Twin Cities July Events

Whassup!!!! Jun 29, 2026

Vital Haps This Week

James Hunter Six, Tue – Wed, July 14 – 15 , Dakota
There aren’t many blue-eyed soul artists of James Hunter’s caliber (Eli “Paperboy” Reed comes to mind). It’s like walking into a Motown exhibit. The British singer has been chasing success for four decades, but caught a break when he formed a friendship with Van Morrison in the mid-nineties and then broke through with 2006’s People Gonna Talk. After a brief moment on Universal, Hunter found a sympathetic home on Daptone Records for four albums, before self-releasing their latest, the terrific soul-soaked R&B/blues of Off the Fence.

Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets, Wed, July 15, Fine Line
What’s with Brits stealing our roots music? Anyone noticed how not just Robert Plant, but Ian Hunter and Nick Lowe have tacked from their particular Brit rock origins to ride the Americana, well it’s not a gravy train but still. No shade, they’ve each done it splendidly. To be fair, Lowe was playing country and blues in Brinsley Schwartz before their pub rock bridged into punk /new wave. He’s good at it – 2001’s The Convincer is great – though he’s only released four albums since then. He began teaming with instrumental surf-rockers Los Straitjackets in 2014 and it’s become a thing. They back Lowe on 2024’s more fifties/rockabilly-inflected Indoor Safari, highlighted by sweet poignant “Crying Inside.”

Red Elvises, Black Widows, Wed, July 15, Mortimer’s
What you need to know is that the surf-abilly rock outfit from Los Angeles is (1) it was their second go-around, after earning money as Limpopo, playing Russian ethnic music on the party/club/wedding circuit and winning International Star Search, then stagnating, (2) they cut their teeth on the street (so did the Violent Femmes) with all the showmanship that should imply. Thirty years on, they’re still doing it, which should tell you a lot about their performances. Fun, loud and crunchy, Minneapolis’ Black Widows just dropped their debut album.

Frank Theatre’s Big Ass 37^th Birthday Party, Wed, July 15, Fraternal Order of Eagles
Celebrate the Frank Theatre’s long tradition of challenging local work with a taco bar AND a hot dog bar. Beer, music as well.

Anton Chekhov’s The Bear, Cirque du Nord, Museum of Russian Art, Thur, July 16 & Sun, July 19
What begins as a dispute over an unpaid debt quickly escalates into a battle of wills — and something far more unexpected. Staged in TMORA’s Main Gallery, this debut production from Cirque du Nord brings Chekhov’s beloved comic work into an immersive museum setting.

The Scarlet Goodbye, High on Stress, Mears Park, Thur, July 16
Punchy alt-rock The Scarlet Goodbye pairs singer/producer Jeff Arundel & Soul Asylum/Golden Smog guitarist Daniel Murphy. HoS have been at it since 2003 fashioning '90s 'mats-infleced indie rock.

Semisonic, Humbird, Thur, July 16, Varsity Theatre
A dream deferred does not have to be a dream defeated. Semisonic bowed out in 2001 after more than two decades chasing the dream between it and predecessor Trip Shakespeare. But they returned 15 years later and found a way to make it work in the reunion’s wake, resulting in 2020’s You’re Not Alone EP and 2023’s Little Bit of Sun. That’s not big success, it’s just making music, but time changes definitions. Creating together is inspiring in and of itself, and earlier this year they released the urgent, anthemic alt-rock single, “Don’t Give Up Yet,” as they clearly haven’t. Humbird is Siri Undlin, a talented chanteuse with catchy folk-rock shuffle supporting her fourth full-length, Morning When It Comes, and new single, "Daughter of Empire."

Sean Hayes, Bathtub Cig, Fri, July 17, Icehouse
Hayes is one of those artists better known by streaming/film music supervisors than the general public. How is an artist good enough for the motion picture business but not the songs-on-the-radio business? Is it that it’s that Hayes’ Americana/Roots-Soul feels too sophisticated for the medium that gave us “Red Solo Cup”? Yet the same time is as familiar and timeless as a little black dress? How Hayes hasn’t found wider acclaim feels like an indictment of popular music. Opener Bathtub Cig's introspective bedroom pop waffles in the light, wisps of hope insubstantial as smoke looking for a way out.

upload in progress, 0 — May have visited Bathtub Cigar's Minneapolis apt one drunken night, inconclusive

Man Man, Death Valley Girls, Fri, July 17, Turf Club
Posited on a mountain peak, the lotused guru ponders the universe’s complexity momentarily before, rising, slapping on his rocket-power disco skates, and slaloming his way home to his Gingerbread Hovel – unlike the Cookie CAKES some inhabit – to kiss his still-blushing burning bush. The careening soundscapes of Man Man suggest some farcical far-fetched locale and improbable probabilities worthy of Hitchhiker’s Guide. Now two decades in, wild-eyed leader Honus Honus has corralled the chaos and reduced the weirdness to distilled demi-glace trimming the kaleidoscopic prog-funk and cabaret-quirk musical bonzai into more readily digestible shapes. Like Yes. if they Quantum Leaped into Captain Beefheart, who in this timeline is Cirque du Soliel’s set designer. Which is perhaps a long way to go to suggest that some artists – by training us or evolving themselves in some combination – go from oddly opaque to an idiosyncratic delight.

Private Lives, Guthrie, Sat, July 18 – August 23
It’s been five years since divorcees Elyot and Amanda called it quits. Now they’re both on marriage number two and honeymooning at a popular resort town in France with their new spouses. Insults and sparks fly until everyone is caught in an emotional crossfire and forced to follow their hearts. The fourth production of Coward’s most celebrated work, the last time during the Guthrie’s 2007-2008 season.

Eric Pierson Celebration/Remembrance, Sat, July 18, Grumpy’s NE
A remembrance of Pierson (passed in March) who played in numerous bands (Motorhome, Johnny Quest, Dander, God’s Favorite Band, Brass Elephant, Like Hell, and the North Electric), produced and spent 16 years as Soul Asylum’s sound engineer before retiring from the touring life and learning a building trade. Short sets by numerous local legends including Dan Murphy, Arcwelder, Man Sized Action, Johnny Quest, Motorhome, Brass Elephant, Dander and others.

Drivin N Cryin, Laid Back Country Picker, Sat, July 18, Turf Club
Kevn Kinney wanted to bring the energy of Bad Brains to roots rock. The impulse led to Drivin N Cryin, which tried to thread a needle no one was necessarily seeking, nonetheless their attempts to weld hard rock to a country/roots chassis was deeply influential (see also, Jason & the Scorchers) down the road. So maybe it’s appropriate that what went around came back around. While a good band, it took a breakup and reconciliation to create their Piece de Resistance, 2009’s Great American Bubble Factory, which sadly feels every bit as relevant today. They left it there, aside from a live album, until April’s Crushing Flowers, which seems to find the perfect ratio of greasy southern hard rock stomp and jangling roots swag. On some level, if they’d made an album this good 35 years ago, we might not know the Black Crowes. Laid Back Country Picker is anything but channeling a similar spirit as Kinney, delivering a fierce dark cloud guitar squall over honky-tonk/outlaw country twang.

Carla Thomas with Take Me To the River All-Stars Memphis Soul Revue, Sunday, July 19, Parkway Theatre
We have royalty in our presence. Thomas was known as the Queen of Memphis, debuting on Atlantic in 1961 before releasing five albums for Stax from 1965 – ’71. A classic soul shouter, Thomas was inspired by Brenda Lee and Jackie Wilson, scoring big hits with “B-A-B-Y,” “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)” and “Tramp” with Otis Redding. In 2021 her vocals were featured on Valerie June’s “Call Me a Fool,” earning a Grammy nomination for Beast American Roots Song.

Billy Allen + the Pollies, Sun, July 19, Turf Club
Sometimes you get chocolate in peanut butter. The collision of Billy Allen and The Pollies, who’d crossed paths in Alabama prior to running into each other at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, sparking a friendship over Little Richard’s “Greenwood, MS.” Allen’s energetic, soulful whisper-to-a-shout vocals are paired to limber roots/rock/soul blending sway and swagger, balladry, R&B and roots-rock throttle. It’s the other end of the gerontological spectrum from Thomas.

