Category Archive: The Current Road Trip

Current Presents: The Current Road Trip to Rochester

Posted at 3:16 PM on July 15, 2011 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Presents, The Current Road Trip

Back in April we packed up the Current van with cameras, Current Swag and Mark Wheat and traveled south until we hit Rochester.

Once there we met up with Dessa and her full band and put on a show. Wheat and Dessa had a bit of chit-chat and Dessa played a ton of tunes off her latest album, one of her first shows with a full backing band.

If you were at the show you can relive it, and if you missed it the first time you're in luck, we're replaying the entire show for you this Sunday at 9pm.

And if you still need more Mark and Dessa head to the Road Trip page and look at videos and photos from the show!

Tapes 'n Tapes 'n Mary Lucia take over Austin, MN!

Posted at 2:55 PM on June 10, 2011 by The Current (2 Comments)
Filed under: Local, The Current Road Trip

Photos | Recap | Video

Recap

A Note from Jade, Road Trip producer:

Hey Everyone!

June 4, 2010 marked the last of our scheduled Current Road Trips and it was a great way to go out. The day was perfectly sunny and warm for a road trip down to Austin, MN. There was a pit stop at a creepily abandoned road house with a giant sign reading "Fine Foods"; the SPAM museum was bigger, louder and more SPAM-y than we could have ever hoped; and the show at the beautifully restored Paramount Theater was the perfect cap for the evening.

Each show has its own spirit — and this one was no different. 300 people (young and old) filled the auditorium of the theater. A highlight for me was watching the crowd jump to their feet and rush to the foot of the stage and dance for the final Tapes 'n Tapes song. Mary had everyone in the room laughing and on the edge of their seat for the big reveal of the winner for Rock The Garden Tickets (over 150 people entered to win). Our engineers Michael DeMark and Erik Stromstad made the show sound flawless and Nate Ryan did some crazy photo/video camera work that I'm really excited for everyone to see.

Other moments that made the Tapes n' Tapes show for me:

• -The squealing/shrieking girls (it was definitely Tapes n' Tapes "Beatles" moment)
• -The Cloud Machine (you'll have to ask Mary to describe it for you)
• -Mary Lucia dressed up as a Hormel employee
• -Babies, grandparents, teenagers and even some relatives of the band all in the audience

Thanks again to Tapes 'n Tapes and everyone who came out to the show in Austin, MN!

—Jade

Video: Tapes 'n Tapes - "Insistor"

Photos by Nate Ryan

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The Current Road Trip: A message from Smudge

Posted at 1:53 PM on June 3, 2011 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

We interrupt your blog programming for an urget message from Mary Lucia's friend Smudge:

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Smudge says Please join Lucia in rockin' Austin Minnesota for this latest installment of the Current's road trip.
Special road warrior guests Tapes N' Tapes will play the lovely Paramount Theater one of those great nostalgic laden Theaters just ripe for the right beloved rock band. The event is Free!
Come out and see the band play, ask them questions after they play about their outfit choices, thoughts on dating and anything else you want to know and get to know your buddies from The Current a little bit better.
Austin MN. Not just for potted meat products.
xo,
Smudge

The Current Road Trip: Austin

Posted at 1:26 PM on June 2, 2011 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

It's time for the Current van to hit the road again for The Current Road Trip! We're traveling 2 hours south Saturday, June 4th to Austin, MN.

Tapes n' Tapes will be the featured band this time around and they wanted to share some thoughts they had about the upcoming show:

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One of our greatest pleasures as a band is to play in a new town, to a new audience! Our road trip with The Current will be our first time playing in Austin, MN and we are really looking forward to it. This will also be our first show of a very busy summer for us. We've got Rock The Garden coming up soon and a full US tour happening in August/September/October, with a stop at the State Fair in between.
We are really excited to play in Austin and we look forward to meeting new Minnesota music fans. We're also pretty pumped to learn the history of SPAM and all it's wonderful uses. See you soon, Austin!

