
events

An Evening with SISSOKO, SEGAL, PARISIEN, PEIRANI: LES ÉGARÉS
From jazz to Mandingo music and tango, this combination of kora, cello, accordion, and saxophone is sure to charm all those lucky enough to witness this unique quartet.
The quartet, Sissoko, Segal, Parisien, Peirani présents "Les Égarés" (The Wandering), two virtuoso duos (Sissoko-Segal and Peirani-Parisien), who for years have excelled in the art of cross-fertilising sounds and transcending genres.

BUFFALO NICHOLS with Luke Callen
How to bring the blues of the past into the future? Carl 'Buffalo' Nichols is the answer. His live show and energy is amazing, bringing a wonderful message and culturally relevant experience to every performance.

JAKE BLOUNT TRIO with Joe Rainey
The Cedar is honored to present this very special Saturday show with JAKE BLOUNT and special guest, Joe Rainey.
Collaborators on the Smithsonian Folkways release, symbiont, synthesizing instruments, songs, teachings, and oratory from different traditions with modern literary, political, and compositional sensibilities (and even a dash of “hard” science).

An Evening with ALASH
The masters of traditional Tuvan instruments as well as the ancient art of throat singing, ALASH are returning to The Cedar stage.
Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

BASIA BULAT with Maia Friedman ~ Basia's Palace Live in Concert
BASIA BULAT is a JUNO and Polaris Music Prize-nominated singer-songwriter based in Montreal. She offers both a distinctive voice and artistry that pulls as much from R&B and soul as it does from freak folk. Her talent has also been recognized at scale; her songs have been adapted for major performances with symphony orchestras, and she has been invited to perform at prestigious tributes to Leonard Cohen, Daniel Lanois, and The Band.

FLORE LAURENTIENNE with Zack Baltich
“Sophisticated, complex, organic sounds… Mathieu David Gagnon’s opus focuses on the range of sound colors and textures that analog Moog synthesizers can produce.” - La Presse
Flore Laurentienne is an open window to the technicolor soundscapes of Mathieu David Gagnon – the Canadian/Québécois composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist.
The result of a happy marriage between electronic and classically influenced music.

A Spring Evening Sound Bath
A Spring Evening Sound Bath.
Join Marc Anderson, percussion shape-shifter, Zen Priest, composer, poet and world traveler and his talented friends as they lead us in a sonic reset as we enter into the longer days filled with the light and hope of Spring.
The capacity is limited to accommodate yoga mat, meditation pillow, blanket or whatever you need to feel relaxed on our beautiful wood floor.

FESTIVAL DE LAS CALAVERAS Presents: EL MATÓ A UN POLICÍA MOTORIZADO
Come experience Argentina’s leading rock band, El Mató A Un Policía Motorizado, who’s stopping by on their Super Terror World Tour, delivering their iconic rock fusion with Twin Cities bands: Los Outsiders, Malos Pasos, DJ Rey Azucar, and VJ Booscapes.

CIRCUIT DES YEUX with LEYA
Circuit des Yeux, the moniker of singer and multi-instrumentalist Haley Fohr, with a new release "Halo on the Inside" (Matador), brings her blend of classical, goth and industrial music to The Cedar stage.
“an artistic triumph”- The Washington Post

An Evening with CHERYL WHEELER & KENNY WHITE
"Rare artist...strong poetry, complex melodies, clever wit." -SingOut!
Like a favorite Springtime perennial flower, Cheryl Wheeler has to be seen to be appreciated. Nothing you read nor hear from her albums prepares you for how entertaining a performer she is.
Longtime collaborator Kenny White opens and joins Cheryl for this rollicking sweet evening.

