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Minneapolis This Week (July 27, 2025)

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Favourite Girl at Groovin' in the Garden (July 23, 2025) Groovin in the Garden Groovin’ In The Garden is a free Summer Music Series that takes place at the Como Zoo… now upgraded with Food Trucks. Free Summer Music Series Returns … read more Katy Vernon Singer/songwriter Katy Vernon opened up the show, she is actually British-born, but is currently living in the U.S. Vernon dedicated "Play" to Lucy Rose, fitting with … read more

July 23, 2025 Wednesday
Favourite Girl
at Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
comozooconservatory.org

Favourite Girl will be taking the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory, at Como Park, as part of the Groovin’ In The Garden free Summer music series.

If you’ve never heard of this band, they’re brand new. The group is led by British-born singer songwriter Katy Vernon, and features Vernon on ukulele/vocals, Daisy Forester on bass, Alyse Emanuel on drums, Allie Pikala on guitars, and Paul Odegaard on trumpet. They released their debut single, “Favourite Girl” in September 2024, and “Not Going Back” in January 2025. They are currently recording their debut album.

Katy Vernon at Amsterdam Bar (Oct 22, 2013)

We saw Katy Vernon in Oct 2013 and wrote, “Singer/songwriter Katy Vernon opened up the show, she is actually British-born, but is currently living in the U.S. Vernon dedicated "Play" to Lucy Rose, fitting with the lyrics "sing to me". Because we were at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, it reminded her of how she met her husband (leaving Amsterdam) and she wrote about it in her song "Better For You." They actually list five other songs, but the band ended with "This Is It", possibly due to starting the show a little later than scheduled.”

Groovin’ the Garden

July 23 – Favourite Girl – Female Powered Rock Band

July 24 – Flamin’ Oh’s – Rescheduled

July 30 – School of Rock –St. Paul & Plymouth House Bands

The Big Star Quintet at First Avenue (July 23, 2025) Big Star Big Star is releasing some singles on Record Store Day. This is to coincide with the release of the documentary of Big Star called "Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me", which … read more Chris Stamey Stamey, who had a long-running career already, playing with the Erasers, followed by playing bass for Alex Chilton (you can see his appearance billed … read more

July 23, 2025 Wednesday
The Big Star Quintet
with Chris Stamey
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Jody Stephens’ The Big Star Quintet (the all-star band featuring Stephens, Mike Mills, Jon Auer, Chris Stamey, and Pat Sansone) show is coming to First Avenue, in Minneapolis, on July 23, 2025. If you didn’t know Stephens is the last surviving band member of the original Big Star.

Big Star's Third at First Avenue (Sep 30, 2015)

We saw a similar Big Star show in Sept 2015 and wrote, “Last night’s performance of Big Star’s Third at First Avenue was so extraordinary, I’m having a hard time finding the right words for this review. Unfortunately, nothing I write here will truly do it justice. So bear with me, dear reader, as I recount some of the details of this tremendous event. The evening started with a brief 25-min set by The Chris Stamey Group, headed by, who else, Chris Stamey (famous for forming The Db's with Peter Holsapple).”

Speaking of Stamey, North Carolina songwriter / vocalist / guitarist / producer Chris Stamey will open the show, playing some songs from his new album Anything Is Possible (a collection of original songs and one cover).

Tour dates:

July 10 City Winery, New York, NY
accompanied by rock band featuring Andy Burton, Dave Schramm, Jeremy Chatsky, Kenny Soule

July 13 Scribble, Los Angeles, CA
accompanied by the Wild Honey Chamber Orchestra

July 15 Crosstown Arts Green Room, Memphis, TN
accompanied by chamber pop ensemble

July 21 Basement, Nashville, TN
accompanied by Jen Gunderman

July 23 First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
solo performance opening for and then performing with Big Star Quintet

Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet at Cedar (July 23, 2025) Summer at the Cedar Every Wednesday, music fans can experience Summer at the Cedar for free at the Cedar Plaza (outdoors). There are limited seating, so the venue suggests you can bring … read more

July 23, 2025 Wednesday
Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet
at Cedar Cultural Center
thecedar.org

Drummer & Composer Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet አንድነት (meaning: Unity) pays respect to Ethiopian folk, pop, and instrumental music, exploring the unique musical cultures that span northern and southern Ethiopia.

Every Wednesday, music fans can experience Summer at the Cedar for free at the Cedar Plaza (outdoors). There is limited seating, so the venue suggests you can bring your own chairs.

The worst part about these outdoor shows is at the mercy of rain (recently Dr. Mambo's Combo and Flamin’ Oh’s were cancelled due to weather)… however, for the Cedar, they mentioned that if it were to rain, they can move the show indoors! So the show will go on, rain or shine!

Quote:

In the event of severe weather or an air quality advisory, we will not reschedule these events. Instead, we will host the show indoors at The Cedar and admit all patrons into the show on a first-come, first-served basis until the venue reaches capacity.

Prospective attendees can RSVP to these events online.

Summer at the Cedar

July 9 - Sinkane

July 16 - Yeison Landero

July 23 - Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet

July 30 - Buddha Prince

August 6 - Combo Daguerre

August 13 - The Burroughs

August 20 - Ukrainian Village Band

Daisychain at Zhora Darling (July 25, 2025) Muun Bato Local Twin Cities band Muun Bato opened the evening with a hybrid of 60’s psych-rock meets shoegaze, a sound that the Star and Tribune has described as … read more Silent Treatment Local punk rockers The Silent Treatment (singer Claire Luger, guitarist Rob Sells, basist Dave Randall, and drummer Keely Lane) opened the show. Based on attitude and enthusiasm … read more Absolutely Yours We haven’t seen France Camp since Aug 2012 and Howler since Jordan dating Johnny Marr’s daughter. Rupert Angeleyes, Absolutely Yours … read more

July 25, 2025 Friday
Daisychain
with Muun Bato, The Silent Treatment, Absolutely Yours at Zhora Darling
zhoradarling.com

Chicago-based psych rock trio Daisychain, featuring Nickole Regala (bass, vocals), Frankie Sripada (lead guitar) and Sophia Williams (rhythm guitar, vocals), is touring in support of their debut album All In A Name, stopping by Zhora Darling in Minneapolis, on July 25, 2025.

Local bands Muun Bato, The Silent Treatment and Absolutely Yours to open.

Muun Bato at Cloudland Theater (May 30, 2025)

We saw Muun Bato, recently, in May 2025 and said, “Maybe I hadn’t noticed last time, but with all of the instrumentation and boards and the relatively small stage, the quintet was extremely limited on space. With a very similar set list, it was fun to recognize similarities and differences in the performances. Otab Nuum is really a funky psych rock song and the guitar riff is a pretty good ear worm, reminiscent of some Zepplin. Joe Werner’s vocals were worked through the reverb effect on the microphone, but it worked for the sound they are trying to produce. The third song, Blue Lines, had a hint of The Doors in the interlude. Really, Muun Bato’s songs call up any number of 60’s and 70’s rock bands while still being uniquely theirs.”

Silent Treatment at Amsterdam Bar (Oct 11, 2024)

We caught the Silent Treatment in October 2024 and said, “Local punk rockers The Silent Treatment (singer Claire Luger, guitarist Rob Sells, basist Dave Randall, and drummer Keely Lane) opened the show. Based on attitude and enthusiasm and skill, you can tell the group’s been around for a long time, or at least knew each other for a long time. Songs on their set included “Bored Teenagers”, “Keep Running”, and set finale, a cover of Iggy & The Stooges’ “Search and Destroy”.”