Tapes n' Tapes

The Current Road Trip: Austin, MN with Tapes 'n Tapes

Posted at 1:09 PM on April 28, 2011 by The Current
Filed under: Local, The Current Road Trip

The next stop on The Current Road Trip series will be June 4th, 2011 in Austin, MN with Mary Lucia and Tapes 'n Tapes at the Paramount Theater.

For those unfamiliar with The Current Road Trip, it's an effort to bring the best and brightest of the Twin Cities' musical acts to greater Minnesota. We started in October 2010 with Jeremy Messersmith in Duluth; and in November, we took Roma di Luna to Mankato; and most recently, Dessa Wowed Rochester in April.

About Tapes 'n Tapes

Minneapolis based Tapes 'n Tapes includes Josh Grier on guitar and lead vocals, Matt Kretzmann on keyboards and horns, Erick Appelwick on bass guitar and backing vocals and Jeremy Hanson on percussion. They got together in 2003 and amassed "tapes 'n tapes" of experimental jams, and declared themselves a band by that name. They are a band that prides themselves on making music for all the right reasons — fun and pure love for music. Their most recent album, Outside was released in January of this year, and they will appear at this year's Rock The Garden.

About the Venue

The Paramount was built as an atmospheric theatre — which means that when you enter you are transported to a different time and place. Imagine a quaint Spanish Villa under the stars of a twilight blue sky. Imagine reds, burnt oranges, maroons, deep greens. This is the only one of four in the state of Minnesota and the only one outside of the Twin Cities to be used as originally intended. The Historic Paramount Theatre is owned by the Austin Area Commission for the Arts (AACA), an independent, 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. The AACA's mission is "a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the fine arts and the on going preservation of the Historic Paramount Theatre in Austin, MN." More at the Paramount Theater site.

Details

WHEN: Saturday, June 4, 7 p.m.
WHERE: The Paramount Theater, 125 4th Avenue Northeast, Austin
TICKETS: Admission is free and open to the public. All ages are invited to attend.
TUNE IN: The Current can be heard in Austin on KCMP 103.9 FM and online at thecurrent.org.

The Current Road Trip: Dessa Wows Rochester

Posted at 6:22 PM on April 4, 2011 by Brett Baldwin (9 Comments)
Filed under: Local, The Current Road Trip

Note from Mark Wheat | Photos | Recap

A Note from Road Trip Host Mark Wheat

We had a riot in Rochester!! A riot of emotions, both personal and collective.

Being such a brilliantly lovely day helped. The crowd packed into the Eagle Center was soul affirming. So many people eager to learn more about these wonderful creatures. I was stunned to get so close. Scott the Director seemed pleased by the turn out, but then added; "Most people don't know that you can see more birds on the ice in the winter months, so don't leave it till April to come next time Mark." I won't!!

Visiting the Rochester Posse has always been special. Last time I was there, Mayor Brede gave me a key to the city!! This time it was the magical atmosphere that everyone created at a wonderfully unique event; the staff at the RAC made everything so easy;

The band were a joy to work with, consummate professionals throughout; and the largest crowd ever to visit the space, over 500 people, were gloriously rapt and enthusiastic! Thanks to everyone for coming out!

We couldn't do these Road Trips without the Legacy Amendment Funds and it seems to be exactly what they were designed to do and what public radio does best, expose artists to a community that otherwise might not get to hear them. There were many magic moments during the evening but the best was when Dessa answered the question of which poets she likes by saying Mary Oliver. There were so many gasps of appreciation that it stopped Dessa in her tracks...which doesn't happen often!

Note from Mark Wheat | Recap | Video

Photos by Nate Ryan

Note from Mark Wheat | Photos | Video

Recap by Harley Brown

On Saturday, April 2, (also known as the sunniest, warmest day in weeks) The Current crew embarked on a road trip to Rochester with Dessa. After previous successful Road Trips (to Mankato with Roma di Luna and Duluth with Jeremy Messersmith) we expected this one to be even better.

