MedCity Music Map is sponsored by Thesis Beer Project
As the seasons turn, and we wave goodbye to summer, it is time to “fall” in love with music again. As the leaves start changing colors, the Medcity Music Map can help you catch everything from a fabulously sultry female jazz singer at Thesis Beer Project to the multi-band extravaganza called Heading Up North featuring some regional musical heroes like The Big Wu and Clay Fulton & The Lost Forty. If you want to pair some jazz with local beer, go huge with a multi-act concert, or learn about the hurdy-gurdy, Rochester’s music scene is ready to deliver.
THESIS BEER PROJECT - LIVE MUSIC
Nur-D with Danger Club
DATE + TIME: Saturday, October 4th, 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Thesis Beer Project 1929 2nd St SW, Rochester, MN 55902
TICKETS: $15 in advance $20 at the door
Want a night of energetic hip-hop and electronic grooves? Don’t miss the perfect combination of Minnesotan powerhouse Nur-D and the danceable tunes of Danger Club. Nur-D’s music is inspired by soul. He takes the vibes and showmanship of ‘80s glam rock, stirs it up with pop and funk, and combines it with contemporary rap. Nur-D’s music has a sense of humor, and his joy and energy shine through all of his performances. He says his music is “made for anyone who’s ever felt like they don’t quite fit in.”
Danger Club brings some tasty horn harmonies and maybe a funky cover or two. The group uses some infectious drum loops and tight bass lines to create a mashup sure to get the saxy party started. Between Nur-D and Danger Club, this night of music is going to be about good feels and even better brews.
Leslie Vincent with Big Blue Moon Jazz
DATE + TIME: Saturday, November 1st, 7:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Thesis Beer Project 1929 2nd St SW, Rochester, MN 55902
TICKETS: $7
Want a little pop in your jazz? Minneapolis-based Leslie Vincent and Big Blue Moon Jazz has exactly what you need in your life. Down Beat Magazine claims that Leslie Vincent is “as much a story teller as she is a jazz singer” and Cathy Wurzer from Minnesota Public Radio says she has a “treasure of a voice.”
Leslie’s storytelling comes to the fore on her “About Last Night” album. It takes the listener through the highs and lows of finding love and celebrating on the town. It includes both original compositions and jazz standards.
Big Blue Moon Jazz focuses on modern jazz and hails from south Minneapolis. The group centers on the piano work of Nick Bhalla. This combo improvises without worrying too much about what jazz should be. Between the sultry crooning of Leslie Vincent and the improvisational prowess of Big Blue Moon Jazz, this should be a perfect night to enjoy some beverages and take in a fabulous show at Thesis Beer Project.
MORE MEDCITY LIVE MUSIC
Loud Mouth Brass with Beginner’s Luck
DATE + TIME: Friday, September 12th, Doors at 7:30 PM, music at 8 PM
LOCATION: The Stage in Pure Rock Studios 515 Rocky Creek Dr NE, Rochester, MN 55906
TICKETS: $15
Enjoy an all-ages show featuring Rochester’s own Beginner’s Luck and Loud Mouth Brass. Beginner’s Luck brings its ‘90s grunge music and heavy-hitting originals and Loud Mouth Brass brings the energy of a pop-inspired brass band to The Stage inside Pure Rock Studios.
Beginner’s Luck is a quartet featuring four Rochester area high school seniors. They’ve been bringing their music to a variety of venues in the area for several years. The band has some catchy originals, like their single “Lemonade” that can be streamed everywhere.
Loud Mouth Brass released its latest album, “Lost Time,” this past March. Their instrumental music combines the best qualities from the New Orleans brass band tradition with the infectious vibes of modern pop music. From the top of its bluesaphone to the bottom of its thumping bass drum, Loud Mouth Brass is ready to have some fun. Food and beverages will be available during the show from Chip Shots.
