New Orleans-based songwriter Maggie Koerner released her debut solo album in 2011. Shortly thereafter, she had the opportunity to take over as the frontwoman for Galactic, gaining international attention for her fiery performances and commanding presence touring alongside Widespread Panic, Charles Bradley and Dr. John. In 2016, Koerner partnered with UK songwriter Fink for the EP Dig Down Deep. Her latest album, UPSTATE, was released in 2025 to critical acclaim. 

The Cedar has spent decades as one of the Twin Cities' most cherished listening rooms — its wood floors and warm acoustics hold sound the way few spaces can. On October 25, we're filling that space with intentional resonance.

Join Ellie and Kristen as they invite you to the Cedar for Yin + Sound, an evening to slow down and tune in. Ellie will guide a yin yoga practice — long, supported holds to help soften the body and quiet the nervous system — while Kristen fills the room with live sound healing throughout, using guitar, synthesizer, harmonium, singing bowls, and more to enhance and deepen each posture. The movement and the sound unfold together, creating an experience for deep release and restoration.

An evening of guitar music, orchestrated laughtracks, mirth, and lavish songs. Celebrate the release of Laughter Helps with a collection of music that is as tuneful as it is experimental.

[DECLASSIFIED] Noise Party is the Twin Cities’ premiere experimental music showcase, highlighting independent artists from the metro area and beyond. Now on its 15th edition, this volume of Noise Party pulls no punches in further expressing what a live music experience can be. By combining six otherworldly musicians and live improvised visual projections, Noise Party is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. Featuring two continuous unique parts with an intermission dividing the evening, be sure to come early and grab a seat, relax, and become immersed in the world of Noise Party. Only at The Cedar Cultural Center on Friday, October 30th.

More info and [REDACTED] at https://www.noiseparty.org

The Family Gathering Concert Series is coming to The Cedar on Saturday, October 31! Expect live local music, balloon animals, coloring, temporary tattoos, snacks and plenty of fun.

Jeremiah Chiu is an LA-based synthesist widely recognized for his versatile electronic music as a solo artist, textured recordings in a duo with violist Marta Sofia Honer, and the experimental quintet he co-leads, SML. Josh Johnson is a saxophonist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer. He is a member of the quintet SML, Jeff Parker ETA IVtet, Uhlmann Johnson Wilkes trio, and Openness Trio with Nate Mercereau and Carlos Niño. Recently, Johnson produced and performed on Flea's debut solo album, Honora.

They're Here is a horror film that follows Edén Villa (a pseudonym) and anonymous Minneapolis residents as they evade and resist the paramilitary occupation of their city. Told in the tradition of dystopian cinema, They're Here is set in a winter landscape where masked agents abduct children, residents travel in trunks, shackled prisoners are loaded onto airplanes within eyesight of vacationers, and bicyclists track the movements of an invading force. Directed by Academy Award and Golden Lion-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras and award-winning Minneapolis-based filmmaker Rachel Lauren Mueller.

Inimitable songwriter Bill Callahan returns to The Cedar for an intimate solo performance.

Leenalchi is a seven-piece band from Seoul that draws on the folk storytelling tradition of pansori, and will remind you of the Talking Heads.

Their line-up is as singular as their sound – featuring two bassists, drums, keys, no guitar, and three singers. The band’s creator and visionary, bassist Young Gyu Jang, is also behind several beloved horror soundtracks and the now-disbanded iconic art band SsingSsing, which Tiny Desk's Bob Boilen described as "one of my most memorable Tiny Desk Concerts of all time."

Called “one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation” by The New York Times.

“Teddy’s glorious tenor is bracing but warm and never showy.” The Associated Press. 

“Buoyant, soulful.” Billboard

Great Lake Swimmers founder Tony Dekker has always been akin to a wildlife photographer, often choosing to make records in unique surroundings with a connection to Ontario history. For the band’s latest album, Caught Light, he holed up in the Ganaraska Forest, between Peterborough and Port Hope, with producer Darcy Yates (Bahamas) and engineer Jimmy Bowskill (Blue Rodeo). Their goal was to tap the warmth of early ’70s folk/pop/rock, whether it be the cozy sonic sweater of Gordon Lightfoot’s classic work or the gentleness of underrated American songwriter Dory Previn. Dekker made everyone listen to John Martyn’s 1971 album Bless the Weather before the session.