Live Performance

Weekdays

Ken Pomeroy, Ramsey Thornton, Thur, July 2, 7th St. Entry
Pomeroy’s lilting vocals blow in just ahead of the cold front, aching like they got some place better to be, they just don’t know where. Fragile but pliant, her reedy twang shimmies and builds like a dead spot in an awkward conversation. Her 2025 second album, Cruel Joke, and debut for Rounder was a revelation that landed on many year-end best-of and evoked Gillian Welch, whom she covers on “Look at Miss Ohio,” the first released track from August’s forthcoming Tonight’s News EP. NPR's Ann Powers calls her a “generational talent.”

Bob Dylan, Lucinda Williams, John Doe Folk Trio, Mon, July 6, Mystic Lake
What a lineup! Saw Dylan on tour two years ago and while he wasn’t very mobile – barely straying from his keyboards – his voice sounded as good as ever. Tight 90 minute set, and few favorites, but that’s the story. Saw him at JazzFest couple decades ago, and I didn’t recognize half the handful of favorites he did play until the chorus. (He loves to rearrange.) Extraordinary icon, really a must-see. Lucinda Williams is one helluva performer as well, with as deep a catalog of unsung greats as you’ll find in the last quarter-century. Brings it live. And X’s John Doe, who’s a fine songwriter in his own right. And just $35 (+fees) for General Admission?

Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs, Sarah Lee Guthrie, Tue, July 7, Pantages
It’s hard to imagine a better-traveled guitarist in the last 50 years that just about nobody knows despite co-writing “Refuge,” “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky,” and “Boys Of Summer.” He tried to help Lone Justice before Jimmy Iovine’s ego swallowed them, played with Aretha, Dylan, Brian Setzer, Don Henley, Peter Case, Matthew Sweet, Randy Newman, Warren Zevon and Stevie Nicks just during the eighties, and has been a featured sideman to countless more. He’s got four albums with his band the Dirty Knobs, including the latest, Mission of Mercy, which deeply evokes the rootsy rock’n’roll of his old meal-ticket Tom Petty. Not a great voice, but even at 76 Campbell plays some mean guitar.

Father John Misty, King Tuff, Wed, July 8, Palace Theatre
Father John Misty emerged from Seattle where Damien Jurado gave him his first tour, and later he played drums on the first two Fleet Foxes albums, before embarking on a solo career, and breaking through with his second album, 2015’s autobiographical concept album, I Love You, Honeybear. His follow-ups Pure Comedy and God’s Favorite Customer, continued to build his base as his subject matter turned toward the world’s sorry state and the bread & circus world of entertainment. He seems cut sonically from similar cloth as Bright Eyes, a sonic adventurist capable of stirring indie-folk intimacy while also appreciating richer, warmer tones, but more caustic and biting the histrionic. King Tuff’s crunchy garage-rock is downwind of former employer Ty Segall with an ‘70s rock vibe.

The Church, Wed, July 8, Fitzgerald Theatre
Not all art is made for mass consumption. The Australian five-piece has been at it for 46 years and though they enjoyed a smidgen of success with 1988’s Starfish and its hit, “Under the Milky Way,” and to a less extent “Metropolis,” they’ve always been much more a textured rock act with an artistic bent. Like The National if they were more into neo-psychelica than chamber pop. They’re terrific players who play long sets in two-and-a-half to three-hour range whose sum exceeds its parts.

Ziggy Marley, J Boog, Wed, July 8, The Fillmore
It’s easy to forget how young Ziggy was when he first stepped on the world’s stage, which until then he’d walked in the background. He was 13 when his father died, 16 when he supported Legend with his band the Melody Makers and 20 when he received a Grammy for 1988’s Conscious Party. Despite 12 albums with the Melody Makers, it feels like Marley’s grown even more since they disbands in 2002 when he was 34. Two decades later, he’s celebrating his ninth solo album, and first new material in eight years, Brightside, highlighted by the infectious “Racism Is a Killa,” and a never-before ode to his father, “Many Mourn for Bob.” Featuring collaborations with Trombone Shorty, Shiela E, Nikka Costa, Jake Shimabukuro and Outkast’s Big Boi, its one of the best efforts in his career.

Craig Finn, Patterson Hood, Thur, July 9, Fitzgerald Theatre
Finn and Hood are living their best musical selves – as much as is possible in this era – helming terrific rock acts (The Hold Steady, Drive-By Truckers respectively) that bring it live and rain sweat for the ceiling, in venues just large enough to feel intimate and still pack four figures. Then when the bands cool their jets, they can take their solo turn and pocket some more change in some of the venues too small to house the band. Well, that’s the theory. Meanwhile they’re playing the Fitzgerald Theatre, so they’ve exceeded the best expectations and frankly, Finn’s solo material – do to its prolix, familiar stories of anomie and disaffection – isn’t far removed from THS, like an outer ring suburbs, certainly judging from last year’s Always Been. Hood has always been the more reliable songwriter in his band, though he doesn’t hit the ceiling like Cooley’s best, but that translates to an ability to tell strong emotional stories without necessarily hitting on the perfect metaphor and rhymes. Last year’s Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams continues to stretch his skill set, highlighted personally by “Pinocchio.”

Daphne Jane, Harlow, Lana Leone, Jojo Ventus Ninja, Thur, July 9, 7th St Entry
Hard to improve on this Radio K description, “queer bedroom pop artist originally from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, known for her story-telling lyrics and dreamy sound.” Performing live since 12, her assurance is effortless, and the gentle swagger suggests early Hatfield’s fey innocence, mixed with dreamy pop in the Slumberland vein (Pains of Being Pure of Heart?) but with a modern synth-pop shudder. The new single, “Biggest Star,” ups the ante on last year’s fine, more polished In Ivy & Ink, graduating to a shimmery almost British sense (Echo, Cure, New Order) of grandeur and remove. Harlow is an endearing folk-rock band headed by Samuel Ketcham, and Lana Leone makes willowy diaphanous, knotty, billowing low-key pop.

Paul Oakenfold, Crystal Method, Liquid Todd, Sun, July 12, First Ave
Having interviewed Oakenfold and Crystal Method two-plus decades ago, it’s almost more surprising to see them still playing dance music (or Big Beat, whatever) for people old enough to be their grand-children. Plus, we have to ask, who is going to a big rave-y dance show on a Sunday night? It’s fine; everyone deserves work, but it’s still a tad odd.

Rebirth Brass Band, Sun, July 12, Dakota
What Rebirth does is get under your skin and into your soul. Their brassy, enthusiastic grooves, succulent to the point of drooling, infect and invade in the process of activating pleasure centers across your brain. Not sure they even do story-songs inasmuch as their sound is so vibrant and uplifting that it’s hard to imagine them spending time in the past when the right-now is crackling.

Jack Johnson, Sun, July 12, Mystic Lake
Johnson learned to surf at 5 and was a top competitor until a bad spill ended in 100 stitches and a new creative pursuit. G Love put Johnson on G Love & Special Sauce song “Rodeo Clowns” and it launched his career. Johnson is the ultimate surfer (he lives on Oahu) with a present, laidback vibe and a velvet voice devoid of urgency. He’s supporting SURFILMUSIC, his personal documentary/soundtrack. While not a poignant writer, he’s the perfect jam environment accessory because the gentle sound of his sonic explorations – while relatively wide given his seemingly narrow sweet-spot – is pleasantly entrancing. He’s the jam-folk equivalent of Hypnotoad.

Jack Toadson performs "Upside Down"; You LOVE it. You LOVE it.

John Mellencamp, Tue, July 14, Mystic Lake
It’s been a weird career for Mellencamp who as a youngert was overly hungry for the charts, so much so, it almost cost him everything. He was on the verge of washed-up when Pat Benatar covered “I Need a Lover.” Soon he realized listening to suits was getting him nowhere; his turn toward roots rock and storytelling proved revelatory. While 2007’s Freedom Road’s success putatively brought him back, it’s the partnership with T-Bone Burnett that seemed to recenter him, and his last half-dozen releases have been really good roots rock sometimes with an austere bluegrass vibe, others with a richer folk rock tone, and 2023’s Orpheus Descending is among his best releases ever.

Lyle Lovett & His Small Large Band, Tue, July 14, State Theatre
Lovett grew up in Houston and was one of the new country stars discovered by MCA’s Tony Brown via a demo passed to him by Guy Clark. To the credit of both, they knew what they had. Around the same time he added Nanci Griffith, Steve Earle along with big hitters Reba McEntire and George Strait. While Lovett began in the rootsy songwriter mold, as time and fame has afforded him the ability to tour with a jazzy (little big) backing band he’s taken the King of Swing crown from Bob Wills, though he’s also done a number of spare three-guitarist tours where they support and sing each other’s songs, a really enjoyable setting that also lends itself to impromptu storytelling.

