Events - Filter:
« February 14, 2008 - May 14, 2008 »
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02 / 14
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02 / 15
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Carrie Newcomer
“Rapturously tuneful, Newcomer's material asks all the right questions and refuses to settle for easy answers.” (Rolling Stone)
Describing Carrie Newcomer as a singer-songwriter is a little like saying Noah was a boat-builder. So much goes unsaid when we fall to easy labels. ‘I just have a great love and passion for creating music, for writing, for telling a story,’ says Newcomer, who makes no effort to separate her art from the other parts of her life such as her teaching, her family, her activism, and her spirituality. ‘Sometimes I think you don’t choose your art form; it chooses you, and it doesn’t let you go because that’s who you are. I really believe we are most effective in this world when we’re doing something that is by nature what we love and who we are. That’s when we give our best. Life is short and I want to give the best of what I am.’ Carrie lives her philosophy with her Feb 12, 2008 release on Rounder, The Geography of Light, a skillfully arranged and performed collection of folk-roots tracks with Appalachian and classical influences.
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02 / 16
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 The CopperheadsDon't miss the second in the new series of relaxed, 416 Club presentations featuring an array of local and national artists presenting the best of their material in the optimal listening environment of The Cedar. The Copperheads cruise over a wide swathe of musical territory including rootsy alt-country and Americana, blues and soul. New Jersey native, and Minnesota transplant Cooker John produces some of the grittiest, most authentic folk-blues to be heard anywhere. Nikki Matteson & Her RueMates features the great vocals of Nikki Matteson, a finalist on the Prairie Home Companion Annual Talent Contest at the ripe old age of 16, and now heard all over town with her infectious blend of folk, blues and psychedelia. The House of Mercy Band, featuring Razz Russell on electric guitar, plays County Gospel and great American Hymns every Sunday down at the House of Mercy church in downtown St. Paul, and also hold regular court at The Turf Club, presenting country, bluegrass, old time and acoustic music. The Summit Stunt Pilots cover a mix of Delta, country and roots-based folk and blues, and features three veteran Twin Cities roots/Americana/artists: from the Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs, Dave Babb (guitar and vocals) and Randy Webb (guitar, vocals and foot-stomp) and from The Brass Kings, Mikkel Beckman (washboard).
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02 / 17
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02 / 18
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02 / 19
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02 / 20
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02 / 21
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Chic GamineChic Gamine, a vocal supergroup from Winnipeg’s French Quarter, has been singing together in various formations since 1997. Most recently, three of them were members of the acclaimed World Vocal ensemble Madrigaia, and look to embellish that legacy with new, original material. “We find ourselves in a process of natural evolution, and we’re ready to put all we’ve learned over the years into one pot and give it a giant stir. "
With a solo percussionist as their main musical support, Chic Gamine use their voices as instruments, effortlessly launching into intricate string arrangements, bass-heavy rhythm sections and melodious harmonies. Together they create a sound that resounds with soul, passion and their own particular brand of humor that leaves audiences begging for more. " We love to make music, laugh and have fun, and the more people are along for the ride, the better. "
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02 / 22
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 St. VincentAnother smash double-bill, and a tremendous opportunity to catch St Vincent performing with a full band, and the Current(ly) popular Foreign Born. St. Vincent is Annie Clark, born in Tulsa, OK, the middle child of nine brothers and sisters. While most little girls were still playing with dolls, Annie preferred crafting homespun guitars from cardboard and rubber bands. By the time she was twelve, she had moved on to the real thing and fallen quickly in love. Growing up in Bible-belted Texas, Clark found music by means of Coltrane records, found people by means of Tennessee Williams plays, and found philosophy by means of her Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian, and Meher Baba-loving family. All of this finds its way, with smirks and reverence, into her music. St. Vincent makes cinematic pop epics that feel at times like Paris in the ’20s before all the fun ended. Or, conversely, an orchestra of pure modernity—a new American music, informed by jazz, gospel blues, Southern folk music, and classical composition but—in the end—an animal original unto itself.
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02 / 23
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Alasdair Fraser & Natalie HaasScottish fiddle and cello music of unrivalled beauty, eloquence, and passion.
Master Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser, long regarded as one of Scotland’s premier musical ambassadors, presents the music of his homeland with unsurpassed eloquence, passion and energy. He links bows with vibrant young cellist, Natalie Haas, in an exciting weave of rocking, reeling rhythms, poignant melodies, and exquisite musicianship. The duo has created a buzz among Celtic music lovers at festivals and concerts across the US and Europe, and their debut release, Fire & Grace, was awarded the Best Album of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards 2004. Now they're celebrating the release of their second album, In The Moment, which features many new pieces by Alasdair, and a wonderful new composition from Natalie.
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02 / 24
Music Starts:12:00 pm
 Lost Bayou RamblersThe Cedar is proud to present a Sunday afternoon dance and concert by this year's Grammy Nominees (Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album category) Lost Bayou Ramblers! With music that conveys the passions, tribulations, and elations of the Cajun people, the Lost Bayou Ramblers are the keepers of the flame, champions of Cajun music's cultural past.