FARAH SIRAJ
Approaching music as a medium for peace and a way to amplify the voices of people around the world who need to be heard, FARAH SIRAJ will grace The Cedar stage with her original compositions and traditional middle eastern tunes set to a jazz context.
“Vivacious arabian flamenco jazz” - Rolling Stone

❗SOLD OUT❗FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: CORB LUND + HAYES CARLL ~Bible on the Dash Tour~
Good friends, collaborators and incredible songwriters join forces for this special, seated co-bill performance. Border blending troubadours unite!
ANA TIJOUX ~The Vida Tour~
We love ANA TIJOUX. We appreciate ANA TIJOUX: her voice, her heart, her outrage, her ART. The Cedar is incredibly honored to welcome Ana back to our stage - if you missed her incredible show in March 2024 - this is your opportunity - don't miss it!

Our Streets Presents: THE WAR ON CARS
Our Streets Presents a special live show of The War on Cars podcast with hosts Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear. The War on Cars discusses the latest developments in the worldwide fight against car culture. This live episode recording will focus on issues specific to the Twin Cities, with special guests involved in the work. Don't miss the opportunity to hear the local angle on reducing car dependency and transforming our streets.

COREY MEDINA & BROTHERS with Midnite Express
Since last playing The Cedar in early 2024, COREY MEDINA & BROTHERS have added a new brother on guitar - making their blues-rock even more powerful.
Corey's moving voice is one of the best in the genre and as he says, "it’s not pretty but it comes from passion to turn trauma to hope through the blues".

NOISE PARTY Vol. 10
Noise Party has returned. The beloved local showcase of ambient, drone, noise, and experimental music celebrates its 10th offering, bringing strange yet soothing sounds to The Cedar.
Vol. 10 will feature askSERPENT, Boy Dirt Car, MAKR AN ERIS, Sawtooth Witch, Sophia Deutsch, and White Dune performing thirty-minute uninterrupted unique sets and help create a tapestry of unique sound that will only exist within Noise Party Vol. 10.
All of this with a background of live experimental visuals to guide the way.

THE ARCADIAN WILD with River & Rail
Welcome. It’s a word The Arcadian Wild hold dear, an invitation to be present, to let your guard down, to share in something deep and divine and communal.
“No matter who you are or where you come from, that word just makes you breathe a little easier. When you feel welcome somewhere, you can be yourself, you can be open to whatever the space and the moment have to offer. That’s how we want people to experience these songs.” - The Arcadian Wild

The Cedar and Berlin Present: KNEEBODY (Early Show)
The Cedar is delighted to be partnering with Berlin in presenting KNEEBODY. An explosive GRAMMY-nominated quartet made up of forward-thinking artists, Kneebody channels rock-informed energy into their soul-jazz, bebop and electro-funk compositions. Formed by former Eastman School of Music and CalArts students who have worked with artists ranging from Prince, Snoop Dogg and Bruno Mars to Tigran Hamasyan, Donny McCaslin, Meshell Ndegeocello and De La Soul, the band has carved out a distinct group identity.

The Cedar and Berlin Present: KNEEBODY (Late Show)
The Cedar is delighted to be partnering with Berlin in presenting KNEEBODY. An explosive GRAMMY-nominated quartet made up of forward-thinking artists, Kneebody channels rock-informed energy into their soul-jazz, bebop and electro-funk compositions. Formed by former Eastman School of Music and CalArts students who have worked with artists ranging from Prince, Snoop Dogg and Bruno Mars to Tigran Hamasyan, Donny McCaslin, Meshell Ndegeocello and De La Soul, the band has carved out a distinct group identity.

FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: PERFECT PERSON: The Dial Tone Tour
A flawless call-in advice show in which Miles Bonsignore answers your calls, solves your problems, and helps you achieve perfection.

KITH + KIN SEASON 8 FINALE with Laamar (Early Show)
Kith + Kin Chorus, a 75-voice uncommon choir led by Rachel Ries, celebrates the close of their 8th season with a choral collaboration with local luminary LAAMAR, plus arrangements of Maggie Rogers, Joseph, Seal, Feist and more.
Proceeds from the show and silent auction support the work of Rock the Rez, a 5-day music camp where girls, Two-Spirit, Transgender, & LGBTQ+ youth write and perform their own music and create art of all kinds.