Gill Weather and Eldest Daughter co-headline The Cedar for this double release show! Joined by special guest Meghan Kreidler (Kiss the Tiger), Eldest Daughter celebrates their upcoming single In My Hand and Gill Weather celebrates their debut album Unreliable Narrator.

Too Big Burlesque is a celebration of spectacle, featuring big acts, bold ideas, larger-than-life performances, and unapologetic energy—because sometimes the world asks us to be small, and we dare to take up space.

“After a few listens to the record it becomes apparent that Chicago Farmer has a refreshingly firm grip on where he comes from. The songs are covered to the elbows in dirt from the fields and smell of the sweaty factory floors. If the Midwest is looking for a voice, the search is over.” - No Depression 

Duo Andalus brings together the rich traditions of Andalusian, Sephardic, and Middle Eastern music through the distinctive collaboration of vocalist Lala Tamar and multi-instrumentalist Ofer Ronen.

Jake Blount is a performer and scholar of Black folk music based in Providence, RI. Initially recognized for his skill as a string-band musician, Blount has synthesized his scholarly and artistic pursuits into a diverse performance practice that has taken him to Carnegie Hall, the Newport Folk Festival, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and beyond. Sprig of That is a tabla, fiddle, cello, and guitar quartet playing a hearty acoustic stew of globally-inspired original music.

Presented by AfroContIgbo, Origins to Ovation brings together six choreographers exploring their cultural roots through traditional and contemporary African and diasporic dance. Experience an evening of storytelling, cultural expression, and powerful movement celebrating heritage, identity, and creativity.

"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.

“The leading singer/songwriter of the New Folk movement” – Rolling Stone.

Alla Boara seeks to bring recognition and new life to Italy’s diverse regional folk music. With modern arrangements that are surprising, playful, and tender, Alla Boara’s songs move audiences from all backgrounds to treasure their musical roots. If you’re a fan of global music, this dynamic group’s a must see!

Iconic indie-folk songwriter Pieta Brown returns to The Cedar with her all star bandmates S. Carey, Mike Lewis, and Jeremy Ylvisaker in tow. Wisconsin-based Courtney Hartman joins for a special opening set.

“Every note we play is a chapter in our story, a journey through the heart of American roots music. We’re The Wildwoods—where each lyric is a leaf in the vast forest of our sound.”

From the heart of Lincoln, Nebraska, The Wildwoods have grown into a folk/Americana trio rooted in rich harmonies and heartfelt storytelling. Formed by husband-and-wife duo Noah (guitar) and Chloe Gose (violin), and joined by longtime friend and bassist Andrew Vaggalis, the band crafts songs that feel both intimate and expansive—tales of home, hope, and the open road.

Peter Mulvey is among the most celebrated American singer-songwriters of his era. Raised in Milwaukee, he sharpened his craft busking on the streets of Dublin and in the subways of Boston before touring nationally and internationally. For this special performance, Peter will be joined by friends from the Minneapolis music community to "thank everyone for standing up to the siege and giving us all courage."

Dos Santos’ music brings stories to life with echoes of ancestral rhythms from deep across the Americas, with glimpses of barrio cumbias, psychedelic westerns, and moonlit desert serenades. 

Arlen features members of The Last Revel, Them Coulee Boys, Barbaro, and Humbird. The Cedar welcomes this Midwest supergroup to our stage for the first time together, with special guest Abby Webster opening the show.

Award-winning bassist and backing vocalist for many, Maddie Thies, is stepping center stage. Celebrating the release of her debut EP, Maddie Thies headlines The Cedar with special guests Squinny, The Nunnery, and Sachi Keiko.

When you think of a singer-songwriter, who comes to mind? Nathan Graham says it probably isn’t somebody who looks like he does. And he wants to change that. Raised in Chicago on Prince and Earth, Wind & Fire, Graham bridges South Side Blues with Nashville Americana to deliver a bittersweet and soulful sound. Minnesota multi-instrumentalist Molly Dean opens the show, performing songs from her spellbinding 2025 album Interwoven.

Celebrated singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and long-lost Christmas elf Ben Cook-Feltz hosts his 6th annual Holiday Shindig on December 13, a family-friendly event benefiting Rein In Sarcoma. The show will feature seasonal classics, playful and unique spins on holiday favorites, and selections from his 2020 release, Merry BCF-ing Christmas!

