W♥M

Minneapolis This Week (July 20, 2025)

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Yeison Landero at the Cedar (July 16, 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 16, 2025 Wednesday
Yeison Landero
at Cedar Cultural Center
thecedar.org

From San Jacinto in Colombia’s Montes de María province near Cartagena, Yeison Landero will be bringing his Latin music to the Cedar Cultural Center on July 16, 2025.

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.

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

Trapper Schoepp at Sunset Series (July 17, 2025) 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

July 17, 2025 Thursday
Trapper Schoepp
at Hopkins Downtown Park
hopkinsartscenter.com

Trapper Schoepp is headlining Hopkin’s The Sunset Series on Thursday, July 17, 2025. The Sunset Series is a free outdoor concert series, showcasing local favorites to emerging new talent taking place every Thursday evening, starting June 12 and ending August 21, in Downtown Park, 40 Ninth Avenue S, Hopkins.

Bring a chair and some friends! If there’s rain, they may move the show indoors at The Depot (9451 Excelsior Blvd). An announcement will be made by 3pm of the concert date.

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

We’ve previously seen Annie Mack (Dec 2024): “Mack has a voice built for the blues” and Trapper Schoepp (April 2023): “The Trapper Schoepp Band was started when Trapper and his brother Tanner Schoepp were in high school. They recorded and released A Change in the Weather in 2007. Some band changes, which created Trapper Schoepp & the Shades… and that’s how we first heard of the group, in November 2013.”

Lineup:

June 12 - Katy Tessman and the Tumbuckels

June 26 – Zacc Harris, American Reverie

July 10 – Triple Fiddle

July 17 – Trapper Schoepp

July 24 – Annie Mack

July 31 – Westwind Big Band

August 7 – Salsa del Soul

August 14 – Power of 10

August 21 – Elska

Bachman-Turner Overdrive and The Marshall Tucker Band at Treasure Island (July 19, 2025) Jefferson Starship Jefferson Starship is one of the most successful groups of the 1970s and 80’s, and continues to tour today with original member David Freiberg, drummer Donny Baldwin … read more

July 19, 2025 Saturday
Bachman-Turner Overdrive
and The Marshall Tucker Band
with Jefferson Starship
at Treasure Island
ticasino.com

I was recently at a Home Depot, in Jacksonville, when Bachman–Turner Overdrive’s classic song “Takin’ Care of Business” came on the airwaves at the home improvement store. A young dude in the other aisle was absolutely singing along, finishing that line, “Takin’ care of business - EVERYDAY!” This story is to illustrate what a great song it was that dominated the US Top 40 charts in the ‘70s… and carrying itself well into 2025, that a new generation is loving the infection song.

It looks like the Canadian rock group will be playing Treasure Island Casino, in Welch, Minnesota, on Saturday, July 19, 2025.

Co-headlining the event will be southern rock pioneers The Marshall Tucker Band, famous for “Can't You See” and “Heard it in a Love Song”.

Support will be from Jefferson Starship. Don’t confuse the band with the original Jefferson Airplane or the evolution/breakoff Starship (famous for “Sara” and “We Built This City”). Still, if you’ve seen one of these Jefferson-related bands, I think you can mark them all off on your Bingo card.

Summer US Tour Dates with The Marshall Tucker Band and Jefferson Starship:

July 18 – Council Bluffs, IA – Harrah’s Stir Cove

July 19 – Welch, MN – Treasure Island Casino

July 20 – Fargo, ND – Scheels Arena

July 22 – Interlochen, MI – Kresge Auditorium

July 24 – Appleton, WI – Neuroscience Group Field

July 25 – Terre Haute, IN – The Mill Terre Haute

July 26 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center

August 1 – El Reno, OK – Lucky Star Casino

August 3 – Amarillo, TX – Amarillo Civic Center Complex #

# Outlaws replacing Jefferson Starship as special guest

Summer US Tour Dates - BTO only:

July 28 – Bloomington, IL – Bloomington Center For The Performing Art

July 29 – Elk Grove Village, IL – The Village Green at the Charles Zettek Municipal Complex

July 31 – Jefferson City, MO – MU Health Care Capital Region Amphitheater

August 15 – Wendover, NV – Peppermill Casino

August 16 – Beaver Creek, CO – Vilar PAC

August 18 – Boise, ID – Western Idaho Fair

August 21 – Pala, CA – Pala Casino

August 22 – Ft. McDowell, AZ – We-Ko-Pa Casino

August 23 – Albuquerque, NM – Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino

August 26 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theater

August 27 – Park City, KS – Park City Arena

August 28 – Tulsa, OK – The Cove at River Spirit

August 30 – St. Charles, MO – Family Arena

August 31 – Cedar Rapids, IA – Paramount Theater

September 17 – Puyallup, WA – Washington State Fair

September 19 – Grand Ronde, OR – Spirit Mountain Casino

September 20 – Lincoln, CA – Thunder Valley Casino

Minnesota Yacht Club (July 18-20, 2025) Minnesota Yacht Club Festival No surprises here, but Minnesota Yacht Club Festival (MYC) returns to Minnesota. Presale (lowest priced-tickets) will be made available today, January 30 at 10am … read more Green Day Punk trio Green Day is pleased to announced their three nominations for iHeartRadio Music Awards for “Rock Artist of the Year”, “Alternative Artists of … read more Sublime Ska/punk trio Sublime dominated the radio airways in 1997 with such hits as ‘What I Got’ and ‘Santeria’ from their third self-titled album... They were the … read more Hozier One of the most popular voices from Ireland came to the heartland as folk-rock singer-songwriter Hozier played a long sold-out show in front of 18,000 fans … read more 311 311 w AWOLNATION, Blame My Youth, Grinders KC The rock/rap/funk band started in Omaha way back in 1990, and has been a local favorite ever since … read more Garbage After previously naming an album 2.0, this could be considered version 3.0 of the career of Garbage, the Madison, WI based band who resumed work in … read more Fall Out Boy Fall Out Boy brought So Much Stardust to end Night One of the 2023 NFL Draft held at Union Station in Kansas … read more Alabama Shakes The second half of the show is Lara's music pick of The Alabama Shakes and why she loves them. Song of the show is "You Ain't Alone", which was … read more Train The popular “Hey, Soul Sister” band Train is headlining the Surly Brewing Festival Field this September 11, 2023. Show up early to … read more Sheryl Crow The evening opened strong with Sheryl Crow dueting with Olivia Rodrigo and Stevie Nicks with Laura Dern doing the induction duties before Peter Frampton joined … read more O.A.R. Longtime Rockville MD alt-roots rock band O.A.R. (Of a Revolution) got things started with a 75-minute opening set, that properly warmed up the crowd … read more Father John Misty Before he was Father John Misty, he was known as Josh Tillman, or rather by his billing stagename, J. Tillman. We caught J Tillman at the Music … read more Beach Bunny Due to popular demand (the original venue Fine Line Music Café sold out), the Beach Bunny (led by Lili Trifilio) show got an upgrade to First Avenue’s … read more Blind Melon Steven Weeks-Johnson was fun, doing some 90s tunes like Sublime’s “What I Got” and Blind Melon’s “No Rain”. He even played Joe Walsh’s “Life's Been Good”. … read more

July 18, 2025 Friday
July 19, 2025 Saturday
July 20, 2025 Sunday
Minnesota Yacht Club
at Harriet Island
minnesotayachtclubfestival.com

Can you believe it? The biggest music event of Minnesota, the Minnesota Yacht Club Festival (MYC) will be taking place this weekend, starting on Friday (July 18) and ending on Sunday (July 20). Pre-sale tickets sold out seven months ago!!! The lineup is incredible.

NOTE: Please note that Blind Melon has replaced Semisonic on Sunday night.

Hozier at State Theatre (0June 2, 2019)

For Friday, Hozier is the headliner. The headliner is incredibly popular, playing to 18,000 in 2024. We caught Hozier in Minnesota, in June 2019 and said, “What is even more impressive is that while the debut self-titled album only reached #2 on the US chart, Hozier’s sophomore album Wasteland, Baby! went straight to #1 - thanks to such strong singles as “Movement” and “Almost (Sweet Music)”. Although his international breakout single “Take Me To Church” (which the band closed out the show with), I think the real secret to Hozier’s success is his very excellent band and backup singers. They were all giving their 150%, and you can just tell how much they love playing these songs.”

Father John Misty at Rock the Garden (June 16, 2018)

Also, on Friday is Father John Misty, who we saw in June 2018 and wrote, “As usual, the Rock the Garden did a great job organizing the music festival. Although the original scheduled was delayed about 30 minutes, because of the weather... once the music started, they did an amazing job getting things back on track. Father John Misty had a whole Minnesota orchestra behind him (players Leah Ottman/LOTT, Cameron Kinghorn, the Laurels String Quartet, Dan Lawonn, and Devan Moran).”

Weezer at Azura Amphitheater (June 11, 2023)

On Saturday, the headliner will be Chicago’s popular band Fall Out Boy (not to be confused with Fallout’s Vault Boy), which we saw in April 2023 … however, we probably more excited for Weezer. We last saw Weezer in June 2023 and said, “Weezer would begin as darkness filled the skies, illuminating the car dashboard stage set, themed around road trips and a large backdrop screen that showed animated versions of famous landmarks that could be visited on a road trip, as the band dipped into their entire three decade-plus musical catalogue. Singer Rivers Cuomo gained instant applause, sporting a I Heart KC t-shirt and at one point early on, Cuomo said "something is wrong" and he "turned up the volume" on the dashboard stage to keep the road tunes and fun atmosphere going.”

Garbage at Mystic Lake (July 21, 2017)

Personally speaking, I’m more excited about Sunday’s lineup, which features punk legends Green Day on the same bill as Garbage and Sublime! That’s totally nuts! We love Garbage and have seen them a few times, with the last in July 2017: “After previously naming an album 2.0, this could be considered version 3.0 of the career of Garbage, the Madison, WI based band who resumed work in 2012 after a break, and is in support of last summer’s Strange Little Birds (on the band’s own Stunvolume Records) and also their own coffee table book, This is the Noise That Keeps Me Awake (Akashic Books). Their new one-off single, the brooding ‘No Horses’ opened their seventy-five minute set, with singer Shirley Manson literally shimmering in a sparkling dress hiding Dr. Martin-style boots underneath. The band (Duke Erikson-bass; Steve Marker-guitar; Butch Vig- drums) remains a musically tight as ever, working in all the radio hits, in addition to a fewer newer songs.”

As usual, we will be there early to cover all the bands - including local favorites like Semisonic and Raffaella.

Friday - July 18 Hozier Alabama Shakes Train Sheryl Crow Father John Misty Gigi Perez The 502s Hamilton Leithauser Mike Kota Maygen & the Birdwatcher

Saturday - July 19 Fall Out Boy Weezer Remi Wolf OAR Cory Wong Motion City Soundtrack Silversun Pickups Jake Clemons Raffaella LAAMAR

Sunday - July 20 Green Day Sublime 311 Garbage Beach Bunny The Beaches Blind Melon Grace Bowers Winona Fighter Landon Conrath

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

News: Palmer's Bar will Shut Down in September

Palmer’s Bar 2025 (photo by Thaddeus) Palmer’s Bar Local legend Cornbread Harris, like every Sunday from 5-7 pm, performs with no cover at Palmer’s Bar, so I finally made the time to go and see him. … read more

Palmer’s Bar, in Minneapolis, announced that they close permanently on September 14, 2025, via Facebook announcement.

