Monthly Archives: March 2011

Living a Life of Karaoke

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Story by Andrew Jason

MSUM Journalism

Photograph by Dave Diebel

Wild Bill can be found singing “My Way” every Monday and Thursday at Rooters.

Every Monday and Thursday at Rooters, bar goers get their 15 minutes of fame by singing karaoke. One man, affectionately known as Wild Bill, has been enjoying his 15 minutes of fame for the last 50 years. Bill, who was born and raised in Fargo, has been singing for almost all of his 78 years.

“It makes me happy,” Bill says. “I used to work for my money, now I sing.”

Anybody who has seen Wild Bill perform can instantly tell you that “My Way” by Frank Sinatra and “Moon River” by Henry Mancini are his two staple songs. Bill explains his favorite song is “My Way” because he has been living most of his life in that manor.

Music has had a large influence in Bill’s life since retiring from American Crystal Sugar Company. Bill had worked there most of his life. After retiring he decided to make music a more important part of his life.

“Music is very important to me,” says Bill.

Being the life of the bar

Rooter’s isn’t the only bar Bill frequents. He also can be found at Dempsey’s on Tuesdays. As Dempsey patron Dan McCollum points out, he’s much more to the bar than a regular patron.

“Wild Bill is this bar,” McCollum says. “We were worried when he didn’t show up… I always get an eerie feeling when he’s not here.”

McCollum also refers to him as Norm from “Cheers,” sighting the fact that everyone knows him and always say hi as soon as he walks in.  After meeting him people quickly fall in love with him.

“He is a positive presence,” says Rooter’s patron Bre Anderson. “After talking to him only once, I feel like I’m his best friend.”

Newcomers to Rooter’s karaoke find it weird to see a 78–year-old man singing karaoke but they quickly accept the fact and the man.

“I was surprised to see a man his age singing karaoke and being out so late,” says first time karaoke attendee, Mack Ternes. “After seeing him sing and seeing how much he’s loved by everyone there I was fine with it.”

Wild Bill doesn’t care what anyone says though.

“I love singing,” Bill says. “I’m going to keep doing it.”

Exploring the karaoke underground

Bill has seen the popularity of karaoke rise, and the effect it has had on bars around town. Bar patrons can now find a bar on any night of the week for them to sing their heart out. Competitions can be found all throughout Fargo. Divas and Rockstars offer karaoke every night and Bordertown in West Fargo is offering a chance to sing on-stage at We Fest in August. At some places, winning karaoke at a local competition can even qualify a person for a trip to a national karaoke competition.

Still gets nervous after all the years

Bill loves putting on a show, but as he’ll admit, he still gets nervous every time he goes up to sing. It doesn’t matter though because he is beloved by all, especially for the way he ends all his songs.

“We all love him,” McCollum says. “He always ends his songs with ‘God bless America’.”

Where to find karaoke downtown

  • Rooters- Karaoke every Monday and Thursday
  • Dempsey’s- Karaoke every Tuesday
  • Chub’s Pub- Karaoke once a month. The next chance will be April 1
  • Bomb Shelter- Karaoke every Wednesday
  • VFW- Karaoke every Wednesday

Watch Wild Bill sing his heart out

Watch as people in the beginning seem to pay no attention to Bill singing but as he goes on he gathers their attention until everybody is cheering and applauding him at the end.

Show Fargo what you have

Please tell us which bar is your favorite bar for karaoke and what night it happens. If you happen to have a video of yourself singing, please share it so the world can enjoy your 15 minutes of fame.

1910-2010: How 100 Years Can Make a Difference

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Welcome to the 2011 updated version of Broadway where visitors from all over can come and experience Fargo’s way of dining, the local clubs and most importantly the history of Broadway itself. Broadway is an interesting place to hang out, shop boutiques and enjoy the culture of Fargo. Broadway has always been a local attraction for college students and adults, where it is easy to walk from one establishment to the other.

It is the history of Broadway that makes going downtown a unique experience. 100 years ago in 1911 the population of Fargo, ND was 14,331 and today Fargo is at 99,626.

Image retreived from http://www.fargo-history.com/broadway/broadway.htm

While celebrating the 100th anniversary in1911 the Fargo National Bank was burned down and rebuilt. The old bank is now where the Bank of the West is on Broadway.