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Cheryl WheelerIf your idea of a folk singer/songwriter concert is a bunch of people clapping politely after songs, and then sitting quietly while the performer says things like "This next song is about ...", well, you've never seen a Cheryl Wheeler concert before. Cheryl's concerts are more like what you would find at a comedy club than expect to find at a folk music concert. She will tell a story that has you rolling in the aisles, and then sing a song that leaves you wiping tears from your eyes. She will talk about some serious current event, and then sing a song that will have you howling with laughter. Her entire concert is a emotional roller coaster.
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02 / 25
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02 / 26
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02 / 27
Music Starts:1:30 pm
 Founded in the University of Minnesota School of Music in 2002 by Professor Doug Geers, SPARK brings internationally recognized scholars and performers of electronic music and arts to the West Bank Arts Quarter for lectures, performances, master classes and multimedia installations. The festival has continued to expand to include submissions by choreographers, visual artists, theatre artists, and artists who specialize in interdisciplinary work. This year’s featured guest artists are sound artist Paul DeMarinis, Romanian composer Iancu Dumitrescu, sound designer/artist/remixer Richard Devine, music writer Simon Reynolds, and art group Graffiti Research Lab. The Cedar is delighted to be this year hosting four afternoon and one evening SPARK concerts (Feb 27–Mar 1). All SPARK concerts at The Cedar are FREE and open to members of the public.
This afternoon's works:
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02 / 28
Music Starts:1:30 pm
Founded in the University of Minnesota School of Music in 2002 by Professor Doug Geers, SPARK brings internationally recognized scholars and performers of electronic music and arts to the West Bank Arts Quarter for lectures, performances, master classes and multimedia installations. The festival has continued to expand to include submissions by choreographers, visual artists, theatre artists, and artists who specialize in interdisciplinary work. This year’s featured guest artists are sound artist Paul DeMarinis, Romanian composer Iancu Dumitrescu, sound designer/artist/remixer Richard Devine, music writer Simon Reynolds, and art group Graffiti Research Lab. The Cedar is delighted to be this year hosting four afternoon and one evening SPARK concerts (Feb 27–Mar 1). All SPARK concerts at The Cedar are FREE and open to members of the public.
This afternoon's works:
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02 / 29
Music Starts:1:30 pm
Founded in the University of Minnesota School of Music in 2002 by Professor Doug Geers, SPARK brings internationally recognized scholars and performers of electronic music and arts to the West Bank Arts Quarter for lectures, performances, master classes and multimedia installations. The festival has continued to expand to include submissions by choreographers, visual artists, theatre artists, and artists who specialize in interdisciplinary work. This year’s featured guest artists are sound artist Paul DeMarinis, Romanian composer Iancu Dumitrescu, sound designer/artist/remixer Richard Devine, music writer Simon Reynolds, and art group Graffiti Research Lab. The Cedar is delighted to be this year hosting four afternoon and one evening SPARK concerts (Feb 27–Mar 1). All SPARK concerts at The Cedar are FREE and open to members of the public.
This afternoon's works:
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 The Brass KingsGive some people enough rope and they'll hang themselves. Give The Brass Kings enough rope, throw in a washtub and a washboard, perhaps a tambourine and a beat-up fridge door, and an acoustic or resonator guitar, and they come up with their brilliant second album Washboard Rope Guitar. Some of the hardest-working musicians in town, the trio (Steve Kaul, Mikkel Beckmen, Brad Ptacek) won over Cedar audiences with their gutsy 2007 performances opening for David Lindley, and a memorable summer evening set on the patio at Grateful for the Cedar. Now it is their turn in the limelight. Joining the Brass Kings onstage will be a host of guest artists including, Dave Simonett (Trampled By Turtles), Mike Gunther, Grant Johnson (Bitter Spills), Nate Sipe (Pert Near Sandstone), Dave Babb (Front Porch Swingin' Liquor Pigs), Molly Maher, Jon Rodine and Jayanthi Kyle (Black Audience).
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03 / 1
Music Starts:1:30 pm
Founded in the University of Minnesota School of Music in 2002 by Professor Doug Geers, SPARK brings internationally recognized scholars and performers of electronic music and arts to the West Bank Arts Quarter for lectures, performances, master classes and multimedia installations. The festival has continued to expand to include submissions by choreographers, visual artists, theatre artists, and artists who specialize in interdisciplinary work. This year’s featured guest artists are sound artist Paul DeMarinis, Romanian composer Iancu Dumitrescu, sound designer/artist/remixer Richard Devine, music writer Simon Reynolds, and art group Graffiti Research Lab. The Cedar is delighted to be this year hosting four afternoon and one evening SPARK concerts (Feb 27–Mar 1). All SPARK concerts at The Cedar are FREE and open to members of the public.
This afternoon's works:
Music Starts:7:00 pm
Founded in the University of Minnesota School of Music in 2002 by Professor Doug Geers, SPARK brings internationally recognized scholars and performers of electronic music and arts to the West Bank Arts Quarter for lectures, performances, master classes and multimedia installations. The festival has continued to expand to include submissions by choreographers, visual artists, theatre artists, and artists who specialize in interdisciplinary work. This year’s featured guest artists are sound artist Paul DeMarinis, Romanian composer Iancu Dumitrescu, sound designer/artist/remixer Richard Devine, music writer Simon Reynolds, and art group Graffiti Research Lab. The Cedar is delighted to be this year hosting four afternoon and one evening SPARK concerts (Feb 27–Mar 1). All SPARK concerts at The Cedar are FREE and open to members of the public.
