It’s going to be another hot week of music just as the warmer (by Minnesota standards) weather appears to be sticking around.
The rock-ballet interpretation of Romeo & Juliet, a collaboration between Mark Joseph’s Dragon Attack performing the music of Queen and the Twin Cities Ballet, tops my short list of Minnesota live music recommendations this week.
The show runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday at The Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul.
I had the opportunity to sit in on a Dragon Attack rehearsal recently. It was impressive to watch the way this band approached the music, systematically going through the tracks on each song they’re including — and, yes, that includes pretty much every Queen hit you can think of.
While Freddie Mercury leaves giant shoes to fill vocally, I was also impressed by the range that Joseph, Steph Devine and Jess Larson, could cover.
Joseph, of The Big Wu, noted that the previous collaboration with the ballet, interpreting Pink Floyd’s “The Wall,” was well-received, and ran for three straight years.
TWINE has found the improvisational sweet spot at its Wednesday night Bunkers residency.
Minneapolis’ Dakota Jazz Club has a couple of acts that I’ll note this week.
Ana Popovic at Twin Ports Music Festival in August, 2023. PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
First, Serbian-born blues guitarist Ana Popovic brings her high-powered band to that stage on Wednesday night, and the show is just about sold out at this point.
Popovic was the headliner at Twin Ports Music Festival, which Jon Miller and I put on back in Superior, Wis., back in 2023.
Then the North Mississippi Allstars and Bobby Rush keep up the blues on both Thursday and Friday.
Duluth jam-funk band Saltydog launches their Thursdays in March residency at Hook and Ladder Theater’s Zen Arcade in South Minneapolis. TWINE frontman Will Effertz is the special guest this week.
Duluth’s Saltydog just wrapped up a month-long residency on Mondays at Bent Paddle Brewing. On Thursday, they start up another month-long residency at The Hook & Ladder Theater’s Zen Arcade. PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Lighter Co., also kicks off its Thursdays in March residency at Icehouse. They have Asparagus, Anna Devine and Porch Knights as special guests.
Also Thursday, Nicholas David is performing at Lost Saint Brewery in Blue Earth, down near the Iowa border.
Friday, Alex Rossi is Bunker’s and Effertz’ WE Collective performs at Tuttle’s in Hopkins.
Saturday is a busy night: Prince cover band Chase & Ovation plays Bunkers; TWINE plays Shaws Bar in Northeast Minneapolis; Boss Mama & The Jebberhooch play the Cedar Lounge in Superior, Wis.; and Grateful Dead cover band China Rider plays Tuttle’s in Hopkins.
As always, more information, including ticket links for all of these shows, can be found at my Minnesota live music calendar (check it out here), which is updated weekly.