Palmer’s Bar writes:

It is with heavy hearts that we must finally announce that Palmer’s Bar last day of business will be this September 14th, 2025. This has been an incredibly difficult but necessary decision and we are devastated to do so.

Thank you so very much to everyone that has been keeping this bar alive since 1906, especially our very faithful regulars, and the incredibly talented musicians that have played our stages over the years. Above all else, our staff - who make the place so special and who really are the best in the business. We wouldn’t have made it this far without you all.

We will be open regular hours until bar close on September 14th with a jam- packed calendar and plenty of time to party and say farewell. Please join us in saying goodbye to a West Bank institution, raise a glass to all the good times and great people, and make it a last summer to remember here at Palmer’s Bar.

If you’re not from the Minneapolis area, Palmer’s Bar, whose motto is “Sorry We’re Open”, sits between the Cedar Cultural Center and the former Triple Rock Social Club (permanently closed since 2017) in the Cedar-Riverside area. From what I can remember, the Palmer’s Bar reputation was not good according to former W♥M writer, Lara. She called it “the world’s most dangerous bar” on account of some stabbings that happened at the establishment.

Although I’ve never experienced anything like that personally, I know that area can be somewhat shady. For example, I did witness a car hitting a light pole and the driver was running on foot from two police officers… but that had nothing to do with Palmer’s Bar and their reputation for strong drinks.

Cornbread Harris at Palmer’s Bar (April 6, 2025)

Thaddeus recently attended Cornbread Harris at Palmer’s Bar (April 6, 2025) and noted, “I realized I was facing the fallacy of convenience with local legend Cornbread Harris, who, like every Sunday from 5-7 pm, performs with no cover at Palmer’s Bar, so I finally made the time to go and see him. Harris, who has been part of rock bands, but mostly specializes in blues and jazz, has been part of the Twin Cities’ music scene for more than 70 years. He was part of The Augie Garcia Quintet, which had Minnesota’s first rock & roll record Hi Yo Silver, in 1955. He’s been the subject of a recent book, Deeper Blues: The Life Songs and Salvation of Cornbread Harris.”

Before I left Minneapolis for Jacksonville, I did stop in at the Palmer’s Bar to say goodbye to Peter. I’m glad to I made the effort, as it’s likely the last time I would be at the famed “world’s most dangerous bar.”

Here’s to you, Mr. Henry Palmer.

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Taste of Minnesota Summer

Summer in Minneapolis translates to free outdoor shows. We’ve already touched on a few Summer Music Series: Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Twin Cities Jazz Fest, Music in the Parks, Como Lakeside Pavillion Summer Concert Series, Lowertown Sounds, and The Current’s Happy Hours… but here are a few more listed below. Enjoy all the free music you can handle, before the snow fall!

Read more Minneapolis Music Guide.

Taste of Minnesota (July 5-July 6, 2025) Read More Taste of Minnesota Yes, Taste of Minnesota is back in 2024! This is turning out to be one of the biggest events yet, featuring beloved The Wallflowers (for Saturday) and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (for Sunday). … Joan Jett Highlight of the festival for us was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. The band played Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” full song, before walking on stage in a triumphant stance. ... Ludacris After a swift half-hour opening set by Ludacris, Janet played through all of her hits and more, in a performance lasting just over 1hr45min. ...

TASTE OF MINNESOTA
tasteofmn.com

Last year, we attended the Taste of Minnesota and it was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. We couldn’t believe all the free music and talent that they had on the bill - all for FREE. Sure, the food prices are astronomical, but it's a small price to pay for all the free music and entertainment (like wrestling).

The Wallflowers at Taste of Minnesota (July 6, 2024)

We got to see The Wallflowers on July 6: “We were mostly there to see The Wallflowers, the band led by Jakob Dylan… who is probably more famous for being the son of Bob Dylan. But let’s be honest, The Wallflowers’ hit “One Headlight” stood out on its own” and Morris Day and the Times on July 7: “Morris Day and the Time closed out the Taste of Minnesota. I’m not going to lie, it was tough for Day to follow up to the powerhouse set of Jam & Lewis (and it didn’t help that Morris Day was 20 minute fashionably late to his own show). Still, the crowd fondly remember Day and the Time as they do that uniform head turn and dance moves. The dance favorite “The Walk” was a crowd favorite.”

Lineup:

Saturday - July 5

Joan Jett and the Blackhearts

Cheap Trick

Bluewater Kings Band

Rhythm Street Movement

The Steeles Family Affair

Sunday - July 6

Ludacris

Nur-D

David Yang

Frankie Torres

Good for Gary

featuring DJ Sophia Eris
with co-hosts Andrew Zimmern and Fancy Ray

Summer at the Cedar (July 9-August 20, 2025) Read More Sinkane Sinkane is the multi-dimensional music project from Ahmad Gallab. If you saw Of Montreal, Caribou, or Yeasayer, you may have noticed that Gallab is in their touring band. …

SUMMER AT THE CEDAR
thecedar.org

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 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.

Sinkane at the Cedar (July 9, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #1: SINKANE☀️
Wednesday, July 9, 2025/ Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

Ahmed Gallab of Sinkane has always paved his own way, defying all odds and surpassing expectations. With seven albums under his belt and an illustrious career as a composer, producer, and band leader, he has orchestrated remarkable projects. From the resounding revival of William Onyeabor, to writing a musical for the Roald Dahl Foundation, Gallab’s journey has been extraordinary. Born to Sudanese parents and raised as a hardcore skate punk kid in Ohio, he is preparing to bring forth his latest opus.

