Here is what is going on this week in Minneapolis/St Paul, ending on October 18, 2026: • Holywatr at Fine Line (Oct 12, 2026) • Hiromi Trio at the Dakota Jazz Club (October 12, 2026) • Hey, Nothing at Varsity Theater (Oct 13, 2026) • HUG at McGuire Theater at Walker Art Center (Oct 14, 2026) • Castle Rat at Varsity Theater (Oct 14, 2026) • Joshua Burnside at the Cedar Cultural Center (October 15, 2026) • Friko at Fine Line (Oct 15, 2026) • heavens to betsy at Fine Line (Oct 16, 2026) • Dadi Freyr at First Avenue (Oct 17, 2026)

 

Holywatr at Fine Line (Oct 12, 2026)

Holywatr at Fine Line (Oct 12, 2026)
October 12, 2026 Monday
Holywatr
with mercury
at Fine Line

first-avenue.com
Los Angeles’ alt-metal/rock band Holywatr to headline the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on October 12, 2026.
The ticket limit is strict. Any attempt to exceed the posted ticket limit per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets prior to the show.

BALCONY TICKET BUYERS must be 21+
ID required, no exceptions.
This show is All Ages for all other GA Floor buyers.

 
Nashville’s mercury (led by Maddie Kerr) to open. We caught the band in June 2024 and wrote, “Mercury opened the early show. “First time to Minneapolis,” said Maddie Kerr. From Franklin, TN, Kerr looked like she could still be in high school with locks of curly red hair hiding her face. She was excited to be on the road and playing with friends, even though they were reaching the end of their tour. A band since 2022, they recently recorded in Asheville, NC, their latest EP Together We Are One, You and I. One of the singles “Born in Early May” was titled as such for Kerr was born at that time. In her press kit it says that she was born to Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You” which may have been fortuitous for her voice has a wonderfully pure sound, lithe and lilting, yet powerful enough to rise above the symphonic levels of the three guitars on stage.”

 

Hiromi Trio at the Dakota Jazz Club (October 12, 2026)

Hiromi Trio at the Dakota Jazz Club (October 12, 2026)
October 12, 2026 Monday
Hiromi Trio
at Dakota Jazz Club
dakotacooks.com
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:
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)
 

 

Hey, Nothing at Varsity Theater (Oct 13, 2026)

Hey, Nothing at Varsity Theater (Oct 13, 2026)
October 13, 2026 Tuesday
Hey, Nothing
at Varsity Theater
livenation.com
Athens, GA-born and bred duo Hey, Nothing (Tyler Mabry and Harlow Phillips) is headlining the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on October 13, 2026, in support of Hound (Music Soup / Interscope Records).
Tour Dates
9/22 – Asheville, NC – Eulogy
9/24 – Louisville, KY – Bourbon & Beyond Festival
9/26 – Dallas, TX – Echo Lounge & Music Hall
9/27 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn
9/29 – Phoenix, AZ – Crescent Ballroom
10/1 – Los Angeles, CA – El Rey
10/2 – San Francisco, CA – August Hall
10/4 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
10/6 – Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
10/7 – Seattle, WA – Neumos
10/9 – Salt Lake City, UT – Soundwell
10/11 – Englewood, CO – Gothic Theatre
10/13 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
10/14 – Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
10/16 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge
10/17 – Detroit, MI – Saint Andrews Hall
10/18 – Toronto, ON – Opera House
10/20 – Montreal, QC – Le Studio TD
10/21 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
10/23 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
10/24 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts (TLA)
10/26 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
10/27 – Charlotte, NC – Amos’ Southend
10/30 – Atlanta, GA – Variety Playhouse
11/10 – Dublin, Ireland – Whelan’s
11/12 – Glasgow, UK – St. Luke’s
11/13 – Edinburgh, UK – Cabaret Voltaire
11/15 – Leeds, UK – The Key Club
11/16 – Manchester, UK – Deaf Institute
11/17 – London, UK – The Garage
11/19 – Bristol, UK – Strange Brew
11/21 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Tolhuistin
11/22 – Paris, France – Boule Noire
11/24 – Berlin, Germany – Modus
11/25 – Cologne, Germany – Artheater
 

 

HUG at McGuire Theater at Walker Art Center (Oct 14, 2026)

