Minneapolis, MN
U.K. rocker Frank Turner returns to Minneapolis after working a shift at Electric Fetus
Leading into this month’s release of his new album, “Undefeated,” Frank Turner did what he’s always done: worked his British tail off.
The anthemic punk strummer pulled off another in a series of daredevil-ish gig marathons in early May, like the time he performed in all 50 of the United States in 50 days. This time, he did 15 different U.K. cities in 24 hours, setting a Guinness World Record.
“Nightmarish and fun,” quipped Turner, who performs in Minneapolis again Saturday at the Uptown Theater — one show only.
“The 24 hours part was fun. The 36 hours afterward was tough. I got home and just sort of sat there dazed with no idea what was going on.”
The 42-year-old rocker — whose latest single is titled “Girl From the Record Shop” — also went to work supporting independent record shops last month by flying all the way to Middle America to man a shift at Minneapolis’ own Electric Fetus. He really came to work, too, according to staff there.
“He was up for whatever we threw at him,” raved the Fetus’ marketing manager Dawn Novak, who said Turner stayed 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. wrapping records, filling endcaps, signing LPs and posters and treating shoppers to an unannounced busker set.
“We’d hire him back in a minute.”
Talking via Zoom last week on the day his U.S. tour behind “Undefeated” kicked off in Harrisburg, Pa., Turner said he went to such great lengths (literally!) for reasons both altruistically punk and shrewdly commercial. Few musicians have balanced the DIY/indie spirit with the corporate world as effectively as Turner has in recent years.
“Yes, these were stunts to promote my record,” Turner bluntly conceded.
“At the same time, I made a point of investing a lot of time and diverting about half of my record budget to supporting independent venues and running it through independent record companies. So I also see that as a valuable use of my time and resources.”
Turner and his band, the Sleeping Souls — who are out with him again this tour — recorded “Undefeated” coming out of the pandemic lull and following a period of both personal and professional contentment for the singer.
On the personal front, he got married, a big event he said should impact his music in at least one discernible way.
“That part of my life is settled and done and I’m very happy, and that gives me a certain strength and a creative freedom in that I don’t need to write any more [expletive] breakup songs,” he said, citing his fan-loved 2013 album “Tape Deck Heart.”
“I have some fans who want me to write nothing but breakup songs because of that album. While I appreciate that, it really is just one topic. I’m ready to tackle more topics.”
On the career front, his 2022 album “FTHC” — the title stood for “Frank Turner Hard Core” — became his first record to top the U.K. charts.
“It just was nice to have the pressure taken off, because I’d had several No. 2′s and it was like, ‘This is getting annoying now,’” he recalled with a smirk.
On the other hand, he admitted, “The second I got the phone call from my manager saying we’d gotten No. 1, I immediately heard my 15-year-old self in my brain saying, ‘You [expletive] sellout.’ When I was a kid, my self-definition was I didn’t know or care who was on the charts.”
“Undefeated” wrestles with conversations like that with his younger self, pondering how far he’s gone in his career. In the U2-ish “Ceasefire,” for instance, Turner sings: “I know I’m not everything that you had hoped and imagined that I would be / But I did my best / And I have seen things that you don’t even know that you’ve never seen.”
Other songs, including the opener “Do One” and humorously titled “Never Mind the Back Problems,” reflect on Turner’s punk-rock roots and whether he’s stayed true to them. “Maybe punk’s a promise that was never fully kept,” Turner sings in the latter track. “Johnny Rotten’s been selling butter on telly while England slept.”
Recounting a recent conversation with his British folk-punk mentor Billy Bragg, Turner said, “Punk has changed but it hasn’t died.
“One of the differences we came up with between his experiences with punk and mine is that in the ’70s punk really did have the ambitions of being important and changing youth culture per se, an ambition to affect the world. My experience is that it was consciously outsider/underground art. It didn’t expect or desire any regard from the mainstream. That’s not to say there wasn’t any ambition, but we were content to be not for everybody.’”
The title of “Undefeated” and song of the same name, Turner noted, is a nod to the fact that he’s achieved long-term success in his music career while mostly doing things his way.
“I like that the word doesn’t necessarily imply you’re the world champion and have knocked everybody over,” he explained. “It just means you haven’t been knocked over and are still in the game.
“That’s how I feel as an artist. I’m not the biggest artist in the world, but I’m still going.”
