The Calendar · Venue

The Cedar Cultural Center

WBWest Bank, Minneapolis
49 upcoming shows on the books
intimatelistening-roomvisitor-friendlyworld-music

A nonprofit listening room that has been booking world music, folk, and roots artists from across the globe since 1989. The room is small, the sound is excellent, and the curation reaches places few other American venues bother with. A West Bank institution.

Notes from the room

Standing or seated depending on the show — check the listing. The room is small enough that there is no bad spot. The West Bank is a real neighborhood; stick around after.

Plan the night

Before · After

Eat before
Keefer Court for bao + Hong Kong-style baked goods, or Town Hall Brewery (four blocks south on Washington) for the full pub kitchen.
Drink first
Town Hall Brewery has its own bar — Mon-Sun open late.
Second stop
Hard Times Cafe across the street — open until midnight, vegan, decades-deep.
Late food
Hard Times until midnight. Town Hall Brewery kitchen Fri-Sat until 2 AM.

September 2026

October 2026

  • Friday, October 2
    8:00 PM

    GYEDU-BLAY AMBOLLEY

    GYEDU-BLAY AMBOLLEY is a musical luminary hailing from Ghana, West Africa, with a staggering 29 albums under his belt. Known affectionately as the "Simigwa Do Man,” Ambolley’s musical journey began in…

  • Saturday, October 3
    8:00 PM

    IAMJOY with Anna Houston and Maddie Thies

    Minneapolis artist IAMJOY will be debuting her album What Is Getting Home? in the intimacy of The Cedar. Immerse yourself in her exploration of genres and introspective lines.

  • Sunday, October 4
    7:30 PM

    W.I.T.C.H.

    We Intend To Cause Havoc (W.I.T.C.H.) are progenitors of the Zamrock scene. Fusing Western rock and rhythm & blues with traditional African sounds, W.I.T.C.H. were among Zambia's most popular and infl…

  • Monday, October 5
    7:30 PM

    AJJ , Dirty Old Power Tour with Greet Death

    Ever since Sean Bonnette and Ben Gallaty formed AJJ back in 2004, it’s felt like the world has been playing catch-up. That’s because the band has always woven apocalyptic themes and imagery into many …

  • Tuesday, October 6
    7:30 PM

    First Avenue presents National Park After Dark: Your Neck of the Woods Tour

    Welcome to National Park After Dark, a podcast for the morbid enthusiast. Hosted by two friends who share a passion for public lands and a fascination with what can go wrong there, each week hosts Dan…

  • Wednesday, October 7
    7:30 PM

    First Avenue presents ALIZA KELLY’S HAUNTED TEA PARTY: The Spooky Season Astrology Tour

    Join celebrity astrologer Aliza Kelly for a very eerie brew; the tea is piping hot and anything can (and will) happen. What starts as an astrology experience slips into something stranger, spookier, a…

  • Thursday, October 8
    7:30 PM

    Anna Johnson “Swarm of Tongues” Album Release with Matthew Rahaim & Davu Seru and GLASS (Annie Enneking & Kari Tweiten)

    Minnesota-reared and Chicago-based, Anna Johnson celebrates the release of her debut LP Swarm of Tongues with a special hometown concert. She will be accompanied by Ben Baker Billington (percussion), …

  • Friday, October 9
    8:00 PM

    An Intimate Evening with COPELAND with special guest Jenny Dee

    Copeland is an American indie rock band formed in 2001 in Lakeland, Florida. Led by singer-songwriter, pianist and producer Aaron Marsh, the group is famous for its lush arrangements, rich keyboard te…

  • Saturday, October 10
    8:00 PM

    First Avenue presents SYML , Solo in North America with roger weeks

    SYML is the solo venture of Seattle artist Brian Fennell. Welsh for “simple”, he makes music that taps into the instincts that drive us to places of sanctuary, whether that be a place or a person.