This evening's works:
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03 / 2
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Po' GirlVagabond lullabies, beat poetry, inner-city blues. These urban minstrels pen harmony drenched melodies to warm your toes. Take the bellows of the blues, the wail of the gypsy fiddle,punk-rock street poetry, a Cajun love song and depression era jazz. mix it all up and add some old R&B. This music is rich with musical influences, sweetness, grit and soul. In the brief few years this group of hard travelling musical iconoclasts has released three albums to critical acclaim while touring around the world, criss-crossing the United States and Canada in their sturdy old van "Shaggy". They wowed audiences across the UK on four tours, and won over festival goers (including those attending their several appearances at the Winnipeg Folk Festival) with their powerful, passionate and spirited live show.
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03 / 3
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03 / 4
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 AltanNo Irish traditional band in the last dozen years has had a wider impact on audiences and music lovers throughout the world than Altan. With their exquisitely produced award-winning recordings, ranging dynamically from the most sensitive and touching old Irish songs all the way to hard hitting reels and jigs, and with their heartwarming, dynamic live performances, Altan have moved audiences from Donegal to Tokyo to Seattle. Throughout, there has been the unwavering commitment of the band to bringing the beauty of traditional music, particularly that of the Donegal fiddlers and singers, to contemporary audiences in a way that brings out all its qualities and destroys none. In fact, Altan have always believed that Irish traditional music is a modern music in every sense and its growing influence and popularity have proved them right.
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03 / 5
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03 / 6
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03 / 7
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Dervish
Music from the West of Ireland with passionate vocals and dazzling instrumentals. It's now nearly 19 years since first coming together and with four of the original members still at the helm, Dervish are more in demand than ever. Their colorful career has taken them to every corner of the globe and has seen them share centre stage with such names as James Brown, The Buena Vista Social Club, Oasis, Sting, REM, Beck and many more. Dervish' musical genius and innovative approach will ensure that they will be always be a leading force in Irish music bringing the world the joy and excitement and fun that is traditional Irish music. In October 2007, Dervish released to great acclaim their long awaited new album “Traveling Show.”
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03 / 8
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Slavic Soul Party
Fiery Balkan brass, soulful Gypsy anthems,and hip-grinding American funk in an original mix by the nastiest, nimblest, brashest brass band in NYC. Consisting of some of New York City's finest jazz musicians, Slavic Soul Party is a romp through Balkan folk music. The nine-piece band mixes the "messed-up" rhythms of the Balkans with gypsy music, funk and jazz for a sound that brings young hipsters and older immigrants together in the same room. Trained at the New England Conservatory of Music, percussionist and band leader Matt Moran sees Slavic Soul Party as "heart and feet" music as opposed to the "head" music of his jazz background. When it comes to composing the songs, Moran aims not to add extraneous sounds and rhythms, but to "take away until you're left with the bare essence," then "just put in a little cinnamon and hot pepper until you get just you're looking for," he said.
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03 / 9
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Sue FoleyGuitar woman Sue Foley is not satisfied with merely playing the guitar; she wants to write the book about it. For the last ten years, she has somehow managed to combine a full touring and recording schedule as one of Canada's best blues artists while conducting research on her project called Guitar Woman. As Foley explains, "It came as a bit of a flash as I was interviewing players like Rory Block, Sharon Isbin, Leni Stern and others that most of us felt like we were the only one. With little or no female role models the Guitar Woman has had to blaze her own trail and make her own rules." She decided to start work on a book – researching female musicians of the past and interviewing many contemporary guitarists. The book is still in the works and there are also plans for tours and a documentary. “It’s almost like a new mythology for me,” she comments, “the lives of these women are unique and inspiring. Seeing as there’s no solid literature on women guitarists, I feel an obligation to share their stories with the rest of the world.” In the meantime, with the May 2007 release of Time bomb, a collaboration CD with fellow Canadian Roxanne Potvin and American blues guitar heroine Deborah Coleman, Sue Foley has continued to solidify her place as one of the leading lights of the contemporary blues scene.
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03 / 10
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03 / 11
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03 / 12
Music Starts:6:00 pm
 Adam GrangerOpen Stage with host Adam Granger. Start the evening with a few songs from Adam Granger, a founding member of the Powdermilk Biscuit Band and an exquisite flatpick style guitar player. Then, take advantage of this great opportunity to put yourself on the Cedar stage, perform two or three songs, and enjoy the top-quality sound!
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03 / 13
Music Starts:5:00 pm
End: 8:00 pm
 Zipps LiquorsThe Zipp's Liquors/Seward Co-op Spring Wine & Food show, featuring more than 100 wines, as well as beers and spirits, along with fresh food provided by the Seward Co-op Deli. The event also will feature live music, a wine and cheese pairing, a silent auction and a raffle drawing for great prizes.
Admission is $40 at the door and $30 in advance. All proceeds will go to benefit the Cedar.
Tickets are on sale at Zipp's, Seward Co-op, The Cedar, and on line at localwineevents.com/Twin-Cities-Wine/event-162054.html.
