Long before Minneapolis became synonymous with Prince and the funk-driven sound that bears the city’s name, the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood on the West Bank was already doing something remarkable. Twin Cities PBS’s new documentary “The Wild West Bank Sound” premieres at the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival on April 19, followed by a broadcast on TPT 2 and the PBS App on April 21, and it makes a compelling case that this small, densely creative neighborhood deserves its own chapter in American music history.
The film blends archival footage, historic photography, and firsthand accounts from musicians and community members who lived through a scene that encompassed folk, bluegrass, reggae, rock, and more. It comes from the same studio behind acclaimed Twin Cities PBS music documentaries including “The Minneapolis Sound” and “First Avenue: Closer to the Stars,” a track record that signals serious depth of research and storytelling. “What makes this film special is hearing directly from the musicians and community members who lived it,” said Executive Producer Daniel Bergin.
Producer Kevin Dragseth framed the project as an act of listening. “As we began talking to people who were part of the West Bank music scene, it quickly became clear how many incredible stories were still waiting to be told.” Cedar-Riverside was more than a music hub. It was an incubator for activism, experimentation, and a community identity that still resonates in Minnesota’s cultural fabric today.