Music

​Zero Place: One Band, Two Albums

November 13th, 2024

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

Local band Zero Place has been making quite a name for itself locally and regionally in the last few years. Despite getting its start during a time it seemed the whole world was coming to a stop with the COVID pandemic, the band shows no sign of slowing down with the release of their second album, “Darko,” on the horizon. That should be no surprise, though. Lead vocalist and guitarist Zander Ness is no stranger to making music.

“I’ve…

Read more...


​Never gonna let him go:

October 17th, 2024

North Dakota’s All Star Tribute to John Prine at the Fargo Theatre

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

On November 3, The Radio Stars are rounding up a number of North Dakota’s finest musicians from Watford City to the Red River Valley to pay tribute to the late great John Prine at the Fargo Theatre. They will share the stage with Jessie Veeder, Gina PowersChuck SuchyPat Lenertz, Darrin Wentz, Tom Brousseau, Emily Walter, Tuckered Out and Dan Brekke.

This isn’t the first North…

Read more...


​Radio Free Fargo: Flying Free on Fargo’s Airwaves for 20 Years

September 19th, 2024

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

Like any metropolitan area, Fargo-Moorhead has a plethora of radio stations representing a variety of musical genres and other content. And like any other playing field in the world of media, there are going to be both the bigger fish (the corporate stations) and the hidden gems. One of those gems in the case of Fargo-Moorhead is Radio Free Fargo KRFF 95.9, which has been providing an outlet for independent radio in some incarnation or another…

Read more...


​Rising from the ‘Ashes’

August 3rd, 2024

Lamb of God celebrates 20th anniversary of a seminal album

by John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

Photo by Travis Shinn

When the band Burn the Priest formed in 1994, they likely did not realize the impact that they would have on the metal genre. Thirty years later, the band is still going strong, albeit with a few changes in lineup and their adoption of the much better-known moniker Lamb of God. In that time, they have released eleven studio albums (two of which were under their…

Read more...


​Documenting Atmosphere

July 18th, 2024

HPR chats with Slug of the hip-hop duo Atmosphere

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

When Sean Daley, also known as Slug, the voice of Twin Cities-based hip hop duo Atmosphere and co-founder of rap label Rhymesayers was growing up, he said hip-hop was the “large tool in my toolbox of socializing.” Whether it was breakdancing, graffiti or being a fan of the sound, he knew it was not his parents’ music and it was a movement that he felt belonged solely to those kids. High Plains…

Read more...


​Pour one out for Harold’s fifth anniversary

July 18th, 2024

By John Showalter

In the several years since its owners purchased what was once Main Avenue Auto in Moorhead, Minnesota in 2019, Harold’s on Main has quickly transformed from the new kid on the block to a Moorhead fixture. Not even a pandemic that seemed to put the world on pause was able to drive them off the rails. What started as just a bar now regularly hosts outside concerts, vinyl nights, and karaoke, among other events. On July 27, Harold’s will be celebrating its fifth…

Read more...


Getting down to the real Nitty Gritty

June 20th, 2024

HPR chats with Bob Carpenter of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

When asked if it was fair to consider the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band as “the godfathers of contemporary Americana” during our interview, longstanding band member Bob Carpenter chuckled and said, “I think that's for someone else to decide.” Fans can do exactly that during the band’s Farewell Tour, which swings through North Dakota and Minnesota in June.

“I don't know,” Carpenter…

Read more...


Hamming It Up at the Aquarium

May 16th, 2024

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

Musicians in the Fargo-Moorhead area are often supportive of each other. They will attend each other’s shows, collaborate on projects, play as openers for each other, so on and so forth. However, there is nothing wrong with a bit of friendly competition — and that is why we have Battle of the Hamm’s. A veritable tradition for The Aquarium at this point, Battle of the Hamm’s sees several local bands face off in a battle of the bands…

Read more...


STILL, After All This Time

March 21st, 2024

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

It is not unheard of for bands to go on hiatus. However, as the old saying goes, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder.” That is why when a local group like STILL comes back to perform it is always cause for excitement. On Saturday, April 13, the long dormant doom noise project will return to the Aquarium co-headlining a show with Timmy Williams of “The Whitest Kids U’ Know” fame, who will be performing stand-up comedy in an…

Read more...


ADVANCE BASE with WALDEMAR, ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE (NEW!), and HOPECHEST

December 5th, 2023

The Aquarium, 226 Broadway North upstairs, Downtown Fargo

Friday, December 8, 7:30-11pm

Doors 7:30 pm // Music 8 pm
21+ // $10 advance // $12 DOS

Over two decades, Christmas songs have appeared throughout Owen Ashworth’s recorded output, from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s 2016 fan favorite “Cold White Christmas” to Advance Base’s latest Christmas single, “Christmas Steve.” There have been enough Advance Base and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone Christmas songs to…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry farrms2 Tracker Pixel for Entry 7Clans Tracker Pixel for Entry EmpireAUG2021 Tracker Pixel for Entry FPL Tracker Pixel for Entry MidwestRoadTripAdventures Tracker Pixel for Entry Bismarck1

Recently in:

By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…

By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…

January 21- February 8Fargo-MoorheadWhoever said there’s nothing to do in Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo clearly hibernates through Frostival, because this nine day celebration of winter celebrates and embraces cold weather fun,…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com As I write this article, it’s January, and the temperatures in North Dakota are negative. I’m living in a house and our furnace just died a forever death after years of quick fixes. Yet,…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill the Divided States of America Add or Subtract to the Future?In 1937, English writer Aldous Huxley published his novel of the future “Brave New World 632 A.F.” (after Henry Ford), a world…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com So far in 2025, announcements for new restaurant openings in the metro far outnumber closings. This is good news going into the new year for us hungry folk. In my opinion, the positive trend will…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Local band Zero Place has been making quite a name for itself locally and regionally in the last few years. Despite getting its start during a time it seemed the whole world was coming to…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com For so many of us, the news announcing the death of the brilliant David Keith Lynch — who died just a few days short of his 79th birthday — interrupted beautiful blue skies and golden sunshine…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comIn 1974, the Jamestown Arts Center started as a small space above a downtown drugstore. It has grown to host multiple classrooms, a gallery, performance studio, ceramic studio and outdoor art park.…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…

By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…

By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com A friend of mine, a well-known Bismarck liberal (I have a few of those), came up to me after church the other day and asked, “So, are you moving out of the country?” I knew he was referring…