I feel like it’s a lighter week of live music around Minnesota, but that’s only because it’s been wildly busy as of late. It’s actually plenty busy.
After all, you can only be in one place at a time.
There’s big shows this week from touring acts such as Frankie and the Witch Fingers, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead.
I love being the kind of music writer that puts those three very different acts in the same sentence. As far as I am concerned, they all represent branches of the same psychedelic music tree (note, Alpert is not known for making psychedelic music, but his impact on jazz and hip-hop make him noteworthy).
There’s also shows of note from The Second Stringers, Hunny Bear, Chicken Wire Empire, Brothers Almanac, Afflatus, Cigarette Picnic, TWINE, WE Collective, Belfast Cowboys, Shotgun Ragtime Band and Dr. Mambo’s Combo.
Read on below for all of the details.
TWINE at Bunkers last Wednesday. PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Asides from TWINE’s weekly residency at Bunkers (music at 9:30 p.m.), The White Squirrel Bar in Saint Paul has a pair of shows Wednesday night.
First, there are The Second Stringers playing a free show from 6 to 8 p.m.
Then, the jazz-funk fusion band Hunny Bear continues its recurring residency with guests Chroma and B’ N The Spice Cabinet. Also free, the music starts at 9 and continues to midnight.
Thursday, Oct. 2
Heavy psych band Frankie and The Witch Fingers play the Turf Club. The show wasn’t sold out as of press time, but it could sell out.
Canadian psych rock band Population II opens. The doors are at 7 p.m., with the 21+ show starting at 8 p.m.
Will Effertz of TWINE has his weekly WE Collective show at Gluek’s Thursday nights, with music kicking off in downtown Minneapolis around 9:30 p.m.
The show is free, and the jams are hot.
Friday, Oct. 3
Legendary jazz trumpeter Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass play The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University in Saint Paul. Doors are at 6:30 p.m., with music scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
Wisconsin’s Chicken Wire Empire headlines a show at The Hook and Ladder Theater. Minneapolis Allman Brothers tribute The Brothers Allmanac play in support, with music starting at 8 p.m.
Winona’s Afflatus and Duluth’s Cigarette Picnic hit the road together for the first of two shows. The first one is at 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis on Friday, with music starting at 10 p.m. This one is free.
TWINE returns to Grand Marais for the first of two shows at Up Yonder. The music is scheduled from 7 p.m. to 10.
Saturday, Oct. 4
Minneapolis’ The Belfast Cowboys, which play originals and cover Van Morrison, play The Hook and Ladder Theater in South Minneapolis at 7:30 p.m. It’s a 21-and-over show from the horn-driven, 9-piece band.
Afflatus and Cigarette Picnic continue their two-night run at Jade Fountain Cocktail Bar in Duluth. The music starts at 8 p.m.
TWINE plays the second of two shows at Up Yonder in Grand Marais starting at 7 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 5
Joe Russo’s Almost Dead returns to Saint Paul’s Palace Theatre. It’s an 18-plus show, and the music starts at 8 p.m. JRAD, one of the most popular Grateful Dead cover bands, played this market for the first time last December.
Shotgun Ragtime Band, the local Grateful Dead communal tribute, continues their long-time residency at the Driftwood in South Minneapolis. This is Sunday No. 746. The music kicks off with Phine & Friends at 6:30 p.m.
Look out for a piece here up soon as the band nears its 750th show at the Driftwood.
Long-time soul-funk purveyors Dr. Mambo’s Combo continue their Sunday night Bunkers residency at 9:30 p.m.