During the past few years, I’ve had some key friendship moments on a crowded dance floor. Music is great that way — it gives people something to revel in, tugging the same glint out of everyone’s eye. On the other hand, I’ve spent some of my most introspective moments on those same dance floors, and I’ve…

Muhammad Ali, who died on Friday at 74, is being remembered by people from all walks of life — including musicians such as Bob Dylan. Having long taken an interest in boxing — he wrote the songs “Hurricane” and “Who Killed Davey Moore?” about boxers, and dedicated a verse to Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) on…

After touring the country with Big Maybelle and Eugene Church, 17-year-old Maurice McKinnies moved to the Twin Cities, where he soon became a key player in the close-knit, flourishing R&B, funk and soul music community that pioneered the Minneapolis Sound. Upon moving to the area, he played with a band called the Big M’s, which featured…

Each week on the Local Show, we’ll meet a new person from the Minnesota music community who has some fresh discoveries to share in a feature called “Ask a Cool Person.” These people will come from all corners of the scene, including record store clerks, recording studio engineers and producers, artists, writers, bookers, photographers, and…

Last night, Jake Rudh paid tribute to Prince with a special edition of his Transmission dance party at First Avenue. The party was one of many ways the Twin Cities are celebrating Prince this weekend as his birthday approaches.

Prince would’ve had his 58th birthday on June 7 of this year, and although he might not have celebrated that date as a Jehovah’s Witness, it’s one of the most centralizing days for the world to honor him. The Twin Cities will be a gathering place this weekend for fans and friends of Prince; like Chicago,…

Throughout the 1990s, Prince lashed out against his label, Warner Brothers, with gestures so grand – the unpronounceable glyph he substituted for his name, the word “slave” he emblazoned on his cheek – they could overshadow the music he recorded. But though the career-making, radio-dominating, era-defining hits of the ‘80s were behind him, Prince’s sound…

Hi-Fi Cali, “Ocean Love” Bora York’s Chris Bartels and Bjorn Nilsen are Hi-Fi Cali, an electronic project with an EP on the way this fall. In this video, they play their song “Ocean Love” (which comes out June 10). Taylor J, “Heaven Like” Taylor J makes a set of steps his stage in this engaging music video.…

On Thursday night, roughly 9,000 Florence and the Machine fans watched as the band’s frontwoman, Florence Welch, somehow sprinted from the stage to the back of the arena in about three seconds flat. It was a faster pace than most arena-sized superstars could ever meet, even when they strap on harnesses and fling themselves across the…

First and foremost, I’d like to thank The Current for the opportunity to be part of the Local Current DJ in Residence project. Thanks Kelsey for guiding me through the process smoothly. Throughout the four weeks I transformed from Greg Grease to the Mellow Motivator, playing only the best local jams! When asked to do the…