01-04-2025
Must-see concerts this week: First Ave's anniversary party, Bob Dylan & more
First Avenue will celebrate its 55th anniversary this week, providing at least one reason to get out of the house as winter attempts to assert its dominance over the spring.
Elsewhere, you'll find genuine musical legends (Blind Boys of Alabama) and maybe even a little encouragement to see some music outside of the Twin Cities (Bob Dylan in Mankato).
Here are the concerts worth catching around the Twin Cities (and beyond) this week.
Thursday, April 3 at The Dakota
The gospel group is about as celebrated as any group could be. They've won Grammys, were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and have lifetime achievement awards from both the Grammys and the National Endowment for the Arts. They're on the road frequently, but anytime they're in town is a chance to see something special.
Friday, April 4 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato
Love his live shows for their idiosyncrasies or hate them, there's no doubt that any Dylan show will be a packed house. For this tour, Dylan is headed to less frequently visited towns around the country. The Twin Cities are left off his "Rough and Rowdy Ways Tour" in favor of a stop in Mankato. He'll head to Eau Claire the following night.
Friday, April 4 at First Avenue
First Avenue just celebrated the 45th anniversary of 7th St. Entry with a series of concerts that featured Soul Asylum, Kiss the Tiger, and others. Now, it's the main room's turn.
For the downtown staple's anniversary, they'll bring in The Suburbs. Between the venue and the bands, there's a lot of Minnesota rock history in the building on Friday.
Friday, April 4 at Palace Theatre
Conor Oberst, a songwriter revered by fans as the second-coming of someone a little higher up on this list, canceled a big chunk of Bright Eyes' 2024 tour due to vocal issues. But the face of the Saddle Creek moment in the '00s is back on the road playing music from across his multi-decade career.
Oberst and his cohort are joined by fellow Omaha indie stalwarts, Cursive.
Saturday, April 5 at Cloudland Theater
Reclaim works to increase access to mental healthcare for queer and trans youth "so they may reclaim their lives from oppression in all its forms." That makes Saturday's benefit concert a damn good cause.
But even aside from doing good things with your concertgoing, it'll be a fun night at Cloudland. The show is headlined by local glam punk icon Venus de Mars, who will be joined by the punky Surly Grrly, the poppier Despondent, and drey dk, whose music and striking voice shifts between pop melodies and ambient on Tuesday, April 1:
Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet at The Dakota
Sarah and the Sundays at Fine Line
Pouya with Freddie Dredd and Cursed at The Uptown Theater
Jeffrey Martin w/ Lou Hazel at Icehouse
Tommy Richman at Varsity Theater
Songbird Series at Pilllar Forum
International Reggae Allstars at Bunker's
The New Havoline Supremes at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Unattractive Giant Monster residency with Home Team Quarterback and Orchid Club at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Eldest Daughter, Oceanographer, and Clayton Ryan at 331 Club (free)
Concerts on Wednesday, April 2:
The Birthday Massacre with Essenger and Magic Wands at Fine Line
Joe Lovano's Paramount Quartet at The Dakota
Polica, Kareem Rahma & Tiny Gun, and Marijuana Deathsquads at Green Room
Zack Fox (DJ set) at First Avenue
Ben Sollee at The Parkway Theater
Sir Woman with Dylan Meek and Uncle Roy & Spice at Turf Club
Arts Fishing Club with Brother Elsey at 7th St. Entry
Baths, Fashion Club, and Dosh at Icehouse
Twine at Bunkers
Hunny Bear residency with Greenline Quintent and EFMI at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
The Second Stringers at The White Squirrel Bar (free)Concerts on Thursday, April 3:
The Blind Boys of Alabama at The Dakota
Caravan Palace with Zayka at First Avenue
Lil Skies with Lil Gnar, Fergie Baby, $AM, and more at Fine Line
The Army, The Navy with Aggie Miller at 7th St. Entry
Maoli at Varsity Theater
Lil Skies with Lil Gnar, Fergie Baby, and more at Fine Line
LAP with Haze Gazer at Pilllar Forum
Glitterdark album debut and dance party at Uptown VFW
The Twin Town Old Time Music Festival Kick-off Party at Hook and Ladder
Sunpearl and friends at Berlin
Jay Bee & the Routine at Bunker's
Once More, Autumn, Green, and Oceanographer at Underground Music Cafe
Mark Guiliana at Icehouse
Music of Timothy C. Takach at The Landmark Center (free)
Early Evening Jazz: Reid Kennedy Trio at Berlin (no cover)
Allison Dyg at Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee (free)
Ex-Rodeo with Night of Joy at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Concerts on Friday, April 4:
Bob Dylan at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in Mankato
First Avenue's 55th Anniversary Celebration feat. The Suburbs with Black Widows at First Avenue
Bright Eyes with Cursive at Palace Theatre
Urban Classic: The Friday Night Soul Revue at The Dakota
Tamino with plus +.+ at The Fitzgerald Theater
Basia Bulat - Basia's Palace Live in Concert at The Cedar Cultural Center
King Caesar with In Solid Air and Weald at The White Squirrel Bar
Bestial Mouths, Burning, and Friends at Zhora Darling
Franz Ferdinand at The Fillmore
La Lom with El Marchante at Fine Line
Air Supply at Mystic Lake
The Dirty Pretty, The Observant, and Serf Revolt at Terminal Bar
Subhumans with FEA at Uptown VFW
Ahmed & the Creators at Berlin
A See Saw pre-party: Feeling Figures, Bermuda Squares, Answering Machines, and Yuasa-Exide at Cloudland Theater
Belfast Cowboys at Hook and Ladder
Teenage Bottlerocket with Mest & MakeWar at Green Room
Leisure Hour with Keep for Cheap, NATL PARK SRVC, and Anni XO at Pilllar Forum
Impaler with Dumpster Juice and Extermination Day at Turf Club
Marlon Funaki with The Back Alley at 7th St. Entry
Early Evening Jazz: Adam Harder Nussbaum / Ted Olsen / Mike Wolter at Berlin (no cover)
Concerts on Saturday, April 5:
A Benefit for Reclaim: Venus de Mars, Surly Grrly, Despondent, and Drey DK at Cloudland Theater
The Hard Quartet with Sharp Pins at First Avenue
Warren Zeiders with Tyler Braden at The Armory
Rebecca Black with Blue Hawaii at Amsterdam Bar & Hall
Shemekia Copeland at The Dakota
An Evening with Amy Grant at Mayo Civic Center in Rochester
The O'Jays at Mystic Lake
Bestial Mouths, Burning, and Friends at Zhora Darling
Anxious with Altra Q, Stateside, and Everybody Takes One at 7th St. Entry
The Dead Century with Valors at Day Block Brewing
Grieves with Curci and Nobi & Khingz at Turf Club
Bumsy and the Moochers with Runaway Ricochet and The Von Tramps at Pilllar Forum
Flore Laurtentienne with Zack Baltich at The Cedar Cultural Center
Lungs, Cobra Dzar, Cymothoa, and Tiger Blue at Zhora Darling
Countess Cabaret with Luann de Lesseps at The Fillmore
The Controversial New 'Skinny Pill,' Fumbler, and Sunnbather at Palmer's Bar
MAKR AN ERIS, Eric Mayson, Bathtub Cig, and Vinny Franco at Green Room
Lissie with AirLands at The Parkway Theater
Bohemia After Dark: A Tribute to Cannonball and Nat Adderley at Berlin
The Dead Century with Valors at Day Block Brewing
Tank and the Bangas with Elliott Skinner and DJ Zeus at Fine Line
League Two, Asparagus, and Lily Blue at Underground Music Venue
Abebi Stafford/Ian Duerr at Berlin (no cover)
Concerts on Sunday, April 6:
LAAMAR at the Historic Memorial Chapel at Lakewood Cemetery
Rich Amiri with Swapa at Varsity Theater
Skylark Opera Theatre at Landmark Center
Skerryvore at The Dakota
Psychedelic Sundays with Dream of the Wild, Ice Climber, Beneath Green, and Shrimp Olympics at The Cabooze
StoLyette with Pornonono and Drew Christopherson at Berlin
Brass Messengers at 331 Club
Dr. Mambo's Combo at Bunker's
Church of Cornbread: Cornbread Harris and Friends at Palmer's Bar (free)
Mary Bue, Martin Devaney, and Molly Maher at The White Squirrel Bar (free)
Uncle Muskrat at Badger Hill Brewing in Shakopee (free)Just announced concerts:
April 19: Nachito Herrera: The Last of the 50s at The Dakota
April 26: Bizhiki at Theodore Wirth Park Trailhead for Strib Unbound
May 8: Ghost-Note at The Dakota
May 9: Brantley Gilbert at The Ledge Amphitheater
May 9: The Melismatics with Benjamin Cartel and Stone Arch Rivals at Icehouse
May 10: Jamecia Bennett: A Mother's Day Tribute to Women in Music at The Dakota
May 14–15: Peter Asher at The Dakota
May 16: The Verve Pipe at The Dakota
May 18: Benmont Tench at The Dakota
May 23: anni xo and Kiernan at Fine Line
May 24: Eudaemon album release show with Anita Velveeta, Rodeo Boys, Another Heaven, and Valeska Suratt at Pilllar Forum
June 4: Alejandro Brittes at The Cedar Cultural Center
June 11: Ted Olsen album release at The Cedar Cultural Center
June 20: An Evening with Greg Koch at Turf Club
June 24: Pedrito Martinez at The Dakota
June 25: Lost Bayou Ramblers with Ethno USA on the Road at The Cedar Cultural Center
July 27: Michael Franti & Spearhead at Hilde Performance Center
Aug. 9: Billy Strings at Target Center
Aug. 15: Flaming Lips and Modest Mouse at The Armory
Sept. 3: Pup & Jeff Rosenstock at Palace Theatre
Sept. 17: The Baseball Project at Fine Line
Sept. 19: Ethel Cain with 9million at Palace Theatre
Sept. 30: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at First Avenue
Oct. 4: Garbage at First Avenue
Oct. 7: Sex Pistols play 'Never Mind the Bollocks' at The Fillmore
Oct. 9: Mumford & Sons with Michael Kiwanuka at Xcel Energy Center
Oct. 10: Jonas Brothers at Xcel Energy Center
Oct. 18: Sons of the East at Fine Line