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03 / 14
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Jonathan Richman Vic ChesnuttThe double-bill of the month, if not the season... To make it even better, each artist has a bunch of new songs since their last appearance in MN. Vic Chesnutt released last September arguably his best album ever, North Star Deserter, while Jonathan Richman has a brand new album Because Her Beauty is Raw and Wild coming out on Vapor Records in March! Jonathan has been writing songs, making records and performing live for most of his life, from his early beginnings with The Modern Lovers through a long, endearing solo career. Winning fans and making friends around the world with his guileless honesty and playfully catchy compositions, he is also revered by countless fellow artists, and has built a remarkably loyal international audience through his tireless touring. His deceptively straightforward songs embody timeless qualities of humanity, optimism, emotional insight and a boundless sense of humor, untainted by cynicism or transient notions of hipness. Meanwhile, prolific, profound, and ever full of potty-mouthed piss-and-vinegar - Vic Chesnutt is Prometheus in a wheelchair with a battered guitar – a freak-folk trailblazer, spilling his heart and soul and spleen into the microphone, with a sly drawl, dripping humid, Southern gothic imagery in calamitous, sometimes comic songs worthy of a Greek tragedy.
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03 / 15
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Tom RussellThe Ides of March are rarely celebrated these days, but it seems somehow appropriate that on a day associated with darkness and foreboding, we welcome Tom Russell to The Cedar! One of America's greatest singer-songwriters, Russell has quietly generated over twenty albums, culminating in 2007's aptly titled compilation/tribute The Wounded Heart of America, contributed songs to a dozen movies, written three books, and made several appearances on The Letterman Show. After an early foray into the academic side of the seamy underbelly of American life with a Masters degree in Criminology from the University of California, Russell has spent the years since chronicling in song not only the lawbreakers, but also the drifters, the ramblers, the fighters, the underdogs, the marginalized--and gives them voice. Tom will be appearing with ace mandolin/guitar player Michael Martin. Local Americana hero Jon Rodine will kick off the evening with his soulful interpretations of material drawn from far-flung sources, and a tremendous line-up featuring local legend Tony Glover on harp, Adam Linz (Fat Kid Wednesdays) on bass, and Steve Kaul (The Brass Kings) on guitar.
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03 / 16
Music Starts:12:00 pm
 Mayim RabimCome enjoy the fabulous music of Yiddish Swingtime, Sunday, March 16th, 2008, at 1 p.m at the Cedar Cultural Center! This highly original show of Yiddish swing music will get you tapping your toes and dancing. Yiddish swing music seamlessly blends the soulfulness of klezmer, the rhythms of swing, and the distinctive sounds of jazz, creating an American original fusion music that took the world by storm in the late 1930s in the hands of Minnesota's own Andrews Sisters. Yiddish Swingtime features some of the region's top musicians playing such favorites as "Oy Mama, Am I in Love" "Flat Foot Floogie," "Abi Gezint," and "Bi Mir Bist Du Sheyn": Becky Clawson, vocals; Bill Hinkley, guitar and vocals; Bruce Wintervold, vibes; Marya Hart, piano; Ralph Wittcoff, bass; and Jeff Garetz, drums.
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Piper's CrowWho else but Piper's Crow to pipe in the onslaught of local celebrations of all things Irish, in this special Saint Patrick's Eve show? Piper's Crow, featuring Laura MacKenzie, Dick Hensold, Karen Mueller, and Zack Kline, specializes in traditional music from Ireland, Scotland, Galicia, Cape Breton Island, and Northumberland, artfully blended with original compositions in the traditional style. The group's repertoire centers on the lush sonic blend of smallpipes, fiddle, flute and guitar, with their musical palette ranging from MacKenzie's lovely vocals to dramatic greatpipe duels.
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03 / 17
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03 / 18
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03 / 19
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Patty LarkinPatty Larkin has been redefining the boundaries of folk-urban pop music for more than 20 years with her inventive guitar wizardry, vocals and uncompromising lyrics. Acoustic Guitar hails, “her soundscape experiments” while Rolling Stone praises her “evocative vocals, and subtle sonic shading.” She has been described as “riveting” (Chicago Tribune), “hypnotic” (Entertainment Weekly) and “drop-dead brilliant” (Performing Songwriter).
Now she has fans and fellow artists poised at the ready for her most recent endeavor, her intimate, gritty portrait of an artist in full stride, Watch The Sky on Vanguard Records. Labeled as "Profound" by the New York Times, this stream of consciousness recording is a career's best. Don't miss this opportunity to catch Larkin armed with her handmade Olson Guitar, a Fender Strat, octave mandolin, Baritone guitar and looping devices to create many of the sounds and textures of Watch The Sky, redrawing the arc of the recording on stage.
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03 / 20
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03 / 21
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Ray BonnevilleBlues for a Good Friday. Or, if you prefer, Good Blues for a Friday. Either way, Ray Bonneville is going to be celebrating the release of his latest release on Red House Records, Goin' By Feel. It has been a long road from conception through recording, production, and post-production issues, but the wait has been worthwhile. Special guest tonight: Tim O'Reagan, formerly drummer for the Jayhawks, now well established with his own blossoming solo career as a singer-songwriter and a critically acclaimed release last year on Lost Highway.