Here’s more of what Turner had to say in last week’s interview:
On the Electric Fetus, where he has also performed over the years: “It’s a great store, and a good example of what a record store can be in the 2020s: It’s really a community hub, a bit of a guiding force and, of course, just a great place to buy records.”
On his many other Minnesota gigs and connections: “One of my favorite ones we ever did was the Lowertown Music Fest in St. Paul in 2010. That was the first time I encountered Koo Koo. They were playing right before me. As they walked on stage, I thought, ‘I’m gonna [expletive] hate this band.’ But by the end of the set I was texting my booking agent saying, ‘We need to take this band on tour.’
“And then I have fond memories of playing the Triple Rock. I was fortunate enough to catch some of that era and make friends with Erik and the D4 guys [club owner Erik Funk and his band Dillinger Four]. I’m slightly afraid to contact those guys when I’m in town and have stuff to do because chaos follows.”
On whether punk is alive and well: “I’m fiercely optimistic about punk rock at this point. Last summer, I did a lot of punk festivals in Europe, and it was immediately apparent to me there’s this new generation of punk bands that have little or nothing to do with my generation. Bands like Mannequin Pussy, Lambrini Girls, Gen & the Degenerates, the Meffs, the OBGMs. My favorite is NOBRO from Canada, absolutely brilliant. They’re everything I want a punk band to be: angry, funny, tight, energetic, effusive. And maybe best of all, it felt like their music wasn’t at all aimed for me.”
Frank Turner & the Sleeping Souls
When: 6:30 p.m. Sat.
With: Amigo the Devil, Micah Schnabel.
Where: Uptown Theater, 2900 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.
Tickets: $50-$82, all ages, ticketmaster.com.
Minneapolis, MN
Between Minneapolis And Lake Superior Is The ‘Agate Capital Of The World’ With Cozy Charm And A State Park – Islands
For anyone eager to see Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior agate, there’s one destination in central Minnesota not to miss. Moose Lake is a great stop on a road trip up north on Interstate 35 from the Twin Cities to Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America. The city is also known for its agates, outdoor fun, and water activities at Moose Lake State Park, a hub for outdoor recreation, as well as friendly independent businesses that lend it a relaxed, small-town charm.
Agates are a colorful type of microcrystalline chalcedony quartz, and according to Explore Minnesota Tourism, Moose Lake is known as the Agate Capital of the World. The city is home to the largest Lake Superior agate, located at First National Bank — it weighs 108 pounds. You can view geological displays at the Moose Lake State Park Visitor Center, or even try your luck picking agates at the Soo Line Pit. A permit is required, and it’s best to go after rainfall. Visit in July for Agate Days, an annual festival with a gem and mineral show featuring over 100 vendors, as well as an agate “stampede,” where you may find your own treasure in the gravel.
What to do at Moose Lake State Park
Just a few minutes from town, iMoose Lake State Park was established in 1971 and is a top spot for outdoor recreation in the area. After exploring the rock and mineral exhibits at the visitor center, head outside to enjoy fun activities around the park. You may see wildlife such as white-tailed deer, otters, and butterflies, or birds like loons, waterfowl, bluebirds, and swallows. The park is centered around the peaceful Echo Lake, where you can get out on the water for a paddle. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available if you don’t have your own gear. You can also go for a dip at the lake’s beach or cast a line from the accessible fishing pier, where you may reel in northerns, panfish, largemouth bass, or walleyes.
Hiking is also popular, with about 5 miles of hiking trails through woodland, ponds, hills, and fields. The 1.5-mile Rolling Hills Trail is a great pick for spotting wildlife, while the 0.9-mile West Echo Loop offers beautiful lake views. Keep an eye out for trumpeter swans and other birds on the 1.2-mile Wildlife Pond Trail. Although there are no groomed trails in winter, you can still snowshoe and backcountry ski here.
