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Ringing their hands

You could call it heavy metal music. Some handbells weigh 13 pounds. More than 1,000 handbell ringers are in Duluth for a conference this weekend. The gathering comes to a crescendo on Sunday when hundreds of them perform at one time.

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Never the same as he ever was

As an artist and musician, David Byrne has never been satisfied with resting on laurels. Whether as leader of the groundbreaking rock group 'The Talking Heads', or world music enthusiast, or as a filmmaker and visual artist, Byrne's goal is to take art in new directions. Byrne is the headline performer at the Walker Art Center's annual "Rock the Garden" street party Friday night.

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Speaking of Song

The first St. Paul Summer Song Festival begins on Monday June 21 and continues through the following Sunday, June 27. To help set the scene, we've invited in a specialist—Brian Zeger, a pianist who's accompanied some of the world's finest singers—to introduce a few of his favorites.

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Viola Congress held at University of Minnesota

The world's largest gathering of viola professionals, students, and enthusiasts was held at the University of Minnesota, June 9-13, 2004. MPR's Mindy Ratner interviewed many in attendance.

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Soaring solos

At almost every rock concert since the 1970s, the guitarists on stage have had a lot of back up: people in the audience, sometimes dozens of them, all playing imaginary instruments. Many air guitarists see themselves as artists in their own right. Some of the finer practitioners in the area will gather at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis tonight for the U.S. Air Guitar Regional Championships.

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Venus of Mars

All the Pretty Horses is one of the few rock bands in the upper midwest that includes transgender members. It was founded by Venus, a transgender musician and visual artist from Duluth. Venus' provocative presence on stage and in public forces people to consider what it means to be transgender. That presence can now be seen on the big screen in a new documentary from Twin Cities filmmaker Emily Goldberg, entitled "Venus of Mars."

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If you got 'em, smoke 'em outside

As debate over smoking bans in Minneapolis and St. Paul continues, opponents have often talked about how smoking and drinking go hand in hand. Add rock and roll to the mix and the allure of smoking only gets stronger. Proprietors of Twin Cities music clubs, where the vast majority of patrons smoke, say smoking bans could affect their livelihood and have a negative impact on the local music scene.

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