Broadway is Booming and the Future looks Bright

On a casual date night in 1910 seeing a romantic flick at the Historic Fargo Theater would cost only a nickel. Now movie-goers are lucky to score a ticket, food and refreshment for under $20 at a movie theatre.

Even though prices have increased since 100 years ago, Broadway is still bursting with life and is worth every penny.

Visitors from all over can come and experience Fargo’s way of dining, local clubs, art galleries and walk along a street filled with history.

Video produced by Dan Francis Photography

Everyday Living

With the market not doing so hot right now just imagine being back in 1910 living on Broadway. If a person wanted to buy a two-story 8 room home on Broadway between 9th and 10th avenue it would cost $6,500. A similar type of house on the market today costs around $125,000.

In order to quench your thirst with a classic glass bottle of Coca-Cola you only had to reach in your pocket for 5 cents. Now a can of Coca-Cola is 75 cents or a bottle for $1.25.

In 1910 a man named Ted Evanson owned a men’s suit department and overcoats store on Broadway and sold suits for a steal of $25 dollars. Now businessmen have to spend a portion of their paycheck to look snazzy with suits costing around $150-300 dollars.

In history things are bound to change overtime but it’s evident that Broadway is still a strong staple of downtown Fargo. One can only imagine what Broadway has in store for the next hundred years.

Image retrieved from http://www.fargo-history.com/broadway/broadway.htm

(Edited by Natalie Lindberg, MSUM public relations and news broadcasting major.)

Fargo Rock City – How do you get noticed?

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Story and photos by Shane Maland

Artists want to be noticed. Artists need to be noticed. And when that want transcends into need, it helps to know a man like Michael Weiler.

Local producer and promoter Michael Weiler is taking a stand on the other side of the microphone for a change.

Michael Weiler is the Renaissance artist of Fargo, but not the kind of art that gets your hands dirty and ruins your clothes (well, hopefully). As well as being a musician, Weiler helps to produce and record, promote and expose up and coming musicians around the valley.

Weiler is taking his word-of-mouth skills to the radio waves with a Monday morning radio show premiering later this month on KNDS radio. The show will feature music and interviews with local artists.

No matter the genre or medium, Michael Weiler was born with a voice to be heard throughout the Fargo music scene.

It’s all in the family

Michael was born into a large artistically inclined family with eight kids in all.
“When I was very young we all had to take piano. I took piano for many years, and was very bad at it. But it taught me almost just enough to get by,” said Weiler.

Michael’s father has a Ph.D. in music. His sister, Brenda Weiler, is an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has six albums under her belt, the latest of which was produced by Minneapolis-based Speakerphone Records. His mother and sister Brenda are both involved with the F-M Chamber Chorale. Mark Weiler is known on the local music scene as Dj Guy Jean. He and Brenda also operate Ecce Art and Yoga on Broadway. Another sister, Sarah, works for the art council in Santa Fe, N.M. and performs with the Desert Chorale.

Weiler finds a new twist to an old song

Switching from piano to bass guitar in the early 1980s, Michael began performing with local favorites The Fates and guitar in the 1990s for the group, Slippy Mcgee.
After playing the local circuit, Michael decided to put down his axe and put on his studio headphones. Today, Weiler is helping revitalize downtown Fargo not through his own playing, necessarily, but through recording and exposing young local artists.

Weiler adjusts his microphones for a recording session in his studio.

“I really like digging around in Fargo and trying to find artists that haven’t really played much, if at all. It’s kind of like when I was young and finding records that no one had ever heard of, or at least I thought no one had ever heard of,” said Weiler.

With a little help from his friends

Michael has helped with the exposure of such groups as Little Winter and Wasted Effort; along with solo artists: Eden Parker, Diane Miller, Brooks West and as many others that are willing to walk the singer/songwriter tightrope, hour by hour and note by note.

“It’s nice to have someone like Michael in the FM area who cares so much about local musicians and local art,” said Little Winter’s lead guitarist, Ryan Weiss. “There’s a lot of great music in the area and he’s willing to spend his spare time working to bring it to the public. As someone who loves to go see live music, I really appreciate that.”

Weiler helps local artist Cameron Marc Nichols prepare for a recording session.