Tour dates:

07/11 - Bloomington, IL - Jazz Upfront

07/12 - St Louis, MO - Platypus

07/13 - Lawrence, KS - Replay Loung

07/15 - Fort Collins, CO - Surfside 7

07/17 - Colorado Springs, CO - Vultures

07/18 - Denver, CO - Skylark Lounge

07/19 - Keystone, CO - Snake River Saloon

07/23 - Omaha, NE - The Sydney

07/24 - Des Moines, IA - Leftys

07/25 - Minneapolis, MN - Zhora Darling

07/26 - Madison, WI - Gamma Ray

07/27 - Milwaukee, WI - Cactus Club

09/10 - Madison, WI - The Majestic Theater

09/11 - St. Paul, MN - Turf Club

10/30 - Hamburg, DE - Deichdiele

10/31 - Weimar, DE - Kasseturm

11/01 - Cottbus, DE - Fango

11/07 - Copenhagen, DK - Beta

11/08 - Berlin, DE - Loge

11/10 - Aachen, DE - Domkeller

11/13 - Frankfurt, DE - Elfer Club

11/14 - Feldbach, AT - G.L.A.M

The Honeydogs at Green Room (July 25, 2025) Honeydogs The game started with Minnesota's legendary The Honeydogs. The rather large seven-member league, led by star hitter Adam Levy, rose to popularity when they played … read more

July 25, 2025 Friday
The Honeydogs
with Molly Maher
at Green Room
greenroommn.com

Minneapolis’ The Honeydogs are pleased to announced a new album Algebra For Broken Hearts, due out July 25th via Jullian Records. The original four band members, Adam Levy, Noah Levy, Trent Norton, and Tommy Borscheid, have reunited to do a few dates to promote the record (see tour schedule below). One of those dates includes an appearance at the Green Room on June 27, 2025. We’ve been to the venue before, this show will sell out - so get your tickets early.

The Honeydogs at Loring Park (Aug 8, 2016)

We saw Honeydogs in Aug 2016 and said, “A gig in Canada the night before had delayed their entry back to Minnesota and so on the morning of; the event was left without a band until The Honeydogs, with just a few hours notice, were able to admirably fill in, playing a 55 min.-long set before the scheduled movie (John Waters’ Hairspray). The group, led by lead ‘Dog Adam Levy, has coincidentally just put out a new 11th studio album, Love and Cannibalism (on Simon Recordings) the result of a successful PledgeMusic campaign which had premiums that even included Levy personally preparing a home-cooked meal for you.”

Walt Disco to open.

Tour Dates:

07/12 - Lutsen, MN @ Lutsong Festival

07/25 - Minneapolis, MN @ Green Room

07/26 - Delano, MN @ Rieder Homestead

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Trapper Schoepp at The Sunset Series, Hopkins (July 17, 2025)

Trapper Schoepp at Sunset Series (July 17, 2025) Trapper Schoepp Setlist Tracks You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan cover) Cliffs of Dover Queen of the Mist On, Wisconsin (written by Bob Dylan and Trapper Schoepp) Ogallala Freight Train (Sister Double Happiness cover) Wild Fire (new) Devil's Kettle Meet Me in the Morning (Bob Dylan cover) The Scat Osborne (new) I'm Waiting for the Man (The Velvet Underground cover) Tour Dates Summer dates coming in hot! Hope to see you somewhere down the tracks... 🚂 JUL 24 Lake Arrowhead: Tunes on the Turn Nekoosa, WI JUL 25 Freeman Arts Pavilion Selbyville, DE JUL 26 Community Arts Center Williamsport, PA JUL 27 Wellmont Theater Montclair, NJ AUG 1 Peoria Scottish Rite Peoria, IL AUG 2 Slowdown Omaha, NE AUG 3 Sanctuary Events Center Fargo, ND AUG 5 Park Theatre Winnipeg, Canada AUG 6 Louis Pub Saskatoon, Canada AUG 8 Starlite Room Edmonton, Canada AUG 9 Commonwealth Stage Calgary, Canada AUG 10 Revelry Kelowna, Canada AUG 12 The Pearl Vancouver, Canada AUG 13 Wicket Hall Victoria, Canada AUG 15 Monk's Bar Missoula, MT AUG 16 Treefort Music Hall Boise, ID AUG 17 Soundwell Salt Lake City, UT AUG 19 Oil City Beer Company Casper, WY AUG 24 Ferris Wheelers Dallas, TX AUG 25 Atone's Austin, TX AUG 26 House of Blues Houston, TX AUG 27 Chelsea's Live Baton Rouge, LA SEP 26 The Bur Oak Madison, WI The Sunset Series The Summer series takes place every Thursday evening, starting June 12 and ending August 21, in Downtown Park, 40 Ninth Avenue S, Hopkins. … read more Trapper Schoepp Trapper Schoepp has some fun with this one (how could you not?), borrowing a few lines he overheard a kid lament during the ride: “I feel weird, I feel … read more

There was a festive spirit in downtown Hopkins as an inordinate amount of teenage girls dressed in evening gowns, some wearing tiaras, walked up and down Main Street. They were there to help kick off the 91st Raspberry Festival, a community event that started in the depths of the Great Depression as a way to bring in visitors to support the local businesses as well as the local farmers and their raspberry fields.

The raspberry fields are now gone, but the Festival’s spirit was alive on Thursday night as downtown was packed with people there to see the Coronation & Royal Ball at the Hopkins Center for the Arts as well as catch Trapper Schoepp at Downtown Park.

First, Downtown Park, tucked in behind Main Streets’ shops and restaurants. It is so small that you may pass it without seeing it. Still, a great place to see an outdoor show with seven Honey Locus trees providing a natural canopy and three grassy knolls for those who want to lie on a blanket instead of a chair.

We arrived early and caught the band at sound check, Trapper saying the names of Minnesota Viking’s football players into the microphone: “Chris Carter…. Randy Moss… Lambeau Field…” Then bringing up the infamous mooning incident involving Randy and the Green Bay Packers fans.

Trapper Schoepp at 7th St Entry (April 14, 2023)

Even though Trapper is currently living in Milwaukee, WI he shares an affinity to Minnesota. We have seen him perform in the Twin Cities multiple times, last seeing him at 7th Street Entry in April, 2023.

Trapper was joined on stage by Mike from Chicago, Shotgun Dan on the upright bass and Nick Lang on Drums. They started off the set in an Americana vein with “Tracks,” “Cliffs of Dover” and a song that he actually co-wrote with Bob Dylan “On, Wisconsin”.

Actually it was an uncompleted song of Bob’s that Trapper took upon himself to complete. It grabbed so much national attention, as well as approval from Nobel Laureate, that Trapper can lay claim as being the youngest person to share a song credit with his hero.

After playing “Ogallala,” a song about being stranded in the Nebraska town during a blizzard, Trapper pulled out the electric guitar and picked up the pace and volume with a Sister Double Happiness cover “Freight Train” with a guitar solo that involved Trapper moving into the crowd and playing among the Locus trees. Then a new song “Wild Fire” followed by “Devil’s Kettle” with Matt providing some sauce with a Delta Blues slide guitar riff.

A personal favorite was “The Scat,” a song inspired by being next to a young boy on an amusement ride and the kid definitely wanted off. Trapper said some of the lyrics are lifted right from the kid’s moment of fright. He even added a screeching guitar solo for added effect.

Even though he lives in Wisconsin, Trapper said he has much love for Minnesota. He said that the Mayo Clinic in Rochester fixed his back in 2007 and the Hazelton Clinic in Center City fixed the rest of him a few years back.

Black Sabbath at Aston Villa Stadium, Birmingham (July 5, 2025)

Trapper then gave a shoutout to Ozzy Osbourne who just gave his last performance on July 5th in Birmingham. Trapper said that Ozzy too had spent time at Hazelton and Trapper actually stayed in the Osbourne Wing at the facility. The time there must have made an impression for Trapper will be releasing his new album Osborne this fall, a release party will be at The Hook and Ladder in October. We got a sneak peak before he closed the evening with The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting for the Man.”