With Jade at the helm, the photographer's tripod perched next to me, and bagels in the backseat, we were ready for an adventure. After stopping for gas, Mark revealed that he and the missus had their first date in Rochester! We said having an hour-long road trip for a first date was a bold move. But ten years later, it seems to have worked pretty well for them. It was a perfect day for a drive, although I couldn't help noticing how barren--and flooded--the landscape was now that most of the snow had melted. We passed more than a few parks and roads under anywhere from several inches to several feet of water. Fortunately, our road remained clear.

After driving through the charming towns of Red Wing and Prescott, WI, we stopped at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Our belief systems were temporarily shattered when we thought the river outside the Center wasn't the Mississippi River as we had thought. After consulting our various smart phones and some unsuspecting passersby, we discovered to our relief that we were right all along. The Eagle Center is a graceful, swooping building, much like the birds it represents. In the lobby, Mark stood next to a live bald eagle for pictures and general "oohs" and "aahs." I thought the bird looked fake, but Mark assured me that up close and personal, it was very much alive. After learning a little more about Harriet the Eagle--who was featured on the Colbert Report--we left the building to film Mark in front of the river, where a distinguished gentleman wearing a cummerbund and a fedora approached us. Apparently, he recognized Mark's voice from the radio and wanted to tell him what a huge fan he was.

On our way to Rochester, a car passed us with "D E S A?" scrawled on a manila envelope pressed against the window. We tried to get photographic evidence of it, but the car left our Eurovan in the dust (they must have lost interest when they realized Dessa wasn't with us). We arrived in Rochester just as Dessa was pulling into the Rochester Art Museum driveway! Perfect timing. She drove up with local musician Aby Wolf (an accomplished solo artist who also sings backing vocals on many of Dessa's songs) and Sean McPherson — aka Twinkie Jiggles — of Heiruspecs and McNally Smith College of Music. We followed them into the Art Center, which looks a lot like the Walker in Minneapolis: modern, minimalist décor, lots of open space, and huge windows looking over the Mississippi River.

After checking out the space, we grabbed a bite to each at a local Mediterranean restaurant while Dessa and her crew set up in the beautiful performance space. At 6:45, we returned to the Art Center to find the performance space overflowing with people. Dessa took the stage at 7 and, as she tends to do, blew us away. She is a fierce, dynamic singer who makes eye contact with every single person in the room. Dessa played three or four songs at a time interspersed with Mark's interviews onstage. She told us her mother's reaction to the news that she was joining a hip-hop collective ("What is a Doomtree?") and how the first time she forced Doomtree to show up on time for sound check, they waited an hour and a half for the sound guy to show up.

At the end of her set--which included gorgeous versions of "The Chaconne," "Alibi," and my personal favorite, "The Bullpen"--there was time for a question and answer session with the audience. A sweet, older woman named Dessa said her mother wouldn't let her become a musician; but now, she can live vicariously through the woman with her name onstage. After the performance, I watched the expensive camera equipment while Dessa and Mark graciously answered more questions next to the merchandise table. Besides driving down from the Twin Cities, many of the attendees had come from places like Stillwater and Hudson, WI. The Rochester residents were especially thrilled that the Current was visiting again and asked us to keep coming back. After such a great night, we definitely will!

Note from Mark Wheat | Photos | Recap | Video

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THE CURRENT ROAD TRIP: ROCHESTER

Posted at 2:34 PM on April 1, 2011 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

Dessa was nice enough to write up a liitle note about The Current Road Trip to Rochester. The Current Road Trip is heading to the Rochester Art Center tomorrow, April 2nd at 7pm. For more information about this Road Trip and the next one in June click here.