HUG at McGuire Theater at Walker Art Center (Oct 14, 2026)
October 14, 2026 Wednesday
HUG
at McGuire Theater at Walker Art Center
walkerart.org
HUG is the new supergroup between three friends: indie folk innovator Devendra Banhart, multifaceted guitarist Gyan Riley (he plays in Paul Simon’s band), and musician/record producer Noah Georgeson (he produced Cate Le Bon’s album) . The group will be playing their self-titled debut album live at the McGuire Theater (inside the Walker Art Center). The show is copresented with Liquid Music (one of our favorite music/art series).
We saw Banhart in May 2016 and wrote, “The Saturday night would also have a similar setup, Devendra Banhart, this time with a full electric band, would open up the show. As described by Banhart, there were no established setlist for his band and some sets were entirely improvised and some old songs are completely redone in a different direction. Whatever they decided to play, it was clear that Banhart was absolutely giggly about the whole thing. You can hear it in his voice and his mannerism, he was extremely excited to perform these songs for us.”

 

Castle Rat at Varsity Theater (Oct 14, 2026)

Castle Rat at Varsity Theater (Oct 14, 2026)
October 14, 2026 Wednesday
Castle Rat
with Unto Others, Wraith Knight
at Varsity Theater

livenation.com
One of the hottest bands touring this realm is Castle Rat. They are stopping by the Varsity Theater, in Minneapolis, on October 14, 2026.
We drove to the Ship, Kansas City, on September 12, 2025 to witness fantasy doom metal: “Headlining was Castle Rat, delivering a powerful blend of Doom Metal, fantasy storytelling, and… sword fighting! Did I mention they’re theatrical? On lead vocals and rhythm guitar is the Rat Queen and all-around renaissance woman herself, Riley Pinkerton, backed by a band of fantasy characters: The Count (Franco Vittore, lead guitar/backing vocals), The Plague Doctor (Charley Ruddel, bass), The Druid (Josh Strmic, drums), and the Rat Reapress—not a musician, but a performer and antagonist to our heroic musicians (Rebecca Corrigan). Nostalgic clean vocals, Sabbath worthy bass lines, all the riffs you could want, gripping guitar solos, and a maniac of a drummer that I still won’t stop talking about… that’s a recipe for success on its own. Now add in a story line woven through the albums and into the stage show and a call to action for the crowd to assist the band in saving The Realm… the crowd went insane for this band. Castle Rat is out supporting their new album The Bestiary, a much-anticipated follow-up to their debut Into the Realm (2024). They’re causing quite a stir, and I highly recommend seeing them in smaller venues while you still can. This show confirmed that it may have been our last chance before they’re playing much larger rooms. If you’re lucky enough to be near a show that hasn’t sold out, grab a ticket now… and order that new album as well.”
Unto Others and Wraith Knight to open.
Tour Dates
Oct 1 – Los Angeles, CA – The Belasco
Oct 3 – Berkeley, CA – The UC Theatre
Oct 6 – Portland, OR – Roseland Theater
Oct 7 – Seattle, WA – The Showbox Market
Oct 9 – Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory
Oct 10 – Boise, ID – Shrine Social Club
Oct 11 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand
Oct 12 – Denver, CO – The Ogden Theatre
Oct 14 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
Oct 15 – Chicago, IL – Concord Music Hall
Oct 16 – Detroit, MI – The Majestic Theatre
Oct 17 – Toronto, ON – The Opera House
Oct 19 – Montreal, QC – Théâtre Beanfield
Oct 20 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
Oct 21 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
 

 

Joshua Burnside at the Cedar Cultural Center (October 15, 2026)