The Raspberry Royalty

The Raspberry Royalty

Soundcheck

Trapper Schoepp at The Sunset Series, Hopkins (July 17, 2025) photos by Vu

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.app

Our Lady Peace at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2025-07-16)

+LĪVE+ / Collective Soul at Starlight Theatre, KCMO OUR LADY PEACE SETLIST Sound the Alarm Superman's Dead Whatever  Clumsy Somewhere Out There Starseed COLLECTIVE SOUL SETLIST (what would have been played) Let the Day Begin (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club song) (Played to video clip intro) Mother's Love Heavy Right as Rain Shine Precious Declaration Keep It on Track She Said The World I Know December Tremble for My Beloved Gel Where the River Flows Run  +LĪVE+ TOUR DATES Jul. 17 Maryland Heights, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Jul. 18 East Troy, WI Alpine Valley Summer of '99 and Beyond Jul. 20 Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center at The Heights Jul. 22 Sterling Heights, MI Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre Jul. 25 Pittsburgh, PA Rivers Casino Jul. 26 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater Jul. 27 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater Jul. 30 Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheater Jul. 31 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater Aug. 2 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Aug. 3 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live Aug. 5 Greensboro, NC White Oak Amphitheater Aug. 6 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium Aug. 8 Jacksonville, FL Daily's Place Aug. 9 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre Aug. 10 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheater Aug. 13 Irving, TX The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory Aug. 15 Houston, TX 713 Music Hall Aug. 16 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater Aug. 18 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater Aug. 19 Greenwood Village, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre Aug. 21 Lincoln, NE Pinewood Bowl Theater Aug. 22 Ridgedale, MO Thunder Ridge Nature's Arena Aug. 23 Albertville, AL Sand Mountain Amphitheater Aug. 26 Simpsonville, SC CCNB Amphitheatre Aug. 28 Charlotte, NC Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre Aug. 29 Grantville, PA Hollywood Casino  Aug. 30 Atlantic City, NJ Ocean Casino Resort Sep. 1 Syracuse, NY New York State Fair Sep. 26 Ocean City, MD Oceans Calling COLLECTIVE SOUL TOUR DATES Jul. 17 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre Jul. 18 Mount Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Jul. 20 Huber Heights, OH Rose Music Center at The Heights Jul. 22 Sterling Heights, MI Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre  Jul. 23 Bala, ON The KEE to Bala Jul. 24 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage Jul. 26 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater Jul. 27 Bridgeport, CT Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater Jul. 30 Bangor, ME Maine Savings Amphitheater Jul. 31 Wantagh, NY Northwell at Jones Beach Theater Aug. 2 Bethel, NY Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Aug. 3 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live Aug. 5 Greensboro, NC White Oak Amphitheatre Aug. 6 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium Aug. 8 Jacksonville, FL Daily's Place Aug. 9 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre Aug. 10 Franklin, TN FirstBank Amphitheater Aug. 13 Irving, TX The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory Aug. 15 Houston, TX 713 Music Hall Aug. 16 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater Aug. 18 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater Aug. 19 Denver, CO Fiddler's Green Amphitheater Aug. 21 Lincoln, NE Pinewood Bowl Theater Aug. 22 Ridgedale, MO Thunder Ridge Nature's Arena Aug. 23 Albertville, AL Sand Mountain Amphitheater Aug. 26 Simpsonville, SC CCNB Amphitheatre Aug. 28 Charlotte, NC Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre Aug. 29 Grantville, PA Hollywood Casino @ Penn Racecourse Aug. 30 Atlantic City, NJ Ovation Hall Sep. 11 Louisville, KY Bourbon & Beyond Sep. 12 Montgomery, AL Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Sep. 19 Deadwood, SD The Deadwood Jam Sep. 20 Saint Michael, ND Spirit Lake Casino & Resort Sep. 25 Hampton Beach, NH Hampton Beach Casino  Sep. 27 Ocean City, MD Oceans Calling Oct. 9-11 Destin, FL Rockin' in Paradise with Styx + Friends Oct. 17 Norman, OK Riverwind Casino Read More Our Lady Peace The band is out of their five-year hiatus this year to celebrate their 20th Anniversary of their hit record Clumsy. It’s hard to believe that the album came out in 1997

 +LĪVE+, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO, July 16, 2025

Lightning still Crashes--

The Summer Unity Tour starring +LĪVE+, Collective Soul, Our Lady Peace and opener Greylin James Rue rolled into Kansas City at Starlight Theatre, on a 97-degree sweltering evening, with ‘real feel’ temps well into the triple-digits.

Our night was already off to a bad start by encountering a semi-trailer accident on the turnpike road in, backing up the remaining open lane for miles and delaying our arrival into the city and venue, coming in only managing to catch the last song from rising LA newcomer musician and actress, Greylin James Rue.

Rue’s first major show was last summer with Smashing Pumpkins in Canada, and she is set to release new music produced by Gavin Brown, who is known for his work with artists like Billy Talent and Three Days Grace.

In between releasing singles like “It Gets Bad”, “Happy” and “Tear You to Pieces”, she’s recently filmed a horror movie in Belize, The Haunting of St Ignacio, which is currently in post-production.

===

Highly popular and influential Canadian band Our Lady Peace set out on their anticipated “OLP30 Tour” in February in Calgary, celebrating three decades of music and touring throughout North America and the world, accompanied by their new single, “Sound the Alarm.”

Led by lead vocalist Raine Maida since its formation, the band currently also features Duncan Coutts on bass, Steve Mazur on guitars, and Jason Pierce on drums. OLP has sold over 5 million albums worldwide and logged more than 360 million streams. They are one of only thirteen Music Canada Diamond-certified artists, holding 3x-Triple and 5x-Double Platinum certifications and can brag about nineteen Top 10 radio hits in Canada—including five #1 singles.

Opening their brief but impactful thirty-five-minute set with the new single followed by hit, “Superman’s Dead”, Maida took time to mention their reclaiming of the song, “Whatever” which they’ve been playing on this tour for the first time in twenty-three years.

The song was previously associated as the walk-on music of a wrestler who unfortunately ended in a murder-suicide headline; but the band has reclaimed the song, updating it with mental health-focused lyrics and pledging the streaming proceeds from the single, to go to related charities.

From there, it was the three songs probably most associated with the band (in the States) – 1997’s “Clumsy”, 2002’s “Somewhere Out There” which topped the Canadian charts, and their metaphysical breakthrough single, 1994’s “Starseed”. “This feels like a rock n’ roll concert! “, Maida exclaimed.

===

A short set change commenced, and the stage was ready, right as clouds started to swirl, gray skies approached from the horizon, and the temperature quickly dropped twenty degrees.

The crowd was evacuated to the covered structures, and the stage was sealed off just after 7:30pm, and shortly after Collective Soul’s scheduled start time of 7:50pm, the rains began and continued getting heavier.

An hour passed with the rains (and lightning) still constant, so the band, management, and venue decided to cancel the show just before 9pm, in hopes of securing a rescheduled date later this summer. The rain would keep coming during everyone’s drive home, resulting in flash flooding, and in certain parts of the metro, some cars submerged and houses taking in water. Lightning still Crashes.

