Photo By Erik Hess

Within some music circles in the Twin Cities (and beyond), dedicated fans frequently play a little game called "I saw them when," where the "winner" is the lucky one who saw a band play live first, typically at a small local club, before they went on to play bigger venues and enjoy more widespread appeal. We are truly fortunate to have plenty of intimate rooms here in the Twin Cities, where local and national bands alike can find their footing in a live setting while building a solid reputation within the Minnesota music community -- a rep that will follow them as they return to the area to play bigger clubs to match their rising profile.

So, if you're looking to catch bands on their way up before they make it big, here is a list of the best clubs in Minneapolis and St. Paul to see a band before everyone else does.

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Photo by Steve Cohen

We all know where the go-to spots are for a heavy-handed, no-nonsense rail drink, or for standard curds and tots at a table your mother wouldn't want to eat off of. In fact, sometimes it seems like there are all too many overcrowded watering holes for the hipper set. Say you're in the mood for a beverage, or perhaps a bite to eat, and maybe you don't want to run into the same dozen people you always see at the same bar -- but you don't want to compromise your aesthetic, either.

Here, Gimme Noise has a list of 15 of the Twin Cities' finest under-the-radar spots. You'll either love us for tracking them down, or hate us for exposing them to everyone else.

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Top 10 best places to grab a drink before a show at First Avenue

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Photo By Erik Hess

Within the sagging music industry, vinyl sales represent a rare sign of growth during the past few years, and that trend is healthy in the Twin Cities. Here, a plethora of independent record stores meet the local music community's demand for records -- and then some. They stock Record Store Day exclusives, host numerous in-store performances from local acts, and staff their stores with intelligent folks -- some even contribute to Gimme Noise -- who can advise during a leisurely afternoon of flipping through the endless racks of records.

For those just starting a vinyl collection, hardcore collectors, and everyone in between, here are the 10 best places to buy vinyl in the Twin Cities.

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Top 10 best places to grab a drink before a show at First Avenue
I buy more music than Emily White, and you should too
In defense of the container: A response to Emily White

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Photo by Tony Nelson

It's a given that Minnesota-based music lovers will eventually see a live show at one of the best venues in the country, First Avenue. The hundreds of silver stars on the gritty black walls of the club provide but a small sampling of the legendary bands passing through, and Prince assuredly put the club on the music world's radar when he filmed Purple Rain there in the early '80s. Over the years, it has earned a rep as a great place to see a concert in the bustling heart of Minneapolis

Whether you are a local music scene veteran or you're heading down to the venerable club for the very first time, there's often a window of time to fill before the night's big event. If you are looking to meet up with some friends ahead of time, here are the 10 best places to have a drink before catching a show at First Avenue.

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Top 10 Twin Cities hipster bars featuring local live music
First Avenue's 20 best concerts: Readers' picks
First Avenue's 20 best concerts

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Photo by Erik Hess

With an endless supply of watering hole options in Minneapolis and St. Paul, it's gotta be hard for a discerning music fan to make a call on which bar he or she is going to wander into, order a beer, and get some quality live entertainment. The pressure of narrowing down the options is daunting, which is why Gimme Noise compiled an ultimate short list to go have a PBR or two, and hear tasteful music performed by talented folks they recognize from the organic grocer, the fair-trade coffee shop, and definitely other bars on the list. (RIP, Uptown Bar.)

Here's our top ten bars in the Twin Cities with local music on tap.

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Avye Alexandres

Gimme Noise's fondest memories from college aren't set in $100 million athletic centers or on perfectly manicured lawns, but rather in dingy basements and coffee shop stages. The student music scene has always made big contributions to the Twin Cities as a whole -- local immortals like the U of M's (for a year anyway) Bob Dylan and Macalester's Hüsker Dü started playing while at school. Now, the next generation of well-educated Minnesota musicians are ready to take over.

We've assembled a list of 14 of the best bands to come out of this cultural crucible in recent years. Whether you're still holed up in the library or reminiscing on your glory years, these scholarly musicians are sure to expand your worldview and broaden your horizons -- or at least give you something cool to listen to on a Friday night.

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Top 20 best Minnesota musicians: The complete list
Best Minnesota albums of 2012
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Photo by Rich Michell

Ah, yes, Valentine's Day. Maybe you're the hopeless romantic type, and you've had this night all planned out for you and your special someone since October, and if that's the case, jolly good for you.

More likely, though, you just remembered, like, two days ago that this stupid holiday was happening this week. P.S., your dearest one will see right through some grocery store roses. Or, even more likely, you're 100 percent alone on this most wretched of all days, and even though you're totally pretending it doesn't matter, secretly you just wish someone would give you some candy hearts.

Luckily, whether you're presently scrambling for a date idea or seeking a way to forget about the black hole that is your dreadful joke of a love life, we've got you covered. Gimme Noise has assembled a few V-day options for tonight that are so good, you can pretend you always had a plan. 

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TaylorSwift.com

Sunday night, the 2013 Grammy Awards will renew the now-impossible task of representing mainstream America's tastes and remaining relevant to those who care enough to seek music beyond an FM dial. All parties will inevitably leave feeling disconnected from the wider culture. Who can act as a true barometer of what is good and what is not, and help us find some sensible common ground? City Pages' newest cultural arbiter: my mother.

As is now the established practice, my mom was presented with the nominees in ten of the more relevant categories, and asked to choose some winners and losers. The following ensued:

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Minnesota Monthly has released a list of the Twin Cities' most powerful leaders calling the shots, and a few names from the music realm popped up there. The most recognizable to a regular Gimme Noise reader would be Doomtree rapper Dessa, who was the final entry in the 75-person tally.

And we're not disputing her inclusion. MM characterizes her as a renaissance woman, and mentions the Elixery lipstick line she developed, her high-profile speaking engagements, and her many performances at venues other than just the downtown ones. (Plus, she writes a column for the Star Tribune.) Along with Dessa, there were several others -- people the magazine have heard of, we'd imagine -- that at least loosely fit a tie to music.

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Dessa develops a lipstick for charity
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Jingle All The Way

Last week, Disney Studios announced its classic 1992 animated film Aladdin will be making its Broadway debut in 2014. While Disney produced several home runs on stage, the potential nostalgia factor this has for '90s kids is absolutely off the charts. Why let Disney have all the fun when the '90s produced plenty of films that could be re-interpreted with stagecraft and song right here in Minnesota?

That in mind, here are our choices for the five Minnesota movies from the '90s -- and yes, some that were Disney productions -- that should be remade into musicals. More »