Wavves, Bass Drum of Death, World's Worst, Thur, July 16, Fine Line
It's hard to know what to make of the San Diego noisy, surf-pop-punk who are now nine albums deep in an 18-year career, and while there are still moments that still bristle and sing, the material's worn thin, and the stoner beach-borne variations on a theme aren't getting more convincing. Bass Drum of Death purveys grimy, garage-blues/punk like the Count 5 mugging Jay Reatard. Not super dynamic, but energetic. World's Worst is solid knotty/ringing nineties indie rock nostalgia that lands between Silkworm, Seam and Unrest.

Ryan Traster, We Are the Willows, Pink Nightmare, Thur, July 16, Cloudland
Ryan Traster’s the type of guy that’s been chasing it in all manners from Laurel Canyon-tinged songwriter folk to sprightly pop/rock and lo-fi garage-folk, showcasing versatility but still trying to find a home. His forthcoming Lifers EP returns to the Americana country that was among his first loves. Like Traster, Minneapolis quintet We Are Willows are two decades deep, having released their fourth album, IV in 2024, balancing their proclivity for bright orchestral pop with dreamy, slow-building cinematic elements and unresolved tensions.

Pavement, Nap Eyes, Tue, July 21, Palace Theatre
What do you make of insctutable, intentionally noisy and cryptic but talented act quitting with integrity at the peak of their powers (on some level) and then capitulating to a lot of cash-grab compilation albums and reunion tours absent any new music whatsoever. Not that the Replacements are much better, but it’s a bit embarrassing. A quarter century later they’re bumming cigs. Look, they made some very good music and deserve to reap whatever they can from that. It’s just that most acts these days at least make a token effort to offer something new. It only further consolidates my frustration Pavement became much much bigger than Yo La Tengo. NGL, Malkmus deserves less fame than former roommate David Berman. C’est La Vie.

Lucero, Justin Wells, Wed, July 22, First Ave
Memphis country-punks Lucero were in the right place, right time, when after two decades of dying on the parapets, it was time to storm the castle. Alongside Drive-By Tuckers and Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers, there wasn’t a better Southern-soaked live show through the aughts. The alt-country-set-to-broil sound grew more polished and, after the joyously punk rock (see, Replacements) redux of Nobody’s Darlings with producer Jim Dickinson, went the other way. The addition of keyboardist Rick Steff for Rebels, Rogues & Sworn Brothers drove them headlong into Memphis soul. They signed to a major, even added horns, and since then they’ve dug in, continuing to grow. The rare act that still brings it live and has only continued to turn out great albums. Opener Justin Wells plays boozy roots-soul with a country edge. At it for two decades, first in the aughts leading Fifth on the Floor, then solo, releasing his third studio album, Cynthiana, last year.

MC Chris, Swell Rell, Wed, July 22, Turf Club
Nerdcore took off in the early aughts under MC Chris’ auspices, blending nasally white-boy rap about videogames, fantasy/D&D, animation, and other nerdy pursuits with gangsta rap intensity. He got his start on Adult Swim and voiced the diaper-clad killer spider MC Pee Pants in Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Hesh on Sealab 2021, though his break was hilarious Star Wars Boba Fett ("Don't hate the player...") apologia. It really was the apotheosis of his ethos, spawning a thriving, but self-consciously narrow affair – the only kind nerds throw! (If it ain’t broke…) Chris owns his lane – think PeeWee Heman with an Adderall and nitrous addictions, plinky keyboards and standing Open Mike Thursday fix. Chris isn’t dynamic but surely deserves respect for still affecting surly after all these years, you know comedians & misanthrophy, like whiskey and rock. (Interviewed and shot him in the mid-aughts for High Times when the biggest bud in our broke-ass sack was tiny.)

MC Chris from 2024 : "Still Surly After All These Years"

The Family Crest, Wed, July 22, 7th St Entry
San Francisco baroque pop septet The Family Crest are unabashed fans of grandeur and pomp. There are full-fledged swooning symphonies of big broad, (nearly) musical size slices of melodrama. This isn’t Beulah or even Pernice Brothers. Indeed, they’d shame the Decemberists. No shade on leader Liam McCormick, who isn’t immune to subtlety so much as possessing sonic theatricality that goes to 11. In a world that cringes with imposter syndrome, it’s actually refreshing to experience unmitigated ambition. Nothing’s more grandiose than a three-disc cycle which began with 2017’s 5-song Prelude to War EP followed by 2018’s The War: Act I and 2022’s The War: Act II. It’s big music but they’re up to the task, an ELP of baroque indie posh.

Comedian KP Anderson, Wed, July 22, Acme Comedy Club
Anderson's led an extraordinary career just off the stage working as a producer/show runner/writer with Joel McHale on The Soup & the Joel McHale Show, Norm McDonald Has a Show, and Pickled with Stephen Colbert, and worked previously with comedians such as Tim Allen, Wayne Brady, Kevin Hart, Nikki Glaser and Ken Joeng. Anderson cut his teeth in standup in the early nineties in Minneapolis and returns to the stage again in an autobiographical set about his life, hot on the heels of finishing a thriller, Leech Lake Laundry.

Lord Buffalo, Lovely Dark, Sun, July 26, Cloudland
Lord Buffalo’s primal ritualistic rock throb possesses the parched western gothic vibe of Gun Club and David Eugene Edwards (16 Horsepower, Wovenhand), wedded to Nick Cave’s theatrical scene-setting. The Austin quartet’s expansive desert-psych is indulgently dynamic and sprawling, but their efforts have sharpened and tightened, taking occasional head shots rather than beat your body mercilessly until your ribs crack. Minneapolis’ Lovely Dark emanates smoldering darkwave art rock with an early Tim Burton vibe: Weird, haunted and vaguely fantastic, you know, in a general kind of way. Supporting new album Golden Bough.

Audrey Hobert, Monday, July 27, First Ave
(Nepo Trigger Alert) It’s been a whirlwind few years for Hobert, who graduated from NYU in ‘21 and went to Los Angeles to work in TV like her dad Tim Hobert (The Middle, Scrubs). She co-wrote songs with childhood friend, filmmaker JJ Abrams’ kid, Gracie, for her second album, The Secret of Us, which debuted at #2 on Billboard, led by international hit, “That’s So True,” which Hobert co-wrote and sang backups. Hobert signed a publishing deal, wrote songs for other artists, and finally started working on material for what would become her album Who’s the Clown?, which charted in the UK and Australia (which are more open to indie pop music). It’s bright accessible, pop with a conversational, “I’m just Jenny from the Block” vibe (if J.Lo seemed as approachable as she wants to appear) that Taylor has so capitalized on. It’s solid, catchy modern pop though the intimacy strikes us as a put-on designed to disarm the extreme and obvious privilege of growing up on Fantasy Island, and as the spawn of Professional Dreamweavers, both Abrams & Hobert benefit from their ability to spin visual narratives whether they’re authentic or not. This is our future in the Land of Born Important People.

Jukebox the Ghost, Tue, July 28, Fine Line
For 23 years Washington DC trio Jukebox the Ghost has been exploring the intersection of bright, quirky pop (like They Might Be Giants) and self-consciously over-the-top theatrical rock (Queen comes to mind), combining the let’s-put-on-a-show ambition of Rushmore’s Max Fischer, the sweep of The National and the almost corny musical theatre uplift of Rent. If they weren’t going to go big, they would’ve gone home long ago. They didn’t break through until their fourth, self-titled full-length inaugurating a string of releases notable for paring the more esoteric bits and doubling down on the accessible pop elements bring it more in line with its Indie Broadway Rock aesthetic. The evening’s show is a smorgasbord – greatest hits, teaser of Apocalypse-themed concept album they’re working on, bits of pianist Ben Thornewill’s musicals, and unannounced special guests.