Yeison Landero at Cedar (July 16, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #2: YEISON LANDERO☀️
Wednesday, July 16, 2024 / Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

Yeison Landero, from San Jacinto in Colombia’s Montes de María province near Cartagena, is called “el heredero de la cumbia” – the heir to cumbia, the inheritor of cumbia. He’s from the birthplace of that style of music, a style that’s now enormously popular all across Latin America and increasingly in the USA as well.

Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet at the Cedar (July 23, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #3 : ABINNET BERHANU’s AHNDENET አንድነት featuring Genet Abate☀️
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 / Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

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.

Buddha Prince at Cedar (July 30, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #4: THE BUDDHA PRINCE☀️
Wednesday, July 30 / Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

The Buddha Prince explores the extraordinary life and legacy of the 14th Dalai Lama through physical theater, mask, puppetry and Tibetan music and dance. Presented in the unique style for which producer TigerLion Arts (TLA) is renowned, this all-ages performance transports audiences through scenes unfolding on a journey through dance and live music orchestrated by master Tibetan artist Tenzin Ngawang.

Combo Daguerre at the Cedar (August 6, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #5: COMBO DAGUERRE☀️
Wednesday, August 6, 2025/ Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

After dealing in mostly Latin tropical styles for over a decade, with the psychedelic cumbia of his band Chicha Libre in particular, Brooklyn-based Olivier Conan now leads Combo Daguerre, a group that performs original French tunes with a psychedelic edge and a mostly Latin crew. Its hybrid style is informed by boleros, cumbia, 60's rock, French chanson, Gainsbourg and 1930s surrealism.

The Burroughs at Cedar (August 13, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #6: THE BURROUGHS☀️
Wednesday, August 13, 2025/ Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

From humble beginnings covering soul standards in their unlikely hometown of Greeley, Colorado, The Burroughs have traversed a decade of growth and reinvention to become a band that defies odds and transcends categorization. Since 2013, the 9-piece act has lit up stages around the country with their trademark brand of “sweaty soul music,” an invitation for audiences to dance, celebrate, and connect under a unifying and infectious groove.

Ukrainian Village Band at the Cedar (August 20, 2025)

☀️SUMMER AT THE CEDAR #7: UKRAINIAN VILLAGE BAND☀️
Wednesday, August 20, 2025/ Start: 6:00 PM / End: 8:00 PM

Ukrainian Village Band (UVB) is a Ukrainian roots and Zabava (event & wedding) band that was founded in 2007.

Their repertoire includes traditional and modern Ukrainian music, as well as their own take on popular, international rock and pop tunes.

Groovin’ in the Garden (June 11 – July 30, 2025) Read More Flamin' Oh's Next up were Flamin’ Oh’s ... also from Minneapolis. The group were originally called Flamingo, but were forced to change their name to the Flamin’ Oh’s due to another group …

GROOVIN’ IN THE GARDEN
comozooconservatory.org

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 (with Food Trucks!) Wednesdays June 11 – July 30, 2025!

Food Trucks:

The Brick Oven Bus Food Truck will be here on June 11, 18, & July 16!

The Heavy Metal Grill Food Truck will be here June 25 & July 2!

The POLJAM Food Truck will be here July 9 & 23

The Purple People Feeder Food Truck will be here July 30

Details: Spread out a blanket & join us for these FREE outdoor concerts & activities in front of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory Wednesdays June 11 – July 30 from 6pm–8pm. We will also have a climbing wall, some bouncy balls, and hula-hoops for the young and old alike!

Bands:

Flamin’ Oh’s at Como Park Zoo (July 24, 2025)

June 11 – Innocent Reggae Band – Roots Reggae

June 18 – Maria & The Coins – Singer-Songwriter Driven Pop Hooks

June 25 – Flamin’ Oh’s – Minnesota Music Legends

July 2 – Leslie Rich & The Rocket Soul Choir – 3-piece Rock Band

July 9 – Salsa del Soul – High-Energy Latin Dance Music

July 16 – Jellyjacket – All-Star Minnesota Rock & Roll Band

July 23 – Favourite Girl – Female Powered Rock Band

July 24 – Flamin’ Oh’s – Rescheduled

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

🎶Concert Update🎶 Due to the rain and wet conditions, Groovin' In The Garden concert featuring the Flamin’ Oh’s has been rescheduled to Thursday, July 24.

The Sunset Series (June 12-August 21, 2025) 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 numb and … Annie Mack Soulful singer and songwriter, and one of First Avenue’s Best Acts of 2018, Annie Mack, is closing out this year’s KFAI-sponsored Landmark Live concert series, on December 20, 2024. …

THE SUNSET SERIES
hopkinsartscenter.com

Hopkin’s The Sunset Series is a free outdoor concert series, showcasing local favorites to emerging new talent.

The Summer series takes place every Thursday evening, starting June 12 and ending August 21, in Downtown Park, 40 Ninth Avenue S, Hopkins.

Bring a chair and some friends! If there’s rain, they may move the show indoors at The Depot (9451 Excelsior Blvd). An announcement will be made by 3pm of the concert date.

Annie Mack at Landmark Center (December 20, 2024) Trapper Schoepp at 7th St Entry (April 14, 2023)

We’ve previously seen Annie Mack (Dec 2024): “Mack has a voice built for the blues” and Trapper Schoepp (April 2023): “The Trapper Schoepp Band was started when Trapper and his brother Tanner Schoepp were in high school. They recorded and released A Change in the Weather in 2007. Some band changes, which created Trapper Schoepp & the Shades… and that’s how we first heard of the group, in November 2013.”

