Entertainment Lineup Set for 'Fargo Rocks' Premiere

    /24-7PressRelease/ - FARGO, ND, March 21, 2006 - DDM Films announces that popular rhythm and blues band Mike and The Monsters and a reunion of The Pawnbrokers rounds out the live entertainment complimenting the premiere of "Fargo Rocks," March 30-April 2 at the historic Fargo Theatre, 314 Broadway, Downtown Fargo.

The world premiere of "Fargo Rocks," an 80-minute documentary on Fargo-Moorhead's rich rock and roll history, precedes a concert each night of the premiere. Fargo-born singer/songwriter Brenda Weiler performs on opening night, Thursday, March 30, while longtime favorites Mike and The Monsters play after the Friday, March 31, showing. For the first time in 17 years, four original members of The Phones rock the Fargo Theatre on Saturday, April 1, and The Pawnbrokers - Fargo-Moorhead's first mid-1960s progressive psychedelic band - closes out the four-day premiere on Sunday, April 2. Show time all four nights is 7 p.m.

Weiler, a Fargo native currently based in Portland, Ore., has enjoyed critical acclaim and developed a national following after making the decision to put off attending college "for a year." Her numerous awards include the Minnesota Music Award for Best Singer/Songwriter (2002); Minnesota Music Awards for Best Folk/Acoustic Artist (2001), Best Female Vocalist (2000); and City Pages' "Best of the Twin Cities" Critics' Pick for Best Female Vocalist (2000).

Weiler was also nominated for the Minnesota Music Awards' Best Female Vocalist, Best Songwriter, Best Folk Recording and Best Indie Album (Fly Me Back) in 2001. Her most recent album, Cold Weather, was tabbed by The Oregonian as one of the top ten albums of 2003 by local Portland artists.

Formed in 1979, The Phones - originally from Moorhead - established themselves as one of the Midwest's great new wave/punk bands of the early 1980s. They released their first single, "I'm So Neat b/w "She Said Goodbye," in February 1980 on their own label, Phone-O-Graph Records. Their first album, Changing Minds, was released in March 1982 and became one of Twin Tone Records' biggest sellers.

The Phones' second album, Blind Impulse, received rave reviews in early 1984. Their 1985 EP, Stickman, received considerable airplay on FM and college radio, along with an endorsement from Billboard magazine.

After fading from the Twin Cities music scene in 1989, The Phones have had intermittent reunions, primarily for charity fundraising. In 1999, they recorded an 11-track CD, Echo Return, which includes songs composed by the group between 1984-1988, including updated recordings of "Shake That Trance" and "Take Your Time."

The Pawnbrokers, comprised of four Fargo-Moorhead area college students, formed in 1965. Their career highlights included opening for a Yardbirds lineup that featured Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck, and serving as Bobby Vee's backup band for a tour of Canada - all in 1967. The Pawnbrokers released three singles, including "Someday" from 1967, a top ten record in the F-M radio market.

For over two decades, Mike and the Monsters, featuring lead vocalist Mike Bullock (formerly of the equally popular Uglies and the Michael James Band), has been one of the most popular rhythm and blues bands working in the Upper Midwest. In the studio, Bullock produced Smokin', the 1998 debut album by Jonny Lang and The Big Bang.

"Fargo Rocks" is produced by DDM Films in association with Mike Bullock Productions.

DDM Films is an independent film company based in Fargo, N.D. For information, contact David Meiers, executive producer of "Fargo Rocks," at (701) 361-1812, the Fargo Theatre at (701) 239-8385; or visit http://www.fargorocksthemovie.com.

# # #