Finding a place to play

Along with his brother, Mark, Michael is bringing in new acts to perform in his Singer/Songwriter Series at Ecce Art and Yoga in May. The gallery is an intimate setting for the small, mostly acoustic artists that Michael helps out. It is a venue that is unlike any other in downtown Fargo. Weiler is also putting on a show at the new Red Raven Espresso Parlor on April 16.

“Downtown always brings about that kind of alternative edge to things, I have always thought,” said Weiler. “All the great stuff, whether it be music or art, seems to congregate downtown. I think that is what has always happened here too, or is happening.”

It’s a long, cold winter for performing

Though the revitalization of downtown Fargo has spread to the music scene, there is still one factor that will annually turn people away and keep promoters from turning around the “open” sign; the winter.

“I think the local scene is good and not so good. It kind of depends on what is important to you as an artist. Fargo in general is a severe microcosm of what other cities are going through, too. But it is tough here for a lot of reasons, winter being one of them,” said Weiler.

How to go from wanting to being

Weiler has plenty of instruments and equipment in his studio for artists of all talents.

No matter the season; no matter how much snow packs his driveway or river-water floods his recording studio basement; Michael Weiler will do what he can to please the musicians that are stepping over the threshold of wanting to be noticed and into the world of being noticed.

“I am a fan first, and always will be,” said Weiler. “It’s more of a need, it’s my drug in a way. It always has been.”

Do you think DIY recording studios benefit Fargo’s musicians?

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Edited by Mark Radcliffe, MSUM Advertising/PR major

Downtown venues perfect for wedded bliss

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Story by Rachel Leingang

MSUM Journalism

Newly engaged couples don’t need to search too far to find a modern, urban environment for the big event.

Downtown offers multiple venues, churches, hotels and the possibility of outdoor weddings for couples looking to tie the knot.

“Everybody wants to be downtown,” said Penny Solum, event coordinator at the Plains Art Museum. “I think they like the fact that they can walk out the door and walk to their hotel room. The atmosphere – it’s just festive.”

An outdoor wedding last summer in Island Park, planned by Alicia Weigel of Bliss, exemplifies the downtown wedding opportunities. Photo submitted by Alicia Weigel

Why downtown?

Many couples enjoy the ambience and energy of downtown, according to Alicia Weigel, event coordinator and owner of Bliss, a company that plans many downtown weddings.

Alicia Weigel, founder and coordinator of Bliss, an event planning company in Fargo, plans many events downtown. Photo by Frozen Music Studios

“It’s the closest to that urban feel that we really can offer,” Weigel said. “It’s the personalities – there’s nothing wrong with the hotels in town, I work in them constantly and I love all of them, but it seems like the contemporary (brides) hop downtown.”

Heidi Reisenauer got married in downtown Moorhead at Usher’s House on Jan. 1, 2011, and arranged all aspects of her wedding to be downtown. Her bridal shower was at Atomic Coffee on Broadway and her bachelorette party started at Sammy’s Pizza.

Heidi Reisenauer also got her hair and nails done downtown. Photo by Chris Franz, chrisfranzphoto.blogspot.com

“It’s the only place in Fargo where you sort of feel like you’re not in suburbia,” she said.

Downtown weddings show guests that Fargo can be modern, too – and that Fargoans aren’t all like they’re portrayed in the well-known “Fargo” movie.

“I’m trying to bring a little bit of New York to Fargo – just to get away from the tulle and Christmas lights and do something different here,” Weigel said.

Weigel helps brides plan all details of the big event, including dessert tables and decorations. Photo by Shawna Noel Photography

Searching for space downtown

Many brides have a checklist that helps them decide which venue meets their criteria. This chart depicts common checklist items. Graphic by Rachel Leingang.

While Usher’s House has hosted receptions before, the Reisenauers were the first to be married inside the building.

Heidi and Try Reisenauer chose Usher's House as their downtown venue. Photo by Chris Franz, chrisfranzphoto.blogspot.com

When searching for venues, Reisenauer only looked downtown.

“We live downtown, I work downtown, and we very much try to support that,” Reisenauer said. “It’s where we hang out, it’s where we started dating, it’s where we live, and so for us it was kind of a personal connection.”

After checking schedules at other locations like the Plains Art Museum, NDSU Alumni Center and the Avalon and finding no availability, she decided to book Usher’s.