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Since I started performing with a live band, in early 2010, I've only infrequently had the opportunity to present the ensemble to audiences outside the Twin Cities. The guys and I couldn't be more excited for our Road Trip with The Current. We're in the midst of preparing for our first tour together (eep!) and Rochester will serve as our first date on the road (but without the 8-hour drive, the gas-station food, and the head colds that are unavoidable on an extended run). It's like having cake, eating cake, and then sleeping in your own bed--the best of all possible worlds.
Sean, Dustin, Joey, Aby and I look forward to seeing you this weekend--we'll in our Sunday best for Saturday night.

-Dessa.

Doomtree Records

Rockin Rochester Road Trip!!

Posted at 3:24 PM on March 31, 2011 by Mark Wheat (2 Comments)
Filed under: Local, The Current Road Trip

I've always liked alliteration (using words in a row with the same first letter as in the title of this post!) but I thought it doubly appropriate here because Dessa is one of the most literate performers I've come across, she's even written her own book!

Saturday's show at RAC is going to be like an extended session, with me asking questions in between sets of music, so bring your questions too!
We've caught her at a great time, just home from playing a string of shows at SXSW with the Doomtree crew and preparing to go on her first headlining tour to the West Coast. Should be fun!

If it's a nice day we might take the 'long way around' on Hwy 61!
Appropriate route for a Rockin' Roadtrip. Maybe stop by Red Wing for some shoes or pottery (the missus is coming with!) Wabasha Eagle Center is also a possibility since I love seeing the eagles fly by our flat in downtown Mpls and Bob Collins just turned us on to the Eagle Cam!

Check the blog Friday for an entry from her too, I bet she uses some big words!

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The Current Road Trip: Rochester, MN with Dessa

Posted at 9:21 PM on March 19, 2011 by Brett Baldwin (2 Comments)
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

The next stop on The Current Road Trip series will be April 2nd, 2011 in Rochester, MN with Dessa and Mark Wheat at the Rochester Art Center.

For those unfamiliar with The Current Road Trip, it's an effort to bring the best and brightest of the Twin Cities' musical acts to greater Minnesota. We started in October 2010 with Jeremy Messersmith in Duluth; and in November, we took Roma di Luna to Mankato.

About Dessa

Dessa introduced a unique sensibility to underground hip-hop: literary, bitter-sweet, and wry. She alternated between a clever, droll persona as an emcee and her earnest, unaffected delivery as a singer with a low, clear alto voice. Her a cappella arrangements delicate and expressive, full of sad, old world harmonies. A Badly Broken Code, her solo full-length record was released in January 2010 to an eagerly waiting number of listeners and music-writers alike. It earned 4 stars from Urb Magazine, a mention in Spin, and rave reviews from publications across the country.

About the Venue

Rochester Art Center offers the opportunity for all people to understand and value the arts through innovative experiences with contemporary art. They've previously hosted Policy and a Pint and other MPR events.

Details

The Current Road Trip hosted by Mark Wheat at The Rochester Art Center, Saturday, April 2, 2011 at 7:00pm will be free to the public (all ages) and first come first served as the venue allows.

More Information

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Current Road Trip: Mankato

Posted at 7:10 AM on November 19, 2010 by Steve Seel
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

On Thursday November 11th, it was time for another Current Road Trip - our series of periodic jaunts out of the Twin Cities to visit towns in greater Minnesota for music and community connection. This time, Jill Riley and myself had the priviledge of taking a journey to Mankato, with the wonderful Minneapolis group Roma Di Luna (actually, it's two core members, the husband and wife duo of Alexi and Channy Moon Casale).

First came a bit of bad news - The Current van, freshly re-painted with an even bigger logo on the side for greater visual effect, had suddenly taken sick and was in the garage for repairs. Fortunately, there was a backup! Our friends at Classical MPR would loan us theirs - a plain white affair, nice and low-key, just like their sound. We promised to treat it respectfully.

