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Justin Roberts is truly one of the "all-stars" of the indie family music scene.  Justin and his trusty band The Not Ready for Naptime Players dish out unexpectedly intelligent and whimsically rocking music for kids and their parents. No stranger to The Cedar, Justin's shows always draw a large and enthusiastic crowd, with many youngsters choosing to get up close in front in the specially cleared dancing area/mini-moshpit. Great fun!

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Thirty-five years after first hearing each other at the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako, Mali, and eight years after their Manu Chao-produced album Dimanche à Bamako thrust them into the global limelight with its sunny charm and irresistible  grooves, Amadou & Mariam and their band are finally appearing in Minneapolis to give a rare, small club performance at The Cedar, copresented with the Walker Art Center, and Sue McLean and Associates.  

Thomas Dolby became a huge star in the '80s when his songs "She Blinded Me With Science" and "Hyperactive" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart and were on constant rotation at MTV. His unique keyboard playing led to guest performances with the likes of David Bowie (Live Aid), Stevie Wonder (Grammy™ awards) and Roger Waters (The Wall) and he became a top producer, garnering five Grammy™ nominations. Dolby abandoned the music business in the 1990s to found Beatnik Inc., a Silicon Valley tech company that built the ringtone synthesizer embedded in over 3 billion mobile phones worldwide.

British/Somali singer, composer, and community worker Aar Maanta was originally scheduled to perform at the 2011 Global Roots Festival, but visa problems prevented him from attending. It gives us great pelasure to be able to present Aar Maanta in this rescheduled concert. His music incorporates elements from pop, rock, hip hop, RnB, house incorporated onto a solid foundation of traditional Somali music.

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A now perennial Valentine's event that has wormed its way into all our hearts, as the ever-endearing Lucy Michelle and crew, and Big Trouble re-invigorate the romantic comedy music of yore.

There will be three sets: one Big Trouble set, one Lucy Michelle and Dave Campbell duo set, and one Lucy Michelle & The Velvet Lapelles set (with a finale with everyone).

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The Minnesota debut of South African soul and rhythm and blues singer Lira, a multi-platinum award-winning star in her home country!

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• On sale date: noon Fri Dec 9
• Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($1 fee per ticket)
• In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby during events (no fee; cash, check, credit card), Depth of Field (no fee; cash or check only), or Electric Fetus (small fee)
• Online: Ticketweb (fees apply) (click on red Buy Tickets button at top of this page)
• All Cedar shows are all ages.
• Students with ID may purchase tickets at a discount at the door.

A scintillating solo show by My Brightest Diamond (Shara Worden), the classically trained singer and composer, and experimental pop chanteuse. My Brightest Diamond's recent release All Things Will Unwind is "a picture of an artist maturing; considering joy and pain, beauty and horror, yet bravely standing in the tension between the two--and singing about it" (Asthmatic Kitty).

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Celebrate the holidays with Jon Herchert and Dark Pony, singer-songwriter Ashleigh Still, and surprise special guests.

A Thanksgiving Eve show fronted by pop singer-songwriter Jeremy Messersmith, with an opening set from soulbird Chastity Brown. No need to leave anyone behind at home for this concert. As NPR says, "This guy is for everyone — his charming, timeless songs are just radiant, beautifully sung and beautifully played."

The Cedar is now fully air-conditioned for your year-round comfort!

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“Star of Kindie Rock” – Time Magazine

“The show is a cross between ‘Yellow Submarine’ and Dr. Seuss.” - The New York Times

Groovy Gustafer Yellowgold is a small, yellow, cone-headed fellow, who came to Earth from the Sun and has a knack for finding himself neck-deep in absurd situations as he explores his new life in the Minnesota woods.  Equal parts pop rock concert and animated storybook, Gustafer Yellowgold concerts are a truly different multimedia experience that entrance children and adults alike.

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