What’s happening this week.

Sunflower Bean at 7th Street Entry poster (June 17, 2025)

17 Jun 2025 Tuesday
Sunflower Bean
with GIFT
at 7th St Entry
first-avenue.com

Sunflower Bean (Julia Cumming, Nick Kivlen, and Olive Faber) is touring in support of their new album Mortal Primetime (Lucky Number).

We saw Sunflower Bean April 2022 and wrote, “Let me tell you about Sunflower Bean’s first Minnesota show at Turf Club (14 Oct 2015). Seven years ago, the audience were simply blown away at Sunflower Bean’s sugar sweet shoegazing songs. We witness so many fans coming up to the band and buying their album and telling them how great they were. Some of those fans were at the Fine Line show. It seems like perhaps the band has grown, their upcoming album Headful of Sugar is leaning towards indie rock. Singer and bassist Julia Cumming seems more outgoing and confident on stage. To be fair, we said the same thing when we saw them in April 2016: “Now seasoned with a year of touring. And it shows. The trio (Jacob Faber, Julia Cumming, and Nick Kivlen) seemed completely at eased on stage, with Cumming looking and sounding more confident than their previous appearance. Even their music is a lot more upbeat (and possibly even aggressive), playing almost everything on their debut album… and especially when they announced they were playing some new (unrecorded) songs.” ”

GIFT to open.

Tour Dates:

6/04 – Phoenix, AZ @ Valley Bar #
6/05 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah #
6/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room #
6/07 – San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel #
6/9 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios #
6/10 – Seattle, WA @ Madame Lou’s #
6/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
6/13 – Fort Collins, CO @ The Coast #
6/14 – Denver, CO @ Hi-Dive
6/17 – Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry #
6/19 – Chicago, IL @ Sleeping Village #
6/20 – Detroit, MI @ Third Man Records
6/21 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
# with Gift

Jun 18, 2025 Wednesday
The Family Crest
with Babes in Canyon
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

The Family Crest returns to the Twin Cities, playing the Turf Club, in St Paul, on June 18, 2025.

Babes in Canyon to open.

Tour Dates:

6/11Washington, DC • DC9**
6/12 Philadelphia, PA • Nikki Lopez**
6/13 New York, NY • Mercury Lounge **
6/16 Cleveland, OH • Beachland Tavern **
6/18 St. Paul, MN • Turf Club**
6/20Milwaukee, WI • Falcon Bowl**
6/24 Chicago, IL • Schubas Tavern **
6/26 Denver, CO • Globe Hall **
6/28 Gallup, NM • Levitt Amp Series
6/29 Gallup, NM • Coming Soon
7/8 Seattle, WA • Tractor Tavern **
7/9 Portland, OR • Mississippi Studios **
7/11 San Francisco, CA • Great American Music Hall **
**
with special guests BABES IN CANYON

19 Jun 2025 Thursday
Betty Who
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com

Trailblazing singer-songwriter and actress Betty Who is about to embark on her ‘Out Of The Darkness’ summer headline tour.

Who, talking to Variety, said, “I’m beyond excited to announce my ‘Out of the Darkness’ headline tour—and honestly, it feels SO good to be back on the road. This tour is all about unapologetic joy, real connections, and celebrating the highs after the lows. I’ve been working on new music and can’t wait to bring these new songs, alongside the go-to favorites, to life with you all.”

We’ve seen Who before in Mar 2023 and can tell you that her show is very entertaining: “As for pop star Betty Who… her set was really fun and colorful: Who in a red suit, with a dancer in yellow and a dancer in blue. These types of dance shows are really fun visually. Each song had well-choreographed dance routines, and every had smiles across their face… they were just having a good time. In the middle of the set, Who did an acoustic set with “Grown Ups Grow Apart” and “Wanna Be”, giving the two dancers a much-need break.”

Tour Dates:

6/13 – Chicago, IL – Vic Theatre
6/14 – Columbus, OH – All Out Pride Festival
6/16 – St. Louis, MO – Delmar Hall
6/17 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
6/19 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
6/20 – Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Summerfest
6/21 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi Annex
6/23 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
6/24 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
6/25 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre
6/27 – Augusta, GA – Augusta Pride Festival
6/29 – Austin, TX – Mohawk
7/1 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
7/2 – San Diego, CA – Music Box

June 19, 2025 Thursday
Dean Wareham
at Turf Club
first-avenue.com

Dean Wareham, the guy who is responsible for Luna, Galaxie 500, and Dean & Britta, has released a new solo album That’s The Price Of Loving Me (Carpark). The LP reunites Wareham with Kramer (Galaxie 500, Will Oldham, Low) as producer, marking their first collaboration in 34 years.