KITH + KIN SEASON 8 FINALE with Laamar (Late Show)
Kith + Kin Chorus, a 75-voice uncommon choir led by Rachel Ries, celebrates the close of their 8th season with a choral collaboration with local luminary LAAMAR, plus arrangements of Maggie Rogers, Joseph, Seal, Feist and more.
Proceeds from the show and silent auction support the work of Rock the Rez, a 5-day music camp where girls, Two-Spirit, Transgender, & LGBTQ+ youth write and perform their own music and create art of all kinds.

AL-QASAR with Lazy Scorsese
Middle-eastern music collective Al-Qasar brings their psychedelic “Arabian-fuzz” flair to The Cedar stage. A Minnesota debut for this incredibly talented multi-continental dance machine.

ARKANSAUCE with Steam Machine
Arkansauce calls forth melodies of the Ozark Mountains' rolling hills and raging rivers with their distinct blend of newgrass. Each member of the quartet sings lead and harmony parts as well as contributes to the lyrics, which offer authentic, intelligent songwriting with hard-hitting hooks - bending the rules and blurring the lines between bluegrass, folk, americana, with notes of country, blues, and funk. Local old time/bluegrass project, Steam Machine kicks the night off!

RICHARD SHINDELL with Robert Thomas & The SessionMen
Richard Shindell is a New Yorker living in Argentina: a craftsman and a true wizard of song. He’s played for coins in the Paris subway, and he’s studied for the priesthood. His gift for profound storytelling songs drew him into the world of folk music. Richard Shindell champions the downtrodden, exalts the disaffected, skewers prejudice, war, and religious intolerance. Richard announced his retirement several years ago, but he’s back, and we’re glad to be part of his Spring tour!

NORDIC ROOTS SERIES: An Evening with ALE MöLLER & BRUCE MOLSKY
Last seen here at The Cedar in 2010, Swedish world music icon Ale Möller returns to the US to perform with American roots music hero Bruce Molsky! The duo’s music is the joyful confluence of a wide swath of cultures through their unique lens on fiddle, banjo, guitar, flutes, and Ale’s own version of the mandola (which features six string courses, quarter tone frets and a sound unlike any other.) Their reunion really is a deep musical conversation between two old friends whose tunes and songs have so much to say, to bring people together and to shine light on the things we have in common.

The Cedar Presents VALERIE JUNE with Chastity Brown ~ Owls, Omens & Oracles Tour
“Valerie June has built a devoted following by ignoring expectations. She is simultaneously rural and cosmopolitan, historically minded and contemporary, idiosyncratic and fashionable, mystical and down-to-earth.” — New York Times
The Cedar Presents VALERIE JUNE at Hennepin Arts' Pantages Theatre - performing with her full band for the upcoming Owls, Omens, and Oracles Tour.
PETER MULVEY with Ben Weaver
"Peter Mulvey is a forthright singer and songwriter. He’s made a habit of mining emotion by sharing songs that avoid painting pretty pictures simply for the sake of wooing his listeners with an upward gaze. Yet it’s that very honesty that makes his music so compelling, given that it’s flush with realities that are often simply too difficult to avoid." — American Songwriter

An Evening with MELISSA FERRICK
30 years into a prolific career as a genre and gender-defying songwriter, Melissa Ferrick continues to disrupt normative categorization. Indie, Alternative, Folk, Punk….Melissa Ferrick won’t be labeled. With disarming wit and raw vulnerability, every lyric in Ferrick’s immense catalog is an invitation to confession or catharsis.