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03 / 22
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 The High 48's The DitchLiliesThe High 48s play original bluegrass in the traditional style, with a deep, driving groove and three-part harmonies sung around a single microphone. But unlike many third generation bands playing traditional bluegrass, the High 48s aren’t interested in playing the next best version of Little Maggie. They want to write the next Little Maggie. Tonight, they'll be celebrating the release of their new CD, Who Needs Love? with the help of their good friends and partners in old-time country tunes, The Ditchlilies.
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03 / 23
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 A Night in the BoxThis month's line-up includes post-folk outfit A Night in the Box, delivering an eccentric Americana sound with a punch, sweet harmonizin' folk trio The Parlour Suite, singer-songwriter Meg Ashling, sparse acoustic folk duo The Floorbirds, Texan-style songwriter Matthew Fox, and the haunting sounds of Roma di Luna, featuring the stunning vocals and violin of Channy Moon Casselle, and the beautifully complementary vocals and guitar work of Alexei Casselle, who was the guest curator for this month's line-up. Come early and stay for the whole evening, or drop in for an hour or so and sample some of the best acoustic music around in the optimal listening room conditions at The Cedar. The format tonight will be short sets from each of the artists, followed by an extended round robin session with all musicians on the stage. Highly recommended!
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03 / 24
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03 / 25
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03 / 26
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03 / 27
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03 / 28
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Guy Davis Nikki Matteson and the RueMatesDue to circumstances beyond the Cedar's control, the Guy Davis concert scheduled for March 28 has been cancelled. If you are a ticket holder, please contact The Cedar (612-338-2674 ext 0) for a refund.
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03 / 29
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Matthew SantosFormer Southwest High student Matthew Santos has gone on to record hit
songs with Lupe Fiasco (American Terrorist on the Grammy-winning Food
and Liquor, and more recently, Superstar), and landed appearances on Letterman early in
2008. He recently released a strong album snapped up by CandyRat Records, Matters of the Bittersweet, and has a number of hit videos on YouTube.
While he made his name in the world of hip-hop, his own influences run
more to the likes of Bjork, Martin Sexton, Tom Waits and Leonard Cohen. As Matthew succinctly puts it, "I love music with soul". Matthew's older brother Nathan will make the evening into a family affair with an opening set from his up and coming band Two Words.
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03 / 30
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03 / 31
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04 / 1
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04 / 2
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Haale: Photo by Mayy KilmerAt a time when so many bands sound painfully alike and imitative, Haale is a much needed voice. On her fresh and startlingly original album No Ceiling (released March 18, 2008) she injects classic and psychedelic-influenced rock with new life, by drawing on her dual heritage (she was born in the Bronx to Iranian parents) and resuscitating the rock music she loves with a breath of Persian mysticism.
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04 / 3
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Andy Statman2008 Grammy Nominee! A very rare opportunity to hear at The Cedar a genuine double virtuoso at the height of his powers. Andy will perform one set on mandolin and one set on clarinet, highlighting tunes from his recent pair of contrasting albums, East Flatbush Blues (bluegrass-inspired) and Awakening From Above (inspired by hasidic melodies), with help from Jim Whitney on bass and Larry Eagle on drums and percussion. Statman, one of his generation's premier mandolinists and clarinetists, thinks of his compositions as "a spontaneous, American-roots form of very personal, prayerful hasidic music, by way of avant-garde jazz." This small, modest man takes for granted that a performer might embody several worlds in his art, and seems not to recognize that his music, like his story, is extraordinary.
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04 / 4
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Daithi Sproule The HiBsTwo Irish music CD releases for the price of one! Longtime guitarist for Altan, Daithi Sproule has made his home in the Twin Cities for some years now, but his live performances are all too rare. His latest musical offering The Crow in the Sun is a collection of thirteen original compositions: stunning instrumental guitar tunes, gentle presentations of people and places and the feelings they inspire, and telling the stories that cannot be put into words. The HiBs are longtime stalwarts of the local traditional Irish music scene, headed by Kate (flute and tin whistles) and Jode Dowling (fiddle). The intimacy and depth they bring to their music comes from over 12 years of playing together. They travel the world to learn their music from masters, well-known and obscure, and are renowned for their great respect for the music, their skilled execution, their devotion to teaching, and of course, for their hospitality and great house-party sessions. They'll be celebrating the release of their debut CD The 40-acre Notch.
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04 / 5
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Bo Ramsey: Photo by Danielle ClareBorn and raised in the blue-collar Mississippi River town of Burlington, Iowa in 1951, guitar-slinger Robert Franklin "Bo" Ramsey is perhaps best known for his collaboration/friendship with revered folksinger Greg Brown. Ramsey has played guitar on nine of Brown's discs, and produced/co-produced many of Brown's best known works. Tonight, Bo will be celebrating the April 8 release of his own new solo album, Fragile.
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04 / 6
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Tift Merritt the everybodyfieldsAfter a Grammy nomination, and top 10 albums in The New Yorker and Time
Magazine, Tift Merritt took hiatus with a piano in Paris and came home
with her best and most personal songs to date: her new album Another
Country came out February 26 to broad acclaim.