We'd been on the road for some time when we pulled off for our first stop in Jordan, Minnesota, one which we'd been eager to check out ever since Jill mentioned it as a possibility for exploration. Right there, like a brilliant yellow beacon on Highway 169, sat Minnesota's Largest Candy Store.

We can't vouch for the veracity of the claim contained within its name, but we can indeed attest to the fact that it's a plenty big place. Not only do they have candy - practically every kind you can imagine, including stuff you thought hadn't been made for over 30 years like wax lips and candy cigarettes (Stallion! Victory! Tons more!), but they bake a restaurant's worth of homemade pies every day, and (my personal favorite), they have a mind-boggling selection of bottled root beer. Classic stuff, weird stuff, even "micro-brew" root beers. Amazing. I bought four different kinds.

After chatting with the proprietors, who turned out to be big fans of the station and the Morning Show, we were off again. Our next stop was Le Seur, home of canned peas and Green Giant veggies, where we were looking for a particular historical landmark: the W. W. Mayo house. W. W. Mayo built the house in 1859 and set up his first medical practice in a room upstairs. In 1863, Dr. Mayo was appointed examining surgeon for the Minnesota Civil War draft board, headquartered in Rochester. Later, Dr. Mayo and his sons founded the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. More cool history: In 1903, a latter owner of the house named Carson Cosgrove served as the head of the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, which became the Green Giant Company in 1950.

Just as the sun set, we arrived in Mankato and found our venue, The Coffee Hag ... a warm and welcoming destination.

Inside, the steam from the espresso machine hissed away as the crowd was already beginning to assemble for the show that was still two hours away. If the number of folks already there was any indication, the show was a sellout for sure. We'd been given the heads up that there was a great deal of excitement about the evening among Mankato listeners to The Current, and we were certainly just as excited ourselves. As it turns out, The Coffee Hag reached capacity well before the official start time of 7pm, and some customers had to be turned away at the door. While we're sad for those folks, that's a pretty awesome reception for this event!

Audio: Roma di Luna's Performance from The Coffee Hag in Mankato

What can I say about Roma Di Luna's performance? Quite honestly, the entire room was transfixed. The quieter numbers in particular, when Channy's voice rose over Alexi's acoustic guitar at times sounding like a wounded dove, its plaints echoing slowly off to the back of the room, were mesmerizing. The two performed songs off of their new recording, And Then The Morning Came, and a wide selection of other tunes including older songs, covers (including a lovely rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"), and even a trio of songs honoring the memory of the late Minneapolis rapper and friend of Alexi's, Michael "Eyedea" Larson (concluding with an elegiac performance of The Flaming Lips' "Do You Realize?").

On three occasions, Jill and I jumped up onstage between sets to ask Channy and Alexi questions about their art, life, and what it was like to be a married couple also working as a professional partnership. In hindsight, we hope it didn't become "public marriage therapy on stage" as we joked at the time; either way, the two of them were more than gracious in their answers and humor. The Casales are an elegant couple.

Graciousness, however, is one feeling that seemed universal throughout the evening. While a number of folks approached the band, and all of us from The Current as well, to say "thanks so much for doing this! Please come back!", I must say that the warm feelings were mutual. It was wonderful to hang out with such a great bunch of people, both the show's attendees and the lovely and accomodating staff of The Coffee Hag itself. We hung out until almost the last customer left.

When it was time to head back, Jill and I were running on little more than fumes, joking that the Morning Show the next day would like be hilarious in its sleep-deprived incoherence, but surely neither of us cared. We'd had a wonderful time with awesome people in more than welcoming town, all made possible because of the Minnesota Legacy Amendment Grant. Thanks to everyone who was a part of it!

The Current Road Trip: Mankato

Posted at 11:24 AM on November 11, 2010 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

Roma Di Luna will be joining us on this months Current Road Trip.

