Years ago, John Magnuson was in a Minneapolis band called the Carpetbaggers. John played rhythm guitar and wrote/sang many of the band's songs. The Carpetbaggers enjoyed some notoriety in the mid-to-late 90s when the band did three tours with Son Volt and shared the stage with such notables as Los Lobos, Alison Krauss, the Jayhawks, and Paul Westerberg. In November of 2020, John released a record called Barely Noticeable. Half of the album is Indie/Folk-Rock-ish, and the other half is pretty much the same, except with a little more twang. When performing, John primarily plays his original material, with a few covers mixed in for good measure.

After 2 years, The Maeflies are thrilled to return to The Aster to perform a big list of songs, with their richest harmonies and full fleet of instruments to entertain you. Don't miss this unique show as the five Maeflies fill the intimate stage at The Aster.…. and their last show of the year!

The Maeflies, Minnesota's Americana-Country-Rock Ensemble, have been playing their trademark sound for over 17 years. They deliver rich signature harmonies, hot guitars and songs that tell a story. The Maeflies know their way around any iteration of guitar, including pedal steel, mandolin and banjo. All the Maeflies can sing and pass around the lead vocal. Mae fronts the band; and you will discover why.

Billy Johnson’s Black Dog High featuring George McKelvey, Mark Mraz, and Scott Best.

Billy Johnson is a singer/songwriter from Minneapolis. Billy was the lead singer of The Hillcats, and is the lead singer of Billy Johnson’s Roadshow. He also has an acoustic duo called B-TEAM with George McKelvey. Billy has recorded 10 CDs. He strums a Gibson guitar with soul, and has a great vocal range.

Singer-songwriters who lived in Laurel Canyon in the late 1960’s created musical crossovers in folk-and-country-rock that lionized the troubadour as the iconic figurehead of the music scene for a decade. Stephen Stills, Roger McGuinn, Neil Young, Jackson Browne and poured the foundations for what we hail as Americana today. With his good friends Paul Madsen on bass, and JJ Benson on lead guitar, Tim Houlihan will share songs and stories from an era that was the catalyst and inspiration for generations of musicians to come.

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 10 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

Featuring:
Austin James
Katrina Schleisman
Doug Collins
Kashimana

Hosted by: T.J.D.

Music 8-10 pm

Enjoy an evening of the music you love from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with the Nate Hance Trio, featuring the smooth vocal stylings of Kijana. You'll hear all those classic tunes, as well as new and exciting arrangements of our favorite holiday tunes. Enjoy a bit of nostalgia mixed with a bit of funk, as well as Nate's impressive trick of playing piano upside down and backwards!

Laura Hugo is originally from the Navajo Nation but has been calling the Twin Cities her home for the last 7 years. She’ll make you feel the feels with her melodic and catchy tunes about heartbreak. You’ll probably find her frequenting open mics, playing at various Minneapolis music venues and watching others play shows at least 4 days a week.

Composer / Performer Chris Koza is an internationally-recognized Americana artist and has spent the last fifteen years writing and performing amidst the lakes of Minnesota. Both solo and with his band Rogue Valley, Chris has shared the stage with Brandi Carlile, Andrew Bird, The Jayhawks, Stephen Kellogg, and Tift Merritt, among others. His music has been featured on television for ABC, MTV, and CBS as well as numerous regional and national campaigns. Winnebago recently commissioned Chris to record a version of Willie Nelson’s classic On The Road Again in a partnership with the National Parks Foundation. The highlight of the past several years was when Ben Stiller selected the Rogue Valley song, The Wolves and the Ravens, for his 20th Century Fox feature film, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 10 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

The Minnesota songwriter showcase
Twin Cities tradition since 2005
Curated by Nick Hensley of Love songs for angry men
Features 12 up-and-coming and veteran songwriters every Wednesday from 8 PM to 10 PM Sept-May
-FREE SHOW
-for more information message us at:

https://www.facebook.com/MNsongwritershowcase

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Featuring:
George Faber
Andrew S Lentz
Grant Glad
Maya Elena
John Richardson

Hosted by: T.J.D.

Music 8-10 pm

Brian Charles Tischleder's music is Americana folk rock’n roll in the tradition Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen and Leonard Cohen. He has been writing, performing and recording his original songs for all of his adult life. In the last twenty five years, he has toured extensively in the Midwestern United States while developing a large international fan base. He has played to sold-out crowds at Minneapolis/ St. Paul venues such as First Avenue, Fine Line Music Cafe and O'Garas.

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Featuring:
Deacon Warner
Stef Mauceri
Boe Ross
Nikki Lemire

Hosted by: T.J.D.

Music 8-10 pm

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Twin Cities-based Americana band, Art Vandalay returns to the Aster to celebrate their new album Champagne & Chandeliers!

Blending the classic roots sounds of The Band and the modern indie sounds of Chuck Prophet and The Black Keys, Art Vandalay creates raw Americana rock with songs that are “impossibly catchy” (Duluth News Tribune).

A garage band at heart, Art Vandalay recorded their earlier albums (Dancin’ with Your Demons and Heaven’s Operahouse) themselves in Twin Cities’ basements and apartments, recorded and mixed by band leader Brandon Henry. Wanting to have the physical and creative space to experiment and rock out a bit more, they recorded at Future Condo Studios in Minneapolis with producer and engineer John Miller. Long-time band members Ben Cook-Feltz (keyboards, vocals), Drew Stevenson (bass), and Calvin Keasling (drums) joined Henry (vocals, guitar) along with special guests Rich Rue (slide guitar) and Colin Monette (guitar).

Dan Israel is a longtime fixture on the Minneapolis music scene. He was the first guest on 89.3 The Current’s “Local Show” and has been called “the hardest working singer-songwriter in Minnesota.” He won Song of the Year (for “Come to Me”) in the 2005 Minnesota Music Awards and Songwriter of the Year in the 2006 MMA’s. He received a 4-star review from the UK’s “Uncut” magazine for his 2007 album “Turning.” He has released 16 critically acclaimed albums, including his latest, 2020’s “Social Distance Anxiety Disorder," which many critics and fans have praised as his finest record yet.

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Featuring:
Katy Tessman
Mark Shirmacher
Kelley Larson
Ben Cook-Feltz

Hosted by: T.J.D.

Music 8-10 pm

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Featuring:
Sam Ketcham
Kitchen Congregation
Emerson
Natalie Fideler

Hosted by: T.J.D.

Music 8-10 pm

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”

Since forming in 2006, The High 48s have been making music that combines the soulful sound of classic bluegrass with a modern attitude, original songs and a wide range of influences far beyond Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers, and Flatt and Scruggs.

In a genre created and dominated by artists from the South, The High 48s were born and raised in the Upper Midwest. And in a music scene where playing standards is the norm, The High 48s are a band of songwriters who perform their own material in addition to the “festival favorites.”