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04 / 7
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04 / 8
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04 / 9
Music Starts:6:00 pm
Open Stage with host Gabriela Sweet. Start the evening with a few songs from Gabriela Sweet, accomplished slide guitarist and vocalist. Then, take advantage of this great opportunity to put yourself on the Cedar stage, perform two or three songs, and enjoy the top-quality sound!
The Cedar Open Stage offers optional critiques of the participants by the host following the last performer. The supportive environment always attracts an interesting and talented assortment of participants. All are welcome, performers and audience members. Please support this season’s sponsors MBOTMA , (Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association), Willie’s American Guitars and Hoffman Guitars, who through their generosity enable this event to be offered for FREE!
Sign up 6:45 pm Music begins at 7pm.
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04 / 10
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Meg Hutchinson Kris DelmhorstTwo of the best of the next generation of female folksingers in one night! Boston-based singer/songwriter Meg Hutchinson's makes her Red House debut with Come Up Full! At only 29, Meg has already won numerous songwriting awards in the United States, Ireland, and the UK, including renowned competitions at Merlefest, Mountain Stage New Song Folk Festival and Rocky Mountain Folks Fest. With a poet's sensibility, her songs are laced with a weathered but unselfconscious optimism, a love of language and of the natural world, while her warm alto exudes assurance that we have a universal ability to overcome life's most trying times. One of the great voices of the next generation of acoustic musicians.
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04 / 11
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Debashish Bhattacharya The Biscuit BurnersPLEASE NOTE: WE REGRET TO ADVISE THAT DUE TO ILLNESS, THE BISCUIT BURNERS WILL BE UNABLE TO PERFORM AT TONIGHT'S SHOW. THE SHOW WILL TAKE PLACE WITH DEBASHISH BHATTACHARYA PERFORMING THROUGHOUT. Indian slide guitar maestro Debashish Bhattacharya, whose new Riverboat album “Calcutta Chronicles: Indian Slide Guitar Odyssey” is set for release in the US on April 8th, initially trained in Indian classical vocal music, but after picking up a guitar, he became fascinated by the potential of the instrument to capture the nuances of the human voice, especially when played with a slide. To further this end, he developed three unique instruments that have become his trademarks: the Chaturangui (Hindustani slide guitar), which is a 24-stringed hollow neck Indian Classical Guitar; the Gandharvi, a fourteen-string guitar, and Anandi (a slide-ukelele). He is unquestionably one of the most brilliant slide guitarists of the present generation. Debashish will be performing with his sister Sutapa on vocals, and his brother Subhasis on tablas. In addition, however, tonight's show promises to be very special indeed with the addition of special guests The Biscuit Burners. Two members of The Biscuit Burners have studied guitar with Bhattacharya and
will be sharing the stage with him to display how their own brand of
"fiery mountain music," with roots that touch on bluegrass, classic
country and world music, is deeply connected to the Indian classical
music of their guru.
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04 / 12
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Katie McMahonWe are delighted to welcome back Katie McMahon to The Cedar. Katie was the original lead singer from the Riverdance show and since leaving has carved out a successful solo career for herself. Her voice has been described by the Irish Times as "poetry, perfection and purity". Before her work in Riverdance, Katie, a born and bred Dubliner, was classically trained in voice and harp. In 1990, Katie joined the vocal group Anuna and is a featured soloist on their first two CDs. Bill Whelan (Riverdance composer) heard her perform with Anuna and asked her to sing the solo in the interval piece at the Eurovision. This, of course, went on to become the hugely successful show Riverdance and Katie toured the world with them for five years as their lead vocalist. While touring in America, she met her husband Ben Craig, and has made her home in Minnesota for the past eight years. During this time she has formed her own band and troupe of Irish dancers. They are in great demand all over the States and play Irish traditional music with a Classical/Contemporary edge.
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04 / 13
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Glen PhillipsBorn in Santa Barbara, Glen Phillips was the lead singer and main songwriter for Toad the Wet Sprocket. The band started in 1986, when Phillips was only 14. Their first LP, Bread and Circus, was recorded in 1988 and got them signed to Columbia Records. Their third album, Fear, got heavy radio play with the singles "All I Want" and "Walk on the Ocean." After three years away from the recording studio, Toad came back with Dulcinea, which again found one of its singles, "Fall Down," in heavy radio rotation. After six albums and a substantial amount of touring, the group disbanded in 1998.
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04 / 14
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04 / 15
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04 / 16
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Kimya DawsonIf you've seen the movie Juno, you've heard Kimya Dawson--quirky, emotionally-baring songs like Tire Swing, Loose Lips, and So Nice So Smart, and others like Tree Hugger, performed by Kimya with friends Antsy Pants, and Anyone Else But You performed by Kimya's old group The Moldy Peaches. With the soundtrack to the movie a huge commercial success (the album reached #1 on the Billboard Album charts after three weeks), the time is ripe to catch this former Moldy Peach at the peak of the crop!
Tickets SOLD OUT ALL AGES.
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04 / 17
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Gretchen PetersSince she released her last record, Gretchen Peters, a Nashville hit songwriter with a seemingly charmed and easy life has been through the wringer. Accused at one point of having a midlife crisis, she thought about it a little while and then, despite the negative connotation, said, “Hell yes, I’m having a midlife crisis. Midlife is when people should be reassessing. By the time you’ve reached that age you’ve realized that it ain’t endless. It’s going to end. And it’s going by faster and faster. So, by god, make the most of it!”
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04 / 18
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Peter Ostroushko and the Heartland BandArchetypal Minnesotan performer and virtuosic mandolinist/fiddler Peter Ostroushko presents an evening of music from the heartland. Songs of Minnesota, songs of journeys and songs of the people who live here. Given birth in the studio on Peter Ostroushko’s year 2000 Red House recording, Sacred Heart, hte Heartland band is now on the road. Tonight's performance by Peter Ostroushko and the Heartland Band will feature Peter Ostroushko (mandolin, fiddle, vocals, compositions), Dan Chouinard (piano and accordion), Dirk Freymuth (guitar), Ruth MacKenzie (vocals), Joel Sayles, (bass, vocals, compositions), and Marc Anderson (percussion). A collection of some of the best musicians in the business — many of whom have been featured on Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion.
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04 / 19
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Peter MayerMinnesota singer/songwriter Peter Mayer is returning to the Cedar Cultural Center for his annual solo show. Peter has gained a passionate following across the country, and been a favorite here in Minnesota for years. His philosophical songs break the boundaries of "folk", and transcend to a realm well beyond the everyday love song. Peter recently released his 8th CD entitled "Novelties" which features 14 songs on the humorous side--a light-hearted departure from his previous collections. Mary Sue Twohy of XM radio says "Peter Mayer makes it look easy--beautifully crafted songs that pose eternal questions--his arrangements make it sound like there is certainly more than one man and his guitar". Dirty Linen Magazine says "Mayer offers up everything you could ever want from a singer/songwriter". Come see what they mean at the Cedar on April 19th.
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04 / 20
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Babylon Circus
The Circus comes to town! Who needs a big top when you have the energy and exuberance of French 10-person big band Babylon Circus? Ska, gypsy, rock, Eastern European, reggae, and afrobeat influences pepper their songs that carry
a message of optimism in both English and French. In the style
of musical warriors like The Clash and sonic rebels like Jimi Hendrix,
Babylon Circus uses the power of the microphone to address social and
political issues, providing an alternate view of what the official line
claims is our reality. But their music is also a call to put your
wallflower days behind and join the dance. Lead singer David Baruchel
says the music of Babylon Circus is a “way to fight, to be an actor in
today’s society rather than a victim”.
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04 / 21
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04 / 22
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04 / 23
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04 / 24
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Hamell on TrialEd Hamell picked up the guitar at age 7 and started writing songs not long after. In his early 20s, Mr. Hamell was the front man and writer for an original band, but local bands were a dime a dozen in the tough, working class neighborhoods in Syracuse, NY. So he launched a one-man act called "Hamell on Trial." Armed with his battered 1937 Gibson acoustic guitar, Mr. Hamell toured the country, then settled in Austin, Texas, where he found a receptive audience for his esoteric mix of songs and story telling. In 1995, Mercury Records signed him straight out of the SXS Music Conference and released Big as Life and The Chord is Mightier than the Sword. A few years later, and a move to Brooklyn, NY, brought Mr. Hamell and Ani DiFranco together. He signed with Righteous Babe Records and released Tough Love in 2003, followed by Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs in 2006. Subsequently, he has toured extensively with Ms. DiFranco, and has collaborated with her on several songs. Performing in and around the New York scene prompted Mr. Hamell to rediscover the roots of his hurricane-force musical style and authentic cutting edge world view. His response, The Terrorism of Everyday Life, is a one-man theatrical show which combines story telling, comedy and songs into a brilliantly outrageous theatrical event.
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04 / 25
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion“Authentic.” “Timeless.” “Harmonious.” “Exhilarating.” Any or all of these adjectives could describe the folk-rock sound created by Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion (eye-ree-un). The musical richness and psychological depth of their initial collaboration, the fittingly titled Exploration, is irrefutable proof that the disarming granddaughter of Woody/daughter of Arlo and the prodigious South Carolinian quite naturally bring out the best in each other. Johnny Irion recently followed up with 2007's Ex Tempore,which, as the name implies, is a spontaneous sounding recording, but with a depth that recalls the cosmic American music from the heyday of Gram Parsons and contemporaries.
In perfect harmony with the evening, Jayhawks drummer, and now well-established singer-songwriter in his own right, Tim O'Reagan will open.
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04 / 26
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Brass Messengers Michael Rossetto & Nicholas LemmeThe 416 Club series continues this month with a program curated and hosted by soulful singer Jon Rodine. This month's amazing line-up features Michael Rossetto and Nicholas Lemme (of Spaghetti Western String Company), Black Audience featuring the knockout vocals of Jayanthi Kyle, along with Robin Kyle and friends, a spring wake-up blast from The Brass Messengers, Painted Saints, Randall Throckmorton (Dreamland Faces), and a few choice songs from Mr Rodine himself. Some surprise guests have also hinted at an appearance... Expect some great musicians stretching out with new takes on old favorites, and mixing it up in an extended jam session/concert. Come early and stay for the whole evening, or drop in for an hour or so and sample some of the best acoustic music around in the optimal listening room conditions at The Cedar, and meet new friends.