Channy and Alexei wrote up a little something in anticipation of the event:

***

On Thursday, Alexei and I are going to perform in Mankato for the very first time at the Coffee Hag! Our band is staying home, so we are on our own with mapping our way to the venue and exploring this very intriguing city. I've been doing a little reading up on Mankato and it seems they have a Fissure that creates very balmy weather making a typical winter day 70 degrees! Why am I not living in Mankato?!? Maybe Roma di Luna can move into Castle Dracula. The real reason we are driving to Mankato is not for sight seeing (that will be our next family trip) as much as sharing our music with people who have never heard us. We really appreciate the opportunity to meet new people, play our music and talk about music. If you are in Mankato, we'd love to meet you.

Website
Myspace

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The Current's Roadtrip To Duluth Travel Blog

Posted at 10:24 AM on October 19, 2010 by Barb Abney (8 Comments)
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

Saturday, October 9th was an unseasonably warm autumn day. Which made it the perfect day for a roadtrip north to Duluth! Early that afternoon, I piled into a van along with four of my coworkers and we set out on our inagural road trip to Beaners in Duluth, where Jeremy Messersmith was meeting us for an evening of conversation and live music.

I had never been north of the immediate Twin Cities area and I was very excited to do so. You may recall in an earlier post that I asked for suggestions along the way. Thanks to those of you who sent them!

It was nearly 90 degrees when we got on the road, an uncommonly warm autumn day. As we started driving north, we would often see people pulling up to the van smiling, waving and blowing their horns. (It may have taken us a moment to remember that there's a giant 89.3 The Current logo on the side of the van!) We didn't have to drive far to note that the amount of leaves still on the trees became fewer and fewer, right away.

After asking for suggestions, it was obvious where our first stop needed to be... Tobies! Before we even got inside we met some fans of the station and talked with them for a while. Then the smell of pastry and the warm down-home feeling of the place just swept over us and we all had to get our hands on one of their legendary sweet rolls!

After we'd all had our sugar fix, we climbed back into the van and continued on our journey. Next stop, a roadside rest where we met a gentleman who was both a fan of the station and very interested in the fact that we were heading to Duluth.

Another suggestion of things we just had to see along the way was Big Louie, The Voyager statue in Barnum, Minnesota. I posed for several pictures and filmed some video with the big guy. So, I thought it would be fitting to show you the rest of the crew that rode along in the van. (Christina, Jade, Nate and Todd)


As we crested the hill towards Duluth, I was rendered speechless. We visited a park that overlooks the town and as we opened the van door, I was overwhelmed by the view. So much blue! It was so gorgeous!

We met some nice folks who have relatives in the Twin Cities that are members of MPR. They were out walking their dog, Fiona. I knew Mary Lucia would just love to see a picture of her, so they agreed to pose for us.

I'm quite sure I was the definition of a tourist.. snapping pictures of The Gate, doing my best to take panoramic shots and ignoring the fact it was over 30 degrees cooler than it was when we left St. Paul! Eventually, I realized my crew had given up and headed back to the van to wait for me. And then we were off for the city proper and Beaner's Central!

When we walked in, we were happy to connect with a couple of our other crew members, our engineer, Michael DeMark and our marketing/promotions guy, Matt Perkins. We met the folks that run the place and then loaded in our gear. Jeremy arrived with tales of thrifting magic along the way and his lovely wife, Vanessa was kind enough to give me a quick tour of the downtown Duluth area. We grabbed some dinner from Pizza Luce and started getting ready for the events of the evening.



Jeremy and I chatted a little and he did some pre show vocal warm ups.









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When we went upstairs for dinner, there may have been 15 people in Beaner's. When we came back downstairs to walk onto the stage, the place was PACKED! And full of great energy, as well. We talked about Jeremy's new record, The Reluctant Graveyard, some of his musical influences and a giggly fanboy admission regarding Dan Wilson. Jeremy also answered some audience questions between musical sets spanning his musical catalog. It was a special treat when he played a cover of The Beatles tune "Norwegian Wood," as that was the 70th anniversary of John Lennon's birth. Days before the trip, the video for this song had hit the web and gone completely viral, so of course Jeremy had to play it.. Enjoy this stripped-down version of "Tatooine!"