OUR LADY PEACE TOUR DATES

Jul 18 Summer of '99 and Beyond Festival 2025 @ 3:00 PM East Troy, WI

Jul 20 Rose Music Center at The Heights @ 6:00 PM Huber Heights, OH

Jul 22 Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill @ 6:00 PM Sterling Heights, MI

Jul 24 Budweiser Stage - 30th Anniversary Tour @ 6:00 PM Toronto, ON

Jul 26 Darien Lake Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Darien Center, NY

Jul 27 Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Bridgeport, CT

Jul 30 Maine Savings Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Bangor, ME

Jul 31 Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater @ 6:00 PM Wantagh, NY

Aug 2 Bethel Woods Center for the Arts @ 6:00 PM Bethel, NY

Aug 3 Jiffy Lube Live @ 6:00 PM Bristow, VA

Aug 5 White Oak Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Greensboro, NC

Aug 6 Wed Credit One Stadium @ 6:00 PM Charleston, SC

Aug 8 Osisko en Lumiere 2025 @ 6:00 PM Rouyn-noranda, Quebec

Aug 9 Ameris Bank Amphitheatre @ 6:00 PM Alpharetta, GA

Aug 10 FirstBank Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Franklin, TN

Aug 13 The Pavilion At Toyota Music Factory @ 6:00 PM Irving, TX

Aug 15 713 Music Hall @ 6:00 PM Houston, TX

Aug 16 Germania Insurance Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Austin, TX

Aug 18 Isleta Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Albuquerque, NM

Aug 19 Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre @ 6:00 PM Greenwood Village, CO

Aug 21 Pinewood Bowl Theater @ 6:00 PM Lincoln, NE

Aug 22 Thunder Ridge Nature's Arena @ 6:00 PM Ridgedale, MO

Aug 23 Sand Mountain Amphitheater @ 6:00 PM Albertville, AL

Aug 26 CCNB Amphitheatre at Heritage Park @ 6:00 PM Simpsonville, SC

Aug 28 Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre @ 6:00 PM Charlotte, NC

Aug 29 Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course @ 6:00 PM Grantville, PA

Aug 30 Ocean Casino Resort @ 6:30 PM Atlantic City, NJ

Aug 31 Fremont Street Experience @ 7:00 PM Las Vegas, NV

(click on any image to enlarge and to see in full)

Our Lady Peace at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2025-07-16)
Our Lady Peace at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2025-07-16)

Our Lady Peace at Starlight Theatre, Kansas City MO (2025-07-16)

John C ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥X / twitter.com ♥ bsky.ap

Mpls: August 19 to August 22, 2025

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Gregory Alan Isakov at Surly Brewing Festival Field (August 19, 2025) Read More Gregory Alan Isakov Gregory Alan Isakov w Damien Jurado, The Midland Colorado folk singer Isakov’s first studio album in five years, Appaloosa Bones, released on August 18 through Dualtone Records …

August 19, 2025 Tuesday
Gregory Alan Isakov
with Ocie Elliott
at Surly Brewing Festival Field
first-avenue.com

Gregory Alan Isakov is headlining the Surly Brewing Festival Field on August 19, 2025. The last we heard from Isakov, he was co-headlining with Ray LaMontagne in 2024.

$1 from the sale of each ticket will be donated to Corner to Corner, a Nashville-based community-led nonprofit that helps underestimated neighbors start and grow their own businesses.

There is a strict 8 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 8 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets up to ONE MONTH prior to the show.

Ocie Elliott to open.

Tour Dates:

07/24/25 Bonner Springs, KS Azura Amphitheater

07/25/25 Bentonville, AR The Momentary Green

07/26/25 Alpharetta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre

07/27/25 Charleston, SC Credit One Stadium

08/18/25 Omaha, NE Astro

08/19/25 Minneapolis, MN Surly Brewing Festival Field

08/20/25 Indianapolis, IN Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park

08/22/25 Portland, ME Thompson’s Point

08/23/25 Shelburne, VT Shelburne Museum (Concerts on the Green)

08/24/25 Lewiston, NY ArtPark

08/26/25 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion

08/27/25 St. Louis, MO The Pageant

08/28/25 Kansas City, MO The Midland Theatre

08/31/25 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre

09/01/25 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre

09/04/25 Salt Lake City, UT Red Butte Garden

09/05/25 Boise, ID Morrison Center

09/06/25 Carnation, WA Remlinger Farms

09/07/25 Troutdale, OR Edgefield Buy Tickets

09/09/25 Jacksonville, OR Britt Pavilion

09/11/25 Berkeley, CA The Greek Theatre

09/12/25 Santa Barbara, CA Santa Barbara Bowl

09/13/25 San Diego, CA CalCoast Credit Union Open Air Theatre

10/12/25 Austin, TX Austin City Limits Music Festival

10/15/25 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso

10/16/25 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso

10/17/25 Amsterdam, Netherlands Paradiso

10/19/25 Dublin, Ireland 3Olympia Theatre

10/20/25 Dublin, Ireland 3Olympia Theatre

10/22/25 Glasgow, Scotland O2 Academy

10/23/25 Manchester, UK Albert Hall

10/24/25 Bristol, UK Bristol Beacon

10/25/25 London, UK Eventim Apollo Buy Tickets

Lettuce at 7th St Entry (August 20, 2025) Read More Lettuce GRAMMY-nominated funk sextet Lettuce is on tour for their record Unify. The band got the stamp of approval from funkmaster general Bootsy Collins thanks to tracks like “Keep That Funk Alive.” ...

August 20, 2025 Wednesday
Lettuce
with BALTHVS
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Lettuce to headline the 7th Street Entry on August 20, 2025.

Colombian psych-funk trio BALTHVS to open.

Tour Dates:

Jun 27, 2025 Rochester Jazz Festival Rochester, NY

Jun 28, 2025 Saratoga Jazz Festival Saratoga Springs, NY

Jun 29, 2025 NJPAC Newark, NJ

Jul 3, 2025 AvonLIVE! Avon, CO

Jul 4, 2025 Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom Denver, CO

Jul 10, 2025 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Mills River, NC

Jul 11, 2025 Neighborhood Theatre Charlotte, NC

Jul 12, 2025 BAD Day Music & Arts Festival Wilmington, NC

Aug 13, 2025 Warner Vineyards Paw Paw, MI

Aug 14, 2025 Rose Music Center at The Heights Huber Heights, OH

Aug 15, 2025 HI-FI Annex Indianapolis, IN

Aug 16, 2025 Saint Andrew's Hall Detroit, MI

Aug 17, 2025 Turner Hall Ballroom Milwaukee, WI

Aug 19, 2025 Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua Bayfield, WI

Aug 20, 2025 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN

Aug 21, 2025 Bourbon Theatre Lincoln, NE

Aug 22, 2025 Liberty Hall Lawrence, KS

Aug 23, 2025 Horizon Events Center Clive, IA

Aug 24, 2025 Atomic Pavilion St. Louis, MO

Aug 27, 2025 Annabel's Toronto, ON

Aug 28, 2025 Penn's Peak Jim Thorpe, PA

Aug 29, 2025 - Aug 31, 2025 Rhythm & Roots Charlestown, RI

Aug 30, 2025 Higher Ground Ballroom Burlington, VT

Aug 31, 2025 The Music Hall Portsmouth, NH

Sep 1, 2025 Stratton Mountain Resort Stratton, VT

Feb 7, 2026 - Feb 12, 2026 Jam Cruise 22 Miami, FL

BabyTron at First Avenue (August 22, 2025)

August 22, 2025 Friday
BabyTron
with ShittyBoyz
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

The Detroit rapper and Artist To Watch BabyTron (not to be confused with Ladytron) is headlining First Avenue on August 22, 2025.

Detroit’s ShittyBoyz to open.