TC Jazz Festival and Leslie Parker Dance Project Present an experiment pt. II
Join us for the second iteration of an experiment - a public sharing of improvisation drawing from Blackness in music, storytelling, visual art, and dance.
Leslie Parker & Collaborators will come together to share in dance with live music beginning at 4pm on our plaza with dance to follow indoors. Performances by: Black Dance Improvisation Intensive participants & Music Collaborative with Farai Malianga, Dameun Strange, and DeCarlo Jackson with musical guests. Come to experience an experiment!

an experiment pt. II with Leslie Parker & Collaborators
Join us for an experiment pt II. an additional offering - the second part of the experience.

MARYNA KRUT
The Cedar is honored to welcome MARYNA KRUT back, during this critical moment. With her gorgeous voice and bandura, she brings the story and culture of Ukraine to our stage.
“Not only is she a virtuoso on her 65-string harp, but she has a voice from the heavens, covering all the colors of the human vocal rainbow, seemingly effortlessly.” - Banning Eyre, AFROPOP
![[RESCHEDULED] The Cedar Presents TALISK and GARDINER BROTHERS: UNLEASHED](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64c8a76bf0d7e24b819a4d4e/1733081828489-W6Y12RTEA0MEMZ850GZI/PROMO+PIC+%28Landscape%29.jpg)
[RESCHEDULED] The Cedar Presents TALISK and GARDINER BROTHERS: UNLEASHED
The Cedar Presents TALISK and GARDINER BROTHERS: UNLEASHED at Hennepin Arts' Pantages Theatre. UNLEASHED unites the award-winning folk trio Talisk with the electrifying Gardiner Brothers, whose Irish dance performances have garnered over 1 billion views on social media. This high-energy showcase blendsTalisk’s ground breaking melodies with the Gardiners’ viral choreography, celebrating tradition and innovation in an unforgettable fusion of music and dance.

An Evening with JOE BOYD ~And the Roots of Rhythm Remain~
Legendary producer (Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, REM, Fairport Convention, etc) and author of acclaimed memoir, White Bicycles: Making Music in the 1960s, JOE BOYD presents words and music from his remarkable new book, And the Roots of Rhythm Remain.

FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: OFF BOOK – THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL
It takes years for a Broadway musical to hit the stage, but on OFF BOOK: The Improvised Musical, a brand new original musical is featured every week on this podcast. Be a part of the live audience to witness the magic!

❗SOLD OUT❗FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: OFF BOOK – THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL
It takes years for a Broadway musical to hit the stage, but on OFF BOOK: The Improvised Musical, a brand new original musical is featured every week on this podcast. Be a part of the live audience to witness the magic!

PAOLO ANGELI with Crystal Myslajek
Paolo Angeli is an artist whose imaginative leaps defy gravity. Drawing on his deep knowledge of traditional Sardinian music, he inhabits a timeless zone as a soil-rooted master and brash experimentalist. While suffused with Mediterranean cadences, Angeli’s original pieces encompass flamenco, jazz, Baroque, post-rock and new music. He plays a guitar of his own invention, a fantastical 18-string hybrid combining elements of guitar, cello and drums.

Volunteer Orientation
Have you ever wanted to peek behind the scenes at the Cedar? Learn more about how to participate at our venue by attending our monthly Volunteer Orientation led by volunteer coordinator Jared Hemming!

Duke Concept Presents: CALLEDOUT MUSIC ~BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES TOUR
British music producer, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Hampshire, England, Samuel Nwachukwu - who performs under the pseudonym: CalledOut Music, is a symbol of hope and excellence in the 21st century. Embodying years of work and excellence, CalledOut Music has become one of the most sought after names gaining international recognition rather quickly.

JOLIE HOLLAND with Willows
With poetic storytelling awash in a dream-like sonic palette, Jolie Holland invites audiences on an alluring journey that leaves an indelible mark on the heart and opens the mind.
It's no surprise that Tom Waits is Jolie Holland's biggest fan. Says Time Out London: "Jolie Holland sings spooky American fairy tales in a strange and beautiful way,"

KRIS DELMHORST with Chris Pureka
“bold and brilliant”- Irish Times
“literate and allusive”- Boston Globe
“moody, euphoric and transcendent”- LA Times
The Cedar welcomes Kris Delmhorst, an American songwriter, singer, instrumentalist, and producer. With more than 25 years as an independent artist, she has built a body of work characterized by a wide-ranging, genre-agnostic curiosity and constant collaboration. Kris is touring in support of her new release Ghosts in the Garden.

