The Wake

Once upon a time, two Ians had a dream, the sort encouraged by years of various musical involvements and a loyalty to the scenes that nurtured them. Apparently the hearty hospitality of Minnesota extends beyond the exchange of hot meals and into a tight-knit music community, one that Ian Anderson and Ian Tsan, of Afternoon Records and Grape Juice Records respectfully, want to give a little something back to.

“Everyone really cares about each other here, which makes it a great environment for musicians to grow together,” Anderson says of his desire to return the favor.

Anderson and Tsan approached each other with similar plans that, though seemingly far-fetched, were driven by ambition and a sense of gratitude. They wanted to curate a music festival that would not only showcase a variety of regional bands, but serve as something authentically Midwestern, a shining example of the strong musical kinship both were so taken with.

With that, the idea for the 45 Degrees North Music Festival was born.

“It’s Minneapolis’ turn,” Tsan says. “The goal we have for this festival is to show off how eclectic this city is — it’s not indie rock, it’s not hip-hop, it’s not punk. It’s all of the above.”

Anderson agrees wholeheartedly, hoping the festival will open the ears and eyes of audiences. “We want to rope those who may have heard of one particular band playing but not the other, or the people who don’t know as much about Minneapolis music.”

“Plus,” he adds, “it will create awareness that this city is cooler than most would expect!”

No stranger to the ways of the music industry, Anderson started Afternoon Records midway through his senior year of high school because he felt the sounds he and his friends were making needed to be heard.

Tsan did the same. Though he has been a musician nearly all his life, he had always toyed with the idea of production and, with a few extra sets of hands shaped Grape Juice into a label he deems an ongoing learning experience. “I still take things one day at a time,” he says.

45 Degrees North is undoubtedly the biggest gig of their careers thus far, but both seem well-suited to the task and hope their own loyalty to the music community will be conveyed in the festival.

“Minneapolis is filled with such encouraging, warm people,” Anderson says. “There are so many ridiculously good bands with so much spirit, it’s unbelievable. A place like New York is a different story. They have a local scene, but hardly any local bands. Interpol will never play Brooklyn shows. But look at Craig Finn (of Minneapolis legends Lifter Puller and the Hold Steady). He doesn’t even live here anymore, but can’t get enough of this place, and still plays shows here all the time.”

No, the Hold Steady will not be making an appearance. Nor Atmosphere. Nor a few other anticipated, but largely unrealistic, acts. “A million bands could have played,” says Anderson. “It would have been awesome if we could have gotten [them], but you have to start somewhere.”

And 45 Degrees North does, with Minneapolis favorites the Plastic Constellations and Doomtree filling some of several excellent headlining slots.

“We didn’t have quite enough exposure to do actual band submissions,” explains Tsan. “Above all things, we just looked for bands that we could feasibly get to play our festival, but still wanted them to be bands that we liked.”

Their tirelessly positive attitudes have helped Anderson and Tsan through a few bumps in the road. 45 Degrees North arrives after a summer packed full of music festivals, multiple scheduling conflicts and bouts of band miscommunication, which have resulted in an ultimately shorter festival that still needs a few adjustments before opening night.

Still, it’s no problem. “I’d just like to do well this year so we can come back again next year,” Anderson says.

What about that other local legend of a festival right around the corner?

“Hey, I arrange my life around the State Fair!” he adds with a laugh. “But maybe we’ll just have to start selling cheese curds to compete.”

The Wake’s Guide to the 45 Degrees North Music Festival
The festival began September 5th, and here is the remainder of the lineup:

Night 2: September 7th First Avenue
The second evening belongs to the first ladies of West Coast dance rock: Kill Rock Stars sirens Erase Errata, Mika Miko and The Gossip. All possess that unstoppable, frantic sound that packs a hefty punch of attitude, and The Gossip’s Beth Ditto rightfully seizes the headlining slot with her sneering, soulful howl alone.

Night 3: September 8th, The Triple Rock Social Club
Leading the evening with his gorgeous piano-and-string arrangements, composer West Thordson’s lush, melancholic project Whisper In The Noise has never made feeling empty sound so damn pretty. Opening band Passions sashay to their own beat of sexy pop-punk, while It From Bit wraps Jeff Buckley-like vocals, dreamy pop guitars, and plunking keyboard riffs into a perfect little indie rock package.

Night 4: September 9th, The Triple Rock Social Club
The Draft opens for Chicago-based punk band The Lawrence Arms at this evening’s all-ages show. Belles Of Skin City start the 21-plus antics later on with a percussive, cocksure strut, accented by jagged guitars and arresting vocals. The charming female harmonies of the God Damn Doo Wop band are in perfect key with their brand of good- old-fashioned rock. Headliners the Plastic Constellations will likely shine the brightest with their sprawling, infectious sound, the shining example of a band that may be nationally acclaimed for now, but hometown favorites for good.