There’ll be a tour to support the new album, and it will stop by the Turf Club, in St Paul, on June 19, 2025.

We are longtime fans and have seen Wareham in his various bands, like Luna in Nov 2017 and Dean & Britta in July 2013: “As for Dean & Britta, they were both in Luna, but for this tour, they are playing pre-Luna Dean Wareham’s band Galaxie 500. With three albums (spanning between 1998-1990) to draw from, Dean & Britta had a lot of material to work with, including “Temperature’s Rising”, “When Will You Come Home”, “Don’t Let Our Youth Go to Waste”, “Fourth of July” (how fitting!), “Tugboat” and the encore “Ceremony”. While the majority of their songs were sung by Wareham, there is one exception: Britta took over “Listen, The Snow Is Falling”, which, apparently was originally written by Yoko Ono.”

Tour Dates:

June 10 – World Cafe — Philadelphia, PA
June 11 – Songbyrd — Washington, DC
June 12 – Andy Warhol Museum — Pittsburgh, PA
June 14 – Beachland Ballroom — Cleveland, OH
June 15 – The Magic Bag — Ferndale, MI
June 16 – Lincoln Hall — Chicago, IL
June 18 – High Noon Saloon — Madison, WI
June 19 – Turf Club — St. Paul, MN

June 19, 2025 Thursday
Lew Apollo
at Midway Saloon
first-avenue.com

Yesterday, Friday the 13th, Minnesota-born, Austin-based Lew Apollo released a new single, “Diamonds and Gold”. Apollo will
will be headlining the Midway Saloon on June 19, 2025, in support of his forthcoming album Fool’s Gold (available August 8). You can also catch him with Los Lonely Boys on some select dates.

Opening for Lew Apollo at the Midway Saloon will be
Dylan Wylde, and J-Mo On The Beat and The J-Lighters. 21+ only.

Tour Dates:

June 18 – Duluth, MN @ Duluth Cider
June 19 – Saint Paul, MN @ The Midway Saloon
June 20 – Bayfield, WI @ Big Top Chautauqua
June 21 – Chicago @ ReBuilding Exchange
June 22 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Performance Pavilion Sweetwater
une 23 – Nashville @ Eastside Bowl
July 6 – Corpus Christi, TX @ Corpus Christi
August 2 – Midland, TX @ The Tailgate
August 7 – Austin, TX @ Antone’s
August 16 – Galveston, TX @ Hotel Lucine

Jun 19, 2025 Thursday
The New Standards
with Tina Schlieske
at Mears Park
lowertownsounds.com

Lowertown Sounds at Mears Park, continues on Thursday, June 19, with
The New Standards (billed with “and Friends”).

Tina Schlieske (of Tina and the B-Sides) to open.

Lowertown Sounds 2025 Schedule:

06/12 Flamin’ Oh’s
with Faith Boblett and Lonesome Dan Kase
06/19 The New Standards & Friends
with Tina Schlieske
06/26 Dr Mambo’s Combo
with Purple Funk Metropolis
07/10 Dan Rodriguez
with Becky Kapell
07/17 Annie and the Bang Bang
with Maria and the Coins
07/24 Turn Turn Turn
with Molly Brandt
07/31 Salsa Del Soul
with Alma Andina
08/07 Kiss the Tiger
with Keep for Cheap
08/14 Yam Haus
with Thirsty River and Haley E Rydell

Jun 19, 2025 Thursday
Jun 20, 2025 Friday
Jun 21, 2025 Saturday
Jun 22, 2025 Sunday
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
at various
twincitiesjazzfestival.com

Officially June 20-21st, but with unofficial events on the 19th and 22nd, the Twin Cities Jazz Fest is another annual event. This takes place at multiple locations including Mears Park, Berlin, Crooners Supper Club and others. Note that some events in the Thursday and Sunday may have cover charges.

