Jim Walsh brought his popular Mad Ripple Hootenanny to the DEMO Center performance room with songs, stories, and shenanigans from Jim, Terry Walsh, Martin Devaney, Sarah Streitz Doug Collins, and others on Friday October 30th. $10 suggested donation, space is limited so it’s first come, first hoot. Come and independent music and songwriters! (Photo by David Tanner)
This semester U of M architecture students were assigned a project requiring them to design a potential space for a local non-profit, and DEMO was chosen as the lucky organization.
On Friday October 16th. the 16 students, their teacher and members of the public engaged in a panel discussion with DEMO board members and Staff, aimed at understanding the organization’s mission and requirements for a custom designed headquarters.
As a special bonus, Courtney Yasmineh and Jake Manders played private sets for the16 lucky students! We’ll keep everyone posted on the progress and share the designs ideas when we receive them.
The new DEMO Center for Music opened it’s doors to the neighborhood for an open house on September 12th welcoming musicians and supporters to our new space. Aside from being able to talk to board members and staff about the organization’s mission and plans, the public was entertained by a fantastic stage christening set from Andean/Latin American folk act Alma Andina. While many may not recognize the first song in the clip, everyone will know the one at 1:28
Alma Andina, or Soul of the Andes, is a Minneapolis-based group that performs Andean and Latin American music. The group’s director Vladimir Garrido hails from northern Chile, where his mother Nia has been singing folk music for over 30 years. He created Alma Andina in 2007 with his cousin and uncle, and when his uncle returned to Chile, Vladimir sought new band members and recruited Nicolas Munoz and Matthew Levin, young talented Chileans. The band was joined by two Americans, both of whom had lived in Chile and learned with its music and culture: Emily Savage, charango and flute, and guitarist Matt Kitchin.
The group recorded an album that has helped bring the music they perform live to a wider audience. They are currently working on their second studio recording.
Alma Andina derives its inspiration from a love of folklore, and a desire to share and promote Latin American music and the rich cultural heritage of the Andes
After almost two years in the making, the Diverse Emerging Music Organization (DEMO) Center For Music will finally be opening in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis. Expected to be functional for many purposes, the space’s proprietors hope to host music lessons, workshops, discussion groups, and live performances for all ages.
The driving force behind the center is Steve McClellan, the longtime general manager of First Avenue who started DEMO as a non-profit when he left First Avenue in 2004. Last November, Andrea Swensson talked to McClellan about what spurred his plans for the new center.
According to McClellan, “What I learned doing other clubs, was that even for the nonprofits, it was kind of all about bottom line. And it was just the realization that, you know what? This is not doing anything for developing music… To me, it’s the street level stuff that happens that’s important.”
McClellan hopes that the space will help kids that are going to make a difference. To see the new space and learn more about DEMO, you can stop by their open house on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. There will be live performances, as well as complimentary refreshments.
Mackenzie Martin is a podcast enthusiast and senior at Macalester College, where she majors in media & cultural studies.
Whereas, Stephen Thomas McClellan — born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota — attended De LaSalle High School and The University of Minnesota, took a temporary job as a part time bartender at Uncle Sam’s to earn money for his college tuition; and
Whereas, Stephen will be celebrating his 65th birthday and will be so honored by friends, family and others, Sunday, March 22, 2015 at one of the oldest Twin Cities watering holes; and
Whereas, he served on the boards of Minnesota Public Interest Research Group, Cedar Cultural Center Minnesota Music Academy, KFAI Radio Downtown Warehouse Association; and
Whereas, Stephen served as primary talent buyer, marketing director, general manager of First Avenue for over 30 years; and
Whereas, he broadened the Twin Cities music scene to an internationally recognized arena for music including groups like Africa’s King Sunny Ade; and
Whereas, Stephen has worked across multiple mediums of performance art, principally music; and
Whereas, Stephen has helped nurture and develop local music groups such as The Jayhawks, Husker Du, The Replacements, Suicide Commandos, The Suburbs, The Wallets, Prince, The Time, The Flamin’ Oh’s and out of town artists who were unheard of such as REM, U2, Nirvanna, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Greenday and many others, booking acts which he believed in; and
Whereas, Stephen made First Avenue a household name internationally after Prince filmed “Purple Rain” at First Avenue; and
Whereas, he is a staff member of the Music Business Faculty at McNally Smith; and
Whereas, Stephen continues his imprint on musicians of all styles, creating his non-profit Diverse Emerging Music Organization (DEMO) to help aspiring musicians
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BETSY HODGES, Mayor of the City of Minneapolis, do hereby proclaim March 22, 2015 as:
STEPHEN MCCLELLAN DAY IN THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS