Electric guitar

The Walker Art Center and The Cedar co-present St. Vincent in concert at the McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center. St. Vincent, the nom-de-stage of "playful chanteuse [and] fearsome shredder" (NY Times) Annie Clark, releases her third album Strange Mercy (4AD) on Sept 13. The record's 11 new tracks showcase Clark's gift for fusing the cerebral and the visceral, her melodically elegant arrangements packing hefty emotional punches. Strange Mercy finds St. Vincent redefining the idea of the guitar hero, utilizing the instrument as a pointillist artist might wield a brush. Countless judiciously placed riffs and instrumental flares, each distinct and unique, cohere into grand tableaus. On "Cruel," she elicits punchy bursts like an R horn section. "Cheerleader" froths and boils, with deep and fuzzy guitars bubbling up to the surface, while "Surgeon" twirls about endlessly, Clark's vocals dancing amid a blizzard of notes.

Tickets on sale July 19.

The Walker Art Center and The Cedar co-present St. Vincent in concert at the McGuire Theater, Walker Art Center. St. Vincent, the nom-de-stage of "playful chanteuse [and] fearsome shredder" (NY Times) Annie Clark, releases her third album Strange Mercy (4AD) on Sept 13. The record's 11 new tracks showcase Clark's gift for fusing the cerebral and the visceral, her melodically elegant arrangements packing hefty emotional punches. Strange Mercy finds St. Vincent redefining the idea of the guitar hero, utilizing the instrument as a pointillist artist might wield a brush. Countless judiciously placed riffs and instrumental flares, each distinct and unique, cohere into grand tableaus. On "Cruel," she elicits punchy bursts like an R horn section. "Cheerleader" froths and boils, with deep and fuzzy guitars bubbling up to the surface, while "Surgeon" twirls about endlessly, Clark's vocals dancing amid a blizzard of notes.

Tickets on sale July 19.

After playing before a billion people with his 2010 World Cup performance in Johannesburg, South Africa, it should be no sweat for Malian guitarist and singer Vieux Farka Touré to connect with a few hundred fans at The Cedar. Vieux's hot new album The Secret (Six Degrees) features collaborations with guitar greats Derek Trucks and John Scofield, a vocal contribution from Dave Matthews and Vieux’s final collaboration with his legendary father, Ali Farka Touré, but it is Vieux's own contributions that shine brightest. When you hear that guitar rip over those blues progressions, when you hear the electric buzz of his rock-influenced solos, you simply become engulfed in the music.

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

Ticket options and info

King Crimson players Adrian Belew, Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto keep very busy individually when Crimson's not active, but now, a historic joint tour: Adrian Belew Power Trio will headline the bill, with Stick Men (featuring Tony and Pat) opening.

And of course, how could they resist joining together for a Crim-centric extended encore - after their respective sets we'll see them reconfigure as Ade/Tony/Pat trio, morphing into the double trio lineup like King Crimson featured in the 90's. The tour name, 2 of a Perfect Trio, harkens to the King Crimson song "3 of a Perfect Pair"

Adrian Belew's trio features the amazing bassist Julie Slick, and NYC drummer Tobias Ralph - perfect complements to Belew's extraordinary guitar playing and singing.

It’s a rare artist who can take the U.S. music media and SXSW by storm while garnering profound respect as a cultural leader in her homeland. And it’s even rarer when that artist can keep true to her deep desert roots while standing out in front of a contemporary rock quartet. Malian singer Khaira Arby meets the challenge without missing a beat, and has been recognized as "the best Malian musical artist of the past 50 years" (Mali's Tamani d'Or award citation, April 2011) and as “one of Africa’s greatest singers" (New York Times, Mar 2011).

The Cedar welcomes back Tinariwen!  This vibrant group of poet-guitarists and soul rebels from the Southern Sahara desert creates music to express the aspirations of their people, the Kel Tamashek or 'Touareg' of the southern Sahara desert. The guitar is their weapon. Simplicity is Freedom.

Ticket purchase options and info

On sale date: noon Fri Feb 4
Phone: 612-338-2674 ext 2 ($1 fee per ticket)
In person: From a Cedar volunteer in the front lobby before and after shows (no fee), Depth of Field (no fee), 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 gain discounted admission for tickets at the door. Read more »

“There is no question that Tony Allen is a genius, one of the greatest percussionists in the history of popular music.” —Guardian Read more »

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars started playing music together in West African refugee camps while their homeland was racked by years of bloody warfare. Since then, audiences around the world have embraced the band and their utterly extraordinary story. On their latest album, Rise & Shine (Cumbancha, March 2010), the All Stars’ sound, as well as their biography, evolves further; the music finds them “establishing an identity based as much on skill, imagination and charisma as on their undeniably touching story” (The Los Angeles Times).