“It kind of ended up being one of those things where the venue was open,” Reisenauer said. “Once we started thinking about what it would look like in January with all the windows, it just seemed like a good fit. And we felt like it was unique, because we’ve been to tons of weddings in Fargo and we’d never been to one there or even knew of anyone who got married there.”

Reisenauer found their venue choice to be unique and original. Photo by Chris Franz, chrisfranzphoto.blogspot.com

HoDo perfect for smaller fetes

For an intimate gathering, the Hotel Donaldson provides flair and food.

The Hotel Donaldson provides its own catering, such as this bison and asparagus meal. Photo submitted by the Hotel Donaldson

“I think we’re hands-down the most beautiful hotel in town, but also if you’re looking for something different, something that’s not in a ballroom,” said Maranda Tandberg, event coordinator at the HoDo. “We’ve all been to weddings in large banquet facilities – to me it’s just something a little bit different.”

The HoDo can do a sit-down dinner for 85-100 guests if they all want to be in the same room. By renting out the restaurant, lounge and downstairs wine cellar, Stoker’s, it can accommodate up to 300.

A couple shares a kiss on the roof of the HoDo. A rooftop wedding, most popular in the summer, can accommodate 45. Photo submitted by the Hotel Donaldson

With only about eight weddings per season, the HoDo finds that its location is becoming popular for boutique weddings.

“A lot of people that come here and have weddings say that it was a more unique wedding and more fun for their guests,” Tandberg said.

Avalon provides a vintage feel

“We have that historic edge, whereas walking into a hotel ballroom, it’s going to be just walls,” said Lindsay VanDanacker, events planner at the Avalon. “They might have pretty chandeliers, but here we have a lot of architecture and it’s really cozy, it feels like you’re just in somebody’s really big house.”

The Avalon's vintage feel is popular among the downtown crowd. Photo submitted by the Avalon

The Avalon hosts over 50 weddings per year and can accommodate 325 on the first floor or 200 on the second floor. The Avalon has on-site catering and VanDanacker does a majority of the planning.

“I have the super quiet people that love to have that super intimate dinner and they don’t even have a dance,” VanDanacker said. “And then I have the partiers that party until we say, ‘Hey guys, it’s time to go home.’”

The Avalon has two floors and provides its own catering and decorations. Photo submitted by the Avalon

Plains Art Museum perfect for art-loving couples

“We offer this gorgeous building, and it’s something different than pretty much anything else in the state, really,” said Solum.

Couples choose the Plains for its beautiful, sleek architecture. Photo submitted by the Plains Art Museum

The Plains can also open up its galleries for viewing, if the couple chooses. The galleries and architecture of the building don’t require a lot of decoration.

“You walk into a square banquet room with no windows and goofy-looking carpet and you want to just cover everything up, and I’ve seen people do it,” Solum said. “You can do any color here and it’s going to look beautiful.”

Many brides choose a minimalist color palette at the Plains in order to highlight the building and its features. Photo submitted by the Plains Art Museum

The Plains books about 25 wedding per year and only one wedding per weekend, allowing parties to decorate the day before and be more relaxed on the big day.

The Plains can accommodate up to 250 guests and works with a list of four preferred caterers. They also see brides coming in from bigger cities, like Minneapolis and New York.

“It’s a total wide variety,” Solum said. “Every one is different and unique – it’s the personality of the people that attend.”

The Radisson offers space for larger guest lists

While the capacity of the Radisson’s ballroom is 280, they can accommodate up to 420 guests. Most planning and decorating are done on-site, and the Radisson caters the events as well.

The Radisson caters all of its events on site, allowing couples to customize a menu. Photo submitted by the Radisson

“They work with one person all through the beginning, the booking process, all the up until the day of, and we’re at the events, too,” said Jess Fredette, convention sales and service manager at the Radisson.

The large windows and view of downtown are a big selling point for the Radisson, as well as its proximity to activity.

“Your guests have so much to do,” Fredette said. “And we’re connected by skyway to Broadway and the Black building.”

Brides can customize the space by using the linens and decorations owned by the Radisson and can also customize a menu.

The windows, offering a view of downtown, and available decorations are both selling points for the Radisson. Photo submitted by the Radisson

“Each reception is individual,” Fredette said. “You have those couples that don’t want anything but downtown.”

