NEXT UP At The Cedar
Swedish folk from Upsala, Väsen return to The Cedar for a co-headlining show with Canadian folk quintet The Fretless.
Join Phoenix Flight Studio for a bewitching Halloween showcase at the Cedar! The evening opens with aerial artistry on lyra, trapeze, sling, and flying pole, followed by an electrifying second act of pole, chair, and floor performances. Featuring choreography by students and instructors, this night of spooky, seductive talent is not to be missed.
NOISE PARTY has returned once again to its new home at The Cedar Cultural Center. Continuing the tradition of showcasing the best local acts within the fields of ambient, drone, noise, and experimental music, Noise Party Vol. 12 pulls no punches with this upcoming lineup. Come and experience a one of a kind musical adventure paired with hypnotic live visuals. Whether it’s your first time experiencing a “noise” show or your hundredth, come and join an attentive audience and bathe in soundscapes sent from another galaxy.
Thee Sinseers and The Altons deliver modern soul from East L.A., deeply rooted in the souldies scene for the “CLUB HEARTACHE TOUR.”
The Cedar Presents the return of COLIN HAY to the Pantages Theatre!
Songwriter & folk activist David Huckfelt presents this in-person preview of his new album "I Was Born, But..." with a special live listening party, joined by his all-star band The Unarmed Forces: JT Bates, Jeremy Ylvisaker, and Mike Lewis.
RECENTLY ANNOUNCED
Come out and celebrate the release of Lake Davi’s debut album, Bloody Mary. The local indie Americana band will be playing the entire album in full for the first time, supported by Spaceport and Second Spring.
Ondara returns to The Cedar stage with his new band The Jet Stone Conspiracy, which he describes as, “the culmination of my rebirth- It’s a surrender to the currents of free expression- an invitation to explore new realms of sound, movement, and poetry.”
Philadelphia pop-folk songwriter Carsie Blanton takes her cues from legends like Nina Simone, Cleo Brown, Joni Mitchell and John Prine. She’s a ferocious wordsmith who pulls no punches on her 2024 full-length After the Revolution. This is Carsie’s second time performing at The Cedar, and we welcome her back in time when her words are more poignant than ever.
CALENDAR
Swedish folk from Upsala, Väsen return to The Cedar for a co-headlining show with Canadian folk quintet The Fretless.
Join Phoenix Flight Studio for a bewitching Halloween showcase at the Cedar! The evening opens with aerial artistry on lyra, trapeze, sling, and flying pole, followed by an electrifying second act of pole, chair, and floor performances. Featuring choreography by students and instructors, this night of spooky, seductive talent is not to be missed.
NOISE PARTY has returned once again to its new home at The Cedar Cultural Center. Continuing the tradition of showcasing the best local acts within the fields of ambient, drone, noise, and experimental music, Noise Party Vol. 12 pulls no punches with this upcoming lineup. Come and experience a one of a kind musical adventure paired with hypnotic live visuals. Whether it’s your first time experiencing a “noise” show or your hundredth, come and join an attentive audience and bathe in soundscapes sent from another galaxy.
Thee Sinseers and The Altons deliver modern soul from East L.A., deeply rooted in the souldies scene for the “CLUB HEARTACHE TOUR.”
The Cedar Presents the return of COLIN HAY to the Pantages Theatre!
Songwriter & folk activist David Huckfelt presents this in-person preview of his new album "I Was Born, But..." with a special live listening party, joined by his all-star band The Unarmed Forces: JT Bates, Jeremy Ylvisaker, and Mike Lewis.
St. Rangers celebrates the release of their debut EP Witness Marks, a collection of new folk tunes perfectly suited to autumn's final weeks. Formed by Garret Nasset and Rachel Bearinger within the vibrant Twin Cities songwriter scene, St. Rangers offers songs crafted with the precision of a chisel, with arrangements that lock into place with satisfying comfort. The band is delighted to share the stage with local folk-bluegrass duo LaPlant Road.
Prairie Fire Choir with Barbara Cohen & Little Lizard - Great Big Hill of Hope.
Folksingers Meredith Moon (Ontario) and Creekbed Carter (MN) join together for a special evening, sharing both of their unique stories in song.
Guitarist and producer Justin Adams’ credits include working with Jah Wobble, Sinéad O’Connor, Robert Plant, and Tinariwen. Joined by Italian percussionist Mauro Durante, the two make music described as “Mediterranean trance blues.” This is the duo's second performance at The Cedar.