Schedule:

Thursday – June 19

Pre-Twin Cities Jazz Festival

Nyttu Chongo & Calvin Caron/Patrick Adkins at Berlin
Jon Weber at Crooners Supper Club
Tina Schlieske at Lowertown Sounds
The New Standards and Friends at in Fingal’s Cave (Lowertown)
Peter Kogan Jazz Presents at MetroNOME Brewery
Summer Nights in Rice at MetroNOME Brewery
Pete Whitman and Mississippi at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Unplugged – A Twin Cities Jazz Festival Pre-event at Urban Growler Brewing Company

Friday – June 20

Jazz88 Main Stage (Mears Park)

Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra, feat Jennifer Grimm
Doreen’s Jazz New Orleans
Emmet Cohen Trio with special guests The Four Freshmen

Jazz on 5th Street (Mears Park)

Selby Avenue Brass Band with Thomasina Petrus
Las Guaracheras

Other Venues

Charlie Bruber & Jack Barrett at Berlin
Dorothy Doring & Jon Weber at Big River Pizza
Nicholas David at Big River Pizza
Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz at Big River Pizza
Teri Roiger Celebrates the Music of Abbey Lincoln at Crooners Supper Club
Jon Weber and Colleen Raye (Maggie’s Piano Lounge) at Crooners Supper Club
The Art of Jazz Exhibit at Dow Art Gallery
Jon Weber at Episcopal Homes
Niny Salem at Episcopal Homes
Global Jazz Collegium at Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant
The Other Ol’ Blue Eyes at Gambit Brewing Co.
Maryann and the Money Makers at Mall of America
MetroNOME Big Band at MetroNOME Brewery
Doreen Ketchens Master Class at MetroNOME Brewery
Dakota Combo at MetroNOME Brewery
South High School at MetroNOME Brewery
Hannah Harder Sextet at MetroNOME Brewery
Atlantis Quartet at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Graydon Peterson Trio at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Erin Livingston at Saint Paul Hotel Lobby Bar
Jenny Klukken Quartet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Travis Anderson Trio at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Abinnet Berhanu’s Ahndenet (Unity)
CoMUSICation at Saint City
Experience Jazz at Saint City
Walker West Youth Jazz Ensembles at Saint City
Kamoinge Strings of Walker West Music Academy at Saint City
The Black Note at Saint City
Hip Hop History & The Arts Youth Showcase at Saint City
Katia Cardenas at Walker West
Robert Lehmann & Toby Ramaswamy at Walker West
Trench Size Trio at White Squirrel Bar
Room3 at Zamboni’s

Saturday – June 21

Jazz88 Main Stage (Mears Park)

Catherine Russell
L.A. Buckner & Big Homie
Patty Peterson presents Jazz Women All Star
Society Of Chemists
Walker West & MacPhail Student Musicians

Jazz on 5th Street Stage

The Avant Garde
Drums of Navarone
Swinging Motown

Other Venues

Abinnet Berhanu at Berlin
Lasse Corson at Berlin
Ryan Freitas at Berlin
DJ set by D Untethered at Berlin
Jon Weber and Connie Evingson at Big River Pizza
Minneapolis Jazz Guitar Duo at Big River Pizza
Brilliant Colors Trio at Big River Pizza
an experiment part II with Leslie Parker & Collaborators at The Cedar Cultural Center
Explosion Big Band! at Crooners Supper Club
Tom Hunter at Crooners Supper Club
Daphna Levy with Adi Yeshaya at Crooners Supper Club
Joe Pulice Salutes Buddy Rich at Crooners Supper Club
The Art of Jazz Exhibit at Dow Art Gallery
Jon Weber at Episcopal Homes
Maud Hixson w/ Rick Carlson at Episcopal Homes
Andrew Schwandt Trio at Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant
Siama’s Musical Instrument Petting Zoo at Family Zone
ArtStart- art activity and stilters at Family Zone
The Saint Peter Street Stompers at Gambit Brewing Co.
Lee Engele & Reynold Philipsek with special guest Gary Schulte at Heimie’s Haberdashery
The Gentlebrass at MetroNOME Brewery
Minneapolis College at MetroNOME Brewery
Catherine Russell Master Class at MetroNOME Brewery
Hanson Hirsch Clowser at MetroNOME Brewery
Abebi Stafford Trio at MetroNOME Brewery
Cody Steinmann Trio w/ Solomon Parham at MetroNOME Brewery
Larry McDonough Quartet – Round Midnight – The Music of Dexter Gordon at MetroNOME Brewery
Joel Shapira Quartet at MetroNOME Brewery
Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by the Graydon Peterson Trio at Pimento Jamaican Kitchen
Quarteto Carioca at River Stage
Swing Dance Lesson by Uptown Swing at River Stage
Naomi and her Handsome Devils at River Stage
Victoria Temiz with James Allen at Saint Paul Farmers’ Market
Erin Livingston at Saint Paul Hotel Lobby Bar
Dave Graf and Bone Chance at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Steven Hobert n Sirclesound at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Brian Grivna Quartet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Lila Ammons Jazz Group at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Steve Kenny Quintet at Twin Cities PBS Stage
Dream Loading (Franklin Middle School) at Walker West Music
Minneapolis College Jazz Ensemble at Walker West Music
MN Hard Bop Collective Sit-in Series at Walker West Music
Minnesota Youth Jazz Bands at Walker West Music
Roof Access at Walker West Music
Walker West Jazzwomen Collective at Walker West
Sarah Navratil Quartet at Zamboni’s

