Secrets From The Scene

Most people see the packed room. They do not see the risk behind it. Before a show feels effortless, someone has to bet real money, earn the venue’s trust, book the right artist, build the crowd, manage the chaos, and create a culture people actually want to come back to. This week, I’m joined by Jack Trash, also known as John Tasch, founder of SIMshows and one of the key figures behind the Twin C...

Most musicians are told to “just get out there.” But where do you actually go? Who do you talk to? Which jam sessions are welcoming? What makes someone want to book you? And how do you know if you’re ready to sit in? This week, I’m joined by Eli Awada, keyboardist for the jazz-fusion band Room3 and a musician, booker, venue manager, and event organizer who has seen the Twin Cities scene from multi...

Tina Schlieske has lived a lot of musical lives. She came up through the Twin Cities scene with Tina and the B-Sides, built momentum through relentless gigging, mailers, college radio, word of mouth, and a famously clever billboard campaign, then signed to Sire Records after a CBGB’s show caught the attention of Seymour Stein. But this conversation is not just a look back at a remarkable career. I...

Rob Talbott has already helped build one of the most influential labels in modern bass music. As Dodge & Fuski, he came up during the early internet era of dubstep, got signed to Never Say Die, co-founded Disciple, moved from Bristol to LA, and helped shape a corner of bass music that is still influencing artists today. Now he’s back with new Dodge & Fuski music, a self-aware EP called Was...

From backyard shows to First Avenue, Nate Walker has built a career as one of the Twin Cities’ go-to guitarists. In this episode, I sit down with Nate to talk about how he became one of the most in-demand side players in the Minneapolis scene. We get into his path from early gigs to touring, why going to shows and meeting people matters, and what actually makes someone valuable in a band beyond ju...

If you are trying to build an artist identity that feels bigger than just the songs, this episode is for you. This week on Secrets From the Scene , I sit down with dark-pop artist and producer EMM to talk about what “world-building” actually looks like as an independent artist. Not just the fun creative side, but the reality of it: the characters, visuals, lore, content strategy, teamwork, systems...

This week on Secrets From the Scene , I’m joined by Aaron Mader and Jeff Allen of The Plastic Constellations. Since their band is coming back after more than 15 years, this ended up being a really fun conversation about friendship, memory, local music scenes, and what it feels like to step back into something that used to be such a huge part of your life. We talked about how the band started, what...

This week I’m joined by Robert Wilkinson, Ben Kaplan, and Bob Burns of the Flamin’ Oh’s for a conversation about Twin Cities punk and rock history, the scene around Jay’s Longhorn, Twin/Tone, Fat City, Oar Folkjokeopus, KQRS compilations, local studios, and the people behind the scenes who helped shape and amplify what was happening . We talk about how that late-’70s scene opened the door for orig...

This week I am joined by Hank Donato , frontman of Beemer , and also a guy who has done a little bit of everything in the Twin Cities music world. We talk about the seasons of a music career, how priorities shift as life changes, and what it looks like to keep music meaningful even when it cannot be your whole life. Hank shares how he came up through the scene in John Chuck & The Class , spent...

Darnel Alexander is a soulful R&B singer and songwriter whose journey stretches from the 90s boy band era to a surprising second wind on TikTok. In this conversation, Darnel takes us back to his Seattle roots, the early talent show circuit, and his first group, Third Level, including the grind of learning the industry from the inside before anyone was paying attention. From there, he breaks do...

Meghan Kreidler (Kiss The Tiger) joins Secrets From The Scene to unpack the thing that separates a decent set from a truly memorable live show: stage presence. Meghan talks about the early discomfort of being “herself” on stage, how acting tools translate (and sometimes do not translate) to the rock club, and why experimentation matters. We dig into physical embodiment, the power of stillness, and...

If you think scheduling a four-piece band is hard, try doing it with ten people, a loud acoustic tradition, and gigs that range from jazz festivals to high school clinics to packed club nights. In this episode, I’m joined by Riley Helgeson , bandleader and trumpet player for McNasty Brass Band , to talk about what it really takes to keep a 10-member brass band functional. We get into how they make...