Jukebox the Ghost's "Variety Show Tour" publicity shot

Black Crowes, Whiskey Myers, Tue, July 28, Mystic Lake
When they first arrived we couldn’t be bothered with warmed over Humble Pie or well-trod Faces, but came to appreciate the Crowes’ hearts were in the right place (there’s nothing new but timing) – and later discovered the time/energy first-time 24-year old producer (!!!) George Drakoulias invested in an unproven product on a gut feeling. (He liked one song in their set, an Aerosmith cover!) In the great passage of time they’ve earned grudging respect as their musicianship’s evolved while the combustible frisson of the Robinson brothers remains the same. (A good thing creatively, it turns out.) While the second reunion took for neither them or me, the two releases of this return have been great, and their latest effort, A Pound of Feathers, is our favorite thing they’ve done. Recorded in a week (like the debut), with the same producer – Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Miranda Lambert) – as their return, it feels like they didn’t need to cogitate this disc, they could just feel it, and damn if we don’t too. East Texas sextet Whisky Meyers’ built a solid 7-album career (including self-titled 2019 breakthrough) around a southern-country-hard-rock sound, and recently cut a new track, “Star Star” with the Crowes,

Badzy, Cheap Glue, American Muscle, Thur, July 30, Cloudland
Formed from the ashes of other veteran Big Easy outfits, power-punk enthusiasts Badzy is more informed by originators like the Dickies or the Bags than Blink-182, favoring shout-along choruse and big sloppy fun with the high-spirited loose-on-the-streets energy of spiritual Crescent City forebearers Dash Rip Rock or Supagroup. Locals Cheap Glue’s punchy, hook-laden indie rock would be at home on nineties college radio. Bonus points for the keytar and Exploding Hearts cover!

Laura Hugo EP Release Show, Eldest Daughter, Jillian Rae, Thur, July 30, Icehouse
Folk singer-songwriter Hugo is a Native Navajo American from Arizona in 2010 that moved to Minnesota in 2010 and now celebrates her debut 5-song EP, Where We Go to Grieve, showcasing her facility with songs of restless aching grace, willowy but unbending. Eldest Daughter Lead singer (and eldest daughter) Monica Merila’s breathy trill carves hope from disappointment over shy self-aware bedroom pop, melody escaping the broken slat in the blinds. Jillian Rae’s political folk ode, “Fuck ICE” is a delight and spot-on: “Do you really think we’ll sympathize while you fucking terrorize, killing people in our streets?”

Chris Stapleton, Wed – Thur, July 29 - 30, Mystic Lake
Powerhouse country/soul/rock musician Chris Stapleton is as close as there is these days to an authentic homegrown superstar. The class valedictorian, he rose quickly but paid his dues along the way, after dropping out of business school at Vanderbilt to pursue songwriting. He scored a publishing gig in the aughts, penning hits for Josh Turner, Kenny Chesney, and Trace Adkins. He started respected progressive bluegrass act, the Steeldriversm in 2007, receiving Grammy noms for its first two albums. That same year he started country/blues r ock act The Jompson Brothers, then departed the Steeldrivers to focus on the rock act’s 2010 self-titled debut. The band caught the ear of Zac Brown who brought them on tour, which was followed in 2013 by Stapleton signing a solo deal with Mercury Nashville. Each of his subsequent five albums has topped the country charts and top three on the music chart. A consummate and versatile artist who wrote over 1000 songs his first decade in Nashville, Stapleton not only had drive but the chops and the desire to challenge himself until he was a global sensation.

Weekend

Shackletons, Mystee, Killed By Kiwis, Fri, July 3, Green Room
Minnesota brother act The Shackletons (Colin, Cameron, and Evan) hark back to nineties indie rock with punchy melodic rock and limber enough lateral skills to blend pop/rock styles like Cake or They Might Be Giants, though their wheelhouse seems to be swaggering power-pop. Their latest, “North Star” relates the experience of ICE, relating both the scene and the stakes with an impassioned incredulity that’s grown familiar around here. Openers Mystee is led by Ilana Held, inspired by Soccer Mommy and Palehound, recalling Bettie Servert and early Juliana Hatfield. Chunky rhythmic rockers Killed By Kiwis open.

Death Cab for Cutie, Jay Som, Friday, July 10, Armory
There was a moment in the late nineties when we were pitching the actually quite terrific (nothing since as good) Ben Lee disc, Something to Remember Me By to Alternative Press editor Jason Pettigrew, who shot me down arguing, “Don’t we have enough sensitive white boy singers? Lou Barlow not sad enough for you.” That was one year before Death Cab and Bright Eyes released their first albums. So I guess the answer was no. Whatever it is about Gibbard’s voice that makes Postal Service and Death Cab work (caged boredom?), it’s never been particularly evocative to me, and definitely prefer Isaac Brock, as overly introspective sad bastards go, but there’s no arguing with financial success. (You can try, but to what end? On who’s time?) The new album sounds to these ears like Dismemberment Plan with softer edges, an understated dad/indie rock album with an interior tension that never really dissipates. Jay Som makes lo-fi-vibe bedroom indie pop, pretty and claustrophobic with snappy percussion.

Zacc Harris Album Release, Erik Koskinen, Fri, July 10, Icehouse
Two decades in Harris is on top of his game. The jazz guitarist/bandleader has led Atlantic Quartet, American Reverie and his own group, covering a wide stylistic palette filtered through a jazz aesthetic, like a lens smeared with vaseline. He won City Pages best jazz musician on multiple occasions. His latest, American Reckoning blends roots and jazz in a very sympathetic manner, never losing the dirt and grime of the form to jazz sophistication, thereby retaining the emotional resonance. Terrific versions of the “House of the Rising Sun” and the hard-to-botch, “God Only Knows.”

Silverteens EP Release, Faith Boblett, d'Lakes, Fri, July 10, Parkway Theatre
Power Pop has lasted a lot longer than Hair Metal, but it still gets no respect. The driving rhythms and power chord rush of acts like the Plimsouls and the Records, not to mention Big Star folded directly into indie pop. But some adherents still traffic the pure skinny tie stuff like the Silverteens who celebrate the release of a new four-song TV on Fire EP, It’s catchy, foot-tapping stuff.

Anna Houston, Aly Meier, Pageant Dress, Fri, July 10, Green Room
Minneapolis singer/songwriter Anna Houston plays polished Adult Alternative and indie pop-rock of the type for which Suzanne Vega & Annie Mann set the template. The supple sophistication of the arrangements is a posh lobby for Houston’s songs of hope, challenge and “Catharsis.” Aly Meier reappropriates the Toby Keith meme with an even sadder song about a “Solo Cup.”

America's Cultural Apotheosis circa 2011

Minnesota Country Club: Treaty Oak Revival/Charlie Crockett/Stephen Wilson Jr/Beach Boys, Red Clay Strays/Trampled By Turtles/Jesse Welles/Jessie Murph, Fri – Sat, July 10 – 11, Harriet Island
Always sobering when you’ve never heard a song that’s gotten almost a third of a billion Spotify spins in just five years. Texas’ Treaty Oak Revival come out of same Red Dirt country/rock tradition as Cross Canadian Ragweed but a with southern rock emphasis, as on debut album hits “Missed Call,” and title track “No Vacancy.” Charlie Crockett plays old-time honky tonk, while former Mars R&D microbiologist and better half to Sixpence None the Richer singer Leigh Nash Stephen Wilson, Jr struck out on his own music career after his father’s death eight years ago. Red Clay Strays play southern soul/country rock benefiting from their 2022 song, “Wondering Why,” going Tik-Tok viral (over half a billion Spotify spins), headlining in support of third album, Grateful. Jesse Welles has turned into a bona fide protest singer, Trampled by Turtles are a tremendous indie-bluegrass act that built a huge grassroots following, while Jessie Murph is another artist who turned a viral Tik-Tok hit into music fame.

Lakefront Music Fest: Billy Idol/George Thorogood/Jefferson Starship, Keith Urban/Jackson Dean/Karley Scott Collins, Fri – Sat, July 10 – 11, Prior Lake
If you don’t know who Billy Idol, George Thorogood and Jefferson Starship, you aren’t the audience. If you were a teenager during the eighties and you don’t know who those acts are, get a CAT scan stat, you may have Alzheimer’s. Keith Urban’s a talented guitarist and decent singer which is good enough to be a country star. Jackson Dean’s plays country music with big guitars, that’s louder than it is convincing, and Karley Scott Collins has a brashness that suggests later Shelby Lynne.

Bouncing Souls, Suicide Machines, Death By Stereo, The Drowns, Sat, July 11, First Ave
A great trio of nineties acts. New Jersey’s Bouncing Souls began playful pop-punk in the early 90s but grew more anthemic and blistering in the early aughts. Haven’t followed all the steps in between, but their latest Born to Be ticks the boxes. Suicide Machines blend ska, punk, and emo/pop-punk effectively, and those first three albums were amazing, highlighted by 1998’s Battle Hymns and self-titled third disc, but they broke up in the mid-aughts and reformed in the wake of the pandemic. Their timing is right because they’re one of the sharper political shouters. Death By Stereo split the difference between the metal and hardcore.