Once the performance was over, we spent some time talking with the crowd, where we met a Twin Cities couple who were spending their first anniversary with us, some huge fans of both Jeremy and The Current, including a young up-and-coming musician or two. We took some pictures and sipped some coffee. Then we had just one more stop, the Lift Bridge!

All in all, it was a great trip for me and an incredible experience overall. We spent some time in a town with and incredible musical history. Met some old friends and made some new ones and it's all possible because of the Minnesota Legacy Amendment Grant. Thanks to everyone who was a part of it!




Here's the "highlight reel."

In the days following this Road Trip, Jeremy has been quite busy.
He hosted an online concert from his home which you can watch here.
He's actively answerring dozens of fan questions which you can read and even ask your own question here.
He recently "opened" for our commander and chief at a rally. More.

Join us for our next Road Trip, Thursday, November 11th at the Coffee Hag in Mankato, along with Morning Show hosts Steve Seel and Jill Riley.

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Duluth or Bust with Jeremy Messersmith

Posted at 11:26 AM on October 8, 2010 by Barb Abney (4 Comments)
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

Tomorrow, I will take another big step in becoming a Minnesotan. I will make the journey up 35W to Duluth. But this isn't any old weekend drive, this is a journey with Jeremy Messersmith, as part of The Current Road Trip. Join us at Beaner's Central for a free interview/performance around 7:00 p.m. Then hang out after the show for a meet-and-greet session where you can get to know Jeremy and The Current a little better.

Everyone keeps telling me how beautiful the drive is and suggesting some of the places in Duluth that must be seen, like Lake Superior and the lift bridge at night. I'm looking forward to viewing the changing fall colors. Jeremy has mentioned that we'll be passing by some decent thrift/vintage shops. But I want to experience some of the more "touristy" sights along the way, as well.

I've been researching attractions that will be close to our route, and I've found a couple of statues that just might be worth stopping for. First, The Voyageur statue near Pine City. Just a bit north, near Barnum, there's another statue I might have to check out. He's known to locals as "Big Louie" and a friend of mine snapped this photo during his honeymoon a while back.

(Photo credit: Josh Mattson)

Do you have any "MUST SEE" recommendations for the trip?

If we wind up staying in Duluth overnight, can you suggest a place that will allow Jeremy to get away with these kinds of shenanigans (or at least a place with a comparable bedspread)?

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The Current Road Trip: Duluth

Posted at 1:00 PM on September 27, 2010 by Jade
Filed under: The Current Road Trip

The Current Road Trip
With Jeremy Messersmith and Barb Abney
in Duluth, October 9

A few months ago The Current started tossing around ideas for a way to bring the feeling and energy of The Current outside of the Twin Cities. With the help of the Minnesota Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund we were able to make one of the ideas (sorry The Current blimp...maybe next year) a reality.

SO here's the idea. We take a band that exemplifies what The Current is about here in the Twin Cities; toss them in our 89.3 The Current van along with one of your favorite hosts, some audio/visual equipment, bumper stickers, a few energy drinks and bring them to your town.

This month we're hitting up Duluth, MN and Jeremy Messersmith and Barb Abney are along for the ride.

Once we get to Duluth we'll go to our home base of Beaner's Central. The free show will start at 7pm and we're welcoming all ages. Jeremy and Barb will start the show off with a interview/conversation of whatever comes to their minds, not to oversell, but I think it will be entirely enlightening. After the interview, Jeremy will play a solo show followed by a meet and greet with the audience.

Don't miss out on the chance to be a part of The Current Road Trip. Check out more information here. And keep checking back for more information on upcoming Current Road Trips.