Joshua Burnside at the Cedar Cultural Center (Oct 15, 2026)
October 15, 2026 Thursday
Joshua Burnside
at Cedar Cultural Center
first-avenue.com
Acclaimed Irish folk artist Joshua Burnside will be headlining the Cedar Cultural Center, in Minneapolis, on October 15, 2026, in support of his latest album It’s Not Going To Be Okay.
Tour Dates
OCT 03 SAT Joshua Burnside – Boonton, NJ – Boonton Coffee Co. – Matinee show Boonton, NJ
OCT 03 SAT Boonton, NJ – Boonton Coffee Boonton, NJ
OCT 04 SUN Irish Arts Center New York, NY
OCT 05 MON Philadelphia – Kung Fu Necktie Philadelphia, PA
OCT 06 TUE Jammin Java Vienna, VA
OCT 07 WED Stone Circle Theatre Ridgewood, NY
OCT 09 FRI Exeter, NH – Word Barn Exeter, NH
OCT 10 SAT Narrows Centre – Fall River, MA Fall River, MA
OCT 11 SUN Centre For The Arts Natick, MA
OCT 14 WED Old Town School of Folk Music Chicago, IL
OCT 15 THU The Cedar Cultural Center Minneapolis, MN
OCT 16 FRI Tractor Tavern Seattle, WA
OCT 17 SAT The Showdown Portland, OR
OCT 18 SUN Hillside Club Berkeley, CA
OCT 20 TUE The Peppermint Club West Hollywood, CA
DEC 02 WED Amsterdam – Paradiso Upstairs Amsterdam, Netherlands
DEC 03 THU Privatclub Berlin, Germany
DEC 03 THU Privatclub Berlin, Germany
DEC 04 FRI Secret Corner Assembly presents: Joshua Burnside Düsseldorf, Germany
DEC 05 SAT Paris – CCI Paris, France
DEC 06 SUN Antwerp – Kavka Antwerp, Belgium
DEC 08 TUE Chiari – Circolo ADMR Chiari, Italy
MAY 05 WED 2027 Joshua Burnside – Brighton Brighton, United Kingdom
MAY 06 THU 2027 Joshua Burnside – London London, United Kingdom
MAY 07 FRI 2027 Joshua Burnside – Bristol Bristol, United Kingdom
MAY 08 SAT 2027 Joshua Burnside – Manchester Manchester, United Kingdom
MAY 11 TUE 2027 Joshua Burnside – Glasgow Glasgow, United Kingdom
MAY 12 WED 2027 Wylam Brewery Tap Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom
MAY 16 SUN 2027 Vicar Street Dublin, Ireland
MAY 22 SAT 2027 The Telegraph Building Belfast, United Kingdom
 

 

Friko at Fine Line (Oct 15, 2026)

Friko at Fine Line (Oct 15, 2026)
October 15, 2026 Thursday
Friko
at Fine Line
first-avenue.com
Chicago based band Friko returns to Minnesota, playing the Fine Line (and upgraded venue from 7th Street Entry), on October 15, 2026.
$1 from every ticket sold will go to Santa for a Day, a certified 501 (c) (3) Public Charity who answers letters to Santa from kids in underserved communities. This two-pronged literacy component is vital to their mission: Volunteers helping, teaching youngsters the power of the pen… and then donors rewarding their efforts, by translating their wishes into reality, This process helps children feel seen, heard, and valued—often for the first time—while fostering family dignity and empowerment that extends well beyond the holidays as participants author a different, more positive narrative about life, one sparked by optimism and the vision of a brighter future. Founded in 2018, SFAD has fulfilled more than 50,000 letters and delivered nearly 100,000 gifts to children across eight U.S. cities.
 
We saw Friko in May 2025 and wrote, “After an intermission that played great music like “Get Innocuous!” by LCD Soundsystem and “Barley” from Water From Your Eyes, Friko took the stage to The Talking Heads “Once in a Lifetime.” From there was a spine-tingling beginning in which lead singer, Niko Kapetan, tried to fit the whole evening into “Guess”. From there, the band dialed it up even more to where it looked like they were almost assaulting their instruments during “Chemical”. We last saw Friko opening up for Royel Otis at First Ave in Sep, 2024. We mentioned that they are known for their high-energy live shows, and I was getting a front row view, but there were moments when they took a step back and played the sweetest of songs like “For Ella” and “Cardinal”. In a Paste profile on their debut album Where We’ve Been, Where We Go from Here, the band noted not only being inspired by the Chicago indie rock scene, but also influenced by the classical romantic era, specifically the music of Frederic Chopin. As drummer Bailey Minzenberger stated: “With Chopin’s Nocturnes specifically, I can’t wrap my head around how something can be so beautiful. There are some bits of it that are so complicated but still really accessible.””
Tour Dates
Oct. 15 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line (venue upgrade)
Oct. 16 – Milwaukee, WI @ Vivarium
Oct. 17 – Detroit, MI @ The Loving Touch
Oct. 19 – Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall
Oct. 20 – Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz
Oct. 22 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
Oct. 23 – New York, NY @ Music Hall Of Williamsburg
Oct. 24 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
Oct. 26 – Washington, DC @ Atlantis
Oct. 27 – Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall
Oct. 28 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Oct. 30 – Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room
Oct. 31 – Columbus, OH @ A&R Music Bar
Nov. 20 – Mexico City, MX @ Corona Capital Festival
Dec. 19 – Chicago, IL @ Salt Shed (w/ Ratboys)
 

