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■ Atarashii Gakko
Atarashii Gakko! (known in Japan as Atarashii Gakkou no Leaders) is a four-member Japanese dance and vocal performance group formed in July 2015. Known for wearing modified school sailor uniforms, they mix pop, punk, jazz, and hip-hop with high-energy, self-made choreography. They debuted in Japan in 2017 and globally under 88rising in 2021

Atarashii Gakko!

J-Pop band Atarashii Gakko! is touring in support of their new album From Tokyo with Love, out now.

Atarashii Gakko! at Amsterdam Bar & Hall, St Paul (16 Nov 2023)

We saw Atarashii Gakko! in November 2023 and described the show as: “J-Pop all-girls group Atarashii Gakko! (新しい学校のリーダーズ and stylized as ATARASHII GAKKO!) just wrapped up their first-ever North American tour… stopping by the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, in St Paul, on Thursday night (November 16). This was a sold-out show, meaning that when you first arrive to the venue, you had to get in line. The line goes up a flight of stairs in the building… so we were directed to take the elevator to the sixth floor and then find the line on the stairs. It’s an awkward way waiting to get in the door… but it beats standing outside in the winter. There was also no opening band, so there was a long wait time until the show begins. The dance floor quickly filled up with eager young fans who rush to the front of the stage for a good viewing spot. Many of them brought idol lights or were dressed up with the Atarashii Gakko’s official socks. Since there was such a long wait time, some fans brough balloons with LED micro blinking lights and had some fun bouncing it around. When it ultimate pop, there was a huge gasp from the audience. Fear not, another balloon would soon go.”

Tour Dates:

09/6 – Bumbershoot Festival – Seattle, WA, USA
12/3 – Teatro Caupolicán – Santiago, Chile
12/5, 12/6 – Primavera Sound São Paulo 2026 – São Paulo, Brazil
12/8 – Velódromo Olímpico – Ciudad de México, Mexico

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■ Hiromi
Hiromi is the world-renowned Japanese jazz pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara. Currently, the Hiromi Trio is an acclaimed jazz fusion group led by virtuosic Japanese pianist and composer Hiromi Uehara with bass guitarist Anthony Jackson and drummer Simon Phillips. Known for its electrifying energy, the trio blends jazz, progressive rock, classical, and funk music

Hiromi Trio

Jazz piano phenomenon Hiromi is returning to Minneapolis on October 12, performing at the Dakota Jazz Club, billed as Hiromi Trio (with James Genus and Simon Phillips).

We saw Hiromi in May 2023 and wrote, “After a nine year hiatus, Hiromi Uehara returned to Dakota Jazz Club to offer the audience an inside peak to her new band, Sonicwonder, with Adam O’Farrill on trumpet, Hadrien Feraud on electric bass and Gene Coye on drums. “It’s our world premiere,” said Hiromi to the crowd. It was indeed their first public appearance with sheet music at the ready and songs still to be fine tuned before going into the studio to record their first album. Lowell Pickett, the host for the evening, said Hiromi wanted a few intimate settings to work out the kinks, and she could do no better than the downtown Minneapolis venue. ”

Tour Dates:

Aug 20–23, 2026: New York, NY – Blue Note Jazz Club (The Piano Quintet feat. PUBLIQuartet)
Sep 10, 2026: Groningen, Netherlands – SPOT De Oosterpoort
Sep 11, 2026: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Concertgebouw
Sep 12, 2026: Utrecht, Netherlands – Tivoli Vredenburg
Sep 13, 2026: Arnhem, Netherlands – Musis
Oct 3, 2026: San Francisco, CA – SF JAZZ Center
Oct 12, 2026: Minneapolis, MN – Dakota
Oct 13, 2026: Cincinnati, OH – Ludlow Garage (The Trio Project)
Nov 2, 2026: Luzern, Switzerland – KKL Luzern (Trio)

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■ Laufey
Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir OTF,or professionally known as Laufey is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Her musical style blends genres such as jazz pop and classical music. Laufey began performing as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at age 15. She then emerged as a finalist in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent (Iceland’s Got Talent) and a semifinalist on The Voice Iceland in 2015.

Laufey

Icelandic singer Laufey (half Chinese) invites fans to celebrate “A Very Laufey Day” on August 23. It is really amazing how popular Laufey quickly rose to fame.

We are very proud to supported her on her very first headline tour in May 2023: “I think this was Laufey’s first tour in America, considering that her debut album, Everything I Know About Love, just came out. Although it’s her first time headlining here, it’s not the first time she’s been in Minneapolis. She’s previously opened for Ricky Montgomery on November 27, 2021… which she then explained that she loves it here and actually spent Thanksgiving (November 25) in Minneapolis “with my best friend.” After being on the road for a few weeks on this tour, Laufey seemed at home and on stage. Some of her fans helped her sing “Beautiful Stranger”, showing her that they love the song. Of course, she saved her #1 hit debut single called “Street by Street” in the middle of her set.”

Candlelight: A Very Laufey Day

Berlin, Germany – Französischer Dom
Boston, MA – Simons Theatre
Chicago, IL -The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center
London, UK – The Great Hall – Barts North Wing
Melbourne, Australia – The Athenaeum Theatre
New York, NY – New York Society for Ethical Culture
Orlando, FL – Orlando Museum of Art
Paris, France – Maison de l’Océan
Seoul, South Korea – Jeongdong 1928 Art Center
Washington DC – National City Christian Church

daine

Melbourne’s daine is releasing their debut album In Endless Awe & Agony on November 6, 2026, via Pack. Records. In celebration, daine will be headlining some North American tour dates, beginning in Toronto this December.

Tour Dates:

10/9-11 – San Diego, CA @ Niteharts Festival
11/13 – Sydney, Australia @ Metro Social
11/24 – Sydney, Australia @ Metro Social
11/19 – Brisbane. Australia @ Black Bear
11/21 – Melbourne, Australia @ Max Watts
11/4 – London, UK @ Pitchfork London Festival
11/6 – Paris, FR @ Pitchfork Paris Festival
12/2 – Toronto, ON @ Drake hotel
12/5 – Philadelphia, PA @ Warehouse on Watts
12/6 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere (Zone One)
12/8 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas
12/10 – Portland, OR @ Holocene
12/12 – San Francisco, CA @ Neck of the Woods
12/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Moroccan Lounge

Ok Cowgirl

Brooklyn, NY band Ok Cowgirl and Brother Bird (aka Caroline Glaser) announced a joint Midwest tour, starting in Nashville… you can catch Ok Cowgirl prior at their New York record release show on August 22 at Baby’s All Right.

Brother Bird’s upcoming album The Lodge In Miller County is out September 25th via Easy Does It Records, while Ok Cowgirl will be releasing Rhinestone Cowgirl on August 21st via Easy Does It Records.

Live Dates:

8/22 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right (Ok Cowgirl LP release show) #
9/21 – Nashville, TN – Row One (Cannery Hall)
9/22 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
9/24 – Chicago, IL – Subterranean
9/25 – Detroit, MI – TSDMAAC Confessional

# no Brother Bird