Yam Haus at Lake Harriet Bandshell, Minneapolis (August 1, 2025)

Except for the lingering Canadian smoke it was a perfect night to be outside to catch The Star Tribune’s Music & Movies at Lake Harriet’s Bandshell. It was definitely a family affair with the movie being Denzel Washington’s Remember the Titans and local favorite Yam Haus playing a 75-minute set before the hazy sun set.

DJ Shannon Blowtorch opened the evening with her last song being a dance remix of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” as kids jumped up and down and parents sipped on local beers, one of them being Surley’s Grapefruit Supreme, which I tried to get my head around.

Yam Haus kicked off their set with “Give Me the Keys” and “Rafters” which gave a fervent group of fans the opportunity to dance right in front of the stage, which lead singer, Lars Pruitt, encouraged. “We love dancing!”

Yam Haus started in 2017 when childhood friends from Hudson, WI, Pruitt and Zach Beinlich, formed the band with guitarist Seth Blum and drummer Jake Felstow, while attending college in Minneapolis. Their debut album Stargazer was a hit and even gave them the opportunity to compete on the NBC show American Song Contest with the song “Ready To Go.” Unfortunately, they were in a qualifying round that included Michael Bolton and contest winner AleXa.

We last saw Yam Haus at First Ave in Oct, 2022, opening for Sammy Rae and the Friends. They seemed poised for bigger things, but challenges came with managerial issues, Blum leaving the band and one heavy tree landing on Beinlich when he was helping his dad clean up after a storm.

Pruitt addressed the challenges by saying that once they sold out First Ave, they thought the doors would open, even writing about the band’s experiences with the song “Pop Game.”

Their sound was definitely a perfect fit for the outdoor setting with fan favorite “Phoning It In” and a newer song “Misery Island” which seems to point the band into a more musically mature direction. They also played a song to be released on August 15th “Dollar Store Mansion” and a nice cover of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer.” They even did an audible “Simplicity” that Felstow called out from behind his drum-set for he looked to be having as much fun as the fans who came to see him.

Joining the band on stage for the evening was guitarist Nate Walker, who Pruitt said plays with seventeen different bands. Also Taylor Hines on keys, who Pruitt said can play any song on command.

Pruitt let everyone know that they can be found around the Cities. Two free options are the Lowertown Sounds series on August 14th and the MN State Fair on the 21st. They are also booked to play at First Ave on January 10th in which they plan to release a new album. Get your tickets early. They may sell out.