East Forest is a multidisciplinary artist, producer, speaker, and ceremony guide. Since 2008, East Forest’s “lush” (Rolling Stone) and “blissful” (NPR) music has blended ambient, neoclassical, electronic, and avant-pop to explore sound as a tool for inner journeys and consciousness expansion.
John Trudell has been physically gone for ten years now. His life and words continue to matter. John reminds us that if we use our intelligence and stay coherent, we will outlast them. This evening will not only celebrate his memories, wisdom, heart and love, but will revive his voice to make his words part of our own truth. This will help the powerless realize that they are anything but.
El Khat perform Arabic tunes of Yemeni origin, led by multi-instrumentalist Eyal El Wahab. Experimenting with DIY homemade instruments, the trio’s psychedelic stomps fit comfortably in the global groove of similar artists like BALTHVS, Glass Beams, and Khruangbin. The Cedar welcomes El Khat back to the Twin Cities for their third performance in our room.
Senegalese singer and bass virtuoso Alune Wade brings his distinct sound to The Cedar stage for the first time this Fall. Blending Afrobeat and jazz, Wade traces the deep connections between West African rhythms, Lagos grooves, and the bold brass sounds of New Orleans. In addition to his performance, The Cedar will screen the short documentary Tukki: From Roots to the Bayou, telling the story of the creation of Wade’s new album, New African Orleans, and highlighting African cultural traditions and their journeys to Louisiana.
A group of folk musicians will gather on the exact date of the original concert, 77 years later, in memory of that concert and to play their favorite Lead Belly songs.
Brìghde Chaimbeul is a leading purveyor of celtic experimentalism and a master of the Scottish smallpipes – the bellows-blown, mellower and more emotive cousin to the famous Highland bagpipes – and she’s taken them to the global stage.
2022 Cedar Commissions artist Carlisle Evans Peck returns to The Cedar stage to celebrate the release of their new album, with support from McKain Lackey and Proper-T.
Black Market Brass is back again to showcase their continuing collaboration with Minnesota’s own Obi Original. Following a sold out night celebrating the initial release, ‘Battle Ready,’ they’re returning just as hard-hitting as they’ve started it. It’s going to be a dance-heavy evening making sure to turn the heat up on a cold MN night.
"Rules of art were made to be shattered. When broken by accident, that's gaucheness. When broken on purpose, well, that's style. John Gorka's technique breaks free from the rules of modern music". - Huffington Post
Cascades is a live audiovisual project inspired by the concept of waterfalls, here represented by flows of pixels whose movements are generative, meaning never the same. For the music, this same concept is used as inspiration to compose music using electronic instruments, a sort of continuum reminding of surge and immutability… Fruit of a decade-long collaboration between two artists, Cascades represent both infinite movement and stability, but where catastrophes can happen: a synesthetic artwork, both contemplative, reflexive, and a physical experience.
Red Thread and Ponyfolk are two Minnesota-based ensembles devoted to building community around Midwestern European roots music. The two bands team up to present an “alternative” holiday celebration, sharing new and old songs of winter, luck, and family from Scandinavian, Yiddish/Klezmer, Slavic, English, and Irish roots.
NEWS
The Cedar Cultural Center is thrilled to announce the appointment of James Taylor as its new Program Director. James brings extensive experience in live music, artist development, and venue management to the position.
About The Cedar
The Cedar’s mission is to promote intercultural appreciation and understanding through the presentation of global music and dance. The Cedar is committed to artistic excellence and integrity, diversity of programming, support for emerging artists, and community outreach.
Located in the heart of Cedar Riverside, one of the most prolific neighborhoods for live music in Minneapolis, and the home to the largest Somali diaspora in the U.S., The Cedar plays a key role in maintaining the vibrancy and diversity of the Twin Cities’ arts scene.
Get Involved
As a non-profit organization, volunteers are crucial to keeping the Cedar running. At each event, as many as 20 volunteers perform a variety of tasks such as setting up the theater before shows, selling tickets, serving concessions, staffing the merchandise table, and cleaning up the theater after shows. And they also have a lot of fun!
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HELP US MAKE MORE MEMORIES: SUPPORT THE CEDAR
Our audience members and artists make The Cedar what it is: a home for music that values cultural connections, that embraces artists from all over the globe, and welcomes all.
We depend on generous supporters like you to keep global music thriving in the heart of Minneapolis. With your contribution, you can empower local emerging artists as they compose new works and bring 100+ musicians from around the world to our stage each year.