Cowboy Mouth, Sat, July 11, Fine Line
New Orleans’ Cowboy Mouth formed around ex-Dash Rip Rock drummer Fred LeBlanc bringing a similarly fierce, toe-stomping enthusiasm to their eclectic mix of soul, roots, punk and rock. Thirty years removed from their major label breakthrough they earned that persistence with spirited live shows infused with the life-affirming soul of the Crescent City. Last year brought the joyous, triumphant Cover Yo’ Azz! which takes them thru the Replacements, Cher, Sinatra, the Who and Queen, They’ve been releasing a new song monthly, and the latest is a relatable doozy, “Me & Jim Beam.”

Cola, PARKING, Sat, July 11, Zhora Darling
Wiry churning art punks Cola dispense jagged creamy alternately minimalist/clamorous throb. The percussive undertow pulls against Tim Daly’s downhill guitar carving melodic figures on fresh powder, suggesting the clamorous sweep of Wye Oak and icy grace of the Clientele. Daly vocals possess that dry flattened affect of eighties British new romantics (Echo & the Bunnymen, New Order). They’re supporting their third album Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA? Get it?) which better tames their contrapuntal post-punk tendencies, giving the bull ride more of a dreamy, elegant mayhem. They’re well-matched by Louisville’s PARKING, pulsing with the urgency of an ambulance ride through John Carpenter’s Escape from New York. Elsewhere on last year’s Portraits the choice is more slow-build cinematic with effective use of cello and violin to create creepy soundtrack weirdness. Two intriguing acts.

May have visited Bathtub Cigar's Minneapolis apt one drunken night, inconclusive

Yacht Fest: Lumineers/Black Keys/Mt Joy, Matchbox Twenty/Lord Huron/Geese, The Strokes/Cage the Elephant/Atmosphere, Fri – Sat, July 17 – 19, Harriet Island
Bills like this are always tough. We try to offer not just description but some guidance, and as smorgasbord like this is beyond difficult to handicap, particularly at the price point of a festival. That’s why there are only a handful around the region. (Maybe you’re going to Eau Claire next weekend instead?) It’s a challenge to appeal to a broad enough mix of young and old, key genres and niches. That said, they tick all the boxes from nineties throwback Matchbox Twenty, aughts rock powerhouses sustaining their popularity (Cage the Elephant, the Strokes) or attempting to recapture lost momentum (Black Keys), and a crop of new and old indie-folk/Americana acts (Lumineers, Mt. Joy, Lord Huron) alongside durable hometown staple, Atmosphere. Below the line delights to watch for include Shakey Graves, Matt and Kim, Geese, Passion Pit and locals Semisonic.

Eleni Mandell, Mike Gunther, Sat, July 18, Hook & Ladder
Chanteuse Eleni Mandell has built a nearly thirty-year career of jazzy torch-pop and adult songwriter folk, wedding her lithe smoky vocals to arrangements supple and sonorous but understated in its sophisticated pop, touching on blues, folk, jazz and cinematic folk-pop. It’s a rather specific sound without being limiting, and she makes it work without ever feeling like she’s repeating herself. She stays in her lane and manages to own it, her latest, Tailspin being no exception, and a delight beginning-to-end. Local Mike Gunther's old-fashioned Americana ranges from barewire folk-blues and woozy mountain folk to grimy gutbucket howl.

Makin' Out, TV Star, Sandpaper, Sat, July 18, Cloudland
Chunky bristling Minneapolis jangle-punk set to stun and generally crossing the tape in 150 second on less behind the buoyant impassioned pep of frontwoman Caitlin Angelica. They supporting last year’s debut, Living in a Glass House. Seattle’s TV Star explore twin-guitar neo-psychedelica from hazy smears of tunefully overdriven guitars to chiming shuffles over cooing backing vocals, there’s an appealing impressionistic wash of sound to Music for Heads, their debut full-length.

Comedian Kevin James Thornton, Christian Evangelic Torture survivor

Comedian Kevin James Thornton, Sat, July 18, Parkway Theatre
Thornton "heartfelt and occasionally cringey moments of self reflection" relates his experience growing up gay in a Christian fundamentalist community in the 90s. Having transformed his trauma into a humorous, self-deprecating comedy special, Thornton has since converted it into the book Big Baby for Hatchette Publishing, exposing the lunacy at the center of right wing religion.

Twin Cities DjangoFest, Fri, July 24, Hook & Ladder (theatre)
One of the great jazz guitarists of all time, Reinhardt was 17 when he made his first recording (on a banjo!) and was quickly signed then suffered a tragic fire and lost use of the ring and pinky of his left hand but not only compensated but became an even better guitarist adapting his style to his two-finger disability and pioneering his blend of gypsy jazz. He died at 43 from a brain hemorrhage in 1953 as he was beginning to incorporate bop into his style. Reinhardt influence remains with us, which nine different combos will showcase over the course of the evening.

Smell My Pillow Album Release, Simple Motion, Fri, July 24, Hook & Ladder (zen arcade)
How does Smell My Pillow strike the palette? Imagine dank Indica drenched seventies hard rock, cut with cases of cheap domestic brew, lit by the flickering light of trashy late night horror flicks, hazy through a chunky rumble-funk churn. It’s the proto-punk right turn at the Stooges into the steely roar of Sabbath, BOC and Cream. It’s less blooze rock – though it's present – than the hungover, morning-after grime of a decadent night well-spent. Twin Cities musical fixture Tim Mahoney (The Meenies) mans the kit, his brotherm Marc Kowalski, writes the music and plays guitar while Amy Shaw’s deep throaty roar matches the sludgy pre-grunge tumult. They’re celebrating the release of their new album, Party Crasher. Shimmery, creamy indie-psych-pop St. Cloud act Simple Motions open.

The Stress of Her Regard Album Release, Toilet Rats, Razordaisies, Sat, July 25, Cloudland
Irish brothers bassist Ciaran and guitarist Criostoir Daly of fuzz rockers Idle Hands and their former drummer Eric Wilson reconstituted when it disintegrated midway through recording their second album, relaunching as TSOHR in 2015 with the Sport Marriage EP, taking the name from the gothic, historical fantasy/horror novel by Tim Powers. The ambling distortion-soaked trio namechecks The Jesus & Mary Chain, and there’s definitely a predilection for tuneful, overdriven jangle-rock, with big energetic choruses. The preview track “Sort It Out,” gets even more epic, evoking Ed Ackerson’s nineties shoegazers Polara. (Ackerson produced their 2021 eponymous full-length debut.) Openers Toilet Rats are the one-man band creation of Thomas Rehbein, a satirical, slacker shut-in keyboard rock cry-for-help like a shrooming Jonathan Richman crashing out to Suicide.

Honky Tonk Summit: Trailer Trash, Jack Knife & the Sharps, Sat, July 25, Hook & Ladder (under the canopy)
Honky Tonk Summit? What about Back to the Future? If we could Time Warp back 30 years we might find both on stage tonight at the late, lamented Lee’s Liquor Lounge! Jack Knife and the Sharps are from the rockabilly side of the tracks. Hatched in the mid-eighties when the Stray Cats lead a resurgence, they may not be quite as fevered as they once were, but experience lets them cover twice as much territory! Fellow local mainstays Trailer Trash formed eight years later in ‘92, pledging allegiance to honky tonk, country-swing, southern rock and roots rock.

Madeline Kelson, Sammie Jean Cohen, Sat, July 25, Underground Music Cafe
Kelson cut her teeth in the Chicago scene with her sister in the Kelson Twins before moving to Nashville and starting over as a solo act when her sister left for college in Minnesota. More to the country side of Americana, it’s the right place for her. Blessed with a warm resonant voice, easy manner and a skilled picker, it shouldn’t take long to build that audience back. Her queer ode, “The Way I Do” went viral, which helps. Cohen’s sultry Americana-soul bubbles with bloozy rock undercurrents.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum publicity photo current tour

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, Wendy Eisenberg, Sat, July 25, Cedar Cultural Center
Weirdo art metal iconoclasts Sleepytime Gorilla Museum channel similar jagged, percussive quilts of skronky guitars to King Crimson, but ladled over with crushing shards of malevolent doomy roar, breaking on rocky contrapuntal rhythmic shoals that make Eraserhead seem soothing. If King Crimson are a fractal Escher Godel Bach equation, SGM are the dark math heralding an asteroid collision – menacing and forebodingly nightmarish. This is where math rock surrenders to nihilism. They broke up in 2011, but have returned in support 2024’s much quieter and more traditionally theatrical Of the Last Human Being, which sounds less like torturing Test Dept and more like Renaissance at sound check.

