FROM SEA TO SHINING CD: Minnesota
Minnesota may be known for their famously comfy Minnetonka moccasins, but their music scene is surely a rival in being its main claim to fame. The midwestern state is responsible for some of the most influential events in the USA’s music history - including the first recording of digital audio to be commercially released. The recording studio that pulled the historical effort off is still around in Minneapolis, and definitely worth the visit. Sound 80 is not only famous for making history then, but also for being the recording site of Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks and Cat Stevens’ Izitso. Now, the studio houses Orfield Laboratories, a research organization dedicated to testing “acoustics vibration, vision, lighting, architecture and market research.” If that isn’t interesting enough, the lab is the home of an anechoic chamber, a room rumored to be so acoustically sound that you can hear your own heartbeat. While that sounds a little freaky for me, I would definitely recommend it to any sound tech enthusiast.
Anechoic chamber courtesy of Orfield Laboratories; Sound 80 Studio 1969 courtesy of Mike Barich, Insider
For those looking for a different kind of historical experience, grab a bite to eat at Loring Pasta Bar in the Dinkytown neighborhood of Minneapolis. The restaurant occupies the space originally held by Grey’s Drug Store, and is directly below Bob Dylan’s old Minneapolis apartment. The exterior facade of the restaurant still shows the original Grey’s entryway, and the restaurant itself is praised for its ambiance and for its live music on the weekends. One Yelp reviewer recommends, “Make sure to request a table on the upper level and enjoy the view.”
Photos courtesy of Becca Dilley and Depicting Dinkytown
