The Star Tribune's annual Are You Local? best-new-band search came to a frenetic conclusion Monday at the Turf Club. R&B singer Nick Jordan, who had just gotten off a plane from Amsterdam, took the stage at the end of the night and won on the strength of his crowd- pleasing show, which included dazzling dancing with collaborators Albert Conteh and Christlo Gittens and the keyboard work of producer Luke Darger. Jordan won $2,000 and a slot in the AYL showcase concert Feb. 17 at First Avenue with local legends the Suburbs, Haley Bonar-fronted rockers Gramma's Boyfriend and DJ Shannon Blowtorch. Monday's show pitted Jordan against four other rising acts: jazz/funk/soul band Ayvah, garage-rockers Kiss the Tiger, synth-pop outfit Graveyard Club and psych-rockers Lazy Scorsese. For the first time in the contest's eight-year history, there was a tie for first, but Jordan got the edge over Kiss the Tiger because he had more first-place votes from the eight-judge panel. MIKE MADDEN
She's the headliner
After three nominations for best nightclub talent buyer, First Avenue lead booker Sonia Grover was starting to look like the Susan Lucci of the Pollstar Awards, the concert industry's biggest honors. But the 18-year veteran finally took the top honor last week in Los Angeles, a win that reflects both First Avenue's widespread respect and Grover's influence in a job dominated by men. "I think maybe they just figured, 'She's been nominated enough. We'd better give it to her this year,' " Grover said, insisting her win was a surprise. "I actually bet against myself in the betting pool we all do." First Avenue itself was nominated as nightclub of the year but lost to New York's Webster Hall. That's like"Pulp Fiction" losing to "Forrest Gump" at the Oscars, but there's always next year.
CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER
Her Merce moment
When Merce Cunningham's troupe danced in Minneapolis in the early 1960s, Suzanne Weil was there. "I remember the stage being the size of my dining room table," she said, laughing. Seeing Cunningham was a revelation: "I remember thinking, 'I have no idea what this is, but I want it.' " Weil — later immortalized by another leading light of modern dance, Twyla Tharp, in a work called "Sue's Leg" — led the Walker's performing arts program in the 1960s and early '70s, when she had no budget and "total freedom," she said during a phone interview. That sparked a decades-long relationship between the Walker and Cunningham. As part of the opening celebration of the center's massive exhibit "Merce Cunningham: Common Time," Weil spoke Wednesday onstage with Philip Bither, senior curator of performing arts. The exhibition runs through July 30.
JENNA ROSS
Eaux, part trois
The lineup for Wisconsin's third annual Eaux Claires fest features an impressive array of older favorites such as Wilco, John Prine and Paul Simon (performing with neoclassical ensemble yMusic), indie faves Feist and Spank Rock, and hot young things Chance the Rapper, Danny Brown, Sylvan Esso and Francis & the Lights. So who's missing? Host Justin Vernon's main act, Bon Iver, is listed only in a set billed as "Bon Iver Presents John Prine & the American Songbook." Vernon will perform as Big Red Machine with festival co-host Aaron Dessner and his brother/bandmate Bryce. Wilco, meanwhile, will apparently settle in for the weekend June 16-17. The festival schedule also includes Tweedy (frontman Jeff Tweedy with son Spencer), the Autumn Defense (bassist John Stirratt with multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone), and drummer Glenn Kotche with Bon Iver drummer S. Carey. C.R.
When Harry met Sid
Looks like Minnesota will have to share sports columnist Sid Hartman with the rest of the nation, at least for one Sunday. Harry Smith, the longtime CBS morning host now at NBC, was in town Tuesday doing interviews for a Hartman profile that will run during an upcoming Sunday edition of NBC's "Today" show. Smith, 65, is relishing his new role as substitute anchor and roving reporter, filing stories on everything from square dancing in Montana to penguin counting in Antarctica. "Every time I get on a plane, I still get excited," he said after wrapping up an interview with Sid's son, Chad Hartman. Doing long-form features in the short-attention-span world of TV news? Sounds like a dream job. "Shhhh!" Smith said.
NEAL JUSTIN
