28-04-2025
Concerts to see this week: The Hold Steady, Nick Cave, Munson Fest
As May arrives, the next few weeks — before the outdoor concert series and summer festivals — are absolutely packed with splashy concerts.
We'll do what we can to help sort things out. Here's what's happening on Twin Cities stages this week.
Thursday, May 1, at Walker Art Center
The prolific art rock group will have a one-of-a-kind performance at the Walker Art Center, celebrating more than three decades as a group.
For this show, they'll play a song from each of their 20 studio albums, includign early albums like The Man, The King, The Girl, their breakthrough records in the early '00s (Apple O', Milk Man, Friend Opportunity), and more recent releases like 2023's Miracle-Level.
Thursday, May 1, at Hook and Ladder
Cornbread Harris is a true Twin Cities music scene legend. Even just a couple years shy of 100, Harris continues to hold down a weekly residency at Palmer's Bar and play elsewhere around town regularly. He'll celebrate his 98th birthday with a lineup of friends at Hook and Ladder.
Sunday, May 4, at The Armory
The Australian songwriter has released nearly 20 albums since going "solo" in the '80s. He's a singular voice, evolving repeatedly during his career. Last year's Wild God saw the group step back toward the bombastic with more rock 'n roll songwriting following a couple of ethereal and grief-filled records.
Cave, Warren Ellis, and co. will do "an evening with"-style performance at The Armory with no opener and plenty of time to dive bounce around the groups discography. Other shows on the tour have had a solid dose of tracks from Wild God, but left plenty of time for older favorites and even a couple of songs from Grinderman albums (Cave and Ellis' band with a little more hard rock edge).
Thursday, May 1, at The Fitzgerald Theater
John Munson — a Minnesota musician who has played in groups like Semisonic, Trip Shakespeare, The Twilight Hours, and The New Standards — suffered a stroke in late February. Since then, friends and fans have raised more than $137,000 to support his recovery and medical expenses.
This week, a benefit concert, dubbed Munson Fest, will continue that support with a one-night festival-style concert featuring Chan Poling and Steve Roehm of The New Standards, Aby Wolf, Matt Wilson and His Orchestra, The Dust of Suns, Dylan Hicks, and others.
Sunday, May 4, at The Fitzgerald Theater
The Japanese songwriter and multi-instrumentalist crafts enveloping atmospheres, whether it's folkier ballads or the more expansive sonic experiences that fill Luminescent Creatures, the album she released earlier this year.
Aoba says the new record was inspired by sea creatures encountered while diving in the waters of a remote island, and the album feels like a plunge into an ethereal, mysterious new world.
Thursday, May 1—Sunday, May 4, at 7th St. Entry, First Avenue, and Fine Line
The New York band that was (loosely) born from the demise of the Twin Cities-based Lifter Puller is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their breakthrough album, Separation Sunday. It's a four-night run of underplays, starting with a show at 7th St. Entry. That's followed by two nights at First Avenue and a finale at Fine Line. In between, there's a trivia get-together and other celebratory activities.
