August 7th, 2019
“I’ve always loved rock and comedy so my first two albums were Kiss ‘Destroyer’ and George Carlin ‘Occupation foole’ I thought these two things are so meant for each other, hard rock and heavy metal have so much humor in it,” said New Jersey based comedian Don Jamieson. He’s currently on tour with Zakk Sabbath, the Black Sabbath cover band fronted by Zakk Wylde. We had a chance to chat with Jamieson about “That Metal Show,” what makes a good roast and...hate…
August 7th, 2019
Center Fest 3 kicks off in Robinson, North Dakota this Friday and will run through Saturday night. What started as a discussion about the center of North America has taken on a life of its own and become an annual celebration.
Several years ago, Bill Bender, who owns Hanson’s Bar in Robinson, discovered that the trademark for the Geographical Center of North America – previously held by Rugby – had run out, so he was able to get it and decided to label Robinson as such.
“We…
August 7th, 2019
When I had the chance to catch up with the Reverend Horton Heat aka Jim Heath, I was greeted with a friendly smooth slow Texas drawl. He’s like an encyclopedia of early rock n’roll knowledge, theories and killer stories. His band has opened for everyone from shock rocker Marilyn Manson to the ORIGINAL shock rocker Jerry Lee Lewis. In fact the pianist currently on tour with Heath even plays Jerry Lee Lewis as a tribute act. After nearly 30 years in the game, Heath is also one of the…
July 31st, 2019
Photographs by Noel Strauss
Summer is the season of many things: barbecues, camping, high air conditioning bills, and of course outdoor music festivals. One of those music festivals is the Bohemian Family Ramble, in the small town of Wolverton, Minnesota. Now entering its sixth year, Bohemian Family Ramble is the brainchild of 22-year diesel technician Michael Pavlicek and Tracey Sand, who has been in the medical field for 31 years and an RN for 11 years.
“We live together, share our…
July 31st, 2019
One of the many highlights of the Winnipeg Folk Festival (WFF) are the Workshops. The term “workshop” may be a bit misleading to the novice folkster, they are essentially jams or may even serve as a “musical sampler platters” that unite musicians that normally may or may not have ever played together otherwise. Some may never play together again and some have actually kickstarted projects that would have otherwise never came into fruition.
When asked about his experience…
July 24th, 2019
On the local level you may have caught The Minneapolis based Cactus Blossoms at Harold’s Fest earlier this summer in Moorhead. The group is fronted by brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, who made their first appearance in Fargo in 2013 as a duo. Since then they’ve added members and instrumentation. In fact a third brother, guitarist Tyler Burkum can be spotted wielding a vintage double-neck Jerry Jones Longhorn guitar.
The Cactus Blossoms’ sound is unmistakable with their…
July 24th, 2019
One of Minnesota’s best-kept musical secrets is the Blue Wailers. How deep into the blues do you want to go? I struggle to describe them in words. They are fundamental, defying belief, disturbing.
HPR: What can you tell me about yourselves?
Tim Jorgensen, bass: I started on guitar around1989 and switched to bass shortly after in order to make music with my friends and later band mates, the Keller Brothers. Chicago and Texas Blues are my favorite regional Blues genres.
Randy Schrenk,…
July 10th, 2019
High Plains Reader had the opportunity to catch up with Sarah Shook, front woman of the North Carolina based punk country band Sarah Shook and the Disarmers. We had a chance to talk about life and love from the road, where she found her musical voice and their latest album “Years.”
High Plains Reader: I just saw that your latest album “Years” made the Rolling Stone top 40 country and Americana albums of 2018, How does that feel?
Sarah Shook: It feels good, It’s a good feeling…
June 12th, 2019
When asked to describe the sound of Green Blue, Minneapolis based musician Annie Sparrows formerly of the Soviettes and Awesome Snakes laughed and said, “Our friend came up to me after a show and he said ‘Do you like Belle and Sebastian?’ and I was like--I don’t really listen to them but I know who they are so ...maybe? Then he goes, ‘I love Belle and Sebastian and you guys are the Belle and Sebastian of psych rock.’”
The Belle and Sebastian reference was in describing the…
June 12th, 2019
El Supremo started out as a one man band for Chad Heille, drummer of the iconic Fargo stoner rock band Egypt. Once the project started rolling it started to snowball. With the addition of Egypt guitarist Neal Stein, Cam Dewald of Gorgatron and Chris Gould on keys their latest album “Clarity through distortion” is a psychedelic force to be reckoned with.
HPR: The first El Supremo demo was recorded in 2008, how did El Supremo come to be?
Chad Heille: It was really out of a lack of like…
By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.com The business of Indian Hating is a lucrative one. It’s historically been designed to dehumanize Native people so that it’s easier to take their land. ‘Kill the Indian, save the man,”…
By Johnathan Campbell history@nd.gov Since Halloween is just around the corner, I thought I’d share three mysterious — and mildly creepy folktales — that have been shared about the Former Governors' Mansion State Historic Site,…
Thursday, November 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempsey’s, FargoThe Minneapolis indie rock duo Bad Bad Hats hits the Fargo stage promoting their brand new, self-produced album titled “Bad Bad Hats.” Their name came from a song…
By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com Okay, so last month I promised you a woman President of the United States. So much for my predictability quotient. Lesson 1: Never promise something you can’t control. And nobody, not even…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill We Ever Recover from the Trump Virus of Universal Hate?Just a month ago, the primary doctor of 336 million U.S Americans,U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, issued an advisory on the mental…
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 In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…
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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 Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s sophomore feature “Dandelion” is now playing in theaters following a world premiere at South by Southwest in March. The movie stars KiKi Layne as the…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Ted Martin, retired educator and western North Dakota native, currently has his art on view at Mind Virus Counter-Culture Books and Media. The exhibition features Martin’s colorful ink drawings…
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 John Showalter john.d.showalter@gmail.comThey sell fentanyl test strips and kits to harm-reduction organizations and…
Rynn WillgohsJanuary 25, 1972-October 8, 2024 Rynn Azerial Willgohs, age 52, of Vantaa, Finland, died by suicide on October 8, 2024. Rynn became her true-self March 31, 2020. She immediately became a vocal and involved activist…
By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com Okay, so last month I promised you a woman President of the United States. So much for my predictability quotient. Lesson 1: Never promise something you can’t control. And nobody, not even…
