The Current announces 6th birthday party with Free Energy, Cloud Cult, Jeremy Messersmith, and surprise guests

Photo by Stacy Schwartz

Cloud Cult at First Avenue last month

​If there's one similarity binding together all of the concert announcements of late, it might be this: The next month will officially be known as the season of "surprise special guests." Love it or hate it, concert promoters and party throwers are going to keep us guessing this winter by keeping part of their lineups under wraps. Mystery guests are sprinkled on the First Ave 40th anniversary bash lineup next week, not to mention Onion's "mystery headlining guest" at their January 7 Mainroom show and last night's MPR listener appreciation party.

The Current is keeping with this trend alive today with their 6th birthday party lineup announcement, which unveiled three of what will likely be five acts performing at First Avenue on January 21 in the powerhouse indie station's honor. If last year's no-holds-barred 5th birthday bash was any indication, however, the Current has every right to play their cards close to their chest, and the three acts already announced won't slow down ticket sales a bit.

St. Paul-born, Philadelphia-based rockers Free Energy will return to the Twin Cities to play the party in the Mainroom, along with popular singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith and eight-piece psychedelic pop group Cloud Cult. Current DJs will also be on hand to DJ throughout the night, and "surprise guests" will be revealed at a later date.

Tickets go on sale next Wednesday, December 15 to MPR members, but unlike last year the Current is ensuring that non-members will also have a chance to nab tickets before the show sells out. 500 tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster at noon on Wednesday with an additional 200 available fee-free at the Depot; another batch of 500 will be released to the general public on Friday, December 17 at noon with another 200 at the Depot.