  • Tuesday, October 13
    7:30 PM

    JESSE ROPER with Mae Simpson

    Canadian songwriter Jesse Roper is a master at connecting his personal story and experiences to his songwriting - crafting narratives that hit on life's challenges and eccentricities - but that remain…

  • Wednesday, October 14
    7:30 PM

    Salin

    Salin is a Thai-born, Canada-based drummer, Juno nominated producer and composer. Her current music explores the enchanting sounds of Northeast Thailand and marries it with the 70’s psychedelia of Wes…

  • Thursday, October 15
    7:30 PM

    An Evening with Joshua Burnside

    Joshua Burnside is a Northern Irish folk singer-songwriter based in Belfast. His music incorporates elements of Irish and Scottish folk music, Americana, sound collage and electronica. RIYL: Nick Drak…

  • Saturday, October 17
    8:00 PM

    LAURA VEIRS with Karl Blau

    Portland, OR-based singer-songwriter Laura Veirs has forged a career singing personal songs of romantic intoxication, everyday vignettes, and social commentary that are often heavy on introspection an…

  • Sunday, October 18
    7:30 PM

    An Evening with Richard Shindell , All Acoustic

    Richard Shindell is a meticulous craftsman of song whose six studio albums and one live recording have been revered by critics and fans alike. Innovative, original and occasionally spiritual, Shindell…

  • Tuesday, October 20
    7:30 PM

    An Evening with WINDBORNE

    With a 20-year background studying polyphonic music around the world, the four members of Windborne share a vibrant energy onstage.

  • Friday, October 23
    8:00 PM

    Maggie Koerner , Upstate Tour

    New Orleans-based songwriter Maggie Koerner released her debut solo album in 2011. Shortly thereafter, she had the opportunity to take over as the frontwoman for Galactic, gaining international attent…

November 2026

  • Tuesday, November 3
    7:30 PM

    Jeremiah Chiu and Josh Johnson

    Jeremiah Chiu is an LA-based synthesist widely recognized for his versatile electronic music as a solo artist, textured recordings in a duo with violist Marta Sofia Honer, and the experimental quintet…

  • Friday, November 6
    8:00 PM

    ❗SOLD OUT❗ Bill Callahan

    Inimitable songwriter Bill Callahan returns to The Cedar for an intimate solo performance.

  • Saturday, November 7
    8:00 PM

    The Cedar and Walker Art Center Present LEENALCHI

    Leenalchi is a seven-piece band from Seoul that draws on the folk storytelling tradition of pansori, and will remind you of the Talking Heads.Their line-up is as singular as their sound , featuring tw…

  • Sunday, November 8
    7:30 PM

    TEDDY THOMPSON with Jenna Nicholls

    Called “one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation” by The New York Times.“Teddy’s glorious tenor is bracing but warm and never showy.” The Associated Press. “Buoyant, soulful.” Billb…

  • Tuesday, November 10
    7:30 PM

    Great Lake Swimmers , caught light tour 2026

    Great Lake Swimmers founder Tony Dekker has always been akin to a wildlife photographer, often choosing to make records in unique surroundings with a connection to Ontario history. For the band’s late…

  • Saturday, November 14
    8:00 PM

    Chicago Farmer & The Fieldnotes with Jack Klatt

    “After a few listens to the record it becomes apparent that Chicago Farmer has a refreshingly firm grip on where he comes from. The songs are covered to the elbows in dirt from the fields and smell of…

  • Thursday, November 19
    7:30 PM

    JAKE BLOUNT with Sprig of That

    Jake Blount is a performer and scholar of Black folk music based in Providence, RI. Initially recognized for his skill as a string-band musician, Blount has synthesized his scholarly and artistic purs…

  • Saturday, November 21
    8:00 PM

    An Evening with JOHN GORKA

    "Rules of art were made to be shattered. When broken by accident, that's gaucheness. When broken on purpose, well, that's style. John Gorka's technique breaks free from the rules of modern music” , Hu…

  • Sunday, November 22
    7:30 PM

    An Evening with Alla Boara

    Alla Boara seeks to bring recognition and new life to Italy’s diverse regional folk music. With modern arrangements that are surprising, playful, and tender, Alla Boara’s songs move audiences from all…

March 2027

  • Saturday, March 13
    8:00 PM

    First Avenue presents DAN AND PEGGY REEDER

    The cult-favorite-folk songwriter Dan Reeder performs alongside his angelic-voiced daughter, Peggy Reeder, whose voice has brought a fresh spark to his sound in their live shows these past two years.

April 2027

  • Thursday, April 1
    7:30 PM

    The Cedar and Walker Art Center Present SML

    SML is a quintet composed of luminaries from Los Angeles’s thriving jazz, improvised, and indie music scenes: bassist Anna Butterss (Jeff Parker, Jason Isbell, Phoebe Bridgers, Makaya McCraven), synth…

August 2027