Big Kids of Mid-America is a documentary that chronicles five decades of Twin Cities’ music. What characterizes the music of Minnesota and makes it so unique? Is it the so-called “Minneapolis Sound” that Prince first established? Or is it the “Indie Rock” first produced by Soma Records during the 50s and 60s and then later by Twin Tone Records in the 70s and 80s? In this three-part “rockumentary” the movers and shakers reveal their perspectives on the Twin Cities music scene.

Part I features the birth of rock & roll in the early 50s. Cornbread Harris (father of Jimmy “Jam”) played piano with the Augie Garcia Quintet. This Twin Cities band is credited for releasing the first rock & roll record “Hi Yo Silver” in 1955. Mike Waggoner & the Bops were one of the earliest rockabilly groups to emerge from the Twin Cities. The Accents, Gregory Dee & the Avanties, The Underbeats, Danny’s Reasons, and Willie & the Bees were all local favorites that helped establish the Twin Cities music scene during the 60s and early 70s. Nationally, the world was illuminated by other legendary Twin Cities bands like The Trashmen, The Castaways, The Gestures, The Litter, Crow and Gypsy.

Part II explores the development of Twin Cities’ punk and funk music during the mid 70s. While The Suicide Commandos, Curtiss A, and The Suburbs were establishing the local punk scene, Prince, Flyte Tyme, and Lipps Inc. were redefining funk. These two genres evolved during the MTV generation of the 80s. Bands like The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, The Time (including Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis), and Alexander O’Neal rose to the top of the heap. This era witnessed local hard rock bands like Dare Force, Obsession, and Slave Raider achieve regional stardom as they made ripples on the national scene.

Part III covers how the “do it yourself” ethos in the digital era affected the Twin Cities music scene. Bands like The Hang Ups, Arcwelder, Polara, Mint Condition, Babes In Toyland, Zuzu’s Petals, The Honey Dogs and Semisonic from the 80s and 90s are featured here. This was a time when many different musical genres emerged in the Twin Cities: alt country (The Jayhawks), rap (David “TC” Ellis), gospel (Sounds of Blackness), and hip hop (Atmosphere). Finally, Big Kids of Mid-America explores the impact the internet has had on the entire music industry.