It's not exactly the liveliest week for live music—no matter how it looks and feels outside, it's still February. But there are plenty of options below if you're willing to try something new.
Tuesday, February 6
International Reggae All Stars @ Bunkers
- Joshua Redman Group @ Dakota—On his 2023 album, Where We Are, the celebrated Blue Note saxman recorded with a vocalist for the first time; Gabrielle Cavassa helps define the music without quite edging her boss out of the spotlight. With its site-specific material—including Coltrane's "Alabama," Springsteen's "Streets of Philadelphia," and Rogers and Hart's "Manhattan"—the album is a travelogue of sorts, spiked with social commentary as well. Expect to hear the lead cut, Redman's musical and lyricsl response to George Floyd's murder, "After Minneapolis (face toward mo[u]rning)" which takes the melody of "This Land Is Your Land" as its starting point.
St. Dominic's Trio @ Driftwood
Karaoke With On Call Entertainment @ Eagles 34
Daphne Jane (Residency) with Aiden Intro, Chutes, The Dalmatian Club @ Green Room
Bill Simenson Orchestra @ Jazz Central
Bluewater Kings @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Afro House with DJ Vegan Water @ Palmer's
All Nighter Tuesdays @ ROK Music Lounge
Industrial Strength with DJ Sin @ Terminal Bar
Worker’s Playtime: Matt Cartier @ 331 Club
February Conspiracy Series featuring Robin Kyle, Ben Kyle, Paul Kyle @ 331 Club
The New Havoline Supremes! feat. Mary Cutrufello, Dan Lowinger @ White Squirrel
Los Pinches Güeys (Tuesday Residency) with JRAD, Selfish Teammate, LIXN @ White Squirrel
Wednesday, February 7
MN Songwriter Showcase hosted by Nick Hensley @ Aster Cafe
- The Riffin Trio @ Berlin—Though North Loop’s nightlife may be a-bustlin’, the downtown-adjacent Minneapolis neighborhood is hardly thought of as a live music hot spot. But as the new jazz club Berlin opens in the former Askov Finlayson building on North First St. this week, joining the ever-reliable Bunker’s way to the North, The Fillmore over by Target Field, and the Underground Music Venue/Cafe tucked away on Third Ave., maybe it’s time to start thinking of it that way. With a menu of shareable plates from Jamie Malone of Paris Dining Club, a no-nonsense selection of cocktails, and a welcoming ambience highlighted by a blue stained glass entryway, expect the cozy little spot (capacity is below 100) to fill up quickly, especially on weeknights when there will be no cover. The Riffin’ Trio (Nelson Devereaux on sax/flute, Ted Olsen on bass, and Jacob Hanso on guitar) will zip through some standards to christen the joint, and if you frequent Icehouse you’ll see some other familiar names in the initial lineup, such as JT Bates, Martin Dosh, and Jeremy Ylvisaker. Among the first ticketed events are performances by Atlantis Quartet and Alpha Consumer.
Material, Reflectors, Brendan Wells @ Cloudland
Switchgrass @ Como Zoo Conservatory
Maggie's Wednesday: Andrew Crowley @ Crooners
The Bad Companions! @ Eagles 34
Miss Shannon's Swing Night @ Eagles 34
Candlelight Tribute to Queen @ Granada
J-Mo and His J-Lighters with The Rowdy Gents @ KJ's Hideaway
The Craig Clark Band @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Karaoke Crime Scene @ Palmer's
The Little Lebowski Urban Achievers, Boots & Needles, The Side Effects @ Pilllar Forum
Open Decks: Presented by Sub:Culture @ Rok Music Lounge
Shrimp Olympics @ Schooner Tavern
Harold’s House Party on KFAI with Scottie Miller and Cierra Alise Hill @ 331 Club
My Buddy Eric, The Dalmatian Club, Jonger, MOMO @ Underground Music Venue
Lars-Erik Larson & The 2nd Stringers @ White Squirrel
Tiny Daggers with Doctor Doctor Doctor Doctor, Del Viles @ White Squirrel
Thursday, February 8
Admiral Fox (EP Release), Floodwater Angel, Malamiko @ Cloudland
The Neighborhood Quartet @ Crooners
Power Balladz: Not Done Yet @ Crooners
LGBTQ+ Twin Cities Latin Dance @ Eagles 34
Karaoke With On-Call Entertainment @ Eagles 34
Amanda Grace (Album Release) with Fathom Lane @ Fine Line
Candlelight Tribute to Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and More @ Granada
"Snapped" Live Band Open Mic @ Green Room
Gary LaRue and His Rat Pack Band @ KJ's Hideaway
The Radical Denominators @ Minnesota Music Cafe
The Front Pprch Swingin' Liquor Pigs @ Palmer's
- Palestine Fundraiser: Rigby, Shit Dumpster, Atomic Nun, Odd Prospect, Collective Ex, Mystery Meat @ Pilllar Forum—This week in "punks doing a good deed." A great lineup for a worthy cause.