Tour Dates:

Jun. 21, 2025 Bridgeview, IL SeatGeek Stadium

Aug. 15, 2025 Cleveland, OH Agora Theater & Ballroom

Aug. 16, 2025 Louisville, KY Mercury Ballroom

Aug. 17, 2025 Cincinnati, OH Bogart's

Aug. 20, 2025 Indianapolis, IN Old National Centre

Aug. 21, 2025 Chicago, IL Avondale Music Hall

Aug. 22, 2025 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Aug. 23, 2025 Milwaukee, WI The Rave / Eagles Club

Aug. 24, 2025 Lawrence, KS The Granada

Aug. 26, 2025 Denver, CO Marquis Theater

Aug. 29, 2025 Portland, OR Roseland Theater

Aug. 30, 2025 Vancouver, BC Vogue Theatre

Aug. 31, 2025 Seattle, WA Showbox SoDo

Sep. 3, 2025 Sacramento, CA Ace Of Spades

Sep. 4, 2025 San Francisco, CA The Regency Ballroom

Sep. 6, 2025 Los Angeles, CA The Belasco Theater

Sep. 7, 2025 Phoenix, AZ The Van Buren

Sep. 10, 2025 Dallas, TX The Studio

Sep. 13, 2025 Orlando, FL

Sep. 14, 2025 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade

Sep. 15, 2025 Washington, DC Howard Theatre

Sep. 17, 2025 Charlotte, NC The Underground

Sep. 19, 2025 Philadelphia, PA Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia

Sep. 21, 2025 New Haven, CT Toad's Place

Sep. 22, 2025 Boston, MA Big Night Live

Sep. 23, 2025 New York, NY Webster Hall

Sep. 25, 2025 Toronto, ON Phoenix Concert Theatre

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Don't Hate the Player

Alice in Borderland (2020) Borderlands I am a big fan of the original Borderlands game, which was described as a "Diablo Shooter". All the benefit of a shooter, and the looting system of Diablo - a 'slooter' as some people have described it. … read more

Alice in Borderland (今際の国のアリス)
netflix.com

With a disappointing Squid Game Season 3 Finale, I’m turning towards another Asian show called Alice in Borderland, obviously named after Alice in Wonderland… but the name reminds me of the video game Borderlands. Anyway, we recently got a trailer for Alice in Borderland Season 3, set to premiere on September 25, 2025. To get me excited for the third season, I revisited the original first season.

Alice in Borderland is a weird Sci-Fi/horror television show, based on the manga by Haro Aso. The story is about a group of friends who accidentally found themselves in an empty Tokyo and forced to play these deadly games. If you win a game, your life is extended until your visa expires… then you’re forced back to playing the game.

The whole thing is fantastical. Lasers from the sky will execute players if they break the rules or go outside a boundary… which they are calling in the show ‘borderland’.

At first, you think the show is going to be about three friends, two brothers and a gangster-ish friend. The show changes direction and suddenly it’s about someone else, a rock climber girl. My least favorite arc in the first season is our characters found themselves at the mysterious “The Beach”. That whole storyline was way too long in the series. There were so many (young) players, partying… it just felt out of place. That is the weakest part of the first season… otherwise by the end, they discover the game master.

Squid Game: Season 3 (2025) Squid Game In my original review of Squid Game, I mentioned that the show left an opening to continue the story, but I felt the story should just end with the first season. I didn’t need a continuation of the first season. … read more

Squid Game: Season 3
netflix.com

You guys already know that I really love the first season of Squid Game, the Netflix series that took the world by storm in 2021. To me, they never should have continued the story, it had a good ending with the first season… yet, show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk couldn’t turn down the dump truck full of money. So, he created a sequel, which was broken up in two parts: Season 2 and Season 3.

Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, so now that Season 3 has finally aired, you have the full complete story of Player 456.

There were many problems with the Squid Games finale, first off some of the games were poorly thought out, like the hide-and-seek game. Basically, you have a group of people trying to hide and a group trying to murder them. There’s no strategy, it’s just here’s a knife, go murder people.

The VIPs were also terrible. The worst part of Season 1 were the VIPs… yet Hwang Dong-hyuk brought them back. Truly terrible. If you go back and remove all the VIPs from the story, it would make the show more enjoyable.

The worst part of the final Squid Game show was the introduction of the baby. It was just so stupid. The baby became a player, and, oh god, who thought this was a good idea? That whole baby storyline was just awful.

This universe is quite interesting, perhaps the filmmakers could have written a totally different player and taken place in a different country (where they play Squid Game differently). It could have been a brand-new breed of players, and the survivor (winner) could eventually meet up with Player 456 or something to tie it back to the first game. Instead, what we have with the second and third game is that it was unsatisfying and unnecessary.

Like The Last of Us Season 2 ruining everything good about the first season… so did Squid Game: Season 3. It ruined the first well-crafted series.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Yeison Landero at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (July 16, 2025)

Yeison Landero Setlist Intro Epocas de oro No es negra es morena Campesino cimmarón Noche de cumbia Santa Lucia El mochuelo La pava congona Mosaico la paloma Perdí las abarcas Teofilo el gaitero Mara del Carmen La hamaca grande -- Encore -- Cuando lo negro sea bello Summer at the Cedar Join us for a series of Free Wednesday night concerts outdoors on the Cedar Plaza! Please note that FREE Wednesdays will begin outdoors on The Cedar plaza at 6:00 pm. Feel free to bring your own chairs - limited seating is available on the planters. Concessions will be available for purchase from The Cedar. July 9 - Sinkane July 16 - Yeison Landero July 23 - Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet July 30 - Buddha Prince August 6 - Combo Daguerre August 13 - The Burroughs August 20 - Ukrainian Village Band The Cedar Every Wednesday, music fans can experience Summer at the Cedar for free at the Cedar Plaza (outdoors). There are limited seating, so the venue suggests you … read more

The Cedar Cultural Center has a Summer at the Cedar series, come rain or shine. Always scheduled for outdoors, this second in the series moved indoors due to the heavy rain over the last day. It was well worth heading in, as Colombian native Yeison Landero brought his cumbia band to Minneapolis.

Cumbia music is a collective term for some musical and folk dancing traditions originating from the mix if indigenous people of South America, Africans, and Europeans during colonial times. It often has drum & flute, along with supporting brass and percussion. Yeison Landero, a San Jacinto, Colombia native, has added accordion to the mix. Like his grandfather Andrés, the “King of cumbia”, Yeison (“Heir to cumbia”) has become a leader in the genre. His first solo record, La Epoca De Oro, was released in 2021. The band (all backing members were in multi-colored Yeison Landero shirts and cowboy hats) came on as a sextet (accordion/vocals, drums, three percussion players, and bass) and Landero’s bright sounding accordion took over. This was lively and very quickly a portion of the audience was on the main floor dancing.

Landero did as much yelling and pumping up the crowd as he did singing, and that really worked. While his accordion provided the central musical hook, those four percussion players made for a rich beat that consistently provided the audience dancers any guide they might need. They also were all mic’ed up to provide backing vocals or encouraging shouts as needed. In the first real break, Landero asked in Spanish if there were people from various countries, and there were cheers for Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela and more. Back into the music, the band continued the high energy singing. A song about Colombia followed, and one of the drummers switched to flute, which added a nice harmony with the accordion. Also, much like any number of guitarists might, Landero switched between two different accordions between songs.

It was fun to watch the doors open every so often, see a new small group of people come in, stand for a moment, then invariably start dancing or even quickly head to the main part of the dance floor. What had started as a reasonable, if small-ish crowd, was soon a pretty hefty audience enjoying the cumbia tunes. How upbeat was this? At one point the bass player was running in place and it seemed to me that he could barely keep the beat. And that was before the purposeful sped up tempo to end the song. Noche de cumbia had a lot of cymbal and Landero whipping up some of the dancers immediately in front of the stage. (A translation app suggested that at one point, Landero said, “God, move your hips woman, this is for you”.)

A (comparatively) slower song followed and let band and audience groove for a little while, with Landero on extended accordion solos between verses and several percussion highlights. A well-deserved, small break gave us a band rep with a small statement in English about the fact that this was the band’s first time in Minnesota, and that they had been on tour for 15 days and had 15 more to go. He also mentioned that Minneapolis exists on the global music scene because of the Cedar and its mission of bringing the best of world music here. The band got back into it, with a bit of call & response with Landero and the rest of the band and also got us more of the flute.

Another break in the action had Landero telling the history of cumbia music, and even I got the gist of this genre coming together from the mix of different people and cultures interacting and building a shared sound. That ended with a shouted “Esta noche, viva la cumbia” before launching into a high-spirited song with a lot of flute, and the first without accordion, as Landero sang and spoke throughout the very fast paced number. That varied and layered percussion plus bass was really key to the success of many of the songs, as they both filled the large space and gave accordion and occasional flute the chance to really fly as counterpoint. Our first crowd sing along was fairly successful with an explosive finish to the song from the band. Late in the set, one of the percussion players entered the crowd, forming a bit of a dance circle and drawing great cheers. Finishing the main set strong, the band left the stage and the audience broke into a chant of “otra” and Landero and band did indeed come on for an encore. A straight up cumbia banger, all of the best elements of the evening were on full display with a breakneck speed and singers barely keeping pace. We got a bunch of audience members from a number of those different countries up on the stage dancing and it was a pretty brilliant moment. As the band was finally done, they left the Minneapolis crowed happily exhausted.

