Punks Around #3: The Minot, North Dakota Punk Scene 1989-2000

by Joe Biel, Alexander Herbert (Editor)

In 2006, Joshua Ploeg and I found ourselves in Minot, North Dakota to put on the inaugural event at the Red Carpet, a brand new DIY venue. I played my films, he served the food, and that night we sold every single piece of merch. Mystified, I talked to the promoter. North Dakota is a flyover state. Don't treat the performers right and they'll never come back. I became fascinated with Minot and spent months researching their scene politics. Minot is a perfect little outpost of creative freedom, but also a cautionary tale of racism, alcoholism, and isolation.

32 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

Joe Biel is a writer, activist, journalist, filmmaker, and publisher. He is the founder and co-owner of Microcosm Publishing and co-founder of the Portland Zine Symposium. He often tours the U.S. with his books and films. He has been featured in the Utne Reader, Portland Mercury, Oregonian, Broken Pencil, Readymade, and Bicycle Times.