Snowplay Showcase @ ROK Music Lounge
Edie Rae & the Blaze Kings, Chemistry Set @ Schooner Tavern
Billy Allen + The Pollies with Ty Pow and The Holy North and Filthy Kittens @ 7th St Entry
Minneapolis Songwriter Round: Keaton, Mike Lee, KYM, Jerrika Mighelle @ 331 Club
Go Your Own Way ⏤ A Fleetwood Mac Sing-Along @ Turf Club
Unattractive Giant Monster @ White Rock Lounge
The Monday Club @ White Squirrel
Alonzo with Royce, Willem Dafoe Fan Club @ White Squirrel
Friday, February 9
Tucker Buchan and Renneygade @ Acadia
Astronomy Town + Cody Steinmann @ Aster Cafe
Mistress Ginger's V-Day Soirée @ Bryant Lake Bowl
The Cedar Commissions, Night One: RZ Shahid, McKain Lakey, YEV @ Cedar Cultural Center
Adult Video, Weald @ Caydence Records & Coffee
The Mike and Mary Situation @ Cloudland
Corky Siegel and Randy Sabien @ Crooners
Power Balladz: Not Done Yet @ Crooners
Maggie's Afterglow: Dorothy Doring and Rick Carlson @ Crooners
Miss Shannon Teaches Dance @ Eagles 34
Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs @ Eagles 34
- Emo Nite @ Fine Line—When I was about 12 years old, I narrowly dodged being thrust into counseling after changing the wallpaper on the family’s Gateway computer to read “LIVE. LOVE. BURN. DIE.” What was the big deal? It was only the refrain of Atreyu’s “Lip Gloss and Black,” which was on constant rotation on my portable Panasonic CD player at the time. You, presumably, are not 12, so it won’t raise any red flags should you attend this Emo Nite with special guest Brandon Saller of Atreyu. (Is the “family computer” still a thing, even? You Gen Z-ers don’t even know how good you have it.)—Em Cassel
Anees with Michael Minelli @ First Avenue
Bob Marley Remembered @ Hook and Ladder
Adam Harder Nussbaum Quintet @ Jazz Central
Danica Michaels @ KJ's Hideaway
Josh Cleveland @ KJ's Hideaway
The Good, the Bad, and the Funky @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Ashes Swing @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet @ Orchestra Hall
Alina Ibragimova Plays Beethoven’s Violin Concerto @ Ordway
The Erratix, Atomic Lights and Los Outsiders @ Palmer's
Prairie Clamor, Riley Skinner, Bryn Battani @ Pilllar Forum
Jazicality, Minor Mischef, Fenixdion, The Gemstone @ ROK Music Lounge
Mia Dorr & the Funkin' Bluesers @ Schooner Tavern
Frost Children with MSPAINT @ 7th St Entry
Somburd, Weekend Long Weekend, Sweet Heat @ Terminal Bar
TV for Dogs. The Envies. Baumgardner @ 331 Club
NATL PARK SRVC, Wonderful Bluffer, Druzy Rose, and Lighter Co. @ Turf Club
The Owl-Eyes, Kyrie Nova, and Timisarocker @ Underground Music Venue
Messer Chups with Black Widows, The Swongos, & Dj Demonica @ Uptown VFW
R&B Only Live @ Varsity Theater
Heel, Wolfmask, Bongreaper, Blame the Witness @ White Rock Lounge
Loser Magnet with Alley Mattress, Flatwound @ White Squirrel
Saturday, February 10
Loon Booster, Lily Blue, Seth Aubrey, The Goons @ Acadia
Golden Garters Burlesque Revue @ Amsterdam
The High 48’s Bluegrass Brunch @ Aster Cafe