Sunday – June 22

Cedar Cultural Center

an experiment pt. II with Leslie Parker & Collaborators

Crooners Supper Club

Peel Me a Grape – Songs by Dave Frishberg with Connie Evingson & Jon Weber

Jun 20, 2025 Friday
World Refugee Day
feat. Ywa Hay Moo, The Taxpayers, Reback Moo, Eh Ler Tha & Eh Wah & Family, and Ti Ter Haw Min
at Pilllar Forum Cafe
pilllar.com

This special World Refugee Day concert is to benefit Karen Organization of Minnesota, an organization to help settle folks from Burma, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Southeast Asia, East Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and more.

Bands on the bill are from around the world, including Myanmar, Ukraine, Afghanistan, etc.

Lineup:

Ywa Hay Moo
The Taxpayers
Reback Moo
Eh Ler Tha & Eh Wah & Family
Ti Ter Haw Min
Sentir Venezolano
Red Thread

We saw The Taxpayers earlier this year in March 2025 and said, “Finally, Portland’s The Taxpayers closed out the show. Originally when the band formed in 2007, they were a standard rock trio (guitar/bass/drum), but as they evolved, they started adding accordion, horns, piano, harmonica, and a variety of other instruments. Currently, the band is led by Rob on guitars and vocals, two horns, Noah on percussion, Nasrene on bass, and occasional pianist. After a long hiatus, the band is back and they were really excited to play songs from their latest Circle Breaker, which just came out on Ernest Jenning Record Co. Songs were mostly from Circle Breaker, including their single “At War with the Dogcatchers” as the fourth song played on their set.”

20 Jun 2025 Friday
Artemas
at First Avenue
first-avenue.com

BRIT Award-nominated UK-based singer/songwriter/producer and alt-grunge artist Artemas is touring America. The tour will stop by First Avenue, in Minneapolis, on June 20th, 2025.

Artemas’s RIAA-platinum certified breakout single, “i like the way you kiss me” have been streamed over 1.7B times, landing at #1 on the Billboard Global 200.
His new single “i guess u never really cared about me” is out now.

Tour Dates:

5/24 – BBC Radio 1 Big Weekend – Liverpool, UK
6/7 – Governors Ball – Queens, NY, USA
6/9 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA, USA
6/10 – Roxian Theatre – Pittsburgh, PA, USA
6/12 – The Bluestone – Columbus, OH, USA
6/14 – Bogart’s – Cincinnati, OH, USA
6/17 – The Pageant – St. Louis, MO, USA
6/18 – The Truman – Kansas City, MO, USA
6/20 – First Avenue – Minneapolis, MN, USA
7/31 – 8/3 – Lollapalooza – Chicago, IL, USA

21 Jun 2025 Saturday
Jack’s Mannequin
at Palace Theatre
first-avenue.com

Jack’s Mannequin, the acclaimed alternative pop rock group, led by veteran indie-pop singer-songwriter-pianist Andrew McMahon is back to celebrate a 20th Anniversary tour. The tour will stop by the Palace Theatre, in St Paul, on June 21, 2025.

We saw Andrew McMahon in October 2015 and said, “The amount of talent Andrew McMahon has is unreal. He was the singer of Something Corporate, Jack’s Mannequin, and most recently, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. Each one of those bands is amazing but Something Corporate is, by far, my favorite group of his. I went into the show thinking I could sneak out early after a couple of songs. I mean, I love Andrew McMahon but his new music really doesn’t do it for me. Then the set started and I caught myself singing along by the second song. This was weird, I really hadn’t paid much attention to his new stuff other than the single on the radio. How did I know this song?!”

NOTE: There is a strict 4 ticket limit. Any attempt to exceed the ticket limit of 4 per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. Tickets are non-transferable.

$1 per ticket goes towards The Dear Jack Foundation, which provides impactful programming that directly benefits adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer in order to improve their quality of life and create positive health outcomes from treatment to survivorship for patients and their families. For more info, please visit dearjackfoundation.org

Tour Dates: