Music in the Parks Schedule

Aug 11 Percolators Band at Lake Harriet Bandshell
Aug 11 Kenwood Symphony Orchestra at Lake Harriet Bandshell
Aug 12 FINICK at Water Works (Mill Ruins Park)
Aug 12 Jaspar Lepak at Lake Harriet Bandshell
Aug 13 Will Sings Songs at Father Hennepin Bluff Park
Aug 13 Root River Jam at Loring Park
Aug 14 Sing United at The Commons
Aug 14 The Pan-handlers Steel Drum Band at Lake Harriet Bandshell
Aug 15 Fr/end
Aug 15 Adam Bohanan
Aug 16 Quantum Mechanics
Aug 16 The Zillionaires
Aug 17 Fat Chance Jug Band
Aug 18 ROBOS (Rock On Brothers Of Sound)
Aug 18 Saddle Sores
Aug 19 Overdressed Duo
Aug 19 La Danse Fatale Ballet Company
Aug 19 Wish
Aug 20 Coax From Chuckanut
Aug 20 Lake Davi
Aug 21 Gigi the Ukulady
Aug 21 Flamenco X Ensemble
Aug 22 DJ in the Park (Dj Yasmeena)
Aug 22 RuDeGiRL
Aug 22 Prank Williams
Aug 23 Scott Liebers
Aug 23 Glycerin Tears
Aug 25 Sparky
Aug 25 St Louis Park Community Band
Aug 26 Lydia Sophia
Aug 26 Necessary Diversion
Aug 27 Problem Solvent
Aug 27 Squid City Slingers
Aug 28 Andy McClure
Aug 28 John Penny and His Virtual Band
Aug 29 Band of Praise
Aug 29 Ditchbird
Aug 30 The West Metro Big Band
Aug 30 Luke LeBlanc Band

Before being terrorized by a killer shark off the coast of Cape Cod, south Minneapolis was treated to the songs of local musicians Ber and Anni XO right off the shore of Lake Harriet.

Newly refurbished and freshly painted a wispy sky blue, Lake Harriet Bandshell is the perfect venue to see a free concert. Throughout the summer, free concerts are offered in venues across Minneapolis parks. Sometimes they even offer music and a movie, which is why the Jaws was going to play after the music.

The entertainment in the parks is free, and the venues are open to all whether they want to see a show or not. So, amongst the concertgoers were the picnickers, dog walkers, cyclists, those grabbing a beer or ice cream cone or just wanting to be near a body of water, because that is where most Minnesotans end up during the perfect days of summer.

With their laidback sound and easy voice, Anni XO had quite a fervent group of children dancing in front of the stage. I think going to parks for kids is the equivalent of Daytona Beach for college students, meaning riotous fun. One girl tried to climb on stage, and a father had to be fast on his feet when his son darted up the stairs to join the band.

Ber and her band joined the frivolity by taking the stage wearing swimwear, the drummer donning a shark suit before grabbing his sticks.

We last saw Ber on New Years Eve-Eve 2022 at 7^th Street Entry. The weather and venues could not have been any different. Her sound has matured, attributed to touring around the world and releasing her third EP Room For You. She is a natural entertainer with whimsically tart songs like “Your Internet Suck” and “Boys Who Kiss You in Their Car.” But she also played solo and at times sounded like a young Joni Mitchell with “Meant to Be” and the plaintive “It’s Impressive.” She also sang “Funeral Home” which she cowrote with Landon Conrath, who was on stage with her deftly providing texture on keys and guitar.

But mostly she was game and energetic to be singing in front of her home crowd. As she told Minnesota Monthly, “This probably sounds so cheesy, but the songs that I’m writing are not for anybody else other than Minnesotans.”