 Painted Saints
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04 / 27
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Vusi MahlaselaOne of the hardest things to learn as a musician is when to not only recognize inspiration, but when to trust and follow it. Over a musically and socially consequential career, South African singer-songwriter and poet-activist Vusi Mahlasela has successfully followed his muse. That trust in his gift is at the root of his latest album, Guiding Star.
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04 / 28
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04 / 29
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04 / 30
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05 / 1
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 New Roots DuoNew Roots Duo is a unique combination of finger-style guitarists Ben Woolman and Dan Schwartz. Based in the Twin Cities, both artists have successful solo careers performing throughout the country but have now joined forces to write, record, and perform music as a duo. Together, exploring new terrain and new instruments (acoustic baritone guitar, acoustic lap-steel guitar respectively), they are creating the finest music of their careers. Tonight, they'll be celebrating their newly released CD entitled Roots Run Deep (CandyRat Records), an inspired collection described as, "Instrumental, melody driven, roots based pop music."
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Lenine
Due to circumstances beyond our control, the entire US tour by Lenine, including the May 1 performance at Cedar Cultural Center, co-presented with The Walker Art Center, has been cancelled. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused.
Brazilian songwriter, singer and guitarist Lenine took his Recife roots and added the sounds of Northeastern Brazil to the rich mix of MBP (Brazilian Popular Music). After several groundbreaking albums and a groundswell of popularity in his homeland, multiple Latin Grammy Award-winning artist Lenine (né Oswaldo Lenine Macedo Pimentel) is finally gaining the attention he deserves in North America as one of the finest songwriters working in Brazil today.
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05 / 2
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05 / 3
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Geoff Muldaur Charlie ParrLike two mighty rivers crossing half a continent to come together as one, The Cedar welcomes two giants from the blues world to share their tales and songs. From the East, Geoff Muldaur is one of the great voices and musical forces to emerge from the folk, blues and folk-rock scenes centered in Cambridge, MA and Woodstock, NY. During the 1960's and '70's, Geoff made a series of highly influential recordings as a founding member of the Jim Kweskin Jug Band and the Paul Butterfield's Better Days group, as well as collaborations with then-wife Maria and other notables (Bonnie Raitt, Eric Von Schmidt, Jerry Garcia, etc.). He left the stage and recording world in the mid-1980's for a working sabbatical but continued, however, to hone his craft, albeit 'flying beneath radar'. He composed scores for film and television, garnering an Emmy in the process, and his definitive recording of "Brazil" provided the seed for - and was featured in - Terry Gilliam's film of the same title. And from the Midwest, no-nonsense Charlie Parr gets back to basics with a plaid shirt, a ton of hard work playing all over the region, and a tremendous repertoire of original and classic folk-blues cover songs that he delivers in the traditional piedmont style.
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05 / 4
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05 / 5
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05 / 6
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 MirahBug out, if you please; K Records songstress Mirah, along with Spectratone International-- who sometimes moonlight as Lori Goldston and Kyle Hanson of Black Cat Orchestra— has released Share This Place: Stories and Observations.
The album, which explores such tried-and-true lyrical themes as the lives of insects, was inspired by French entomologist Jean Henri Fabre. The record was produced by Steve Fisk (Nirvana, Low, Beat Happening) and frequent Mirah collaborator Phil Elvrum of Mount Eerie.
The Cedar presentation of Share This Place will be an unforgettable multi-media experience! The music will be accompanied by a screening of a series of twelve animated short films by Britta Johnson.
Tickets on sale NOW from Cedar Ticketline (612-338-2674 ext 2), Ticketweb, and Cedar outlets.
$12 advance
$15 day of show
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05 / 7
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05 / 8
Music Starts:6:30 pm
 Jeremy MessersmithDrawing from classic songsters like Brian Wilson to basement recording mavericks like Elliot Smith, Jeremy Messersmith writes small, thoughtfully crafted songs. Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jeremy's latest record, The Alcatraz Kid, features memorable lyrics and irresistible melodies in a bargain basement wrapper.
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05 / 9
Music Starts:7:00 pm
 Chicago Afrobeat ProjectAfrobeat cannot stand still. As the genre’s tempting sounds continue a resurgence across the globe, Chicago Afrobeat Project (CAbP) remains true to its original vision of breathing the intensity of Chicago’s rich music scene into the infectious sounds of afrobeat. Rather than become caricatures of the genre, CAbP slips a reverent nod to the tradition while delivering an energized originality different from any other band on the afrobeat scene today. At each of its 100+ live performances a year, the group’s frenzied songs hit audiences with a big enough one-two punch to tirelessly knock them onto the dance floor time and time again. LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE=PLENTY OF ROOM FOR DANCING!
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05 / 10
Music Starts:10:00 am
 GOOD SUPPLY OF TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR TODAY! Justin Roberts enters his second decade as one of the most recognized and accomplished musicians in the Children’s genre with his sixth and latest album, “Pop Fly,” builds on Justin’s previous successes by continuing to offer catchy, contemporary hooks and his unique brand of songwriting.
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