Music

​A Musical Journey From Baltic to Boardwalk

January 20th, 2022

By John Showalter 

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

Over the five years that I have written for High Plains Reader, I have made no secret of the fact that I think that Fargo-Moorhead has its fair share of artistic talent, musical and otherwise. Surprisingly, in all that time I had never gotten around to writing about a mainstay of Fargo music that has been around for over a decade, Baltic to Boardwalk. So…

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Making Beautiful Music in Zeeland

December 15th, 2021

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

Trudy Wolf is a woman of many hats and has been making waves since she came to Zeeland Public schools in 1993. Zeeland, located in south central North Dakota, had 87 residents according to the 2019 census, and is just a hop, skip, and a jump from the South Dakota border.

Wolf started out as just the music teacher. “Then a few years later, I added librarian to it, and then a number of years later, I added elementary principal, and then secondary…

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from Punk to Polka

November 19th, 2021

By Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

You may recognize Owen Hanson, from seeing him play with any number of folk punk projects throughout the past few years, such as his solo project Owen Broke, Bottle Wound, or Mr. Meaner. His folk punk roots may have just delved deeper into his interest in traditional folk music.

With the encouragement of a good friend, Fargo-based musician Owen Hanson applied for an accordion apprenticeship through the North Dakota Council on the Arts Folk Art and…

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​The Spirit of Amanda Standalone

October 23rd, 2021

By Sabrina Hornung 

sabrina@hpr1.com

Amanda Standalone is a force, in fact one could say she’s an old soul with the Midas touch of musicality. You may have seen her playing any number of instruments with a bluegrass band: a washtub bass with a burlesque troupe, a musical saw with a jugband, or busking on the sidewalk with her violin…and then there’s that voice…

With two albums under her belt,…

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The Evolution of Prof

October 18th, 2021

By Sabrina Hornung and Jr Lacroix

sabrina@hpr1.com

Prof Comes to Town With a New Album, 'Powderhorn Suites'

Minneapolis-based rapper Prof has undergone a number of changes within a short amount of time. Abruptly dropped from the Rhymesayers label, he went on to release his latest album “Powderhorn Suites.” Prof is best known for his sharp tongue and absurdist lyrics. After listening to his most recent release and comparing it to his breakthrough album “King Gampo,” which was…

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​A Colorful Look at Baroness

October 17th, 2021

By John Showalter

john.d.showalter@gmail.com

To say that John Dyer Baizley is a creative individual would be an understatement. Not only is he the vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the critically acclaimed and hard-to-pigeonhole band Baroness, he is the painter of their equally striking album art (and on occasion, the album art of other bands). November 14th marks their first performance in Fargo since 2009. Over that time they have undergone creative and musical evolution but still…

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​Back to fun in ‘21: getting WE Fest back together

July 14th, 2021

Sabrina Hornung

sabrina@hpr1.com

15 July 2021

“We have a guy that's been involved with the show for many years as a landlord and knew what it was like in the heydays. So he knows where he wants to take it.” says WE Fest General Sales Manager Mark Bjerke.

We Fest was started in 1983, a couple of partners were brought in about 1985. And that ownership group was rock steady through 2014. In 2010, one of those owners bought out his partners’ shares and from 2010 to 2014, WE Fest had a…

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​Jessica Vines heads west

July 14th, 2021

Sabrina Horung

sabrina@hpr1.com

15 July 2021

Fargo-based musician Jessica VInes’ music is catchy.. in fact it’s downright infectious. A classically trained jazz vocalist, she’s collaborated with a number of area musicians such as blues rockers The Knotties to the hip hop stylings of Diane Miller.

She recently announced a move to California in September so naturally we had to flag her down to talk about her video “Delicious,” establishing a routine during lockdown and to see where…

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​Prairie Pothole Back After COVID Speed Bump

June 15th, 2021

by John Showalter john.d.showalter@gmail.com

The COVID-19 pandemic took a huge toll on the live music industry. Not only concerts but full-blown music festivals were among the casualties over the course of 2020. However, as vaccines continue to roll out and guidelines are loosened, venues have been cautiously reopening their doors to live performances and promoters have been plying their craft.

Among…

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Gina Powers Is Outlaw Country

May 18th, 2021

By Kris Gruber

perriex1@gmail.com

20 May 2021

During the course of our interview Gina Powers frequently stopped to console Atomic Coffee patrons wrestling with the suction-heavy door between them and Broadway (“The Atomic Door Dilema”), that indeed they were not alone in their struggle, offering them lighthearted banter in her rich and resonant speaking voice.

Her self-proclaimed mission is to “put good things in the world.” She used the analogy of dirt in a glass of water,…

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