First Avenue's right-hand man

by Mary Lucia, Minnesota Public Radio

Conrad Sverkerson, stage manager and long-standing icon of the First Avenue nightclub, received a Sound Unseen Festival Artist of Distinction at 2007's multimedia event.

St. Paul, Minn. — You might not be familiar with his name, but if you frequent First Avenue, you've seen him. If you're ever looking for him, you can find him on the right hand of the stage making sure shows run right. Until last year, he sported some astonishing dreadlocks.

Sverkerson told the Current's Mary Lucia that he thinks he's getting the award just because he's been around so long.