What’s happening this week.

25 Dec 2024 Wednesday
26 Dec 2024 Thursday
27 Dec 2024 Friday
28 Dec 2024 Saturday
The Bad Plus
at Dakota Jazz Club
dakotacooks.com

Minneapolis jazz group The Bad Plus is doing their annual residency at the Dakota Jazz Club, in Minneapolis, from December 25 to December 28 (two shows a night). The band is celebrating their new album Complex Emotions (Mack Avenue Records).

As with all Dakota shows, be sure to arrive early to grab yourself something to eat… dinner and a show!

We saw Bad Plus in June 2023 and wrote, “The Bad Plus closed out the night. The quartet (formerly a trio), features bassist Reid Anderson, drummer David King, guitarist Ben Monder, and tenor saxophonist Chris Speed. They had a strong local support from the jazz community… but also progressive music lovers. The big highlight of the evening was a special appearance from Greg Norton, of Hüsker Dü, who helped played the song “Sick Fire.””

The Bad Plus writes:

MINNEAPOLIS – Please join us for our annual holiday residency at @dakotampls Dec 25-28 (2 shows/night) as we celebrate the release of our new album ‘Complex Emotions’ and prepare to ring in the new year! Tickets on sale now (link in bio). With love!!❤️
— at Dakota.

26 Dec 2024 Thursday
The Honeydogs
with The Penny Peaches
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Local heroes The Honeydogs will be playing a hometown holiday gig at the Turf Club, in St Paul, on December 26, 2025.

We saw Honeydogs in Aug 2016 and said, “A gig in Canada the night before had delayed their entry back to Minnesota and so on the morning of; the event was left without a band until The Honeydogs, with just a few hours notice, were able to admirably fill in, playing a 55 min.-long set before the scheduled movie (John Waters’ Hairspray). The group, led by lead ‘Dog Adam Levy, has coincidentally just put out a new 11th studio album, Love and Cannibalism (on Simon Recordings) the result of a successful PledgeMusic campaign which had premiums that even included Levy personally preparing a home-cooked meal for you.”

The Penny Peaches to open.

The Honeydogs writes:

We’re back! 12/26 Turf Club. Ticket link LIVE in the comments thread. We got a new record in the wings and we’re eager to light ‘em up for you. Openers, The Penny Peaches, are sublime and a favorite of Adam’s… at
First Avenue & 7th St Entry.

28 Dec 2024 Saturday
Soul Asylum
with Tommy Stinson
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

Soul Asylum is headlining First Avenue on December 28, 2024.

We saw Soul Asylum in July 2024 and said, “I was surprised to see Soul Asylum so early on the bill. To me, and based on unscientific analytics from setlist.fm, the band should be ranked much higher. Singer and only original band member Dave Pirner is a goofball (as usual!), and was just having a good time. “Hello fellow yachters. I know I took my yacht to the gig.” When Dave asked guitarist Ryan Smith what his yacht was called, he said, it’s called “Hall and Notes”.”

Update: Tommy Stinson is now listed as opener. Stinson previously opened for Soul Asylum last December and will happily open for them again this time. We saw Stinson (as part of Cowboys in the Campfire) in July 2023 and wrote, “Cowboys in the Campfire is the latest project from Tommy Stinson and Chip Roberts. As the name suggests, this duo is a little on the Country & Western side of music, somewhat of a departure from Stinson’s previous music styles. Like all previous Stinson shows I’ve attended, you really never know what you’re going to get, and that’s half the fun. Last night’s show proved no different, as his music partner in Cowboys in the Campfire, Chip Roberts, could not get a flight to Minneapolis on time. Stinson had nothing nice to say about Delta airlines.”

Soul Asylum writes:

Minnesota…you didn’t think we’d forget, did you?!?

Presale for our very special Slowly But Shirley holiday show starts TODAY at 10a CT with code SHIRLEY

Tickets on sale tomorrow, Friday October 25 at 11a CT

29 Dec 2024 Sunday
DeVotchKa
with Superior Siren
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

DeVotchKa is back in Minneapolis, playing First Avenue, on December 29, 2024.

We saw DeVotchKa in Oct 2018 and said, “The multi-genre ensemble DeVotchKa return today with the release of their new full-length album This Night Falls Forever, available now on Concord Records. As part of the release, the band has shared a video for the nostalgic first single “Straight Shot”. Watch the video here. The album also includes the “high-octane” (Gary Graff, Billboard) track “Angels” as well as “Empty Vessels” which premiered earlier this week on Consequence of Sound, who described the song as “sturdy even as it tumbles through endless spirals of orchestration like a dream through the early breaking daylight.””

Superior Siren to open.

Tour dates: