Fronted and founded by fight director, singer-songwriter, and guitarist Annie Enneking, Annie and the Bang Bang are a Minneapolis band. A mood ring of rock and roll, they genre hop from dreamy folkpop to swampy psychedelic grooves to a grunge-meets-classic rock vibe, crafting musical gems that value energy, animal intelligence, poetry, and mischief. 

Adding to their already respectable discography, the prolific band just released double album, RADIO BABY. With songs inspired by the 1970s filtered through their alt-rock hearts, imagine Fleetwood Mac colliding with the raw angst of Nirvana, or the soulful melodies of Heart intertwining with the introspective lyricism of R.E.M.

Annie believes songwriting is an act of spiritual archeology and so sifts through words to find bones of song, telling stories about being a person in a world full of complicated people. She relies on the artistry, thick invention, and dig-right-down-into-it-ness of the Bang Bang: the stacked chording and “just what the song wants” guitar of John Riedlinger, the lead-with-the-heart bass monster that is Kari Tweiten, and the heavy adventure and sharp, corner-turning drums of Mike Kittel. 

The band has found, over the years, a collaborative sweet spot — all members contribute song ideas, and all members have a similar work ethic: focus and joy in the making, fulfilled by connection and community in the delivering. Their dedication to craft shares equal footing with a penchant for novelty, discovery, and play. Each member brings immense energy and commitment to the work, fueling the collective joy and success of the band. The communal experience of playing music with one another and for other people is the driving force of their passion and purpose.  

Annie and the Bang Bang have five albums out: their self-titled debut, their sophomore effort Save Yourself, 2018’s still up?, and their first ever vinyl, LOVELAND, which dropped on January 29th of 2021. They made a concert film to celebrate the release of the album, as they could not perform an album release live. That film can be found here: LOVELAND (concert film from the Southern). LOVELAND was largely developed during epic band slumber parties and touring adventures in the “before-times.”

The second release of 2021 was WALKIE TALKIE, a love letter to rock and roll. Much of the energy on the album comes from a mid-pandemic longing for connection and a serious itch to create. The band’s drummer, Mike Kittel, crafted a labyrinth of plastic in his south Minneapolis basement so the band could practice together as safely as possible. WALKIE TALKIE is a reflection of and reaction to the pandemic’s crushing isolation and fear. The liberation the band experienced playing together again fuel the music’s surging joy, and the songs channel the "simpler times” of classic rock. 

The band charted on the Local Current with their single “Explode With Happy, Man!” (also a top ten pick of local legend, Jim Walsh), and their video for “Funeral for Fun” was an official selection for the Independent Filmmaker’s Project MNTV programming showcase, which aired on Twin Cities Public Television and was installed in the Walker Art Museum’s film and video collection. They have thrice been selected as MNSpin artists, a curated music program hosted by the Minneapolis Public Library. Their song “Good Dog” was in heavy rotation on The Current, and the band appeared as guests on the station’s SOUNDS LIKE HOME series. 

The band delivers a grand, infectious, and deeply committed live show and have played with local luminaries and national acts: Flamin’ Oh's, Kiss the Tiger, The Shackletons, Run Westy Run, Black-Eyed Snakes, Arcwelder, Turn Turn Turn, and Thunderpussy, to name a few. In addition to playing regularly in their hometown of Minneapolis (Turf Club, 7th Street Entry, The Hook and Ladder, Icehouse, The Parkway) they embark on touring adventures throughout the Midwest (Thesis Beer, Trempealeau Hotel, No Name, Big Turn Music Festival, Midwest Music Fest, Rochester Thaw, etc.) and annually tour to Colorado with their tiny trailer and trusty band mascot “Bun Bun,” a plastic light up rabbit rescued from the trash the day before one of their many tours. 

Andrea Swensson of The Current says "Front woman Annie Enneking leads the group with an honest voice dedicated to telling the stories of underdogs and unsung heroes." Cyn Collins says of Loveland: “Annie and the Bang Bang’s riveting new rock album is rich with Annie Enneking’s sultry, strong vocals soaring and diving into raw emotional depths - reminiscent of P.J. Harvey and Grace Slick – equally compelling with her at times wryly witty, at others darkly mysterious Southern Gothic storytelling style lyrics. The band performs vibrant real rock – some songs shambolic and raucous, others psychedelic tinged, with mesmerizingly hypnotic vibes."

…instantly engaging...soaring choruses with thick distortion and powerful vocal melodies." - Melodic Noise

“The band performs vibrant real rock – some songs shambolic and raucous, others psychedelic tinged, with mesmerizingly hypnotic vibes." - Cyn Collins, Star Tribune Pick Six

“A buzz of the amp and a hit of old-school garage rock, Annie and the Bang Bang features an intense vision with WALKIE TALKIE. The songs are catchy right to their core, with the lo-fi sound adding to the intimacy. Vocals are mixed front and center for they absolutely command the listener’s attention. The volume here demands to be blasted for they tap into a purely physical force. Layer upon layer of sound is added with such majesty. Interplay of the band proves to be exceptional for their sound feels absolutely timeless.” - Beach Sloth

“…reminiscent of P.J. Harvey and Grace Slick” - Star Tribune

“This Twin Cities group boldly breaks boundaries between musical genres, weaving elements of psychedelic rock, classic rock, folk rock, art rock and grunge into mesmerizing musical adventures. Annie Enneking's poetic lyrics sparkle with images that illuminate the experience of ‘being a person in a world full of complicated people.’” David Aquilina, Six Cool Things in Music, Star Tribune