Mason Jennings, Fri, July 31, Parkway Theatre
Any sideline Joe can handicap a race that’s already been run, nonetheless understated folksinger Mason Jennings’s 30-year career does have a particular four-act arc. The rising underdog from nowhere building a grassroots cult following on the strength of his ardent, intimate, sometimes political ditties with hardly any establishment assistance. Perhaps after the broad underground success of 2004’s fifth album Use Your Voice it made some sense to move to a major label, though none of them had shown talent for breaking such artists (outside Lost Highway), and Isaac Brock’s vanity imprint might not have been your first choice. When that failed he jumped to fellow Hawaiian native Jack Johnson’s imprint for two albums and made an inspiring rock album (2009’s Blood of the Man), but on some level he sounded stuck, casting about. The roots (and at times all-out) rock of Wild Dark Metal corresponded to his divorce. He took some time off his main gig to start n ew quartet Painted Shield with Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard drummer Matt Chamberlain and keyboardist/singer Brittany Davis. Jennings got sober and remarried in 2018, penning an album of love songs, then returned in earnest to the solo career with 2022's Real Heart. While it’s odd to suggest someone talented as Jennings, who has maintained a high bar his entire career has taken another step forward but there’s an energy to the last four albums (in as many years, not counting two Painted Shield discs!!), and his new disc Dark Wings will mark the most prolific album/a year stretch of his career.

Mumford & Sons, Fri, July 31, Mystic Lake
After dipping their toes into rather bland adult alternative pop/rock (aka AAA) mid-career (2015’s Wider Mind, 2018’s Delta)– presumably to escape the pigeonhole best-suited to their talents – they reconvened after a seven-year hiatus with a return to what they do best – earnest, impassioned foot-stomp folk-pop. They improved modestly on 2025’s somewhat lackluster Rushmere (still went to #1) with 2026’s Prizefighter. One reason: They loaded up on guest appearances (Chris Stapleton, Hozier, Gigi Perez, nepo baby Gracie Abrams) and took songs from Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon (two!), Brandi Carlile, and Bllie Eilish’s brother Finneas, among others, with a notable production assist from the National’s Aaron Dessner (Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran).

Robert Earl Keen, Fri – Sun, July 31 – August 2, Dakota
This is a rare treat. If you have any interest in seeing Keen, you should pick up a ticket to one of the three nights, because he doesn’t do this (much) anymore since hanging up the touring bus in 2022. A few dates here and there the past four years is it. He’s barely released any music – just 2022’s Western Chili – or new songs since 2015’s Happy Prisoner: The Bluegrass Sessions and before that 2011’s 11^th studio release Ready for Confetti (across 27 years). The Austin native graduated TAMU but didn’t leave because he liked playing music on the porch with fellow music nut Lyle Lovett. What made Keen special was his ability to serve both the old-fashioned Texas drinking and hell-raising and the thoughtful storytelling types, perfectly bridging that distance with his trademark hard-won wisdom song, “The Road Goes on Forever.”

Chris Thile & MN Orchestra, Fri – Sat, July 31 – August 1, Orchestra Hall
Chris Thile is like those people you’ll hear about that know 20 different language, but they’re all musical. After rising to prominence with Nickel Creek, his profile and command of the idiom only increased. Never interested in massive acclaim, Nickel Creek went on hiatus as Thile launched Punch Bro thers pioneering bluegrass chamber music, releasing five popular album in ten years, while winning a McArthur Genius Grant along the way. He’s converted two albums worth of Bach Sonatas to violin, took over the Prairie Home Companion (redubbed Live From Here) for the final six years until its COVID-inspired end. The band’s releasing their first all-instrumental album, The Unsung Adventures of Punch Brothers, on July 24, meanwhile, Thile joins the Orchestra for “Part narrative song cycle, part musical self-portrait” ATTENTION! Is there no heart-felt fascination Thile can’t indulge?

Scottie Miller & Orchestra Album Release, Sat, August 1, Parkway Theatre
A Berklee grad in the eighties, Miller cut his teeth in blues, roots and R&B, received a key mentorship playing keyboards on Bo Diddley’s last tour. He’s toured for years with blues legend Ruthie Foster, watching her acclaim grow, earning several Grammys along the way. He has released 13 albums, and is an inductee in the Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame which equates to a nice career, but Miller took a stylistic leap forward with 2023’s book/album release Carnival Cocoon. He composed music to accompany poetry he’d penned over the years, creating jazzy songs structured around the emotional tonalities and lyrical rhythms rather than established musical structures like verse/chorus/verse. Miller took another step with his latest, Hello Pain!, channeling a period of physical and emotional desolation into a series of ornate atmospheric tracks whose haunted ache recalls Sparklehorse’s Good Morning Spider. Recorded live digitally with an orchestra in Budapest, this performance features a pocket orchestra, as nine take the stage to help recreate he grandeur of Hello Pain’s baroque arrangements, Read our feature on Miller and the new album.

Chuck Prophet, Sun, August 2, Parkway Theatre
We spoke about catching Robert Earl Keen before it’s too late because he’s largely given up touring, Chuck Prophet’s hand was almost forced. The roots singer/guitarist and celebrated sideman was diagnosed with stage 4 lyphoma in 2022. Fortunately with chemo he recovered, and during that time hatched a love of a Latin dance style known as cumbia, generally heavy on guitars, accordion and percussion. The 65-yr old Prophet championed a Salinas band ¿Qiensave? and recorded the delicious Wake the Dead, their bracing energy percolating alongside his literate storytelling and backing band. Prophet’s made plenty of great somewhat unsung music from the three-album arc collaborating with Escovedo (Real Animal, Street Songs of Love, Big Station) to his decade long run with Green on Red, an underrated solo career and a long list of supporting credits (including Warren Zevon, Cake, Penelope Houston). A consummate performer always looking to serve the song.

Theatre

Ongoing
Shrek, Stages Theatre, thru Sun, August 2
Shrek The Musical brings all your favorite characters from the Oscar winning film to life and proves that when we open our hearts, we create bonds that can overcome even the biggest challenges.

Blithe Spirit, Theatre in the Round, thru Sun, July 12
In this Noel Coward play, novelist Charles Condomine invites a medium to conduct a séance—but instead of inspiration, he accidentally conjures his late first wife, Elvira. As Elvira wreaks ghostly havoc on Charles and his current marriage, things go from strange to absolutely otherworldly.

My Antonia, Theatre Latté Da, thru Sun, July 19
In this Latté Da-commissioned world premiere, Willa Cather’s beloved novel is envisioned as an intimate celebration of resilience and the enduring strength of women. Featuring a sweeping indie folk score by The Kilbanes and libretto by Noah Brody, this adaptation traces the immigrant experience on the Great Plains at the turn of the 20th century.

Robin Hood, The Merry Musical, Sidekick Theatre, thru Sat, August 8
In this new take on the fabled story, Robin and his friends are full of hijinks, clowning and fun—and they’ll include the audience in the action. Don’t be surprised if you’re asked to yell out, “They went that way!” or cheer, “Long live Robin Hood!” in this swashbuckling musical. It’s great fun for all ages.

Come From Away, Guthrie Theatre, thru Sun, August 9
Based on the inspiring true story of Gander’s unexpected guests after US airspace closed on 9/11, this hopeful musical honors our common humanity and highlights the importance of reaching out to those in need. The 2017 Broadway production received seven Tony nominations including Best Play. (It won one, for Best Direction.)

Opening, Short Runs / One Night Only

The President & the Space Lady, Park Theatre Company, Wed, July 1-5, Phoenix Theatre
The play takes place in two acts on Christmas Eve in the Oval Office of the White House. Real life issues – transition of power, presidential protocol, national security, peace on earth – are mixed with absurdity, slap stick humor, and huge doses of innuendo and double entendre with tons of laughs … and double chalupas.

In the Backroom, Southern Theatre, Thur, July 2-5
An American reckoning 250 years in the making. The play begins, but nothing happens - technical difficulties. The play restarts, but again, nothing happens. The box officer comes out and explains that there's been a mistake: The cast didn't show up. There are no refunds, the show must go on, and the box officer himself must take to the stage and embody one of the most controversial 21st century American figures. Created and Performed by Michael Torsch.