In addition to Cook-Feltz and his all-star band (including members of Turn Turn Turn, the Wild Colonial Bhoys and Brent Fuqua), the show will feature music from celebrated jazz artist Leslie Vincent and beloved folk duo Johnson & Drake, as well as guest appearances by Mary Bue, Katy Vernon, the OK Factor, Jason Roberts, Mother Banjo and others. There will be singalongs, tap dancing, and for the fifth year running, a Christmas salute to Ozzy Osborne.

A 30+ year sarcoma cancer survivor, Ben is honored to donate 100% of the event’s proceeds to Rein In Sarcoma, a nonprofit offering support and resources to those affected by sarcoma cancers.

Red Thread and Ponyfolk are two Minnesota-based ensembles devoted to building community around Midwestern European roots music. The bands return to The Cedar 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. Triple Fiddle is a string ensemble known for soaring three-part fiddle harmonies, layered vocals, and an eclectic mix of bluegrass, honkytonk, western swing, and Scandinavian folk.

Antje Duvekot’s latest album, New Wild West, is yet another testament to her powerhouse songwriting - a sonic and lyrical knockout that marks a newly blazed trail in Duvekot’s songwriting career, celebrating the mid-life transition into a greater sense of self.

David Berkeley’s gift as a songwriter and storyteller is that he sees the tragedy and comedy in​ life, writing songs capable of both breaking and healing the heart. Berkeley has been​ called a​ “musical poet,” by the San Francisco Chronicle, and the New York Times praises his “lustrous,​ melancholy voice with shades of Tim Buckley and Nick Drake.”

Alela Diane’s return to her music community came in April of last year with the death of her close friend and mentor Michael Hurley — folk legend and indispensable presence in the Portland music scene. Tracked live in the attic of her 1892 Victorian home, Alela’s seventh full-length album, Who’s Keeping Time?, was produced by Sam Weber (Madison Cunningham, Anna Tivel) and brought to life with staples from the local music orbit, including members of the bands Lucius and Blind Pilot and fellow singer-songwriters Anna Tivel and AC Sapphire. 

Alela's lustrous discography has gathered major critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, NPR Music, The Guardian, and plenty more. UNCUT counted her work in their ambitious “50 best singer-songwriter albums” of all time roundup—a canon comprising John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Paul Simon—with Consequence echoing that significance, declaring, “Hers is a timeless sound, that of a wayfaring troubadour, which only seems to come a few times a generation.”

Colin Hay is widely known for being the influential and celebrated frontman of Men At Work, with multi-platinum hits including “Down Under,” “Who Can It Be Now,” and “Overkill.” Colin returns to Minnesota for two nights at The Cedar Cultural Center, backed by his full band as they perform songs from both the Grammy-winning Men at Work catalog and his solo songbook. 

Colin Hay is widely known for being the influential and celebrated frontman of Men At Work, with multi-platinum hits including “Down Under,” “Who Can It Be Now,” and “Overkill.” Colin returns to Minnesota for two nights at The Cedar Cultural Center, backed by his full band as they perform songs from both the Grammy-winning Men at Work catalog and his solo songbook. 

Founded in 2016 by Austrian cellist Sol Daniel Kim and Korean gayageum virtuoso Dayoung Yoon, CelloGayageum bridges the soulful depth of Western classical music with the mesmerizing elegance of Korean gug-ak (traditional music). Inspired by Berlin’s Pavilion of Unity, this unique collaboration celebrates the beauty of connection—between instruments, histories, and people. With original compositions rooted in Korean folk melodies and infused with global sensibilities, CelloGayageum creates a sound that feels both ancient and refreshingly modern.

Jeff Parker’s critically acclaimed New Breed band features Makaya McCraven on drums, Josh Johnson on alto saxophone, and Paul Bryan on bass - an all-star quartet of rarely seen proportions.

“The most humble guitar-god…whether digging into instrumental rock, groove-heavy organ jazz, or post-freedom space music, Parker chooses to highlight the more eccentric elements of his personal style. Rather than morphing to fit the music at hand, he somehow creates the illusion of bending the environment to his own sound.” -Neil Tesser, chicagomusic.org

The masters of traditional Tuvan instruments and the ancient art of throat singing, Alash are no strangers to The Cedar stage. Believing traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians of Alash subtly infuse their songs with Western elements, citing influences from otherworldly artists like Sun Ra and Jimi Hendrix, creating a unique style that feels fresh yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage.