RUMBA EVOLUTION ~Book Launch/Soukouss Party~
Rumba Evolution is a captivating, informative journey of how a type of music unwillingly left Africa in slave ships, went to Cuba, and then to the rest of the world before returning home to Africa as Congolese rumba music became a global phenomenon. Please join us as we celebrate author George ' Jojo' Ndege as he discusses his book along with live music from Yusuf Shalita and Bandasson.

ASI Presents: Midwinter Nordic Dance with FRIGG
The American Swedish Institute Presents the Midwinter Nordic Dance!
ASI’s Midwinter Folk Fest returns this March, offering a vibrant two-day celebration of Scandinavian folk music with performances, workshops, and demonstrations at the American Swedish Institute.
The Cedar hosts the Sunday evening Nordic Dance led by the internationally acclaimed Finnish folk ensemble, FRIGG.

❗SOLD OUT❗FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: An Evening with JESSE WELLES
First Avenue Presents JESSE WELLES' Fear Is The Mind Killer Tour.

GUITAR BAND release show with Fake Accent and The Miami Dolphins
GUITAR BAND celebrates the release of their debut album GUITAR BAND, out on legendary local label Bumpy, with a show at here at The Cedar featuring support from Erik Fratzke's Fake Accent and The Miami Dolphins.

An Afternoon Dance with POP WAGNER'S HONKY TONK RANCH
Covering the country classics from Johnny Cash to Hank Williams, Dave Dudley, Jimmy Rogers, Charlie Pride and more along with some of Pop’s original songs in that old-time honky tonk style. This is dance music, friends! Bring your dancing shoes!

❗CANCELED❗THE CRAFT ~Hip Hop Songwriters Showcase
THE CRAFT is a showcase that highlights the nuances that go into great songwriting in Hip Hop. More than just dope beats and rhyme schemes, the most impactful rap and r&b songs evoke emotions and feelings relatable to all people. Curated by Sureshot Productions, please join us for a night of storytelling and dancing with some of the best artists making music in the Twin Cities.

Cedar-Riverside Time Machine: Part 2
We turn our projector and pull back the curtains for another installment of this special variety show on the history of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.
Featuring more stories from the neighborhood and our many fascinating neighbors.

❗SOLD OUT❗THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS (late show)
The Cedar is honored to welcome back our favorite family friendly duo, The Okee Dokee Brothers.
" they remind us of the American belief that we’re bound for better weather. Their album [Can You Canoe?] celebrates everyday explorers, young and old, who rediscover that notion daily” – NPR’s All Things Considered
“The Okee Dokee Brothers are an absolute national treasure. These songs are just what the world needs right now.” - Minnesota Parent

❗SOLD OUT❗THE OKEE DOKEE BROTHERS (early show)
The Cedar is honored to welcome back our favorite family friendly duo, The Okee Dokee Brothers.
" they remind us of the American belief that we’re bound for better weather. Their album [Can You Canoe?] celebrates everyday explorers, young and old, who rediscover that notion daily” – NPR’s All Things Considered
“The Okee Dokee Brothers are an absolute national treasure. These songs are just what the world needs right now.” - Minnesota Parent

FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: MUSTAFA - Lost in The Dunya Tour
First Avenue Presents: Mustafa — Lost in The Dunya Tour.
"With subtly shifting production and incisive writing, the Toronto singer adapts intimate stories of pain and devotion to his worldly folk palette."- Pitchfork

❗SOLD OUT❗FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: EIVøR with Sylvaine
Fans around the world recognize Eivør for her thunderous Nordic drumming and operatic throat singing. Her recent twelfth album, ENN, marks a bold new venture in her two decades-long musical journey.