The Tempest, Classical Actors Ensemble, Thur, July 2-12, Twin Cities
CAE celebrates its 12th year of Shakespeare in Our Parks with The Tempest. After 12 years in exile on a deserted island, a scholarly mage shipwrecks his enemies in his magical domain, putting them at his mercy. Having now the upper hand, he must choose between a path of revenge or redemption. Various outdoor sites around the twin cities.

This Body, This Fruit, Davi Gray, Phoenix Theatre, Wed, July 8-14
A one person play in three acts about gender transition / revelation, wrestling with body and spiritual questions about embracing transgender life in all its complexity.

Tape, Hive Collective, Vertigo Theatre, Thur, July 9-19
The evening before his movie’s premiere, up-and-coming filmmaker Jon reconnects with his longtime friend Vince. In the confines of a motel room, the two men compare their diverging life paths and revisit high school memories, uncovering old wounds and buried resentments. A tight, intimate thriller about the tensions underlying long-standing relationships and the struggle to reconcile conflicting memories when the past resurfaces.

Fall of the High School Valedictorian, Bryant Lake Bowl, Sat, July 11
Philip Simondet’s multimedia one-man show explores the education system and mental illness, passing his unfulfilled promise thru the withering lens of an invisible disability. Winner of Tucson Fringe’s Best Solo Show earlier this year.

Playwright’s Festival, Yellow Tree Theatre, Sat, July 11 – 26
The third year of the YTT Playwriting Festival features three plays, though one remains unannounced. Laura Esping’s My Mother’s Purse kicks things off on Saturday night / Sunday afternoon with a story of family, grief, loss, addiction, forgiveness, and the secrets and memories we hold onto through the years. Michael Egan’s Slip follows the next weekend exploring about love, family, art, and the impact of Alzheimer's disease. The third weekend show is TBA.

The Oldest Profession Live, Phoenix Theatre, Fri, July 17
Kaytlin Bailey offers a new angle on the world’s oldest profession, reframing the story of western civilization. Weaving history, stand-up comedy, and lived experience in a fast-paced and profoundly moving hour-long solo show. The performance is punctuated by a projected art history slideshow.

As You Like It, Shakespeare Youth Theatre, Crane Theatre, Fri, July 17 – August 1
Journey to the delightful land of Rosalind and Orlando as they fall in love in the forest of Arden, turn hardship into triumph, and use their affection for each other to create a better world.

Wishes in the Sand: Work in Progress, Tue, July 21, Open Eye Theatre
A queer puppeteer confronts his past, where memory, fantasy, and imagination collide in a moving story of transformation and self-discovery. Initially created as part of the 2024 Puppet Lab Festival of New Work.

Henry IV, Pt 1: Life & Death of Henry Hotspur, Shakespeare Youth Theatre, Crane Theatre, Fri, July 24 – August 2
A raucous and exhilarating portrait of a nation in the throes of revolution, Henry IV Part 1: The Life and Death of Harry Hotspur is the story of a king trying to defend claim to the throne within a country seized with rebellious fervor, set into the tumultuous world of the American late sixties.

NEXT Festival, Theater Latté Da, Fri, July 24 – August 10
Theater Latté Da’s NEXT Festival of New Musicals showcases three works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show culminate two weeks of workshop time with two public performances, providing audience members an opportunity to take part in the creative process. Each performance is followed by s discussion with the playwrights, composers and lyricists.

Opening (Major)

Wicked, Orpheum Theatre, Wed, July 8 – August 9
Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships...until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”

Root Beer Lady, History Theatre, Wed, July 8 – 26,
Back by popular demand, Kim Schultz’s one-woman play tells the story of the indomitable Dorothy Molter, the last legal non-indigenous resident of the Boundary Waters. The story reflects the beauty and hardships of Molter’s solitary yet satisfying life beginning in 1934.

The Prom, Lyric Arts, Fri, July 10 – August 10
When four down-on-their-luck actors hear about a small-town Indiana teen banned from bringing her girlfriend to prom, they see a chance for a PR makeover. But their over-the-top activism turns the town upside down, leading to laughter, love, and a show-stopping celebration of individuality

The Butler Did It, Park Square Theatre, Fri, July 17 – August 16
The world premiere of this Jeffery Hatcher whodunnit takes audiences to a school for butlers that serves the fabulously rich, where a perfect murder has just been committed. The butler did it… but which butler?

Free Outdoor Music

Todd Michael Jameson, City House (St. Paul), Tue, July 7
Twangy country-blues from a real road lifer.

International Reggae All Stars, Rice Park (St. Paul), Wed, July 8
Twin Cities' globally sourced stop for reggae, dancehall and island soul.

Wic Whitney, Cedar Cultural Center, Wed, July 8
Arkansas-bred Whitney is a clever, queer limber-tongued southern soul/funk impresario, silky slick with a rhyme a brash bum rush to blow your mind.

Hot Club Mania, Depot Coffee House (Hopkins), Thur, July 9
Specializing in the kind of French gypsy jazz Django Reinhardt made famous.

Ashley Dubose, Mae Simpson, Mears Park, Thur, July 9
Dubose offers big soulful R&B/Dance; Simpson plays sepia-tinged folk-blues.

Ditch Pigeon, Minnehaha Bandstand (Mpls), Fri, July 10
Ethereal, violin-abetted baroque pop with bedroom intimacy and orchestral sweep.

Obediah Gamble, Afternoon Rock the Hall @ Graze, Sat, July 11
Exotica-smooth cocktail jazzy indie pop with dulcet drifting vocals.

Art Vandalay, Mears Lunch in the Park (St. Paul), Tue, July 14
Rootsy rock evoking warmth of the Band and J.J. Cale's laidback swagger.

Zoë Says Go, Mears Lunch in the Park (St. Paul), Wed, July 15
Thoughtful roots rock with politiucal folk edge of Jackson Browne and the Boss.

The Scarlet Goodbye, High on Stress, Mears Park, Thur, July 16
Punchy alt-rock The Scarlet Goodbye pairs singer/producer Jeff Arundel & Soul Asylum/Golden Smog guitarist Daniel Murphy. HoS have been at it since 2003 fashioning '90s 'mats-infleced indie rock.

Red Eye Ruby, Groovin’ in the Garden @ Como Zoo (St. Paul), Wed, July 22
Retro-soul/blues-rock quartet in Daptone Records mold with sultry chanteuse.

The Foxgloves, Cedar Cultural Center, Wed, July 22
Old-timey tinged all-female harmony-laden Americana sextet.

The Montvales, Depot Coffee House (Hopkins), Thur, July 23
Spare banjo & harmony country-folk duo supporting new disc Path of Totality.

Salsa del Soul, Tropical Zone Orchestra, Mears Park, Thur, July 23
Salsa Del Soul's a nine-piece Carribean-flavored dance orchestra, while TZO plays a Latin-fusion of Salsa, Cumbia and Merengue.

Ghosts of Sean Arthur Peterson, Mears Lunch in the Park (St. Paul), Tue, July 28
Peterson (Veronica on Ice, Brakemen's Local No. 213) plays woozy ambling roots with wry wit.

Rosie Daze Band, Rice Park (St. Paul), Wed, July 29
Tireless, feted all-woman combo blending bluegrass, country-folk and string music.

Pert Near Sandstone, Cole Diamond, Jack Klatt, Mears Park, Thur, July 30
Trampled by Turtles compadres Pert Near Sandstone possess broad, roots/bluegrass palette, evident and catchy, crisply-produced, alternately exultant and reflective new effort Side by Side. Cole Diamond offers twangy honky-tonk country and Jack Klatt put in the time in to make dusty, windblown Americana authentic.