Starting the planning process

Information compiled from Hoover Web Design Graphic by Rachel Leingang

Most vendors and planners suggest planning a year to a year and a half in advance in order to book the space you want.

Bliss also provides full-service rentals and many of the venues have decorations on site as well. Weigel has a list of preferences for weddings, which makes finding the proper catering, photographer and DJ smoother.

“I don’t put a vendor out there that would represent my suggestion badly,” Weigel said. “I want to make sure that if I say they’re good, they’re good.”

Some downtown venues may cost more, so downtown does require a more open budget or more careful budget planning.

Reisenauer suggests following the advice that wedding books provide.

“My advice is if you’re working with a venue that isn’t accustomed to doing weddings all the time,” she said, “is to make sure you write everything down and sign contracts on things as far as how many people you’re going to have and the food and all that stuff.”

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Excellent parking, bad location, leaves Moorhead Center Mall out of public’s conscience

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Commentary and photographs by M. Eagle

MSUM Journalism

A great place to park

Outside the Moorhead Center Mall

   The best thing about the Moorhead Center Mall located at 510 Center Ave. Moorhead, Minn., is the parking. I know this because I spent an entire evening at the Moorhead Center Mall visiting the shops and talking to people. Many people said the reason they shop at the mall was because of good parking. I thought no sales tax on clothes would be at the top of the list but no one I talked to mentioned it. My parking experience was excellent. To see the Moorhead Center Mall’s website click here.

Mall impressions

   The first thing I noticed about the Moorhead Center Mall was all the open space available for sale or lease. Overall I got the feeling that the mall as a whole wasn’t doing well. That’s not to say that some of the shops weren’t doing well because many of them had a lot of customers, Furniture for Less was packed.  

   The Moorhead Center Mall has many of the same stores that the West Acres Mall in Fargo has and a few are even corporations like GNC, Herberger’s and Maurices. Which made me wonder why this mall isn’t more in the public’s social conscience.

    One reason has to be its location. West Acres is next to Interstate-94, whereas the Moorhead Center Mall is by the Red River almost tucked away. While it’s close to downtown Fargo it’s a pain to navigate to, but once you get there you’re rewarded with great parking.

    Another reason I don’t think the mall is doing as well as it could is because city hall is located in the mall. For me it doesn’t make sense to have the center of local government in a shopping mall. The world was a different place 38 years ago and maybe back then it was a good idea, but I think the mall would be better served with a distinction between a place for government and a place for pleasure.

City hall is located inside the Moorhead Center Mall

   Finally, I think the mall would attract more people if they changed their motto. The Moorhead Center Mall’s motto is, ‘Another great place to shop.’ To me this motto concedes that there are other great places to shop but that this mall is willing to wait in line as people’s second or third choice for shopping. It’s not The choice but Another.

   The motto should be more assertive. Here’s a thought, how about, ‘A great place to shop,’ or attach a rocket to the motto with some rollerskates, light the fuse Wile E. Coyote style and change it to (cue the trumpets), ‘The place to shop.’ To see Wile E. Coyote in action click here.

Why should you shop here?

   I asked Scott Puffe, second-generation owner of Puffe’s Fine Jewelry, why people should shop at the Moorhead Center Mall and he said, “Many of the businesses in the mall are locally owned. They’re not big corporations. The money you spend at the mall supports the community.”  Puffe also said, “The mall has easy access in and out and that it’s  located in a friendly location.

   Catherine Smith a worker at GNC said, “Shop here because it’s close to downtown, there’s good parking and everyone that works here is friendly and willing to help.”

Another welcoming view outside the Moorhead Center Mall

Urban renewal?

   According to the Moorhead Center Mall’s website, the mall opened in 1973, as part of an urban renewal project. The goal of the project was to rebuild the business district into a ‘major shopping center’ while at the same time giving Moorhead a ‘revitalized downtown.’ So have the projects goals been achieved 38 years later? Pern Canton, President of American State Bank, said it best in 1973, quoted from the mall’s website, “Two years from now you will not know downtown Moorhead…” Canton couldn’t have known how prophetic his words would be.