Yeison Landero at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis (July 16, 2025) photos by Vu

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.app

Kiernan at 370 Sets, St Paul (July 15, 2025)

Kiernan at 370 Sets (July 15, 2025) 370 Sets The 370 Sets is a free concert series on Tuesdays throughout the summer outside on the covered patio of Osborn370 building. The series runs 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays through August 12, featuring live, local music plus complimentary drinks to soak in the summer. We hope you will visit the series this summer to relax and support these local artists and downtown Saint Paul! 📍 Osborn370 – 370 Wabasha St N, St Paul, MN 55102 🗓️ 4-6 p.m. on Tuesdays from June 10 – August 12 🎺 Free, live, local music and complimentary beverages 🎶 370 Sets is produced by Saint Paul Downtown Alliance June 10: Dad Bod June 17: Kashimana June 24: Southside Aces July 1: Katy Vernon July 8: John Swardson July 15: Kiernan July 22: Mary Cutrufello July 29: Alexander Natalie August 5: Kate Malanaphy August 12: Martin Devaney 370 Sets Another summer day, another free concert series in the Twin Cities. The 370 Sets is a Tuesday afternoon “happy hour concert series” in downtown St. Paul at the Osborn370 building. It is produced by … read more Kiernan Kiernan opened first. The quartet eased in with a long and pleasant opening song. Kiernan’s self-description highlights inspiration of Big Thief and the second song is very much in that vein. Both songs … read more

It’s been a stretch of very hot and humid days, so an outdoor afternoon concert wasn’t particularly compelling to me. But with local indie folk band Kiernan on the schedule to play at the 370 Sets, I couldn’t resist.

Kiernan at First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2024 (Jan 31, 2025)

We last saw Kiernan at Best New Bands in January 2025 and is personally my fourth time having watched the band and their Americana, rootsy sound. With the release of their debut full length album, Always, I Love You in May 2025, they continue to build up their repertoire of songs.

Normally a quartet, this performance was a solo show from vocalist and guitarist Laura Kiernan. That made for a stripped-down sound, but an effective one for the setting. With three different guitars, Kiernan started off acoustic for the first several numbers. Kiernan’s plaintive vocals created an intimate setting for the early evening crowd. Kiernan let us know that the first two songs were currently unreleased. A bit of banter had Kiernan talking about songwriters who have inspired her and led to a cover of an Adrianne Lenker song, anything. Getting into some of the music the band has released, I was struck at how well they lent themselves to a solo interpretation. She also had a great sense of humor, cutting off an early applause with a quick “there’s a bridge in this song”.

Switching over to a different and deeper sounding acoustic guitar, Kiernan mentioned that she was hoping we were staying cool, because “I’m sure not; it’s hot out here!”. After a needed tuning, she launched back into the music. Admitting she was picking songs by feel, Kiernan nevertheless pulled a coherent sound and flow. A bit of background to how her grandparents were the inspiration for the next song, Otisville, she had the loudest and most emotional vocals of the set so far. After a very short song, Kiernan switched to her trademark red electric guitar. That change was a nice shake up in sound for a song off Always, I Love You. A more country sound from a song off the EP, Magnetic North followed, ended the first set.

Coming back out, Kiernan performed the first song she ever released, Genie, about Alaska journalist and politician, Genie Chance. She also mentioned that she had put a set list together for the second half. Kiernan continued some of the earlier songs, playing All Over the Place, leaning more into those Americana tones. A final song from the EP, Gloria, had a gorgeous guitar intro and was nice change of pace with its slower tempo. A cover of Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi followed and was pretty spot on. Entering the last stretch, Kiernan made the push through the hot temperatures, heavy winds, and the creeping sun (after starting in shade, the artists at 370Sets almost always end up in nearly full sun) to finish strong. We got a brand-new song (written a week ago!), and then back to songs from the recent album. After one last tuning, Kiernan was nearly finished with the beautiful Unhelpful. A final switch back to an acoustic and Kiernan closed her set in downtown Saint Paul.

Between sets, I spoke with Autumn Vagle who works for One Simple Set, a marketing agency supporting St. Paul Downtown Alliance’s sponsorship of 370 Sets. (One Simple Set also helps with Lowertown Sounds, another free music series that we’ve reviewed.) Being in a band herself, Vagle is plugged into the local music scene and has helped book some of the wide range of musical genres that the 370 Sets have highlighted. Vagle mentioned that the location was specifically chosen for the building and its neighboring density of downtown workers with the goal of having events that make the area a better place to live and work. So, this is a series for many of the workers in the immediate neighborhood as they finish their day. That wide range of musical genres of local Twin Cities, especially St. Paul-based artists and bands is also purposeful, as it helps highlight all that the capital city has to offer. As someone who has been to a number of the free music offerings the Twin Cities offers this summer, I do feel spoiled with the wealth of opportunities to see and hear local music.

Kiernan at 370 Sets, St Paul (July 15, 2025)

thaddeus ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com ♥ bsky.app

Jax: August 16 to August 20, 2025

Read more Jacksonville.

The Wood Brothers at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall (August 16, 2025) The Wood Brothers The Wood Brothers opened the evening with “Pilgrim”, the first song from their latest Heart is the Hero. Although Chris and Oliver are indeed brothers, their journey to form their group … read more Mason Via The evening got underway with a well-received 35min. set from Nashville via Appalachia (sort of) newcomer, Mason Via, playing traditional Country / roots bluegrass selections from his two solo albums … read more

August 16, 2025 Saturday
The Wood Brothers
with Mason Via
at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
pvconcerthall.com

The Wood Brothers is currently on tour in support of their forthcoming album Puff Of Smoke (due August 1 via Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers). The tour will stop by the newly re-opened Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, on August 16, 2025.

The Wood Brothers at Utepils Brewery (May 12, 2023)

We saw The Wood Brothers in May 2023 and said, “The Wood Brothers opened the evening with “Pilgrim”, the first song from their latest Heart is the Hero. Although Chris and Oliver are indeed brothers, their journey to form their group took a circuitous route. After high school, Chris took his upright bass to study jazz at the New England Conservatory of Music and play with a fusion jazz band Medeski, Martin and Woods. Chris took his electric guitar and headed for the road to form the traveling bar band King Johnson. They have been playing together with Jano Rix on drums since 2004 and their sound consists of folk and blues, but they are not opposed to throwing in a little funk and R&B.”

Mason Via at The Kauffman Center (June 17, 2025)

Mason Via to open. We saw Via in and wrote, “The evening got underway with a well-received 35min. set from Nashville via Appalachia (sort of) newcomer, Mason Via, playing traditional Country / roots bluegrass selections from his two solo albums. We say sort of, because Via was formerly the youngest member of Old Crow Medicine Show and has been in KC previously as part of the huge Folk Alliance International annual conference and gathering.”

Tour dates:

7/16 - Kansas City, MO - Grinders KC *

7/17 - Salina, KS – The Stiefel Theatre *

7/18 - Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre #

7/19 - Paonia, CO - Big B’s Delicious Orchards

8/7 - Deerfield, MA - Tree House Brewing Company

8/8 - Lowell, MA - Lowell Summer Music Series

8/9 - Stowe, VT - Strawberry Jam Festival

8/10 - Westport, CT - Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts

8/12 - Annapolis, MD - Maryland Hall

8/13 - Richmond, VA - The National

8/14 - Wilmington, NC - Greenfield Lake Amphitheater

8/15 - Charleston, SC - The Refinery

8/16 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL - Ponte Vedra Concert Hall

8/29 - Mill Spring, NC - Earl Scruggs Music Festival

8/31 - Charlestown, RI - Rhythm & Roots Festival

9/10-09/13 - Las Vegas, NV - Bender Jamboree Fest

9/19-09/20 - Chattanooga, TN - IBMA Bluegrass Live!

