the listenerd

February 20, 2012

If you’re not from Minnesota, you might not know that there’s a modest little music club here called First Avenue. Or maybe the name of the club rouses some far-off memory drawn from glammy Prince movies or low-quality YouTube videos of The Replacements. (Or, if you’re like 20, from low-quality YouTube videos of Doomtree?)

Anyway, Andrea Swensson, now a writer for The Current, recently did an interview with Conrad Sverkerson, the club’s stage manager for the past 22 years. (He’s also one of my mom’s many little brothers.)

If you’re not into old guys talking about old rock clubs, it’s still worth skipping to the 42:00 mark in the link above just to listen to uncle Con talk about waking up a sleeping Chuck D backstage. “I went into the dressing room and I was talking to Terminator X…” (He also sort of rips into Technotronic?)

One sort of adorable(?) thing about both the article and the radio interview is how apparently terrifying First Avenue’s chief babysitter is. “Sverkerson carries himself with an air of authority and has earned a reputation as an enigmatic, intimidating persona.” (Anyone who thinks he’s intimidating obviously hasn’t met uncle Billy?)

9:40am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yGjgxFV

(Notes: 5)

January 22, 2012

The Ice Fishing Sessions (Opening Sequence: Draft)

Exterior, day.

Strong winds blow a dry snow across the desolate landscape of a frozen lake. Two or three lonely ice houses dot the far-off horizon.

In the center of the screen, through flying snow and ice that obscure most of the landscape, what appears to be a figure moving slowly toward the camera comes gradually into focus.

ENTER: A heavily bearded man (or woman) riding a double-decker Pugsley directly toward the viewer (medium shot).

As the shot cuts away, a chord from an electric guitar intermingles with the revving of a motorized auger.

CUT TO: Doomtree’s Dessa, wearing a Stormy Kromer and Steger Moosehide mukluks aggressively augering a hole in the lake’s surface.

MONTAGE:
-(Exterior) The skinny, big-haired guy from Howler kneeling on crushed snow, wearing fingerless gloves, cleaning a fish on a now-bloody wooden board.
-(Interior) The lady from Polica holding two tiny fishing rods, sitting on a white, overturned bucket.
-(Interior) Har Mar Superstar incorrectly operating a propane heating tank.

CUT TO: (Exterior) GIANT EXPLOSION.

CUT IMMEDIATELY TO: Begin Ice Fishing Session recording number one.

5:29pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yFCPE-G

(Notes: 10)

Filed under: ice fishing ice fishing sessions minneapolis music scripts

November 22, 2011

Yo, Is This Hotdish?

It’s completely unfair that tumblr won’t let you reblog an ask answer (WTF kind of sentence is that?).

Nonetheless, I recommend you get all of your hotdish-related questions answered ASAP.

4:41pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yCH6wOO

(Notes: 8)

Filed under: minnesota minneapolis saint paul hotdish haute dish casserole

November 8, 2011

The Hidden Gems of Saint Paul, Minnesota

This is a continuation of last night’s post, in which I attempt to name some of the best places in Saint Paul.

“I once bought some Don Ho tumblers there that loop through the absurd and swoop right back toward the divine. I think the place might also sell used mattresses? Which is unsanitary at best and illegal at worst. To look at the clothes section is to look at row upon row of heavily used and frequently stained garments of innumerable eras.”

10:51pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yBhiE_Q

(Notes: 17)

Filed under: saint paul minnesota twin cities minneapolis hidden gems reviews

November 8, 2011

This graffito, which can be found on the bus route behind the new TCF Stadium in Minneapolis, actually precedes the occupy Wall Street movement by several years. I believe I first saw it immediately post-TARP, when the 99% movement was only barely beginning to bud.

9:27am | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yBfoV8I

(Notes: 7)

Filed under: minneapolis ows occupy 99% twin cities

November 7, 2011

The Best Places to Go in Saint Paul

I have begun compiling a list of the best places to go in Saint Paul. This list, and the evidence presented in support of it, are inarguable.

10:49pm | URL: http://tmblr.co/ZqPY2yBf22Pf

(Notes: 11)

Filed under: saint paul st. paul minneapolis twin cities recommendations

August 22, 2011