Lineup:

June 12 - Katy Tessman and the Tumbuckels

June 26 – Zacc Harris, American Reverie

July 10 – Triple Fiddle

July 17 – Trapper Schoepp

July 24 – Annie Mack

July 31 – Westwind Big Band

August 7 – Salsa del Soul

August 14 – Power of 10

August 21 – Elska

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

Farah Siraj at the Cedar (18 Apr 2025)

Farah Siraj at the Cedar Cultural Center (18 Apr 2025) Tour Dates APR 26 Minot Area Council of the Arts Minot, ND MAY 04 Mueller Center Hot Springs, SD MAY 09 Red Rock Center for the Arts Fairmont, MN JUN 19 The Bassment Saskatoon, SK JUN 20 Vancouver International Jazz Festival 2025 Jun 21 - Jun 22 Victoria International Jazz Festival Read More Farah Siraj Jordan's Musical Ambassadress, Farah Siraj will headline the Cedar Cultural Center on April 18, 2025. Siraj writes: Our @arts_midwest tours always start and end ...

The Cedar Cultural Center was a hub of world music on Friday night with musicians from around the globe.

Opening the evening was Genet Abate, a singer from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, now living in Minneapolis.

Abate took the stage in colorful attire to sing songs of the local tribes in her east African country. She said she was planning to have dancers with her, but the best laid plans had her taking the stage as a solo act.

In between songs, she took questions from the audience and said that it was a year before that she played the same stage. She said she is part of a band that has taken part in the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, then added that any upcoming shows can be found on her Instagram account.

Farah Siraj next took the stage with an intimate group of musicians that included a Flamenco guitarist, Andreas Arnold, and Kane Mathis playing the Turkish Oud. Siraj is from Amman, Jordan, but she is a citizen of the world, moving to Spain at the age of sixteen; studying musical composition at Trinity College of Music in London and graduating from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Along the way she has absorbed musical genres like flamenco, tango, jazz, middle eastern music and a splash of pop.

Siraj said the Cedar was the first stop on her North American Tour. She said we were lucky to have such a place in the Twin Cities for not many music venues highlight global music.

Siraj started off the evening with a new song on her upcoming album “Ya Bahr” which means “sea” in Arabic. She then asked if there were any lovers of flamenco and asked the crowd to make noise. “Don’t be shy. I love it.”

The crowd was not shy and was treated to songs in English, Spanish and Arabic, tinged with flamenco guitar and the Turkish Oud with a lovely voice that sang songs that ranging from missing a loved one to the genocide in the Darfur “To the Sudanese Woman”.  

Siraj sang Jordanian folk songs and even scatted a little.  But the highlight of the evening was a song she wrote with Indian composer A.R. Rahman. She told a circuitous story about how the song came to be, which had her manager, Danielle, laughing in the front row and Mathis looking at his watch.  The story was hard to follow, but some highlights involved facelifts, possibly pulling a fire alarm at Heathrow Airport, getting free coffee, teaching in India, her husband’s looks and her dogged will to meet a musical hero, which finally happened when she met Rahman and they wrote “Zariya”, a song that reached #1 on the Indian music chart. 

It was by far the best story about a song I’ve heard yet. 

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Farah Siraj at the Cedar (18 Apr 2025)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Flore Laurentienne at the Cedar Cultural Center (04-05-2025)

Flore Laurentienne at Cedar Cultural Center (05 Apr 2025) Tour Dates APR 06 Constellation Chicago, IL Tickets Read More Flore Laurentienne Canadian instrumental music project Flore Laurentienne makes their debut US headlining tour this Spring, stopping by the Cedar Cultural Center on April 5, 2025. ...

The Star Tribune’s music critics rated 53 music venues in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, and just missing the Top 5, the Cedar Cultural Center. Still they were given a special nod:

There’s not a warmer music room in town. The wood floors, lamplit lighting, bench-lined walls, friendly volunteer staff, granola-ish concessions and even the simple offering of free coat racks all contribute to its comfortable aesthetic.

We wholeheartedly agree, and last night’s show highlights what the venue does best: feature acts that are normally not found on the musical circuit.

Opening the evening was Zack Baltich, a musical composer and percussionist from Duluth, MN. Surrounded by vibraphone, drums, synths and samplers he started off with a piece he created in collaboration with ARENA Dances before talking about his collaboration with the Cedar, which helped commission his album ingress:passage.

Baltich then highlighted his latest album Estuary before moving on to a new piece that was inspired by recordings of his grandparents playing in a polka band.

After a brief intermission, the members of Flore Laurentienne quietly sauntered onto stage and took their seats. It wasn’t the usual set up for a musical group: a trio of violins and cello to the left, the percussionist/samplerist in the center, and off to the right, their leader and creator, Mathieu David Gagnon, surrounded by a bank of keyboards.

Gagnon is from Quebec and the name of his musical enterprise is the namesake of an inventory documenting the St. Lawrence Valley flora.

How best to describe his music? One could call it technicolor soundscapes or electronically infused classical music. What Gagnon attempts is to capture the rugged wilderness of his home and the beauty of the changing landscape.

“We’re from Canada,” said Gagnon. “We’re friends.”

Before, that was understood. But with the current political climate, maybe that will be the new introduction for bands from our northern border.

Gagnon kept his remarks brief. He asked the crowd if they knew about the Baroque compositional technique, the Fugue, and wondered what J.S. Bach would think of adding a few synthesizers. From there, a pretty straight forward beginning as each string instrument stated the theme before moving into a polyphonic direction. Then the synths, at first supporting the strings, then stretching out and slowing the pace before taking over, as the strings faded then reentered with pizzicato counters, with drums and percussion picking up the pace to send the ending to an expressive finish.