Gadan is a new project from four seasoned musicians of the Irish trad and European folk/rock scenes. Their electrifying string music pairs the drive of Irish traditional music and bluegrass with the heart and soul of folk and Appalachian tradition.

Inspired by the traditional dance music of their ancestors, the Danish trio Stundom invites you into a wondrous, immersive world, blending folk traditions with classical chamber music and modern symphonic elements to set a “towering new standard for Nordic folk music.” 

The cult-favorite-folk songwriter Dan Reeder performs alongside his angelic-voiced daughter, Peggy Reeder, whose voice has brought a fresh spark to his sound in their live shows these past two years.

Susan Werner is “a songwriter and musician who is in such complete command of her gifts that it’s almost scary.” - All Music Guide

“When it comes to crafting a song, Ms. Werner’s only peers are Jimmy Webb and Paul Simon.” - No Depression

“Susan Werner, a clever songwriter and an engaging performer, brings literacy and wit back to popular song.” - The New Yorker

“This woman is great. Period.” - Music Row (Nashville)

Manu Delago has played drums and handpans with Björk, Anoushka Shankar, The Cinematic Orchestra, and as soloist with the London Symphony Orchestra. Max ZT, hailed by NPR as “The Jimi Hendrix of the Hammered Dulcimer,” has redefined the instrument through a lifetime of global study and innovation. He has absorbed diverse traditions, apprenticing with Senegal’s revered Cissoko Griot family and studying under the legendary Shivkumar Sharma in India. The two come together in a unique new duo that reimagines the sonic possibilities of their instruments.

SML is a quintet composed of luminaries from Los Angeles’s thriving jazz, improvised, and indie music scenes: bassist Anna Butterss (Jeff Parker, Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Makaya McCraven), synthesist Jeremiah Chiu (Ariel Kalma, Marta Sofia Honer), saxophonist Josh Johnson (Meshell Ndegeocello, Flea, Leon Bridges, Carlos Niño), percussionist Booker Stardrum (Wendy Eisenberg, Horse Lords, Nels Cline) and guitarist Gregory Uhlmann (Sam Wilkes, Meg Duffy, Perfume Genius).

World Premiere: New work by WHITEBOYSUMMER

As WHITEBOYSUMMER, the duo of drummer Arthur “L.A.” Buckner and guitarist Thomas Abban explore the entire spectrum of the African diaspora with reckless abandon. Their influences range from the soul-stirring melodies of Nina Simone and Howlin’ Wolf to the innovative productions of Ye West and Lee Scratch Perry. Their Recomposing America project, presented in partnership with The Cedar Cultural Center, is part social experiment, part American popular music masterclass, featuring drums, guitar, piano, sampling, DJing, singing, and rapping. WHITEBOYSUMMER fears no genre, no convention, and no judgment.

Olov Johansson and Mikael Marin learned Swedish folk music from older Uppland musicians as teenagers around 1980. For 37 years, the duo have toured widely in Europe, the U.S., and Japan, collaborated with artists like Mike Marshall, Darol Anger, and Snarky Puppy, and seen Mikael's tune "Flippen" become a hit through the Punch Brothers' cover. The duo is no stranger to The Cedar stage, and we’re thrilled to welcome them back to Minneapolis. 

GYEDU-BLAY AMBOLLEY is a musical luminary hailing from Ghana, West Africa, with a staggering 29 albums under his belt. Known affectionately as the "Simigwa Do Man,” Ambolley’s musical journey began in the vibrant port city of Sekondi-Takoradi, in the Western Region of Ghana.

For the first time in the US, GYEDU-BLAY AMBOLLEY performs his 1975 debut album in its entirety! Bringing his 8-piece band from Ghana, they will perform the pioneering masterpiece Simigwa.

The Cedar is proud to welcome our friend, the incomparable Carsie Blanton, back to our stage next Summer. Carsie is a songwriter with hooks, chutzpah, and revolutionary optimism. A radical folk artist in the tradition of Woody Guthrie, her infectious melodies and lyrical wit keep listeners rapt while she conjures spirits of vaudeville, campfire singalongs, and punk rock. Blanton and her road-tested band deploy humor, camaraderie, and considerable musical muscle to enroll each audience in a rare vision of hope and solidarity.