This weekend on Saturday, September 10th, local Summit Brewing is celebrating its 25th Anniversary over at the brewery in St. Paul.  The party features various local music acts, including MNSKA’s very own The Prizefighters.  The party begins at 11 am and goes until 6 pm and is a 21+ event.  89.3 The Current’s Mark Wheat will be emceeing the event and the DJs from Hotpants will be spinning rare soul and funk in between sets.  Other local bands that are scheduled to perform are Solid Gold, X-Boys, Pert Near Sandstone, and Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles.  More information on the show can be found HERE

You will want to get there early, as The Prizefighters take the stage at 11:30 am.  Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.  50% of ticket sales goes directly to the Minnesota Music Coalition (MMC), a new nonprofit service organization dedicated to supporting Minnesota’s independent music community.

NOTE: Twin Cities beer fans may already be aware of the fantastic Silver Anniversary Ale created by Summit to mark this occasion.  It will be available at the party.  Also, local brewing company Surly just happens to be having their annual SurlyFest that afternoon as well.  Their tickets are $13 more and I don’t think they have any bands.  Not trying to dissuade anyone, in fact you could go to both parties, but please go and support local ska (and local beer) this weekend!

MNSKA rude boys Rocksteady Breakfast have put together a new video for their song “Hooligans” to promote their upcoming album release on September 3rd.  The video is their best to date and features footage from multiple gigs and basement shows around the Twin Cities.  The audio is taken from a live show they did at The Red Sea in Minneapolis.  Can’t wait to check out the new album!

The band is releasing their new CD at The Rat Hole in Minneapolis on September 3rd!

You can check out the video on YouTube HERE

The Prizefighters will be there, bringing their Minnesota-bred hard-hitting rough and tough reggae, rocksteady and ska tunes.  The band has been supporting their latest CD Follow My Sound.  Be sure to be on the lookout for their special-edition vinyl LP on Jump Up Records in the Fall.

Dred I Dread are one of the most diverse reggae bands in the Twin Cities, including artists from Jamaica, New Orleans, Minnesota, Turkey, and Mexico.  The band is hard at work on their much anticipated album due out in 2012.

The Dropsteppers have been making a name for themselves in the American reggae and ska scene with their smooth soulful vocals and chugging rhythms.  Look for them on tour in the Midwest this Fall in support of their upcoming 7-inch split on Megalith Records.

Stop Drop are a new folk-punk band from the Twin Cities, featuring members of the MNSKA band 2 Tone Runts.  This show is their official EP release show, so be sure to pick up their new music!

The Prizefighters (Jump Up Records)
Dred I Dread (Rapidfire Records)
The Dropsteppers (Megalith Records)
Stop Drop (EP Release Show)

The Red Sea
316 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis, MN
Doors 5pm | ALL AGES | $5

3 Minute Hero, Minnesota’s powerful horn-driven ska band that burst onto the national scene back in 1995 is BACK!  The band hung up their suits and packed away their horns back in November 2000, but played 2 brief weekend reunion shows in 2007 and 2009.  Now, over 10 years after they called it quits, the band has returned for good.  The band toured the country in the late nineties supporting their albums Bingo, Everyday Ninjas, and Operation Brown Star.  Be on the lookout for more shows in the Twin Cities this Fall.

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS local female-fronted third wave ska-punk band Blue Waffle

Friday, June 17, 2011

3 Minute Hero
with special guests
Blue Waffle

Bunker’s Music Bar and Grill
761 Washington Ave N, Minneapolis, MN
Doors 9pm | 21+ | $6

It’s an early-reggae throwdown!  Two of the biggest MNSKA bands on one stage, bringing the best rough and tough sounds around!

The Dropsteppers are fast-rising stars in the world of reggae and rocksteady. Influenced by the Northern Soul artists of Motown and the Jamaican sounds of early reggae and ska artists like The Upsetters, The Dropsteppers bring an authentic and unique sound, honed in their Nordeast Minneapolis rehearsal space.  They have a 7″ and a full-length album due out this year on Megalith Records.  Perfect band to dance and groove to!

The Prizefighters have been getting noticed around the Midwest for their traditional ska and authentic scorching reggae sound.  Complete with a full horn section, this band has studied the artists of the past and made their own mark on that hot Jamaican sound.  They have their full-length debut album Follow My Sound on CD via Jump Up Records, but be sure to check out the special-edition vinyl coming later this summer which will feature bonus tracks, new songs, and red hot versions of their original tunes.