Free Outdoor Movies

Hamilton, Wed, July 1, The Commons
Zootopia 2, Thur, July 2, Dickman Park

Lilo & Stitch, Tue, July 7, Painter Park (Mpls)
F1, Wed, July 8, The Commons (Mpls)
Happy Gilmore, Thur, July 9, Hiawatha Golf Course Clubhouse (Mpls)
Cool Runnings, Fri, July 10, Bottineau Park

Smurfs, Tue, July 14, Kenwood Park
The Greatest Showman, Wed, July 15, The Commons
Hoppers, Thur, July 16, Victory Park
Zootopia 2, Fri, July 17, Highlands Park (Cottage Grove)
Coco, Fri, July 17, Midway Peace Park (St. Paul)

GOAT, Tue, July 21, Waite Park
Mission Impossible: Final Reckoning, Wed, July 22, The Commons
Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Thur, July 23, Phillips Park
Shrek 2, Fri, July 24, Windom Northeast Park
How to Train Your Dragon, Fri, July 24, Centennial Park (Brooklyn Center)
Zootopia 2, Fri, July 24, Walton Park (Oakdale)
Secret Life of Pets, Sat, July 25, Matthews Park

Nacho Libre, Wed, July 29, The Commons
Best in Show, Thur, July 30, Loring Park
School of Rock, Fri, July 31, Edgcumb Recreation Center

Art and Street Fairs

Taste of Minnesota, Downtown Minneapolis, Fri, July 3 – 4
From crave-worthy food vendors and standout local businesses to talented artists, inspired makers, and an all-star lineup of homegrown music including Dillinger 4, Dessa, Gully Boys, Polica, Ant and Brother Ali.
Minneapolis Red, White and Boom, Sat, July 4
Chanhassen Fourth Celebration, July 1 – 4
Coon Rapids Carnical/Fourth, Thur, July 2 – 4
Eagan Funfest, Thur, July 2 – 4
Langford 4th in the Park, St. Paul, Sat, July 4

Karl Oskar Days, Lindstrom, MN, Wed, July 8 – 12
Whiz Band Days, Robbinsdale, Thur, July 9 – 12
Chaska Fire & Ice Fest, Chaska, Fri, July 10 – 11
Art @ St. Kate’s, St. Paul, Sat, July 11
Family Fun Day, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Sun, July 12

Bastille Day, Minneapolis, Tue, July 14
Bean Hole Days, Pequot Lakes, Tue, July 14 – 15
Maple Grove Days, Wed, July 15 – 19
Raspberry Festival, Hopkins, Wed, July 15 – 10
Spirit of the Lakes Fest, Mound, Thur, July 16 – 18
Ramsey County Fair, Maplewood, Thur, July 16 – 19
Hastings Rivertown Days, Thur, July 16 – 19
Arden Hills 75th Anniversary, Cummings Park, Fri, July 17
Minnehaha Falls Art Fair, Minneapolis, Fri, July 17 – 19
Lumberjack Days, Stillwater, July 17 – 19
Arbor Lakes Art Fair, Shoppes @ Arbor Lake, Sat. July 18
St. Paul Bluegrass Block Party, Bad Weather Brewing, Sat. July 18
Burnsville International Fest, Nicollet Commons Park, Sat. July 18
Rondo Days, St. Paul, Sat. July 18
Minnesota Scottish Fair and Highland Games, Macalester College (St. Paul), Sat, July 18
Leprechaun Days, Rosemount, Sat, July 18 – 25
Aquatennial, Minneapolis, Sat, July 18 – 26

Anoka County Fair, Anoka, Tue, July 21 – 26
Wright County Fair, Howard Lake, Wed, July 22 – 26
Chaska River City Days 50th Anniversary, Lions Park, Thur, July 23 – 26
Slice of Shoreview, Fri, July 24 – 26
Twin Cities Carifest, Minneapolis, Sat, July 25
Loring Park Art Festival, Minneapolis, Sat, July 25 – 26

PeopleFest, Eden Prairie, Sun, July 26 – 31
Washington County Fair, Stillwater, Wed, July 29 – August 2
Vintage Band Festival, Thur, July 30 – August 2

Live Athletics

Minnesota Twins Home Games
vs. Cleveland Indians, Tue – Thurs, July 7 – 9
vs. Los Angeles Angels, Fri – Sun, July 10 – 12
(AEW postgame event 7/10; Dick Bremer Pin giveaway 7/11; Beach Tote 7/12)
vs. Oakland/Las Vegas Athletics, Fri – Sun, July 24 – 26
(Kirby Puckett Jersey 7/25; Back2School Lunchbag 7/26)
vs. Kansas City Royals, Tue - Thurs, July 28 – 30

St. Paul Saints Home Games (Minor League Baseball)
vs. Buffalo Bisons, Tue – Sun, June 30 – July 5
vs. Louisville Bats, Fri – Sun, July 17 – 19
vs. Columbus Clippers, Tue – Sun, July 21 – 26
Fireworks every Friday game, and Saturday, July 4

Minnesota United FC (Major League Men's Soccer)
vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Sat. July 25
vs. Liberia, Sun, July 26 (Friendly)
vs. San Diego FC, Saturday, August 1
vs. FC Jaurex, Tuesday, August 4 (Leagues Cup)

Minnesota Lynx Home Games (Women’s Hoops)
vs. Connecticut Sun, Mon, July 8
vs. New York Liberty, Sat, July 11 (Inspiring Women Night)
vs. Phoenix Mercury, Mon, July 13
vs. Los Angeles Sparks, Wed, July 15
vs. Portland Fire, Sat, July 18 (Sylvia Fowles Mini Poster)
vs. Toronto Tempo, Tue, July 28
vs. Indiana Fever, Sun, August 2
vs. Los Angeles Sparks, Thur, August 6

Minnesota Aurora Home Games (Women’s Soccer)
Semifinals, July 10 (potentially)

Minnesota Vixen Home Games (Women’s Tackle Football)
vs. St. Louis, June 27 (WFA Playoff 1st Round)

Minnesota Gemini Home Games (Women’s Rugby)
vs. Denver Onyx, Sun, July 19, Eagan

Niche or Off-beat

Catan Tournament, Thur, July 9, Circle Pines (Curious Crow)
Battle for the crown of the best resource wrangler of this popular European boardgame.

Twin Cities River Rats Water Ski Team, Wed, July 22, NE Mpls
The local Water Ski team into their 47^th year, have free Thursday shows from June through August, but offer a special show on Wednesday as part of the Auquatennial Celebration, in advance of the Midwest Regionals that weekend in Iowa. Show your support to pump them up!

Jigsaw Puzzle Contest, Fri, July 24, Circle Pines (Curious Crow)
Teams of 2-4 compete over two hours to complete a 500-piece puzzle. Entry fee and prize.

Dancing in the Plaza, Sat, July 25, Edina (Nolan Mains Plaza)
Arthur Murray offers free dance lessons on the Foxtrot & Tango set to live music as part of summer 50^th & France celebrations.

After Dark Dining, Wed, July 29, Minneapolis Institute of Art
Join Chef Gustavo Romero of Oro by Nixta, who built a versatile reputation at celebrated restaurants such as San Francisco’s Credo before dedicating himself fully to the craft of handmade tortillas and heirloom corn.

Book Readings

Isaac Butler presents The Perfect Moment, Thur, July 9, Magers & Quinn (Mpls)
Cultural historian NYU theatre professor Isaac Butler looks back to 1988, the rise of the moral majority and the tactics the right still uses today to whip its base into frenzy-from banning books and sanitizing American history, to spreading medical misinformation. He joins Minnesota Book Award finalist Sally Franson (Big in Sweden, A Lady’s Guide to Selling Out.)

Katherine Packert Burke’s All Us Saints with Creekbed Carter Hogan, Sat, July 11, Open Book
Minneapolis author Burke's (2024’s Still Life) second novel is about a family re-enacting a tragic small town triple-homicide, while unpacking the perpetrator’s experience as a closeted trans girl in the early 90s. Trans folksinger Creekbed Carter Hogan just released their second album, Peasants Revolt.

Na Eng Presents The Art of Saving Democracy, Tue, July 14, Magers & Quinn
The Art of Saving Democracy features the work of 20 renowned American artists—such as Roy Lichtenstein, Shepard Fairey, Carrie Mae Weems, Vincent Valdez, and Deborah Kass—and a practical how-to guide that teaches essential skills for activism. Na Eng is chief creative officer at People For the American Way.

Mark Haber Presents Ada, Wed, July 15, Magers & Quinn
Minneapolis’ Mark Haber, one of the most rigorous and serious--and anachronistic--novelists working today (The Washington Post), book about a petty tyrant plumbing the depths of ego and ardor. Told with exuberant absurdity, Ada is a comedy about the mania of power, unrequited love, and the solitude of authority. He’s joined by Houston author Chris Cander (The Young of Other Animals, A Gracious Neighbor, The Weight of a Piano).

Steve Darnall Presents MARVELS: The Novelization, Wed, July 29, Magers & Quinn
Darnall, who teamed artist Alex Ross on Uncle Sam and the original proposal, revisits the landmark story in this new novelization. He’s joined by MST3K writer/actor Mary Jo Pehl, author of the memoir: Dumb, Dumb, Dumb: My Mother’s Book Reviews.