 

heavens to betsy at Fine Line (Oct 16, 2026)

heavens to betsy at Fine Line (Oct 16, 2026)
October 16, 2026 Friday
heavens to betsy
with Tuffie, Scrunchies
at Fine Line

first-avenue.com
Feminist punk trailblazers heavens to betsy to headline the Fine Line, in Minneapolis, on October 16, 2026. The band features Corin Tucker (of Sleater-Kinney) and Tracy Sawyer (of The Husbands). It’s been a long time since the band was active, but it looks like they have recorded a new album called baby’s gone due out October 16 via Kill Rock Stars.
The ticket limit is strict. Any attempt to exceed the posted ticket limit per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets prior to the show.
 
We last saw Sleater-Kinney in March 2024 and wrote, “Portland’s finest, Sleater-Kinney, just headlined the Palace Theatre, in St Paul, last night. The group is touring in support of their eleventh studio album, Little Rope (Loma Vista). The band hardly spoke, except singer/bassist Carrie Brownstein mention that the Chicago audience was “the best audience so far.” I am assuming by best, they meant turn out and very interactive. I’m sure it could also mean well behaved. Each stop on the tour, SK had a different concert poster for the show. Unfortunately, the Chicago posters did not arrive to the venue on time, so fans were offered a signed poster if they ordered that poster on their website, as a concession.”
Tuffie and Scrunchies to open.
Tour Dates:
10/16: Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
10/17: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
10/18: San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill
10/24: Olympia, WA @ Capitol Theater *Girl Night Part 2*
10/28: Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
10/30: Washington, DC @ Black Cat*
10/31: New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom*
11/1: Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church*
11/5: Seattle, WA @ Nuemos
11/8: Pasadena, CA @ Sid the Cat Auditorium
11/14: Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
11/15: Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
11/21: Athens, GA @ 40 Watt
11/22: Durham, NC @ Motorco Music Hall

* with Calamity Jane

 

 

Dadi Freyr at First Avenue (Oct 17, 2026)

Dadi Freyr at First Avenue (Oct 17, 2026)
October 17, 2026 Saturday
Daði Freyr
with BRÍET
at First Avenue

first-avenue.com
The Icelandic-born, Berlin-based musician Daði Freyr is back in Minnesota, playing his biggest venue yet – First Avenue on October 17, 2026. He was previously in town in March 2024.
The ticket limit is strict. Any attempt to exceed the posted ticket limit per customer or household, or to game the system in any way, will result in cancellation of orders without notice. There is a transfer delay for all tickets prior to the show.
 
Tour Dates
Oct 1, 2026 ZeyZey Miami, FL
Oct 2, 2026 The Plaza Live Orlando, FL
Oct 3, 2026 Variety Playhouse Atlanta, GA
Oct 4, 2026 Brooklyn Bowl Nashville Nashville, TN
Oct 6, 2026 Lincoln Theatre Washington, DC
Oct 8, 2026 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA
Oct 9, 2026 Brooklyn Steel Brooklyn, NY
Oct 10, 2026 Big Night Live Boston, MA
Oct 11, 2026 MTELUS Montreal, QC
Oct 13, 2026 The Concert Hall Toronto, ON
Oct 14, 2026 Globe Iron Cleveland, OH
Oct 15, 2026 The Vic Theatre Chicago, IL
Oct 16, 2026 The Rave Milwaukee, WI
Oct 17, 2026 First Avenue Minneapolis, MN
Oct 20, 2026 Summit Music Hall Denver, CO
Oct 23, 2026 Showbox SoDo Seattle, WA
Oct 24, 2026 Crystal Ballroom Portland, OR
Oct 29, 2026 The Castro Theatre San Francisco, CA
Oct 30, 2026 The Wiltern Los Angeles, CA
Nov 5, 2026 Harpa Reykjavík, Iceland
 

 

If your band is coming to the Minneapolis/St Paul area, please email details to vu@weheartmusic.com with a good lead time. Thank you.

 

 

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