Treedome Presents: Field Report, Collections of Colonies of Bees, and LAAMAR at the
DATE + TIME: Friday, October 3rd, Doors 6 PM, music 7 PM
LOCATION: Pop’s Art Theater – 619 6th Ave NW, Rochester, MN 55901
TICKETS: $25 Advanced and $35 day of show, with $20 student tickets
Presented by Rochester’s Treedome and featuring three bands that range from folk-inspired tunes to looping saxophone compositions, this night of music will take you on a winding journey. Field Report is a Milwaukee-based folk project that has released four full-length albums. The band is led by Christopher Porterfield, a graduate of Rochester’s Mayo High School. Field Report’s music creates images that draw on character-driven sketches.
Collections of Colonies of Bees, another Milwaukee outfit, has been evolving for decades. The band grew out of a collaboration between founding member Chris Rosenau and Jon Mueller, both from the band Pele. Over the years, the band has released music with Justin Vernon under the moniker Volcano Choir. The band is an experimental rock band that includes both technical precision and expression, which is driven by heartfelt emotions. Though the group was at first focused on instrumental music, it has expanded to include vocals with its 2018 album Hawaii.
Laamar is the creation of Minneapolis-based saxophonist, songwriter, and singer Geoffrey Lamar Wilson. He’s left a mark with his looped and multilayered saxophone compositions. Laamar’s debut EP “Flowers” manages to incorporate everything from country to R&B while presenting the foibles and joys of the experience shared by all.
Heading Up North Music Celebration
DATE + TIME: Saturday, October 11th, Doors at 4 PM, Music 5- 10 PM
LOCATION: The Historic Chateau Theatre, 15 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55902
TICKETS: $35 advance // $45 day of show
Rochester can always use more music festivals, and Rochester-based rock group Clay Fulton and the Lost Forty are stepping up to present what they hope is to be the first of an annual music celebration called Heading up North. With music from 5 p.m.-10 p.m. at the beautiful Historic Chateau Theatre on Oct. 11th, the lineup includes The Big Wu, Clay Fulton & The Lost Forty, Tae & The Neighborly, Molly Brandt, Audrey Robinson, Josiah Smith, and Jeff Kelly.
From the tormented yet beautiful stripped-down songs of local guitar slinger and troubadour Josiah Smith to the improvisatory jam band antics and tight vocal harmonies of The Big Wu, this celebration of music promises to be a night to remember. “This gathering is the culmination of a lot of work and a lot of passion,” says Clay Fulton, the frontman for The Lost Forty. “To bring music and community together with my bandmates in one of the most beautiful spaces Rochester has to offer is a dream come true.” Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind night of music.
Joel Ward at the Little Thistle Sunday Matinee
DATE + TIME: Sunday, October 19th, Music 1-3 PM
LOCATION: Little Thistle 2031 14th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901
TICKETS: Free
Looking to chill with some tunes on a Sunday afternoon? Check out Little Thistle’s Sunday Matinee. Every Sunday, they feature free regional musicians from 1-3 p.m. You can usually manage to grab a bite from a food truck to go along with Little Thistle’s local brews.
Joel Ward brings his unique style, melding blues, folk, and funk. With fun interpretations of covers and his own originals, Ward always shines with his guitar pickin’ and vocals that manage to be both rough and delicate in turns. Currently hailing from Winona, Ward is a long-time veteran of the Rochester area music scene, and his inspired music is always worth a listen. A taco from the Taco Lab Food Truck would make the perfect addition to Ward’s music.
Listen and Learn with Peter Micholic, Hurdy Gurdy
DATE + TIME: Friday, November 14th, Noon-1 PM
LOCATION: Christ United Methodist Church
TICKETS: Free
Minnesotan Peter Micholic will be presenting an informational talk and performance about the hurdy-gurdy, an instrument that has existed since the 1300s. The hurdy-gurdy is lute-shaped but creates sound by a wheel that is cranked to rub against strings. The music includes a drone sound that is reminiscent of the bagpipes.
Micholic is a former band director and has performed hurdy-gurdy music regularly at the regional Renaissance festival. In 2024, he released an album of hurdy-gurdy music entitled “Cicada: Music for Solo Hurdy Gurdy.”
The presentation and performance offered by Micholic on the hurdy gurdy will be the perfect way to spend a musical lunch break. It is also part of an ongoing “Listen and Learn” series presented by the Rochester Music Guild. Find more information at https://rochestermusicguild.org/listen-learn/.
