Stretching back to his earliest bands in the ‘70s, Wire and Thumbs Up, Curt Almsted defined, in part, the intensely creative indie and mainstream label rock spirit prevalent in 1980s Minneapolis-St. Paul and around the country that produced The Replacements, Husker Du, Soul Asylum, Prince and many others. His next band, SPOOKS, collided with the new wave and became the springboard for the entertainment machine known as Curtiss A. Along with Mark Goldstein (SKOGIE, FLAMING PACHUCOS) and the SUICIDE COMMANDOES, Curt (as Buzz Barker) recorded the underground hit “Land of the Free”. “I Don’t Wanna Be President” continued in the political rant vein. Three LPs were recorded for the Twin Tone label during the 80s: Courtesy (earning a 4-star review in Rolling Stone), The Damage is Done and A Scarlet Letter, produced by “Big” Al Anderson (NRBQ).
Since then, he’s created and performed the iconic annual John Lennon Tribute at First Avenue and several Elvis shows represented by live CDs. Two hard to find, out-of-print CDs also exist, legendary Over at Slims and Make it Big (recorded at the late Gary Snow’s Cathouse Studio R.I.P.). In 2020, with the help of famed record producers John “Strawberry” Fields and Brynn Arens (FLIPP), Curtiss A released his finest album to date, named for his long-time rock band, Jerks of Fate (drummer John Haga, killer guitarists, Steve Brantseg and Terry Isachsen, keyboard player Gregg Inhofer and bassist Jeffrey Willkomm). “At his core, he’s really a great blues and soul singer, with this cutting-edge rock-pop sensibility,” Arens says. “His songs – like Curt himself – just have so much character. He knows what he wants from a song and delivers itevery time.”
"For the last 10 years, the Silverteens have thrived by combining ’60s-influenced Garage Rock with their own hard-charging brand of Punk/Power Pop. The band members — mainstays on the local scene since the 1980s (and before!) — include Terry Isachsen (Flamin’ Oh’s), Steve Olson (Laughing Stock), Jerry Johnson (MezzoFist), and Mark Engebretson (The Whole Lotta Loves)"
The Fret Rattles~Through all the gigs, traveling, broken equipment, ringing ears, and spilled blood, Fret Rattles have earned the reputation of being one of the most explosive live rock bands anywhere!
IF WEATHER GOES TO SHIT THE SHOW MOVES INDOORS.