11/6 – Knoxville, TN – Bijou Theatre

11/7 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone

11/8 – Louisville, KY – Old Forester's Paristown Hall

11/9 – Bloomington, IL – The Castle Theatre

11/11 – Springfield, MO – Gillioz Theatre

11/12 – Iowa City, IA – The Englert Theatre

11/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Pantages Theatre

11/14 – Madison, WI - Wisconsin Union Theater - Shannon Hall

11/15 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre

12/3 – York, PA – Appell Center for the Performing Arts

12/4 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

12/5 – Allentown, PA – Archer Music Hall

12/6 – Ithaca, NY – State Theatre of Ithaca

12/7 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre

12/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Paramount

12/12 – Portland, ME – State Theatre

12/13 – Lebanon, NH – Lebanon Opera House

# w/ The String Cheese Incident
* w/ St. Paul & The Broken Bones

Phoneboy at Jack Rabbits (August 18, 2025)

August 18, 2025 Monday
Phoneboy
at Jack Rabbits
jaxlive.com

New York’s Phoneboy is supposed to play Jack Rabbits, in Jacksonville, on August 18, 2025… but the original list has been removed and all indications is that the show is cancelled.

The band last played July 6th, in Woodstock, New York… which their comment suggests is their last date of the tour:

aaaand that's a wrap on the summer heartbreak designer tour 🙂

toronto and woodstock thanks for making these last two shows such a blast!!! and to everyone who came out to a show these past few months we love you and we'll be seeing you again very very soon ❤

H.A.G.S Y'ALL

We last mentioned the band appearing in St Paul (with Beach Weather) in March 2024.

Red Clay Strays at the Amphitheatre (Aug 20, 2025) Red Clay Strays Elle King with Red Clay Strays at Palace Theatre Red Clay Strays to open.Tour DatesFeb 14 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore Feb 16 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle Feb 17 … read more

August 20, 2025 Wednesday
The Red Clay Strays
at The St. Augustine Amphitheatre
theamp.com

CMA Vocal Group of the Year nominees and music’s fastest-rising bands The Red Clay Strays has sold out the Amp, in St Augustine (about an hour from Jacksonville, Florida).

The Red Clay Strays are Brandon Coleman (lead vocals, guitar, keys), Drew Nix (electric guitar, vocals, harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), John Hall (drums), and Sevans Henderson (keys).

Tour Dates:

JUL 9 Rock the Park 2025 London, Canada

JUL 10 Ottawa Bluesfest 2025 Ottawa, Canada

JUL 12 Cowboys Music Festival 2025 Calgary, Canada

Jul. 18 - 20, 2025 Under the Big Sky Festival 2025 Whitefish, MT

JUL 20 Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA

JUL 21 California Mid-State Fair Paso Robles, CA

JUL 23 The Warfield San Francisco, CA

JUL 24 The Warfield San Francisco, CA

JUL 26 Hayden Homes Amphitheater Bend, OR

JUL 27 Ford Idaho Center Ampitheater Nampa, ID

JUL 31 The Armory Minneapolis, MN

AUG 2 BMO Pavilion Milwaukee, WI

AUG 3 Jacobs Pavilion Cleveland, OH

AUG 8 Outlaw Music Festival Darien Center, NY

AUG 9 Outlaw Music Festival Hershey, PA

AUG 10 Outlaw Music Festival Syracuse, NY

AUG 12 KEMBA Live! Outdoor Amphitheatre Columbus, OH

AUG 13 Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park Indianapolis, IN

AUG 15 Live Oak Bank Pavilion at Riverfront Park Wilmington, NC

AUG 16 Red Hat Amphitheater Raleigh, NC

AUG 20 The St. Augustine Amphitheatre St. Augustine, FL

AUG 22 Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre Charlotte, NC

AUG 24 Allianz Amphitheater at Riverfront Richmond, VA

AUG 28 Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater Bridgeport, CT

AUG 29 The Stone Pony Summer Stage Asbury Park, NJ

SEP 3 The Salt Shed Chicago, IL

SEP 4 The Salt Shed Chicago, IL

SEP 6 The Andrew J Brady Music Center Cincinnati, OH

SEP 7 Saint Louis Music Park Maryland Heights, MO

SEP 11 Capitol Federal Amphitheater Andover, KS

SEP 12 Ford Amphitheater Colorado Springs, CO

SEP 14 Red Rocks Morrison, CO

SEP 15 Red Rocks Morrison, CO

SEP 19 Cable Dahmer Arena Independence, MO

SEP 20 The Astro Amphitheater La Vista, NE

SEP 25 The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Irving, TX

SEP 26 Cooks Garage Lubbock, TX

SEP 28 Moody Amphitheater Austin, TX

OCT 2 Appalachian Wireless Arena Pikeville, KY

OCT 4 Fox Theatre Detroit, MI

OCT 5 Fox Theatre Detroit, MI

OCT 9 Atrium Health Amphitheater Macon, GA

OCT 10 Riverfront Revival Music Festival 2025 North Charleston, SC

OCT 12 REDWEST 2025 Salt Lake City, UT

OCT 15 Orion Amphitheater Huntsville, AL

If your band is coming to the Jacksonville/St Augustine area, please email details to [email protected] with a good lead time. Thank you.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

We♥KC! July 18, 19, 20, 2025 Upcoming concerts / shows (Kansas City, MO / Lawrence KS)

Read More Camper Van Beethoven Camper Van Beethoven, has explored a variety of musical genres in the 20-odd years they’ve been making music. Where CVB injected traditional Eastern European music...

Read more Kansas City Music Guide.

Dog Days, baby!

We got the heat (but not triple-digits yet), the humidity, and everything in-between, though have been lucky so far to not be at a show rained out, or too oppressively hot, but the outdoor season still has a few months left.

We pre-registered with FIFA and their World Cup ticket lottery to potentially overpay to watch a match next summer, and are kind of wondering on what side of the state line the stadiums might end up following. Kansas is making a good pitch to get at least one of the teams.

This upcoming Friday and Saturday are absolutely jam-packed with live goodness, see below!

Let’s take look at the Kansas City / Lawrence KS metro musical happenings for the upcoming weekend of July 18^th, 19^th, 20^th.

(ticket hyperlinks are embedded in each show’s headline)

FRIDAY JULY 18

Railroad Earth, Yonder Mtn String Band, July 18, Grinders KC, $8.32 / $77.93

Three of the jam world’s foremost acts will band together for a brief two weeks and KC gets a date! Railroad Earth, Yonder Mountain String Band and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country will each deliver sets and doubtlessly spawn some surprise collaborations.

“We can’t wait to set out on the road with our friends Yonder Mountain String Band & Daniel Donato in July,” Railroad Earth’s Carey Harmon shared in a release. “These are the moments (we and) our fans live for, so to be able to get out and do this run is a dream come true.”

Earth Wind and Fire, July 18, Starlight, $60.25-$195.25

Legendary band Earth, Wind & Fire returns to the road on a 22-city summer tour which will wrap up Aug. 10 at The Ledge Amphitheater in Waite Park, MN. We caught the band live last year in Kansas City, on a great bill with Lionel Richie.

After decades in the entertainment industry, the band has gained a new following with younger audiences, almost by accident. Their 1978 hit "September" has more than 2 billion Spotify streams, and has gone viral on TikTok and Instagram via meme culture. At the same time, a growing interest in vinyl among millennials and Gen Z has brought the band's catalog back into regular rotation.

