Music

​From the basement: Best of 2017

December 13th, 2017

Heavy music in 2017 was a bit of a disappointment in my eyes, as some of the genres I love have become greatly oversaturated, and as a result stale and boring to my ears (Stoner Rock, Doom, and Sludge).

Black Metal also, which started as a breath of fresh air, has devolved into hundreds of copycat artists that do not look at attempting anything outside of the tried and true formula.

In some ways Vinyl collection has seemed to jump start the music industry while on the other hand it has…

Read more...


​Big band meets the big stage at FMCT

December 6th, 2017

ae@ndsuspectrum.com

This holiday season, the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre is bringing nostalgia to their stage in their adaptation of the 1979 musical, “The 1940s Radio Hour.”

Set in 1942, Radio Hour centers on the small radio station WOV in New York, which is recording a special broadcast for the soldiers overseas. The cast and crew of WOV are a hodgepodge of characters, including a haggard producer, a drunken lead singer and the delivery boy who dreams of singing in the…

Read more...


Barbershop chorus goes international

November 29th, 2017

Fargo-Moorhead’s barbershop chorus, Great Plains Harmony (GPH) has earned a spot in the prestigious and competitive Barbershop Harmony Society International Competition in Orlando, Florida in July 2018. They will be competing against 30 choruses from around the world.

To earn this honor, the GPH competed against 18 other barbershop choruses from three states and two Canadian provinces at the Land O’ Lakes District competition in October.

This is only the third time in 67 years GPH…

Read more...


Redemption songs

November 24th, 2017

Jon Wayne and Thom Wilder bring a story of redemption back to Fargo

“He can’t remember every single detail of his past few months, but he knows this makes three times this summer alone that he’s overdosed. But there’s no celebration in cheating death, no victory dance or celebratory lap. Maybe there’s no victory to celebrate. Maybe, deep down, he wants the easy way out.” -Thom Wilder in “One More Trip: Jon Wayne’s Journey from Addiction to Redemption.”

It’s been…

Read more...


Punk rock puppets and technical difficulties

November 16th, 2017

I’m told that there is nothing quite like a live Green Jelly show, where anarchy and foam puppets reign. So perhaps it’s in the spirit of the upcoming show that my intended interview with the mastermind and vocalist behind the band, Bill Manspeaker, went off the rails.

The intent was for me to fire off some questions to Bill on Cam Dewald’s KRFF radio show. Cam, as well as being the bassist for local death metal outfit Gorgatron, is also a part-time drummer and bassist for Green…

Read more...


Pert Near: Perfect.

November 15th, 2017

Cut a rug and your teeth with these American Roots animals.

Pert Near Sandstone is a musical thunderstorm. The energy held within their music can only be matched by nature. As the melody swells you know you’re watching something amazing and that it’s unique and breathtaking.

This is a band that must be experienced live.

Their most unique asset is their percussion section, or the lack thereof. In lieu of a traditional drum kit, all the demonstratively rhythmic action is produced by…

Read more...


Blue Gritt : Blues rock and hand-built amps

November 9th, 2017

“When you’re involved in a song and just everything is going great, you can hear it,” says Blue Gritt drummer Ross Cariveau, “Everyone’s playing great. There’s a pocket or a bubble that you’re in and you always want to be there, but you can’t find it all the time. When we can find it we don’t ever want to leave it.”

According to guitarist Maurice “Mo” Skogen, “The hardest part with singing and playing an instrument is finding a song that puts my hands on…

Read more...


Illuminating the soul with music

November 8th, 2017

Art often inspires other art across the fragile boundaries of medium. Literature, the visual arts, and music have all drawn inspiration from each other over history, perhaps even more frequently now in our lightning-fast Information Age. Classical music is no different, drawing inspiration from as wide-ranging source material as mythology, literature, paintings, and historical events.

Regardless of one’s religious affiliation, it’s impossible to understate the influence of the Holy…

Read more...