Gagnon again picked up the mic, but… “Not much to say.” He had a new song and it sounded like a moment in time on one of the Great Lakes with waves crashing from a percussive summer storm, soon followed by the dappling of light across calm waters.

Gagnon said they had one last show in the United States and wondered out loud if he pronounced “Chicago” correctly. It was clear his English was secondary, but behind a bank of keyboards is a sound that is universal, especially the last song of the evening from his latest album 8 tableaux.

“La nuit bleue” (The Blue Night) is an ethereal piece that weaves in and out one’s consciousness much like a dream and seemed the perfect ending to an evening filled with beautifully evocative music.

Zack Baltich

Zack Baltich Flore Laurentienne

Flore Laurentienne Flore Laurentienne

Flore Laurentienne

Flore Laurentienne at Cedar Cultural Center (05 Apr 2025)

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Flashback: Boy at the Cedar Cultural Center (19 Mar 2013)

Boy Setlist Into the Wild Drive Darling Waitress Oh Boy Boris Railway Army Skin July Little Numbers -- Encore -- Zapping Lonely Boy (The Black Keys cover) Read More Boy Swedish /German duo Boy returns on a Fall Tour that is a victory lap of sorts. Singer Valeska Steiner and bassist Sonja Glass have had a very successful year-to-date, having their ear candy single ‘Little Numbers’ cross ..…

Prior to their big First Avenue’s headlining gig in Oct 2013, the impossible to Google duo Boy headlined the Cedar Cultural Center in March 2013.

As I have previously mentioned, these common names for a band name, such as Boy, is not good for standing out. Believe me, I had an impossible task of trying to find the band online, try search ‘boy band’, you get nothing but Backstreet Boys, etc.

From what I can gather, I believe the band has been inactive since 2019, just before the big pandemic.

Boy at First Ave (15 Oct 2013)

Based on their first appearance and second appearance (all within the same year), we said, “Boy is all grown up now. That last time we saw them in these parts, they played mostly acoustic with only another guitarist in tow, for a charming, subdued show at the Cedar Cultural Center in March. Now and seven months later, the Hamburg-based German/Swiss duo returned with a full four-piece backing band, a more rounded and refined sound, and added confidence for a warm set at First Avenue’s Mainroom.”

Original Report:

>>>
After 7 million views on YouTube of their single ‘Little Numbers’, a Lufthansa commercial, and riding the ‘Current Effect’ (aka local awareness/buzz accelerated by airplay on the local public radio station), German/Swiss pop/folk duo BOY finally came to the Twin Cities, playing the 2nd of two sold-out shows at the Cedar Cultural Center on a brutally cold Tuesday night.

Valeska Steiner and Sonja Glass brought only guitarist Deniz Erarslan and a laptop supplying beats, to accompany this stripped-down version of the band, playing an intimate acoustic performance that was just short of an hour. Staging was minimal, with the Cedar’s house lights on each end of the stage, remaining dim for most of their set.

The night began atmospherically, with Erarslan entering solo to get seated at his back station of pedals, guitars, and percussion, deadpanning ‘…I am BOY…!’ which got the audience laughing immediately. Soon after, Steiner and Glass entered, beginning the set with the unreleased “Into the Wild”, then into their latest gentle single, “Drive Darling”.

“Waitress” was prefaced by Steiner asking the audience if anyone had ever worked a job they didn't like, and it seemed like the majority of the crowd nodded in affirmation, and the delicate “Boris” told a narrative tale about being hit on by an acquaintance, while a boyfriend was out of town.

The performance crescendo’d with the infectious single about waiting for a desperate call, “Little Numbers” beginning as a piano-hand clap that had the audience singing along and stomping in time.

After a very brief pause, the threesome returned to the stage for a two-song encore, beginning with the quiet, older track “Zapping” and ending with a novel and appropriate cover of The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy”, though after their raucous reception, they won’t have any problem with loneliness in the Minneapolis area.

Both seemed genuinely surprised and pleased at the size of crowd and affection shown, and the audience’s love for the band was further proven by the merch stand completely selling out of product after the show. Definitely an act to watch in the future, and for fans of Feist, Regina Spektor, Jenny Lewis, and general alt-pop goodness.

Read more Flashback.

Boy at the Cedar Cultural Center (19 Mar 2013)

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Flashback: El Perro Del Mar at the Cedar (07 Mar 2007)

El Perro Del Mar: Party El Perro Del Mar Setlist Sad Candy Party Dog I Can't Talk About It People This Loneliness God Knows Coming Down the Hill Hello Goodbye -- Encore -- I'm Not Saying I Found a Reason Read More El Perro Del Mar I have to admit, I was really there for opener, El Perro del Mar. I’ve become obsessed with her latest LP, Love is Not Pop, as it is the perfect soundtrack for long nights of procrastination. ...

I was a pretty big fan of El Perro Del Mar, and on her rare U.S. appearance at the Cedar Cultural Center in March 2007, I knew I had to go.

This was one of my first Cedar shows, I’ve been to the 400 Bar a few times, but I rarely went to the Cedar (only because they book a lot of world music that wasn’t my cup of tea). That seemed to have all changed after this El Perro Del Mar show, as I loved the venue’s acoustics.

El Perro Del Mar (autographed)

I met Sarah Assbring after the show and got her to autographed her debut album. I remember how I thought she was incredibly tall, especially when my seat was right under her seat on stage.

There were a few people in line to meet her, and I remember seeing tears running down as she sang “I Can’t Talk About It”. I suspected it was something personal, and she confirmed it as much.