An Evening with GUY DAVIS
Guy Davis is a two-time Grammy nominee for Best Traditional Blues, a musician, Actor, Author, and Songwriter. Guy uses a blend of roots, blues, folk, rock, rap, spoken word, and global music to comment on and address the frustrations of social injustice, touching topics of politics, historical events, and common life struggles.

LARRY & JOE with Mother Banjo
The duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) returns. The fusion of their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas prove that music has no borders. Their engaging bilingual (esp / eng) program includes storytelling, humor, singalongs, and dancing.

SAMORA PINDERHUGHES with Elliott Skinner and Theo Langason
"a magical being" - Forbes
The Cedar is honored to present Samora Pinderhughes, founder of The Healing Project, with his Venus Smiles Not in the House of Tears Tour.
A composer, pianist, vocalist, filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist known for examining sociopolitical issues and fighting for change through his art.

NORDIC ROOTS SERIES: LENA JONSSON TRIO with Ponyfolk
The multi award winning Lena Jonsson Trio continues to break new grounds around the world with their unique mix of deeply rooted Swedish folk, jazz, American old-time and electro acoustic sounds.

The Qalanjo Project Presents: Echoes from the Horn: Somali Lives in Cinema
The Qalanjo Project Presents: Echoes from the Horn: Somali Lives in Cinema - a special program of the Black Europe Film Festival of Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
The Qalanjo Project is an arts education focused, Somali community organization located in Minneapolis. This special Sunday program will feature films and discussions that highlight Somali filmmakers' contributions and explore the Somali diaspora's diverse narratives from The Cedar screen!
"Rag tashaday cir tararay wey toli karaan taako labadeede. / If people come together, they can even mend a crack in the sky." - Somali Proverb

THE CEDAR COMMISSIONS Night Two: John Jamison II, May Klug, Yeej
The Cedar Cultural Center presents the fourteenth annual Cedar Commissions!
Each evening, three artists of the 2024-25 cohort will present their commissioned work on The Cedar stage:
Saturday, February 1 features John Jamison ll, May Klug, and YEEJ.

THE CEDAR COMMISSIONS Night One: A.P. Looze, Hibah Hassan, Phillip Saint John
The Cedar Cultural Center presents the fourteenth annual Cedar Commissions!
Each evening, three artists of the 2024-25 cohort will present their commissioned work on The Cedar stage:
Friday, January 31 features A.P. Looze, Hibah Hassan, and Phillip Saint John.

DRONE NOT DRONES - The 10th 28-Hour Drone
A benefit for Doctors Without Borders, Minneapolis' DRONE NOT DRONES is part benefit concert, part art project, part community event.
Now, for the TENTH offering in the Cedar's 36th year of existence, more than fifty acts will rotate on and off the stage to create a single uninterrupted 28-hour drone to protest the extrajudicial and immoral drone program and raise money for the victims of the United States military-industrial complex.

TC TRANS MUTUAL AID "Trans Day of Revenge" featuring S.L.O.G. & more!
Celebrating resistance in the forms of solidarity, love, and trans joy, The Cedar is honored to host TRANS DAY OF REVENGE benefittingTwin Cities Trans Mutual Aid.
HONKY TONK TAKEOVER f. JACK KLATT TRIO + McKAIN LAKEY BAND
Please join Jack Klatt and McKain Lakey and their fine bands in a co-bill HONKY TONK TAKEOVER of The Cedar's dancefloor.
Come early for a little partner dance (2-step & waltz) tutorial during doors (7-8 PM) led by McKain. A night of good-time urban cowboy fare for all!

FIRST AVENUE PRESENTS: WILL BURKART with Grant Winkels
First Avenue Presents the talented stand-up comedian and actor, Will Burkart!