Mary Bue + Sonja Rebecca Martin @ Aster Cafe
Mistress Ginger's V-Day Soirée @ Bryant Lake Bowl
The Level Set, Mikel Wright & the Wrongs @ Bunkers
Woodzen @ Caydence Records & Coffee
Murf, In Lieu, Bellerpuss, Rigby @ Cloudland
The Cedar Commissions Night Two: Sarah Larsson, Lady Xøk, Tri Vo @ Cedar Cultural Center
The Schubert Club Presents: The Isles Ensemble @ Crooners
Silly Love Songs with Maud Hixson @ Crooners
The Big Rodgers and Hammerstein Singalong @ Crooners
Maggie's Afterglow: Dorothy Doring and Rick Carlson @ Crooners
The Fab Hackmasters @ Driftwood
The Strolling Clones @ Driftwood
Ryan Picone Quartet, Mississippi Hot Club @ Eagles 34
New Riverside Ramblers @ Eagles 34
PFR with MIIRRORS and Halle Hanson @ Fine Line
Briston Maroney with Phoebe Go @ First Avenue
Framework: Chris Olson, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein @ Jazz Central
Katy Tessman and Taylor James Donskey @ KJ's Hideaway
Patrick Adkins Group @ KJ's Hideaway
The Good, the Bad, and the Funky @ Minnesota Music Cafe
Be Mine Valentine's Party @ Myth Live
Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet @ Orchestra Hall
Bliss Love Showcase with Jayso Creative, Fananka Nation, LVNDSCVPES, Dammit Bryan, Amora Thee Tsunami, Twinn Tue, and DJ Kool Hanz @ Palmer's
Catherine Cohen @ Parkway
Rosie, Emma Jeanne, Vinny Franco @ Pilllar Forum
J-Mo on the Beat, Cody James, SOLANA @ ROK Music Lounge
Wolves of Glendale @ 7th St Entry
Bakermiller Pink Band, Rhino Shrine, Mineral Man @ 331 Club
Arkansauce with Buffalo Galaxy @ Turf Club
Briefcase (EP Release) & Ex Rodeo Birthday Show @ Underground Music Venue
Caitlin Robertson & Alex Sandberg with LaPlant Road @ White Squirrel
Lost Island Society with Portside Dive, Splimit @ White Squirrel
Sunday, February 11
Swing Brunch with Patty & the Buttons @ Aster Cafe
Chouinard, Greenwald and Jette @ Crooners
Cafe Accordion Orchestra @ Crooners
Phine Friends, Shotgun Ragtime @ Driftwood
Twin Cities Country Dancers @ Eagles 34
Karaoke with Reina Starr @ Eagles 34
TALK with Zinadelphia @ First Avenue
Red Hot Django Peppers @ Icehouse
Burning Blue Rain with Nikki Lemire @ KJ's Hideaway
Minnesota Youth Symphonies Winter Concert @ Orchestra Hall
Church of Cornbread @ Palmer's
Mystery House with Chris Hepola @ Palmer's
Jonny Darko (Album Release) with REIKI and League Two @ 7th St Entry
Emmy Woods & The Red Pine Ramblers @ 331 Club
Deap Vally with Sloppy Jane @ Turf Club
St. Paul Songwriter Rounds @ White Squirrel
Monday, February 12
Barrel Flash with Courtney Yasmineh & Ponyfolk @ Amsterdam
Jeremy Ylvisaker + Andrew Broder @ Berlin
Twin Cities Queer Contra Dancing @ Eagles 34
Tango Desperados Practilonga @ Eagles 34
Other Music Ensemble @ Eagles 34
The Kills with The Paranoyds @ First Avenue
Auto-Tune Karaoke @ Mortimer’s
Black Wine with TeawhYB, QT? and Ghost Kitchen @ 7th St Entry
Matt Arthur Contraption @ 331 Club
Mumblin’ Drew’s Oldfangled Orchestrators Monthly Residency @ White Squirrel
