Interview: Ahead of Friday’s 2023 Drone Not Drones, Founder Luke Shares Who He Is Excited to See, What Makes DND Special and Who His Dream DND Act (Full Band Schedule Included!)

Drone Not Drones is one of the truly best Minneapolis music events of the year, and was sorely missed these last few years when COVID stopped us from gathering (and sleeping) at the Cedar. But DND is back starting this Friday (Jan 20) at 7pm, running for 28 straight hours until Saturday at 11pm.

As always proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, so it’s not only great music but it supports a great cause. You can see the full schedule below, but first check out a short interview we did with Drone Not Drones founder Luke to hear a little bit about what to expect, who he is excited to see and who are his dream DND artists. Find more info on the show and buy tickets HERE.

REVILER: Drone Not Drones is a local institution and one of the best weekends of the year, but in case folks reading this have never been, explain what Drone Not Drones is all about and what someone should expect if they come out? 

Luke: DRONE NOT DRONES is part festival, part protest, part art installation, part reunion for other weirds in town. We use drone music to raise money for the victims of drone warfare (and other victims of the cooperate-military-industrial complex) by playing one long seamless 28-hour drone with dozens of different bands rotating in and out and playing all sorts of variations of drone music.

REVILER: After a few years of COVID-related delays (or online only events), what are you most excited about to get DND back at the Cedar?

Luke: This is a mid-winter boost that has been sorely missed. I am so excited to see everyone again! Even if it only is one weekend a year there is a real community behind this drone and that community fills up some reservoir inside me with hope/beauty/connectivity/etc/etc that I carry with me throughout the year.

REVILER: There have been some amazing visual artists in previous years. Will there be a visual component again this year?

Luke: Of course! It wouldn’t be the same without all the hard work of the visual artists. We’ll have some old faces and new friends doing their part to make sure the eyes aren’t too jealous of the ears. There’s always been such a variety of visual artists and I am excited to see what they have in store of us this year: Second Sight Visuals (@secondsightvisuals), Half The City (@halfthecitympls), Shane Donahue (@shaneahue), Emily Kaplan (@templeofwrong),  FNK b2b N80 (@efenkay), Tony Biele, Shawna Lee and Chris LeBlanc (@iamadot, @blindprophet), Paul Chang (@Pothos_Labs), Jason Hollis (@jasonendif), and Gordon Byrd (byrdpictures.com)

REVILER: Which national artist are you most excited to see? Same question for Minnesota artists?

Luke: Super excited to see what Circuit des Yeux does this time. She played a few years ago and it was unforgettable. I am also really looking forward to Pelt who I knew had to play the drone once I saw they were doing shows again. But don’t make me choose between my bbs! It’s a tie between old favorites and all the new stuff people have cooking!

REVILER: It seems like the forever wars we are currently embroiled in aren’t getting as much attention these days. What are you hoping people think about around this event in regards to the mission of this event?

Luke: I hope we raise lots of money for Doctors Without Borders who have literally been targeted by bombs themselves but are still out there giving care to people who need it the most. I hope people remember that the government is out there needlessly killing people in our names. And just because it’s team donkey doing it doesn’t make it any better than team elephant and even if we voted for them (especially if we voted for them!) we need to hold them accountable for what they do.

REVILER: Lastly, who is your dream Drone not Drones artists? If money and schedules weren’t an issue, who would headline DND 2024?

Luke: Terry Riley, Kali Malone, Brian Eno, Grouper, Steely Dan, Kate Bush, Godspeed Your! Black Emperor, Les Filles De Illighadad, and Sun Ra if he’s back to Earth by then.

DND SCHEDULE (with the note: it is subject to change and they will update here)

F R I D A Y 
7:00	International Novelty Gamelan
7:25	IOSIS
7:50	Gold Minefield
8:15	naoise
8:35	Dosh
9:00	IE
9:30	Arrington De Dionyso
10:00	Gaelynn Lea
10:30	Pan•American
11:15	Louise Bock
11:45	Labor Camp Orchestra


S A T U R D A Y 
12:15	American Cream Band
12:45	Tine Net
1:10	John St. Pelvyn
1:30	Judith II
1:50	Kendraplex / Chelsea Bridge
2:15	Javier Trejo
2:40	astrid hubbard flynn
3:00	Celica
3:20	Mar Harbine
3:40	PV Glob
4:00	Material
4:20	Bennett Johnson	
4:50	TBA	 
5:20	TBA	
5:40	Jesse Whitney
6:10	TBA
6:40	May Worm
7:10	Alone-a	
7:40 	A. James Shelp and the Rolling Hills
8:00	fische 
8:20	Carl Craigslist	
8:40	Cha Cha 9 / Loud Sun
9:00	Ballet Mécanique
9:20	Knife Island
9:40	Anna Dolde, Willow Waters, and Colleen Cowie
10:00	Iceclimber
10:20	PsychiCraze 
10:40	I once knew a ghost
11:00	Slow Clarity
11:20	David Krejci on The Cleophone
11:40	Matt Rahaim 
noon	Watershed Group
12:20	Microviolet
12:40	Boy Dirt Car
1:00	AD/VR
1:20	Brad Bellows and Dean Granros
1:40	Oxide Out
2:00	Ovovi
2:20	Robot Slide and Spaceport
2:40	Realtree
3:00	PLVUS VLTRA
3:25	1055	
3:45	Marisol
4:05	Noise Quean Ant
4:30	Davu Seru
4:55	Comets ov Cupid
5:15	Swimmer, Bressler and Waldo
5:40	Crystal Myslajek and John Marks
6:05	Paris 1919	
6:30	Paul Metzger
6:55	Cole Pulice
7:15	Pulice / Powers / Rolin
7:20	Powers / Rolin Duo
7:40	Florina
8:00	Matchess
8:30	portal iii
9:15	Pelt
10:15	Circuit des Yeux
11:00	fin