Music

Advancements in heavy metal

January 23rd, 2014

Local guitarist raising money for progressive metal project

Jake Gillette is set to record what may be one of the greatest projects of his music career: an original progressive metal album made up of years’ worth of melodic ideas yet to be truly documented. The project is called “AfterThought.”

Gillette, a local veteran guitarist (also one of HPR’s “Guitar Heroes”), and his longtime band mate/keyboard player Zach Frisk, say now that technology has advanced, their dream of…

Carluster Crumplebee Orhchestra: Fargo’s “hot club” performs in the style of Django Reinhardt

December 19th, 2013

Photo by J Earl Miller

By Richard Schaan

What do you get when you combine the style of a two-fingered jazz guitar legend, the name of a backup tight end that played one season with the Minnesota Vikings, and a collection of some of the area’s most talented musicians?

The answer is The Carluster Crumplebee Orchestra, a gypsy jazz band inspired by the music of Django Reinhardt, a Frenchman who became one of the world’s greatest jazz guitar players despite losing the use of two fingers in a fire. As for the…

3 Minute Hero returns to Fargo

November 14th, 2013

One of Fargo-Moorhead’s most successful ska bands, 3 Minute Hero, has not played in town “since Clinton was president,” according to lead singer Jeff Nelson.

Now based in Minneapolis, 3 Minute Hero continues to bring its wild, humorous, fun and entertaining music to the stage nearly 20 years later. And finally, this Saturday, Nov. 16, the eight-member group will return to its hometown.

In the late ‘90s, 3 Minute Hero was the only ska band in F-M. The group had a fantastic college…

Ukulele, redefined

November 7th, 2013

Jake Shimabukuro performs at the Fargo Theatre

Why become a virtuoso ukulele player?

Strangely enough, perhaps the world’s greatest ukulele player, Jake Shimabukuro, in part, became one because of a comedian: Bill Cosby.

“One of the things I realized is music is just like comedy. It’s just about connecting with your audience — and Bill Cosby is a master at connecting with people,” Shimabukuro said from his home in Hawaii.

“There is just something about (Cosby’s) performance, his…

Q&A with Grieves

October 31st, 2013

Phenomenal hip-hop artist Grieves returns to the area on Wednesday, Nov. 6 as part of his Back on My Grizzly tour. Accompanied by Vancouver hip-hop collective Sweatshop Union, Minneapolis-based DJ Fundo and local legends Kipp G and Tony the Butcher, this is a show not to be missed. HPR had the honor of catching up with Grieves front man Ben Laub, who’s quite a talented and funny guy.

HPR: What’s it like being signed to the Minneapolis-based label Rhymesayers? Is it hard not living…

Blitzen Trapper’s new gooves

October 3rd, 2013

By Diane Miller

One of Portland’s most popular bands, Blitzen Trapper, is heading to Fargo this Thursday, Oct. 10. It’s expected to be one of the bigger shows at The Aquarium this year.

Since the releases of their highly acclaimed albums “Wild Mountain Nation” and “Furr,” Blitzen Trapper have consistently become less indie-Americana rock only to become more country roots. The band’s new sound is at times quirky and slightly uninviting. Other times they sound cool, collected…

A babbler in your ear

September 19th, 2013

HPR chats with Sam Beam of Iron & Wine

In 2004, Sam Beam released what would become one of the most influential folk albums of the 21st century to date.

That special album is Iron and Wine’s “Our Endless Numbered Days.” It features gritty primitive tracks like “Teeth in the Grass,” genuine and gentle acoustic numbers like “Sunset Soon Forgotten” and pleasant, reminiscent numbers like “Sodom, South Georgia.” All 12 songs on this album are in fact perfect in their own…

Riesage tapes “Anon”

August 22nd, 2013

Fargo folk rockers Riesage are releasing their very first album, “Anon,” on cassette tape this August 31 at The Aquarium.

“Anon,” a five-song EP, includes years-old songs written by lead vocalist/guitarist Mike Barnum, who originally played music and toured as a solo artist. It wasn’t until early 2010 that he started forming what is now known as Riesage.

“I’ve been touring by myself since 21,” Barnum says. “It’s really hard to tour by yourself. You get sick of people…

A true R&B ‘old schooler’

August 22nd, 2013

76-year-old Andre Williams to perform at The Aquarium

Andre Williams is sort of mysterious legend. The 76-year-old Chicago/Detroit R&B musician has written songs for Stevie Wonder, Ike Turner and even Parliament-Funkadelic. He’s even had a few mega-hits – “Bacon Fat” and “Jail Bait” – among the hip R&B crowd in the 50s.

More than 50 years down the road, he still continues to record, perform and write. And believe or not, music fans and critics everywhere almost unanimously…

Q&A with Nina Grollman

August 8th, 2013

Moorhead singer/actor Nina Grollman kindly interviewed with the High Plains Reader on the day before her big move out to New York City to study acting at Juilliard.

Find out what it was like for her to audition for one of the most prestigious music schools in the country, how she reimagined Grease’s “Beauty School Dropout,” how YouTube changed her life and much more.

High Plains Reader: First of all, your performance in “Grease” was astounding. How did you prepare yourself for…