May 7th, 2016
by Kaley Sievert
The bass drops and the crowd screams, eardrums and hearts vibrating with the beat. PJ comes out on stage. She crouches and waves her arms as her crisp, high voice floats above the beat, diving down every so often to duet with the bass.
Singer/songwriter PJ just started touring. She has been to Arizona, the University of Texas, Concordia College, and soon, New York. When performing, before PJ goes on stage, she is a nervous wreck and says she “feels spastic.” Once she…
May 6th, 2016
The blues guitar wizard has been a legend since opening for B.B. King and John Lee Hooker when he was just in junior high. At 38 years old, he has 12 solo albums under his belt, one Grammy nomination and he even performed at London’s Royal Albert Hall. His latest release “Blues of Desperation” saw him teaming up with some of Nashville’s top songwriters to record an album of entirely original compositions.
In addition to his solo career, Joe Bonamassa is part of Black Country…
April 28th, 2016
North Dakota roars for hip-hop. Some people here in rock/country-town just don’t seem to know it yet. Perhaps it comes from the influence of Minneapolis, with its strong presence of underground/alternative rappers. Or maybe hip-hop’s dominating presence nationwide plays an effect.
Of course, the genre has influence over our local artists, including Minot/Grand Forks-native Ryan Tetzloff, a.k.a. Cold Sweat. The rapper just released an 11-track album, “Right To Arm A Bear,” which…
April 27th, 2016
HPR caught up with local musician and former “The Voice” contestant Blind Joe before his Fargo Lions Club benefit show at the Fargo Theatre last Friday. Although he lost “The Voice,” the experience propelled his career. He’s been touring the U.S. nonstop while also working with school assemblies and he even found time to record a new album titled “By the Fans, for the Fans.”
The album comes out on May 5 and features 12 tracks, including the three songs he performed on…
April 27th, 2016
By Payton Berger
At first listen, the music of The Lowest Pair can be summed up as simple, dramatic and expressive. As one becomes more acquainted with the music’s depth, the idea of using only three adjectives is an understatement. The interplay between the two voices at work moves between beautiful and harrowing, tense and light, while always being poetic. The Lowest Pair’s movement of song is liken to the movement of life. Like the distinction of folk roots and separate stories,…
April 15th, 2016
Though the current weather doesn’t seem to indicate the fact, it has officially been spring for several weeks now. In the art and mythology of human history, this season has always been associated with new life bursting forth from the dead, barren landscapes of winter: a time for planting fields and gardens, for flora and fauna to create a new generation. All this is in preparation for the hardships of the next winter after which the cycle begins anew.
It is this intimate interplay…
April 14th, 2016
By Ben Rheault
Don’t ask Holler House for a sheet of lyrics because you are writing a review of their first full-length album, “Lodge.” You will only receive a PDF file of a dozen or so abstract, geometric designs that remind you of those brain-teaser puzzles you used to get from your grandma for Christmas.
Not to say that Garth Blomberg, Mike Novak, Alan Erbach, and Tony Spaaij deem their lyrics unimportant. Instead, they take the approach that the listener should derive meaning…
April 13th, 2016
Whether you’re looking for limited pressings of vinyl records or a chance to snatch up some oldies at discount prices, you’re bound to find unique experiences at each local record store as they celebrate Record Store Day 2016.
“It’s a really great thing for drawing attention to local record stores,” says Aaron Swinkels, who has much to celebrate this year since his store Junk Giant recently moved downtown with the former location becoming Vinyl Giant.
Instead of selling a…
April 13th, 2016
New York born Joe Satriani cultivated an appreciation of music at an early age. Not only is he the world’s most successful solo guitarist, he’s worked with some of the biggest names in rock and roll such as Mick Jagger, Deep Purple, Brian May of Queen, and Robert Fripp of King Crimson, to name a few. Satriani took a minute to chat with HPR about his musical beginnings, guitar building, and his latest artistic endeavors.
High Plains Reader: According to your website, on September 18,…
April 6th, 2016
‘80s supergroup Loverboy can attribute their successes to not only to just working on the weekends. It’s taken a lot of blood, sweat and tears to come such a long way. It’s hard to believe that at the beginning of their career, they were rejected by all of the major American record companies until Columbia Records Canada picked them up. “We had a lot of disappointments in the beginning” says lead singer and founder Mike Reno.
They eventually went on to become one of the top…
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By Alicia Underlee NelsonMore than 1,000 pro-worker events are planned for Thursday, May 1 across the country, including rallies in Fargo-Moorhead, Grand Forks, Minot and Jamestown. East Grand Forks and Bismarck will host protests…
From concerts and car shows to Japanese art and Juneteenth celebrations, there's so much going on around the region this summer. This year's High Plains Reader Summer Events Calendar is back and bigger than ever. It's packed with…
June 21, 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway N., Fargo“We Watch Shudder,” Fargo’s favorite horror podcasters, bring on the darkness during the longest day of the year. The Darkest Day of Horror Film Festival features…
By John Strandjas@hpr1.com One description that perhaps aptly describes the mental state of many lately is that they feel they are attached to a string. Or several strings. Call it the notion that people are played like puppets,…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comFor sale: White House in D.C. housing dung beetles and giant leechesI suspect someone close to Donald Trump has read “The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,”because the Trump administration is…
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 After a very inspiring conversation with Kayla Houchin of Sonder Bakehouse a few weeks ago, I decided that it’s an appropriate time to write a column about some of the sweet people who are involved…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com The writing/directing partnership of Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck has to be one of the most curious cases of crazy connect-the-dots career moves in recent cinema. From short documentaries and…
By Raul Gomezraul@hpr1.com Minutes before Modern’s Celebration of Life opened its door at the Sons of Norway, I was fiddling with the bar computer, trying to pull up the playlists of Modern’s work I had set aside for the…
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 Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There appear to be differences in the incidence of mental illnesses between men and women. For example, women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, post-traumatic stress…
By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…
By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson.nd7@gmail.com Our trucking business has me driving almost daily from gas plants in western North Dakota's oil patch to Canada. I haul natural gas liquids (NGLs) products we used to see flared off at…