A lot of artists want the outcome. Fewer artists want the process. The posting, the reaching out, the showing up to jams, the awkward early gigs, the constant question of, “Am I being genuine or am I marketing myself?” Lasalle and I talk about that exact push and pull: wanting a bigger platform, wanting your art to matter, but not always wanting to do the public-facing stuff it takes to build mome...

This week I sit down with Charlie Parr, a Minnesota original and a master of fingerstyle and slide guitar. He grew up in Austin, found his footing in Duluth, and has spent decades touring and recording. We keep the focus on creative process and do a full breakdown of “Cheap Wine,” including how its meaning shifts beside a short story he wrote. If you care about songs that feel lived in, this conve...

Ever walk out of a recording session feeling like it should have gone better? Not because the song was bad, but because the session felt rushed, tense, or just… off. Or maybe you are on the front end of it. Nervous for your first real studio experience , wondering what you are supposed to bring, what you are supposed to know, and whether you are actually ready for a serious session. This week on S...

The Minneapolis Sound is one of the most distinctive music legacies in the world, and this week I get to celebrate it with someone who grew up inside that story. On this episode of Secrets From The Scene , I sit down with Minneapolis R&B artist Jordan Johnston to talk about the tradition, history, and ongoing legacy of the Minneapolis Sound and how it shows up in his own career. Jordan’s conne...

Your content is only getting views from your friends, your family, and the bands you are playing with. If that sounds familiar, this conversation will help you think more clearly about why strangers are not sticking and what needs to change at the brand and strategy level. This week on Secrets From The Scene , I sit down with Thomas Sticha , a Saint Paul artist with a background in product marketi...

Trying to build a music career while staying sober is hard. Venues, late nights, constant offers, social pressure. This week, I sit down with three artists from our scene, Adam Lifto, Caitlin Benson, and Wyatt Overman, to talk plainly about what recovery looks like in practice and how to keep making work you are proud of. We focus on actionable strategies: preparing for substance-heavy spaces, how...

This week on Secrets From The Scene , I sit down with Dani Larson and Nicole Prestol , two of the founders of Tumbling Rock Magazine , a Twin Cities print publication bringing local music to life on paper. We talk about how Tumbling Rock began as a joke between bandmates and evolved into a full-fledged magazine that celebrates Minnesota’s music community through thoughtful storytelling and strikin...

Minnesota’s hip-hop scene is more alive and diverse than most people realize. Few know it better than Juice Lord , who’s lived it from late-night open mics to sold-out stages. Beyond the music, he’s built a reputation as someone who lifts others up while carving his own path. This episode is your inside look at the culture, the community, and the grind. That’s why I sat down with Malik Curtis, bet...

Have you ever wondered what it really takes to survive life on the road as a touring band? It’s not all glamorous shows and screaming crowds—most of the time it’s van repairs, tight budgets, and figuring out how to sleep in impossible places. In this week’s episode of Secrets From the Scene , Max Greene sits down with Matt DeMar , guitarist for the Twin Cities rock/metal band Divide the Fall . Tog...

If you’ve ever struggled to balance multiple passions, questioned whether to “pick a focus,” or wondered how to actually make a creative career work long-term, this episode is for you. This week on Secrets From the Scene , I sit down with Dessa — a writer, rapper, singer, podcaster, and speaker who’s built one of the most multifaceted careers in the Twin Cities and beyond. From Doomtree to the Min...

What happens when the music you make doesn’t have a built-in scene? This week I’m talking with Brandyn Tulloch — an artist who started in spoken word, found his way into reggae, and has been steadily building community through live shows, collaboration, and creative hustle. Reggae isn’t a dominant genre in Minneapolis, but Brandyn hasn’t let that stop him. He’s built a career by focusing on connec...

How do you keep your family and personal life grounded when your career pulls you all over the map? This week on Secrets From the Scene , I handed the mic to my co-host Max Greene for a conversation with someone I’ve looked up to for years—drummer and educator Steve Goold . You’ve probably heard Steve without even realizing it. He’s toured with artists like Sara Bareilles, Owl City, Ben Rector , a...

If you've ever felt like you're shouting into the void with your music, you're not alone. There’s so much noise out there, and it’s easy to slip into scarcity mode and to think the only way forward is to focus on yourself, hustle harder, and tune everything else out. But what if the real key to momentum is showing up for others? This week, I sat down with my friend and longtime collabo...