There aren’t many touring musicians/acts of interest coming through Minnesota this week, but there are plenty of live music options this week nonetheless.
There’s an increasing number of weekly residencies, and I’ll mention them here briefly: L.A.’s Monday Nights at Icehouse, Only Every Monday at The Joint in Cedar-Riverside; Tuesday: Gavin Saint Clair’s open mic at Sir Benedict’s Tavern in Duluth, the International Reggae Allstars at Bunkers in North Loop, Graydon Peterson’s Old Town Tuesday Night Jam at Whitey’s Old Town Saloon in Northeast Minneapolis, and Bruce Woodman’s jam at Carmody in Duluth; Wednesday: TWINE at Bunkers, the Cherry Pit Jam at Berlin in North Loop and the open mic at Wussow’s Concert Cafe in Duluth; Thursday: WE Collective at Gluek’s in downtown Minneapolis and Jaybee and The Routine at Bunkers; Sunday: Shotgun Ragtime Band at Driftwood and Dr. Mambo’s Combo at Bunkers.
See what I mean? But read on below for more on these shows and others around town, including electro-pop duo Smerz at Cedar Cultural Center Friday, the annual Bob Dyland birthday bass at Turf Club featuring Joe Dunn and others Saturday, and the Harmony Family Campout this weekend including Useful Jenkins, The Big Wu, Feed the Dog, Gregg Hall and the Wrecking Ball and others down at Harmony Park in Geneva.
But also there are shows from The Gemstones, Gavin St. Clair, Dead North, LaPlant Road, Greg Tibruzi and the Bob Dylan Birthday Bash.
Monday, May 18
Only Every Monday kicks off at The Joint at 6 p.m., with host Geoffrey Fischbein starting out, Izzy Cruz at 6:30 p.m., Joe Dunn at 7 p.m., Sneaky Pete Bauer at 8 p.m., and Greater Goods at 9 p.m. It’s free.
L.A. Buckner’s jazz jam session at Icehouse is off to an incredible start.
The doors open at 7 p.m., with music from 8 to 11 p.m.
Up in Duluth, The Gemstones play a free show at Bent Paddle from 6 to 9 p.m.
Also in Duluth, Saltydog’s Gavin St. Clair has a set at Sir Benedict’s Tavern from from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s also free.
Tuesday, May 19
The International Reggae All Stars continue their long-time Bunkers residency from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Graydon Peterson’s Old Town Tuesday Night Jam at Whitey’s Old Town Saloon kicks off at 10 p.m. and runs late.
Up in Duluth, St. Clair hosts his twice-monthly open mic at Sir Benedict’s from 7 to 10 p.m.
Also in Duluth, Bruce Woodman hosts a jam session at Carmody from 8 to 11 p.m., and it typically runs much later.
The jams go deep and sometimes dark and evil in three sets of TWINE at Bunkers every Wednesday starting at 9:30 p.m. PHOTO BY JAVIER SERNA/@jaminthestream
Wednesday, May 20
Dead North, a progressive bluegrass band originally from the Upper Peninsula (but now based in Minneapolis) headlines a show in Icehouse’s Courtyard, with LaPlant Road opening. The doors are at 6 p.m., and show at 7 p.m.
TWINE’s weekly residency at Bunkers continues to produce deep, sometimes evil, jams to Bunkers in three sets every Wednesday starting at 9:30 p.m.
Being a part of that crew, making images and setting the lights, has been one of the coolest experiences in my life.
The music goes to 1 a.m.
I am itching to get over to Berlin, also in North Loop, for the Cherry Pit Jam, an open jam session at the newer jazz club starting at 10 p.m. and running to about 12:30 p.m.
Up in Duluth, Wussow’s hosts an open mic every Wednesday from 6 to 9 p.m.
And Greg Tibruzi will play Bob Dylan tunes at Sir Benedict’s starting at 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 21
Will Effertz’s WE Collective at Gluek’s in downtown Minneapolis kicks off at 9:30 p.m.
Jaybee and the Routine continue a long-time Bunkers residency at 9:30 p.m.
Friday, May 22
The Norwegian electro-pop duo Smerz plays Cedar Cultural Center with doors at 7 p.m., and show at 8 p.m.
The pre-party for the Harmony Family Campout kicks off with Tuff Roots, Mr. Wobbles, Shrimpvision and Renneygade at Harmony Park.
Saturday, May 23
Turf Club hosts its annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash featuring Mind Out of Time with Curtiss A, Gini Dodds, Joe Dunn, Courtney Yasmineh and more special guests. Doors are at 7 p.m. and show at 8 p.m.
Harmony Family Campout’s Saturday lineup includes The Big Wu, Feed the Dog, Camp Comfort, Gypsy Lumberjacks, and Mountain Alice, with music starting at 2 p.m.
Sunday, May 24
Harmony Family Campout’s Sunday finale includes sets from hosts Useful Jenkins, The Big Wu, Wayne Sushy, Hiahli and Gregg Hall and the Wrecking Ball. Music at Harmony Park kicks off at 2 p.m.
Back in Minneapolis, Shotgun Ragtime Band has consecutive show No. 779 at Driftwood in South Minneapolis. Music starts at 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Mambo’s Combo continues one of the longest-running residencies in the country at Bunkers at 9:30 p.m.
More details, including tickets links, and more beyond this week can be found here at Jam in the Stream’s Minnesota Music Calendar, which is updated weekly.