If you’d like to spend a night under the stars, stay at Moose Lake State Park campground. There are 33 drive-in sites, including 20 electric sites, 2 walk-in sites, and a group campground that can sleep up to 45 campers. Showers and flush toilets are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while vault toilets are available year-round. All campsites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Discover Moose Lake’s small-town charm
One of Moose Lake’s highlights is its welcoming atmosphere and relaxed pace of life. See a movie at the Historic Lake Theater, a friendly, family-owned movie theater that has operated at its current location since 1937. Lazy Moose Grill and Gifts serves breakfast favorites and tasty dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and wild rice meatloaf, earning it a 4.4-star rating on Google with over 1,400 reviews. Kick back and relax with a beer at Moose Lake Brewing Company, where the paio overlooks the lake. The swimming beach at Moosehead Lake is a great way to spend more time outdoors — the beach is sandy and shallow, making it a good option for families with kids.
Moose Lake is located about two-thirds of the way between Minneapolis and the outdoor lake town of Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior. Duluth International Airport is the closest major airport, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the best airport in North America for passenger satisfaction, is about a 2-hour drive away and offers the most flight options. Having a car is the easiest way to explore the area, though Jefferson Lines buses stop in Moose Lake along the route between the Twin Cities and Duluth.
Minneapolis, MN
Fatal Minneapolis crash sentencing: Teniki Steward sentenced to more than 12 years
The scene of the crash at 26th Avenue North and Emerson Avenue North in Minneapolis. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis woman was sentenced for her role in a deadly crash that killed two women and injured two other people in December 2024.
READ MORE: Minneapolis woman charged in fatal high-speed crash faces additional charges
Woman sentenced in fatal Minneapolis crash
Big picture view:
Prosecutors say Teniki Steward drove a Buick Enclave into a bus shelter and a Ford Explorer after speeding through a red light.
Both of the women in the Ford Explorer died in the crash. They were identified as 53-year-old Ester Jean Fulks and 57-year-old Rose Elaine Reece.
During the crash, the Ford Explorer went off the road, injuring a 17-year-old boy who was waiting for a school bus.
The passenger in Steward’s vehicle also suffered injuries.
Minneapolis police said that Steward was also injured in the crash.
Steward pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges.
What they’re saying:
During the sentencing, the daughter of one of the victims had a statement read on her behalf:
“There’s nothing that can truly prepare you for the moment your entire world is taken from you. Losing my mom has left a pain in my heart that words will never be able to explain.”
What’s next:
Minnesota law requires that Steward serves at least two-thirds of her sentence, a bit under eight-and-a-half years, in prison.
Fatal Emerson and 26th crash
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, through surveillance videos from the scene of the crash and witnesses, investigators learned that Steward, driving the Buick Enclave, had been driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Emerson Avenue North.
Before the fatal crash, Steward sped through the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North, running a red light and nearly causing a crash, the charges said.
Steward then continued to speed northbound down Emerson Avenue North, and ran another red light at 26th Avenue North, hitting the Ford Explorer, which was traveling eastbound, according to the complaint.
The Ford Explorer had been at the intersection of Emerson and 26th on a green light.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty shared the following statement:
“This was an egregious act that took Rose and Esther’s lives and injured a child waiting to go to school at a bus stop. Ms. Steward was driving at extremely dangerous speeds on city streets and narrowly avoided multiple collisions before the incident occurred. Third-degree murder charges are appropriate to hold her accountable and protect our community.”
The Source: This story uses information gathered from an Olmsted County court appearance and previous FOX 9 reporting.
Minneapolis, MN
Motorcyclist dies after hitting guardrail in Minneapolis
A motorcyclist is dead after an early morning crash in Minneapolis Friday morning.
The Minnesota State Patrol said that at 1:20 a.m., a Suzuki Motorcycle going north on I-35W at Johnson Street hit the left side of the median guard rail.
The motorcycle continued north for about another quarter mile before coming to a rest on the right-hand side.
State Patrol said the rider came to rest on the left shoulder. He was later identified as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger.
-
Culture3 minutes agoPoetry Challenge: Memorize “The More Loving One” by W.H. Auden
-
Lifestyle9 minutes agoPhotos: How overfishing in Southeast Asia is an ecological and human crisis
-
Technology21 minutes agoBlue Origin successfully reused its New Glenn rocket
-
World27 minutes agoDistress call captures tanker under fire, Iran shuts Hormuz trapping thousands of sailors
-
Politics33 minutes agoTrump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
-
Health39 minutes agoExperts reveal why ‘nonnamaxxing’ trend may improve mental, physical health
-
Sports45 minutes ago‘Demon’ Finn Balor settles score with Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42
-
Technology51 minutes agoiPhone and Samsung flashlight tricks you should know