kid dakota is the musical moniker of darren jackson.

Formed in 1999, Kid Dakota released two albums on LOW's Chairkicker's Union - “So Pretty” (2002), and “The West is the Future” (2004) - and four albums on Graveface Records - “A Winner's Shadow” (2008), “Listen to the Crows As They Take Flight” (2011), “Denervation” (2018), and “Age of Roaches.” With the addition of new drummer/guitarist Lars Oslund (New Primals, Services), Kid Dakota has embarked on a bold new sonic adventure which incorporates dueling guitars and a drum machine while maintaining his trademark minimalism. His new album, “Praegustator,” will be released in 2023.

Darren is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, engineer, teacher, and producer. Although he grew up in a small town in Western South Dakota, Darren cut his musical teeth in Minneapolis. A fixture on the scene there for two decades, Darren founded two critically-acclaimed bands (Kid Dakota and the Olympic Hopefuls), released nine albums, and won three Minnesota Music Awards including “Artist of the Year.” He toured extensively in the United States and Europe, sharing stages with rock and roll icons such as Soul Asylum and the Violent Femmes as well as indie rock stalwarts like LOW and Black Moth Super Rainbow.