There’s some solid options for local music around the state even with most venues shut down Wednesday and Thursday for Christmas.
This edition of Weekly Roundup includes shows from Dream of the Wild, Old Town Tuesday Night Jam, Mahon Brothers, TWINE, Mae Simpson, Heatbox, JayBee and The Routine, China Rider, Shoeless Revolution, Caballo Cosmico, Tres Osos, Barefoot Bluegrass, Cats Under the Stars, Shotgun Ragtime Band, Mark Joseph & American Soul with Ryan David Young, and Dr. Mambo’s Combo.
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Jay McKinney’s Dream of the Wild has a busy stretch ahead, starting with a free show at 331 Club in Northeast Minneapolis. The music starts at 9:30 p.m. I’m going to also mention that McKinney’s jam band also has a couple of gigs under Terrapin Stallion, when the band performs Ween and Grateful Dead covers. Terrapin Stallion has a show booked at Zhora Darling on New Year’s Eve and also at Turf Club, with The Jones Gang and Majoon Travelers, on Jan. 29.
Dream of the Wild at Zhora Darling, where they will be back on New Year’s Eve at Terrapin Stallion.
PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Also in Northeast is the jazzy Old Town Tuesday Night Jam at Whitey’s Old Town Saloon from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. It’s free and always seems to attract talent to the open jam format.
Up North, Saltydog’s Mahon brothers, Jake and Owen, play Zeitgeist from 5 to 7 p.m.
The International Reggae All Stars have their weekly Tuesday night show at Bunkers starting at 9:30 p.m.
Brothers Jake and Owen Mahon have a couple of gigs this week in Duluth and Minneapolis.
PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Wednesday, Dec. 24
TWINE is also off for Christmas Eve at Bunkers, but scroll down to Friday, if you are interested in catching them soon (I’ll also mention here that they play at Bent Paddle in Duluth with Saltydog and Boss Mama for New Year’s Eve next Wednesday. It’s not too late to get tickets for that.)
It’s also worth mentioning that TWINE won’t be back at Bunkers until Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Thursday, Dec. 25
WE Collective has the week off at Gluek’s downtown due to falling on Christmas.
Jay Bee and The Routine won’t play this night either, but their weekly Bunkers show is happening Friday for this week only.
Friday, Dec. 26
TWINE is hosting “More the Merrier” over at The Cabooze, where their weekly residency first started up back in the fall of 2024.
Joining in the bill are Heatbox, Mae Simpson and Saltydog’s Mahon brothers.
TWINE won’t be back at their Wednesday Bunkers residency until Jan. 7, but they do have gigs at The Cabooze on Friday, Dec. 26 and at Bent Paddle in Duluth on Jan. 31. PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Grateful Dead tribute China Rider plays with no cover at Tuttle’s in Hopkins at 8 p.m.
Jay Bee and The Routine play at Bunkers starting at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 27
Shoeless Revolution plays at Bunkers, with Caballo Cosmico, a Santana-inspired Latin fusion band with guitarist Javier Trejo and keyboardist Kevin Dorsey opening at 9:30 p.m.
An unholy fusing of cover bands goes down at 7th Street Entry when Ween tribute The Argus opens for Phish tribute About to Run. The music starts at 8 p.m.
Up north, Bent Paddle is hosting The Ugly Holliday Sweater Party with Tres Osos and Barefoot Bluegrass fromc 6 to 9 p.m.
Mark Joseph and American Soul have their annual “Tea for the Tillerman” show tributing Cat Stevens’ classic at The Hook and Ladder Sunday. Trampled by Turtles fiddler Ryan David Young is a special guest. Dean Magraw is also on the bill.
Sunday, Dec. 28
Down in South Minneapolis, Mark Joseph’s Annual Tea for the Tillerman show with his band American Soul and special guest Ryan David Young of Trampled by Turtles and Dean Magraw opens in support at The Hook and Ladder Theater. Doors open at 6 p.m. The all ages show starts at 7 p.m.
Also in South Minneapolis, Cats Under the Stars, an Iron Range-based tribute featuring The Big Wu’s Al Oikari, plays at the Parkway Theater. The doors for this all ages show open at 6 p.m., with music starting at 7 p.m.
The Big Wu’s Al Oikari is a member of Cats Under the Stars, an Iron Range-based Grateful Dead tribute, has a gig at Parkway Theater Saturday.