El Perro Del Mar would return to the Cedar in 2010, but I did not attend that show due to a conflict with another prior commitment.

Original Report:

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I'm going to see El Perro Del Mar tonight. El Perro is just the stage name for Swedish singer/songwriter, Sarah Assbring. If I had her misfortunate name, I would use a stage name too.

Anyroad, between all the songs I've downloaded from her record company, Hybrism (check out this delight tune, God Knows), I've decided "Party" is a good song to describe her style of music. This song appeared on her first ever CD-R EP, "Baby I've Been in a Bad Place". It is also available on her self-titled debut album and Look! It's el Perro del Mar! (a compilation of her first three EPs)

The song's not too poppy, and I like the "Bebop, Bebopalopa" bit is pretty catchy. Reckon her show will be pretty mellow, ah, sissy music at its best!

Updated: Wed, 07 Mar 2007 23:35:41 CST: As I suspected, a very mellow show. The Submarines was the opening band. They covered a Kinks song ("Waterloo Sunset"), which was pretty cool, I didn't think they were influenced by the Kinks from their sound.

El Perro Del Mar consists of Sarah (acoustic guitars/vocals), Bjorn (bass), Jesper (electric guitars) and Jon (keyboard/sounds). Yep, no drums.

During "I Can't Talk About It", there were tears falling from Sarah's eyes. I asked about it later and she said that she gets very emotional.

Read more Flashback.

El Perro Del Mar The Submarines El Perro Del Mar

El Perro Del Mar at the Cedar (07 Mar 2007)

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Flashback: Harper Simon at the Cedar Cultural Center (24 Nov 2009)

Harper Simon 2009 Tour Dates 10/14/09 Los Angeles, CA @ the Echo - Record Release show 10/29/09 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live 10/30/09 New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge 11/3/09 Northhampton, MA @ Iron Horse 11/4/09 Boston, MA @ Cafe 939 11/6/09 Doylestown, PA @ Puck 11/ 7/09 Charlottesville, VA@ The Southern 11/8/09 Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java 11/11/09 Pittsburgh, PA @ Andy Warhol Museum 11/12/09 Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick 11/13/09 Lexington, KY @ Natasha's 11/15/09 Nashville, TN @3rd and Lindsley 11/17/09 Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Café 11/19/09 St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway 11/ 20/09 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop 11/21/09 Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe 11/22/09 Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall 11/24/09 Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center Read More Harper Simon It seems to me that Harper Simon tries his best to not be associated with his father, going so far as saying that he didn't learn how to play music from his dad. Even the way he dresses, the type of music he's making (note: not acoustic .…

Garfunkel and Garfunkel : Father And Son

As you know, we’re big Simon & Garfunkel fans, so we were pretty interested in the recent announcement that Art Garfunkel and his son, Art Garfunkel Jr., released a collaborative studio album – aptly titled Father And Son. The album came out last month, and was billed under the name Garfunkel and Garfunkel.

It got me thinking, Art has a son, and I know Paul Simon has a son… and, in fact, Harper Simon is a musician (although it’s been a while since we last heard from Harper Simon).

So why not have Simon and Garfunkel: The Next Generation?

We’ve seen Harper Simon a few times, and he’s good! The first time, it was touring in support of his self-titled album in 2009, making it to the Cedar Cultural Center as his last stop of the tour. The opener featured local band Peter Wolf Crier.

For Harper’s first tour, he hired some of the best musicians around: bass player Jeff Hill (Rufus Wainwright), drummer Russell Simins (Blues Explosion, Catpower) and multi-instrumentalist Gregg Foreman (Catpower). It sounds like the tour wasn’t going well, like there were some shows that they said they only played to a handful of people… but for the Cedar Cultural Center show, it was well-attended and they were just relieved and happy to end on a high note.

Harper Simon at Varsity Theater (28 June 2013)

When we saw Harper Simon in June 2013, “I noted in the audio reaction, Harper Simon had this irregular speech pattern, where he'll start a sentence and then sort of trail off or end it midway. I suspect he was on medication, recovering from a recent illness that had him cancelling out the first show at the last minute.”

Original Report:

>>>
It seems to me that Harper Simon tries his best to not be associated with his father, going so far as saying that he didn't learn how to play music from his dad. Even the way he dresses, the type of music he's making (note: not acoustic harmonizing folk, but more like alt-country). It's a shame really, Simon sings just like his dad on the acoustic songs, and I wish he would sing more folk. I suppose he's got to find his own calling, right?

Most of the set for Simon was pretty mellow. The most rockiest song was a song I wasn't familiar with. I thought I heard that the song was written by "Tom Berlin Verlaine" (edit: see updated message below), but I could be wrong. Shortly after "Berkeley Girl", the guitar tuner guy came on stage to switch electric with an acoustic guitar.

Songs range from borderline country music to Dylan-type folk. The later is especially true when one of the band member breaks out the harmonica.

They ended their set with "Wishes and Stars", my favorite song from Harper that I've heard. Instead of doing that fake-leaving-the-stage, they just stayed on stage and played some encores. The last song is a cover of "A Message to You, Rudy", who you & I probably know as a ska song by the Specials (but it's originally by Dandy Livingstone).

So this was the last night of their national tour. It sounds like they've been very tired, some even looked relieved, but they were certainly very happy to be playing in front of an audience. The band admitted that this was one of the better crowds, considering that they've played a few shows to "five people".

Trivia: Touring drummer Russell Simins, best known for being in Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, is from Minnesota.

UPDATED 11/26/2009 19:42:54:

ArtsOrbit wrote: Nov 24, 2009 9:59 PM

@weheartmusic H. Simon's reference was to Tom Verlaine: the song was Television's "See No Evil." Agreed that H.S. is best with folk music!