For the many Hold Steady fans around the state, it's a unique chance to see them on a smaller stage just months after singer Craig Finn headlined a solo show at The Fitzgerald on Monday, April 28:
Awolnation with Bryce Fox at First Avenue
L.S. Dunes with From Indian Lakes and Plague Vendor at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Ben Kweller with cheese touch at Fine Line
Joey Alexander at The Dakota
Arch Enemy at The Fillmore
Savannah Conley with Lucky Kilmartin at 7th St. Entry
HonkyTonk Ranch and Roe Family Singers at 331 Club (free)
Cause for Concern with Duck Bomb and Threads Electric at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Concerts on Tuesday, April 29:
Jesse Cook at The Fitzgerald Theater
Circa Waves and Friday Pilots Club with bugsy at First Avenue
Branford Marsalis Quartet at The Dakota
L.A. Witch with DAIISTAR at Turf Club
EXTC: XTC's Terry Chambers & Friends at The Parkway Theater
Matthew and the Atlas with Foreign Fields at 7th St. Entry
Will Olsen & The Wild Ones, Tommy and Forrest Jedediah at Palmer's Bar
Embahn with Emma Jeanne and Canary Room at Pilllar Forum
Finesse, Ronnie Stone, Healng, and Wolfbabycup at Zhora Darling
Urban Heat at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
International Reggae Allstars at Bunker's
Becky Kapell at 331 Club (free)
Kate Flick at Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee (free)
The New Havoline Supremes at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Unattractive Giant Monster with Cut Rate Clones and Ruben at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Concerts on Wednesday, April 30:
Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Branford Marsalis Quartet at The Dakota
SAINt JHN with Jordan Hawkins at First Avenue
The Arcadian Wild with River & Rail at The Cedar Cultural Center
Husbands with JW Francis at 7th St. Entry
Eli Brunelle album release with DJ Lemony, Lasalle, Hindsight, and 0308 at Green Room
Phil Cook solo piano at Icehouse
Glencircle, Super Deluxe Bastards, and The Izzy Cruz Band at Palmer's Bar
Helen, Zeta Grl, and Bryn Battani at Underground Music CafeConcerts on Thursday, May 1:
Munson Fest feat. Chan Poling and Steve Roehm of The New Standards, Aby Wolf, and more at The Fitzgerald Theater
Deerhoof at The Walker Art Center
The Hold Steady at 7th St. Entry
Cornbread Harris' 98th B-Day Party Extravaganza at Hook and Ladder
The Wrecks with Quarters of Change and Benjamin Carter at First Avenue
Chiodos at The Fillmore
Pat Donohue & Prairie All-Stars at The Dakota
Vs Self at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Save Ferris with Keep Flying at Turf Club
The Quantum Mechanics album release with JoJo Green & Poor Lemuel at Hook and Ladder
Kneebody at Berlin (two shows)
Bryan Nichols Trio at Icehouse
The Silent Treatment, Favourite Girl, and Bev at Zhora Darling
Colin Bracewell with Chutes, SoulFlower, and anni xo at Varsity Theater
Burning Blue Rain and Aidan Burke at Aster Cafe
Food House, Folie, and Bejalvin at Underground Music Cafe
Lily Rose with Payton Smith at Fine Line
Chris Smither at The Parkway Theater
Jay Bee & the Routine at Bunker's
Techno Fashion at Uptown VFW
Irina and Julia Elkina, duo piano at The Landmark Center (free)
HeavyThur at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Sam Schuring at Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee (free)
Concerts on Friday, May 2:
The Hold Steady at First Avenue
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
T. Mychael Rambo: Songs in the Key of Life at The Dakota
Teleport 004 - An evening of psychedelic chillout music: Ancient Fruit, Squig, and Kitten Candy at Hook and Ladder
Season to Risk with Unstable Shapes and Upright Forms at Zhora Darling
The Unnamed, Edith Head, and The Swongos at Palmer's Bar
KFAI - Fresh Air Community Radio 47th Anniversary Celebration (lineup TBA) at Hook and Ladder
58 Belvedere at Berlin
Fend, Another Heaven, and Malamiko at Cloudland Theater
Papooz with Cornelia Murr at Turf Club