​Opportunities abound with Minnesota Music Coalition

November 8th, 2017

The Minnesota Music Coalition (MMC) is a St. Paul-based nonprofit that was created by music industry professionals to support the vibrant Minnesota music scene.

Although they are based in St. Paul, they provide their services to all musicians throughout the state of Minnesota. Some of the many services they provide are monthly educational workshops, assistance with networking and booking, and musician mentoring.

One of the MMCs most acclaimed programs is the Caravan du Nord, which is a…

Read more...


Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein: hot sauce, devil locks, and metal

November 1st, 2017

Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein is a legendary man. His work with the Misfits helped to create and shape a genre. His solo act Doyle is currently on tour with Gwar and will be following it with the As We Die headlining run, starting with a November 6 date at the Aquarium. I got a minute to speak with the man himself.

High Plains Reader: The Misfits are pretty good band. I’ve heard of them and I guess you’re in that band. Do you ever get sick of people remembering you for the…

Read more...


Tracker Pixel for Entry GFArtFest Tracker Pixel for Entry Blackbird Tracker Pixel for Entry Kolpack Tracker Pixel for Entry artfest3 Tracker Pixel for Entry Hjemkomst Tracker Pixel for Entry artfest2

Recently in:

By Dr Christopher Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Sollera For nearly fifty years, this region has known us as Rape and Abuse Crisis Center. We have answered late-night calls. Sat in hospital rooms. Walked with victim survivors…

By Michael M. Miller Francie M. Berg, native of Hettinger, N.D., edited an impressive book, “Ethnic Heritage in North Dakota,” published in 1983. She grew up on a ranch near Miles City, Montana. Her son, Richard Berg, is…

June 6-7StatewideYou grab a line and I’ll grab a pole — and if you’re a North Dakota resident, you can head on down to your favorite fishing hole, no license needed (for this weekend, anyway). All other rules still apply…

By Sabrina Hornung As the school year comes to a close, a new crop of young people are starting a new chapter in their lives. As a former young person, I’d like to offer my unsolicited advice. As cliche as it may sound, be the…

By Ed RaymondWere women created to do the work of God?One of the first requests made by new Pope Leo XIV was to invite an expert on the alt-right conservative Catholic organization known as Opus Dei to brief him about its…

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 GionThe scarfing of canned fish and seafood products by online food influencer types is hard to miss on social media these days. Some of the consumed morsels range from exquisite to downright nasty. However, there are many…

June 3-6, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.FARGODOME, 2800 N. University Dr., FargoDo we dare call RibFest the ultimate summer kickoff in Fargo? Well, we just did. Enjoy succulent ribs, pulled pork, brisket and so much more. Featuring top notch…

By Greg Carlson Filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan gives longtime pal Martin Short the celebrity documentary treatment in new Netflix movie “Marty, Life Is Short.” With a half century of show business experience under his belt, Short…

By Sabrina Hornung The Plains Art Museum has been a trailblazing force in the North Dakota art scene since its inception and it’s not slowing down any time soon. In fact, this summer they are preparing to break ground on a major…

Saturday, January 31, 6:30-9 p.m.Transfiguration Fitness, 764 34th St. N., Unit P, FargoAn enchanting evening celebrating movement and creativity in a staff-student showcase. This is a family-friendly event showcasing pole, aerial…

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 Eli Liverani Cholesterol is probably one of the first molecules I have ever heard of in my childhood. Most of the relatives on my mother's side had high cholesterol in their blood, and apparently, levels above a certain range…

January 31, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.Viking Ship Park, 202 1st Ave. N., Moorhead2026 marks 10 years of frosty fun! Enjoy sauna sessions with Log the Sauna, try Snowga (yoga in the snow), take a guided snowshoe nature hike, listen to live…

By Jim Fuglie I was out for a walk on a fine Bismarck spring evening, strolling down 4th St. alongside the state capitol grounds, when I noticed some dirt work being done on the spot where the former governor’s residence had…