Kröna, July 18, Sk8Bar, $22.19

Miami-via-Santo Domingo Caribbean punk force trio Kröna is charging through North America this summer on a run of tour dates in support of their new single “Take ’Em All”, now streaming and will be followed by their debut LP Dead Air Diaries on November (on their own Merenpón Records).

Blending breakneck punk, hardcore fury, and reggae grooves, Kröna brings an unmistakable Dominican flair to the global punk scene. Formed just over a year ago by childhood friends Cristóbal and JP (formerly of ESPÉRICLES), and drummer Chino (Zeta), the band has quickly earned a reputation for their confrontational yet celebratory sound. With Strung Out, D-Fibs, and SCUD also on the bill.

David Lowery, July 18, Lawrence Public Library, free w/ RSVP (waitlist)

Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven frontman David Lowery's new 28-track solo album "Fathers, Sons and Brothers" was released May 30^th (via Cooking Vinyl), his musical autobiography, celebrating his youth, family, friends and the highs and lows of his 40-year career in the music business.

This set combines three of David's previously online-only released autobiographical solo albums In The Shadow of the Bull, Leaving Key Member Clause, and Vending Machine, and also includes four previously unreleased songs, as well as four newly re-recorded tracks- something he discussed when we saw him last in Lawrence, at The Arts Center back in 2023 (so he must like coming back to town).

He notes, "In lieu of an uninteresting written autobiography I’ve made this record. I do this not so much to tell my own story but to pay tribute to my mother, father, sisters, extended family, friends, and those who have shared their lives with me. I wanted to sing the songs of the unsung, celebrate friends and family, make amends, and apologize where necessary. It took me nearly 5 years to make this recording and I’m a little sad the process is over. Although much of this I recorded alone during the pandemic I had an amazing set of virtual collaborators spread across 5 time zones and three continents. I couldn’t have done it without them."

idobi Radio Summer School w/Taylor Acorn & Rain City Drive, Charlotte Sands, Arrows in Action, Beauty School Dropout, and If Not For M, July 18, $46-$47

(UPDATE- MOVED to the Granada in Lawrence) Following its 2024 debut, the idobi Radio Summer School Tour returns this summer for its highly sophomore year. Sponsored by idobi Radio and Hot Topic, the nationwide traveling festival highlights independent artists while focusing on artist development, community, ticket affordability, and social impact.

Headlining the tour will be Taylor Acorn, Charlotte Sands, Rain City Drive, If Not For Me, Beauty School Dropout, Arrows in Action, and Huddy. This is the festivals second year with a focus on artist development, community, ticket affordability, and social impact.  The tour was created by Vans Warped Tour (which it will intersect with) creator Kevin Lyman, Eric Tobin (Hopeless Records) and Michael Kaminsky (KMGMT).

Speaking of Arrows in Action, they’re in support of their forthcoming album I Think I've Been Here Before, featuring single "Cheekbones," which hit over 500K streams on Spotify the first week of release. Blending rock, pop, and alternative styles, their music explores themes of youth, love, and self-discovery.

SATURDAY JULY 19

Laney Jones and the Spirits, July 19, miniBar, $18.86

Nashville-based Laney Jones and the Spirits have released their new single, “Another Rolling Stone,” which follows 2024’s single, “Stay At Home,” and 2022’s full-length, Stories Up High.

Jones is a genre-defying songwriter and front woman whose sound blends indie and psychedelic rock, with a soulful, grungy sound and this 19-date tour makes a local stop.

In 2022, Jones released that critically acclaimed album Stories Up High, marking a turning point in her artistic evolution, praised for its cinematic scope and introspective songwriting with expansive arrangements and lyrical intimacy. Earlier this year, the band released a four-song live EP through OurVinyl, filmed at Fighters Boxing in Nashville, TN.

Father John Misty w Hamilton Leithauser, July 19, Uptown, $58-$100

Father John Misty is out on a new stretch of tour dates in support of his 2024 album, Mahashmashana, with The Walkmen vocalist Hamilton Leithauser set to open and will conclude with a July 31st show in Vancouver, followed by another set of shows across the pond.

Aka Josh Tillman released his sixth studio album, last November, which made many Best-Of lists to end the year, and he also recently shared a 10th anniversary reissue of his 2015 album I Love You, Honeybear; His sardonic wit and banter between songs is worth the price of admission alone.

Maggie Baugh, July 19, recordBar, $25.49

Nashville-based singer-songwriter Maggie Baugh is out on her Entertainers Heart World Tour, in support of her upcoming self-produced sophomore album and a rock-infused sound.

Lead single from the album, “Headstone,” hit #1 on Amazon’s Movers & Shakers chart. That track, along with newest single, “Other Side of the World,” are early glimpses of her next album: real instruments, live band energy, and no filter.

Shane Gillis (comedian), July 19, T-Mobile Center, $47-$133

Comedian Shane Gillis extended his Shane Gillis Live run to eleven additional cities, including a date right here in KC, just following his hosting of the recent Espy Awards. Gillis has already set the all-time ticket sales record at six arenas and the achieved historic sellouts, playing each arena’s largest comedy show of all time, at 11 more- breaking records belonging to acts like Kevin Hart and U2 (he’s as surprised at all of this, as you are).

SUNDAY JULY 20

take a nap

   National Touring act coming to Kansas City, Lawrence, KS, Topeka, KS, or vicinity?  Let us know so we can spotlight the appearance-email [email protected]

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Cinema of the Macabre: Rabid Grannies at Emagine Willow Creek, Plymouth (July 14, 2025)

Cinema of the Macabre Cinema of the Macabre Every Monday night at Willow Creek, we venture into the macabre with cult classics and obscure gems pulled from the dusty tombs. These screenings are presented each week with a curated pre-show, vintage trailers, and an intro to give context about why the film is unique and worthy of cult status. Join us but prepare to have your mind melted! July 7 - Rabid (1977) July 14 - Rabid Grannies (1988) July 21 - I Drink Your Blood (1971) July 28 - REC (2007) Horror We ended up going to see The Monkey, the new film by Oz Perkins, at the Emagine Cinema in Willow Creek, as part of their $5 Tuesday promotion. The film is based on a short Stephen King story … read more

As a big movie fan and collector, particularly of the horror genre, so I am delighted to see such a good, or rather rabid, fanbase for the Cinema of the Macabre. This is a horror movie series, curated by Tim Alan Holly (who will also introduce the movie with some notes about the film), that takes place every Monday at Emagine Willow Creek, in Plymouth, and as a tourist, I attended the July 14th showing of Rabid Grannies.

This 1988 movie is truly a terrible film. It was a Belgian / French horror-ish gore-ish comedic (unintentional?) film by writer/director Emmanuel Kervyn. The film made its way to the USA through Troma Entertainment who had to edit the film to make for an R-Rating.

Lloyd Kaufman and Vu, Minneapolis (Dec 2012)

Although Troma became famous when Lloyd Kaufman’s Toxic Avenger film was a hit for them in 1984, the truth is they were already established 10 years earlier and were known for being a distributor of films. Troma was basically known for B-grade, D-grade films, there’s no film too terrible for them! I say this lovingly, because I am a fan and supporter of independent films, and to prove it, here is a rare photo of Lloyd and I, at a Troma screening.

As for Rabid Grannies, a title that Troma created for the US market, I can see why they would want this film. It’s bad. The dialogue and storyline are boring, and you can see the film was influenced by Evil Dead. The only good thing about the film are the special gore effects (lots of limb chopping and blood).

The nice thing about the Cinema of the Macabre is that you don’t have to attend every Monday, but many of their fans still attend every week. Most people have seen the film or already own the DVD, but they still show up.

If I were still living in Minneapolis, I would love to attend the early screening of the remake of Witchboard, and Q&A with director Chuck Russell, on August 4. Russell directed my favorite Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. I’ve seen the original Witchboard and am interested in seeing how they remake the film for 2025.

Tim Alan Holly at Emagine Willow Creek, Plymouth (July 14, 2025)

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