Psychic Vampire, Blood Sigil, Skimask, and Getting Stabbed at Mortimer's
Nightly with Mico at Varsity Theater
Upon a Burning Body with Left to Suffer, King 810, Half Me, and Bury My Demons at The Cabooze
Rolling Quartz at Green Room
Molly Dean record release at Icehouse
Perfect Person at The Cedar Cultural Center
Early Evening Jazz: Polem (Mike Wolter/Kameron Markworth/Joey Van Phillips) at Berlin (no cover)
Foxson at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Briefcase with Pyrrhic Victories and True Lust at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Concerts on Saturday, May 3:
Ichiko Aoba with Owen Pallett at The Fitzgerald Theater
The Hold Steady at First Avenue
Reggie Watts at the Fine Line
Deafheaven at Varsity Theater
Fabiana Palladino with Yves Jarvis and Zak Khan at Icehouse
Palmer's Patio Opener featuring In the City, Longview, Chelsea Drugstore, and Kraftjerk at Palmer's Bar
Kith + Kin Season 8 Finale with LAAMAR at The Cedar Cultural Center (two shows)
Reaping Asmodeiz, With Dead Hands Rising, Den of Thieves, and Caustic Abyss at Zhora Darling
Stella Cole at The Dakota
Yung Bae at Green Room
Lone Rock Bride with Harlow and Jackson Atkins at Pilllar Forum
Davina and The Vagabonds at Hook and Ladder
Max Johnson 3 at Berlin
TUGG with The Prizefighters and Jon Wayne at Hook and Ladder
Dead History, Ela, and Win at Cloudland Theater
Fox Stevenson with Yue at Turf Club
YHWH Nailgun with Morgan Garrett at 7th St. Entry
Yächtley Crëw at Myth Live
The Aristocrats at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Joan of Profile at Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee (free)
Cassie Brady Trio with Cass Magpie and Friend Dog at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Cole Diamond at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Gently, Gently at 331 Club (free)
Early Evening Jazz: JC Sanford / Christopher Olson at Berlin (no cover)Concerts on Sunday, May 4:
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds at The Armory
The Hold Steady at First Avenue
Ichiko Aoba with Owen Pallett at The Fitzgerald Theater
Machine Head and In Flames with Lacuna Coil and Unearth at The Fillmore
CORDA at the Historic Memorial Chapel at Lakewood Cemetery
Elvin Bishop Big Fun Trio at The Dakota
Memphis May Fire, Caskets, Wind Walkers, and Elijah at Varsity Theater
SOL single release with Wizards of SOL, Jonny Darko, Lily Blue & Loon Booster at Green Room
Imagined by Nelson Devereaux: Klassik + Subtle Frequencies at Berlin
The Young and the Rest album release show at The Parkway Theater
Just announced concerts:
May 19: Bob 'Slim Dunlap Tribute and Memorial at First Avenue
May 23: Davina and the Vagabonds at The Dakota
June 5: Burning Blue Rain with Pierre Lewis at The Cabooze
June 6: Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials at The Dakota
June 15: Creeping Death and Kruelty at Turf Club
June 17: Shaun LaBelle & Stokley feat. Bobby Lyle at The Dakota
June 23: The English Beat at The Dakota
June 27: Birdtalker at Turf Club
July 10: Pure Prairie League at The Parkway Theater
July 16: Keiko Matsui at The Dakota
July 17: 3BallMTY at First Avenue
July 24: Storm Large at The Dakota
July 26: Mitchell Ferguson at 7th St. Entry
Aug. 20: Lettuce at First Avenue
Aug. 23: Maren Morris w/ Miya Folick at Grand Casino Hinckley
Sept. 6: Dystinct at Fine Line
Sept. 9: D4VD at The Fillmore
Sept. 12: Wargasm at Turf Club
Sept. 20: Pulp at The Armory
Sept. 24: Deltron 3030 plays its self-titled debut album at Uptown Theater
Sept. 27: Autoheart at Fine Line
Sept. 30: sombr at Palace Theatre
Oct. 7: GoGo Penguin at Fine Line
Oct. 9: Sasha Colby at The Fillmore
Oct. 10: Quadeca at Fine Line
Oct. 14: Dice at Turf Club
Nov. 3: Durand Jones & the Indications with The Psychodelics at First Avenue
Nov. 8: S.G. Goodman at Fine Line
Nov. 9: Couch at First Avenue
Nov. 19: Hayes Carll at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Nov. 26: Bryan Adams with Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo at Target Center