WITH SPECIAL GUESTS Local Gypsy Americana band Cantankerous Folk and pop-punk ska band DB and the Catastrophe (Fort Collins, CO)

The Dropsteppers
The Prizefighters
Cantankerous Folk
DB and the Catastrophe (Fort Collins, CO)

The Nomad World Pub
501 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN
Doors 9pm | 21+ | $5

Mustard Plug are celebrating their 20th year as a band this year! These ska-punk veterans hail from Grand Rapids, MI and make a point of bringing their upbeat sounds to the Twin Cities annually. The band released In Black And White in 2007.

Moving To Pluto is an MNSKA band have been playing their alternative style of punk, pop, and ska-reggae in the Twin Cities for quite a while. The band is celebrating the release of their latest EP!

The Waffle Stompers are making the trip from New Jersey to kick it with the MNSKA scene! This band is busy playing shows and bringing their pop-ska sounds to all that will hear.

Stop Drop is the latest music project from MNSKA band 2 Tone Runts. This band brings raw energy in the form of folk-punk anthems. Check out their latest single “Caffeine Culture” on their website

Mustard Plug
Moving To Pluto
The Waffle Stompers
Stop Drop

The Red Sea
316 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN
Doors 5pm | ALL AGES | $10

From Coast to Coast…It’s a Rocksteady Invasion! Some of the roughest and toughest up-and-coming reggae artists are coming to Minneapolis on Thursday, May 26th to mash up the Terminal Bar in fine style. You won’t want to miss this show!

THE FORTHRIGHTS from Brooklyn, NY have been leading the charge of the Young Guns of Reggae, bringing their signature early reggae and rocksteady sound to the world, recording, collaborating and touring contantly over the past several years. This will be their first show in MN!

MADDIE RUTHLESS is coming at you Live and Direct from the city of New Orleans, bringing the hard-edged sounds of the Caribbean with her. She’ll be singing a scorching set backed by The Forthrights. This will be the Rocksteady Queen of NOLA’s first show in MN as well!

THE PRIZEFIGHTERS are Minnesota’s own early reggae champions, keeping the Jamaican dance beat alive and loud in the Midwest, soon to rule the nation!

Ska night in Uptown Minneapolis this Wednesday!  Cause Spirits and Soundbar are hosting a 21+ showcase of MNSKA bands!  Doors at 9pm and it’s only $5!

Blue Waffle are a recently formed female-fronted third wave ska band.  Although they are new to the MNSKA roster, they are veterans in the music community and have proven that it is still possible to have fun at a ska show! Made up entirely of music teachers from the School Of Rock, this band brings the goods in their upbeat set, which may include a peppering of 2-Tone covers along with their original dance tunes.

Secondhand Ska Kings are longtime veterans in the Minnesota music scene.  Their members played in a lot of the popular local ska bands in the 90′s (3 Minute Hero, Suspect Bill, Ten Cent Fun) and have boiled those experiences down into a fantastic party-styled live show.  Come and raise a glass with the ‘Kings.  If the drinks don’t take the edge off, the scorching horn section will.

The Dropsteppers are the fast-rising stars of the world of reggae and ska.  Influenced by the Northern soul artists of Motown and the Jamaican sounds of early reggae and ska artists like The Upsetters, The Dropsteppers bring an authentic and unique sound, honed in their Nordeast Minneapolis rehearsal space.  The band will be releasing a 7″ split with Royal City Riot on Megalith Records this summer!

You can RSVP the event on Facebook HERE

It’s a Midwest ska fest!  Chicago’s veteran reggae-soul band Deal’s Gone Bad is returning to Minneapolis on Saturday, May 14th.  The 18+ show will take place at the Triple Rock Social Club and will feature Wisconsin pop-ska group Something To Do and MNSKA traditional-ska rockers The Prizefighters.  Doors open at 9 pm.

You can get discounted tickets for the show HERE.  Better act fast, this show will likely sell out!

For more information, check out the Facebook event HERE

It’s that time of year again!  MNSKA’s raucous rude boys Rocksteady Breakfast are throwing their annual Pachanga show on Saturday, May 7th at The Red Sea in Minneapolis.  This year’s lineup includes Chicago bands Thirty Case Chase and The Pervert Preachers along with St. Paul band Code Green.  This ALL AGES show starts at 5pm and it’s just $5 at the door.  Drinks with ID, including the legendary Red Sea Happy Hour!

Rumor has it there’s an after party show featuring The Scum Boys.  Only way to get in on that action is to get down to the Rocksteady Breakfast Pachanga!

Details can be found on the Facebook event HERE