Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities
17 Unique Stations from Border to Border
17 Unique Stations from Border to Border
The most legendary venue in Minnesota history? It’s not First Avenue, nor is it anywhere near the Twin Cities. Deep in the middle of the corn and soybean fields of rural Sibley County, behind a chain link fence topped with barbed-wire, sits a massive building complex that was once considered by some to be the polka capital of the world: The Gibbon Ballroom. “Stay Young, Go Dancing” presents the colorful history of this now infamous Midwest venue, as told through the voices of the musicians, dancers, and local residents who loved it.
In the days after Minneapolis police killed George Floyd, youth-led protests in the city helped spark rebellions around the globe. The police, military, and white supremacist groups all responded. President Trump blamed the protests on “antifa” and called for participants to be labeled terrorists.
Anti-Racist Action (ARA) started in Minneapolis and is a predecessor to the crews often now called antifa. ARA started in 1987 with a multiracial group of teenage skinheads who fought the rising white power movement. It grew into a network of groups in at least 120 towns and cities across the U.S. and Canada. ARA’s first principle was: “We go where they go. Never let the Nazis have the streets.” They eventually applied that not only to white power organizing, but to homophobic and anti-abortion organizing, and to police violence, which they saw as all connected.
Told through vivid first-person accounts, archival audio, and music from the era, “Fighting Back: The Rise of Anti-Racist Action in Minneapolis” starts under the railroad tracks in Uptown, Minneapolis and traces a movement that continues to shape the U.S. to this day.
So, yeah . . . the COVID thing! Our original season finale was supposed to air back in early May, but as you well know, that just didn’t happen. We’re smart enough to know when silly isn’t safe, dontcha know!
Still, we had one more show to produce for the season, and we wanted to do it as safely as possible while still giving central Minnesota the best quality comedy, drama, and music that we could.
And we did it.
This is by far the most unique and yet highest quality Granite City Radio Theater to ever be produced during our 8 year run. It’s got all the stuff you’d expect, but yet, it’s all different. Everything is different!
Big thanks to guest musician Michael Shynes joining Collective Unconscious!
Another big thanks to the Shades Brigade crew and Eric Webster for delivering something amazing by using the most interesting production methods available.
And another big thanks to everyone who laughed . . . because while it’s tough to laugh right now, it’s even tougher to write something that will make the laugh happen. If you don’t know what this means, just give it a listen . . .;)
But the biggest thanks, neigh, the ultimate thanks, goes out to Jim Gray, Alex Hartman, and the multitudes of technical magic spells they cast in order to broadcast a performance with this level of audio quality. Seriously, give a listen, and please know that Jay Terry does NOT sound anywhere near as good in real life.
See ya next season!
This program is funded in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Grant!
And here we are, the Granite City Radio Theater on March 11, 2020.
It’s a time right before all the social distancing protocols surrounding the COVID-19 virus became a serious reality, and one last chance for us all to get together to share some laughs as the news changed hourly for the worse.
So, of course we poked fun at it as host Jay Terry unveiled The Corona Polka!
Jay also visited the Stearns History Museum for a mythological tour.
Also along for the ride was the Shade’s Brigade crew as Jack Shade may have finally met his match!
Special Musical Guest Debbie Duncan and house band Collective Unconscious dove deep into a legacy of jazz only achievable by her kind of legend!
Dan Barth’s Trivia Challenge was about as challenging as finding toilet paper in today’s world.
Wild Scholastica wonders about the college crowd.
And, of course, the Honorable Mayor provides honorable insight about recent events.
PLEASE STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION CONCERNING OUR FINAL SHOW OF THE SEASON! Seriously, though, we’re not sure what we will do, or when, but something’s coming! It’s RADIO THEATER which means we really don’t NEED an audience . . . although we really LOVE the audience! Without them, who’s gonna play the Kazoo?
This program is funded in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Grant!
KVSC’s Granite City Radio Theater continued its holiday tradition of warming the radio listening hearts of central Minnesota on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, with a plethora of programming only found within the bounds of our radio waves!
Prudence John was our special musical guest with backing from our ever flexible house band, Collective Unconscious!
The Shades’ Brigade crew wound up with Christmas miracles in their stockings!
The secret to the success of SuccessCO in their rise to rival all other companies on earth was finally revealed!
Dan Barth’s Holiday Trivia Challenge featuring Prudence Johnson, SCSU Music Professor Terry Vermillion, and KVSC Station Manager Jo McMullen brought the knowledge!
Wild Scholastica documentarialized the phenomenon known as “The Snow Day!”
And of course, the Honorable Mayor demonstrated just exactly why St. Cloud is the Most Livable City on the Planet!
Plus . . . the Podcast Special: Intermission!