   Being an outsider looking in, I would say 38 years after opening people still don’t know downtown Moorhead. I’m not even sure where downtown Moorhead begins. Where are the artists and the culture that exist just over the river in downtown Fargo? Downtown Moorhead and the Moorhead Center Mall need more of an identity. I was cognizant Moorhead had a mall but I had never been to it.

   The only reason I ended up at the Moorhead Center Mall was because the Hjemkomst Center was closed. And thank my stars for that because apparenly everyone from the Fargo-Moorhead area already knows everything there is to know about the Hjemkomst Center. I found this out the hard way after spending five hours at the Hjemkomst Center and writing a 12th-grade level piece on it. To see the Hjemkomst Center’s website click here. 

Final verdict

   As far as malls go, the Moorhead Center Mall leaves much to be desired. Personally I will probably not go back anytime soon. The atmosphere was bland and the walkways were too narrow, think high school. There’s a template malls follow. That’s why when you go into a mall you’ve never been to it feels like every other mall. The Moorhead Center Mall doesn’t have that feeling. This mall has no ego and Donald Trump said it best, “You show me someone without an ego and I’ll show you a loser.” 

   For a place that could use some positive publicity the Moorhead Center Mall was less than inviting. When I tried to photograph some of the stores I was directed outside by one of the owners for fear of breaching his high-tech security. That’s why my photographs are all of the exterior. I also had a hard time getting store workers to go on record to say anything about the mall, positive or negative. I guess when you’re used to mediocrity you’re content to wallow in it.

Edited by Kristin Kirtz MSUM journalism major

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Everything a Biker Needs Under One Giant Roof

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Story and Photos by Andrew Jason

MSUM Journalism and Spanish

Great Northen Bicycle Company has been serving Fargo-Moorhead for over 23 years.

Over three hundred bikes line the wall and floor while the smell of gelato fills the nostril as customers enter the Great Northern Bicycle Company. This company has been serving the needs of Fargo-Moorhead’s surprisingly large bike culture for over 23 years.

Three years ago the Great Northern Bike Co. moved to a location that made them much more recognizable and spacious. They are now located at the 12,680 square foot, 104-year-old Great Northern Railroad Company building at 425 Broadway N.

The 29-employee bike store has found good success in the last couple of years. The success of the Great Northern Bike Co. is not easily earned in a town the size of Fargo. A lot of work must be put into it to keep it running.

“We do a pretty good job,” said manager Kari Smith. “We plug away at it and try to give some good service. We’ve been doing it for many years so we’ve grown gradually.”

Customers can get their bike serviced while enjoying fresh Gelato.

Many services offered under one roof

Smith explains that their services don’t just stop at selling bikes. Their services also include:

  • Gelato, coffee and sandwich shop
  • Bike shop which services any make or model
  • Spin classes
  • Over 100 rides led during summer. These rides range from the competitive to casual. Different rides are offered for families, road rides or for women.

Any type of bike of can be found at the Great Northern Bike Co. Prices range from $250-$3,000. Many people may wonder who would pay $3,000 for a bike.

“It’s definitely aimed at a performance market,” explains worker Fernando Bales. “The more you pay for a bike the lighter it is and the better the components.”

All bikes and models are serviced.

Bike service doesn’t discriminate

One of the big attractions of the Great Northern Bike Co. is their bike shop. Any type of service is performed there no matter the make or model.

“For the most part we’ll take in any bike no matter how many wheels,” Bales said.

Many customers have proven to be quite happy with the service they and their bikes received. All the prices for a repair job can be observed at the Great Northern Bike Co. website, www.gncycles.com.

“My service was great,” said customer Cooper Taylor, who had his bike redone there. “They were extremely friendly. They explained a lot of things that I knew nothing about and it was pretty cool.”

The bike shop is surprisingly open all year round. In the winter they’re obviously not as busy but they still offer all the same services, except for the races.

“We don’t sell very much in the winter but we work on building new bikes, revamping things and gearing for spring,” Smith said. “There’s also a lot more winter riding than there was 10-15 years ago. There are quite a few people who commute in the winter so we do see some people in but it’s mostly gearing up for spring.”

Many different forms of bikes are available to look at for anybody.

History of Great Northern Building

Almost anybody who has lived in Fargo or Moorhead for a while have seen the Great Northern Building. However, few know the history of this historic building, until now…