James Rone is a Minneapolis-based songwriter, performing artist, and educator. During the last two decades, Rone’s music has ranged from angular power-pop (The Seagraves) to soul-revival (The Robinson Caruso Organization) to lush pop-rock (School For Girls). His music has been used in podcasts (Filmspotting), short films (Bookman), collaborative theater (Sandbox Theater’s Unspeakable Things) and children’s musicals (I Don’t Want To Go To Bed). “Precious Creature”, his collaboration with Floex, the Czech musician best known for the Machinarium soundtrack, appeared on the international hit album Zorya.

Born and raised in Bristol, England and Springfield, Missouri, Rone moved to Minneapolis in his early twenties to pursue a career in theater. During his years working as a playwright, facilitator, and trainer for a touring educational theater company, Rone began training and performing as an improviser at Comedy Sportz-Twin Cities, the Brave New Workshop, and HUGE Theater. Music made during this time (The Love Debt EP) reflected Rone’s penchant for theatricality as he performed original songs as his absurd alter-ego Robinson Caruso, backed by an 11-member R&B band, replete with horn section.

Early this decade, Rone founded Harbor Theater Group, a free theater company for Twin Cities teenagers, while working as an elementary school teacher in Minneapolis. Rone shed his alter-ego and wrote direct, earnest pop-rock songs backed by the local band School For Girls, composed of drummer Josh Kaplan (VAN STEE), bassist Justin Hartke (Sleep Study), vocalist Seniz Yargici, and keyboardist Justin Nellis (VAN STEE). Their 2016 album, All At Once was produced by Adam Levy of The Honeydogs.

The end of Rone’s career as an elementary school teacher coincided with other major changes in his personal life, which initiated a new phase of songwriting. The songs that compose Rone’s forthcoming solo record Quiet As Fists depict a moment in time marked by disorienting loss. Despite the occasionally somber tone, the music is buoyed by bright melodies and moments of humor and hopefulness.

Recorded at home in his Loring Park apartment and produced by Jesse Johnson in San Diego, the LP will be released in late January 2020 and will feature the additional vocals of local performers Anna Weggel and Danni Dancer.

James Rone Official Website

J.E. Sunde is a native of Wisconsin who lives in Minneapolis. He loves music enough to clean houses in between tours, and he’s cool with that.

After many years of crafting and performing music with The Daredevil Christopher Wright, Jon Edward Sunde immersed himself in a new solo project that embraces his influences, from smart, bouncy Paul Simon-y folk-pop to the earnestness of Jonathan Richman. And he’s cool with that, too.

J.E. Sunde Official Website

Music 9-11pm

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$10 cover charge will be added to your tab.