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Frank Black, The Perfect Birthday Gift

Photo by Ben Allen

On Friday, the one and only Frank Black helped 89.3 The Current in their birthday celebration in the best way possible, with a heaping helping of nostalgia and rock n roll. 

By the time he took the stage, First Avenue had filled with the members of a certain strata that you’d expect at a show for the Current. As a big fan of electronic music, it was refreshing to be in a crowd with a median age so much closer to my own. 

Photo by Ben Allen

The folks from the Current had a roped-off section upstairs where they respectfully partied. It is, after all, public radio. It would be weird if they were raging and being a nuisance. 

Frank Black is on the road to celebrate the 30th anniversary (choking sounds) of his solo release, Teenager of the Year. With 22 songs clocking in at just over an hour, he and his backing band had their work cut out for them. He did warn the audience ahead of time that he’d keep his banter to a minimum so they’d make it through the whole thing. 

Photo by Ben Allen

TOTY stands the test of time. All these years later and it still holds up, both as a recording and as a live experience. 

Before the Current took to the airwaves two decades ago, the radio situation in the Twin Cities was pretty bleak. Not to get too deep in the weeds, but The Current arrived after a long string of failed or abandoned attempts at establishing a radio station where an eclectic, diverse selection of music could be found. 

Photo by Ben Allen

One Edge station after another would start up, playing a small assortment of indie/alternative music, but there was a lot of noise surrounding it. Corporate radio did its best to make new, good music hard to find. And they just straight-up bought Rev 105.

Then, one day, I was driving to MCTC and heard Mary Lucia play Soul Coughing’s “Soundtrack to Mary” and it felt like the missing piece of a puzzle clicking into place. So many of the radio personalities were there, DJ’s who’d worked at Radio K, some of the old guard from Rev 105, survivors of numerous Edge iterations. It was kinda exhilarating.

Photo by Ben Allen

And then, two weeks later, Thorne left, and it’s all been downhill from there (I kid, I kid).

These were the people who introduced me to the Pixies and Frank Black and so many other great bands. They’ve championed so much great music and helped bolster support for what would likely be obscure bands. They’ve also pushed a constant stream of local music into our lives, starting with the first song they ever played, “Say Shh” by Atmosphere. 

Photo by Ben Allen

It was kind of Frank Black to give the gift of himself for The Current’s birthday. Aww, shucks, Charles, you shouldn’t have. 

Photo by Ben Allen

Written by Ben Allen

I tell the story of the energy transfer between people who play music and that music's listeners. I photograph and write about festivals and concerts, which I've attended for three decades. I'm also the tall guy you probably got stuck behind at a show. First concert: Nirvana at Roy Wilkins Auditorium, Dec 1993. Yes, I am old. Tall and old.

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