Read more Flashback.

Harper Simon at the Cedar Cultural Center (24 Nov 2009)

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Global Roots Festival at the Cedar Cultural Center (25 Sep 2024)

Global Roots Festival 2024 GRF DAY 1 Monday, September 23, 2024 FRÄNDER and BALKAN PARADISE ORCHESTRA Doors: 7:00 PM / Show: 7:30 PM All Ages / Standing GRF DAY 2 Tuesday, September 24, 2024 USTAD NOOR BAKHSH and RAMON CHICHARRON Doors: 7:00 PM / Show: 7:30 PM All Ages / Standing GRF DAY 3 Wednesday, September 25, 2024 MONA MIARI and KOBO TOWN Doors: 7:00 PM / Show: 7:30 PM All Ages / Standingco Read More Global Roots Festival 15 years since its inception, the Global Roots Festival is returning to the Cedar Cultural Center this September 23 to 25, 2024. The three-day event is free and open to the public and offers accessible, free …

The last night of the Global Roots Festival, presented by the Cedar Cultural Center, just ended its three-day event on a very high note with the Arabic music of Mona Miari, and the reggae-dance music of Kobo Town.

On the first night, September 23, the Cedar featured Estonia’s Fränder (featuring three siblings Daniel, Gabbi and Natasja) and Barcelona’s Balkan Paradise Orchestra.

On the second night, September 24, Balochistan’s Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Montreal-based Colombian multi-instrumentalist Ramon Chicharron were the guests.

Ramon Chicharron at Global Roots Festival (24 Sep 2024)

We reported on the event, describing Chicharron’s show as, “…what drove the evening was the beat of the drums, the guitar, the keys and Chicharron’s rapid-fire delivery. It was difficult not to move around even if most didn’t know the dance steps.”

Starting the third night was New York’s Mona Miari (منى ميعاري). Miari was born in Chicago, but she found herself embarking in her music career in Palestine with the “Jerusalem - The Capital of Arabic Culture 2009” festival.

All her songs, sung in Arabic, tells her stories - everything from her family (mother and father), to falling in love during a city siege.

As an introduction to one of her songs about being homesick and reuniting with your loved ones, she got a little emotional and couldn’t hold back her tears. Clearly, she was thinking of someone very close to her heart.

Closing out the night was Toronto’s Kobo Town. They were introduced as a band of immigrants; all the band members were originally from across the globe. The band’s singer and frontman is Drew Gonsalves, who was originally from Trinida (where he took the ‘Kobo Town’ name from a district in Port-of-Spain).

Their music is very reggae-heavy, but more upbeat, like ska or dancehall music.

Gonsalves asked if the audience saw them the last time they were here. When there were some ‘woot’ feedback, he joked that the Minnesota audience had very long lives.

It really wasn’t that long ago, but their first Minneapolis show was at the Cedar on September 5, 2013 (11 years ago).

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Kobo Town at Global Roots Festival (25 Sep 2024)

vu ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com

Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Ramon Chicharron at the Cedar Cultural Center (9-24-2024)

Global Roots Festival: Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Ramon Chicharron Vuart Push the Button Read More Global Roots Festival 15 years since its inception, the Global Roots Festival is returning to the Cedar Cultural Center this September 23 to 25, 2024. The three-day event is free and open to the public and offers accessible, free …

We Heart Music got the chance to check out the middle night of the Cedar Cultural Center’s three-night Global Roots Festival, a free event featuring musicians from all over the world.

The first act was a rare one as Ustad Noor Bakhsh has embarked on a North American tour at an age when most are retiring. He is from Pakistan, born in the coastal town of Gaddani to a nomadic family of shepherds. But when he first heard the benju, he knew immediately he wanted to learn everything about it.

The benju can best be described as a slide guitar with typewriter keys. It almost looks like a tenor saxophone if you tried to flatten it into a traveling piano. It has the plucky, metallic sound of a zither, but the keys allow Bakhsh to flutter up and down the instrument, improvising and conveying his own distinct voice.

Bakhsh was joined on stage by Daniyal Ahmed who played damburag, a long-necked lute. Ahmed was also the translator, road manager and is also a professor of anthropology at Habib University in Karachi. Sadly, their flute player had an accident early in the day and was resting back at the hotel. But Bakhsh’s intricate, nimble finger play of South Asian Ragas and traditional Pakistani Balochi music kept the audience transfixed.

After a brief intermission, Ramon Chicharron and his band took the stage to get the crowd moving.

Chicharron is from Columbia but currently residing in Montreal. His style of music is described as Columbian tropical pop fusion featuring dance styles like Cumbia, Champeta and Dembow.

Although far from his coastal home, Chicharron has found a welcoming home in Canada. His albums have been well received, winning twice “Album of the Year” for 2021- Pescador de sueños and 2022 - Destello de estrellas at the Latin Canada Awards. He just released Niebla on September 13th, and he featured songs about walks through Canadian woods, the contemplative life of Columbian fishermen who only harvest what they need for the day and reflecting on a time before smartphones when stars were used to help guide travelers.

But what drove the evening was the beat of the drums, the guitar, the keys and Chicharron’s rapid-fire delivery. It was difficult not to move around even if most didn’t know the dance steps.

I was surprised to see a section of the audience with notebooks. They looked like U of M students, jotting furiously as if they were in some music theory class. Perhaps, they were. But they should remember the most important part of music: it’s fun. Or as Ustad Noor Bakhsh explained in a 2023 interview with The Guardian: “When I play the benju, I’m still young.”

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Ustad Noor Bakhsh at Cedar (24 Sep 2024)

dave ♥ weheartmusic.com ♥ twitter.com